Swabhimani Kannadigara Samavesha - Bellary 19-20 Aug 2006

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike is perhaps the only organization really working for the cause of Kannada, Kannadiga, and Karnataka in today's Karnataka. We still remember the way in which its kaaryakartaru went and poured black on MES activist Vijay More in Belgaum. The whole of Karnataka appreciated Vedike for standing for the unity of Karnataka and teaching Vijay More the lesson that Karnataka is not mutely watching the illegal actions of MES.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike is conducting its 5th Swaabhimaani Kannadigara Samaavesha in Bellary on 19th and 20th August this year. Perhaps nobody understands more than the Vedike how important it is to strengthen our border areas. Important issues related to Kannada, Kannadiga and Karnataka will be discussed in the conference. Vedike workers and the who's who of the Kannada world from not just all over Karnataka, but also from abroad will be attending it in large numbers.

The conference is open for participation for all Kannadigas. We wish the conference success, and urge you to participate. It's also a good idea to mix a visit to Hampi on the trip! For further details mail kannada@karnatakarakshanavedike.org.

The problem of Samskruta in Kannada

Samskruta is undoubtedly a language with great literature (note that I don't call Samskruta itself a great language; there is no language which needs to be specially called a great language; all languages are great in their own right).

But unfortunately, it is becoming more and more of a differentiator of the haves and havenots in Karnataka. We are witnessing an explosion in the number of Samskruta words being used in Kannada literature. Whenever a new word has to be coined or a headline or a sentence has to be made "more attractive", it has become common practice to turn to Samskruta.

Worth special mention is the fact that Kannada is not a language derived from Samskruta. This is a total misconception/lie which is going around within and outside Karnataka (See "Kannada Barahavannu Saripadisona" by D.N. Shankara Bhat). Thousands of years of work on Kannada Grammar has been proven mostly wrong by Shri. Bhat, who argues that earlier grammarians have tried to apply Samskruta Grammar to a language which has really not much to do with Samskruta.

The problem with Samskruta words being used in Kannada sentences is twofold:

• They don't fit in well into Kannada sentences because of Mahapranas, Samyuktavyanjanas and Samskruta's inherent differences with Kannada (See "Kannadakke Beku Kannadadde Vyakarana" by D.N. Shankara Bhat)
• They're alien to most Kannadigas (For e.g., "horabaanu" is understood by most whereas "baahyaakaasha" is not!)

People end up using Samskruta words while writing/talking in Kannada for 3 reasons:

• They don't know the Kannada equivalents or can't coin them
• They think Kannada equivalents clash with common-usage
• They want to show off

All the above reasons are invalid, and continuing usage of Samskruta words in Kannada is taking Kannadias away and away from their souls.

Note that there is nobody really forcing Kannadigas to use Samskruta - it doesn't have the kind of market appeal which English has. Here, it is only the lack of real understanding of Kannada which is killing Kannada and Kannadigas and therefore Karnataka.

So go ahead and add Samskruta to the list of Kannada's problems.

Nothing said above should be interpreted to mean that we should not use a single Samskruta words. As Shri Bhat argues, Samskruta words can and must be used after necessary modifications in Kannada when there's no other go; but this usage has to be conscious and not an offshoot of a feeling of eliteness.

I've not tried to document examples of Samskruta usage in Kannada in this blog. The percentage is too much. The best way is to read Dr. Bhat's books.

We've got more work to do than we thought. Over and above the fools who are arguing that English should be taught from day 1 in school, we also have to fight the fools who think it's impossible to coin acchakannaDa words without the help of Samskruta (I was one of them until today).

ಮುಂಬೈ ಸ್ಫೋಟ - ಕಲಿಯಬೇಕಾದ ಪಾಠ

ಮುಂಬೈನಲ್ಲಿ ಇವತ್ತು ೭ ಕಡೆ ಸ್ಫೋಟಗಳಾಗಿ ನೂರಾರು ಜನ ಸತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ಏನು ಕಾರಣ? ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಾರಣಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳಲು ನಾನು ಹೊರಟಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ ಆ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಗೆಲ್ಲ ಮೂಲವಾಗಿರುವ ಕಾರಣವೊಂದನ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕೊಡುತ್ತೇನೆ.

ನಾಲ್ಕು ಜನರಿಗೆ ಒಬ್ಬ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನಿರಬೇಕೆನ್ನುವುದು ಸನಾತನಧರ್ಮವಿಹಿತ. ಹಾಗಿಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ ಮಿಕ್ಕ ನಾಲ್ವರಿಗೆ ಅಪಾಯ ತಪ್ಪಿದ್ದಲ್ಲ. ಆ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನು ಹತ್ತಿರದಲ್ಲೇ ಇರಬೇಕೇ ಹೊರತು ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ಏಲ್ಲೋ ಅಲ್ಲ. ನಮ್ಮ ಭಾರತೀಯ ಒಕ್ಕೂಟ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ದುರದೃಷ್ಟವಶಾತ್ ಪ್ರತಿ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರು ದೂರದ ಭಾರತ-ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನ ಮುಂತಾದ ಗಡಿಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗಿ ನಿಲ್ಲಬೇಕಾದ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಿದೆ. ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರವನ್ನು ಕಾಯಬೇಕಾದ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರು ದೂರದ ಪಾಕಿಸ್ತಾನದ ಗಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗಿ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದರೆ ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರವನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸುವವರಾರು? ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರದ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರು ನಾಯಿಗಳಂತೆ ಜಗಳಾವಾಡುವ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಗಳಾಗಿರುವಾಗ ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರದ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯ? ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರು ಹತ್ತಿರದಲ್ಲೇ ಇರಬೇಕಾದದ್ದು ಮುಖ್ಯ.

ಭಾರತದ ಗಡಿಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರು ಇರಬಾರದು ಎಂದು ನಾನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸಿ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ; ಅಲ್ಲಿರುವವರು ಅಲ್ಲೇ ಇರಲಿ, ಇಲ್ಲೂ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯ ಪಡೆಗಳು ನಿಲ್ಲಬೇಕಾದದ್ದು ಅತಿಮುಖ್ಯ.

ಪೋಲೀಸರು, ಇವತ್ತಿನ ವಿಧಾನ ಮಂಡಲ/ಸಭೆಗಳ ಅಯೋಗ್ಯ ಬೊಗಳುವ ನಾಯಿಗಳು ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರಲ್ಲ. ನಿಜವಾದ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯರು ಎದ್ದು ನಿಲ್ಲಿ! ಓ ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರದ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನೇ, ಎದ್ದು ನಿಲ್ಲು!

ಓ ಕನ್ನಡನಾಡಿನ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನೆ, ಎದ್ದು ನಿಲ್ಲು! ನಿನ್ನ ಕ್ಷಾತ್ರಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಪಾಲಿಸು! ಶತ್ರುವನ್ನು ಸದೆಬಡೆ! ಎದ್ದೇಳು ಕನ್ನಡನಾಡಿನ ರಕ್ಷಕನೆ! ಎದ್ದೇಳು!

Vijayakarnataka is dead; Times of India has started fixing Kannada news

On the day the Times of India (may its tribe decrease) took over the reigns of Vijayakarnataka, the newspaper died.

In a clear case of reporting only partial facts and facts which are inimical to the future of Kannada, Kannadigas and Karnataka, the 6 July 2006 edition of Bengalooru Vijaya, a supplement of Vijayakarnataka, reports that the 5th year celebrations of Radiocity 91 FM happened in Bengalooru. The paper completely hides the most important event of the day, viz. the attack by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike on the event site, the ensuing breaking of microphone sticks, the fact that the entire stage was uprooted by the workers of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. It is known to everybody in Bengalooru, why Kannadigas all over the world that THE FUNCTION DID NOT HAPPEN, AND RJ'S AND THE AUDIENCE HAD TO RUN IN FEAR.

Why didn't Vijayakarnataka report this at all?

• The Times group, which has taken over the paper, owns Radio Mirchi which has also come under the Vedike radar. Mirchi has been given an ultimatum to start airing 100% Kannada programmes or else...
• The boss of Vijayakarnataka is a Malayali. What else do you expect?
• Vishweshwara Bhat has become a pawn in the hands of TOI
• Ka. Ra. Ve. would have got quite a bit of publicity if it had reported it.
  

Arise, O Kannadiga! Look at the way outsiders are walking away with all this nonsense! Look at how your own fight for equality in your own land is being subdued by outsiders! If you have the slightest concern for Ka-Ka-Ka, stop buying Vijayakarnataka, stop buying the Times of India. They are out to destroy you column by column, news item by news item.

Reservations: the king's mistake and Sir M.V's stand

Perhaps the earliest instance of a Karnataka government screwing up on the issue of uplift of dalitaru is to be found in the wrong move made by His Highness Krishnaraja Wodeyar Bahadur of Mysore. Because of the king's unscientific though well-intentioned stand on the topic of reservations, Sir. M.V. resigned from the office of the Dewan of Mysore.

I quote Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah from his "Memoirs of my working life":

About the years 1916-1917 there was an agitation in Madras against the Brahmin community in view of the predominant position they enjoyed inthe Government services. This agitation spread to Mysore also. I was aware that non-Brahmin communities were backward on account of lack of higher education. The education problem had been vigorously attacked ever since I came to Mysore. I had arranged for the Mysore Government granting liberal scholarships to backward communities and depressed classes to encourage their education. Special steps were also taken to advance the prospects of mebers of backward communities in Government service. It was true that there was considerable inequality in preferment to offices and the Brahmin community had worked their way to the front. The policy adopted of spreading education rapidly was showing some results. As stated before, the school-going population had been nearly trebled. There was a desire in some quarters to hold back the proressive community by restricting their admission to educational institutions and otherwise reducing their opportunities for acquiring education. With this aim it was impossible to sympathise because it was an attempt to put back a section of the population which by its own special enterprise was going forward.

There was a definite proposal put forward by several leading members of the non-Brahmin community in Mysore to adopt the policy of the non-Brahmin leaders and their Press in Madras. A committee, presided over by Sir Leslie Miller, Chief Judge of Mysore, was appointed by His Highness the Maharaja to consider the question of adopting, in Mysore, measures similar to those advocated by the non-Brahmin leaders in Madras. My idea was that by spreading education rapidly and adopting precision methods in production and industry, the State and its entire population would progress faster. By ignoring merit and capacity I feared production would be hampered and the efficiency of the administration, for which we had been working so hard, would suffer. There was never any complaint that I favoured any particular community in making appointments. Nevertheless, I felt opposed to the establishment of the Miller Committee. His Highness the Maharaja seemed anxious to placate the backward communities and the leaders in the State who supported the policy advocated by the non-Brahmin leaders of Madras. After prolonged discussion and exchange of views for a considerable time, I obtained His Highness' consent to retire from service. Some time was required to arrange and place all new schemes in operation and other contemplated developments in a safe condition before I actually laid down office. So itw as agreed, some eight months beforehand, that I should retire at a convenient date at the end of the year. This arrangement was kept a closely guarded secret.

There is no doubt that Sir M.V. was right in his approach to solving the problem of the "backward communities". It is enlightening to note that one of the greatest sons of this soil opposed reservations - of the kind which is still in vogue - right back in 1916.

However, I am yet to understand Sir. M.V.'s stand on the application of Kannada in higher education. There seems to have been no work done by him which proves his undeterred belief in the fact (I'm saying that it's a fact) that Kannada is the only language through which his concept of "spreading education rapidly" would have been possible to his heart's content. If Sir M.V. hadn't realized it, he would have in due course of time. I think. Even if he wouldn't have, it's time we realize it.

Malayali nurses in Karnataka's hospitals: a closer look

[This blog avoids the fact that Malayali nurses are decent enough to learn Kannada in our hospitals. That's good, but that's not good enough.]

Ever been to a hospital in Karnataka and consciously counted the ratio of Malayali nurses to Kannadiga nurses? I believe the ratio is atleast 20:1. If you don't think this is disastrous news, there's something wrong with you!

Karnataka seems to have taken it for granted that the Nursing profession is made for Malayali women. What a suicidal thought this is! Of all the questions that arise in this regard, the most important ones are:

1. What are the kannaDiga women doing? Why are they not getting into Nursing Schools and becoming nurses?
2. Are kannaDiga women finding other jobs because of some sort of widespread dislike for Nursing?
3. Are nursing schools partial to Malayali women in some way?
4. Are kannaDiga women discouraged from working at all?

I don't know all the answers, but I believe the answers are all pointing in the direction of Karnataka's hospitals having more and more Malayali nurses as time progresses, and that is a disease which will consume our women and thereby our entire state.

We have to stop this decay. We need to encourage our women -- most of who are jobless, hopless, destitute, penniless, illiterate -- to take to Nursing as a serious profession. We have to educate the people to come out of the illusion that women should not work. We have to educate our women well so that they can start playing a greater role in the society -- a role greater than that of a baby-machine plus cook.

I leave you with two important questions:

1. Is the strong influence of Christianity in Kerala -- of which the most important thing here is the English language -- giving Malayali women an edge over Kannadiga women? Are they winning the ratrace to Nursing schools simply because the schools teach in English and our women are further removed from English than Malayali women (who come from a state with a strong Christian/English influence)?
2. If the answer to the above question is "Yes", do you advocate for converting our Nursing schools to Kannada medium or do you advocate for making our women learn English or converting them to Christianity?

If your answer to the second question above is "making our women learn English", you are an absolute fool with no faculties of futuristic thinking. You are too short-sighted to be able to tell right from wrong. Your short sight will give you good rewards in the short run, but in the long run you shall suffer. This is my claim.

If your answer to the second question is "converting our Nursing schools to Kannada medium", you are a serious thinker of Karnataka's good. Your long-sightedness gives you the faculty of telling right from wrong. You tend to cheerfully suffer in the short-run, but will have the last laugh when the fools have long started reaping the bitter reward of short-sightedness.

Disconnected hospitals must learn to use Kannada

There's a constant wail among Electronics/Electrical/Computer engineers that their work doesn't find application in their immediate surroundings. For example, they say, their software is for foreign companies which ply in "advanced markets".

Such claims are made only by fools, but that's not the topic of this blog. Let's talk about doctors and hospitals.

Do doctors have to search abroad for an "advanced market" in which their "advanced skills" can be sharpened/used? No sir, no madam! The advanced market for doctors is right here in Karnataka! The most important trait of this advanced market is that the patients speak Kannada and not goddamned english. Then why are all the admission forms in English? When they are also in Kannada, why is the Kannada part on the wrong side of the sheet? Why are all the signboards in English? Why is it a Labour Room and not "herige-mane" or "prasooti kONe"? Why does the receptionist who answers the phone talk English to begin with?

[I will come to the issue of Malayali nurses in a seperate blog. But I would be wrong in saying that they don't speak Kannada. The Malayali nurses are decent enough to learn Kannada in most hospitals.]

Hospital management in Karnataka must start from first principles: Use Kannada in Karnataka. It is very important for you and me to oppose the use of English in our hospitals. It is important for doctors to realize that there is no Englishman trying to pat their backs and throw a biscuit more into their mouth (any more) for their excellent display of English signboards all over the hospital. Service to patients includes speaking to them in Kannada to begin with.