New academy for Havyaka, funds for publishing works of Kannada poets

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his Budget, has announced setting up the Havyaka Bhasha Academy, a chair in the name of Prof. U.R. Ananthamurthy, a project to showcase great poets and writers of Kannada to children, and publishing books to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Dalit literature movement, among others.

Havyaka, a dialect of Kannada, is spoken by Havyaka Brahmins in the coastal and Malnad region of Karnataka and Kasaragod in Kerala. The academy will be a new addition to the list of academies in the State. Earlier, the government had constituted an academy for Arebhashe, also a dialect of Kannada, the Tulu Sahitya Academy, the Beary Sahitya Academy, and the Konkani Sahitya Academy. The announcement of Havyaka Academy was welcomed by the community on social media platforms.

The CM said that the Karnataka Sahitya Academy will publish the works of poets including Pampa, Ranna, Janna, Basavanna and other Sharanas, Kanakadasa, Purandara Dasa, Lakhsmisha, Sanchi Honnamma, and writers of modern days like Kuvempu, Shivarama Karanatha, and Devanur Mahadeva, among others, with colour pictures, particularly for children. Similarly, he announced the publishing of works of Dalit writers to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dalit Literature Movement. He has earmarked ₹1 crore for the purpose. The Budget proposes to earmark ₹5 crore for the Bengaluru Habba and another ₹2 crore for Janapada Sangama, a cultural event.

Further, the CM proposed to bring out a book on nameless freedom fighters of Karnataka, including those who served dreadful punishments in the Andaman Islands. He also proposed to publish the Banjara Encyclopedia, covering the history, culture, and customs of the community.

Recently, a group of residents from Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district had appealed to the CM to establish a study chair in the name of Jnanapeetha awardee Prof. U.R. Ananthamurthy, a native of Tirthahalli. The CM has announced that the chair would be set up at Kuvempu University in Shivamogga. He announced the establishment of foundations in the names of Shishunal Sharif and Veera Rani Belavadi Mallamma.

Recognising the centenary celebrations of Rashtrakavi G.S. Shivarudrappa, the CM has earmarked ₹2 crore to organise events, recite his poems, and publish his volumes, besides a fellowship and an award in his name. He also announced the establishment of a trust in the name of poet Siddalingaiah and critic D.R. Nagaraj.

Plays

The CM has said that a play, based on Kolaga, a novel written by Na. D’souza will be staged across the State. The novel is based on the Kagodu Satyagraha (1951), a significant peasant movement in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga.

The village, Kagodu, caught attention nationwide as tenant farmers revolted against landlords. The movement is considered to be the historic event that paved the way for land reforms in the later years. The revolt broke out following differences over the size of the kolaga (a container used while sharing paddy grown by tenants). Writer D’Souza wrote the novel based on the movement and named it Kolaga.

Similarly, the CM has said a theatrical drama on Khwaja Bande Nawaz will be organised by the Kannada and Culture Department.

Misguided notion

The announcements by the CM with regard to Kannada and culture have received criticism for the lack of a plan to disseminate the core Kannada cultural values of tolerance and communal harmony.

Noted critic Prof. Rajendra Chenni said that the Budget was based on the misguided popular notion that celebrating festivals and arranging performances is the role of the State towards Kannada. “A major share is allocated for such publicly visible events, treating Kannada as entertainment,” he said.

Further, he commented that there was not even a mention of helping produce knowledge in Kannada of contemporary global importance. However, he added that the only positive aspect was the proposed funding for organisations like Adima and Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Dharwad.