Festive fervour in Mandya as 87th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana begins tomorrow

Mandya: The people of Mandya district are elated as the three-day 87th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana will begin on Friday.

There is a festive fervour in Mandya city and across the district, as the Sammelana is being hosted here after a long gap of three decades.

Witness to earlier meets

S B Shankaregowda, retired principal of Shankaragowda College of Education, under People’s Education Trust, in Mandya, said he has been a part of last two Sammelanas in Mandya.

“I am fortunate to be part of the 2024 edition too. I was a BEd student in 1974 and a lecturer in 1994. The United Nations Organisation (UNO) celebrated its first official International Women's Day on March 8 in 1975. The Sammelana had its first woman chairperson writer Jayadevithayi Ligade in 1974,” he recalled.

“Like now, politicians were largely involved in organising the Sammelana earlier too. But, there was difference. The 1974 Sammelana was ably organised by the late K V Shankaragowda. On the first day of the Sammelana in 1994, it started raining by 11:30 pm. Even though it was almost midnight, then MP and chairman of the welcome committee G Madegowda rushed to the venue, Sir M Visvesvaraya Stadium, to safeguard the books in the stalls from the rains. The role of then Deputy Chief Minister S M Krishna, as chief patron, was also immense,” Shankaregowda recalled.

People’s contribution

Shankaregowda said, “When the 63rd meet was held in February of 1994, G T Veerappa was the president of Mandya District Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP). The people of Mandya district voluntarily donated money on a call of Madegowda. Rs 42 lakh was collected. But, only Rs 22 lakh was spent for the meet. Thus, the remaining Rs 20 lakh was spent on various development works of Mandua city, including construction of District KSP building (Rs 6.25 lakh) at Bandigowda Layout. While Rs 8.50 lakh was donated for the construction of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Kalamandira, Rs 4 lakh was spent for a statue of poet Kuvempu and Rs 1 lakh was donated to Janapada Loka in Channapatna taluk. Now, the government is spending over Rs 35 crore”.

He said, “Besides being celebrated in a grand way, the Sammelana has attracted negative comments and controversies. The 70-year-old lecture of B M Srikantaiah (BMSri) in the Sammelana in Dharwad on ‘Kannada Maathu Thale Ethuva Bagge’ (On Kannada language looking up in pride) is often recalled. Now, such voices are rare”.

Felicitation

“This time poets’ meet and felicitation have gained prominence in the Sammelana. It looks like glorification of persons, rather than the language. There is no talk on developing Kannada into a language for livelihood. There is no voice against the closure of Kannada medium schools. The government itself is popularising and opening English schools. We have long forgotten the advice of Kuvempu, to use English to get information, but to use Kannada for expressing ourselves,” he said.

“Of late, events are push out of cities and towns, to accommodate more people. It is acceptable for political events, as they have to show their ‘might’. But, for the Kannada literary festival, there is a need to connect with the local people. Such ‘satellite’ venues look like the ‘circus tents’ of our childhood days,” Shankaregowda said.

Hype

Boregowda, a farmer of Panakanahalli, a few kms away from Mandya city, said, “I was a college student when the last Sammelana was held in Mandya in 1994. I worked as a volunteer too. Back then the Sammelana did not get this kind of publicity and reception. Now, there is widespread publicity on various media platforms. I am exited to be part of the Sammelana again. I have registered as a delegate and hope to attend the event for at least one day, because I cannot spare time on all three days”.

New experience

M K Savitha, a resident of Mandya city, said, “I was in school when the last Sammelana was held in Mandya in 1994. So, I have no memories of it. But, my father, who had visited the event then, as a spectator, recalls seeing many famous writers of those times, even though he is not an avid reader. Even though I am an engineer by profession, I read Kannada books and will attend a few literary sessions”.