The 19th Dakshina Kannada Sahitya Sammelana will begin in Polali, near Mangalore, on a colourful note from Saturday. It will be a two-day affair.
In addition to literary sessions and ‘kavi goshtis’ (poets’ meet), the sammelana, being organised on the premises of Rajarajeshwari temple, will discuss aspects of Yakshagana, agriculture, history of Polali and comedy in life. It will also feature different entertainment programmes, president of Dakshina Kannada Sahitya Parishat S. Pradeep Kumar Kalkura and Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim told presspersons here on Thursday.
Mr. Kalkura said that scientist Kinnikambla Padmanabha Rao (74) would be president of the sammelana. Mr. Rao, known for his contribution towards the development of Kannada keyboard and software to use the language on computer, is an expert in Tulu, Kannada and Sanskrit, he said.
He said there would be an exhibition of Kannada software programmes in addition to exhibition of books, art works and paintings.
Cultural eventsThe cultural programmes on Saturday would cover singing of vachanas and Kannada songs, talamaddale, hoovinakolu, Bharatanatyam, koli nritya and Yakshagana puppetry show.
Sunday’s entertainment programmes include nagaswara and saxaphone recitals, Hindustani concert, harikatha, folk dance, Yakshagana performance, suggi nritya and simha nritya.
B.K. Deva Rao of Mittabagilu village, Belthangady taluk, who has preserved about 80 varieties of paddy, would be among those who would speak on traditional agriculture on Saturday at 12.15 p.m.
Tulu theatre actors Devdas Kapikkad and Navin D. Padil, Yakshagana comedy actors Bantwal Jayaram Acharya and Seetharam Kumar Kateel, Richard Louis, and writer Bhuvaneshwari Hegde, would speak on ‘comedy in life’ on the same day at 1.30 p.m.
There would be a talk on senior poet Kayyara Kinnanha Rai on Sunday at 9.30 a.m. Another session would cover the challenges before Yakshagana in the changing pace of life on Sunday at 11 a.m. In addition, there would be a session on nature and culture in ancient Kannada literature at 1.15 p.m. on Sunday.
FelicitationSandya S Pai, Executive Editor, Taranga weekly would inaugurate the sammelana. State president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat would speak at the valedictory. In all, 21 persons from different fields would be felicitated at the valedictory. In addition, seven distinguished persons, including film maker and theatre personality Sadananda Suvarna, would be honoured at the inaugural session.
