Prakash Belawadi conferred ‘Dakshina Kesari’ Award

Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that the society cannot be corrected or transformed by staging plays and dramas, acclaimed writer and Saraswathi Samman awardee Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa said that arts were meant for mental peace, entertainment and happiness.

He was speaking at the Kannada Rajyotsava programme organised by Lions Club of Mysore South at B.V. Karanth Rangachavadi in Rangayana premises on Monday, during which ‘Dakshina Kesari’ Award was conferred on renowned theatre personality and Director Prakash Belawadi.

Contending that Indianness has died because of thrusting of left-oriented stories and plays on us by so-called intellectuals, Dr. Bhyrappa said that communist ideologies propagate only destruction and not construction.

Noting that Russian Model of Communism which prevailed since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru turned the country to a debt-trap, he said that irrelevant and faulty leftist policies forced us to kneel before the World Bank for financial aid.

Arguing that our weakness also hit our intellectuality and literature, he opined that this led to our inferiority complex coming to the fore. But now things have completely changed and the country can boast of being a global leader, he said.

Pointing out that the country is now self-sufficient in almost all aspects and India is exporting food in large quantities to several countries, he said that it required so many years for the country to stand tall among the comity of nations of the world.

Stating that he had almost forgotten about his own novel ‘Parva’ until it was reminded to him by Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa and Prakash Belawadi, who turned it into a marathon and                                                                          popular play, he said that he was thankful to the two theatre stalwarts for making ‘Parva’ famous across the State.

Prakash Belawadi, who was conferred with ‘Dakshina Kesari’ Award, said that Dr. Bhyrappa stands tall more than any awards or prizes.

Pointing out that Dr. Bhyrappa’s greatness can be measured by the translation of almost all his novels and works into other Indian and foreign languages, he said that Jnanpith Award is not given by the Government but by a national newspaper and great writers like Dr. Bhyrappa does not need such awards.

Observing that ‘Parva’ is an ocean of knowledge, Belawadi said that the adaptation of the novel into a play was a big challenge and they were successful in overcoming all challenges in the making of the play.

Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa, in his address, echoed Prakash Belawadi’s observations and said that Dr. Bhyrappa’s 43-year-old ‘Parva’ is very much relevant even today.

Recalling the journey of Mysuru Rangayana over decades, he said that it is not a simple matter to translate ‘Parva’ into numerous foreign languages.

Asserting that such an honour is a crown for Indian literature, at a time when the State is celebrating ‘Kannada Kayaka’ year, Cariappa opined that likewise, ‘Parva’ Kannada play has contributed in its own way for global theatre.

Dr. Bhyrappa, Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa and Prakash Belawadi were felicitated on the occasion by Lions Club.

 A documentary on ‘Making of Parva’ was also screened.

Lions Club of Mysore South Immediate Past President K.K. Mohan welcomed. Club President Ln. B. Smitha Devaiah presided.

Secretary Ln. Vinod Rashinkar, Treasurer Ln. Shilpa Santhosh, Members Ln. N.V. Sathish, Ln R.G. Shankar, Ln. Sathish Babu, Ln. Ishwar Hegde, Ln. Soma Prabhu, Ln.  Ananth Kumar, Ln. Antony Smith, Ln. Manjunath, Ln. Rishab Dev,  Ln. Shwetha Jambe and others were present on the occasion.