Village deities essentially need intensive study: Siddalingaiah

Village deities essentially need intensive study: Siddalingaiah

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 06, 2016: Speaking on the topic of “Speaking Gods” (Mathanaduva Devarugalu) at the inaugural function of the six-day Navarati Special Literary Lecture Series organised by the Sri Krishna Mutt at Udupi,  Rajangana,  Dr. Siddalingaiah, writer, has said that it was essential to do a deep and intensive study of village deities (Grama Devaru).

Dr. Siddalingaiah said that a rural or village deity represented the history and lifestyle of a people, their trials and tribulations in the rural areas. “We should not ignore the village deities. Ignoring them is akin to ignoring rural and folk wisdom. Village deities are part of rural life. They should not be neglected,” he said. Giving several examples of importance of rural deities in his lecture, Dr. Siddalingaiah pointed out that rural or village deities were close to the people in rural areas. “People in rural areas saw deities or forms of deities in trees and mountains. They believe nature is their deity. They have close connection with their deities,” he said.

Dr. Siddalingaiah said that his opinion about rural deities changed as he did deep research on the subject for his Ph.D thesis. “Earlier, I had an attitude of neglect about these deities. But as I started research in the matter, my respect for them grew immensely,” he said.   Talthaje Vasanth Kumar, scholar, who spoke on the topic of “Our environment”, bemoaned the reckless destruction of trees in the name of development in the country. A change in the mindset about protection of environment was the need of the hour, he said.

Presiding over the function, Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt said that both cultural and environmental protection was essential for the country. The village deities had played a vital role in rural areas. They did work which government officials and normal courts could not do. They have played a significant role in maintaining morality in rural areas. In villages, people could talk to the village deities. The deity thus comes across as having more concern for the problems of the people, he said.

Vishwaprasanna Tirtha, junior seer of Pejawar Mutt, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, president of the Dakshina Kannada District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, and B. Narasimhamurthy, chairman of Udupi Urban Development Authority, were present.