Accusing Alva’s Education Foundation, Moodbidri, of turning “commercial” this year to organise its four-day literary and cultural festival Nudisiri, some writers and activists have come together to start a two-day parallel literary festival – Jana Nudi or ‘the people’s voice’ — in the city from December 14.
Spread over five sessions, writers, scholars, and activists of social and cultural organisations — under the banner Abhimata Mangalore — will participate in a series of discussions ranging from the feminist movement, contemporary challenges, commercialisation of culture, poetry, anxieties of the coast, among others at Kalaangann, Shaktinagar.
“In the age of liberalisation, commercialisation has taken over religion, education, media and even literature and culture. Conferences are being held to make a profit or for brand building. The real issues that affect people are forgotten. We wanted to hold a meet that goes to the core of the issues and strives solely for literature,” said H.S. Anupama, writer, who is in the core organising committee of the event, at a press conference here.
With the tagline that reads ‘Nudiyu sirialla, baduku’ (ideas are not just a treasure, they are life), the event might take the sheen off the larger Nudisiri festival, now in its decennial year, scheduled to be held from December 19 at Moodbidri.
‘Values compromised’“Crores of rupees from dubious sponsors are spent on Nudisiri. They have compromised on their core values, wherein song, dance and entertainment have replaced serious discussion. This year, they have got a Dharmadhikari to inaugurate, someone who does not have anything to do with literature. The entire event reeks of commercialism,” alleged Dr. Anupama.
She said the Nudisiri tradition of parading a writer on a chariot was reminiscent of “feudal culture” wherein the common man was shown his ‘leader’. “The Jana Nudi brings back the concept of a literary fest by focusing on common people, their thoughts and traditions,” the writer said.
The two-day fest will see the participation of writers Rajendra Chenni, S.G. Siddaramaiah, Kadidalu Shamanna, Kalegowda Nagavara, Rahamat Tarikere, G. P. Basavaraju, Vasundhara Bhupathy among others.
This year Alva’s Nudisiri has been renamed as ‘Nudisiri Virasat’ as the foundation’s annual Alva’s Nudisiri (literary convention) and Alva’s Virasat (music and dance events), which were being held separately, are being organised together next week. At a press conference here earlier M. Mohan Alva, chairman, Alva’s Education Foundation had mentioned that this year’s ‘Nudisiri Virasat’ would cost about Rs. 15 crore.
