Mangaluru: “As rice is freely distributed to the people in the recent days, people don’t know the hardwork that goes behind producing it and the importance of agriculture. However, there is an immediate need to tell our younger generation about the importance of agriculture and the inner values of our festivities,” said senior journalist Shrikanth Shetty Karkala on Saturday, April 20.
Delivering a keynote address at a programme ‘Bisu Sammilana-2019’ organised by Bantara Yane Nadavara Mathru Sangha and various units of Bunts association from different taluks at Geetha S M Shetty Sabha Bhavan in Bunts Hostel, Shetty said, “the lifeline of Bunts community was agriculture in olden days, but, when food crops were replaced by the commercial crops, the culture and tradition attached to the agriculture activities vanished. People started to migrate from villages to towns and commercial buildings started to mushroom on agriculture lands. Hence, the value of Bisu has been forgotten by us in the recent days”.
Shetty informed about the need of celebrating Bisu fest and asked the parents and elders to involve children while celebrating any fest. “As there is close connection between Bisu fest and nature, we should involve our children in our fests, which helps them to be aware about the values of festivals”, he added.
Professor in AB Shetty Institute of Dental Science, Deralakatte Dr Amitha Hegde, the chief guest at the programme asked the elders and parents to teach the heritage values to the people.”Nowadays parents are always busy with their own work and they don’t have time to bother about their children. Such trends should stop. We need to respect our traditional values and culture”, she said.
Padmashri awardee Dr B M Hegde inaugurated the programme and wished success for all. Meanwhile, a progressive farmer Keshava Bhandary and two talented students Dr. Bhavishya Shetty and Pruthwi Rai were felicitated on the occasion.
Bantara Yane Nadavara Mathru Sangha president Ajith Kumar Rai Maladi presided over the programme. Programme convener S Jayarama Santha welcomed the gathering and co-convener K Umesh Rai Meginamane proposed vote of thanks.
Programme co-ordinator Dr Ashajyothi Rai, Association vice-president Kenchanur Somashekhar Shetty, general secretary Vasanth Shetty, treasurer Ravindranath S Shetty, Mangaluru Taluk Bunts’ Association president Raviraj Shetty Nidleguttu among others were present.
Later, the members of various Bunts’ associations presented cultural programmes, which enthralled the audience.
