Inauguration of the five-day Nada Habba fest in Belagavi on Sunday
Presiding over the event, he called for mutual respect and harmony between Kannada- and Marathi-speaking communities and said linguistic disputes based on population figures should be avoided. Referring to historical accounts suggesting Kannada territory once stretched from Kaveri to Godavari, the Swamiji said Kannada must gain a firm foothold in border areas. Learning both languages would strengthen cultural unity, he added. Kannadigas should nurture love and pride for the language and pass it on to future generations.
Belagavi : Siddharama Swamiji of Tontadarya Math, Gadag, inaugurated the 99th edition of the five-day Naada Habba literary & cultural festival at Kannada Sahitya Bhavan in Belagavi on Sunday.
Former chief minister and MP Jagadish Shettar said Belagavi’s Naada Habba should be celebrated on the same scale as Mysuru Dasara . Regional commissioner KM Janaki said the festival presented Kannada heritage, culture and artistic splendour to the world. He sought greater support for programmes representing the region’s religious traditions, spiritual values and cultural heritage. Committee president Dr HB Rajashekhar, secretary CK Jorapur, vice-president RP Patil, Somalinga Mavinakatti, Annapoorna Hiremath, Jyoti Badami, Vijaya Hiremath and HI Timmapur attended.