Dharmasthala to host all religion meet from today

While Justice Shivaraj Patel will inaugurate the Sarvadharma Sammelana, State Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar will declare open the Sahitya Sammelana.

Litterateur Nadoja Dr Hampana will preside over the literary meet. Thousands are expected to throng the temple town to witness conventions and the Lakshadeepotsava of Sri Manjunatha Swamy.

The Sarvadharma Sammelana and the Sahitya Sammelana is being organised as part of the Lakshadeepotsava at Dharmastala for the last 77 years.

The temple town hosts the meets every year, which signifies the relation between religion and literature.

The silver jubilee of the convention was held in 1957, the golden jubilee was celebrated in 1982, diamond jubilee was in 1992 and in 2007, special programmes organised to mark the platinum jubilee. The ‘Amritha Varshini’ Auditorium was constructed to commemorate the platinum jubilee in 2007, where conventions are being held.

Origin

It was in 1933, the first Sarvadharma Sammelana and Sahitya Sammelana were organised by the then Dharmadhikari late Manjaiah Heggade, who died in 1955. An Ayurveda Parishat, Akhila Karnataka expo and cultural programmes were also organised on the occasion.

Banglegudde, the venue for the conventions, where the seating capacity was only 300. Noted Litterateurs Kota Shivarama Karantha, Advocate D Puttaswamy, K S Dharanendraiah were in the forefront to organise the conventions during Manjaiah Hegde’s period. After 1966, Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade and Hemavathi V Heggade took over the responsibility.

Descipline, well arranged venue and large number of audience are the speciality of the convention.

Leaders of all religions were invited for the Sarvadharama Sammelana, where eminent speakers deliver talks on various themes related to religion. Convention president will be taken to the venue in a procession along with other dignitories.

Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade says that the conventions provide opportunities for budding artists and litteratures and it will be an inspiration for them.