February 11, 2010

Hindu unity & socially deprived people

(Dattatreya Hosabale is a person whom i have seen since my college days.Hardly when I was 17 years old, I have heard his speeches on Hinduism,Ayodhya movement etc.,He has many good qualities both as a man from RSS and also as a human being.He replies to all mails and letters sent to him.It is said about Homer that he was born in seven cities.Though Dattaji was born in Hosabale village of Soraba taluk in Shimoga district of todays Karnataka,he has travelled across the country.Travel and reading has made him both broadminded and open to changes.

Born on December 1, 1955 in Shimoga district of Karnataka, Shri Hosabale is Post Graduate in English literature. He became a Sangh Swayamsevak in 1968 and joined the ABVP in 1972.

Later he became full-time organiser of ABVP in 1978 and starting from Bangalore Nagar Sampark Pramukh in 1972 he held different responsibilities in the largest student organisation in the country. He played an active role in setting up the Youth Development Centre in Guwahati.

He also played an active role in making the ABVP work effective in Andaman Nicobar Islands and North-Eastern states of the country. Shri Hosabale had actively participated in the J. P. movement of 1974 and was jailed under MISA from December 1975 to February 1977.

He has visited Nepal, Russia, England, France and the United States of America. Multi linguist Shri Hosabale has good command over Kannada, Hindi, English, Tamil and Sanskrit. He was also founder editor of the popular Kannada monthly Aseema.

He is a man from RSS-a hindu nationalist organization.Here is an exceprt from the report of his speech on present condition of Hindu dalits-Dr.Harisha G.B.)


Dattatreya Hosabale said the socially deprived people should get their due share. He was speaking at a seminar organised by Rashtrawadi Ambedkarwadi Mahasangh in New Delhi on November 26. Shri Hosabale said the socially deprived people are not getting the respect that they should have got after six decades of Independence. "Many efforts were made during the Mughal and British period to disturb the Hindu unity and wrong history was written to create a divide among Hindus. Even today there are efforts by church and other forces to weaken the Hindu society. The demands of reservation to Dalit Christians and Muslims have emerged only from those forces, which aimed at breaking the Hindu society. He admitted that there are weaknesses on the part of the Hindu society that should be rectified without delay.

February 08, 2010

Ananda K. Coomaraswamy :his essential writings

Ananda K. Coomaraswamy's works nees to be studied in comparision with the essential writings of Prof Hiriyanna and Sri Aurobindo.Alas!our university professors do not know much about these giants of aesthetics.If our univesrsity education in the areas of art history, literary concepts and philosphy want to become more native in approach, then Ananda K. Coomaraswamy should be studied in depth.I do not know whether that day will come from 7.02.2010 to 31.12.2099?
The article below is from The Essential Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
by Arvind Sharma-Dr.Harisha G.B.)
The name of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy has become synonymous
with an entire approach to art and of the civilization of which
it is an expression. Coomaraswamy’s genius lay not only in presenting
it to the modern Western world but also in demonstrating that
this civilizational art and artistic civilization was contrapuntal and
not necessarily antithetical to the modern West, as ears less gifted
than his to hearing celestial harmonies might have proposed. His
multi-splendored genius expressed itself in over a thousand published
items. One might say that Coomaraswamy wrote more than
many people read in the course of one life.

The publication of his seminal contributions in the form of the
compendium of his essential writings that you hold in your hands is
therefore to be greatly welcomed. It conveys to us the flavor of his
thought, as water collected in a small shell on the shore conveys the
flavor of the entire ocean. Of course it cannot convey a sense of the
ocean’s magnitude, but it earns our gratitude in conveying a sense
of its taste; of how the divine dialectic of the transformation of religion
into art and art into religion might hold the key to the rejuvenation
of both life and art in the modern world.

Our contemporary world is trying to rejuvenate itself not
through God but through religion, thereby creating for itself the
problem of fundamentalism, an outcome which would not have surprised
Coomaraswamy, who insisted that the modern world must
rejuvenate itself through God rather than religion, and bring its
wasteland to life by irrigating it with the waters of Tradition. This
Tradition offers perennial answers to contemporary questions
whereas modernity has only been able, if at all, to offer contemporary
(and fugitive) answers to perennial questions. It is not merely
an accident then that while that great work of the Enlightenment,
Voltaire’s Candide, ends with Dr. Pangloss cultivating his garden living
in the best of all possible worlds, Coomaraswamy, when he
sensed that his life was about to run its course, chose to leave his
body in the manner of a Hindu renunciate, also in a garden, symxi
From the World Wisdom online library:
www.worldwisdom.com/public/library/default.aspx
bolizing the fact that he brought to us from all possible worlds the
spiritual fragrance of humanity, fresh from the exquisite gardens of
its various religions. And they are various. For none of the great
expositors of the perennial philosophy—not Coomaraswamy in any
case—made the mistake, to which some are prone, of imagining
that just because all the religions say more or less the same thing
that they are therefore all the same. Thus Coomaraswamy has rightly
been hailed as a bridge-builder at a time when the West was acting
like a steamroller in the rest of the world.
All the reader need do to verify what I have said, lest he or she
be inclined to consider the thoughts and emotions I have just
shared as too encomiastic or enthusiastic, is to read this book.
-Arvind Sharma

February 07, 2010

TENDENCIES IN KANNADA LITERATURE

(This article was written by B M Sreekantiah.He was a renaisance man of Kannada language and literature in the begining of 20th century.This wrtings provides sufficient background of development that took place in the kannada state till 1927This article first appeared in the 'Mysore University Magazine'in 1927.
Interestengly many names mentioned here didnot hold a place in the pages of modern Kannada literary history published from many universities.Hence to read and understand the contributions of less known writers of Kannada, this article is a good start.It is also important to note that he mentions the name of Nanjanagudu Tirumalamba, who is a woman writer.-Dr.G.B.Harisha)
Like every other vernacular, Kannada also is halting between two influence, the traditional and the modern, though the modern is, on the whole, triumphing.Considering the smallness of the Kannada—speaking public, it must be admitted that there is great enthusiasm for the development of the language and its literature. Few names of outstanding merit have emerged within the last year or two, but the older writers are steadily adding to their output and a good harvest has already been gathered. The most encouraging sign in recent years has been the gracious patronage extended by His Highness the Maharaja, who has not only instituted anannual verse competition and awarded prizes to the winners in a special Durbar, but has set the healthy example of making speeches in Kannada on public occasions.
The University and the schools are throbbing with the new spirit, and inter-collegiate debates, school magazines and essays, lyrics and biographies from student-authors bear ample testimony to the increased interest in letters at the fountain-heads of culture. A fresh impetus will be given to the study of vernacular by the recent decision of the Senate to make Kannada compulsory (Mohammadans being allowed Urdu) in
the Intermediate and B. A. courses and to institute a chair of Kannada culture in the
University. The University and the education department also subsidise original work
on modern subjects and translations of Western classics, likely to appeal to or
educate the masses. Higher journalism represented by magazines like the Karnataka
Sahitya Parishat Patrike, Prabuddha Karnataka. Visvakarnataka, Jayakarnataka,
Suvasini, Makkala Pustaka carries the new out look on life to the half-educated adults and women and children at home. The atmosphere is thus saturated with ideas and the times are big with expectation.
We may proceed to note the actual work in some of the departments of
literature. The work of editing the old classics and the study of philology are going on without a break. The Karnataka Sahitya Parishat has edited Kesiraja’s Sabdamanidarpana, a grammar of the 13th century A. D. Pampa Ramayana, a jaina variant of the famous Indian epic, of the 11th century, and is now half through an edition of the Pampa Bharata, the oldest extant kavya in Kannada, of 941 A.D. dealing succinctly with the story of the Mahabharata. It is interesting to note that the learned and tireless editor, Mr. B. Venkatanaranappa, got a manuscript of the work from a
Jaina library at Arrah near Patna, which has thrown light in a number of corrupt
readings and filled up most distressing gaps. The Jaina Yuvaka Sangha of Puttur(South Canara) has brought out a sumptuous edition of Bharatesa Vaibhava, a medieval work on the first Chakravarthi of the Jainas. Mr. U. Mangesha Rao, the editor has laid the whole Karnataka country under obligation by this splendid piece of critical work. On the Dharwar side, the Vachana Sastra Sara of Rao Bahadur Mr.P.G.Halakatti, is a valuable selection of the voluminous sayings and preachings of the Virasaiva apostles and saints of the 12th century and latter periods; while Mr.Uttangi’s edition of Sarvajna Padagalu gives the largest extant collection of the
epigrams of one of the most popular and quotable of Kannada writers.
History of literature has been marked out for his own by Rao Bahadur
R.Narasimhachar, the veteran scholar and archaelogist who has revised and reprinted
his Kavicharite, Vol.I, and after a subsequent Vol. II, has now nearly finished his Vol.III, bringing down the account of Kannada literature to the present day. It is a
monumental work and will be the basis of all future investigation on the subject. The
University is publishing a hand book of Kannada in five parts: Grammar, Prosody,
Rhetoric, History of language and History of literature. It is intended for students and general readers and tries to give an authoritative and brief summary of up-to-date learning and research on the subjects dealt with.
In the field of Poetry, in addition to work in the old manner, a few writers may be
mentioned as representative of the new culture and method. Rajakavi Bhushana H.
Linga Raj Urs, whose Ramayana had captured the public by its easy style and
modern feeling, has now added to his laurels by his Yadu Nripa Vijaya, a short epic on the founding of the ruling house of Mysore by Yadu Raya in the 15th century. Mr. D. V.Gundappa, editor and publicist, has in his Vasanta Kusumanjali and Nivedana, given splendid expression to the devotional and national spirit, and hung wreaths round thenoble makers of modern India, and for the first time brought into poetry beauties of Mysore, like the Gerusoppe and the Shivanasamudram Falls and the Hoysala
temples. Mr. M. Venkatesha Iyengar has a most versatile genius and starting a new vein with his short stories (Kelavu Sanna Kathegalu) has advanced to plays (Savitri,Santa), touching old heroic themes with a new imagination and fervour, and to slender volumes of poetry, Binnaha and Aruna, of rare charm of phrase and feeling. The University has contributed its share in English geetagalu, by “Shri”, a book of translations of English lyrics, aiming at familiarising the Kannada reader with the spirit and style of Western literature. There is many a fine lyric warbled on the Mangalore sea-board by writers like Mr. P.Mangesha Rao and Mr. U. Mangesha Rao. All these departures from mechanical versifying are by English-educated men, who are experimenting in style, metre and subject and are moulded by the blended culture of East and the West.
Kavitilaka Ayya Sastry’s poetical history of the Mysore Kings should also be noted in this connection, as modern work done by a poet of the old school. Thoughwritten in old Kannada, this fine chronicle is easily intelligible and breathes the sprit of loyalty and devotion to the country’s progress.As regards drama, the theatre has suffered an irreparable loss in the recent
death of Nataka Siromani Mr. Varadachar, the gifted actor, who was not contentmerely to stick to the old plays but encouraged the modern social play. (A similar loss to the musical world was the death of the late lamented Vainika Sikhamani Mr.Seshanna). Plays by Mr. Venkatesa Iyengar have been mentioned. Mr. T.P.Kailasam’s Tollu Gatti and Ammavra Ganda are in colloquial dialect and ridicule the foibles and the fashions of the day. Pandit Sitarama Sastry’s version of Bhasa’s Pratima Nataka, Pandit Bellave Narahari Sastry’s Kabir Das, Pandit Nanjanagud Srikanta Sastry,s plays, Mr. Benegal Rama Rao’s Prahasanas, and plays like Mira Bai and Vigada Vikrama Raya displays the mingling of the old classical piety play with the new historical, national and social problem play. In this connection must be noted Mr.D. V. Gundappa’s play on Vidyaranya and Mr. Vankatesha Iyengar’s on The Battle of Talikote. A lady writer Srimati Tirumalamba, has been writing a sort of play-novelsermon type of books which are greatly appreciated.
The novel has at last succeded in freeing itself from the grip of Bankim Chander
Chatterji, who had been naturalised in Mysore by late Mr. Venkatachar. For years,
every tyro echoed Mr. Venkatachar-the very trick of his speech and plot. Then, there
was a social reform novel of Viresalingam Pantulu and its following. Mr. M.S.
Puttanna’s Madiddunno Maharaya broke the spell with the realistic domestic novel,
based on life in Mysore and rendered in very homely style. He has since followed it up with his Musuku Tegeye Mayangane (still in manuscript). Mr. Venkatesa Iyengar’s fine work in short stories has already been noted and has been honoured by a new school of imitators. Mr. V. T. Kulakarni (Galaganth) has been reviving ancient life and glory in his historical novels, the latest of which Madhava Karuna Vilasa, keeps to the high level of the rest and is inspired by the vision of a united Indian people, free from the jealousies of caste and creed and spending themselves in sacrifice for the Motherland. An inspiring and beautifully written account of the Kannada Kingdoms is given in Mr. R. H. Deshponde’s Karnataka Samrajya. Biography is represented by Mr.Singraiaha’s Life of Chamarajendra of Mysore and of Gokhale and Vidyaranya, andthe “grand old man”, Mr. Venkatakrishaniah’s Booker T. Washington, The aged andveteran scholar-patriot Mr. C. Vasudevaiya has after a long silence since his Aryakirthi
and Sivaji again spoken out in his Bhishma Charite. His eloquent and rhythmical periods are the delight of every scholar.
Criticism and civics are still to be cultivated, but a good beginning has been
made in Mr. Ramanuja Iyengar’ s Kavi Samaya, Mr. Venkatesha Iyengar’s Vimarse
and Mr. D.V. Gundappa’s Rajya Vyavahara Sastra.
Among noteworthy translations should be mentioned the Kannada version of Tulsidas’s immortal Ramayana by Mr. D. K. Bharadwaj. Mr. V. B. Alur’s translation of Tilak’s Gita Rahasya is older, but is an invaluable addition to serious literature in Kannada.
It will be clear from this short review that Kannada literature is shaking itself free from the domination of old ideas and forms and is blossoming vigorously in the hands of a young, educated and patriotic band of writers, novelists, poets and publicists; and,passing the stage of imitation and translation, is striking out in all directions,responding to inspirations local as well as all-Indian, present as well as past. There is an outburst of activity that is full of promise for the future and gladdening to the heart of every lover of Kannada.
[Mysore University Magazine, Vol. XI, July 1927]

Marginalized Kannada writers series: article1 - M. Jeevana

M Jeevana

I was reading few old books last year.I found the name of an author on an old book.It was M.Jeevana.

I asked my friends in Bengalooru(earlier Bangalore).To my surprise many good writes never heard this name.he has written books on poetry(vachana) of basavanna(basaveshwara).He has also translated Banabhatta's KADAMBARI epic in to modern Kannada.

Finally when I was reading with Prof.Keeram Nagaraj he said that he has read his books.By reading his books I am feeling..I don't know why...that Jeevana is pseudonym.He might be a Muslim by birth and to avoid his identity he might have used this pen name.I am getting more curious to expolore more about Kannada writer Jeevana.

B M Sree speech:100 years

B M Sreekantiah was one of the makers of Kannada literature in 20th century.His speech 'kannadada maatu tale ettuva bage' was done in 1911 dec at Dharavada.Here he has given pointers to elevate and develop kannada langugae in the context of Sanskrit and English.
If we look back this is a historical event as for as karnataka is considered.Apart from this his speech has many negative points if we look at from historical point of view.
B M Sreekantiah like other thinkers of the day accepted the aryan thoery of invasion.(AIT).During his days, Swami vivekananda, Dr.Sampoornananda did not accept the AIT.Few years Dr.B.R.Ambedkar opposed the AIT in his writings.

He is a good writer, not a great creative writer like T.S.Eliot,Tolstoy or Shankar Mokashi Punekar.But his writing, cultural moves he made needs to be studied from nationalist perception.