Cultural extravaganza marks first day of Kittur Utsav

Source: The Hindu



Ministers perform puja, garland Rani Chennamma's statue

Colourful: Thousands of people took part in the ‘Janapada Kalavahini' , which was taken out from Rani Chennamma Circle to Kittur Fort on Saturday.

The skies over the historic Kittur town, the headquarter of the erstwhile princely state reigned by Rani Chennamma, echoed with deafening drum beats, even as thousands of enthusiastic revellers kept cheering thus heralding the commencement of three-day State-level Kittur Utsav-2010, here on Saturday.

The event also marks the celebration as “Vijay Utsav” – Rani Chennamma's historic revolt against the British Empire in 1824.

A large number of artistes and people from across the district and adjoining areas swarmed to the town to take part and witness the cultural extravaganza, which began with a ceremonial puja at the samadhi of Rani Chennamma in Bailhongal town.

Neelkanth Swami of Durdundeshwar Math – Murgod, Mahantesh Kaujalgi, MLC, and Jagadish Metgud, MLA, performed the ceremonial puja at the samadhi at 7.30 a.m. and also flagged off the “Veer Rani Kittur Chennamma Jyoti”.

At Kakti, the birthplace of Rani Chennamma near Belgaum city, Rachaiah Swami of Shivpuja Math, Satish L. Jarkiholi, MLA, Belgaum District Freedom Fighters' Centenary Celebrations Committee president S.A. Malgali and Uday Hiremath, resident of Kakti, offered puja to Rani Chennamma's statue in the village.

Ceremonial reception

Minister for Agriculture and district in-charge Umesh V. Katti, Minister for Minor Irrigation, and Kannada and Culture Govind Karjol, Suresh C. Angadi and Ramesh V. Katti, both MPs, and Deputy Commissioner Ekroop Caur accorded a ceremonial reception to the jyoti at Rani Chennamma Circle at the entrance of Kittur town in the afternoon.

Mr. Katti and Minister for Cooperation Laxman S. Savadi, prominent persons from Kittur town and senior officials of the district garlanded the statue of the queen.

Subsequently, Anantkumar Hegde, MP, flagged off the colourful “Janapada Kalavahini” – a cultural rally of different thematic tableaux depicting different socio-economic, historical and cultural facets of Karnataka in general and the erstwhile princely State of Kittur, folk troupes, bullock-cart chariots, puppets, dance troupes, singers, instrumentalists and folk dancers.