JOIN USUjire all set to host first Vishwa Tulu Sammelana
Addressing media persons on the sidelines of a review meeting to assess the preparations for the mega event at Ujire, he said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa would inaugurate the convention at 5 pm on December 10.
Veteran scholar Prof Amrit Someshwar will preside the inaugural ceremony. Including Udupi Pejawar Mutt seer Vishweshateertha Swamiji, various religious heads and elected representatives will be present on the occasion, he said.
‘Kodipu’ and ‘Paddayi’- two souvenirs, and the fresh prints of 51 books related to Tulu language and literature (from the times of Basel Mission) will be released on the occasion. Prior to the inaugural, there will be a grand procession beginning from Ujire Janardanaswamy Temple at 2 pm featuring the cultural specialities of Tulunadu. The convention will include scholarly seminars on Tulu language, culture, Yakshagana, contemporary education, theatre and enterpreneurship, poets’ meet, cultural extravaganza, traditional food festival and exhibitions.
A huge pendal of one lakh square feet area has been set up at Ratnavarma Heggade Stadium facing Ujire SDM College which will accommodate 15,000 people at a time. Cultural programmes will be held at four different stages simultaneously in between 5 pm and 12 night on all four days, he said.
Heggade said the regional programmes held as part of the convention at seven different places in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod in between September 19 to November 29 have proved fruitful.
A food festival will be held near the main pendal on all days where the visitors can avail any one of the 60 traditional cuisines of Tulunadu at just Rs 5. However, food in general, accommodation and entry to the Sammelan will be totally free of cost. Arrangements have been made to serve food to 50,000 people at a time. A separate pendal of 73,000 sq feet has been set up for this purpose, he explained.
‘Tulugrama,’ a miniature of traditional Tulu village has been recreated at an area of 8 acres at Ajjarakallu in Ujire which will take the visitors back to the early years of the previous century, he noted.
Home Minister Dr V S Acharya who was present on the occasion handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore to Veerendra Heggade on behalf of the government towards the expenses of the Sammelan. Along with District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar and other elected representatives, Dr Acharya assessed the preparations of various departments for the convention.
Dr Acharya said efforts would be done to establish a permanent Tulu centre at the centre of the Tulu districts to commemorate the first World Tulu Convention.
The officials of different departments including Public Works, Police, Health, Telecom and Electricity explained the preparations on their side.