Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah released 18 volumes of ‘Samagra Tatvapada’ on the occasion of Kanakadasa Jayanti on Monday.
The government had sanctioned Rs 2.55 crore for the project in 2015-16 for the 50-volume comprehensive documentation of saint poets of Kannada literature.
While 32 volumes were published in 2017, the remaining 18 volumes were released on Monday. About 110 scholars worked on the project.
On the occasion, Ballari-based scholar Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya was conferred with the Kanakashri awards for 2024.
In an attempt to archive the ascetic tradition of Kannada literature, the National Saint Poet Kanakadasa Study and Research Centre of the Department of Kannada and Culture is set to digitalise the works of Buddhist, Jain and Sufi poets.
Ka Ta Chikkanna, president of the study centre, said eight streams of the ascetic tradition would be studied and digitalised, including Arudha, Siddha, Avadhuta, Yogapatha and Shivayoga.
To celebrate the ascetic tradition, the study centre will organise ‘Shramanadhare Samskruti Utsava’ on November 22 and 23 in Mandya.
The two-day fest will explore the origins of the ascetic school of thought while delving into the universal humanistic values reflected in their works.