Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that Saint-Poet Kanakadasa strived for eradicating caste system, writer Chikkamagalur Ganesh said that Kanakadasa was the real face of secularism and harmony.

He was speaking at Kanakadasa Jayanti celebrations organised by the District Administration and Kanakadasa Jayantotsava Samithi at Kalamandira on Hunsur Road here yesterday.

Pointing out that saints, seers, poets and the like always sought to see a peaceful and harmonious society, Ganesh said that the Saint-Poet  used the Bhakti Movement for bringing about a change in the society.

Noting that Kanakadasa was a symbol of ‘Janasamskruti’, he said that the saint also effectively used the Bhakti Movement as a panacea for many deep-rooted societal ills and evils. As such, the society today very much needs an ambassador like him, he said adding that most of the saint’s poems focussed on nature, ecology, conscience etc.

Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra said that Kanakadasa scripted Keertanas under the pen name Kaginele Adikeshava over 500 years ago.

Asserting that the saint dedicated his entire life for correcting the wrongs and wayward ways of the society, he said that Kanakadasa was indeed a Rashtriya Santakavi for all the keertanas that he has written on the virtues of life. Observing that Kanakadasa’s preachings are very much relevant even today, Dr. Rajendra opined that the saint’s keertanas are a solution to the present day problems that is haunting  the society.

Earlier, floral tributes were paid to the portrait of Kanakadasa. MLCs Dr. D. Thimmaiah, C.N. Manjegowda and Marithibbegowda, Mayor Shivakumar, Deputy Mayor Dr. G. Roopa, former MLA M.K. Somashekar, Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations — Raghu Kautilya, M. Shivakumar, Mirle Srinivas Gowda and G. Nijagunaraju — Mysuru District Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Maddikere Gopal, Karnataka Pradesha Kurubara Sangha President Subramanya, leaders K. Marigowda, M. Shivanna, Bank Puttaswamy,  Gopi, T.B. Chikkanna, Mahesh, M.K. Shankar, Basavaraju,  K.S. Shivaramu and others were present.