I wish Happy Kannada Rajyostava [Karnataka Rajyostava] to all the people of Karnataka and kannadigas around the world. as we all know this was the day in 1956 when all the Kannada language-speaking regions of South India were united to form the state of Karnataka.
on this occasion it is our duty to remember all those leaders and people who worked hard for the unification of Karnataka.
On Kannda Rajyothsava, we can usually find the flag with yellow and red color fluttering atop buildings, flag posts and vehicles. This is the official Kannada flag identified with the Kannada language, its people and Karnataka.
The Flag was designed by noted Kannada activists and writer, Ma.Ramamurthy. In the Kannada flag, the yellow colour is associated with turmeric and red with vermilion, both considered auspicious and applied over the forehead of mortals and gods alike.
Seetharama Shastri was a noted freedom fighter and litterateur. He had started the newspaper; Veerakesari in 1928 inspired by Balagangadhar Tilak and was jailed for professing nationalism and self-rule. Apart from being a journalist, Seetharama Shastri wrote several social and historical novels.
Born in a orthodox vedic family, learning Sanskrit became complusory for Ma.Ramamurthy. His school teacher Subramanya Iyyar made him to learn poems of Kumaravyasa, Harihara and Raagavanaka. after finishing his middle school, he came to Bangalore and joined Arya Vidya shaale at Gandhi Nagar.
Inspired by his father was drawn into the freedom movement during his student days. Under the influence of freedom fighter, Karlamangala Srikantiah, Ma.Ramamurthy took an interest in the study of Kannada classics.
Ma.Ramamurthy began his career as a journalist by translating the English news contents provided by a news agency into Kannada for publication in Veerakesari. Later he also started newspaper like Vinodhini and Kathavali.
To develop reading habit among Kannadigas, Ma.Ramamurthy started writing detective novels. Simple in style and low priced, these novels were meant especially to entertain the laymen. Some of his works were Rajadanda, Razkar Guptachara, Vaiyali Kaval, Aparadhiya Athmakathe, Mareyagidha Vajragalu, Yaravanu, Visha Kanye, etc. He has written more than 150 novels including historical and social.
During 1960s, theaters in K.G.Road and Majestic area in Bangalore gave first preference to non-Kannada movies. In cultural programs held in the city, non-Kannadiga artists were patronized and Kannada employees were subjected to humiliation by non-Kannadiga colleagues in public sector units for professing their love of Kannada.
The survival prospects for Kannada in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka was very grim. At that time a number of enthusiastic Kannada lovers including litterateurs decided to start an organization to fight for the cause of Kannada, Kannadigas and Karnataka. The result was the formation of Karnataka Samyuktha Ranga in 1962 with A.N.Krishna Rao as president and Ma.Ramamurthy as secretary.
A newspaper, ‘Kannada Yuvajana’ was started for creating awareness among Kannadigas with Ma.Ramamurthy as editor. Both A.N.Krishna Rao and Ma.Ramamurthy used to deliver talks on the need to protect Kannada language and culture in different localities of the city.
The celebration of Kannada Rajyothsava was initiated and youths all over the city and across the state organised for fighting the cause of Kannada and Karnataka.
In 1966 Ma.Ramamurthy founded the Kannada Paksha with a view to protect the interests of Kannadigas and Karnataka. But the party failed to make any impact in the elections held to local bodies and state assembly causing disillusionment to Ma.Ramamurthy. But Ma.Ramamurthy succeeded in creating awareness among Kannadigas of the need to develop pride in their language and organised them to fight for the cause of Kannada and Karnataka. The self confidence infused by Ma.Ramamurthy resulted in the Kannadigas asserting themselves in their land.
During 1960s and 1970s, migrants from a neighboring state used to hoist the flag of a political party as a show of strength. This was resented by Kannadigas and Ma.Ramamurthy and other activists used to personally bring down these flags. Kannada activists felt the dire need of having their own flag and the result was the yellow and red flag designed by Ma.Ramamurthy which we have today.
For carrying out protest against the humiliation heaped on Kannada and Kannadigas in their own land, Ma.Ramamurthy was booked under various cases by the police. Schism also appeared in the Kannada movement, which greatly disappointed Ma.Ramamurthy.
apart from this, the economic woes, which his family was facing made him think of withdrawing from the movement and he decided on carry out his livelihood by raising crops in his land at Kanakapura road, Thalagattapura, near Bangalore. To irrigate the field, Ma.Ramamurthy had a well dug. When water gushed out, he along with his two sons Diwakara and Manjunatha, went to inspect it when he suddenly the earth caved in and Ma.Ramamurthy along with his sons and three workers were buried alive on 25th December 1967.
Thus ended the career of a person who all along his life had passionately fought for the cause of Kannada, Kannadigas and Karnataka. It should not be forgotten that if not for the relentless fight for the cause of Kannada by activists like Ma.Ramamurthy, the status of Kannada language, Kannada films, Kannada theatre, Kannada publishing industry, in total the Kannada culture and ethos would have been precarious in cosmopolitan Bangalore today.
Source : Kanaja and
http://karnatakahistory.blogspot.in/2012/06/maramamurthy-creator-of-kannada-flag_20.html
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Happy Kannda Rajyostava
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