Moodbidri: Alav’s Campus Turns into Cultural Hub

By Melka Miyar - Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Updated at 10.40 pm IST

Moodbidri, Nov 30: Once the brain churning sessions end, all the three auditoriums in the Alva’s campus here open up for the cultural and musical programme. Interestingly, cultural and musical programmes performed at a time in all the three auditoriums.

It is left to the viewers to select whichever programme they want. But there are viewers for everything since the entire campus is being filled with thousands of cultural and music buffs. That’s why there is no shortage in viewers.

Classical dance by eminent artists at Ku.Shi. Haridas Bhat stage, various songs in the main stage (Ratnakar Varni stage) entertained the audience on Friday evening which was the first day of spectacular Alva’s Nudisiri – 2007.

Meanwhile ‘Kurukshetrakkondu Ayoga,’ a Yakshagana directed by Kadri Navanith Shetty and dances by eminent artists who reached from various parts of the state grabbed the attention of the viewers to a great extent.

Moodbidri: Dundiraj, Bhuvaneshwari Hegde Entertain ‘Nudisiri’ Audience

Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (MM/RD)
Report by Melka Miyar
updated at 8.45 pm IST

Moodbidri, Nov 30: This is the laughter-time after the serious discussion on the prevailing situation of Kannada. So, get ready to laugh. This is modern era where internet jokes makesround among the surfers and others alike.

Well-known Kannada humorist, Dundiraj, presented the jokes with the modern touch. Everything begins with love. That is why Dundiraj started his speech with ‘love’.

“Everybody say that, love begins at first sight. But, actually the love starts with ‘site’.  It means, if the man has 30*40 site, the woman will fall in love. However, the love in the modern era has gone little forward. Because, the present love starts with ‘site’, that is website. Hence, we can call it ‘love at website’. If the same condition continues, one would have to download the child from the internet itself, he concluded.

It is about ‘eyeball’.  According to Dundiraj, eyeball is like a cricket ball. Women use it as a spin ball and men gets LBW out. Do not think that LBW means Leg Before Wicket. Here it implies ‘Love Before Wedding!’

Beechi,  is another name for laughter in Kannada. One day, a young man approached him with series of queries as whom should he  marry? Whether, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, beautiful or ugly, city bred or country folk…etc. Beechi impatiently asked him ‘first of all, who told you to get married?’ This was another joke told by Dundiraj.

Ande Phirki…

Another personality who made the audiences' rib tickle was renowned Kannada writer Bhuvaneshwari Hegde. 

According to her, English has very few terms to refer a lunatic. But, in Tulu, it is not like that. One can call as Pett Kammi, Ande, Ande Phirki, Choodu or Marle, according to his level of madness.

‘Children are called as light of the house. Do you know why? Children in the house never allow parents to switch off the light,” she continued.

She was vivid explaining about bus journeys in the Mangalore city buses, which are known to be speed maniacs. She was emphasizing on her pet diktat that ‘over speed leads to accident’.  Meanwhile, she owned a Kinetic Honda, a two-wheeler which she was riding at her own pace. Hence, some of her students pasted a sticker to her two wheeler, saying that ‘riding too slow also leads to accident’.

One fine day, one bus collided with her Kinetic Honda. As a result, she has to spend few days in the hospital. However, her students, who were furious owing to this incident, smashed the wind shield of the bus. The following day, one daily carried the report with the caption, “Bus fully damaged in Kinetic Honda - Bus Collision!”

There were numerous jokes which entertained and also spread some serious thoughts among the audience at  ‘Nudisiri’.

Moodbidri: Colonialism Greatest Threat to Modern Literature - Dr Narahalli

Report by Melka Miyar - pics: Preetham
Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (MM/RD)

Moodbidri, Nov 30: Modern Kannada literature is facing the threat of colonialism. English is interfering in all the spheres of Kannada, opined Dr Narahalli Balasubrahmanya.

Speaking on the ‘Responsibilities of a Litterateur’ he said that, the Kannada litterateurs have the significant responsibility to face the onslaught of English, through creative literature.

Earlier, commenting on olden Kannada literature, Dr H S Venkateshmurthy said that the writer struggled to find exact meaning for ‘Dharma’ on those days. The Raja (ruler) Dharma on the one side and the spiritual Dharma on the other side were dominating over his thoughts, he added.

In between these two strong dominations, the writer struggled to retain his literary Dharma. At last, he concluded that ‘Dharma’ is nothing but tolerating others' view. Thus, the meaning of ‘Dharma’ was balanced by the writer, Dr H S Venkateshmurthy added.

In the medieval times, there was respect for words, that is, verbal agreement. When man disagreed with the verbal agreement, the written literature replaced the oral literature, he opined.

Moodbidri: ‘Nudisiri’ - Not Only Literature but Much More
              
Report by Melka Miyar - pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
for Daijiworld Media Network - Moodbidri (RD)
updated at 3.15 IST

Moodbidri, Nov 30: One just cannot arrive at the conclusion that Alva's 'Nudisiri’ is just a programme related to Kannada literature. If one observes closely around the majestic ‘Vidyagiri’ hills where the mega annual event is being held, one comes across many things that grab his or her interest. 

The local autorickshaws shuttling the participants and visitors alike are adorned with Kannada flags, to honour the great language of ‘Suvarna Karnataka’.  The tall handsome French bearded person, welcoming the guests at the entrance grabs one's attention the most. If one moves around the campus, thousands of books, handloom, art exhibition and many more artifacts will definitely lure one to buy them. But, please do carry plenty cash to buy worthy books and arts and be a part in promoting Kannada books, art and crafts.

Tejasvi remembered:

Speaking on the late Poornachandra Tejasvi, in whose name the magnificent auditorium which is hosting Nudisiri is built, eminent Kannada writer, Dr Narendra Derla opined that Tejasvi never compromised with the prevailing trends in Kannada literature during his life time. Moreover, he was active in literary sphere till his last breath.

Tejasvi’s father Kuvempu left the native village and migrated to the city. However, Tejasvi returned to his native, in order to stay away from ill-natured people and contributed his mite for the Kannada sphere, Dr Derla added.

Moodbidri: Alva’s Nudisiri-2007 off to a Spectacular and Colourful Start at Vidyagiri
Uploaded Friday, November 30, 2007 11:42:51 AM (IST)

Spot Report by Gladson D’Almeida
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje

Moodbidri, Nov 30: It was as if all the roads were leading to Moodbidri, the seat of Jainism in Dakshina Kannada where Kannada culture and language have found a new meaning and definition over the years under the and dedicated leadership of Dr M Mohan Alva, founder president of Alva's Education Foundation.  Today Alva's Foundation stands as another name to culture, heritage, tradition and language along with its special contribution to education.

It is here that for the last 3 years, Alva's Nudisiri, a fest of Kannada language and literature has made its abode. Friday November 30 was no exception to this as the fourth Alva's Nudisiri was inaugurated by senior Kannada litterateur, novelist Ni Vyasaray Ballal.  This man of great zest dynamic and lover towards Kannada was an inspiration to all on Friday.  Despite his ill-health, he made it a point to attend the function on wheel-chair and inaugurate it.  He even addressed gathering for a while in his feeble voice. 

His entire address was later presented to the gathering by his younger brother Ni Srinivas Ballal. In his inaugural address Ni Vyasaray Ballal gave a clarion call to the gathering to revamp the present education system so that it nurtures literature and language to the maximum.

"Perhaps we Kannadigas are a little more attached to English than anyone else.  We usually cannot expect an English invitation by a Gujarati.  Even Marathi-speaking people make minimum use of English words in their day-to-day dealings.  But we Kannadigas have this extra love towards English.  It as such is not bad.  But forgetting our mother tongue while giving importance to English cannot be  accepted.  In this regard the education institutions have a greater responsibility.  I therefore have great regard towards Dr Mohan Alva, who is not only doctor for physical ailments but a true doctor who has made yeoman's contribution in healing the ailments of Kannada language, literature and culture.  May Alva's Nudisiri remain to the end of this world, he added.

Earlier the programme began sharp at 9.15 am and all the guests were escorted to the Poornachandra Tejaswi auditorium with a colourful procession accompanied by dolu, veeragase, yakshagana, daiva kunita artistes.  Once on stage, Dr Mohan Alva welcomed the guests and the gathering. In his keynote address said that the idea of holding a national-level literary and cultural fest was conceived when Moodbidri hosted the All-India Literary Convention fiver years ago.  All those worked day-in-and-day-out for the success for literary convention felt that it was not enough to hold a convention and forget everything the next day.  Accordingly Alva's Nudisiri was started and for the fourth successive year Alva's Foundation has been hosting this literary fest.

Later a special programme of consulting the Tulunadu Daiva for the success of the fest was held.  It is a custom in Tulunadu to consult the Daivas before starting any auspicious programme.  Blessing Dr Mohan Alva and the entire gathering, the Daiva said that everything will go on well since every minute aspect has been taken care by the organizers.  Before the inauguration Tenka and Badaga thittu yakshagana artiste presented a small show on the stage. 

Prof G Ventatasubbaiah, renonwed scholar in his presidential address presented a brief history Kannada literature.  He further said that Kannada over the years has been a language which has nurtured other languages and given an equal place to all of them.  "But in the bargain, at times, we have lost our identiy owing to many reasons.  We have started appreciating other languages at the cost of our mother tongue.  But it is at this point that persons like Dr Mohan Alva have forward and have made their sincere efforts to promote Kannada literature and culture in their own way,"  he added.

Dr Mohan Alva honoured Ni Vyasaray Ballal and Prof G Venkatasubbaiah on the occasion on behalf of the entire gathering.

Mulki-Moodbidri MLA K Abhaychandra Jain, former minister Amarnath Shetty, his wife Jayashree Shetty were also present on the dais.