Rons Bantwal
Mumbai, Feb 2: Stressing that the values embodied by Lord Rama should find a place in every individual’s heart, Pejavara Math seer Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swamiji said that only through righteous actions that bring happiness to others can Rama truly reside within a person. He said that meaningful cultural and spiritual initiatives such as tala-maddale performances help keep the ideals of Lord Rama alive in everyday life and inspire people to live socially responsible and value-based lives.
The Pejavara Math pontiff was speaking on Sunday evening after inaugurating the ‘Shri Rama Katha Hridayam’ series of tala-maddale performances at the premises of Shri Ambika Adinatheshwara Mahaganapati Temple at Gandhevi in Vidya Vihar West. The programme has been jointly organised by Shri Ramabhivandya Yaksha Seva Balaga, Mumbai, and the Kannada Department of Mumbai University.
The series aims to present the complete Ramayana through 24 episodes of tala-maddale, beginning with ‘Putra Kameshti – Shri Rama Janana’ and culminating with the departure of Lord Rama. Swamiji expressed hope that the initiative would serve as a model cultural programme and help transmit the spiritual and moral essence of the Ramayana to future generations.
Haridas Bhat Pernankila, chief priest of Shri Ambika Adinatheshwara Temple, said that participation in the ‘Shri Rama Katha Hridayam’ series would bring spiritual merit to devotees and prayed that Lord Rama bless all participants by removing obstacles from their lives.
Temple administrator Balkunje Guttu Haridas Gopal Shetty, head of the Kannada Department of Mumbai University Dr G N Upadhya, Karnataka Sangha Mumbai president Dr Bharatkumar Polipu, Ghatkopar East MLA Parag Kishorchandra Shah, BMC corporator Dharmesh Bhupat Giri and art patron Polya Umesh Shetty were present on the dais.
Earlier, Swamiji was accorded a traditional welcome with chende percussion. He later offered prayers and aarti to Shri Ambika Devi, Shri Adinatheshwara and Shri Mahaganapati at the temple.
Several artistes associated with the tala-maddale series, including Jayalakshmi Devadiga, Praveen Shetty, Harish Salyan, Suresh Shetty Kananjaru, Damodar Shetty Iruvailu, Vasu Marnad, Harish Shettigar, Narayana Shetty Kumble, Ravindra Uchil, Ramesh Birti, advocate Shekhar Shetty, Amrutha A Shetty and Devika Shetty were honoured on the occasion.
Senior theatre personality Mohan Marnad, Polya Raju Shetty, K K Shetty, Shyam Shetty and several Yakshagana artistes and art lovers attended the programme. Jayalakshmi Devadiga rendered the invocation. Chief organiser Vasudeva Marnad welcomed the gathering and outlined the concept of the series, while Surendra Shetty Marnad compered the programme.