Cultural fiesta marks ‘Aatidonji Dina'

President of District Mahila Mandaligala Okkoota Sarala Kanchan (Fourth from Right) playing the game of "Chennamane" with President of Taluk Mahila Mandaligala Okkoota Sheela K. Shetty at "Aatidonji Dina" programme in Udupi on Saturday.

The rich culture of Tulunadu was on display at the ‘Aatidonji Dina – Mahila Kuto' (A day in the month of Ashada — women's meet) organised by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, the Udupi Taluk Mahila Mandaligala Okkoota and the Bantara Matra Sangha here on Saturday.

The celebrations began with a game of ‘Chennamane' between the okkoota's district unit president Sarala Kanchan and her taluk unit counterpart Sheela K. Shetty. Other traditional sports such as ‘Kere Dada', ‘Tonka' and ‘Jubulu' were also played.

Later, the participants were treated to 21 mouth-watering dishes of Tulunadu, including ‘Nuppu', ‘Kuduth Sar', ‘Patrode', ‘Chilimbi Adye', ‘Pelakayida Gatti', and ‘Gunda Chatni', which are specially prepared during the month of Aati or Ashada. The lunch was followed by various folk dances of the region.

Home Minister V.S. Acharya, who inaugurated the programme, said that the Government was committed to promoting Tulu language and culture. “No culture can survive without a language. It is necessary to preserve the traditions of Tulunadu in their pure form,” he said.

People of Tulunadu should converse in Tulu. Parents should make their children learn Tulu. If there was no facility to learn a language, it would slowly become extinct, Dr. Acharya said.

Member-convener of the academy Dugappa Kajekar, vice-president of Bantara Matra Sangha (Mangalore) Ravindranath G. Hegde and president of Yuva Bantara Sangha Jayakar Shetty Indralliwere present.