Mysore/Mysuru: The portrait of late M.L. Raje Urs, Swamiji of Kappadi, Malavalli and Honnayakanhalli Mutts, will be unveiled by the present Swamiji of the Mutts, Sri Varchasvi Siddalingaraje Urs, at Sri Krishna Ganasabha in Gokulam 3rd Stage here on Sept. 17 at 5.30 pm.

Sri Krishna Ganasabha President B.S. Sridhara Raj Urs will preside. This will be followed by folk songs recital by Dr. G. Gururaj Mysore.

Rajsevadureena Sirdar M.L. Raje Urs, Matadhipathi of Mutts at Malavalli, Honnanayakana Halli  and Kappadi Kshetra was responsible for building the temple and many other structures at Kappadi in K.R. Nagar taluk which has  become a pilgrimage centre for devotees from  all over Karnataka.

Annual Jatra is being held from Shivarathri to Ugadi festival attracting thousands of devotees daily wherein the Swamiji ascends the Peeta facilitating Bhaktas to have darshan and make their offerings.

The Swamiji had created a Rachappaji Trust to utilise the entire amount offered by devotees after meeting the expenses. Every day food is served both in the afternoon and night to devotees.

He had helped to publish the first book ‘Manteswamy Kavya’ by Prof. G.S. Paramashivaiah (Geeshampa) giving overall picture of the centres including historical background.

These folk songs are sung by folk artistes known as ‘Neelagararu’. One such person Dr. Gururaj is going to sing some Vachanas on Saturday (Sept. 17) at Alwar Kalabhavan.

Varchasvi Siddalingaraje Urs, who is the grandson of M.L. Raje Urs and  also of late Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar,  is   carrying forward all the activities of the Mutts and has taken up the cause of educating the rural masses.

M.L. Raje Urs’ daughter Dr. M.R. Bharathi has come forward to institute an Endowment  in his name to conduct a programme on folk music every year during the month of August by an eminent folk artiste. Bharathi will also be present  on the occasion tomorrow.

Dr. Gururaj has been trained in folk tale rendering by his father late Malavalli Gurubasavayya, who was also a popular folk artiste in singing ballads. He has many audio and video recordings to his credit. Recordings of stories of folklore like Sri Siddappaji Pavada, Manteswamy Mahime,  Mahadeswara Kathe, Kranthiyogi Basavanna, Madivala Machayya, Melukote Cheluvanarayanaswamy kathe, etc. An A grade artiste of AIR, he was awarded with Honorary Doctorate by National Virtual University for Peace and Education  recognised by NITI AAYOG in 2019.