Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Nov 8: First citizen of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has brought laurels to the humble pedestal lamp from Kakkunje, a small village in Kundapur taluk, Udupi district and catapulted it to national and international recognition. This happened as the US president lit the pedestal lamp made in Kakkunje on the occasion of Diwali.

The pedestal lamp, known as 'Kaaludeepa' in Kannada, belongs to the prestigious Adiga family from here. Jill Biden, wife of the American President and Mala Adiga from Kakkunje were the ones who were instrumental in making this pedestal lamp famous. Mala Adiga had taken the pedestal lamp which her mother-in-law had, to the USA.

The lamp which was in the house where former Karnataka Bank chairman, the late Kakkunje Sooryanarayana Adiga was born, had been inherited by Mala Adiga's mother-in-law. Mala Adiga, daughter of Dr Ramesh Adiga belonging to Kakkunje family, remains attached to Hindu culture even though Dr Ramesh Adiga is in the USA. Mala Adiga had provided the above pedestal lamp lying in her house to Joe Biden and Jill Biden after the couple demanded for a lamp to light on the occasion of Diwali.