‘Archiving facets of Tulu culture need of the hour'

Tulu script needs to be popularised to help include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, university-level Kabaddi player Harshith K said on Thursday.

Harshith, who is a student of SVS College in Bantwal, was speaking after inaugurating the ‘Vidyarthilena Kadeerda Tulu Ucchaya’, the first Tulu Sammelana of students. The programme was organised by the Tulu Parishat and Mangalore University at Erya Lakshminarayana Alva Chavadi of the Town Hall.

“Tulu language has held people together, irrespective of community. Religious places such as Bappanadu Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Kajuru Dargah and Attur Church proof of the religious harmony,” said Harshith and added, “Although Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod districts have been demographically divided for administrative convenience, people consider Tulunadu as comprising all the districts.”

He also urged youth to gain knowledge about rituals practised along with the scientific background in Tulunadu.

Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof P S Yadapadithaya said that consistent and united efforts are needed to provide Constitutional status to Tulu. “Youth should keep away from anti-social activities, shun lethargy and carry the baton of Tulu culture forward,” he added.

Dr K Chinnappa Gowda, former vice chancellor of Folklore University, Haveri, said that archiving the multiple facets of the Tulu culture is the need of the hour and educational should contribute towards it. “Many aspects of our culture are getting erased as agriculture is disappearing. There is a need to preserve oral literature,” he stressed.

Writer and Govindadasa College student Ananya Jeevan Ullal recollected the contributions of writers like M Govinda Pai, Kayyara Kinhanna Rai towards Tulu and Kannada literature. She stressed on the need to establish a separate university for Tulu.

Ashish Shetty, student of AJ Engineering College, inaugurated the drawing competition on the occasion.