Bilimale underlines need for reconstructing history with unexplored cultural sources

Kannada Development Authority chairman Purushothama Bilimale at a workshop for Kannada writers at Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Terming Kannada not just a language but a culture as well, Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairman Purushothama Bilimale stressed the need for reconstructing the history of Karnataka with unexplored cultural sources.

“The task of reconstructing Karnataka’s cultural history remains unfinished. What we have so far reflects only one side of Karnataka’s past. We need to reflect on the other sides by reconstructing history with available cultural sources. It essentially means that we need to take into account the cultural details that the historians did not touch upon and reconstruct the past life. The stories of Mailaralinga’s marital life and his prophecy, for instance, need to be understood as a part of our cultural past,” he said.

He was speaking at a workshop for Kannada writers at Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on Saturday. The event was part of a series of workshops being organised by the KDA across the State on exploring Karnataka’s harmonious traditions.

“80% of Karnataka’s original cultural practices remained untouched in the mainstream cultural discourses thus far. They have not found space even in the textbooks. Kannada is not just a language for communication but it is life and culture of its speakers,” Dr. Bilimale said.

Upholding Karnataka’s pluralism as a base on which the Karnataka society was built, Mr. Bilimale said that different communities with divergent cultural practices harmoniously lived and progressed for centuries to shape Karnataka’s society.

“Pampa who introduced the Mahabharat in Kannada in the 10th century was a Jain poet. There are a number of Jain and Buddhist writers who enriched Kannada literature and its culture. If you go to any village festivals, you will see the profound cultural sphere of the local community unfolding before you. Karnataka’s cultural tradition is a fabric woven by different communities with diverse identities and practices. Ours is a society of pluralism built on the foundation of secularism.  The purpose of the workshop series being organised across the state by KDA is to identify the historical events, figures and happenings that contributed to the construction of Karnataka’s culture of pluralism and peaceful coexistence and compile them in 100 smaller booklets,” Dr. Bilimale said.

He advised the writers to adopt simple language and easy narration in drafting the booklets by avoiding the exhibition of scholarship and intellectual calibre.  

Expressing concerns over the fast-spreading hate among people in society, Dr. Blimale said that it was love that had led the Karnataka society for over 2,000 years and asked writers to tell the younger generation through their writings as to how the society could sustain for a long time just because of love.

“You could patently study and understand our cultural past and tell our younger generation through your writings about how our society could sustain because of love, you would be part of the history with your timely intervention to discharge your historical duties at crucial juncture,” he said.