Scholar M. Chidananda Moorthy on Friday said by calling the country India as named by foreigners, people have gone away from their rich past. “The very name ‘Bharat’ would have ignited the vast heritage of the country in one’s mind,” he said.
He was speaking after receiving the lifetime achievement award at the two-day Mangaluru Lit Fest organised by Mangaluru Literary Foundation. “The word India only reminds foreign occupation,” he said.
Mr. Moorthy said, “The essence of ‘Bharat’ lies in its Dharma; Dharma does not mean religion or caste and cannot be defined.
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“Dharma is compassion, charity, penance and virtue,” he said adding ‘Bharat’ never invaded any foreign country in pursuit of spreading religion nor did it unleash cruelty to propagate religion. On the other hand, it was invaded numerous times by those wanted to propagate their religion by every means.
Inaugurating the festival earlier, Kendra Sahitya Academy Chairman Chandrashekhar Kambar said imparting education in the language of the State was a must to find one’s own self. “Introduction of British system of education and English as a medium of instruction completely destroyed people’s connection to their past,” he said adding the connection should be restored. As such even literature has been developing as an alien system, he regretted.
Nitte (Deemed to be University) Chancellor N. Vinay Hegde, Karnataka Sahitya Academy Chairman B.V. Vasanth Kumar and others were present.
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