Bengaluru-based advocate sends legal notice to clear the Statue near Kushalnagar; Kannada activists oppose move

Kushalnagar/Periyapatna:

The Statue of Cauvery on the border of Mysuru-Kodagu near Kushalnagar has become a flashpoint with a Bengaluru-based advocate sending a legal notice to Periyapatna Tahsildar to clear the Statue as it obstructs smooth traffic. 

This legal notice has, however, irked Kannada activists who have demanded that the legal notice must not be considered and the Statue must be retained in as-is where-is condition. 

The notice has been issued by High Court advocate Amruthesh to Periyapatna Tahsildar under Mysuru District Administration. The Statue, however, is situated in the land that comes under Kodagu District and a banyan tree near the Statue is considered as the actual border area and belongs to Koppa, under Mysuru District.

Whoever travelling from Mysuru to Kodagu via Bylakuppe and Kushalnagar can see the big Statue of Cauvery that has been established by the side of the road. The Statue was installed at this point to convey a message to tourists that they are entering Kodagu the birthplace of River Cauvery that is a lifeline of people of Mysuru, Bengaluru, Mandya and Tamil Nadu where the river is considered holy. 

The notice has, however, stirred a hornet’s nest as the advocate has claimed that the Statue obstructs traffic on National Highway 275 and it must be cleared. Many rituals including pujas, homas and havanas are held near the Statue frequently and this obstructs traffic. As per the norms of National Highways, the Statue must be cleared, advocate Amruthesh said in his notice. 

The Statue was constructed in 2013 by Baravi Kannada Abhimanigala Sangha at an estimated cost of Rs. 16 lakh. Later, protective walls were built around the Statue. In his notice, Amruthesh further argued that as per Supreme Court guidelines, no religious structures should come up beside National Highways and this Statue on NH 275 violates the Supreme Court orders. 

Amruthesh basically hails from Somwarpet in Kodagu District and is at present settled in Bengaluru. His notice has ruffled the feathers of Kannada activists who alleged that Amruthesh was doing this to gain cheap publicity. The Karnataka Kaavalu Pade has urged the Mysuru District Administration and Periyapatna Tahsildar not to give importance to the legal notice. They have submitted memorandums in this regard. 

Periyapatna Tahsildar Shwetha confirmed that the legal notice has been sent. “We will have to examine the notice first and then take a call. Also, it is a Statue, not a religious place. We will make this point clear to the advocate,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Baravi Kannada Abhimanigala Sangha President Babindra Prasad said that the Statue was a public property and the Sangha is pained to hear about the legal notice. 

“The land on which the Statue stands comes under Kodagu District and Periyapatna Tahsildar has no jurisdiction over it. Permission to construct the Statue was obtained from the Kodagu and Mysuru Public Works Department and 13 other Departments including Karnataka State Pollution Control Board in 2008 and officials from Mysuru and Kodagu districts have done spot inspection and cleared the Statue. It was constructed and inaugurated in 2013 and there is no illegality in this,” he said. 

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / February 05th, 2021

Mysore/Mysuru:

‘Girijanotsava – Namma Jana Namma Samskruti,’ a programme to showcase the folk art of tribal community has been organised by Rangayana, Mysuru, at Karmadu village in Kodagu on Feb. 23 from 10 am to 6 pm.

MLC Shantaram Budna Siddi will be the chief guest. MLA K.G. Bopaiah will be present.

Vanavasi Kalyana Kendra- South Zone President Krishnamurthy will be conducting a seminar on the occasion.

‘Girijanotsava’ is one among the two projects taken up by Rangayana, Mysuru, in association with the Department of Kannada and Culture, under its Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), to create social awareness among tribal communities.

The other event titled ‘Giri Rangapayana – Arivinedege Adivasi’ featured 10-day theatre training camp to 12 tribal youth from Bommadu tribal village located near Nagarahole forest area in Kodagu district, starting from Jan. 27.

The participants of the training camp will be staging street play at 15 haadis (tribal hamlets) in Kodagu. The inaugural street play was staged at Bommadu on Feb. 3. The play is directed by theatre artist N. Srinivas.

Nataka Academy Member Radha, who also belongs to ST community, is the convenor of this camp.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / February 07th, 2021

Rangayana Director Addanda C Cariyappa said that the repertory has launched ‘Adivasigalatta Rangayanada Chitta’, a programme to reach out to the tribal community people, from Wednesday.

Addressing a media conference here, on Wednesday, he said, “There are two initiatives: Giri Rangapayana with a street-play ‘Arivinedge Adivasi’ (tribals towards knowledge) and Giri Janothsava, a convention with tagline ‘Namma Jana, Namma Samskruthi’ (our people, our culture).”

“Under Giri Rangapayana, ‘Arivinedge Adivasi’ will be staged in the evenings in 15 tribal colonies (haadi) of Kodagu district, from Wednesday. The first street-play show was at Bommadu, near Nagarahole. Twelve artistes were chosen and trained in a 10-day camp at the Tribal Residential School at Bommadu for the street-play, based on social issues. While Radha Kodagu from the tribal community is the convener of the streetplay, Na Srinivas is the director,” he said.

Cariyappa said, “Giri Janothsava is held at Karmadu in Kodagu district on February 23 to showcase the art and culture of the tribal people.

Tribal people from various parts of the state will present their folk art. MLC Shantharam Siddi, MLA K G Bopaiah and Krishnamurthy of Vanavasi Kalyana will participate in a seminar.”

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> States> Karnataka Districts / by T R Satish Kumar, DHNS Mysuru / February 03rd, 2021