Mysuru:  “The Government should take steps to develop all holy places associated with Kanakadasa,” urged Sri Shivanandapuri Swamiji of Kaginele Mutt, Mysuru Branch.

He was speaking at the function organised jointly by the District Administration, Department of Kannada and Culture and Kanakadasa Jayanthotsava Samithi at Kalamandira here on Friday to commemorate Kanakadasa Jayanti.

During his previous tenure as Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa announced that Kanakadasa Jayanti would be a State programme and he got the Kaginele Development Authority too constituted. 

A legend says that Kanakadasa had meditated on the banks of the river in Mahadevapura and had donated the first Pattada Anne to Nanjundeshwara Temple in Nanjangud, recalled the Swamiji and urged that the holy places be brought under the ambit of the authority.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA L. Nagendra recalled that Lord Krishna blessed Kanaka in Udupi with a special darshan whose messages should be propagated effectively. He said that he would urge the Government to establish Kanaka Study Centres in all districts of the State.

Speaking in a lighter vein,  MLA Tanveer Sait recalled that people after getting educated switched over from thumb impression to signature but observed that in modern technology thumb impression is supreme which cannot be duplicated. 

He contended that any jayanti should be celebrated meaningfully by following the ideals of great personalities without resorting to just processions and fanfare.

Delivering the main lecture, Writer Dr. Kabbinale Vasanth Bharadwaj recalled that Kanakadasa went around on streets singing Keerthanas to come out of casteism which should be adopted practically in society. Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath, ZP Vice-President Gowramma Somashekar, CEO K. Jyothi, Additional DC Poornima, Department of Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa and others were present.