Mysore/Mysuru: Thinker and actor Malavika Avinash stated that everyone must cultivate a sense of conscience regarding the understanding of ‘Karnataka and Kannada’ and question those who have manipulated history, ignoring facts and portraying ‘villains’ as ‘heroes,’ thus misleading people.

She made these remarks during the valedictory session of ‘Kannada Habba-2023,’ organised by the Rashtra Bharati Charitable Trust at Kalamandira recently. Malavika posed the question, “Does anyone know about Mummadi Govinda? Most people would not have heard this name because historians have intentionally neglected it while emphasising figures like Delhi Sultan, Alauddin Khilji, Muhammad Bin Tughluq, and several others.”

She pointed out that Ballala-III, the last Hoysala king, valiantly resisted Khilji and Tughluq and also fought against the Madurai Sultanate in Tamil Nadu. However, he hasn’t received the recognition he deserves in history. She criticised the historical accounts, suggesting that they were often written to favour those in power. Even acclaimed Jnanpith award-winning litterateurs have written plays like ‘Tuglaq’ but have failed to mention Ballala-III, which is a regrettable oversight.

Malavika highlighted the historical usage of the word ‘Karnata,’ which dates back to the reign of Kadamba King Mayura Varma. It’s also mentioned in the Mahabharata and in the lyrics of a song, ‘Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage,’ shedding light on its historical significance.

Without explicitly naming CM Siddharamaiah, Malavika alluded to an incident during his first term as CM when an attempt was made to change the name of a road named after Alur Venkata Rao, who played a pivotal role in the ‘Unification of Karnataka’ movement in Bengaluru.

The event also saw the release of a book titled ‘Karnataka Vaibhava’ by various dignitaries, including actor Vasishta Simha, Mayor Shivakumar, journalist Amshi Prasanna Kumar and Harish Shenoy.