Basava Jayanti was celebrated by various organisations in Belagavi on Friday.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rahul Shinde inaugurated the celebrations by offering prayers to Sri Basavanna at Goaves Circle.
Later, a large procession was taken out in the city.
Folk artists performed along the route.
Young children dressed as Basavanna, Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu and other Sharanas participated.
Some women carried bundles of Vachana Sahitya on their heads, while others sang songs based on the Vachanas. The faithful raised slogans in the praise of Basavanna.
Some organisations also celebrated Basava Jayanti. Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar said that efforts are being made to base the administration of the State government on the principles preached by Basavanna.
It is the Siddaramaiah government that has declared Basavanna as the State’s cultural leader. “We are trying to run the government his principles,” she said.
She was speaking at the Basava Jayanti celebrations at the Sri Mallikarjuna Temple in the Old City.
“The principles of non-violence, Kayaka and dasoha are eternally relevant. It is the need of the hour to adopt these principles. The world is turning towards Basavanna’s ideas,” she said.
She said that the government’s projects, including the guarantee schemes, are based on Basavanna’s principle of equality and equal opportunity.
Community leaders like Parasurama Dhage, Basavaraj Hattimara, Neelakanth Hanchinamani, Sridhar Thigadi, Dutta Bandigani, Laxminarayan Kallur and others were present.
Youth Congress leader Priyanka Jarkiholi inaugurated the Basava Jayanti celebrations organised by the Rashtriya Basava Dala. She launched a programme to distribute about 50,000 litres of juice to the public.
Mayor Savita Kamble, leaders like Rajasekhar Doni, Anand Gudas, Santhosh Gudas, Basavaraj Shiggaonvi and M.R. Bendigeri and others were present.
KPCC general secretary Mahaveer Mohite participated in the Basava Jayanti and Shivaji Jayanti celebrations in Raibag.
