Halebeedu bandh if Hoysala utsav is held in Belur

Alternative utsav mooted by residents; bandh today

People’s representatives and leaders of various organisations, who are opposing the change in venue for the launch of Hoysala Utsav — in Belur as opposed to Halebeedu, said, they would observe a bandh in Halebeedu town, on Saturday, to press for their demand.

They said, they would also hold a protest on the inaugural day also, and that an alternative utsav would be organised, if the district administration does not pay heed to them.

After holding a meeting of people’s representatives and leaders of various organisations from the region at the town, on Friday, a delegation of 50 persons met Deputy Commissioner V Anbu Kumar at Hassan, and explained to him about the outcome of the meeting held at Halebeedu.

Following the meeting with the DC, members of the delegation, said that the DC had assured to discuss the matter with District in-charge Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa and MLAs concerned.

Zilla Panchayat Member Jayasheela Jayashankar said, if the district administration does not stick to the original venue of Halebeedu, where the annual utsav was launched 20 years ago, and was held till it was discontinued eight years back, protests would become inevitable.

H M Raju, a farmer, said, Halebeedu was the capital of the Hoysalas for a longer time than Belur and most of the monuments were concentrated in the region. “Two decades ago, an unique open air theatre, Kalamandira, was constructed atop Pushpagiri in Halebeedu with all necessary infrastructure for holding the utsav. However the Kalamandira has been neglected for the past eight years, ever since the utsav was discontinued,” he said.

Pointing out that Halebeedu was mentioned as the venue for the utsav during all meetings held in this connection this year, ZP Member Jayasheela Jayashankar said, even the Deputy Commissioner did not have a satisfactory explanation for changing the venue, two days back.