Tulu translations of novels, stories need of the hour

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Sep 16, 2019: Speaking at the Paniyadi Award ceremony organised at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College, Udupi  on september 15, Sunday;  Premier folk scholar and former vice chancellor of Hampi Kannada University Prof B A Viveka Rai said that Tulu is the language of Tulunadu and this very region.

The retired VC also stated that Tulu has every parameter now,  for immediate inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, however, consistent effort in taking up the matter has caused some neglect by authorities concerned. issue has left the language get unnoticed,” said the retired vice chancellor.

He gave a clarion call for pride and promotion of the local mother tongue and added that the language grows when people promote it. All other languages should be respected. English, Hindi and Kannada can be studied, however, Tulu should be the main language of conversation and literature in Tulunadu. Tulu should be identified and respected by the administration and people. Prof Rai added that Tulu is a language that is imbibed into the lives of all people without discrimination on the grounds of caste, religion, and belief.

Translation  :   Earlier, children were penalised for speaking Tulu in schools. Fortunately, these days, Tulu is being taken up for research in universities. Novels and stories in different languages should be translated into Tulu and vice versa.

Prof Rai stressed on the fact that Tulu is also gradually becoming popular owing to Yakshagana and other art forms like films here and in foreign countries. “The Tulu movement was started in 1834 in Udupi and Paniyadi contributed to the growth of Tulu language,” he pointed out.

The award was given to Akshatha Perla for the novel ‘Bolli’ and Rajasri T Rai for ‘Chowki’. Veteran Yakhagana Bhagavat Dinesh Ammanna was given the award ‘Samagere Nempu’.