'Tulu Vikramarka Kathe' released

Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy President M Janaki Brahmavar has said that the contribution of missionaries to Tulu language is immense.

She was presiding over a programme to mark release of ‘Tulu Vikramarka Kathe’, organised jointly by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy and Karnataka Theological Research Centre, Mangalore, at Tulu Sahitya Academy Chavadi in Mangalore on Tuesday.

“Rev Fr Ferdinand Kittel and other scholars have worked for the development of vernacular languages. The standard laid by them, has been inspirational to the publication work of Tulu Sahitya Academy.  

Also, the Basel Mission popularised many Tulu songs by composing music to them. The academy will work with Karnataka Theological College in future as well, towards the publication of Tulu works.”

She added that the library at Tulu Academy will be given a new shape after shifting it to the new building.

In his key-note address, Karnataka Theological College Director Dr Gladson Jattanna said that Basel Mission has developed a culture of recording the history in a detailed process. Previously, the documents preserved by KTC were not accessible to people but now, with the publication of these literature, it has reached the masses and many manuscripts have come to light.

Academy Registrar Chandrahas Rai said that there are enough funds with the academy for the publication of books. Five books have been published by the Academy this year and two more books are ready for publication. For the first time, the Academy is coordinating with Karnataka Theological College in the publication of books.

About the book

Kuppam University Kannada Professor, one of the editors of the book ‘Tulu Vikramarka Kathe’ M S Durgaprasad said that the story was encoded in a 40 paged book in the form of a manuscript and was written during a period between 1886 and 1895.

The author is unknown and the story ends abruptly, as found in the manuscript. The book is 17cm x 17 cm in size and the ink used is the juice of a wild berry, he explained. The pages of the manuscript which was preserved in the KTC Archives had become brittle and turned brown in colour.

He said that ‘Missionary Tippani’ and ’Tulu Panchathantra’ are the other two books which will be published in the future. The manuscripts of the three books were preserved in KTC archives.  

M S Durgapraveen said that the work of compiling ‘Tulu Vikarmarka Kathe’ started in 2009 by himself and KTC Archives Director Bennet G Ammanna. The released book is edited by Dr M S Durgapraveen and Bennet G Ammanna. Karnataka Theological College Principal Rev Dr Honey Cabral released the book.