Girish Karnad opens Mysore Dasara, exhorts people to shed blind

Girish Karnad opens Mysore Dasara, exhorts people to shed blind beliefs
by News Network
Friday, 26 September 2014 09:21
Mysore, Sep 26: Jnanpith awardee writer Girish Karnad, on Thursday, asserted that it’s high
time people shed blind beliefs and superstitions.
In his Dasara message, after inaugurating 404th Navaratri festivities atop Chamundi Hills here,
Karnad said, “When the country is making advancements in the field of space research, people
should come out of their deep-rooted misbeliefs that has gained ground in the last 25 years.
Though vaastu and astrology are a part of our culture, it is unwise to treat them on a par with
science by imparting education on the subjects, he said, referring to an attempt made by a
minister earlier to include them in the curriculum.
Reminiscence
Going down memory lane, Karnad reminisced ‘jamboo savari’ of the then Maharaja
Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar in 1956. It was the time when the State of Karnataka had unified
and it was feared that Dasara may not be held in future. Karnad said, “I was a student at
Dharwad and came down to Mysore to witness jamboo savari.”
Referring to the word Nada Habba being synonymous with Mysore Dasara, Karnad said, “Nada
Habba saw its birth in Dharwad in the 1920s, when a group of thinkers like Da Ra Bendre, Alur
Venkatrao and Betageri Krishna Sharma decided to organise the festival on a par with
Navaratri. It was also an attempt to rekindle the people’s love for Kannada in that part of the
State.”
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Girish Karnad opens Mysore Dasara, exhorts people to shed blind beliefs
by News Network
Friday, 26 September 2014 09:21
Saying that he was grateful to the government for inviting him to do the honours, Karnad
recalled his meeting with Pramoda Devi Wadiyar — wife of the late scion of the royal family
Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. “Soon after my name was announced to inaugurate
Dasara, I called on Pramoda Devi Wadiyar at Bangalore Palace, seeking her wishes. Though
she was in distress, she assured her cooperation,” said Karnad.
I'm a 'nasthika', but a believer!
After inaugurating the festival, he said: “It has been the debate during Dasara every year that
atheists should not inaugurate the festival, for the reason that they do not believe in the
existence of God.”
However, Karnad said the meaning of the word ‘nasthika’ is misunderstood for non-believers in
God by people who have been levelling the allegations.
Karnad said: “According to my understanding, nasthikas are those who despise the Vedas and
the caste system. If it is considered as the true meaning for the word, I am happy to be known
as a nasthika, while Jains, Buddhists and litterateurs of yore Pampa, Ranna and Janna also fall
in the same bracket.”
The writer said the exact word for ‘nasthika’ in Sanskrit is ‘nireeshwara,’ for people who do not
believe in the existence of Eshwara (god).
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who too elaborated on atheism, said: “I do not worship on my
own, but visit temples and shrines like Chamundi Hills and Male Mahadeshwara Hills. At home
too, my wife and children worship and I prefer to take mangalarathi, with the sole intention of not
hurting their feelings.”
Healthy debate
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Girish Karnad opens Mysore Dasara, exhorts people to shed blind beliefs
by News Network
Friday, 26 September 2014 09:21
Siddaramaiah said the debate (on atheism) remains for long and a healthy debate on the issue
is the need of the hour.
Referring to the protest staged by pro-Hindu groups comprising BJP, Bajrang Dal and Sriram
Sene against Karnad at the opening of the festival, Siddaramaiah said, “There is room for
differences of opinion in a democratic system.”
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Girish Karnad opens Mysore Dasara, exhorts people to shed blind beliefs
by News Network
Friday, 26 September 2014 09:21
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Girish Karnad opens Mysore Dasara, exhorts people to shed blind beliefs
by News Network
Friday, 26 September 2014 09:21
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