Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi
Credit: Special Arrangement
Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, on Wednesday, said that the government would organise year-long celebrations based on the theme - ‘Hesarayitu Karnataka, Usiragali Kannada’ - as part of the golden jubilee of the Mysore state being renamed as Karnataka in 1973.
After his meeting with writers, cultural activists, theatre personalities and artistes here, Tangadagi said that as part of the celebrations, the government had decided to instal a 30-foot bronze statue of Nadadevate Bhuvaneshwari on the Ravindra Kalakshetra premises, Bengaluru, along with a theme park at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore.
Goddess Bhuvaneshwari is considered the deity representing the Kannada identity and the statue project has been repeatedly announced by successive governments since 2011, but none executed it.
B S Yediyurappa was the first to make the announcement during his second stint as chief minister in 2011.
The minister stressed that the government would take up renovation work of the Bhuvaneshwari temple situated on the outskirts of Siddapura town in Sirsi taluk of Uttara Kannada district.
“This temple has stood tall atop Bhuvaneshwar hill for centuries. We will take up renovation works soon,” he said.
Tangadagi said some participants at the meeting suggested him to launch four chariots from four corners of the state to highlight Kannada pride.
Other suggested that torches be taken out in processions from four corners of the state to drive home the point about how Kannada had spread the light of knowledge through vast literary works by eminent personalities.
“We have not finalised anything yet. We will hold three more such meetings. The government will form a committee to chalk out year-long programmes,” he said.