'Followers are doing what Basavanna opposed'

Assembly Dy Speaker calls for imbibing ideas of this great social reformer

Basavanna taught the skills to live a simple and enriched life. He knew that inner strength was the real earning of a human being and strongly believed that inner qualitative changes only make way for social change, said State Assembly Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat inaugurating Basaveshwara Shathamanothsava Jayanti celebrations jointly oraganised by Dakshina Kannada district administration, Kannada and Culture Department and Karavali Veerashaiva Kshemabhivruddhi Sangha, at Town Hall on Tuesday.

Adding that thoughts are immortal, Bhat said that Sharana Sahitya, Dasa Sahitya and Basava Sahitya give enough food for thought.

“Basavanna presented the knowledge, which was hidden in thousands of ‘Shlokas’ of Vedas in a simple form for a common man.

Dakshina Kannada district Additional Deputy Commissioner Dayanand said that since Basavanna and his preachings are relevant even today.

“There are lots of things to be learnt from the great man. One can identify Basavanna as the best finance minister as well as a litterateur. Basavanna belongs to world literature. His Vachanas have been translated to English, French and many other languages and praised by all,” said the Additional DC.

Mangalore Basavanagudi Girisiddheshwara Shivacharya Swami, Karavali Veerashaiva Kshemabhivruddhi Sangha President Dr S B Yalaburgi, Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Shivaram, Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar and others were present.

Relevant even today

Udupi: The Vachana of Basavanna is still relevant just like the way Ramayana and Mahabharatha, said Zilla Panchayat President Katpadi Shankar Poojary.

Speaking at Basava Jayanthi organised by district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Kannada and Culture department, Udupi Mahajagadguru Basavanna Dharmartha branch at Board High School hall here, he said social reforms received shape during Basavanna.

Vijaya College, Mulki Lecturer Hayavadana Upadhya said “Basavanna was not restricted to saffron or any colour because he was beyond the frame of caste system.

He was against idol workship. Unfortunately, the followers who failed to understand his principles are constructing mutts in his name.

In fact, even funds are available from the government for the construction of the mutts. All these are ideas that Basavanna had opposed during his lifetime, is practiced in his name today.
Vijapura Devara Hipparagi Nagalinga Seer blessed the occasion. Taluk Panchayat President Devadas Hebbar, Additional DC Kumar, Zilla Panchayat CEO S A Prabhakar Sharma and others were present.