Mangaluru : The state government headed by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has taken the initiative to develop Kaginele, the birthplace of saint-poet Kanakadasa, said MP and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Friday.

He was addressing the gathering during the Kanaka Jayanti programme organised by Dakshina Kannada district administration, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat and the Department of Kannada and Culture at Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall.

“Those taking advantage of Kanakadasa’s name and caste identity did nothing for Kanakadasa,” Kateel said in an apparent dig at former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

But the BJP-led state government, for the first time, decided to develop the birthplace of the saint-poet, he added.

BJP government officially declared Kanaka Jayanti as a government celebration, he said and hailed the chief minister for taking the initiative.

The MP said that India’s greatest contribution to the world is philosophy. Many saint poets like Kanakadasa had contributed in this regard.

Kanakadasa established the fact that nobody becomes great by virtue of their caste, but because of their qualities and achievements. Udupi stands testimony to Kanakadasa’s pure devotion, said Kateel.

D Vedavyas Kamath while presiding over the programme said that Kanakadasa carved a niche through his meaningful compositions. He proved that devotion has no boundaries and one can connect to the almighty if one eliminates ego from the mind.

Dakshina Kannada ZP President Meenakshi Shantigodu inaugurated the programme and said that Kanakadasa, along with Purandaradasa created a milestone in the dasa tradition, which paved a foundation for Carnatic music.

Floral tributes were paid to the portrait of Kanakadasa on the occasion.

Writer Kavitha Addooru delivered a talk on the life and works of Kanakadasa.

Dakshina Kannada district Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy Chairman Dayananda G Kattalsar, Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat President Muhammed Monu, Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde S, Kannada and Culture Department Assistant Director Rajesh G, Karavali Kurubara Sangha President Manju Notagara and Dakshina Kannada district Halumatha Maha Sabha President Ranhappa M Nadakatti were present.