Halakatti’s contribution to unearthing hidden Vachana works commended

Celebrating Pha. Gu. Halakatti's pivotal role in preserving Vachana literature and the 12th Century social revolution led by Basavanna.

Hailing the contribution made by Pha. Gu. Halakatti in unearthing Vachana literature and shedding light on the 12th Century social revolution led by Basavanna and other Sharanas (poet-reformers), Aland MLA and Chief Minister’s Advisor B.R. Patil has said that Halakatti was a man that the world will always remember for his remarkable work.

“When the Sharanas led the oppressed and marginalised communities in the socio-cultural revolution of the 12th Century, many of the leading Sharanas were attacked and killed. Thousands of Vachanas that the Sharanas had composed on palm leaves were destroyed. The remaining Vachanas remained hidden for centuries until Pha. Gu. Halakatti recovered them. He was a great scholar that the world must always remember,” Mr. Patil said, after inaugurating the 145th birth anniversary celebrations of Halakatti, which was named Vachana Sahithya Samrakshana Dinacharane (Vachana Literature Conservation Day), at S.M. Pandit Ranga Mandir in Kalaburagi on Tuesday.

The event was organised jointly by the district administration, the Department of Kannada and Culture, the Kalaburagi City Municipal Corporation and the Zilla Panchayat.

Stressing the need for taking Vachana literature to the young generations through debates, seminars and public discourses, Mr. Patil said that making the young understand the essence of the Vachana literature is an effective way for inculcating noble values such as equality, freedom, fraternity and the importance of labour and co-existence.

Scholar Meenakshi Bali gave a brief introduction to the life and works of Halakatti.

“Halatakki was taller than Gol Gumbaz in Vijayapura. A public prosecutor by profession, Halakatti took special interest in unearthing Vachanas buried in history and made them available to the people. He spent his entire life for the cause. If we have Vachanas today, it was the result of the hard work and unrelenting efforts of the great man,” she said.

Kalaburagi South MLA Allamprabhu Patil presided over the event.