Bhasha Mandakini

Permanent URI for this section

https://sanchika.ciil.org/handle/1/157

Bhasha Mandakini

Bhasha Mandakini is CIIL’s flagship programme that aims to uphold the rich tradition and culture associated with Indian languages, literature, and diverse communities through audio-visual presentations in documentaries. Although the primary motto of the initiative is to facilitate the users with basic language learning methodologies, the videos of the Bhasha Mandakini Project take into consideration a holistic approach in the process by giving the learners an overall experience of not only how the language functions but also the associated history, socio-cultural perspectives, literary traditions and much more.

The idea of teaching modern Indian languages through television is one of its kind that promotes the diversity of the Indian linguistic landscape to the audience and encourages mother tongue education. These interesting videos are carefully curated to meet the needs of the learners, imbibe a sense of pride in one’s own language and promote the growth in usage of mother tongues in all levels of learning. Moreover, the documentaries result from well-researched works that showcase how infotainment can be integrated with language learning and education.

CIIL has produced around 1000 short films of half an hour duration in Bangla, Marathi, Kannada, and Tamil. The design of each language segment is modular and incremental, and they refer to the six major divisions under each language as decided by CIIL, namely, the following: 1) Space, 2) Time, 3) Society, 4) Culture, 5) Speech pattern and 6) Writing system. These (audio-visual contents) were aired in the Gyan-Darshan TV programme of IGNOU, New Delhi, under a MoU with CIIL. It was also proposed to telecast them on various regional and national news channels.

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 50

Hill Stations of Karnataka Part-1
"The state of Karnataka is bestowed with the precious parts of the famous western ghat. The important hills of karnatka are Agumbe, Biligirirangana betta, Chamundi Betta, Chikamagaluru, Devarayanadurga, Himvad Gopalswamy Betta, Kemmannugundi, kuduremukha, kundadri betta, kodachadri, Madikeri, male Mahadeswara beta, Nandi betta, Savandurga, Shrungeri and Yana. The beauty of them can only be witnessed cannot be explained. The Malemadeshwara Betta, is located at the southern edge of state and is surrounded by seven hills. This ancient pilgrimage center has its own legend and history. The legend says that yemale Mahadeva the lord seven hills roamed upon these hills riding a mythical tiger. Hence it is also called by the name Huli Vahana. Many tradition had continued since generations rolling around the temple and Mudi ( Shaving the head). Biligirirangana Betta, on the same eastern branch of western ghat towards the ghat of Malemahadeshwara betta is this hill resort. It is the abode of lord Biligiriranga or rangnatha. Biligiiranganatha was the family deity of Vadeyar dynasty. Himvad Gopalswamy Betta, the top of this hills is the abode of lord Gopalswamy. The beautiful temple appears as though floting in the mist and cloud. Himvad Gopalswamy Betta appears as a usual hills from a distance. Chamundi Betta, it is located inside the famous city of Mysore. It is also abode of family deity of Mysuru king call by the name of Mahishasur Maridini or Chamundeswari. Hence Hill was got the name after the deity. The huge bull with its beautiful carving is indeed eye catching. The pond which was once and only source of water on the hills. Coorg or Madikeri, the peaks like Pushpagiri and Kodagu being an important portion of the western ghat covered with huge coffee and tea state. The paddy plant was named as madikeri. Madikeri, the district headquarters also known as queen of hills. It houses the palace, a temple and a Chapel along with the sculpture of a pair of elephants. The sacred river Cauvery takes birth at the bottom of this hills. Chikkamagaluru, it is called coffee district of Karnataka. By evening Chikkamagalur is a twinkling star upon the western ghat. Kemmanuugundi, the hill ranges of Mullayanagari, Baba Budangiri and Kemangundi are very near to Chikkamagalur. It is a place with many view points. From here the scene of nature which inspired the famous kannada poet,Rastra kavi Vampu kavi Puttapa. Kuderemukha, it is the place where annual rainfall is the heaviest. From a distance the group of these hills was appearing as Kuduremukha meaning the face of a horse hence the group was named as such. The hill and vallies with cascading water sources are mind blowing. At Gangamula the Tunga and the Bhadra river emerge. "
Children's Theatre in Karnataka
“The child is the father of man”. The children have enough potential to withstand all the harsh situations if their foundation is having the right orientation. It is the critical phase where the mental state of the human mind gets most affected by the socio and psychological setup they go through. Kids don’t have qualitative bias but the root for the same and what is right and what’s not is imbibed by them gradually in the childhood itself. So the children who are the assets of nations are to be molded with a deep understanding and process. Theatre is that process that plays a major role in designating the character of a person. Fine arts and literature gas shaped the personality of many great persons. Some of them include none other than the father of the nation M K Gandhi who as a child got influenced by Satyaharishchandra’s play. Similarly in the Dakshin Kannada district, a boy Shivrama got much influenced by the Yakshagana and today he is a noble laureate Mr. Shivaram Karanth. Even B V Karanth the famous film director a kid used to go on the cycle for more than 10 miles to watch play. No doubt the roots of theatre can be found in the joint family system of Indian traditional society. Where Grandparents had a major role to play. Especially kids are fond of stories of Grandma which takes us to a very different world. It won’t be wrong to say that our Grandma has a repertoire of stories, fables, and proverbs. These folk tales and varied stories from Mahabharata, Panchatantra to stories based on their experiences help in creating a very imaginative world for the kids. These stories help the kids to ponder and also help them to be immune to the internal world. Children’s theatre plays a very crucial role in the development of a kid. Each story they come across has some moral implications. This helps the child to grow with certain values. These values foster as they grow and get transcended to the world. Children’s Magazines like Chandamama, Nandan, Tinkle, etc also had played a commendable job in helping kids to imagine. There are many traditional art forms that are not only a source of entertainment but a means to inculcate the righteous path among their audiences. So in a way, they help to develop an ethical mindset in the kids which is a step towards nation-building. In mid 19th century when the public education system was introduced. There came a need and necessity of content in terms of literature and theatre especially meant for the children who are a distinct unit of the longer society. Thus Public Schools with the initiative of the British The administration took the help of varied tools to clarify the concepts of the kids. Short plays were being used along with poetry so that children would memories the concepts easily. Even in Karnataka, many initiatives were taken by several individuals. Now not only folklore and mythical stories but even feudal stories and societal matters were portrayed on stage. Though many plays couldn’t be found to date due to the absence of publication. In 1913 Canara High School staged a play that is remembered to be a landmark in theatres. Many plays were translated including Tagore’s Daak Ghar. Several writers from Karnataka understood the need for children’s literature and took responsibility for the same. Rashtrakavi Kuvempu is also a significant name in this context. T. P. Kailasam, NS Lakshminarayana Bhatta, etc also have significant contributions. In 1925 Gubbi Veerana Ranga’s children's troops Bala Kala Vardhina played a crucial role. Many plays were written which include- Kabir lile, Jalandhara, Krishna Garuda, etc. Tiger Varadachariar of Mysore took special efforts and made children act in plays. Many child artists later, became great actors like- Dr. Rajkumar, Narasimha Raju, and B V Karanth. Dr. Shivaram Karantha’s great contribution is that he took children’s theater from school to commonplace and people. His style was influenced by Yakshagana which is a traditional art form of Coastal Karnataka. He remolded it into character art and taught the same to the children. He believes that theatre should not be confined to boundaries. He believes that children get more to learn in open spaces and recreation of the new environment is a must for these buds to bloom. His way of working was different from the conventional style. As he included animals and birds as characters in his plays. Allegory and agitation were used to establish a new setup and develop a critical attitude in children to relate them with the contemporary realities. Some play of the time include- Kakaparinaya, Kunchitantra, Manganvaduveya. Since many of the scripts were just in the oral form they got lost. Heggodu in Shimoga district is a landmark for world theatre today because of Neelakanteshwara Natya Seva Sangha commonly known as Ninasam. K V Subbannna director and founder said that theatre is an activity of the community. It is a process of self-evaluation by looking at the self and creating a mental construct of its collective experience. Since children are part of the community its must to take them into account and teach and entertain them through theatre. In 1972 Panjarashaale play under B V Karantha is a milestone in the history of Kannada theatre played at Ninasam. More than 120 children participated in this play. Many child artists associated with this art group are now into full-time theatre, films, and television. Presently it is headed by Akshara K V son of K V Subbanna. B V Karantha Contribution is not only confined to Karnataka but the entire nation. The way he staged the play with music and design is par excellence. He manifests the child's potential and makes them use their optimal energy. Bharatiya Rangashikshana Kendra is a theatre training institute of Rangayana in Mysore. It’s the brainchild of B V Karanth. It runs summer theatre camps for children. Chidambara Rao Jambe, former Director of Rangayana Mysore says how in Rang Kishore eminent personalities discussed their theatre experiences. NSD -Delhi Graduate Smt. Prema Karanth wife of B V Karanth is parallelly contributing to children’s theatre. She says theatre for children is the sole means of expression. She runs Benaka Children Drama Centres. She has directed more than 50 plays. She says children are full of energy and potential only the need is the right orientation and theatre does it. N S Venkatrama has been immensely working for the upliftment of children’s theatre in Banglore. He had directed the Kannada version of Arabian Nights, Snow-white, etc. Similarly, A S Murthy of Bimba organization is playing a pivotal role in child personality development through the means of theatre. Not only this he believes that students should not be chosen as per their character. Rather his stories are based on the child’s demands. His inputs had been helping a lot to blossom the field of kids in theatre films and television. Late C Basavaligaiah- former Director Chinnaramela Mysore along with his wife set up a research center in Dharwad for youths. They work on various folk art forms. KG Krishnamurthy student of Nimansa is the founder of Kinnar Mela Tumari. He dedicated his whole life along with his entire family. It does tours and provides various courses as they believe in educating and entertaining should foster a good aesthetic sense. Veteran theatre activist I K Bolwar of Niratha-Nirantha, Puttur visit schools and asks them to write act and direct plays. As he believes that such activity from childhood can create great writers among the mass. No formal requirement for children’s theatre is required. Open spaces are the best platform to learn. A meaningful life is possible only if we are enough observant to sense our surroundings minutely. Theatre teaches us to do all these. M Ramesh of “Natana Rangshaala” an eminent TV personality is helping kids by imparting teaching in Dance, Music, and Drama. Undoubtedly the Children's Theaters in Karnataka had been playing a major role in engrossing the kids to understand the societal matter. We should salute the laureates and eminent theatre personalities of the states who believe a child should grow up with a theatres background. There are several troops of children’s theatre still very active in nooks and corners of Karnataka like Abhinay Bharti Dharwad. They are working on the folklore amalgamating it with the recent development. Today theatre is also a profession for many. We must be thankful to the great thoughts who believed that theatre inculcates a democratic mindset. As we get to know the power of team spirit and collective success through theatre.
Hospitality of Kannadiga's
Guest hospitality has been a symbol of Kannada culture. Ancestors believed that a guest is equivalent to God and if such a guest is not treated with reverence then all the virtues gained by the person would leave him and obtain by the guest. Guests who reach in several ways, one who drops suddenly and unexpectedly, without prior intimation, or the guests who arrive with intimation, the guests who are invited on special occasions and some guests are unfamiliar. Welcoming and greeting any guest with respective of their category and despite the arrival time is part of every Kannadiga's culture. In India, culture has evolved through traditions and so is the culture of treating guests. Usually, when a guest enters a Kannadiga’s home he is welcomed and affectionated by giving him some water to wash his feet and then he is asked to sit in a suitable place. To quench his thirst he is offered cold water along with jaggery. In some regions, the practice of giving lemon juice and buttermilk is also practised. Serving food and making them comfortable is the primary concern of the host. In Indian culture, most aspect has divine regions the rice we consume is abode to lord Shiva and the belief that shiva manifest in food is a widespread belief. In places where there are no lakes and wells, charitable people from nearby places build small sheds and arrange for stream water to keep in those small sheds. It is a practice which is still in vogue in Karnataka and seen across Karnataka. Even today in MaLavaLLi & Maissur regions water-filled pots are kept at the entrance of houses for unfamiliar guests who pass by at odder. It can be said that the water reserves created by our ancestors are an indirect form of guest hospitality and they believe that if people, birds and animals drink water from such reserves then they would reach heaven. The tank reservoirs and lakes which have been constructed across Karnataka are an example of ancestors' charitable contributions. Choultries & shelter sheds were sponsored by the rich people. They would reserve & donate a certain part of their business money for such a cause and even farmers used to set aside a specific part of their yield of nuts, grains and vegetables. Be it for famine, even to date, when fairs are held in villages, people visit for feast or even to donate a certain part of their yield to temples. Sponsoring Education is a form of Charity that would also be considered a great charity. Our social lifestyle has not just been people-centric and the belief is that the entire existence of nine crore kinds of living beings has a right to live on this earth. That is why the idea of giving them first a part of their grown rice is a concept imbibed in people’s consciousness. Be it the morsel spilt near the fields while tilling or giving away the food grains at home to saints, monks, wanderers & others, this principle of food sharing is developed in the folk culture. Similarly, ancestors used to pour some grains near the anthills everyday morning. Whether food served to a guest or food for the hungry it is called “Prasadam”. The guest treatment of KaDava Community is a unique experience, non-vegetarian food is a speciality and cold weather conditions make alcohol a must. In old Mysuru, the outdoor boundary is a person's status and the position is determined by the number of guests he can feed. In Mysore and Mandya region, the most common practice is serving guests with chicken and Raagi balls. Among Harijan, guests are traditionally given chicken along with alcohol. Among the community of Alemaari also there are no reservations for guest hospitality. The people reserve a part of the forest exclusively for treating the guest, such a place is called akke. The Budakattu community of Karnataka are also quite progressive in their guest hospitality. In guest hospitality, the concept of taambuula seeve is a symbol of respect. For the invited guest during special occasions, especially for ladies, giving arisina, Kumkuma, a sari blouse, along with fruits is a fine tradition followed till the date. Also in some parts of Karnataka women’s hands are ornamented with Bangles.
Food Items of South Karnataka
Karnataka is a land of diversity in their language, culture and food habits. Lifestyle of the people differ in the regions, according to the variation in climate conditions and this includes food habits of these regions. The food culture is multifaceted. The food habits of a region directly depend upon the crops grown in the place, which in turn depend on the quantity of rainfall, temperature and type of soil. So, there is a vast area of coconut trees in Tumkur, Kolara and Bengaluru is known for growing mango and vegetables. Mandya, Mysuru and Chamrajnagra are repositories of paddy, and sugarcane is grown as a commercial crop. Ragi is the main only crop in dry part of Chitradurga districts. We may divide the pattern of daily food consumption in the plain into four categories, from a point of view of analysis. They are daily meals, breakfast, special dishes on festive days, specially religious ones, and food prepared on other occasions. People who work in the field need a lot of nutritions in their food. Wet ragi flour locally called ragi ball or ragi mudde is the staple food of these people. The hard toiling farmer prefers two big balls of Raagi. Ragi is the favorite food of all people here, from the king to the common man. Ayyana ragi is the main virgin variety of ragi, with the use of this raagi helps to prepare a lot of popular snacks like idli, ragi malt ,ragi noodles, etc. Raagi is eaten with Saaru, there are a variety of Saaru like Uppu saaru, Soppu Saaru and Bassaru. Many types of greens are available in rural Karnataka like Dantu, Keere ,Nugge, Honnagone, Emmeraddi, Kirutala, Hale Soppu, Daagdi, Agase and others. In the plains of south Karnataka there is a special place for BaaDuta meaning meal with meat. During festivities and occasions, such as after marriage, celebrational meat is an added attraction. Most favorite variety of saaru in this region is fish curry known as menina, Saaru and prawns meaning SeegaDi. The varieties of Happala, which means pap also gets involved in the cooking activities. Food made with chicken is locally known as Koli, for goat it is called Meke, for sheep it is called Kuri and these are commonly prepared on such pious occasions, after sacrificing them to Goddess maari. Coconut is commonly used for making special dishes too- chutney, coconut sweet, dry coconut balls, tea with coconut milk, etc. Gubu is also widely prepared, it is drawn from coconut and is a popular snack in coconut growing areas. Green coconut water is known to overcome fatigue. Kabbina Hallu (Sugarcane juice) is also quite a popular drink. Women giving birth to babies, known as Baananti, are fed with special types of foods during this period. Death anniversaries, locally called tithi, are marked with specific food preparations- Uddina vade,Paayasa and Bangal gram. The study of food habits of people of south Karnataka is also the study of their culture. Food habits play an important role in shaping the lifestyle of a community.
People of Bengal Part-1
The growth and history of Bengal and its people were intertwined not only with the history of the Indian subcontinent but also with the growth of present-day South Asia. Bengal was one of the earliest Aryan colonies in the Indian subcontinent and included modern-day West Bengal and Bangladesh as well as parts of Orissa, Bihar, Assam, and the present-day Northeast. ‘Banga’ or Vanga was first mentioned in the Aitereya Aranyaka and frequent references to the land of ‘Vanga’ are found in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. People of ancient Bengal are said to have originally belonged to various tribal communities – North Indian Aryan Long Heads, South Indian Dravido-Munda Long Heads, Alpine Short Heads, and Mongolian Short Heads. These communities mingled with each other, and both the Bengali culture and the Bangla language were a result of this grand synthesis. The Modern Bengali language that we know today is a result of several evolutionary changes in the Vedic Sanskritic language (from colloquial Magadhi Prakrit to Magadhi Apabhramsa to Ancient Bangla to Medieval Bangla to Modern Bangla). Although there is very little recorded information about the early ages of Bengal, as we travel through the pages of history, we discover the rise and fall of various kingdoms. Even though accurate historical information about Bengal is available only from the Gupta period, the Gangaridai and Prasioi empires seemed to have existed in ancient Bengal in the deltaic region of the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna rivers around 400 BC which coincided with the Indian campaign of Alexander the Great. The Gupta period was known as a period of immense religious tolerance and this period also saw a lot of development in the art of sculpture. Many janapadas (small kingdoms) flourished as the Gupta empire faded away, some of which were Gour, Vangala, Varendri, Summa, Samatat, Radha, Pundra, Harikel, Tamralipta, Kajangala, and Banga. The unified polity of Bengal saw the rise of her first independent king in the form of Shashanka, who ruled approximately between 590 and 635 CE. His capital was located at Karnasubarna near Rajshahi, Bangladesh in present-day Murshidabad. With the rise of the Pala dynasty under King Gopala Pala in 750 CE, the golden age of Bengal was established. Bengal under the reign of Dharmapala and Devpala has been regarded by historians as a period of political genius. The Pala-s were Buddhists and the most venerated Buddhist monk and scholar, Atish Dipankara Srijnana (980-1053 CE) carried Buddhism to Tibet during this period. This was also the time when the earliest form of the Bengali script originated from the Brahmi alphabet of the Ashokan inscriptions and subsequently from the spoken Laukika or Apabhramsa-Avahatta, which “can be rightly called proto-Bengali” (Sen 1960, 8). The Caryapada (or the Carya songs) is the earliest literature composed in the earliest form of the Bengali language. Sukumar Sen (1900-92) writes in History of Bengali Literature (1960) that even though the language of the carya songs is vernacular, it is also something of a literary language at the same time (Sen 1960, 4-5). The Sena dynasty headed by Vijayasena supplanted the Pala-s towards the end of the eleventh century during the rule of Mahipala II. The Sena-s were Brahma-Kshatriyas, originally from the south of the Indian subcontinent and went all out to restore the identity of the Brahmins and introduced Kulin Pratha (the practice of Kulinism), which was a social reform system that allowed Kaulinya Brahmins to assert social and religious superiority over people belonging to other races, communities, or religions. Vaishnavism also flourished under the rule of the Senas and Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda is an exemplary example of this. During the Middle Bengali period (1350-1800), Brajabuli was popularised by Vidyapati and his Vaishnava songs. Muslim rule was established in parts of Bengal with Bakhtiyar Khilji’s conquest of Lakshmanavati. With the advent of the Turkish invasion and the massive looting and destruction of temples and seats of learning that followed, Bengal received a massive blow as “intellectual activities were extinguished for about a couple of centuries” (Sen 1960, 34). From the debris of the “Dark Centuries” which followed the Turkish invasion of Bengal in the thirteenth century, a new Bengali people emerged in the Chaitanya period which began in the sixteenth century and saw an all-around development in the social, cultural, and religious fronts in Bengal and Orissa. Led by Sri Chaitanya, this period saw the rise of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism Movement, Samkirtan (singing the name of god together), and the assertion of the right to public worship. Many folk forms seemed to exist in rural Bengal alongside the Muslim rule on one hand and the rise of Gaudiya Vaishnavism on the other. Some of these which exist to date were Brotokatha, recitals of the Kasidasi Mahabharata, Alkaap, Gambhura, and Manashar Gaan. Murshid Quli Khan became the first Nawab of Bengal and served from 1717 to 1727 while Muhammad Siraj-ud-Daulah (1733-57), the last Nawab of Bengal seized Calcutta and came to power in 1756. This coincided with the expansion of the British settlement in the Indian subcontinent. With the visit of Job Charnock, an administrator with the British East India Company, Calcutta was established by merging the three villages of Kalikata, Gobindapur, and Sutanuti in 1756. With the French as his allies, Siraj-ud-Daulah caused the Black Hole Tragedy of Calcutta in 1756 cost innumerable British lives. The British answered to this with the Battle of Plassey led by Robert Clive in 1757 that marked the victory of the East India Company over Siraj-ud-Daulah and his French allies and decided the fate of Bengal. Calcutta became the centre of administration and commerce and was the capital of British India from 1722 to 1911. Bengal was marked by a period of extreme uncertainty in the eighteenth century after the defeat of Siraj-ud-Daulah and was marked by repeated attacks from the Marathas (from 1741 to 1751, referred to as Bargir Hungama), and the great Bengal Famine of 1770 which is popularly referred to as Chhiattor-er Monnontor. During this time, the only relief came in the form of the devotional poems of Ramprasad Sen (1718-75) who was a Shakta Bengali poet, Bharatchandra Ray Gunakor’s (1712-60) Vidyasundar, and Dasharathi Ray’s (1806-57) Panchali or narrative poems remarkable in their religious sentiments and musical quality. A new class of Bengalis or a new middle class emerged towards the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century. Sukumar Sen states that “some of the nouveaux riche came forward as supporters of the new quasi-literary and cultural trends that emerged in Calcutta and in the other townships along the Hooghly” (Sen 1960, 147). The eighteenth century was also marked by the introduction of the printing press in Serampore, the publication of the first Bengali grammar book by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed called A Grammar of the Bengali Language in 1788, and the establishment of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784 among others. Some notable literary and intellectual figures of the eighteenth and the early nineteenth-century Bengal were Rammohun Roy (1772-1833), Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838-84), Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824-73), and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-91) – all of who ultimately led to the Bengal Renaissance that is said to have finally ended with Rabindranath Tagore in the twentieth century.
Gowri Ganesha Festival in Karnataka
Festivals bring happiness, joy and satisfaction to people's lives. During festival times, the temples, cultures and religious centres perform various pujas according to traditions followed over the year, creating a lot of positive energy. Each festival is unique and special in its way, and Gowri and Ganesha festival, popularly called Gowri Ganesh Habba, is a significant festival in Karnataka. In Kruthayuga, Parvati and Parameshwara were said to be in a serious discussion one day. Gradually the debate took a sensual tone. At the same time, many deities and angels visit them in Kailasa, their abode. As a result, Parvati shies away from Parmeshwara, and due to his heightened sense of love, he lets go of essence, and it falls on the earth. Goddess earth retains some of it and leaves the rest in the river Ganga. After nine months, Earth gives birth to a girl child and names her Gauri. She brings gold from the land of Varuna(Water God) and covers the child Gowri with gold ornaments. This is how Gowri was called Swarna Gowri. As a symbol of health, happiness, and wealth, sixteen different items such as turmeric, vermillion, bangles, fruits, betel leaf, jaggery, grains and lentils etc. are placed inside the container in the bamboo soups and distributed among themselves. They seek blessings from each other as every other married woman is considered part of the divine gowdi. As the festivals come closer, Artists paint the idol with attractive colours and keep them ready for sale. According to our Indian calendar, Ganesha Chaturthi falls on the day of Suddha Chaturthi of Bhadra Padamasha. In other words, it arrives in either September or October every year. The Ganesha idol is installed in most houses and public places during the festival. Devotees decorate both sides of the road and illuminate them with colourful lights. On the day of the festival, people buy the Ganesha idols from the market and bring them home with all delight and emotion. The children enjoy the most on this occasion. The family's elders wear fresh clothes while installing the idol of Ganesha on decorated varieties of colourful flowers. The family members then light up the lamps and chant the mantra. At home, women sing devotional songs and perform aarti before their favourite deity. In North Karnataka, the Ganesha festival is celebrated differently. At festival time, Ganesh mandap is decorated with lanes. During pre-independence days, The Ganesha festival was marked as a family festival, but over the period, this festival has become a state festival. On the day of Visarjana, The Ganapati Bappa is offered back to water and soil.
Folk Mahabharath Part-1
Siddhusetti, a folk singer was born in Bettadabidu. It is a small village in the taluk of the Mysore district. His mother was Siddama and his father was Guddamaraiya, who was a potter by profession and folk singer by passion. After his father's death, Siddhusetti becomes a folk singer. The people of Bettadabidu were fascinated by his singing of folk Mahabharatha. He was known by the name of Siddusetti of Bettadabidu. Siddusetti has two sons. He sang the tales of Siddapaji, Mahadeshwara, Sankamma, and so on. He got several awards in folk singing. Siddusetti used to sing Mahabharatha in Mysore. He liked all characters of Mahabharatha like Karan, Arjun, Yudhisthir, Draupadi, etc. He used to tell the people through his singing about this character and the reason behind their name and fame in Mahabharatha. He sang in his singing why Dhritarashtra was born blind and whose curse make him blind at the next birth? He told how Kunti was born and after Kunti how the country is worshipped? He told the people when and how Mahabharatha originated? His Folk singing was recognized by folklore scholar Dr.P.K.Rajshekhara and he at once began to collect it with great zeal. In a way, Mahabharatha is a living fossil. The works you call Vyasa, Bharata or Valmiki Ramayan have both originated from folk Mahabharatha. He used to tell the people how some places' names have connected to the character of Mahabharatha. Though the folk people take a delight in reinterpreting the significance of places in the Mahabharatha. According to the folk Mahabharatha Krishna was working on the constructive aspect and Shakuni on the destructive aspect. According to folk Mahabharatha when the mind is acceptable to charity it must be carried out without any delay. He told the greatness of Karna. Siddusetti sang the epic all alone from start to end.
Dharwar Kannada
Dharwar is one of the most cultural center of Karnataka. It is also the center of many educational institutions. It is also karma bhumi of great writers eg. Shamba Joshi, Girish karnad etc. It comprises the Mumbai Karnataka region. Historically, this region was ruled by Kadambas. North Karnataka has active Participation in the movement. Dharwar is distinct from every other part of Karnataka in food, culture, dress, etc. The language of Dharwar is like jackfruit solid and rough from the outside and sweet from the inside. Dharwar Kannada has five cardinal vowels. It has been mentioned all linguistics feature vowel phones, and consonant phonemes. They always use ‘a’ after every words hotel> hotela. Nasalization is noted as one of the important features of this dialect. ‘O’ changes into ‘a’ , eg.bottu >battu. kinship terms start with ‘a’ and change inta ‘ya’ eg.’akka’>yakka .Rational nouns ending with ‘or ‘e’ take ‘aeru’ as a plural suffix. Dharwar Kannada dialect and standard Kannada dialect both are different. Dharwad Kannada is one such spicy variant of the Kannada Language.
Folk Performing Arts of Southern Karnataka Part-4
Folk dance is a medium of expression of a primitive man aspiration in life.Here goes a saying like this: life without art is like an ocean without a wave. It means there is a close intimate relationship between art, human being and society. Though ocean looks calm and spread. It makes us joyous through it waves. So also art in human life. So it adds joy,happiness through it waves. So also art in human life.So it adds joy,happiness and colour to human life. Goravara Kunitha are remembered for the unique performance to singing, costume and the perhegya. Dancing in a variety of step and costume with differently designs and along by them they used the plain ground to perform.They travel place to place placing people and children and removing there filth from body and mind. The Gorava dance is greatest folk dance in Karnataka. It belongs to the tradition of folk singer. The Gorava tradition belongs to Shaiva cult. They express both the human and animal instinct.In the Southern part of Karnataka they are known by Gorava, Goggaiya, Gaddabaddaiya. Whereas in the northern part they called as gwarappa,Vagga,Vaggayya.The Gorava Dance and the Dollu dance are the two great contributions that were given to the people of Karnataka by the Shephard Communities. The term Gorava has originated from the Goravayya or Guru meaning the teacher. This dance is performed during the ritualized, Customary Practices, festival and religious procession. In northern Karnataka the Gorava dance is known as Kadabadayyan Kunitha. The Instrument the Goravas use is called as Kadabadi whereas the same instrument in south is called as damaruga or Dindima. Gaarudigombe Kunitha doll dance is also known as Tottirayana or Manu Bombalu. This dance is spread in Mandya,Mysore,Shimoga,Tumkur,Kolar and Banglore rural district.The Performers is mainely intended to entertain people. Garudi Gombe Kunitha is an entertaining folk dance.There are male and female figures/Dolls.The male doll that dances is as tall as fifteen feet. The female doll holds the waist while dancing. These doll dances are particularly invited during public processions and functions to perform. The Garudi Dance is hailed as belonging to Vaishnava tradition. It makes the onlooker to fall in love with the Garudi Gombe. Earlier times these dolls used to dance in village festivals to perform. Thus it symbolizes the cultural heritage to Karnataka. Patada kunitha,while the Nandi flag belong to Shiva tradition the Patada dance represents the art of Vaishanava tradition. Mandya,Tumkur,Mysore and Bengluru Rural district is house the Patada Kunitha. It resemble the Rangad Kunitha. Fifteen to twenty feet bomboo stick is decorated with colourful clips and silk tassel. The folk dance of Patada kunitha was born out of the Patada Kunitha was born out of the Melukote temple. Here there is another form called Bhagavanthike mela. In the Goparu kunitha dancer holds the patasa in tower shape and dance in circular form.
Gubbi Theater Company _The Oldest Drama Company of Karnataka
The Gubbi company is the most important of the professional troops of Karnataka. It was established in 1884 and was the only professional company that delighted spectators all over India, particularly in Karnataka, for over a hundred and ten years. This company staged more than fifty plays and gave the Kannada professional theatre a new dimension. The company had its distinctive style of presenting mythological, historical, or social plays dealing with contemporary issues. Gubbi Chandana was the founder of this company. He was born in the village ‘Gulaganjihalli’, near Gubbi in the Tumkur district of Karnataka, in 1891. He had a frightening commitment to the theatre. An incident to substantiate this is when his second wife Sundaramma, who was also an artist with the company, died on the stage while enacting a play. It is said that Gubbi Chandana, who was also acting in the play along with his children, did not stop the play but allowed it to continue till the end. After the play stopped, he and his children only attended to her dead body. The Gubbi theatre company is the first theatre company in Karnataka to employ female artists to portray female characters on the stage. Elephants and horses were also brought on stage in war scenes of Kurukshetra. There is a famous saying that the story of Gubbi Veerana’s Company is the story of the Kannada theatre. The company had a troupe of more than 150 artists and backstage workers. Some famous plays staged by the company included Sadaarame and Yechamma Nayaka. These plays consisted of innovations like trick scenes, floods, clouds and rain. In those days, dramas were staged for free, with people only paying according to their liking at the end of the drama. However, Gubbi Veeranna’s dramas were an exception, with people willing to buy tickets to watch them. Most of the actors and actresses that entered the Kannada cinema world in those days were from his drama company. Later the company opened branches in different places. An important branch of the company was the Mysore branch which staged famous plays, and the finances generated from this branch sustained the whole company. The humorist ‘Hirannaiah’ was one of the persons responsible for the popularity of the Mysore branch. The company celebrated its diamond jubilee in 1944. The achievements of the Gubbi company over hundred and ten years in stage music, stage equipment, costumes, make-up, lighting designs, stage techniques and acting formed an enduring treasure for Kannada theatre.
Channaveera Kanavi
“Nature’s own poet” Chennaveera Kanavi is a great poet who connects us to the love and beauty of nature. He has contributed the best lines on nature in Modern Kannada Literature. His poetry narrates the social-cultural and political transition and ambiguities of society. He was born on 28 June 1928 in North Karnataka, Homballa (Gadak- Dist.). He was brought up by Sakkareppa and Parvatavva at Shirunja village. His father was a primary school teacher and that’s where he spent his early childhood. He recalls how a single teacher used to run the entire school in those days. He did his further studies from Garga. His childhood was the time when the freedom movement was at its peak. The events that were taking place put a deep imprint on his mind. He remembers how there used to be Prabhat Pheris and a cleanliness drive to aware people. He was a very studious child, after securing first in Mulki (7th std), he shifted to Dharwad. He joined RLS High school and stayed at Muruga Mutt’s Prasad Nilaya for the next 4 years. The environment in Mutt was more spiritual than religious. Reciting Vachnas and attending discourses rendered by great scholars and literary giants were in their day-to-day schedule. Since every great personality who visited Dharwad used to visit Mutt this helped him to gain interest in Vachanas. After Matriculation in 1946, he joined Karanataka College Dharwad. This is the place where came in contact with many reputed scholars like D R Bendre, V K Gokak, etc. He recited his first poem “ From imprisonment to freedom” on the auspicious occasion of Indian Independence in the huge public gathering at Dharwad College. This poem expressed the joy of people and tells how their dream has been realized. It got published in college magazines as well as popular newspapers like Jeevana, Jayanti, and Jaya Karnataka. This is how his name got introduced into the history of Kannada Literature. Vidyavardhaka Sangha of Dharwad was the literary and cultural center form many poets, writers, orators, and artists. Many eminent literary personalities used to have their discourse over there. Dharwad had been the land where rural and urban cultures co- existed. Kavyakashi Kanavi’s first collection of his poems got published in 1949. Dr. Bendre himself contributed the preface of the same. It was the era of Modern Literature. Renowned writers like Bendre, Masti, Pu. Ti. Na used to be the observer for the upcoming writers. Within a year his second collection Bhavajeevi got published. It was a long narrative of 580 lines and the preface was written by V K Gokak. This Semi- biographical writeup was much influenced by how the rural lifestyle that he was born and brought up in played a key role in transforming him into a poet. It mentions how Dharwad has a long-lasting impression on his life He started a forum Kavyanubhava Mantapa while being a student. There were good friends and critics Keerthinath Kurthokoti, Shankar Mokakshi Punekar, Vasanth Kauli, Doddamani, and Basavaraj Kattimani, who stayed in Dharwad for some years. All the members of Kavyanubhava Mantapa has left behind a great impression on Kannada Literature. In 1950 he joined Karnataka University for PG. He was married in 1952 to Santa Devi. His writing Madhu Chandra records the pure love of a Samsara or a grihastha. In 1952 he was selected as Secretary of the publication department at the University. He says there are three major impacts of education- first teaching up to higher education (degree level), Research is a very important aspect, and whatever has been researched is to be published. MM Kalburgi ex VC KU Hampi says not only Kannada literature but even the publication house of KU is very thankful to him. He was a great organizer and always invited remarkable personalities who would help him in executing his noble ideas. For around 3-4 decades he took care of the publication section of the university. Those were hay days for the publication house of Karnataka University as number of the worthy publication came to being. He went to many places and people to promote the books and spread the joy of reading. Around 150 lecture series were published during his time. Gurulinga Kaapase literary critique infers how beautifully he writes about nature. Grate Govindaraj shares how in Kanavi’s early writings influence of Bendre, Kuvempu, and Madhura chenna can be seen. Dr. G S Shivarudrappa (Rashtra Kavi - national poet ) also praises the writing style of Katavi. He says that the mind of Kannavi is so pure that even in this modern times his work reflects harmony and peacefulness. From the shadow of Bendre he encountered many poets like Sharma. His specialty is that he retained his originality against all the odds and contributed substantially to Kannada literature. No doubt modern literature brought changes in the thought process. However, Kannavi’s view was to take the new ideas objectively by not succumbing to them wholly. But Kanavi was forced to incorporate irony into his writing which was not in his earlier works. The most influential poets of this period were Ram Chandra Sharma, Gopal Krishna Adiga, Ramanujan, and others. According to cultural critic, Dr. Narahalli Balasubramanya Kanavi’s writeup is based on contemporary issues and it mirrors the corruption of the time. He portrayed the confusion and turmoil of the world and also how it influences mankind. Moreover, like other writers, he doesn’t get disoriented because of Navodaya. In modern literature, we find cynicism, sarcasm, and disillusionment. But in his writing, we can see hope, the hope which is not untrue or far-fetched rather based on reality. He survived the turbulence of modern times and retained his originality. At this conjuncture, he published Deepadhari, persistent in his love for nature respect for values, and philosophical perceptions. His style of writing is a culmination of a balanced proportion of old and modern poetry forms. He forms a bridge between romantic and modern writing. His poetry collection Kaala (Time) has an eminent contribution to modern literature. He talks about the complexities of Human being and their selfless nature of exploitation. In which he says no matter what humans cant harness time. Time has another connotation which is death and a humbling factor too. He denies the idea of calling him Samanvya / Bandaya / Dalit Poet. He says that the formation of the poem is based on reciprocity it means the integration of your feelings and intelligence. So reciprocity relation is a must in the life of the poet. In this Modern period of Literature, Kanavi is one of the only poets who use Sonnets extensively. Moreover, he gave sonnet such flexible form to get acceptability in Kannada literature. He loves using sonnets where there is a blend of perception and intelligence. Writing sonnets to him is like sculpting without altering the form. He strongly believes that it gives him creative liberties without altering the basic flow. In his 14 lines of poetry on Lal Bahadur Shastri. He beautifully portrays the simplistic approach to the life Shastri had He reminds us how Shashtr being in such a high position never thought about wealth. He was a man of character and never shed off. He always spread the helping hand and sacrificed all his needs. He wanted peace and dealt with the Indo-Pak conflict peacefully. Though he had to lose his life. He asks us to ponder what kind of Indian he was? His collection of critics can be read in his 3 books: Chintana 1966, Kavyanusandaha (1970), and Samahita (1977). He had been awarded several academic awards including Sahitya Academy Award and conferred as Nadoja by Karnataka University. He is seen to chair many academic functions worldwide. His specialty is to connect real-time issues to the general public by keeping the originality intact. So he had raised several political issues. In almost all his collections numerous sonnets is found. Through the means of his sonnets, he portrays the people he admires like Gandhiji and Shashtri Ji. Kanavi’s contribution to modern Kannada literature is quintessential. He derived a new way for literature and created a conducive domain for the upcoming poets. The best part is though he had been through various movements known of them deviate his writeup from his originality. Through his artistic articulation by means of the sonnet, he has set an example in expanding the horizons of human relations. He unquestionably has amazing inputs in sculpting modern Kannada Literature. He will always be known for his unique incorporation of bridging cultural ethos to the Modern Era through his writings.
B.M. Srikantayya - Part 2 -Eng
In Kalidasa’s drama ‘Abhigyana Shakuntalam’, It was Kanva who sheltered and supported Shakuntala. Similarly, At a time the Kannada language stagnated, It was BM Sri who supported its development. Thus, he has been conferred with the title “Kannada Kanva’’. BM Sri has shown how to adopt the rhyme into poetry using a blend of metrical forms. He has done two types of experiments from the language point of view. One is experimenting with colloquial words and the second one is adopting colloquial rhythms into the poetic language. An observation of the portion written on meters in his ‘Kannada kaipidi’, whenever we come across his poem we find usage of words, grouping craft, and base construction. In the metrical form of Kannada, English Geethegalu has opened up a new royal root in the history of Kannada literature, and thereby the name of BM Shri has remained immortal. Sanskrit dominated the typical kind of meter verses in Kannada metrical form without alternatives Indianised poetic forms like triplets etc. were basically taken from the free verse form in Kannada. Kannada type of metrical forms is not at all in practice. Thereafter, Six line stanzas called Shakpadi became powerful due to the influence of prosodical units. The Kannada meter remained as a symbol of Dravidian metrical form. One or two new forms are rarely seen in Yakshagana. BM Sri’s reverence for the rulers of Mysore, his love towards Karnataka, and profound Patriotic feelings are noticed in his poetic collections ‘ Honganasugalu’. He also wrote a drama named ‘Ashwathaman’ which is a transcreation of the Greek drama Ajax of Shophocles. He has made the language rich by introducing new records through his organizing capabilities as a language planner. It was a longing desire for BM Sri to see Kannada be in the calculation in all walks of life. The only obstacle to this desire to take shape was the script. More the letters, more tedious, lesser letters were a boon to the typewriters. Thus, he thought of reforming the letters by writing the secondary symbols of length by the side of short vowel. Likewise using the aspirated symbol for a consonant that is similar to non-aspirated consonant, will also convey the intention. While presenting the new literature models retaining their nativity, He blessed the people of Karnataka with the slogan ‘Kannadam gentle kannadam baalge’(Long Live Kannada).
Dharmasthala
The Shanti Mantra (or Peace Mantra) from the Upanishads is the essence of all religions and this mantra finds its culmination in the Indian temple town of Dharmasthala or Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala which is situated on the banks of the Nethravathi River in the Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. The town is built on and is a perfect embodiment of the ideals of religious tolerance, the confluence of faith, and selfless dedication. Dharmasthala displays all the shades of the meaning of the word dharma (traditionally, religion, ritual, righteousness, duty, alms, piety, as well as justice, truthfulness, freedom from fear, solace, peace, and fulfillment). The word sthala (site or place) adds an element of activeness to the ideal of dharma such that the town not only touches but also makes a “transformational difference” in the lives of all men and mankind in real-time. Dharmasthala abides by the principles that everyone should live together, eat together, and grow together without any kind of enmity. Three different faiths are followed in harmony not only within the boundaries of the Dharmasthala temple complex but the entire town is also imbued with the spirit of oneness. The Jain Tirthankara-s (spiritual teacher and savior of dharma) are worshipped on the same holy grounds as the native dharma daiva-s and Lord Manjunatha (trans., ‘Lord of the Snow’, an avatar of Lord Shiva). The people who live in Dharmasthala or the pilgrims who visit the town are not divided on the basis of religion, faith, caste, creed, or gender. 800 years ago, according to a popular legend, Dharmasthala was known as Kuduma in Mallarmadi, then a village in Belthangady. A Jain chieftain of the Tulu lineage by the name Birmanna Pergade (later Heggade, a derivative from the Tulu word Pergade) and his wife Ammu Ballathi lived in a house called Nelliadi Beedu and was well-known for their hospitality and generosity. This house was located close to the Chandranatha Swamy Basadi. Four dharma daiva-s or guardian angels of dharma – Kalarkai, Kalarahu, Kumarswamy, and Kanyakumari assumed human form and visited Pergade’s dwelling and instructed the couple to provide shelter, free education, and food to the destitute. Pleased by their hospitality, generosity, and observance of dharma, the dharma daiva-s reappeared in Pergade’s dream and explained the purpose of their visit. They also instructed Pergade to vacate Nelliadi Beedu and use it solely for the worship of the dharma daiva-s and dedicate his life to the propagation of dharma thereafter. In return the dharma daiva-s promised Pergade and his future generations protection, renown, and abundance of charity. Pergade immediately built another abode besides and left Nelliadi Beedu wherein he built four shrines dedicated to the worship of the four daiva-s. Nelliadi Beedu has since then only been used as a place of worship of the four dharma data-s as well as a place which is renowned for its hospitality to all. Pergade was also asked by the daiva-s to choose two people of noble birth as well as four worthy people to act as the heads of the four shrines and assist Pergade in his duties. Soon, Pergade invited Brahmin priests to perform rituals at the four shrines. It was then that these Brahmins requested him to install a Shivalinga besides the shrines. Hearing this, the daiva-s sent Annappa Swamy, their vassal to obtain the linga of Lord Manjunatha from a pond at Kadri near Mangalore. The Manjunatheshwara Temple was built around this Shivalinga. When in the 16th century, Devaraja Heggade (descendent of Birmanna Pergade) invited Shri Vadiraja Swami of Udupi to visit Nelliadi Beedu, he came but refused to accept bhiksha (alms and food offering) because he felt that the idol of Lord Manjunatha had not been installed according to proper Vedic rites. Heggade then requested Annappa Swamy to reconsecrate the same himself which Annappa Swamy did by observing all the Vedic rites. Annappa Swamy himself named the site Dharmasthala (or the abode of charity, religion, and righteousness). Even today, upon visiting Neliyadi Beedu, pilgrims would notice that the ideal of selfless dedication and the customs which were started by Pergade and his wife have not only persisted but have also been strengthened by the 21 generations of the Heggade family since Birmanna Pergade. Shri Manjayya Heggade (1889-1955, administrator of Dharmasthala from 1918 to 1955) and Shri Ratnavarma Heggade (administrator of Dharmasthala from 1955 to 1968) are regarded as the architects of the present-day Dharmasthala as it was because of their efforts that the temple town came to occupy a place on the pilgrims’ map. They also did everything possible to make the pilgrims feel welcome and comfortable at Dharmasthala by providing them with the best possible facilities when it came to accommodation and amenities including hostels for the destitute which to date provide free shelter and food. Dharmasthala is truly a modern city as Shri Ratnavarma Heggade also established educational institutions in the town. His descendant, Shri Veerendra Heggade (b. 1948, present administrator or Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala and the 21st in line), like his forefathers, abides by his duty of propagating dharma as dictated by the dharma daiva-s. He also ensures that the rituals are accurately observed in the temple of Lord Manjunatha. Having observed the ideal of dharma for the past 21 generations and fulfilled their duties to be just and righteous, the Heggade-s have acquired an “aura of divinity” and become the earthly representatives of the dharma daiva-s and Lord Manjunatha. As a result, the Heggade-s have had and still have a lot of religious, social, and cultural duties which include organizing annual mass marriages, promoting the fine arts, as well as ensuring that the four traditional dana-s (donation) – anna-dana, aushadha-dana, vidya-dana, and abhaya-dana (donations of food, medicine, education, and freedom from fear respectively) regularly take place. The Heggade-s are also supposed to act as the emissaries of Lord Manjunatha and as saviors and caretakers of law (similar to the judiciary) which they ensure by resolving civil complaints (referred to as hailu-s) by giving their verdict which is accepted with reverence and as law by civilians of all faiths, caste, and creed without any question. Not only this but the verdict given by the Heggade-s is accepted by all civil courts of the country. Veerendra Heggade is also known for having established numerous schools, colleges, and courses across Karnataka. Further, he has introduced various schemes for women, farmers, and the unemployed. Dharmasthala is also known for being an important center for learning yoga in the country and Veerendra Heggade has introduced many schemes related to the learning of yoga. The science of Ayurveda and natural therapy are also given special provisions in this town. The Heggade family has given way to numerous trusts, each of which looks after different matters such as the Dharmatana trust which takes care of renovating ancient temples, and the Shanthivana trust which has led to the creation of numerous health and peace schemes. For his contribution to society and mankind, Veerandra Heggade has been honored with many awards over the years. The most notable among these are the Padma Bhushan Award (2000), the Karnataka Ratna title (2009), an honorary doctorate from Karnatak University (2010), and the Padma Vibhushan Award (2015). The town of Dharmasthala “has always been a patron of art and culture”. The Heggade family maintains a touring Yakshagana troop (a form of traditional theatre which developed in parts of Karnataka and Kerala and combines music, dance, dialogue, make-up, costume, and numerous stage techniques), encourages the flow of new ideas, and hosts the annual Sarva Dharma Sammelana and Sahitya Sammelana as the continuation of the traditions of the kshetra and to spread the knowledge of religious tolerance. The worship of Lord Manjunatha at Dharmasthala often overshadows the fact that the town has also been the seat of the Jain Tirthankara-s for centuries and has remained as one of the most important Digambara shrines of South India. The Dharmadhikari is truly the key to every activity connected to the worship of Lord Manjunatha. However, to this day, he has retained the Jain faith of the Pergade lineage. This is evident through the Trikala puja that is performed at the Shri Chandranatha Swami Basadi which continues to be an important center of Jainism to date. The Dharmadhikari carries out all the rituals at the Shri Chandranatha Swami Temple just the way he performs all the rituals at the Shri Manjunatheshwara Temple. Dharmasthala is said to be “a miracle of paradoxes for those who come in curiosity”. Truly, the confluence of faiths, the service of all men and mankind, and the pious devotion to God and man alike are what make Dharmasthala unique. Consequently, when it comes to seeking alms or peace, there is no place better than Dharmasthala to come to. The temple town is truly a multifaceted kshetra (a bahurupi or a place with many forms and faces) wherein dharma and karma become one. In other words, Dharmasthala is the embodiment of the ideal that dharma is in karma or one’s actions.
Folk Performing Arts of Southern Karnataka - Part-1
Each of these performing arts has been identified with a particular community in Karnataka. As these communities have their own historical growth so also the folk arts are part of this historicity. The primary purpose of this folk art is not entertainment. They represent the social-cultural and economic aspirations of the communities in which they were born. As these have retained their entertaining value they also have retained their costume, Jewelry, unique dance style, literature, and music. Musical Instrument oriented dance, Worship oriented, and entertainment-oriented. Thus they bring holistic perspectives that merge music, dance, and ritual. However, each performing art is different imbibing various elements of environment and society. Nandikolu Kunitha is the center of attraction of Dasara festival Mysuru, festival and village fair. Nandi Kamba worship, Kamba is a huge pillar. The Nandi dance or the Nandi Dhwaja could be seen all over Karnataka. The artists who perform this Nandhi Dhwaja belong to the Veerashaiva cult. It also represents the victory of Veerashaiva culture in Karnataka. Nandi kolu has several name Birade Kamba, Vyaasa Golu, Nandi kamba etc. In this dance, many instruments have been used eg. by teammates, including Nagari, Karade, Jamaica, and Naadaswara. The Nandi culture is synonymous with the Shaiva tradition. Therefore, before the beginning of the Dasara procession, the Nandi Dhwaja is worshipped. Veerabhadra Kunitha, earlier times in Verrashaiva tradition was known as Shaiva Tradition. Hence the words Veera & Shiva denote velour. They are called Lingada Beeraru in Mysore. The story narrates how the demon Daksha performs the Yagna ritual in order to attain the power of Shiva. Veeramakkala Kunitha, this dance is found in Mysore, Mandya, and Tumsur. It is performed in School or in village worship before the deity. Apart from this, the dance has become training in order to gain physical strength. Thus, this dance combines both physical as well as mythological aspects of life.
Agriculture in Karnataka Part-1
Agriculture was known to the Neolithic man in Karnataka. Excavations in the Tekkalakoote region in the Ballari district have yielded remains of horse gram and wheat grain from the sixteenth century. Kannada literature has several references to agriculture, such as Shri Vijaya’s KaviraajaMaarga, a text belonging to the ninth century, has allusions to rice, black pepper, and sugarcane. The poetry of Pampa, the first Kannada poet of the tenth century, alludes to several flowers and fruits. Basavanna, the great social reformer of the twelfth century, has used the expression, “joolaavali” in his vachanas or poems, which means “obligation of a master who provides food”. The great Dasa poet of the fifteenth century, Kanakadaasa, in his poetry, RaamadhaanyaCaritre, used rice and ragi as principal characters. In 1879, SiddharaamappaKunnaala, wrote krushiJnaanaPradiipike, which was a full-scale work on agriculture in Karnataka. Agriculture may be broadly classified into three types. The first type is completely dependent on the rain and is known as khuskior dryland cultivation. Ancient works refer to khushki land as devamaatruka, because the cultivation depends on the rains which are a gift of God. The second type of cultivation depends on water yielded by wells, tanks, and rivers. This is known as Tari or wetland cultivation. The land used for this is called gadde or tari land. Ancient works refer to such lands as nadimaatruka, as they are irrigated by river water. The third type of cultivation has a continuous flow of water through perennial sources. Here, plantation crops are generally grown. The land used for this is called baagaaytu or garden land. Major cultivation in Karnataka occurs through khushki or dry land cultivation. Karnataka experiences rains from April to November. The Hindu almanac lists twenty-seven rain stars. Each star represents a period of fourteen days of the rainy season. Some of these stars are Asvini, Uttare and Citte. Farmers believe in the working of these stars, which can be observed in proverbs used by them, such as “If Uttare brings rains, the seeds are most rewarding”. In villages, the plough is referred to as “aaru” or “eeru”. The beginning of cultivation is marked by a religious rite called “honnaaru”, which means “the golden cultivation”. During this rite, they plough three rounds, although if the land is sufficiently wet they plough more. They begin regular ploughing when the rains increase. This is known as, “ukkehodeyuvudu”. When the land is ploughed, a fixed amount of cattle manure is spread over it. The land is ploughed from the east to the west, as this is believed to be beneficial for the crops. Several lines are marked for the sowing of the seeds, out of which seven to eight are for the main crop, and one line is for the assorted seeds, which is known as “akkadisaalu”. The sowing of seeds is done in three ways, which are, “haakuvudu” or putting in the row, “bittuvudu” or dibbling in the row, and “naatimaaduvudu” or transplanting in the row. In the “haakuvudu” method, seeds are spread by hand and then the soil is covered by using “kunte” or flank, on the seeds to allow them to germinate. This process is called “kambattige”. In the “bittuvudu” method, the seeds are sown by using the “kuurige” or seed drill. The seeds of ragi and jowar are sown using this method. The “kunte” or flank is used to cover these seeds with soil. In “naatimaaduvudu” method, seeds are thickly planted in beds especially prepared for this purpose. After the crops are grown to a certain level, they are transplanted to the main field. Weeds are removed every ten to fifteen days to avoid them from harming the crops. In order to avoid pests, bird damage, and diseases, farmers use “uppucarage” or ash, and the powder of neem leaves and seeds mixed with water and other pesticides. In order to get a successful harvest, farmers perform puja on the eastern side of the land. This is known as “koylupuuje”. The main harvest season starts during October and November. Crops like ragi and paddy are cut and set aside in lumps for drying. After drying, they are bundled up, tied into bunches, and piled up straight, to avoid white ants. These heaps are called “suttuggudu” or “kaageguudu”. They are then transported to thrashing places where they are heaped in round or rectangular shapes. In the case of jowar, the ear heads are cut, dried, and heaped. The threshing methods that are followed are “badiyuvudu” or beating, “hantitulisuvudu” or animal foot-walking, and “roonagalluhodeyvudu” or stone roller. If the produce is less, the “badiyuvudu” method is used in “kana” or threshing yard. Harvested crops are bought in bunches called “kanthe” and spread in circular form. In earlier days, most crops, like paddy, jowar and bajra used to be threshed using the “hantitulisuvudu” method. Although today, this method has been replaced by the “roonagalluhodeyyvudu” method. In this method, a big circular stone is tied to the cattle and moved over the spread husk in a circular fashion. The husk is then further mixed with a long stick called “meerekoolu” and is then again pressed using the stone roller. The first layer of husk is removed and the entire process is repeated again. The remaining husks are further removed using “muullugaddi”, which is a bunch of thorny sticks, and “halube” or “jantugunte”, which is an instrument made of bamboo stick fixed to a wooden block. The husk is removed from the yard and the grains are piled up using an instrument called “gvaare”.
Kille The Forts of Maharashtra
The term Forts has been taken from the Latin word fortis ("strong") and facere ("to make"). So undoubtedly the forts are the epitome of strength with marvelous architecture. Each fort depicts a story of the glorious past. As they are the sole survivors who have lived the vagaries of the past. The Land of Marathas- Maharashtra had gone through several troughs and crests. It had been the land of warriors. Kille, Gad, and Durg are some of the names given to the forts of Maharashtra. There are more than 350 forts in Maharashtra. These Forts are the symbol of our brave ancestors who fought for their identity and land. It reminds us of the slogan of Har Har Mahadev echoed during the reign of Marathas. The earliest of it dated to the 2nd BCE the time when the kingdom of Satavahana, Chalukya, and Yadava flagged its power. Even the impact of foreigners can be seen in many of the forts. After the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire, almost all the forts were ruled by the Bahmani rulers. Shivaji played a prominent role in understanding the need for fortification. He planned and executed many strategic warfare techniques along with the people of Mawale. In Shivaji’s reign, around 18- 20 new forts were built. Hiroji Indulkar was the chief architect Raigad which means King’s fort is one of the strongest forts of Deccan of Maharashtra. It is a remarkable ‘Dongari Killa’ which means hill fort. In 1436 Raigad was conquered by the Bahamani king. It was then ruled by Bahamani rulers Nizam Shahi and Adil Shahi. Shivaji conquered it much later in 1656 from Chandrarao More (commander of Adil shah). Raigad has unique features like Balle Killa, Asthapradhan Mandal, Rani Wasa (Queen’s place), The 3 Manore (Observatory towers), Hirakani Buruj/Bastion, Bazar Peth. Raigad was the land where the concept of Swarajya (People's own rule) came into being. Shivaji breathed his last days at Raigad Fort. Raigad was the dream come true nurtured by Marathas. Paranda is a ‘Bhuikot Killa’ which means a land fort. It was built by Bahamani ruler Mahmud Gavan in the 15th century. It is an excellent example of fortification. The unique feature of this fort is its Barbicons. It is also known for huge cannons and ammunition like- Malik Maidan, Ajda Paikar, and Lande Kusa. 26 rounded Burus/Bastions and Kandak-moat are also distinctive features of this fort. Under Bijapur Adil Shahi, Shahji Rao the father of Shivaji was the caretaker of this fort. In 1633 Shahji gave a strong tussle to the Mughals by making the best use of local topography. Pratapgad fort tells us about Shivaji’s strategy and architecture. The double line ramparts also called tatbandi is one of the unique features of this fort. Sadar was once the meeting place and its ruins can be seen just when one enters the Maha Darwaza (main gate). Sinhabad which means lions fort was earlier known as Kondhana. In a topography where water storage is an issue, this fort has the perennial source of water- Deotake (The sacred tank). This fort has a history of war and attacks. This fort was conquered by Tanaji who lost his life. His sacrifice and the story of Swarajya which he re-established here by climbing the tough terrain with his pet Ghorpad (The monitor lizard) are still popular among the children of Maharashtra. Deogiri/ Devagiri/ Daulatabad Fort is a cobinatin of land and hill fort. Moats surround its rampart which is built on the land. Citadel is at the top of the hill. The name Daulatbad was given by Mohd. Tughlaq when he shifted his capital from Delhi. Though he had to return back to Delhi. Janjira is an excellent example of Sagari Killa (Sea fort). It was built to fight the sea pirates. Raja Ram Rao Patil the chief of Kolis built it in the 15th century. It was once conquered by Piram khan. In history, Marathas were never able to conquer this fort. Post-independence it became a part of India.
Food Habits North Karnataka
When we look at the culture of Karnataka, the culture of North Karnataka is distinct from other parts of the state. The specialty of their food becomes their cultural specialty. The culture of Gandumethunadu, meaning the man of masculine velar of North Karnataka, may also be recognized in its food habits. Though the food habits depend on the main crop of the seasons; owing to the recent urbanization, they have food changes in their habit. However, the village folk still retain the food speciality in their original regional style. The main items in their daily meal are jor of the roti and Bakri. Food is a common cultural aspect in North Karnataka. Roti is prepared from Jolla, sajje, akki, raagi, and other grains. There are different methods of preparing roti; badita Roti(beaten roti), Katak roti or Khadak roti, Kay rotti, Kedarida rotti, or spread roti, and mettada rotti(soft roti). Depending on the ingredients ellu haccida rotti, arisinnada roti, or chilli roti are prepared. Nucci (broken grain) is a type of food for toothless people. It is prepared from gonjoola white and akki, apart from gonjoola. Banna, also called butti, is packed food. It is a must when one goes outstation. Banna is also prepared as Nuccu, in this onion, garlic and chilli are also added. Kieadi has the speciality of both Nuccu and Baana. It is mainly served to the children and the weak ones. In summer, along with roti, Gamble is also prepared. It is prepared from Jawa flour (jootada ambali), ragi flour, akki ambali, and also horse gram flour (huralikaalu ambali) which gives us a cooling effect. In North Karnataka there are many types of vegetable available: Adanekayi, Hiirekayi, Bende kaayi, Avare kaayi, Saute kaayi, Haagala Kaayi, Menasina kaayi, Donna Menasina kaayi, Ullaa Gaddi, Tomoto and Muulangi. Side dishes that are green are Rajgirri, Kirakasaali, Byalli, Pundi, Sabbasagi, Mentya and Paalak. Toor dal is also abundant in North Karnataka, so it is used in most food. Another item used with roti is Chatni. Among Saaru, Majjige Saaru that is seasoned butter milk Saaru, Kudisida Majjige Saaru(hot butter milk) , Tomato Saaru, Hittina Saaru are popular. Festivals of North Karnataka are unique. Naturally, sweets dominate the festival. Huggy and Holige enjoy prominence among the delicacies. Hooligan is prepared for festivals. Among Hoolige, Saajjakada hoolige, Hurraki hoolige, Genasina hoolige, Surali hoolige, ellu hoolige Seengaa hoolige, PuthaaNi hoolige, Kharjuuva hoolige, Hesaru Byaali, hoolige, Togari Byaali hoolige, Kobbari hoolige, Alsandi hoolige, Kumala hooligre BiLi ellu HooLige and Kaarada HooLige are also prepared. There are two types of sweet KaDubu: Sappagina KaDubu and blend Kadubu. Sweet KaDubu is very tasty. MeNasina KaDubu, Kumbala KaDubu, and Eli KaDubu are prominent delicacies. MaNDige, the Brahmins of North Karnataka, prepared this sweet delicacy during marriages. UNDI is a special sweet of North Karnataka. Beesan Undi, Mootichuru, ManDakki Undi, KaradaNTU, Seenga UNDI, EllunDi, Avalakki UNDI, Ravaa Undi and Antina Undi are some of the popular UNDI. Food is an integral part of harmonious living in North Karnataka. Muslims prepare sweets called ‘'Chonge’’ and distribute those to Hindus. Muslims and Hindus lunch and dine together on festivals expressing mutual love, trust, and harmony. Chonge is a delicacy associated with communal harmony in North Karnataka. Maadali is good to eat with ghee and milk. Saavige is a special delicacy of this region. It is made with patience and thread of wheat, also called vermicelli. Palleeda Habba is celebrated when the Panchami Habba is just three days away. It is also called roti Pancami. When the woman in the family becomes pregnant, she is fond of delicacies. To fulfil her desire, her family prepares a different variety of food. This is called Bayake Butti. Bajji, Mandakki, Puri, Sira, and Uppitu are some of the common snacks of the region. The southern part of North Karnataka is known for its special delicacy: Dharvaad peda, Belgaam Kunda, AmrinagaDa/Gookaak Karadantu, Dharwad a Cuda attract villagers as well as city dwellers. Moharam habbada Sarabattu, Hunisekaayaa Paanaka (raw tamarind juice), and fish are also supplied in the northern region of Karnataka along with AamleT saaru and Biryani. From eggs to Kooli Maamsa, Miinu, EeDikaayi and Maamasa, Karnataka is not a singular entity. We can see many such cultural confluences of the many cultural differences.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - Part -1
A Kite woke up a little boy named “Abdul Kalam’’ who became an internationally acclaimed scientist and former President of India. He was born in the island town of Rameshwaram, which is near the eastern tip of Tamilnadu. His mother AshiAmma and father Jainuladin were ideal couples and building boats was their main profession. Kalam started his education in a municipal primary school and met teachers like MutthuAyyar and SubhramaniyamAyyar. One day, He was scientifically teaching how the bird flies but on that day he also injected a dream into Kalam’s life. That led him to go for Physics then Aeronautical Engineering and then became a Rocket Engineer. That is why Kalamused to say that a good teacher gives an action or a goal in the life of students. In his childhood, He was rendering all kinds of help to his family. He was also helping his cousin Mr. Shamsuddin by way of working for him as a newspaper delivery boy. Rameshwaram is a town located on an island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is less than 40km from the Zafnapeninsula. This town is significant for the Hindus as a pilgrimage center. The presiding deity here is in the form of Linga with the name of Sri Ramnath Swami. It also happens to be one of the tweleveJyotirlingaa.Interestingly, The high priest of Rameshwaram temple named “PakshiLakshmanShastri’’ was a close friend of Abdul Kalam’s father. The two men in their traditional attire would often sit together and discuss spiritual matters. Lakshmanshastri used to teach Kalam about the lessons of ‘The Bhagavad-Gita’. This made Kalam firmly believe that there was a superpower that guides a man and provides relief from sufferings, difficulties, and failures. These teachings had a strong influence on the small boy and made him totally secular in his attitude. Kalam was about six years old when his father embarked on a project of building wooden sail boat to take the pilgrims from Rameshwaram to Dhanushkodi. Then one day A cyclone bringing the winds of over the 100miles/hour carried away the boat. The Pambanbridge collapsed with the train full of Passenger in it. Kalam had until then seen only the beauty of the sea. Now the uncontrollable energy of nature brought a revolution in him. This episode had a strong influence all through his childhood and carried through to his life. Kalam always believed that A leader should have at least these six traits which are given below:- 1. A leader must have ambition. 2. A leader must be able to travel into an unexplored path. 3. A leader must know how to manage success! 4. A leader must have the courage to take decisions. 5. A leader should have nobility in management. 6. A leader should work and succeed with integrity. At the age of 15, Kalam joined Schwartz Higher Secondary School in Ramanathapuram. Here,Ayyadurai Solomon was a great teacher who raised the self esteem of Kalam. His science teacher ShivShubramanyamAyyar had also a great influence on him. Tirucuchirappali situated on the banks of river Kaveri is the fourth largest city in Tamilnadu. In 1950, Kalam joined ST. Joseph’s College of Trichi for his intermediate exam. The reverent father used to give lectures on personalities such as Lord Buddha, Confuscious, St. Augustine, Khalifa Omar, Mahatma Gandhi, Einstein, and so many great people. According to Dr. R. Rajarathinam (Principal of that college) ‘India has got a new outlook on all the lines after his presidentshipspecially in the field of science and technology. Whenever he comes here, The very first question he asks me is, ‘How is father Chinnadurai’? Chinnaduraitaught him Physics. So, he enquired about the well-being of our staff. He has a soft corner towards his Alma Mater. Kalam stayed for four years at St. Joseph’s Campus. After finishing his B.Sc degree in Physics, Kalam realized that Physics was not his subject and he wanted to study Engineering. In 1949, ChinnaswamiRajam gave The Madras Institute of Technology of The Anna University to the newly Independent India. He made MIT for a course like Aeronautical Engineering, Automobile Engineering, and Electronics Engineering. According to Retd. Prof. S. Narasimhan(Head of dept. of Aerospace)MIT, “He used to take great interest in a subject like design where one has to use one’s own initiative and bring out some innovative ideas about it.’’ Dr. A. Joseph Stanley, The principal of MIT Chennai also says that Dr. Kalam joined this institute in the department of Aerospace engineering and studied up to 1957. During his study period, Prof Rappandin a German Prof. was the head of the department and senior Professors like K.V.Panda and Prof S.V Narsimhan were there. At that time, There were no computers, no calculators. So, Most of the project work was experimental work. When he was a student the department of Aerospace Engineering designed a glider named Rohini under the guidance of Prof. RatanDev and this was taken to Minambaka airport and flown. At that time, It was considered to be a very great successful project. Later he joined ISRO and grew up to Project Director of the first satellite launch in India. He was a very motivating factor for all the students of MIT and MIT students feel pride that they are studying in an institute where Dr. Kalam had studied. Dr. Kalam’sjourney from a village boy to ‘Missile Man’, itself is a great reason to inspire others, and once he said that “I will not be Presumptuous enough to say that my life can be a role model for anybody, but some underprivileged child living in an obscure social setting may find some solace in the way my destiny has been shaped.’’
Dr. V. Sitaramaiah 1899-1983 The Lyrical Poetic Genius
In the world of Kannada literature, There is no one who does not know the famous V. Sitaramiah. He was born in Bengaluru. During the course of his lifetime, he became synonymous with Mysore Peta. Similarly, he showed a lot of interest in music also. He would attend all the music concerts. During his intermediate days, he wrote an article that shows his fluency and knowledge of English. During the five years of his education, he stayed with Choubina Subharao. He met the greats of the Kannada literature world. T.S venkanniah, A.K Krishna Shastri, A.N Narasimaiah, M.R Srinivasa Murthy, and others became a bridge for him to get into the world of literature because of this contact with those great people he was able to bring the dramas of Varadacharya’s BellariRaghavacharya on the stage. In 1995, he got retired from Mysore university. Eminent people were his students like G.S Shivarudahaprasad, H.M. Nayak, D.R B.G.L Swami, and L.S Seshagiri Rao. After his retirement, he joined All India Radio in Bengaluru. From 1956 to 1958, He worked as the program director. Though he departed from this world, he left behind a huge legacy of literary work for people to relish. In 1927, He wrote ‘ Pampa Yathare’ a Travelogue which he wrote after visiting the Hampi. It was a great epic that linked the past and presents a bond of relationships in one period. This book became very popular, inspired by its popularity he wrote another book in 1931 called Geetgani. It was a compilation of poems. He wrote about a relationship between a man and a woman and about love, trust, and the simplicity and beauty of life. No other contemporary poet has written as many poems as Shri V. Sitaramiah. In 1973, He wrote a book called Hana Prapancha. This book was about social reforms and economic status. In those days very few people wrote Kannada books. In his book Fact and Value, he has written about social and political responsibilities, public life, etc. He wrote a play called Agraha. This was a play about Mahabharata. The story of Ashwasthama. In addition to this, he translated the great writer named Shaw’s Pygmalion into Kannada. He also wrote a work on Mahakani Pampa in English. To remember Shri V. Sitaramiah is to remember a great man and this documentary keeps his memory retained for generations to come.
Folk Performing Arts of Southern Karnataka Part-5
Folk performing art represents the customs of people, culture and belief systems. There are many types of plays performed in Karnataka during festivals, weddings and religious events etc. Varasegalu is a form of martial art and Kusthi wrestling, on other hand, has become a performing art by the wrestler in many ways. Bijli Varase is also a performance though not seen in Mysore. Katti Varase requires discipline, balance, concentration, tactical skill etc. Kolata, perhaps there is no town which does not have Kolata, it is a practice performed in every nook and corner of Karnataka. It is a rural custom that Kolata should be played during festivals, harvest and religious ceremonies for entertainment, it is folk art. In this the dancers hold sticks in their hands and then they sing and dance, it is a feast for the eyes. The leader of this group plays Damadi and sings the song. There are several types of Kolata: Geeru kolu, Jade Koolu, Uyyale Kolu, Koravanji kolu etc. Koravanji Kolata is one of the most attractive styles in Kolata. It can be seen in Mandya district, Hassan, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts. It is apt to be called a dance valley. The speciality of this art is the attire of men, they wear Koravanji saree and play the role of women. The group leader appears on stage and narrates the story. Jade Kolata dancers play with twig sticks and there are around eight to twelve participants. It is also called twig play stick dance. Jade Kolata artists are found in Mandya and Bengaluru. In Northern Karnataka, this dance is also known as Kopu Dance. Katti Varase play is also known as the sport, it is the true art of the deadly sport. There is the use of personal weapons in this sport. The Stick play is similar in nature. It is a play for self-protection, but a small mistake can cost their life. In Beerbhadra dance, artists hold the weapon in hand and dance in tune with the background music. Benki Barate is a fire play. This play is displayed during festivals, at night.

Browse

Browsing Bhasha Mandakini by Issue Date

Results Per Page

Sort Options