Perhaps the only festival in India that marks the creation of a State, the Rajyotsava is a celebration of Karnataka and its culture that is observed by Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu. It is a festival that binds the peoples of a State, scattered across the nation, regardless of where they reside. It is a festival during which the language, culture, tradition and achievers of the State are either recognised or feted.
History would reveal that following the enactment of the States Reorganisation Act, portions of the princely states of Bombay and Hyderabad were added to the State of Mysore, which was renamed Karnataka on November 1, 1956. This event is celebrated as the Rajyotsava, a festival that is celebrated throughout the month.
Says K P Acharya, convenor of the Karnataka Rajyotsava Samiti, a conglomeration of Kannada organisations in and around Chennai, “The Rajyotsava is a celebration of the creation of Karnataka. It is a day in which Kannadigas unite, spanning barriers of religion, caste and creed.”
The Samiti has been organising the Rajyotsava celebrations annually in the city since 1995. In Bangalore, the State Government honours achievers from a gamut of spheres – ranging from literature to medicine and IT. The awards which are distributed by the Chief Minister are also presented to students who have excelled in national sporting events.
Also known as the Nadahabba or the festival of the State, the Rajyotsava celebrations traditionally begin with the hoisting of the Karnataka flag, a bi-coloured flag comprising horizontal strips of yellow and red and the recitation of the Nadageethe, a poem which is the anthem of the state. The Nadageethe was a composition of the noted literatteur, Kuvempu, and the first among the eight recipients of the Jnanpith award for Kannada — the Nadageethe, like the national anthem, is a description of the state’s bounty and glory. Acharya adds: “It is also an invocation to the state’s presiding deity, Bhuvaneswari.”
Any such celebration will invariably be followed by literary events, such as a recitation of poems or witty couplets (known as Chutuku Kutuku). Literary achievers are also felicitated. Dhruva, of the Kannadigara Koota, Besant Nagar, explains that events that make the audience laugh comprise the itinerary of the celebrations. “We congregate once a year; it is imperative that it is a happy affair.” Acharya adds, “Literary icons are asked to give guest lectures, also known as Bhasha Bandhavya, that educate the masses about the history and culture of the State.”
Traditional and folk dances such as the Bayalata, Dollu Kunita, Kamsale, Veeragase and Kolata and musical events also form part of the celebrations.
Both Acharya and Dhruva are unanimous when asked about the importance of the celebrations: “It is, in its essence, about telling the world that the Kannadigas are a cordial people.”