JOIN USGanapathi Bhat Hasangi and Somanath Mardur sang Vachanas while Vyjayanthi Kashi presented a dance drama on Vachanas. Sanehalli Shivakumara Kala Sangh staged a play, ‘Urilinga Peddi’ and while Ramachandra Hegde and team presented Vachanas through Yakshagana. Folk artistes presented different art forms like Dollu Kunitha, Suggi Kunitha and Bombe Kunitha.
Speaking on the occasion, Transport Minister R Ashok said Karnataka would have been a welfare state had people followed the principles of 12th century reformer Basavanna.
He said Basavanna was the first reformer to spread the message of social justice and equality. He heralded a new dawn in the caste-ridden Indian society by founding Anubhava Mantapa and implementing a common dining system. The State government has implemented many schemes drawing inspiration from Basavanna’s ideals, the minister said.
Kannada scholar M M Kalburgi termed Basavanna as a great humanitarian whose aim was to realise a welfare society. Basavanna stressed the importance of ‘kayaka’ (work). He pioneered concepts like social justice, social equality and ‘dasoha’, he noted.