News & Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (PS/VA)
Karkala, Oct 29: A memorial built at Nandalike in the name of Poet Muddana is in the verge of extinct due to the apathy of the government and the peoples’ representatives.
The foundation was laid for the memorial by T A Pai on Jan 24, 1958 to commemorate the birth anniversary of poet Muddana. But it took 29 years for the inauguration of the same. At a programme organized under the presidentship of Jnanapeeta Award winner Dr K Shivarama Karanth, the inauguration of the memorial was done by Shree Kshethra Dharmastala Dharmadhikari Dr Veerendra Hegde.
Now the memorial stood for 23 years. But the condition of the memorial is in the verge of extinct. This surely mirrors the apathy of the concerned department in the government.
Apart from a sculpture of Muddana being placed in the district, Muddana Kavya Prashasti, an award giving ceremony and Muddana sahitya utsava are being organized in MGM College Udupi every year. Some of the private organizations with the association of Muddana Memorial Friends Club celebrate the birth anniversary of Poet Muddana by staging various programmes on Jan 24 every year in Nandalike which is the native place of poet Muddana.
There is a drama theatre in the name of poet in Christian High School, Udupi. Muddanna had served as a physical director in the same school. But the people are really upset by the negligent attitude shown by the government, district administration and the elected representatives as they have not observed any kind of programme being conducted by the government in the name of poet.
When it was projected to build a theatre during 1956, Sitamma Heggadthi of ‘Chavadi’ house had donated the required land. A well equipped theatre was built with the co-operation of Dharmadhikari Dr Veerendra Hegde, Kannada and Cultural Department, Tourism Department and D K District scheme.
A library is also located in the building. But the plight of the wall clearly indicates its short term life. There is a house nearby. A nameplate which was placed to indicate the way to that house is also vanished. Muddana’s close relatives are residing in that house.
N Prabhakar Rao has given 6 acres of land to the government in memory of retired advocate N D Krishna Rao. A primary health center building is at the two acre land. Remaining land is vacant. Hence Nandalike Muddana Memorial Friends Club has urged the government to construct an ayurvedic hospital, stadium and a sports training center in the name of poet. The citizens of Nandalike and people from literature field also have stressed the government to undertake some schemes to invigorate the name of famous poet.
About Poet Muddana
Muddana was a Kannada poet and writer of 19th century. His name is usually associated with Mahakavi ('Great Poet'), thus he is widely known as Mahakavi Muddana in the area of Kannada literature. The real name of Muddana was Lakshmi Naaranappa. His birthplace being Nandalike, he is often referred to as Nandalike Lakshminaaranappa.
Ratnavati Kalyaana, Sri Rama Pattaabhisheka, Adbhuta Ramayana and Sri Ramashwamedha are some of the most important works of Muddana. Suffered with poverty and unhealthiness, Muddana died at a young age of 31. His literary works have been used extensively in Kannada literary educational books.
Muddana, in his young age, was known for his modesty and shyness. Because of this reason of being shy, he preferred publishing some of his initial works in the name of an unknown person. These published literary works include, Adbhuta Ramayanam (in modern Kannada prose style), Sri Rama Pattabhishekam (242 Shatpadi format poetry stanzas), Sri Ramashwemedham (the work that is known as the greatest work of Muddana).