Mysuru: Noted Kannada poet of Navya Movement and Padmashree Awardee Kokkare Hosahalli Shekh Haider Nissar Ahmed, popular as Prof. K.S. Nissar Ahmed, will inaugurate this year’s Dasara celebrations atop the Chamundi Hill on Sept. 21.
The announcement was made by Mysuru District In-charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa here this morning.
Prof. Nissar Ahmed is loved by all Kannadigas, without exception. He gave us an anthem “Jogada Siri Belakinalli…,” a poem about the glory of Karnataka that is exceptionally meaningful and lyrical. He is a major poet who never shied away from writing about being a Muslim among Hindu poets. His knowledge about Hindu and Islam classical texts is deep. He can talk about any incident from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita and the rest of Hindu religious texts.
Nobody believes that the famous song on Krishna “Benne Kadda Namma Krishna Benne Kadda” is written by Nissar Ahmed. He used satire to the best possible result, to bring out the conflicts of living amidst two different cultures.
The maiden audio cassette of Kannada music was released with the song “Nityotsava” in 1978. The song became widely popular, not just because of the tune but because of the lyrics written by Nissar Ahmed.
Writing poems was his passion. Rashtrakavi Kuvempu read Nissar’s poems and invited him to participate in Dasara poets’ meet in 1959. His “Kurigalu Saar Kurigalu” was made popular by Mysore Ananthaswamy when he sang it. That poem became a legend. Prof. Nissar Ahmed is known for appearing in public dressed in suit. Nobody has ever seen him in any attire other than a suit in public. Be it a cold winter or hot summer, Nissar Ahmed would always turn up immaculately dressed in suit.
Sena Pade wants Yaduveer to inaugurate Dasara
About 50 members of Karnataka Sena Pade staged a protest in front of DC’s office here this morning urging the Government to invite Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar to inaugurate this year’s Dasara. They later handed over a memorandum in this regard, addressed to the Chief Minister, to the DC.
Karnataka Sena Pade City President P. Prajeesh, District President Lokesh Gowda and others led the protest.
For once they found the right person to inaugurate! I was thinking they may invite Rahul Gandhi to do this job! .Eventhough that may be a lot more entertaining!