Mangalore University proposes to introduce courses in Beary art forms

The Mangalore University has proposed to introduce certificate and diploma courses on Beary art forms from the academic year 2021-22.

The university has issued a notification on January 28 constituting a committee for drafting the curriculum and regulations to introduce the courses in Beary art forms. The committee is headed by Prof Uday Barkur, Dean of Faculty of Arts at Mangalore University.

Karnataka Beary Sahithya Academy Chairman Rahim Ucchil said that the Academy had written to the university to introduce courses in Beary art forms like 'Duff', 'Burda', 'Mehandi', 'Oppana', and 'Kolkali' on September 16, 2020. The university has accepted the request and constituted a committee the draft the regulations. The introduction of the courses will help in saving the art forms and promoting it, he added.

Beary is an ethnic Muslim community, mainly concentrated in coastal Karnataka, and has its own language and culture.

The committee constituted by the university comprises organisers of Beary programmes Bashir Baikampady and Ahmed Bava Moideen, teachers Abdul Razak Ananthady, Haidarali, language expert S B Darimi, writers K M Siddique Montugoli and Mariyam Ismail, 'Duff' teacher Noor Mohammad, 'Oppane' and 'Kolkali' artist Rahis, artiste Zulfikar Ahmad, member coordinator Aboobakkar Siddique, Academy President Rahim Uchil said.

The courses in art forms will help in warding off the feeling of inferiority among a few people on the art forms. If it is introduced as a course, it will help in passing on the art forms to the future generation. It may be recalled that the Academy had recently introduced Beary script and numerals. Beary script has 13 vowels, 33 consonants and nine numerals. The Academy had released a calendar with all 12 months in Beary language.

The academy intends to submit a proposal on introducing Beary language as the third optional language in schools from sixth standard onwards. The Chairman said that Beary language has a history of 1,400 years and is spoken by over 20 lakh people.