Mangalore : District in – charge Minister J. Krishna Palemar inaugurated the ‘Kanaka Jayanti’ organized by Department of Kannada and Culture at Town Hall on Nov 14, Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Palemar said that the state government has given the fund of Rs 50,000 to every district and each taluk given Rs 20,00o to celebrate Kanaka Utsava in order to spread the achievement of Kanaka Dasa among the people.

He also said that today we see thousand of caste in our state, but all have the same culture. Till the Kanaka Jayanthi is celebrated he will remain as role model. Government has spent Rs 10 crore for Anubhava Mantapa at Kaginele.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Dayanand in his introductory speech said that Kanaka Dasa being of the warrior community (Kuruba Gowda) directed himself to the path of devotion. He said that Kanaka Dasa is not limited to Kirthanas but also wrote many literatures.

Giving the talk on ‘Kanaka Dasa’ Balakrishna Shetty, principal of Kateel First Grade College said that Kanaka Dasa showing his innovativeness in using day to day activities of common man, he started writing Ramadhanyacharitre, an allegory on the conflict between the socially strong and weak castes and classes, presented as an argument between two foodgrains, rice and ragi, is a most creative literary piece with a powerful social message.

In his expression he described conflicts between rich and poor classes where he uses ragi (staple food of poor and high in nutrients) and rice (main food of rich but not as rich in nutrients) to synonymously to represent poor and rich. Similar to Purandara Daasa, Kanaka Daasaru’s compositions addressed social issues in addition to devotional aspect, he said.

He also said that Kanaka Dasa was very aggressive and straight forward in criticizing evils of society such as superiority claims using caste system. His poem “Kula Kula Kula vendu hodedhada dhiri” asks humans not to segregate themselves from one another, because every human is born the same way.

 MLA UT Khader, MCC Commissioner Harish Kumar, Shivarame Gowda, Mangala Naik of Department of Kannada and Culture, KM Raju, Hanumanthappam president of Warrier community (Kuruba) and others were present.