Mangaluru, Dec 23: A grand procession that highlighted the communal harmony and culture of Tulu Nadu marked the beginning of Dakshina Kannada Karavali Utsav 2014 in the city on Tuesday.
Nitte University Chancellor N Vinay Hegde, who inaugurated the 10-day festivities by unleashing coconut flower at Karavali Utsava Maidan in the city, exhorted the people to shun the feeling of hatred which is in coastal districts from past few years.
He said that the festival started three decades ago with much hope, making the district a desired destination for all. Over the years, nothing much has changed and since about six years, only the atmosphere of hatred was visible, he regretted.
Breaking the barriers of parties, politicians should join hands to develop harmony between castes and communities in society, he said adding that trivial issues should not create clashes and bring black-mark to the district.
The disturbances, confined to a small geographical location, are seen as prevalent across the district by others. Everyone, including politicians cutting party-affiliations, has the onerous duty of restoring the honour of the district, Mr. Hegde demanded. An emotional Mr. Hegde said that at the age of 76, he is pained to see the present state of affairs and noted that the district is not the one now which it was a few decades ago.
District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai, who inaugurated the exhibition, said that the administration has plans to escalate the celebrations in the coming years. Though he wanted to commence such celebrations from this year itself, he could not as he was away owing to the legislature session.
Still, the organising committee, comprising officials and citizens, has done extraordinary well to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival, Mr. Rai said.
Stating that Dakshina Kannada is a district of many festivals, including Yakshagana and Kambala, Mr. Rai said that he wanted Kambala too to be part of this festival; it could be so from the next year. The Minister too hoped for prevalence of good sense among the people in the district in ensuring communal harmony.
The administration has also planned to honour one individual every year during the festival as the man/ woman of the year and a committee to select such an individual has been formed, Mr. Rai said.
In his introductory address, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim traced the history of the district and the festival and hoped that the celebrations would bring back the past glory of the district.
Ministers U.T. Khader and K. Abhayachandra Jain, Mayor Mahabala Marla, legislators, senior government officials, festival cultural committee president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura and Beach Festival Committee convener Yatish Baikampady were present.
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