JOIN US'Missionaries laid foundation to Kannada literature'
By publishing various forms of Kannada literature, missionaries provided an inspiration to Kannada litterateurs of Navodaya period, said Besant Women’s College Kannada department Head Dr Meenakshi Ramachandra.
She was delivering A R D’Souza Endowment lecture on the topic ‘Contributions of Christians to Kannada literature,’ organised by Dakshina Kannada district Kannada Sahitya Parishat at St Agnes College in Mangaluru on Wednesday.
Roman Catholic and protestant missionaries opened Kannada schools and made education accessible to common people. The missionaries introduced printing technology in the state and also opened libraries.
The first almanac in Kannada was printed by missionaries. Father of Journalism Hermann Moegling translated the works of Purandaradasa and Kanakadasa, to German language.
The German missionaries also collected and translated Tulu Paddanas. Also folk songs, proverbs, riddles and kannada grammer were collected and printed by them, she added.
Dakshina Kannada district Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, who presided over the programme, said that literature encapsulates various facets of life including culture, heritage and education. Literature is nothing but a perspective of life.
Tulunadu is a great platform for literary and educational activities. English language is necessary for attaining higher education and for the study of professional courses. But, we should live in our own culture and should not follow English culture, he said.
St Agnes College Vice Principal Sr Jeswina inaugurated the programme. B Ramachandra of A R D’Souza and Sons, St Agnes College Kannada department Head Dr Sampoornananda Balkur, Mangaluru Taluk Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Vijayalakshmi B Shetty were present among others.