Moodbidri: Meet Custodian of Tulunadu Tradition Anand Alva (90)
By Shekar Ajekar
Daijiworld Media Network—Moodbidri (RD/CN)

Moodbidri, Aug 15: “God is truth, cleansing of the soul should be the aim of living.  It is the goal of my life”, said nonagenarian Mijarguttu Anand Alva, father of Dr M Mohan Alva, chairman, Alva’s Education Foundation, who is celebrating his birthday on Aug 15, India's Independence Day.

Anand Alva is responsible for the introduction of the Tulunadu tradition of ‘Nagamandal’, a grand celebration in the entire undivided Dakshina Kannada district which is in practice even now in various temples. 

“The religious fervour often seen now focuses more on glamour, deviating from original splendour and belief, which is not a good trend.  God dwells in every human being.  He is in our soul, leading and enlightening us to the purpose of living. Cleansing the soul of evils and sins should be the focus of our life”, said Anand Alva, who has been through three decades of pre-Independence India and six decades post Independence.  

This correspondent, who visited 90-year-old Anand Alva at his ancestral house in Kalsanka, near here, on the eve of Independence Day, was stunned by his agility, sharp memory, and friendliness.  Anand Alva has been distributing ‘laddus’ to various schools in his neighbourhood during Independence Day celebrations.  

Hence, the employees of Chandra Karanth, a sweet maker and a resident of Kuppepadav, were seen making the sweet in his courtyard.  More than 15,000 ‘laddus’ will be distributed on Saturday August 15 to the students of various schools to celebrate India’s Independence and his birthday.

Anand Alva is an enthusiast of the ‘Kambla’ and has also been at the helm of many a race, when the handler’s performance was not on par with his expectations. 

Talking of his wife Sunandi Alva, he reminisced that the tiles in the new block of his ancestral house were laid just a day prior to their wedding with the house warming ceremony and wedding reception being held on the same day.

He attributes his success to his ancestors’ good deeds and not to his extraordinary intellect.  

A progressive farmer, he employs a large number of farm hands on his ancestral land.  However, the Land Tribunal Act that came into effect during 1974 had caused a severe shortage of farm hands.  During that time, he purchased 15 pairs of buffaloes and tilled the paddy fields alongside the members of his extended family.  The hardships endured by him in those times are still with him. 

He has organized the Kambla in his vast paddy field from 1979 to 1989 with entry tickets though he later discontinued it and converted the field into an areca plantation.

He switched to being a vegetarian four decades ago under the influence of Jainism when the ‘Dharma Chakra Abhiyan’ arrived in Dakshina Kannada district.  

Anand Alva has also been the succour to several beedi rollers when running his Meenakshi Beedies. 

He also serves as president of many temples and educational institutions in his neighbourhood and has made significant contributions to the restoration of various temples.  

Anand Alva has four children—Sitaram, Balakrishna, Dr Mohan Alva, and Meenakshi.  Meenakshi has arrived from the USA to participate in the birthday celebrations of her father as well as Sitaram, who is a Mumbai-based hotelier, and grandson Vivek Alva.