'Ramayana a source of inspiration to many'

Writers, leaders pay tribute to legendary sage Valmiki and his epic, tableaux presented

The early life of Maharshi Valmiki, before he became a sage, is yet to be studied, said M H Krishnaiah, senior writer.

He was addressing a Valmiki Jayanthi programme at the Nandi Rangamandira in the City on Monday.

“The researchers at the Valmiki Peetha at the Patiala University in Punjab are studying the life of the sage. Several senior researchers have also published papers on the topic.
While it is known that the great sage was a hunter before his change, the Vedic verses and information from Before Christ and about 9 AD prove he was not a robber or dacoit involved in violent activities, as is popularly believed,” he added.

“The Ramayana is a story of three families: of Ayodhya, of Kishkindha, and of Lanka. A closer look provides information about the life styles of the families and the condition of the societies,” he said.

Writer L N Mukundaraju presented a special lecture on the occasion. Achievers from various fields were honoured during the programme. Folk art troupes from all over the district presented cultural programmes.

Valmiki community

The district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Social Welfare Department, the Department for Kannada and Culture and various institutions jointly organised the Valmiki Jayanthi programme in Kolar City.

District In-charge Minister Varthur Prakash beat a drum outside the Valmiki Bhavan opposite the Sarvajna Park on Monday, setting the procession in motion. The procession from 12 noon till 4 pm, that travelled down the main roads of the City, displaying presentations from folk art troupes and more than 70 tableaux and also included palanquins, attracted attention of the citizens.

The legendary sage and the importance of the Ramayana were remembered by many speakers during the formal function at the Chennayya Rangamandira. A portrait of Valmiki was unveiled on the occasion.

The speakers said the Valmiki community is always kept away from the mainstream by prejudiced people. But the members of the community have made successful attempts to gain social status.

Artiste N R Jnanamurthy spoke on Valmiki, while D R Rajappa, Toorandahalli Srinivas and his troupe presented folk and classical items.

‘Educate your children’

People belonging to scheduled tribes and other educationally-backward classes should ensure that they educate their children, said Bagepalli legislator N Sampangi.

Speaking after inaugurating the Valmiki Jayanthi celebrations at the Government Boy’s School in Gudibande on Monday he said: “Students should make use of various Central and State government programmes such as mid-day meal scheme, avail free bicycles and apply for hostels and scholarships and grow.”

The programmes was jointly organised by the Taluk Administration, the Taluk Panchayat and the Department of Social Welfare. In addition to encouraging students to pursue education, he noted that there were 15,000 hutments in the Bagepalli Assembly constituency. “I will strive to make the constituency free of huts.”

He added that Rs 130 crore has been sanctioned for the development of tanks in the taluk. Work on laying drinking water pipelines is in progress in as many as 77 villages in the taluk. Also work to the tune of Rs 45 crore is being carried out under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, said Sampangi.

‘Valmiki belongs to all’

Zilla Panchayat president Ashwathappa noted that Valmiki Jayanthi should not be restricted to a community but instead be celebrated as festival by all.
Before the programme began, several cultural troupes took out a procession in the main streets of the City.

Takes on Ramayana

The epic by Valmiki is continues to be a source of inspiration to people of many communities, which has led to the emergence of several other versions of Ramayana, said legislator N H Shivashankara Reddy.

Addressing the audience during the Valmiki Jayanthi programme at the SSEA Government Pre-university College, Gauribidanur he said, “People have shaped their lives using the philosophy and ideology of the epic. We have various takes on the Ramayana, like Torave Ramayana, Tulasi Ramayana, Jain Ramayana and also Kuvempu’s Jnanapith winning epic Sriramayana Darshanam, all of which have been inspired by Valmiki’s Ramayana,” he added.

Retired teachers Thippanna Naik and Bheemanna Naik, lawyer Dhananjaya, teacher Manjunath and social worker Manjula were honoured.

A ground-breaking ceremony was undertaken at Madhavanagara for the construction of the Valmiki Bhavan. An idol of the sage was unveiled at Valmiki Circle.