When the Cauvery Tribunal verdict was out in New Delhi, some TV news channel called him for a comment. The plain speaking and reserved ( some people call it arrogance) Karnad said that Karnataka should honour the verdict.
Within minutes all hell broke loose in Karnataka. The most celebrated writer Karnad was in the eye of a storm within a few minutes. Karnataka is full of anti - Karnad protests. A few people are supporting Karnad. Their feeble voice is getting drowned in the noise being created by some self proclaimed and some real Karnataka activists.
Karnad has earned the wrath of some of the eminent writers like Dr. U R Ananthamurthy, Dr.GSS, film stars like Vishnuvardhan, Ananthnag and many others. But their anger is being demonstrated in a democratic and decent way. They have n't questioned his right to express opinions freely. The most shocking thing is many others are openly abusing Karnad in foul language and unprintable words.
Majority people in Karnataka agree that the Cauvery Tribunal judgement has gone in favor of TN. The Centre and the Tribunal have done a great injustice to Karnataka once again. Kannadigas generosity and good manners are always mistaken for their weakness. The state which produces highest GDP has always been getting a raw deal.
It is quiet natural that the people are angrily reacting to this injustice.
It must be admitted that Karnataka has reasons to be disappointed. The tribunal has sought to address some of the grievances of Karnataka over the interim order passed in 1991, which led to large-scale violence in the state, but on the whole, the final order will be seen as a victory for Tamil Nadu's aggressive pursuit of its case against a historically-handicapped Karnataka.
The river Cauvery runs for 381 km in Karnataka as against 357 km in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka contributes 425 tmc ft to Tamil Nadu's 252 tmc ft to the volume of water collected in the valley. And yet, since Tamil Nadu has traditionally been cultivating in a substantially larger area than Karnataka, the tribunal has accepted its "prescriptive rights" and alloted 419 tmc ft as against 270 tmc ft for Karnataka. That apart, the tribunal has ordered Karnataka to ensure 192 tmc ft of water annually at Biligundlu, including 134 tmc ft during the "tough months" of June to September. Though 205 tmc ft specified in the interim order is brought down by 13 tmc ft, Karnataka contends that it will actually have to release 12 tmc ft more than before as the point of measurement is changed from Mettur to Biligundlu.
But the manner in which some of the Cauvery activists are abusing Girish Karnad is highly deplorable. Karnad is now being projected as an anti Kannada elite of Bangalore's Electronic City or Whitefield. Karnad who was born and brought up in cool Dharwad, a city of art, music and literature, is undoudetdly one of the greatest literary figures of Karnataka. This Rhodes scholar, who studied mathematics in Oxford rejected lucrative job offers in England & USA and returned to his homestate to pursue a career in writing, theatre and cinema mid 60's.
He could have probably been an equally good writer in English in England or America. He could have settled down in New York or London giving free sermons to " poor Indians " back home on various issues like Rushdie brigade. But his heart was in Karnataka and Kannada. He found happinness and fulfillment in writing in Kannada, which won't earn him even Rs.2 lakh per year. He may be in the list of top three, best playwrights in India. Vibrant and powerful Kannada culture nurtured him for over four decades. His contribution to Kannada art and literarure is immense.
Karnad who breathed the fresh air of Dharwad wrote in Kannada. Spent days and nights deliberating and discussing Kannada literature and art with the stalwarts like poet Dr. D. R .Bendre, playwight G.B. Joshi, V K Gokak, Kurtakoti, G S Amur, Shankar Mokashi Punekar and others in the great town of Dharwad. " Taledanda ", " Tugalaq ", " Hayavadana", " Naaga Mandala ", " Tippuvina Kanasugalu " are some of the best works in any Indian language.
This multifaceted genius has made some of the best movies in Kannada. He won three Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) awrds for the Kannada film world. For me his intense and challenging role as Chandre Gowda in ' Kaanooru Heggadithi ' based on our great poet laureate Kuvempu's novel is unforgettable. I saw it more than 4-5 times !
Karnad represented India in many international institutions. Was the the director of the Nehru Centre in London.
Majority Kannadigas, who are known for their peaceful nature, balanced approach and love for freedom should n't be allowed to demonise Karnad. Kannada culture always believed in freedom of expression and respecting all shades of opinion. It has been a Kannada Dharma for the last two thousand years.
The land of great ancient and medieval age writers like Pampa, Ranna, Raghavanka, Basaweshwara, Akka Mahadevi, Dasas and Sufi Saints always believed in debate and mutual respect even during the most turbulent times in the ancient and medieval Karnataka. It allowed all all kinds of people to co exist on Kannada soil.
This is the greatness of Kannada culture. The Cauvery heat (in Kannada Kaavu means heat...... Kaveri is verb !) should n't make them blind. Girish Karnad should be allowed to express his feelings in a fearless atmosphere, even if we don't agree with him (Personally even I don't agree with Karnad on the Cauvery issue !).
"Let us admit, as a distinguished Kannada author, V. Sitaramiah, has pointed out, that we have had our pettinesses and feuds; our limitations of outlook and failures in achievement; our bloodbaths given and taken. Our chieftains have carried off brides from marriage pavilions; our warriors have destroyed men and lands when fiendish fits were on. In their turn, they have been invaded and their capital cities have been razed to the ground or burnt to ashes. The history of all peoples has been much the same and littered with episodes good and not so good. But the long range value preference, the pride and grateful memory of Kannada poets has been, by and large, for tolerance and the arts of peace; for conservation. This is true not of poets alone but the Kannada people as a whole....
"Allied with this distrust of fanaticism and flamboyance is a certain unsparing insistence of self-discipline and style. It is expressed in the numerous stories about Visvesvaraya, in the fastidiousness of Generals Cariappa and Thimmayya, in the philosophical volumes of Professor Hiriyanna and in the dance of Shanta Rao. In its gentler form it can be detected in the lines and brush strokes of K.K. Hebbar, in the glances and drives of G. R. Vishwanath, in the meditative aalaap of Mallikarjun Mansoor, Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi, Kumar Gandharva and in the prose of R. K. Narayan, Kuvempu and U R Ananthamurthy.......
This should be the guiding spirit and belief of my fellow Kannadigas.......... I hope the wisdom and magnanimity will lead all of us through the turbulent times.
About the AuthorD P Satish D P Satish has been a journalist for the past 21 years. Born at the picturesque Jog Falls in Shimoga district of Karnataka, Satish did his graduation ...Read Morefirst published:February 07, 2007, 16:20 ISTlast updated:February 07, 2007, 16:20 IST
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Eminent playwright and artist Girish Karnad is in the news for wrong reasons, once again. His comments supporting Tipu Sultan had led to a statewide protest, just 3-4 months back. He has now touched a much more serious issue. He has entered a danger zone, the Cauvery issue, which has now pitted the entire state against the centre and Tamil Nadu.
When the Cauvery Tribunal verdict was out in New Delhi, some TV news channel called him for a comment. The plain speaking and reserved ( some people call it arrogance) Karnad said that Karnataka should honour the verdict.
Within minutes all hell broke loose in Karnataka. The most celebrated writer Karnad was in the eye of a storm within a few minutes. Karnataka is full of anti - Karnad protests. A few people are supporting Karnad. Their feeble voice is getting drowned in the noise being created by some self proclaimed and some real Karnataka activists.
Karnad has earned the wrath of some of the eminent writers like Dr. U R Ananthamurthy, Dr.GSS, film stars like Vishnuvardhan, Ananthnag and many others. But their anger is being demonstrated in a democratic and decent way. They have n't questioned his right to express opinions freely. The most shocking thing is many others are openly abusing Karnad in foul language and unprintable words.
Majority people in Karnataka agree that the Cauvery Tribunal judgement has gone in favor of TN. The Centre and the Tribunal have done a great injustice to Karnataka once again. Kannadigas generosity and good manners are always mistaken for their weakness. The state which produces highest GDP has always been getting a raw deal.
It is quiet natural that the people are angrily reacting to this injustice.
It must be admitted that Karnataka has reasons to be disappointed. The tribunal has sought to address some of the grievances of Karnataka over the interim order passed in 1991, which led to large-scale violence in the state, but on the whole, the final order will be seen as a victory for Tamil Nadu's aggressive pursuit of its case against a historically-handicapped Karnataka.
The river Cauvery runs for 381 km in Karnataka as against 357 km in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka contributes 425 tmc ft to Tamil Nadu's 252 tmc ft to the volume of water collected in the valley. And yet, since Tamil Nadu has traditionally been cultivating in a substantially larger area than Karnataka, the tribunal has accepted its "prescriptive rights" and alloted 419 tmc ft as against 270 tmc ft for Karnataka. That apart, the tribunal has ordered Karnataka to ensure 192 tmc ft of water annually at Biligundlu, including 134 tmc ft during the "tough months" of June to September. Though 205 tmc ft specified in the interim order is brought down by 13 tmc ft, Karnataka contends that it will actually have to release 12 tmc ft more than before as the point of measurement is changed from Mettur to Biligundlu.
But the manner in which some of the Cauvery activists are abusing Girish Karnad is highly deplorable. Karnad is now being projected as an anti Kannada elite of Bangalore's Electronic City or Whitefield. Karnad who was born and brought up in cool Dharwad, a city of art, music and literature, is undoudetdly one of the greatest literary figures of Karnataka. This Rhodes scholar, who studied mathematics in Oxford rejected lucrative job offers in England & USA and returned to his homestate to pursue a career in writing, theatre and cinema mid 60's.
He could have probably been an equally good writer in English in England or America. He could have settled down in New York or London giving free sermons to " poor Indians " back home on various issues like Rushdie brigade. But his heart was in Karnataka and Kannada. He found happinness and fulfillment in writing in Kannada, which won't earn him even Rs.2 lakh per year. He may be in the list of top three, best playwrights in India. Vibrant and powerful Kannada culture nurtured him for over four decades. His contribution to Kannada art and literarure is immense.
Karnad who breathed the fresh air of Dharwad wrote in Kannada. Spent days and nights deliberating and discussing Kannada literature and art with the stalwarts like poet Dr. D. R .Bendre, playwight G.B. Joshi, V K Gokak, Kurtakoti, G S Amur, Shankar Mokashi Punekar and others in the great town of Dharwad. " Taledanda ", " Tugalaq ", " Hayavadana", " Naaga Mandala ", " Tippuvina Kanasugalu " are some of the best works in any Indian language.
This multifaceted genius has made some of the best movies in Kannada. He won three Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) awrds for the Kannada film world. For me his intense and challenging role as Chandre Gowda in ' Kaanooru Heggadithi ' based on our great poet laureate Kuvempu's novel is unforgettable. I saw it more than 4-5 times !
Karnad represented India in many international institutions. Was the the director of the Nehru Centre in London.
Majority Kannadigas, who are known for their peaceful nature, balanced approach and love for freedom should n't be allowed to demonise Karnad. Kannada culture always believed in freedom of expression and respecting all shades of opinion. It has been a Kannada Dharma for the last two thousand years.
The land of great ancient and medieval age writers like Pampa, Ranna, Raghavanka, Basaweshwara, Akka Mahadevi, Dasas and Sufi Saints always believed in debate and mutual respect even during the most turbulent times in the ancient and medieval Karnataka. It allowed all all kinds of people to co exist on Kannada soil.
This is the greatness of Kannada culture. The Cauvery heat (in Kannada Kaavu means heat...... Kaveri is verb !) should n't make them blind. Girish Karnad should be allowed to express his feelings in a fearless atmosphere, even if we don't agree with him (Personally even I don't agree with Karnad on the Cauvery issue !).
"Let us admit, as a distinguished Kannada author, V. Sitaramiah, has pointed out, that we have had our pettinesses and feuds; our limitations of outlook and failures in achievement; our bloodbaths given and taken. Our chieftains have carried off brides from marriage pavilions; our warriors have destroyed men and lands when fiendish fits were on. In their turn, they have been invaded and their capital cities have been razed to the ground or burnt to ashes. The history of all peoples has been much the same and littered with episodes good and not so good. But the long range value preference, the pride and grateful memory of Kannada poets has been, by and large, for tolerance and the arts of peace; for conservation. This is true not of poets alone but the Kannada people as a whole....
"Allied with this distrust of fanaticism and flamboyance is a certain unsparing insistence of self-discipline and style. It is expressed in the numerous stories about Visvesvaraya, in the fastidiousness of Generals Cariappa and Thimmayya, in the philosophical volumes of Professor Hiriyanna and in the dance of Shanta Rao. In its gentler form it can be detected in the lines and brush strokes of K.K. Hebbar, in the glances and drives of G. R. Vishwanath, in the meditative aalaap of Mallikarjun Mansoor, Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi, Kumar Gandharva and in the prose of R. K. Narayan, Kuvempu and U R Ananthamurthy.......
This should be the guiding spirit and belief of my fellow Kannadigas.......... I hope the wisdom and magnanimity will lead all of us through the turbulent times.
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