A role model for secularism is Kanakadasa, Minister Pramod Madhwaraj

A role model for secularism is Kanakadasa, Minister Pramod Madhwaraj

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Nov 18,2016: Speaking after inaugurating the Kanaka Jayanti celebrations, organised by the district administration in association with the Zilla Panchayat,  Udupi District In-charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said Kanakadasa was a secularist who stood above any caste system. The minister said that Kanakadasa should be a role model to all who believe in humanity and secularism. His preaching is ever-relevant, the minister said.

Stating that the saint shared a unique relationship with Udupi and the Sri Krishna Mutt, the minister said that Kanakadasa was a contemporary of seer Vadiraja and the rapport between two encountered strong opposition from various sections of society. Kanakadasa, who spent most of the years of his life in Udupi, had to undergo several ’litmus tests’ during the period.

The minister said that the period of Kanakadasa also witnessed rampant discrimination in terms of religion and caste. The saint who came to Udupi was least bothered about the availability of his Kuruba community populace. He settled down in Udupi although there were nobody belonging to Kuruba community in the region, he said.

Speaking about the installation of the Kanakadasa statue in Udupi, the minister said that the saga behind the installation is, itself, based on secularism. The idea to install the statue was proposed by the then minister Madhwaraj.

The statue was inaugurated by the then chief minister Nijalingappa, who belonged to the Lingayat community. The minister urged the people to follow Dasa Sahitya, which was promulgated by Kanakadasa - if not everything, at least a few, which would lead towards righteous path, he concluded.

Delivering a special talk on Kanakadasa, Mangalore University S V P Kannada study centre president B Shivaram Shetty said that the great saint discarded violence after he worked as soldier and became a saint, following his distress on violence. He proposed religious tolerance and tried to transform society into a casteless civilisation. Kanakadasa reiterated that there is no caste attached to the soul and tried bridging the differences between the people.

He said that the preaching of Kanakadasa, which is 500 years old, would surely offer solutions to the present day problems - Kanakadasa and his preachings are relevant forever, he added.

Kanakadasa’s is path of devotion  :  Speaking after offering prayers to saint Kanakadasa at Kanaka Gopura upon the arrival of Kanaka Sadbhavana Jyothi Rathayatra, which traveled all over the state before reaching the temple town OF Udupi,  Paryaya Pejawar Mutt seer Vishwesha Theertha Swami called upon people to follow the path of devotion propagated by saint-poet Kanakadasa which composes a secular approach towards inclusive society.

The seer said Bhakti (devotion) and Dharma (righteousness) should not be the possession of only a few people. Kanakadasa created a revolution on Bhakthi and discouraged corruption. Bhakthi Deekshe can be given to all right from Brahmins to Dalits. There is no harm in it, he felt.  He said Lord Krishna turned in opposite direction to give Darshan to Kanakadasa. The incident exemplifies the fact that Krishna was only bothered about devotion and not about the caste or religion of the devotees. Kanakadasa was a great saint, he lauded.

Kanakadasa temple :   Earlier, the seer told media that prayers will be offered to Kanakadasa statue on Car Street regularly. Sri Krishna Mutt has donated Rs 25 lakh to the temple of Kanakadasa. The temple work will be completed within a year and before the end of his Paryaya period, he added.  Kanaka Sadbhavana Jyothi Rathayatra Samithi state president Krishnamurthy said the temple will be built at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore. The temple tower construction has already started under the guidance of the architect Bhaskar at Mahablipuram. The temple structure will be shifted. The chief minister will inaugurate the temple, he said.