Additional Deputy Commissioner of Haveri Pujar Viramallappa has said that the contribution of researcher and publisher Fakirappa Gurubasappa Halakatti (better known as Fa.Gu. Halakatti) in conservation and propagation of Vachana literature is immense.
He was speaking at the birth anniversary of Fakirappa Gurubasappa Halakatti after paying floral tributes to the man who is credited with reviving Lingayatism through his efforts in collecting and publishing Vachanas in the first half of the 20th century.
The programme was jointly organised by the Haveri district administration, the Zilla Panchayat, the Department of Kannada and Culture at Hosa Mutt in Haveri on Tuesday.
Mr. Pujar said that despite facing financial crisis, Mr. Halakatti remained undeterred to the cause of conservation and proliferation of Vachana literature. He collected, edited and printed books on collection of Vachanas of the 12th century Vachanakaras and distributed them among the general public for the sake of spreading the message of social reforms enshrined in the Vachanas.
“Fa.Gu. Halakatti has served in the field of cooperation, social and educational sector and after realising that the Vachanas could bring about social changes and make people imbibe moral values, he dedicated himself to the work of collection of Vachanas of the 12th century Vachanakaras that had been long discarded and forgotten by many. The young generation should derive inspiration from his works by reading about his life and contribution,” he said.
Delivering a talk on Fa.Gu. Halakatti, Head of the Department of Manuscripts of Hampi Kannada University K. Ravindranath termed him as a Sharana of modern Karnataka.
“While 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara led to the birth of Vachana literature, Fa.Gu. Halakatti went around the State for the sake of collecting discarded and forgotten manuscripts of the Vachanas. His quest in search of Vachanas resulted in the unearthing of 1,000 copies of manuscripts through which he threw light on over 300 Sharanas. Not only that, he established Hitachintaka Printing Press for the sole purpose of publishing 68 compilations of Vachanas,” he said.
Prof. Ravindranath said that Mr. Halakatti saw the objectives and aspirations of the Indian Constitution in the Vachanas and discontinued his profession as lawyer for the sake of collecting Vachanas. Fa.Gu. Halakatti’s stand was that if Kannada literature had to survive, it would be only through Vachana literature, he said.
Presiding over the programme, Sri Basava Shanthalinga Swami spoke on the life and contribution of Fa.Gu. Halakatti. In the programme that began with the rendition of Vachanas, Maruti Shidlapur of Vachana Sahitya Parishat, activist M.S. Korishettar and others participated.
