Mysuru: The 83rd Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, scheduled to be held from Nov. 24 to 26 is the first one to be held in the 21st century in Mysuru. It is being held after a gap of 27 years and noted writer Prof. Chandrashekhara Patil, known widely as Champa, will be the President of the Sammelana.

Patil is the foremost voices of the “Bandaya” Movement. He had also served as Chairman of Kannada Development Authority. He had returned the State government’s highest literary honour Pampa Award protesting against the killing of scholar Prof. M.M. Kalburgi two years ago.

The heritage city is gearing up for the mega event and the main auditorium for hosting the three-day literary fest is being built using German technology and it can accommodate 25,000 people. Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Manu Baligar said yesterday that the German technology had been used to ensure that rain won’t play spoilsport at the meet.

The Sahitya Sammelana will kick-start with a procession from Kote Anjaneyaswamy temple where 5,000 students, Police Band and people from all sections of society will take part. “Chief Minister Siddharamaiah will inaugurate the event at the main Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Stage that will be set up at the Maharaja’s College Grounds. Special invitations have been extended to all literary personalities,” Baligar said.

“Steps are being taken to provide them residential and travel arrangements,” he said. There will be 550 book stalls, 100 small stalls and 50 exhibition stalls where painters can display their works. Food will be served to over 2 lakh participants at 180 counters. In each counter, over 35,000 people can relish the delicacies. Steps will be taken to ensure that no participant is inconvenienced due to VIP movements, he added.

Apart from other exhibitions, an exclusive art expo will be held where over 20 art counters will be opened for artists to display their works. “The highlight of the Sammelana will be a Sarot procession where the Sammelana President will be brought in a procession.

The Sahitya Sammelana will be held at six different stages that will be set up at the Central Business District. Among the stages that will be set up include Rajarishi Nalwadi Krishnaraja Mahamantapa and in that, the main stage will be Rashtrakavi Kuvempu at Maharaja’s College Grounds, Nadoja Dr. D. Javaregowda Stage at Maharaja’s College Centenary Hall and Nanjangud Thirumalamba Mahamantapa at Kalamandira.   

He called upon the Organising Committee and its Sub-Committees to collectively work to make the Sammelana a great success. “Various Sub-Committees have been formed for specific purposes and each one of them should concentrate on their work, but in coordination with the higher-ups as well as other Sub-Committees. The Sub-Committees that are entrusted with the arrangements for food and accommodation have more responsibilities. We need to ensure that nobody would face any problem during the three-day Sammelana,” Manu Baligar said.