Pics: Prawal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (CN)
Mangalore, Sep 29: It was a rare occasion for the inmates of Mangalore prison, Kodialbail. On Sunday September 28, a multi-lingual poetry session was organized on the jail premises bringing a smile on their faces. The programme was organized by the DK district ‘Chutuku Sahitya Parishat’ in collaboration with DK district ‘Sahitya Parishat’.
The session had poets of Kannada, Konkani, Tulu, and Byari languages participating. ‘Literature, especially poetry, is the most powerful way of conveying messages to the masses. What a politician takes hours to convey, a poet does in a few powerful lines,’said MLA U T Khader who was the chief guest at the programme.
It was presided over by Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, district president, DK district Sahitya Parishat. ‘Poets have come here to bring changes in minds that have strayed. When a mind blooms, the distractions fade’, said Kalkura. S Ganesh Rao, founder president, Karavali group of colleges, inaugurated the event.
‘When there is turmoil in our lives, some of us take law into our hands. Otherwise, there is no difference between people who live inside the prison and outside it. Remove the word ‘defeat’ from your mind and embrace success,’ said Rao in his inaugural address.
Ira Nemu Poojari, district president, DK Chutuku Sahitya Parishat, welcomed the gathering. Gunavati Keenya recited the prayer and Manju Vitla compered the event. Muddu Moodubelle, programme officer, AIR Mangalore, Naushad, Shades Group, R Ishwara Nayak, chief officer, district prison, Sunita, newly-appointed district magistrate, Melvyn Rodrigues, poet and director, operations, Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd, and Narayana Poojari, advocate, were present on the dais.
Mohammed Baddur, poet par excellence, presided over the poetry session while Muddu Moodubelle introduced the poets to the gathering. ‘Today, we see the collapse of five important institutions—education, literature, media, police, and politics. This is the reason we see disturbances everywhere,’ said Baddur. Ishwara Nayak had the audience in peals of laughter as he shared his own experiences in a witty, but powerful and poetic, style.
Poets who participated in the poetry session included M B Bashir Ahmed (Byari and Kannada), Sudha Nagesh, Raghu Idkidu, Mohammed Baddur (all Tulu and Kannada), Melvyn Rodrigues (Konkani), Narayana Poojari, Muddu Moodubelle, Gunavati Keenya, Mahesh R Nayak, Malati Shetty Manoor, Lalitesh Sankolike, D S Yashawant, Vi Su Bhat B C Road, and Manjunath D Shetty Ira (all Kannada).