“There is nothing called previous birth or rebirth. The work we do in this birth is important. That is the reason why Basavanna and other Sharanas and saint-poet Kanakadasa outrightly rejected the Karma philosophy and superstitions surrounding birth,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 536th Kanaka Jayanti (birth anniversary of Kanakadasa) at Kanaka Guru Peetha of Kaginele in Haveri district on Wednesday.
Lauding seer of Kanaka Guru Peetha Sri Niranjananandapuri Swami for organising the Bhavaikyata Samavesha, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that Kaginele Guru Peetha should never be a chair restricted to a particular caste. “It should be a base for all suppressed communities,” he said.
Highlighting the futility of fighting over caste and community, the Chief Minister said: “None of us applied to take birth in a particular community. Human beings should love their fellow beings. Kanakadasa gave to the world human love that is above the barriers and shackles of caste, community and religion. He fought illiteracy and inequality in society,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah recalled that Kanaka Guru Peetha was not meant to be a religious chair of Kurubas when it was established. It was established with a view that it should be a chair for all suppressed communities, he said.
“Religion exists for our sake. We don’t exist for the sake of religion. This what Kanakadasa meant when he called upon everyone not to fight over caste and creed. Basavanna asked us to treat everyone as one of us. Poet Kuvempu said what once we take birth, we belong to the world. B.R. Ambedkar propagated egalitarian society. The vision of all saints and social reformers is the same. We should try to inculcate what they said in our lives,” he said.
The Chief Minister released a children’s novel titled Kanakana Hejje written by Malleshappa Horapete on the occasion.
Kumbhabhisheka
In the grand event held in the presence of Sri Niranajananandapuri Swami, the Kumbhabhisheka of Sri Revanasiddheshwara, Sri Beeralingeshwara, Sri Mailaralingeshwara and Sri Mahasiddheshwari was performed.
Sri Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami of Moorusavir Mutt, Hubballi, Syed Mohammed Tanweer Hashmi of Hasheem Peer Dargah of Vijayapura, Bishop Reverend Alfons Fernandes took part in the convention.
Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Lamani, Ministers Byrati Suresh, Shivanand Patil, Madhu Bangarappa, the former Ministers H.M. Revanna, MLAs B.G. Govindappa, U.B. Banakar, Prakash Koliwad, Srinivas Mane and several others were present.
