Mysuru: Writer Rahamath Tarikere, also the thinker and Visiting Faculty of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Research and Extension Centre, University of Mysore (UoM), has said, the culture of reading books is on wane, amid the era where ‘seeing and hearing’ has become a fad.

He was delivering a lecture on the topic ‘The Role of Prasaranga in Building Culture,’ organised at Kuvempu Auditorium, Prasaranga, UoM, Manasagangothri here recently.

Tarikere said, the new generation is turning their back towards the books, an indication of change from ‘Print Culture to Digital Culture.’ There is a change in idea towards books, as the younger generation has lost patience to read. However, they will be glued to mobile phone for hours, thus losing their interest in reading books.

Even on social media, the interest towards reading a post is for about 50 words. If any content exceeds the given number of words, the users prefer to swipe up, he rued.

“Nowadays, the books are like endangered animals. Despite having better libraries, with a good collection of books, the number of readers is diminishing. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, in his life had read about 50,000 books, with the notes available from about 40,000 books. It is a matter of pride that, we have been functioning on the ethos of the Constitution authored by Ambedkar,” asserted Tarikere.

“Like the phrase ‘Nahi Jnanena Sadrusham,’ we had believed that ‘there is nothing above knowledge.’ Now, the learned lot have become corrupt and the Poet Laureate Kuvempu had once said, education turns man into animal. There is a tendency to address Kuvempu singularly in social media. So, it is inevitable to teach humanity and wisdom along with knowledge.”

“Kuvempu and De. Jaware Gowda (De.Ja.Gow) had argued that, the books authored by scholars of the world should be available in Kannada. The tax paid by the people should be spent on providing education, health and food to the people. It is indeed a anti-knowledge move that the tax is being imposed on supplying books that educate the people.”

“University of Mysore has made enormous contributions towards literature in poetry form in Halagannada. Prasaranga of the Varsity has been involved in the task of disseminating knowledge and thinking, thus playing a key role in building the culture, becoming a part of the rich tradition. In the Syndicate Meeting of Mysore University held in 1916, the then Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar gave a call for reaching the knowledge to those who cannot access the Varsity. Following which, the teaching faculty goes to villages to deliver lectures on astronomy, planets, geography, tripadi and Pampa, a rare experiment considered as a model for others, with the Mysore University holding the credit,” he said.

Condolences were paid to Dr. K. Kempegowda and K.G. Prakash, who had served Prasaranga, on their passing away recently.

Singer Amma Ramachandra rendered invocation. Dr. H.P. Manju compered the programme.

Director of Prasaranga Nanjaiah Honganur, Superintendent Channappa, Director of Printing Press Satish, Vijayamma, Lalitha and Renuka were present on  the occasion.