The much-awaited project of constructing a magnificent New Anubhava Mantapa at Basavakalyan in Bidar district where the historical Anubhava Mantapa was built and operated by the Sharanas (reformer-poets) in the 12th Century finally got a partial budgetary allocation.
During his Budget speech on Monday, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced the allocation of ₹200 crore for the project for which the foundation stone had already been laid by the Chief Minister in January first week.
The way that Mr. Yediyurappa laid the foundation for the project in a hurry without budgetary allocation and detailed project report had attracted widespread criticism. Many viewed the project, along with the formation controversial Maratha Development Corporation, as a politically motivated move ahead of the imminent byelection for the Basavakalyan Assembly constituency which was necessitated by the demise of its representative B. Narayan Rao of Congress. Impressing Lingayats and Marathas, which were the decisive forces in the segment, with New Anubhava Mantapa and Maratha Development Corporation respectively appeared to have been the ruling party’s strategy for attracting votes in the bypoll.
The idea of constructing a New Anubhava Mantapa to showcase the imaginary 12th Century Anubhava Mantapa, which is often claimed to be the first Parliament of the world established in Basavakalyana (then called Kalyana) where Sharanas (poets and socio-spiritual reformers) deliberated for fundamental social change, was originally mooted in 2016 by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. An expert committee with Go.Ru. Channabasappa as its chairman was also formed to come up with a detailed project plan. The committee submitted its report in September 2017. The initiative did not progress in the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress coalition government that assumed power after the 2018 Assembly elections. Later, the BJP government gave its nod to the project in September 2019 and the foundation stone was laid in January 2021.
The detailed project report, including design of the structure, is not yet ready. However, the report and the design submitted by the Go.Ru. Channabasappa Committee was circulated by the government at the time of the foundation-stone-laying ceremony.
As per the committee’s estimation, the cost of the project that was to be spread across 25-30 acres on the bank of Tripurantara lake in Basavakalyan was ₹600.44 crore. The committee wanted it to be called Mahamane Kshetra. In the absence of a clear picture of the physical structure of the 12th Century Anubhava Mantapa, the New Anubhava Mantapa was designed to symbolise the six principles of Sharana philosophy – Shatsthala, Ashtavarana, Panchachara, Kayaka, Dasoha, and Anubhaava – in every aspect of its structure.
