BELGAUM: The inmates of Hindalga Jail celebrated the birth anniversary of father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi in a unique manner on Saturday.
Jnanapeeth Award winner DR Bendre Day was organised in the jail to mark the stay of the poet at the jail as a convict in June 1932. The poet had written a poem called ‘Nara Bali’ (human sacrifice), which the British termed a conspiracy to destabilise the Government of India.
Bendre was then a teacher at Vidyaranya High School at Dharwad, which was then known as National High School and was producing nationalists. The poet was asked to explain in writing that there was nothing offensive in the poem against the British for the government to release him. However, the poet refused to explain the poem saying it is not the duty of the poet to explain the meaning of his work.
The poet was kept in Hindalaga jail and later moved to Mugad, a village near Dharwad, where he was kept under house arrest.
DR Bendre National Memorial Trust had organised a programme at Hindlaga jail to remember the poet. Latha Jagirdar sang poems written by Bendre.
BR Nadagouda of Sindagi, who was a close associate of Bendre, recalled his friendship with the poet.
Trust chairman Dr Shamsunder Bidarkundi said Bendre was a fearless poet. Poetess Ranjana Naik sang poems written by Bendre. G Veerabhadraswamy, the superintendent of Hindalga jail was also present.