Mysuru:  Former Chief Minister and Saraswati Samman awardee Dr. M. Veerappa Moily inaugurated the two-day first Akhila Bharata Kannada Samskritika Sammelana organised by Akhila Bharata Kannada Samskritika Parishat at Sarada Vilas College Centenary Hall in Krishnamurthypuram here this morning.

Speaking on the occasion, he maintained that Karnataka is the epicentre of India’s culture and said that the State’s culture is unique in nature.

Noting that the word ‘samskriti’ (culture) in the Samskritika Utsava has a very significant meaning, he regretted the recent tendency of some politicians making remarks that crossed beyond cultural boundaries.

Expressing concern over increasing uncultural remarks by some leaders in political platforms, the former Chief Minister, who is currently a Lok Sabha MP, underlined the need for maintaining cultural alertness and awareness.

Referring to rich heritage at Hampi site, Moily said that the site was in a shambles in the 70s and 80s and he as a Finance Minister in the 1990s headed a Committee for undertaking renovation of the neglected site.

Stating that it was happy to note that the Kannada University has been set up at Hampi, he suggested that Graduate and Post-Graduate students must be taken to Hampi during vacations and taught for two months on the glory and cultural and traditional richness of the heritage site.

Continuing, Dr. Moily said that Kannada culture can be portrayed as the culture  of the South.

Highlighting the emotional bond between culture and language, he said that Kannada has a long history of 2,000 years, which a few other languages have.

Asking the people to be wary of any attempts to translocate the rich Kannada culture, Moily called for practical measures to save our rich culture and traditions for future generations.

Earlier, Parishat Hon. President Prof. N. Girigowda delivered the keynote address.

Karnataka Sanskrit University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Padma Shekar, who is the Sammelana President, senior writer Dr. C.P. Krishna Kumar, MLA Vasu,  office-bearers Prabhuswamy Chikkahalli, Devaraj Chikkahalli, Prof. Surekha N. Prabhu, Sarada Vilas Educational Institutions President B.S. Parthasarathy and others were present.

The two-day event, which concludes tomorrow, features lecture sessions on issues related to Kannada and Culture and a host of cultural programmes.

Dr. Vasundhara not to perform

Noted danseuse Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy, who was to perform ‘Sri Krishna Tulabharam’ this evening at the Samskritika Sammelana is not performing, according to the organisers.

Prof. N. Girigowda told Star of Mysore that due to some confusion, the acclaimed danseuse Dr. Vasundhara, who was to perform this evening, will not be performing. He said Dr. Vasundhara was approached in December to perform at the event. However, it was postponed and the Kannada and Culture Department Assistant Director H. Chennappa had told the oragnisers that he would inform the danseuse about the postponement.

Unfortunately, Chennappa, due to pressure on work, did not inform Vasundhara and when the organisers approached her yesterday, she refused to perform, said Prof. Girigowda.

Meanwhile, Dr. Vasundhara told SOM that none of the organisers had approached her to perform before printing her name in the Sammelana invitation.

However, another danseuse Dr. Kripa Phadke, who also had a similar experience, is performing tomorrow evening. She was to perform the dance feature ‘Madagada Kenchavva’ this evening. Since it was communicated very late, she was not ready to perform according to the original schedule.

Speaking to SOM, Kripa Phadke said that she will perform tomorrow evening. She has presented nearly 130 shows of this feature since the  last twenty years.