CB Pur Sahitya Parishat has no roof

Parishat struggles to make ends meet and smile meanwhile

The State capital is excited that the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana has returned to the City after several years. People are enthusiastically preparing for the big day and the Sahitya Parishat itself has promised literature enthusiasts a ‘never-before’ feel to the conference.

In contrast, however, certain district-level Kannada Sahitya Parishats are struggling both in matters of both literature and culture due to lack of necessary facilities. Literary activities too are being affected negatively.

Chikkaballapur Kannada Sahitya Parishat is just one such Parishat, suffering heavily.

Difficulties

The Parishat has no proper office to work from. It cannot carry out several of its activities as funds are not released in time. Working within strict limits, it is forced to show enthusiasm about the Sammelana, despite such serious problems.

Yet, the Parishat is trying hard to improve literacy levels in the agriculture-based district in the dry land area. Having hosted the first district level Sahitya Sammelana last year, the Parishat is attempting to spread literary and cultural interests in the district. It is also planning a project focusing on the work.

A major hindrance and fear for all such work to become successful is lack proper support from both the district administration and the government.

Office matters

The district Kannada Sahitya Parishat is forced to make do with a little room in the Nandi Rangamandira for an office. All district and taluk level meetings and programmes are organised in this little room, which becomes congested if the number of participants crosses 10.

The only other option for the Parishat currently is the spacious stage of the Nandi Rangamandira itself. However, issues that need to be dealt by office-bearers confidentially are now ‘openly’ discussed and debate upon. The office-bearers admit that the Parishat faces such problems but are forced to quietly accept them and bother only about continuing working despite them.

Promises, promises

The members and office-bearers sent a request letter to the Deputy Commissioner asking for a better and more spacious workplace for the Parishat to function from. They even tried to appeal to the Government to improve its condition. Yet, even after four years since the district came into being, the requests remain, with no action being taken to fulfill them.

“Barely days after Chikkaballapur was created, we sent a letter to the then Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav asking for an office. The District Kannada Sahitya Parishats in other districts have facilities provided in the office of the Deputy Commissioner itself.

Similarly, we too asked for space in the office of the Deputy Commissioner to function from,” said S V Nagaraja Rao, Chikkaballapur District Kannada Sahitya Parishat president, speaking to Deccan Herald.

“In response, the Deputy Commissioner reminded that most departments of the Government have no offices in the district and promised to fulfill our problems as soon as those of the government department are cleared. Later, we sent a request letter to the next Deputy Commissioner Anwar Pasha. He too promised to solve our problems. But we have received only promises till now,” he said with disappointment.

“A few days back, the Nandi Rangamandira underwent renovation. The nameplate of the Parishat was pulled down under this pretext, but not replaced. The little room that had the feel of an office too has been stripped of the nature because of this. It is difficult to recognize the office of the Parishat now,” he complained.

Money woes

“We get Rs 50,000 as grant every year from the Central Kannada Sahitya Parishat in Bangalore, but this does not suffice our needs. Even small programmes nowadays cost us Rs 10 to 20 thousand. We cannot therefore function on merely Rs 50,000 all through the year,” Rao explained.

“Under such circumstances, we are forced to deposit the funds in a Bank and withdraw the money whenever we need. All though we cannot organise functions on a large scale, we conduct school and college level essay-writing, bhavageethe and poetry competitions. Workshops and camps related to literature are also organized regularly,” he added.