Preparations for the 81st Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelan have begun at Shravanabelagola in Channarayapatna taluk. The three-day literary event will start on February 1.
Coconut growers in the taluk are offering coconuts and copra to the Jain Mutt, which has taken the responsibility of offering food for the participants.
The main venue — to be spread over an area of 500x300 sq. ft and which can accommodate 15,000 people — is being readied at the APMC yard on the outskirts of Shravanabelagola. The dais is being designed on an area of 40x80 sq. ft. A parallel venue, which can accommodate around 1,500 people, has been planned for seminars and cultural events. Infrastructure will be made available for setting up over 400 bookstalls. Five kitchens, each with one dining hall, will come up near the main venue. Each dining hall can serve up to 10,000 people. A media centre, with computers and Internet facility, has also been planned.
Appeal for farmers
Farmers have been offering coconuts and copra for the sammelan. Shravanabelagola MLA C.N. Balakrishna, who is also a coconut grower, was one among the first to offer coconuts. Farmers’ associations have appealed to all coconut growers in the taluk to contribute copra and coconuts. Traders and businessmen of Shravanabelagola have taken the responsibility of keeping the town clean and making decorations for the event.
Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swami of the Jain Mutt, on Friday, launched a cleaning drive in Shravanabelagola.
Mr. Balakrishna, who is working president of the reception committee, said the venue would be maintained litter-free. Prior to the inau
guration of the sammelan a cleaning drive would be taken up in all villages in a 5-km radius from Shravanabelagola, he said.
