Daijiworld Media Network- Puttur (SN/SP)

Puttur, Jan 19: A  symposium on 'Shivaram Karant's Mookajjiya Kanasugalu' was held at Dr Shivaram Karant Balavana here on Sunday January 18.

The event was jointly organized by Kannada and culture department, Dr Shivaram Karant Balavana Committee and St Philomena College.

Presiding over the function, Dr Ramachandra Dev, author and critic, opined that the Jnanpith Award winning novel 'Mookajjiya Kanasugalu' and several of Karant's other works can not be considered as great works of Karant by any standards. Several of his works are examples for bad writing and we can hardly find a great author of his stature with such pathetic quality of writing in Kannada, he felt.

"A good chunk of the novel ‘Mookajjiya Kanasugalu' comprises of rank poor quality literature, just like several other works of Dr Karant. The authors need not commit themselves to write on the belief systems of the people, but have to confine themselves to writing ground realities and actual facts about them. Hence, belief systems of people should not be projected in novels at all," he stressed.

Delivering a lecture on the 'ethereal powers  in Mookajjiya Kanasugalu', Dr Sabiha Bhoomigowda,  head of the department of Kannada, Mangalore University, said Mookajji is identified with human face of the common people  in the society whereas others are disguised as civilized ones. "Dr Karant merely recorded the inner feelings and sensitivities of Mookajji. However, several critics, while critically analyzing the said work, have identified these senses of Mookajji as ethereal powers," she argued.

Prof V B Artikaje, president, 12th taluk Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, Puttur inaugurated the painting competition on the occasion.

Prof B J Suvarna delivered introductory address.

F X Gomes, principal, Philomena College, welcomed the gathering. Vijay Kumar Moleyar proposed vote of thanks. Dr H J Sridhar compered the programme.

Dr Harish Kumar, Puttur assistant commissioner and president, Balavana committee, was present.