From the localness of Kannada to its ability to be universal, globalisation and the response of the governments to the global politics, writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa spoke eloquently at Alva's Nudisiri here on Friday, finally ending his speech by saying that the “Kannada mind” is one that stands up for justice.
The theme of this year's three-day literary meet is “Kannada Manassu: Sangharshagalu mathu samarasya”. The writer began his speech referring to “struggles” and “harmony”, and how harmony could be reached through struggle.
Giving an example, he said often history was turned into puranas and the puranas were sought to be converted into history. He said that the friction as a result of these attempts was “unhealthy” and could give rise to intolerance. The boundaries of both should be kept recognised in order to maintain harmony.
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He said when there was a struggle for justice or a movement for change, it should be free from jealousy, casteism, and intolerance. Only when a movement or a struggle was built on principles would it lead to harmony.
He said Kannada had the capacity to remain locally-rooted, and yet be relevant for the country and be universal as well. In a local version of the Mahabharata, it was Draupadi who saved the kingdom of the Pandavas after they lost it in a game of dice. This was because of the existence of a matriarchal culture in these parts. In Malavalli taluk of Mandya district, there was a temple dedicated to Ravana. Kannada could lay claim everyone right from Gandhi and Ambedkar to Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. and even Bismillah Khan's shehnai, because it contained compositions about each of them, he said.
One-third of India's people lived below the poverty line, Mr. Ramachandrappa said. Economic might should not be allowed to lay claim over politics education and culture, he added.
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President of the sammelan M.M. Kalburgi, researcher and writer, said that a number of influences had competed against one another to result in today's social conditions. He spoke about the conflict between Jainism and Vedic-Brahminism and also traced the freedom struggle.
Before either Jainism or Brahminism even had a presence in India, it was Buddhism that prevailed. As the conflict between Jainism and Brahminism began to take shape, Buddhism started to decline. Mr. Kalburgi outlined the kinds of methods adopted by both Jains and Brahmins to spread their ideas.
Although, the struggle for independence from the British was generally portrayed as a single struggle, there were two struggles progressing side by side during the period. One led by Gandhiji was against the British, whereas the other was led by Ambedkar against oppression from local people. Although, Gandhiji's struggle had ended, the one started by Ambedkar was still progressing in a multitude of ways, he said. Mr. Kalburgi, who is presiding over the literary meet, refused to be taken to the dais in a palanquin, which is traditionally done. Instead, books authored by him were taken to the dais in the palanquin.