From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jun 7: Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishath President Dr B L Shankar urged the government and the education authorities to take urgent steps to include study of environment and ecology in the curriculum to inculcate the love of protecting and preserving from the early stages of learning itself.
“Whether one opts to study in Kannada, Hindi, English or any other language, it is more important that all should learn to love, protect and preserve the environment,’’ he said after releasing the monograph, `Ballalarayana Durga: Untapped Eco-Tourism Potential of Chikkamagaluru District,’ written by Dr J W Lobo, former Director of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), who is popularly known among his friends and Mangaloreans as Joe Lobo, Kulshekar.
Expressing concern over the denudation of forests and reckless exploitation of forest wealth as well as natural resources, Dr Shankar said the obvious harmful effects of environmental imbalance can be judged from the fact that Madikeri and Somavarpet taluks in the district of Kodagu, which is birth place of river Cauvery and the Mudigere and Sakleshpur Taluks of Chikkamagaluru being declared drought hit year after year. This is a sad commentary on the situation, he said,
The book, published by ATC Publishers, Bengaluru, and printed by Brilliant Printers, Bengaluru, was released at a function jointly organised by the ICCR, Department of Kannada and Culture, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Youth Writers and Artistes Guild and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, at a function held at the Khincha Auditorium on Friday.
Earlier, Dr Shankar, Dr J W Lobo, H N Suresh, K Ravi Shankar and other guests symbolically lighted a lamp to mark the 37th anniversary of the Every Friday Cultural Evening Programme, initiated by Dr Lobo, H N Suresh and other like-minded friends in 1983, which is continuously holding a cultural programme on every Friday during the last 36 years.
Dr Shankar, who hails from the Chikkamagaluru district, said he was extremely happy to be part of the function as he was born in Bilagili, a few kilometres from Ballalarayana Durga and Sri Kalabhairava was his family deity. He said he was intimately connected with all the places that figure in the book and was very on the development of the district, where the Western Ghats bio-diversity mountain range originates and also the birth place of five important rivers of Karnataka.
It is unfortunate that the 900-year-old Ballalarayana Durga fort, built by Jain kings, and the Sri Kalabhairaveshwara Temple, which is believed to be at least 1000 years old, have been totally neglected. The Chikkamagaluru district and neighbouring places were a treasure trove ancient cultural, historical and heritage sites, which have been largely unexplored and unexploited to their full tourist potential. The highest mountain peak Mullayyanagiri, Bababudangiri and many other places represent the ancient cultural, historical and religious heritage, Dr Shankar said pointing out that the younger generation must pay attention to going back to their roots and know the richness of past.
The Sringeri Sharada Peetha and the Rambhapuri Mutt at Balehonnuru were prominent among the religious pilgrim centres, he said and lamented that a several old and ancient religious temples had been totally neglected.
The book on Ballalarayana Durga and Sri Kalabhairaveshwara Temple by Dr J W Lobo “is a glowing testimony to the greatness and richness of our historical past and cultural heritage,’’ Dr Shankar said and quoted the words of Mahatma Gandhi to underscore the importance: “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational and economic legacies as all these things quite literally make us what we are.’’
Dr Shankar promised to extend his full cooperation and support to the proposed suggestion of the author Dr J W Lobo to form a Ballala Development Society with public and private participation and also take up with the government any developmental works related to the region.
The author, Dr J W Lobo, in his address, said every citizen has to go back to their roots and understand the evolution of mankind. “One must honestly follow the sincerity of approach and nurture friendship that really produces good human beings and genuine friends,’’ he said urging the people, especially the younger generation to combine their efforts to maintain, sustain and protect their environment.
K Ravi Shankar, Managing Trustee, Kanthula Foundation and Chief Coordinator, ISHO/INKA, warmly complimented Dr Lobo for his dedication and unorthodox approach coupled with out of box thinking and can do attitude that has made a success of Every Friday Cultural Evening Programme and FISA-B that has brought international students of 60 countries under a single platform.
FISA-B President Moharak AbdallaGarelNabi of Sudan spoke about Dr Lobo’s contribution in organising the international students in Bengaluru and inspiring the birth of similar units in Chennai and Hyderabad.
ICCR Regional Director P Venugopal welcomed and H N Suresh, Director of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan proposed a vote of thanks.
A Kuchipudi Duet Recital, `Bhamakalapam,’ was performed by Surya Narayana Rao as Sathyabhama and Krishna Murthy Tunga as Madhavi.