Following are the excerpts from an interview with Ramaiah:
Your message as chairman of the literary meet.
I would like to share the knowledge I got from approaching ‘culture’ from the margins of society that deviates from popular mainstream models of understanding culture and changes in society. I have got a forum for it as a chairman of the literary meet. All that I want to achieve is to make at least a few people aware of sorrows of the people rooted in the soil.
On the literary tradition of the district...
The marginalised section of society that we belong to have contributed immensely to history and literature of the district. But, they have not been documented and have been pushed into oblivion deliberately. There is not a single work on the contributions of Gudigara community. We (the marginalised) need to write our history.
About literary meets...
The literary meets being organised these days don’t invoke pride of people about their language and culture, instead, they are observed like a death anniversary. Such events have become occasions to meet friends and buy books. Otherwise, they serve no purpose, as long as they lack perspective and objectives.
In Adima, we treat every conference as celebration of literary meet. The literary meets should inspire people to read works of great writers like Pampa at their home, if not with an academic seriousness.
Vision of literary meet...
I don’t have a fixed notion of literary meet. But, I believe, it should educate youth, prevent destruction of the tradition and culture of local society (region) and help youth to prevent cultural amnesia.
On Sammelana chairman’s speech...
Speeches of chairmans of the past 10 literary meets should be studied. Each should be a manifesto. And, if they are not implemented, the Sammelana would have no relevance.
And, about the Sahitya Parishat...
I don’t have special attachment with the Parishat. I’ve not participated in any of the programmes held by the Parishat.
But, I was one of those who led the ‘Bandaya Sahitya’ movement. I have deep respect for the literary tradition built by the Parishat over the years and for the makers of literature of the past.
