The
Progressive Literary and Cultural Movements in
Karnataka
since 1936
·
Shivananda S,
·
Vasantharaja N K,
· Dr. Vittal Bhandari
We propose to give in this paper,
an account of progressive literary and cultural movements in Karnataka in the post-1936
phase i.e. since the beginning of an all-India progressive literary and cultural
movement led by PWA/IPTA. At the outset we may state that the direct impact of
PWA/IPTA in Karnataka was quite limited. It was limited to initiating Pragathisheela
literary movement in early 1940s. Most other literary and cultural movements
since then have been ‘home-grown’, arising out of specific trajectory of
developments in Karnataka in cultural and socio-political spheres. We would deal in some detail four most
significant cultural movements in Karnataka – Vachana, Pragatisheela,
Dalita-Bandaya and Samudaya. We try to give an of account factors and
circumstances leading to birth of these movements, their achievements and
shortcomings, their historical role and reasons for their decline. We have taken up Vachana movement also in
this paper, though it does not belong to this period. Yet we have discussed it
not only because it is a prototype of comprehensive progressive cultural
movement. Also it will be ahistoric to
discuss progressive cultural movement in Karnataka without referring to Vachana
movement.
We would also give an account of
progressive currents in Kannada literature in pre-Pragatisheela,
post-Pragatisheela and post-Dalita-Bandaya phases. Although Samudaya is the only
progressive cultural (mostly theater) movement with state-wide impact, we would
touch upon briefly activities of Dalita Kala Mandalis, and few others. We would
limit our discussions to literature and theater. We are not equipped to discuss
progressive cultural movements in other forms such as cinema, painting, music,
dance, folk forms.
It is our view that given the
regional, national and international resurgence of socio-political movements, a
new literary and cultural movement is the need of the hour. We also deal with
objectives of such a movement and what it can learn from earlier progressive
movements.
I
Vachana
movement
It would be ahistorical to talk about modern progressive literary and
cultural movements of Karnataka, without
referring to Vachana movement of the
12th century. The Vachana
movement made significant impact on the social, religious and cultural spheres
and has given a new dimension to Kannada literature. It was led by Basavanna who was spiritual as
well as revolutionary in his ideas and actions. He united the downtrodden, de-classified and identified himself as a member of
untouchable community. He condemned the caste system, sex discrimination and
superstitious beliefs and opposed the construction of temples and animal
sacrifices. He also gave a sense of dignity to labour i.e. traditional
occupations. He encouraged the untouchables and downtrodden people to voice
their inner emotions and sufferings in their own dialect in the form of vachana. The innumerable male and female
vachanakaras joined his movement. He
also tried to conduct an inter-caste marriage between a Brahmin & an
untouchable which ended in bloodshed. Basavanna, Akkamahadevi, Allama Prabhu, Madara
Chennaiah, Siddarama, Molige Maraiah, Ambigara Chowdaih, Jedara Dasimaiah,
Ayadakki Lakkamma, Goggavve, Sule Sankavva & many more have sung their vachanas. It is said that there were
nearly more than 60 female vachanakaras.
For the first time in the history, literature
became the voice of the toiling masses. The
movement was crushed violently by the King Bijjala and the upper caste priests because
it was threatening the very basis of Varna
system.
Even now the impact of Vachana movement is widespread amongst
toiling masses and a great source of inspiration to any progressive writer or
movement. Even now vachanas are
remembered, recited widely and are very much alive amongst people as well as
literary circles. Purandara and Kanaka Dasas
(part of Bhaktipantha found all over
India) and Tatvapadakaras were
successors of the Vachana movement in
later centuries, although they never achieved the same heights. Vachana movement still is unique in
Karnataka (perhaps in whole of India) for combining socio-political, religious,
literary-cultural aspects into one comprehensive movement, and its wide continuing
impact.
II
Pragatisheela
movement
While assessing the achievements
and limitations of the Progressive movement in Karnataka, normally our literary
historians and critics have depicted the progressive phase with the Pragatisheela (progressive) movement only
which held its sway from 1943 to 1952. This was the ‘official’ period when the
movement was visible and prominent. But they have not considered some literary undercurrents
before and after, official ‘period’ of the Pragatisheela movement as parts of
the movement. In view of this, we may identify three phases of Pragatisheela
movement in Kannada literature. In our view, Pre-Pragatisheela Phase and
Post-Pragatisheela Phase are not separate but integral parts of the movement. While
former explores the formative period, latter continuing impact – constituting a
continuous whole. Even though the Pre-pragtisheela Phase belongs to Navodaya (Renaissance) period that the Pragatisheela writers dubbed as ‘romantic’
and the Post-Pragatisheela phase belongs to Navya
(modern) period which crushed the zeal of the Pragatisheela movement, they were not exclusive in their content.
In spite of such phasing based on dominant trends, we should break such
barriers and they need to be linked together to get a whole picture of the
movement and its impact on Kannada literature.
(i) Pre-Pragatisheela Phase:
Some
of the Kannada writers had written outstanding and astonishing works during
30’s at the time when there was no strong progressive movement yet at all India
level or provincial level. But it seems they were indirectly influenced by the
Great October Revolution of 1917 and revolutionary ideas of Lenin. For example,
the first biography on Lenin was published in Kannada during 1923 by Gorakha
from Hubli. It is probably the earliest recorded evidence of Marxian thought in
Kannada.
Kuvempu and Bendre, the two great poets of the
Navodaya period, voiced the social
concerns with new poetic imagery of flesh and blood. Kuvempu wrote some sonnets
on Lenin and Tolstoy way back in1935 itself. He addresses Lenin with full of poetic
imagery such as thunder roar, son of Jamadadgni, a threat to
aristocrats, deity to working mass and Kalki, a revolutionary avatar. In a sonnet called `Kranti Kaali’ i.e. Goddess of the Revolution,
declares that the poet should not be unrealistic and escapist in his
creation and not to concern himself with futile things but to sing the songs of
poverty, hunger, labour, pick-axe, crowbar and sweat. In another sonnet called `Bekku-Ili’(Cat-Rat),
the poet expresses his anguish for the exploitation of the scavenger, labourer,
farmer and poor. It was he who threw away
the age old theory of `Arts for Arts sake’. We may see some of the lines from
his poetry:
`` Listen, the voice of the new age
has arrived
Equal life and Equal share to one
and all !” - [Hosa Balina Geete: 1935]
`` Come out from the Temples,
Churches, Mosques,
To root out the roots of the Poverty,
To push out the evil of obscurantism/irrationalism’’. - [O Banni Sodarare :1935]
``Old Time is being passed on,
New Time is coming,
Coming up with new vision with new desires!
Russia, until recently the hateful slum of the West,
Is today a Nandana, the smiling garden,
Asia, hitherto sleeping, is now
roaring like a Lion ! –[Tarunarira eddeli: 1935]
Yet poems like `Gobbara’ (manure)
and `Negila yogi’ (Saint Farmer) sing the glory and dignity of labour
culture and agriculture. It should also be mentioned here that the same poet was
critical about Russia in his poem `Kogile (cuckoo) and Soviet Russia’ written
in 1936. He visits Russia in his dream and sees the abundant materialistic
prosperity everywhere but mechanical life elsewhere and all were equal but
without inner life and freedom. By this, the poet cannot be labeled as
anti-Russia, anti-revolution and anti-progressive; instead we may say that Kuvempu was in search of a land wherein
both materialistic prosperity and freedom exist.
Da.Ra.Bendre too gave an indepth
expression to the sufferings of exploitation, inequalities, injustice and
hunger in his poems. `Tuttina cheela’ , `Annavatara’, `Kurudu Kanchana’,
`Manuvina Makkalu’ `Daridra Narayana’ are witness to such Socialistic expressions.
``The inner voice of the belly of
the poor,
Is roaring and is out to upset everything.
Is bent on swallowing the entire universe” - [Tuttina
Cheela: 1938]
``All gods have come on earth
Yet the sufferings of the people have not gone.
But the God of Rice has not yet come’’ - [Annavatara: 1938]
Whereas `Kurudu Kanchana’
(Blind Money) depicts the ruthless oppression and exploitation of myriad power
of money i.e. Capitalism. `Krodha ketana’, a poem written by V.
Seetaramaiah, another Navodaya poet, is
noteworthy here.
Similarly, Shivarama Karantha,
the great novelist, wrote `Chomana Dudi’ (Choma`s Drum) in 1933, depicts
the tragic life of Choma, an untouchable and landless laborer, who desires to
have his own land but in vain. We may also cite here short stories of
Bharatipriya`s `Mochi’ (1932) and Koradkal Srinivasarao`s `Dhaniyara
Satyanarayana’(1938).
The above creative works penned
by Kuvempu, Bendre and Shivarama Karantha were the literature of what we now
call `Social Realism’. The
pre-progressive phase, as explained, was a harbinger of Progressive ideology.
ii.
Pragatisheela Movement
The first important event was ShreeRanga
[Prof. R.V. Jagirdar], a noted playwright, who participated in the 4th
All India Progressive Writers Conference held on May, 22 to 24th, 1943
at Bombay and presented a literary scene prevailing in Kannada with progressive
aspects. He was also elected as a member of the executive committee. During the same year in December 1943, Karnataka
Pragatisheela writers Association came into existence under the leadership of A.N.Krishnarao
(Aa.Na.Kru).
The following writers were
identified with the new movement: (Apart from the above) Niranjana, Ta.Ra.
Subbarao, Nadigera Krishnaraya, Anatha Padmanabha Sogal, V.M. Inamdar, Krishna
Kumar kallur, Da.Ba. Kulakarni, D.K. Bharadwaj, V.K.Gokak, Gowrish Kaikini, Archika
Venkatesh, Seva Namiraja Malla, B.M. Idinabba, Kayyara Kinnanna Rai,
P.K.Narayana. Hiremallur Eishwarn, Ko. Channabasappa, Patil Puttappa,
Dasharathi Dixit, Beechi, Kumara Venkanna, S. Anantanarayana, Ma.Na. Chowappa, Thee. Tha. Sharma, K.Srikanteshwaran,
Basavaraja Kattimani, Chaduranga, Dodderi Venkatagiri Rao, Devudu, Vasudeva
Bhoopalam, HSK & others.
The Pragatisheela movement
emerged as a revolt against Navodaya
literature. Navodaya writers tried to
keep distance from politics; whereas Pragatisheela
writers held that politics be reflected in literature. They proclaimed that the
problems of working class, the difficulties and predicaments of the peasants,
exploitation and oppression of the dominant class shall be depicted and unraveled
in literature.
The Association was quite active from
1943 to 1947. It conducted meetings, campaigns and brought out some
publications like `Pragatisheela Sahitya’-(1944), an anthology of essays,
had become a Red Book of the movement. `Rasa Rushi’- an anthology of
poems, and `Maxim Gorky’, `Russian Stories’, `Soviet Culture’, `Pragatisheela
Kathegalu’ were other publications. But by the year 1948, the organization
started to disintegrate due to ideological differences that erupted between
Aa.Na.Kru and Niranjana. The movement faded away by 1952, the year in which the
last meeting was held by the Aa.Na.Kru fraction at Hiriyur, wherein his book `Sahitya
mattu Kama prachodane’ was released which was written in defense of ‘obscenity’
literature. This clearly indicated the decadence of the movement.
Three major aspects were absent
in the movement. (1) The Absence of literary criticism and critical analysis
due to which the Pragatisheela
writers failed to resolve their internal conflicts and controversies and the
external onslaught too. (2) Non-representation from women writers. But we may
see the impact of the movement and the progressive elements in the novels of
Triveni, M.K. Indira and Anupama Niranjana, even though they did not declare
themselves as Pragatisheela writers.
(3) The absence of poets in the movement. It was dominated by fiction writers. They might have felt that poetry was not their medium
of expression and poetry may not grasp realistic details of social life. But due to this, they lacked the poetic and
symbolic use of language in its subtleties.
The aesthetic critics always pose
one question - how many ‘excellent’ creative
works were produced by the movement. But it needs to be stressed here that the
primary aim of such progressive movements is or was not the task to produce ‘excellent’
works only, but to create new awareness & consciousness in the social,
political and cultural spheres with an objective to build a new order. Even
though the movement was short lived, it has left its imprints on Kannada
literature. Some of the novels like `Chirasmarane’ and `Vimochane’ by Niranjana, jwalamukhiya mele’, `Swatantradedege’
and `Madi Madidavaru’ by Basavaraja Kattimani have been acclaimed as the
remarkable works of the Pragatisheela movement.
Even though the prominent writers
like Aa.Na.Kru. and Ta.Ra.Su. drifted to revivalist ideology, many more works
of the Pragatisheela movement have
been discarded, scrapped and brushed aside by the critics of the Navya School with their own tools of
criticism on the pretext of lack of artistic expressions, overt expressions
with melodramatic sentimentality, creation of black and white characters with
superfluous emotions, etc. But this kind
of Navya criticism certainly does not
give justice to the pragatisheela works and, hence, works produced during the
movement need a fresh look and reassessment.
The Pragatisheela writers intended to write on contemporary
issues of poverty, caste system, prostitution which were haunting the lives of
common folk. It was their prime concern to depict ugly faces of exploitation,
injustice, cruelties, and evils of the existing social structure wherein feudal
(zamindari) and priestly forces were dominant. They wrote such stories in a
simple diction which can reach the literate people. If they have failed in
their treatment of themes, it was due to ideological confusions and
predicaments prevailing in the political sphere. There was no strong progressive political movement and organization at that
time. Karnataka was divided among many princely states (e.g. Mysore, Hyderabad
and many other smaller ones) and British provinces (Bombay, Madras). Even in
areas of British provinces, democratic movement was weak. Writers were caught between their own perspective on
one hand and the influences of Gandhi`s National freedom struggle, Hindu reformist/revivalist
movement, Karnataka Ekeekarana (unification) movement on the other. It was very difficult for them to resolve these conflicting influences and evolve a
comprehensive ideological position. It was in such an historical juncture,
they encountered the social, political, cultural
and literary pressures and predicaments. This
may be the cause of their artistic shortcomings. They have written many good short stories like
`Girije kanda cenema’, Karavan’,
`Koneya Giraki’,`Boot polish’, `Mukkannana mukti’, `Girijammana Rotti, `Shavada
mane’, & `Na Konda hudugi’, etc.
The movement was incapable of withstanding the
onslaught/attack of the Navya School
because the Pragatisheela movement had not developed its own critical tools embedded
with progressive aesthetics and the writers were not academic persons, and
hence, lacked critical ground to defend their ideological position as well their
works. Navya School took this disadvantage
of the Pragatisheela movement to
belittle its merits and crushed the spirit of the movement. Even now after
lapse of 50-60 years, efforts made to reassess the works of the movement are
very much disappointing. D.R. Nagaraj,
Ashoka Shettar and H.S. Raghavendra Rao have attempted to depict the
Pragatisheela movement, but they have tried to locate its historicity only and have
endorsed the views of Keertinath Kurtukoti and Lankesh etc. of the Navya movement. Whereas, Rahmat Tarikere1.
and Keshava Sharma2 has attempted to reassess the movement in brief
and tried to give a good deal of justice to some extent.
iii.
Post-Pragatisheela Phase :
It is interesting to note that
even though the movement faded away due to its own internal weakness, its
influence on the young poets of 1950`s was immense. The early poems of Gopala
Krishna Adiga [Bhava Taranga and Kattuvevu Navu collections],
Ramachandra Sharma, Gangadhara Chittal, V.G. Bhatta, S.R. Ekkundi, & others
have reflected the progressive spirit. It
is strange thing that the early poems of these poets have been neglected and
the Navya critics have not considered
them seriously on the ground that they do not reflect the true poetic
personality of the said poets and those are not the expressions of their
explored experiences. But most of the poems were poetic expressions of the
social reality. Most
of them later became the great poets of Navya
school cutting themselves off from the socialistic thoughts. Vyasarao Ballala,
Venkataraj Panase and Chaduranga continued their creative writings in spite of and
ignoring the Navya fashion.
III
Dalita-Bandaya
Movement
It would be useful to highlight
some of the social, political and cultural upheavals occurred during the early
years of 1970`s which paved the way for the emergence of Dalita & Bandaya Movements in Kannada literature. The congress government headed by Devaraj Urs
introduced Land Reforms Act 1973 and implemented the recommendations of Havanur
Commission of Backward classes. Radical protest held
against Shri Satya Sai Baba at Dharwad by Chandrashekar Patil & others inspired
by Abraham Kovur, exposed the false & superstitious tricks, and asserted the power of rationality. The Boosa
literature episode triggered in 1973 by a comment by a Dalit minister B.Basavalingappa,
who lost his ministership due to an upper-caste agitation against him. It raised the question of ‘use value’ of
Kannada literary tradition. Dalit Sangharha Samiti emerged in 1974 with
Dr. Ambedkar`s thoughts and influenced by Dalit Panthers movement of
Maharashtra. It organized the newly educated sections
from Dalit communities on militant lines. `Jati Vinasha Sammelana’ held in
1973 at Mysore tried to consolidate the Lohiaist thoughts, and `All Karnataka
writers & Artists Federation’ [okkuta] held in 1974 in Mysore tried
to consolidate the non-Brahmin (Shudra) literary and cultural movement, which
virtually divided the Navya writers. This non-Brahmin (Shudra) phenomenon
was an upsurge against the cultural dominance of Brahmin ideology. Further, J.P movement and its Nava Nirmana
Samiti agitations also stirred political consciousness against Emergency
during 1975. Chandrashekar Patil re-launched `Sankramana’ in 1975, which
was a mere literary journal earlier was transformed as a forum for new literary
and cultural voices and debates.
The literary scene also witnessed
the tremendous activities. Purnachandra Tejaswi wrote a preface with a title ``Hosa
Digantadedege’3 [Towards
a New Direction] to his own collection of short stories ` in 1973 which heralded a clear break from Navya movement. Devanuru Mahadeva
unfolded the Dalit world in his stories depicting the inner sufferings of the
oppressed by exposing the subtleties of exploitation and cruelty of the upper
class. Siddalingaiah came out with his flamboyant/ firebrand and rebellious
poems [Hole madigara hadu: 1975] calling oppressed to rise in revolt
against exploiters and oppressors. Chandrashekar Patil, who was jailed during Emergency,
wrote new poems during 1976-77 like `Gandhi Smarane’, `Atithi’, `Grhuha
Bandhana’ and `O Nanna Bandhavare’ etc, which unbundled the hypocrisies of
the political order. Allamaprabhu Bettadur also came out with the Lohiastic and
socialistic protest poetry. Besagarahalli Ramanna too voiced in his short
stories the cruelties and inhumanness of the social and political system of the
Emergency period. `Samudaya’, a progressive
theatre group especially with CGK & Prasanna as directors, was
staging plays. Baraguru Ramachandrappa, D.R. Nagaraj, R.K. Manipal & others
were also engaged in formulating new critical and ideological tools in their
writings. Niranjana, also attempted to
rejuvenate Pragatisheela movement
under the new name Pragati Pantha which was launched at Davanagere in
1976. But it did not take off on wider scale, due to its indirect support for
emergency. The Bandaya Movement
gathered its momentum from all these social, political, cultural & literary
grounds. It was part of the wider post-emergency democratic upsurge, and its
cultural manifestation. The Movement was
launched on March, 11th 1979, with an organizing conference in
Bangalore.
The Bandaya Movement stood not only against the individualistic and high
brow aesthetics of the Navya writers
but also against the social, economic, cultural inequalities and injustices. Its motto was: “Let the poetry become the sword and soul mate to the sorrows of the
people”. Its manifesto was unambiguous: `To implant such positions which
are in favour of the exploited people in cultural sphere. The political and
cultural contexts are interrelated. The writer should have social and political
consciousness. Building a struggle against untouchability, caste system and sexual
discrimination is one of the main objectives’’. Baraguru Ramachandrappa has further clarified
the aim of the movement:
``Humanism is the basic
foundation of the Bandaya literary movement. We feel that it is the proper
method to see man as a man and to ‘realize’ him in the background of hard
realities of the history. It is the creative process of the Bandaya writers to
search ‘reality’ by tearing off the illusions of life. The process of realization
of the reality and its exploration of the subtleties should find expression
vigorously in literature. The real form of contemporary life with its different
angles as seen by each writer should become visible. This should be able to change
the existing state of being and, shall become an inspiration for longing for
new life. There should be a humanitarian sensibility behind our anger, irony,
grief, satire, helplessness reflected in our works. This is the motif and
responsibility of the Bandaya literary movement’’4
Bandaya was a broad-based left-democratic
cultural united front of the progressive minds comprising Marxist, Lohiaist and
Ambedkarist thoughts. The movement consolidated many different thinkers and
writers with leftist, progressive and democratic ideologies, and who believed in
fighting against the social and cultural evils in order to change the existing system.
It is to be noted that no single ideology either Marxism, Lohiast, Ambedkarite
or Gandhian thought was able to understand the Indian reality in all its
complexities, and stage a comprehensive war on a large scale, due to
limitations in the ideological framework. Mere class struggle, mere caste
struggle, mere Dalit struggle or mere satyagraha are ineffective in reality.
Instead of confining and compartmentalizing their struggles, they came together
to work at least in the cultural and literary spheres. The Bandaya movement made this confluence of ideologies possible. This kind of comprehensive approach avoided
the sectarian ideological confrontations and it also created a sense of checks
and balances among themselves.
G.S. Shivarudrappa, a noted
critic and poet, who as an outsider to the movement, has made an objective
observation:
`` Bandaya means it is an
attitude (manodharma). The prime feature of this attitude is to question
and to change the social inequalities and injustice, in toto, a tendency to
revolt against the existing state of being.
Protest was not a value in literature hitherto, but now it has gained a
value”5.
The Bandaya movement captured the
young minds from all walks of life; especially it encouraged the young writers
coming from the downtrodden and backward classes to voice their sufferings in
their own idiom. This unveiled to give expression to the historically suppressed
and marginalized emotions and experiences. This also created a sense of self
confidence in their creative expressions. In such a cultural
atmosphere, the Dalit writers were able to develop their own Dalit sensibility,
female writers their own Female sensibility and Muslim writers their own Muslim
sensibility. The Bandaya movement honoured their identities for their
historical and cultural reasons. The identities were not felt as separate and
exclusive but all inclusive in a dialectical perspective. Even though the Dalit
movement has kept its core ideological identity since inception, both the Dalita and Bandaya movements co-existed and worked in tandem. In turn, they
worked in tandem with vibrant left and democratic socio-political movements,
organization and parties. As a total impact of these, first non-congress
government in Karnataka came into being.
The movement has witnessed
innumerable number of prominent and excellent writers in all the creative forms
of literature. The movement withstood all kinds of onslaught due to its
ideological strengths. Even the Navya
writers who were opposing the movement earlier, slowly started either to react
or to assimilate its influence in their own way. These are some of the
significant achievements and impacts.
Gopala Krishna Adiga`s poems like
`Nanu Hindu, Nanu Brahmana’, `shoshane’(1983), and `Bandaya’(1984) may be seen as reaction
to the movement; whereas poems like `Pentaiahna
angi’ (K.V.Tirumalesh) and `Gendagaiah’(1988:
K.N. Shivateerthan) are the best examples which reflect the assimilation of its
influence.
The movement has witnessed
innumerable number of prominent and excellent writers in all the creative forms
of literature. Siddalingaiah`s poetry, as already mentioned, is an outburst
against exploiters and oppressors and stirred the oppressed to rise in revolt
in the lines `Bang them, slap them and
strip their skin’ and the poet also says``
The huts are roaring and the bungalows are crumbling’’. He questions the
very meaning of freedom that India got: ``who
got the freedom from 1947?’’ and he vigorously asserts in another poem ‘’Dalits are coming, Make way and hand over
the state power to the Dalits”. In other collections of poetry ``Saviraru Nadigalu’’ and ``Alle kuntavre’’, he widens his vision
of revolt saying that `several streams
will join to the ocean of struggle’. Siddalingaiah has tried to blend both
Marxism and Ambedkarism as well as Dalit
and Bandaya forces in his poetry. The
word `Dalit’ in his poetry takes a wider scope and is inclusive of all
exploited and oppressed class. Whereas Aravinda Malagatti, Manaja, Govindaiah,
Mulluru Nagaraja, Munivenkatappa, Hampanna, Indudhara Honnapura, Gangaram
Chandala, K.B.Siddaiah, K.Ramaiah,
L.Hanumanthaiah, Satyananda Patrota and others have expounded their
experiences with the historical, social and
cultural atrocities and humiliations of untouchability; they confined
the orbit of the word `Dalit’ to the bitter experiences of untouchability. Baraguru Ramachandrappa, Chennanna Walikar,
Sarju Katkar, Satish Kulkarni, Purushottama Blimale, Shankar Katagi, Jambanna
Amarachinta, Ramjan Darga, S.G.Siddaramaiah, R.K.Manipal, Vishnu Naik,
R.V.Bhandari, Basavaja Sabarada and others have voiced the sufferings of other
backward castes/classes but inclusive of all exploited and oppressed lives in
their poetry. Some of the titles of their poems/collections themselves indicate
the inner tendency and strength of the movement. For example, `Muukanige Bayi Bandaga’ [when a dumb
gets voice: Aravinda Malagatti], `Adho
jagattina Akavya’ [Non-poetry of Inferno], `Beedige bantu Kavya’
[Poetry came to Street: Ramjan Darga], `Gulama
Geete’ [Song of a Serf],`Bandedda Dalitara
Beediya Hadugalu’ [Street Songs of Dalits in revolt: Chennanna Walikar], `Hesarilladavara Hadu’[A Song of
Nameless Lives: Prabhudev Hadimani],etc. Likewise D.Vijaya, B.T.Lalitanaik,
Mallika Ghanti, Malati Pattanashetty, Kamala Hemmige, Cha.Sarvamangala, Savita
Nagabhushana, Sukanya Maruti, Vijayashree Sabarada, Shashikala Vastrad,
Sarawati Gowda, Muktayakka, Sa.Usha, Pratibha Nandakumar, Vydehi, K.Shareefa
and others have given expression to their nuances of inner sufferings under
male dominated society in their writings of poetry, short stories and
novels. They have also questioned and
critically analyzed the proto models of women like Seeta, Draupadi, Ahalya
depicted in epics. They have also unlocked the inhuman, brutal, unhealthy and
deceitful bias and prejudices of Gender Politics and male-constructed language.
Their poetry has gradually moved from an earlier aggressive male criticism to
the inner subtlelities of Culture criticism.
In prose writings, Devanuru
Mahadeva, Baraguru Ramachandrappa, Kalegowda Nagawara, Besagarahalli Ramanna,
Kum Veerabhadrappa, Girijamma, Geeta Nagabhushan, Videhi, Janagere
Venkataramaiah, Krishnamurty Hanur, Shantarasa, Ka.Ta. Chikkanna, Mogalli
Ganesh, have explored new themes of sufferings and evils of exploitation,
injustice and oppression in their short stories and novels. Writers like
Boluvaru Mohamed Kuhni, Fakir Mohamed Katpadi, Banu Mustak, Sara Abubekar,
Abdul Rashid and others have unearthed the predicaments and sufferings of
Muslim women and poor under social and religious customs like Nikah, Talaq,
jihad etc, and also they have explored the cruelties and inhuman tendencies of
both Hindu and Muslim Fundamentalism & Communalism.
Regarding literary criticism,
Baraguru Ramachandrappa, R.K.Manipal, D.R.Nagaraj, Shivananda S, Manaja, Rahmat
Tarikere, Keshava Sharma, Purushottama Bilimale, C.Veeranna, K.V. Narayana,
Basavaraj Kalgudi and others have tried to develop new ideological tools of the
literary criticism and they have initiated new literary discourses which were
intended attempting to comprehensive revaluation of the Kannada literary
tradition since its inception. The new ideological concepts like Baragur`s `Upa Sanskruti’ [Sub-Culture], Rahmat`s `Prati Sanskruti’ [Counter-Culture],
Bilimale`s `Shista-Parishista’ [Standard
& Residue], Hariharapriya`s `Paryaya
Sanskruti’ [Alternative Culture] and D.R.Nagaraja`s `Amrita mattu Garuda’ have given a new dimension to the literary
criticism. These discourses have brought a paradigm shift in the traditional
form of literary criticism which has been metamorphosized into Cultural
Criticism. These are some of the significant achievements and impacts of Dalita and Bandaya movement.
Over three
and half decades have elapsed since the emergence of Bandaya movement. It reigned over the Kannada literary scene
for over two decades, as the dominant literary trend. Even in the last decade its influence can be
seen as an undercurrent, similar to post-Pragatisheela
phase described above. However question being posed over last decade is whether
the movement has come to standstill and/or lost its relevance. It would be
appropriate now to analyze some of its main weakness and limitations in the
context of onslaught of twin phenomenon of Globalization and
Communalism from 1990s onwards.
o It was one of the main proclamations
that `the movement should launch programs on wider scale in the Kannada
cultural sphere’. But it is to be noted
that no such programs were held on wider scale. In spite of the fact that it
was conducting the conferences at district level once in two or three years,
its expansion was not grown up to the expected level due to its organizational
slackness.
o The organization was unable to
sustain its own publication of a journal called `Bandaya’ which was stopped after 2-3 issues. Even though there
were some like-minded journals like `Sankramana’,
Anveshane’, `Samudaya’, there was a need to publish its own journal to
encourage new writers and to provide a forum to the Bandaya writers to discuss the contemporary issues of literary and
cultural discourses; and there was a possibility to strengthen its literary-
cultural criticism.
o Bandaya
failed to strengthen its organization through vigorous voice of protest against
such challenges that erupted after 1990s like GATT agreement, demolition of
Babri masjid, Bababudengiri episode, widespread vicious communalisation of all
spheres of life including culture and education, surge of religious
obscurantism, anti-people positions of Liberalism-Privatization-Globalization
o
The ideological base of the movement was to fight
against social inequalities, injustice, exploitation and against ‘Master’
Culture. It was basically an ideological framework formulated as response to
the phenomena prevailing in 1970s. But different kinds of new ideological and critical
tools were required to explain and combat new phenomena that erupted in and after
1990s. The ideological base of the Bandaya-Dalita
movement was unable to critically examine many contemporary phenomena, drive
forward and devise counter-action. It
could not critically analyse many sociological-cultural theories (mostly ‘academic
fashions’ imported from American and European universities, masquadering
variously as folklore, ethnic studies, subaltern studies, cultural studies,
post-modernism etc.) that gained prominence during and after decade of 1990s as
ideological props of the Globalization onslaught, and fight them. Some even succumbed to them. Some of the leaders of the Dalita-Bandaya movement went over to the
ruling class parties, some others were partly or fully co-opted by the state.
Many splits in Dalita Sangarsha Samiti
- both a source and result of Dalita
literature, also blunted the edge of Dalita-Bandaya
literary movement.
o Collapse of Soviet Union and East
European socialist countries and consequent triumphalism of neo-liberal order
also impacted appeal of the movement. With ferocious onslaught of neo-liberal
order, weakening of left and democratic socio-political organizations followed.
Also followed the weakening of the co-operation and mutual support between Dalita and Bandaya movements. Co-operation and mutual support between
Dalita-Bandaya and left-democratic socio-political organizations also
weakened.
Post-Dalita-Bandaya (Dalita-Bandayottara) phase
Current phase of over a decade is
generally seen as a phase with no ‘big’ movements or trend of any kind in
literary and cultural spheres. It is being extended to socio-political spheres
also. It is seen as ‘positive’ and ‘desirable’ development. It is said that
good literature and theater is being produced with writer/artist under no ‘pressure’
or ‘bound by an ideological framework’ or other ‘impediments such as social commitment’. We however disagree. This phase is also generally called Dalita-Bandayottara (post-Dalita-Bandaya). For lack of a better name, we will use the term. However, it
is only used to signify a phase in which Dalita-Bandaya
is not the dominant literary trend. It
does not mean that we accept the contention that this is a trend either opposed
to Dalita-Bandaya or a ‘clean break’ from that.
This phase has three main features. Firstly, there is a continuation, expansion
and consolidation of Dalita-Bandaya trend
in the new context of Globalisation and Communalism. Short stories of this phase particularly
exhibit appropriate creative responses to both these dominant phenomenon of the
phase. Short stories record the various responses to the onslaught. ‘Company’ stories that explore the inner
world of MNCs and unravel the cold cruelty, ‘Mining’ stories that unravel
several facets of impact of rampant mining on lives of various sections and
their responses, ‘Harmony’ stories that vividly bring out the resistance of
ordinary people despite widespread communal frenzy, ‘Movement’ stories that
depict struggles, dilemmas, frustrations, compromises, corruption, co-options,
defiance both at personal and group levels – are the forms in which Short stories have articulated resistance to Globalization and assertion of various
forms of per Dr.M D Okkunda.6
‘Swantantryada Oota’ - a mega novel by
Boluvaru Kunhi by depicting the run of (and from/to ?!) ‘freedom’ starting from
partition for over half a century as seen in a distant village of South Kanara
district from the eyes of muslim community -
a notable novel of the phase, is
a fine example of the trend. Oppressed continue to find a voice in
literature – particularly in Poetry and Fiction. We also hear voices of newer
sections of oppressed and opened to the world of experiences of these sections,
and different dimensions of the oppression. Oppressions in the context of
Globalization have come to foreground, alongwith feudal oppression present
already. Literary Criticism, Culture
Studies, folklore studies, Linguistic studies, Historical studies, Science
popularization - also have expanded widely in this period.
Secondly, Feminist writing has
developed remarkably in this period both in quantity and quality, and become an
independent trend on its own. World of experience and writers have come from
many new sections – Dalit, Muslim, rural, urban, workers, professionals etc.
They are exploring the gender sensibility from a variety of new standpoints, providing
vast variety of new creative responses. They are not limiting to gender issues
only either. For example, B T Jahnavi
explores in many of her stories oppression of Dalit boy working in Dalit
officers home. ‘Baduku’ – novel of
Geeta Nagabhushan’s (Central Sahitya Academy winner) opens up a new world of
experiences not seen earlier. Above all,
women writers as a group are showing remarkable ‘unity of purpose’, clarity on
their standpoints, distinct individuality in style and themes etc. not seen earlier or now in any other groupings
(e.g. Dalit, OBC writers). They are exploring all forms – poetry, short
stories, novels, criticism, non-fiction - equally vigorously.
Onslaught of Globalization along with Communalism that
tends to endanger or marginalize or destroy many communities/cultures, way of
life - has triggered many explorations of identities. This has also led some poets to explore the
alternative life values contrary to the existing dominant culture. We may see
such efforts in the poems like `Singiraja
Purana’, `Samagara Bheemavva’ by H. S. Shivaprakash, `Gendagaiah’ by K.N. Shivateerthan and `Bakala’ by K.B. Siddaiah.
However one trend and writer
stands out for a different explorations of secular pluralistic
egalitarian folklore myths of the revolts of the oppressed of the past, that
can be a popular basis to confront both the evils. H S Shivaparakash’s plays – ‘Mahachaitra’, ‘Madari Madayya’, ‘Madurai
Kandam’ represent this trend.
Of course, there is a trend that
as always holds on to ‘Art for Art’s sake’, ‘pure literature’ and feels
obsessed with ‘excellence’. Attitudes
driven by social exclusiveness, meritocracy, defence of neo-liberal order find
reflections in literature.
Post-modernist standpoints do defend old Navya trend in a new way.
Often this and other opposing trends are engaged in bitter debates. A big debate that started with publication of
a special issue of ‘Desha-Kala’ that
focused on ‘best’ writers and writings of the decade (2000-2010) ultimately was
a clash of earlier Bandaya-Dalita and Navya
trends in the new context.
IV
Samudaya
Kannada theater in the period from 1936
to early 1970s was dominated by company theater. ‘Company’ theater was both commercial and
professional. ‘Company’ theater had its
prime in the first half of 20th century. Companies run by Gubbi Veeranna,
Master Hirannayya, Varadachar, Mohammed Peer, Garuda Sadashiva Rao, Enagi
Balappa are examples of ‘Company’ theater.
‘Company’ theater staged many social plays. Even in their historical and
mythological plays used to convey anti-colonial content. Music of the company theater also was very
popular and of high standards. Freedom
Songs from plays like ‘Hemareddy
Mallamma’ , and ‘Bedara Lavani’s protest songs of Bedas dispossessed of all weapons by
British are some of the examples. Theater
then was more of an actor’s media.
Community participation in theater was quite substantial. One play used to go on for hundreds (and some
cases of thousands) of shows. But after
entry of films in 1950s, its decline began.
A small amateur theater was
pioneered by T P Kailasam in Bangalore in 1930/40s. Amateur theater particularly of T P Kailasam
and Sriranga had many progressive aspects.
Many Amateur theater groups were
formed in urban centers. ‘Uddhara’, ‘Hari
janvaara’, ‘Sayo Aata’, ‘Kadadida
Neeru, ‘Mookabali’ are some of the notable plays staged by Amateur theater.
IPTA units were formed in Mangalore,
Mysore, Bangalore and KGF and were active for some time.7
Social,
political and cultural upheavals of 1970`s in Karnataka have already been
brought out. Theater in early 1970s was still dominated by ‘company’ theater,
college theater and a small Amateur theater. Although on the decline, ‘company’
theater was still quite popular in rural as well as urban areas. However it
could not re-invent itself in style, themes and presentation, for the era of
cinema & new sensibilities and socio-political context. With emergence of sizable educated middle
class in urban areas, Amateur theater grew. College theater in style, themes
and presentation, adopted from that of Company theater as also Amateur Theater.
College and Amateur theater also influenced each other substantially. Amateur
theater looked to literary works for scripts, and was influenced by Modern
European and ‘National’ theater trends spearheaded by NSD etc. Kannada Amateur theater got a big fillip with
renowned Director B.V. Karanth arriving in Bangalore and a new troupe Benaka took shape. Many plays staged by Benaka were very popular and ran to
packed houses. This encouraged many amateur groups to be formed. Ravindra
Kalakshetra became hub of activity of these troupes. A steady urban audience
had arrived for modern kannada plays. However the class/caste base of audience
was very narrow. Although themes were fairly wide, purpose of theater was
mostly ‘Art for art’s sake’ similar to the Navya
trend in literature.
Karnataka
also was impacted by socio-political upheavals of early 1970s. Unable to resolve economic-political crisis
and meet rising aspirations of struggling people, ruling classes led by Indira
Congress resorted to authoritarianism and the suppression of democratic rights.
This manifested with semi-fascist terror unleashed in West Bengal and crushing
of Railway strike. Democratic upsurge
that initially started with students agitations in Gujarat and Bihar, spread to
whole of country with JP entering the scene with call for ‘total
revolution’. Calls for action by
Navanirmana Samiti also reverberated in Karnataka. Indira Congress ‘resolved’
the crisis by imposing internal emergency and suspending all democratic rights.
Although suppression of democracy and excesses of emergency in Karnataka were
not as severe as in Northern India, democratic upsurge and resistance was
visible. Dalit, broad anti-caste movements and economic struggles of workers/Peasants had created an urge for
radical socio-economic change. Need for
social commitment in Writers and Artists was being hotly debated, as opposed to
Navya trend. Many writers, artists, intellectuals were
radicalized in such a situation.
First
Decade (1975-1985)
Samudaya was born as a cultural
expression of the democratic upsurge and yearning for a radical change of early
1970s. It was started by students, teachers, intellectuals in Bangalore in 1975.
Prasanna, C. Veeranna, K V Narayana, Ki.Ram.Nagaraj,
Shoodra Srinivas, D.R.Nagaraj, Siddalingayya and others conceived of Samudaya as a theater group committed to
propagating change. It is said that the name Samudaya was coined by Ki.Ram.Nagaraj. Its
first play was Huttava Badidare (Play by Dr.K.V.Narayan,
Directed by Prasanna) - a radical
interpretation of an old play (Vigada
Vikramaraya by Samsa) on famous ‘valiant’ king thro’ the eyes of two palace
guards, witnessing system remaining unchanged despite change of kings. It was a grand success. Soon impact of emergency
was being felt in Karnataka also. But Samudaya
did not look back. More political plays followed – Taayi (Brecht’s Mother), Maarichana
Bandhugalu, Panchama, Yaaru Geleya Yaaru. Response was fantastic. New units were formed in major urban
centers –Mysore, Mangalore, Tumkur - staging these plays respectively. It was electrifying experience to see B.
Jayashree (now Rajya Sabha member) at the end of the play waving Red Flag and
shouting slogans against Tsarist oppression, at the peak of emergency ! Samudaya also pioneered street theater
in Karnataka.
Inspired
by success in first four units enthusiasts from other urban centers wanted to
start Samudaya units. Book and newsletter Publication was also
started soon. Eventually six more units were formed at Dharawad, Raichur,
Gulbarga, Udupi, Shivamogga, Bhadravathi, in spite of emergency (or perhaps
because of it). While most units focused on theater activities, Udupi started Chitrasamudaya (Film Society) and
Dharwad the Granthasamudaya (Library Movement).
Eventually activities of Chitrasamudaya
spread to Bangalore and other units too.
By mid-1977 when Emergency was
lifted, Samudaya with its 10 units was a vibrant statewide
progressive cultural movement. It was
decided to form a statewide organization to consolidate and expand the
activities. Karnataka Rajya Samudaya
Samanvaya Samiti – a state level body
was formed in Nov 1977 in the
first conference held at Bangalore with participation of representatives of 10
units. Prasanna was elected president
and CG Krishnaswamy (CGK) as Secretary. Prasanna (for South Karnataka) and P
Gangadhara swamy (for North Karnataka) worked as full time organizers of Samudaya apart from directing plays.
Samudaya declared following among its aims
and objectives8:
·
To encourage a cultural movement based on understanding of ‘Art for Life’
as opposed to reactionary understanding of ‘Art for Art sake’
·
To use visual media like theater (Rangasamudaya), cinema (Chitrasamudaya); and circulation of
progressive books (Granthasamudaya)
to inculcate scientific spirit in
people
·
To support all forces that strive for eradication of exploitation of man
by man; to safeguard National sovereignty, integrity, democracy and world peace
that are pre-requisite for the struggles for social change
A cultural
campaign “Against Authoritarianism’ was
conducted in 1978 to support election campaign against Indira Gandhi in crucial
bye-election, whose election victory was seen widely as setback to
anti-authoritarian movement. A wide
anti-authoritarian platform called ‘Vedike’
was floated with other theater/ cultural groups to conduct a cultural campaign.
Before leaving for the campaign, a call by Samudaya
‘Come, draw a poster against authoritarianism’ drew unprecedented response of
10,000 posters ! Paper was provided by a well known newspaper group and 100 best posters were selected overnight by
Ken School of Art for taking as part of the campaign. Such was the widest
cultural united front built by Samudaya
against authoritarianism. A play
called ‘Turkman Gate’ and many street
plays were staged in 15 shows each in Sringeri and Belthangady assembly
segments.
As Samudaya grew organizationally and became ambitious in terms of its scale
of activities, it came up with idea of conducting Cultural Jathas. Jatha was seen as
impacting large number of people in a short term on a specific issue. Political
parties, mass organizations in the past had taken Jathas. But it was first for
a cultural organization to take a Jatha in Karnataka. A series of jathas were
organized. ‘Cultural Jatha for New values’ (1979) - one month long jatha from Oct
15 to Nov 16. All units combined to make
two teams and two jatha – one from KGF and another from Bidar converging on
Dharwad. Progressive Poems of various
poets, Plays like Belchi, Patre
Sangappana Kole, Chaasnala and talks
were organized throughout the Jatha
route in about 300 villages giving over 1500 shows9. Jatha was funded by innovative means such as
selling of handmade Greeting cards, street collection after the show, sale of
publications. This became a norm for
future jathas as well. 1979 also was the year in which Badal Circar conducted a
workshop. Consequently Samudaya took to street theater in a big
way. Booklets on communalism,
multinationals, education policy etc. were sold in large numbers.
Post-emergency
democratic upsurge peaked in 1980, with workers and peasants putting up series
of high-profile struggles and were fed up with severe oppression of Gundu Rao
government. Malaprabha peasant revolt shook the entire state. In this background
Samudaya planned another jatha ‘Towards Peasants’. Instead of 1 or 2 state-level jathas, 10
district level jathas were organized entirely by local Samudaya units from Jan 15-30 of 1981. Over 1500 shows were given
as part of the jatha. Many booklets were prepared on past peasant struggles and
sold during jatha. The impact of this
Jatha was considerable. In this period along with Samudaya jathas, Dalita-Bandaya
literary works in the cultural arena inspired and supplemented peasants and
workers struggle and created political awareness. As a combined impact of these
in 1983 elections Congress lost power in the state for the first time.
1985
was the year of severe drought in large parts of the state. Hence Samudaya which was completing its first
decade decided to go back to villages with a state-wide ‘Decennial Jatha against severe drought’.
Social, political, economic and environmental factors causing severe
drought were brought home during the jatha with help of plays, songs, lectures.
In the background of Bhopal gas tragedy KSSP organized a nation-wide Kala
Jatha. Five jathas from different parts of countries travelled widely and
converged at Bhopal. This jatha went
through some parts of Karnataka. Samudaya
helped organize local activities. Apart from this, C Basavalinayya of Samudaya was a key resource person in the national and several regional
workshops held in preparation for the Jatha. He was also part of the Jatha
starting from Kashmir. Samudaya also
helped in training, providing cultural inputs and key persons for the
District-level Jatha organized in Tumkur next year.
In
the first decade Samudaya not only
conducted jathas and street plays, worked on proscenium theater also producing
significant plays. Brecht’s Taayi
(Mother), Galileo (Life of Galileo), Kattale Daari Doora (Chekov’s Ward
No.6), Kuri (Gandhiji ki Bakri), Samskara, Macbeth, Dangeya Muchina
Dinagalu (Shatrank ke Khiladi), Panchama,– were
some of the acclaimed plays. Belchi, Yantra
and Chasnala were some of the most
successful street plays. Belchi saw over 1000 shows. Samudaya also organized shows of
progressive plays from other states. Badal Circar’s Shatabdi staged four plays in 1979.
Samudaya also published its
journal regularly and many booklets that were sold in thousands. Five conferences were held (1977-Bangalore,
1980-Shimoga, 1981-Kondaji, 1983-Tumkur, 1985-Davangere) in the first decade. Prasanna, CGK, Janardana, Boluvar Kunhi, P
Gangadharaswamy worked as President or Secretary in various periods to build
the movement.
Second
decade (1986-1995)
Second
decade (1986-1995) started with a bang. 1986 was declared as the year of World
Peace by UN. There was a worldwide movement against abolition of nuclear
weapons buoyed by the peace offensive launched by Michael Gorbachev of Soviet
Union. Samudaya decided to give its
humble contribution to this movement by organizing ‘Painting Jatha for World Peace’.
Central attraction of this Jatha was a 120x4 feet painting prepared by
artists of Davangere unit – Kariraju, Solabakkanavar and team. This large
painting depicted evolution of man and society in various phases, dangers of
nuclear wars and worldwide movement for peace. A song workshop was conducted to
collect anti-war and pro-peace songs of prominent poets, new songs were written
and songs set to music. Songs, Plays, Painting exhibition, Posters (on - tragic
effects of two world wars and atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki, weapons
of mass destruction, worldwide peace movement) seminars, lectures, peace
processions were organized in over 20 district centers and hundreds of taluka
centers and villages. Jatha went on for a record 60 days (Sep 09-Nov 11). It started from Bangalore and after touring
most parts of the state came back to Bangalore. The slogan ‘100 feet painting
on move, people’s move to prevent nuclear war’ reverberated throughout
Karnataka. It was also taken to most state capitals eventually and was highly
appreciated.
State-wide
protests against killing of Safdar Hashmi in 1989 was the other notable event.
Many Samudaya units conducted protest
by staging street plays and other forms for three and half months. As a grand
finale “Safdar Hashmi Samagrata Utsava’ was organized from April 12-16 in Bangalore
in which all the units participated. Utsava included many symposia, seminars on
‘Right to perform’, ‘Communal Harmony’, National Unity and Integrity’. Many
progressive writers, intellectuals, Artists, Political/mass leaders
participated in the symposia, seminars. 16 different streetplays by different
units were staged in most of the extensions of Bangalore during the festival.
These streetplays were shown till Mayday in respective places of the unit. A
booklet named “Amara Kalavida Safdar Hashmi’ sold 5000 copies.
National
Literacy Jatha, many Janavijnana jathas held later saw again Samudaya playing the crucial role in conducting workshop to train
artists, provided artistic inputs songs/plays, even lending cadre. Many Samudaya organizers/Artists became
Literacy Ambassadors, Co-ordinators, organizers for BGVS. Many places Samudaya and BGVS units worked in close co-ordination. Three-month (May 15-Aug 15,
1988) Samudaya Rangamela organized by
Dharawad unit as part of campaign for release of Nelson Madela is another
notable event. Santyaga Nintana Kabira
(Bazar me khada Kabira), Aragina Betta, Satiyodane Sahagamana were products
of this
period and two theater camps held at Dharawad by Basavalingayya. By 1995 out of
40 NSD graduates working in Karnataka 13 were from Samudaya. Such was its
impact. Mahachaitra, Madhuraikanda, Sankranti,
Ee Kelaginavaru (adaptation of Gorky’s Lower Depths), Ekalavya, Uchalya – were
other notable plays from the second decade.
However
cataclysmic events of early 1990s - collapse
of Soviet Union and socialist bloc, Bombay riots, destruction of Babri Masjid
and nation-wide anti-muslim riots, ascendancy of Communalism, false hopes
generated by LPG in middle classes – did impact Samudaya. Already in 1980s itself Samudaya was facing crunch
of Artists, activists, organizers due to onslaught of foreign-funded NGOs,
pseudo-left organizations and careerism. Most artists sent to NSD never
returned. In 1990s these problems and challenges
became even more severe. Ideological confusion caused some activists/artists to
become inactive. But still with help of some dedicated never-say-die cadre most
units were still functional. MG
Venkatesh, C K Gundanna (Bangalore), R K Hudagi (Gulbarga), Achyuta (KGF), B V
Iligera (Dharawad), Vasudev Uchil (Mangalore), G V Karnath (Kundapura) – not
only kept the units active, also provided core of state level leadership which
continues till today.
Despite these weaknesses Samudaya
organized many programs – symposia, seminars, talks both against
Communalism and LPG. However it was not
equal to the scale of challenges. Number of active units also dwindled from the
peak of 30 in 80s to 20 by 1995. To mark the two
decades Samudaya-20 Peoples Culture festival was organized. It also doubled
as an occasion to reflect, rejuvenate, regroup and strengthen movement.
Samudaya-20 Peoples Culture festival was held for 7 days from Nov
28 to Dec 4, 1995. It consisted of reminiscences, introspection, seminars, Street
and Proscenium plays from Samudaya
units and other states. Festival started with renowned play “Mahachaitra’ (by H S Shivaprakasha).
Regional people’s theater movements, Attack on people’s theater and culture
from TV etc., People’s culture and nationalism, People’s culture and
fundamentalism – were some of the topics discussed. Swantantrya tinde Muruvukal (Malayalam), Spartacus, Dafan, Raavi Nadiya
Dandeyalli, Kabira, Akhri Pesh (Hindi), Khanabadosh (H), Chirakumarasabha (Bengali),
Uchalya – were some of the plays. Vaidehi, Jogathi, Khasageekarana(Telugu),
Manacharitram (Telugu), Appa Ammakku (Tamil), James Pand-James Bond (Tamil)-were
some of the streetplays that were staged in Ravindra Kalakshetra as well as
many extensions. 100 artists from all units and neighbouring theater groups
were staying in a camp. Mornings and evenings were devoted to discussions on - theorizing
experiences, ways to address organizational weaknesses and resource crunch, experiences
of other regional theater movements, how to challenge communalism and
globalization, attack from new media etc.
Two conferences were held (1986-Davangere, 1989-Harihara) in the second
decade. Basavalingayya, MG Venkatesh played role of lead organizers and were
President and Secretary respectively in the period.
Third
Decade (1996-2005)
In
the third decade (1995-2005) communalism in the country and state was raging
and needed to be confronted head-on. A new platform Viveka (Vichara Vedike Karnataka) alongwith other cultural
organizations, individuals to unitedly confront communalism was set up in 1999.
Many campaigns consisting of - seminars, talks, discussions, booklet
publications, actions, staging of street-plays were conducted. Cultural jathas also were conducted in some parts of the
state. In one such jatha, murderous
attacks were launched by goondas on the key
organizer and artist C K Gundanna at Anekal near Bangalore and prevented
staging of a street-play (Kesari-Bili-Hasiru)
on the Mayday. It was condemned all over
the state and country, and protests were held. On May 10th in the presence of
Girish Karnad the play was staged and witnessed by a large crowd of over
thousand. Bandaya was also getting more active after a conference in 1999
generating hope of revival of people’s cultural movement. In 1999 on the
occasion of Brecht Centenary, 5-day festival of Brecht plays were
organized. Samudaya-25 festival (2001) was organized in Bangalore to celebrate
silver jubilee of the organization and again try to rejuvenate the movement.
In
this period active units organized peoples cultural festivals with plays,
songs, seminars/symposia annually. Notable
plays from this period were – Pampabharata,
Rudali, Neeru. However the rejuvenation hoped for did not fully materialise.
Samudaya
units became more of theater
groups (like any other) and less of a vibrant cultural movement. State-level
co-ordinated actions, jathas, intervention in cultural issues, were few and far
between. Organisational conferences was also not held. While 5 conferences were held in first decade
(1975-1985), 2 conferences in second, and no conferences were held in third
decade. Prime reason for stagnation and
decline of Samudaya in this period,
was mainly due to the relative weakening and stagnation of democratic movement
in the state. Inability to understand in depth cultural dimensions of
Globalization-Communalism and craft a creative cultural response, shortage of
radical cultural activists with pro-people ideological-political outlook,
firmer grip of electronic media and home entertainment (TV, DVD) on people, ‘manufacturing consent’ for neo-liberal order,
widespread consumerism and consequent cultural decadence, lack of innovation in
theater appropriate for the new context, ignoring role of electronic media in
people’s culture, migration of artists to TV/Cinema, artists seeing theater
only as springboard to go to TV/Cinema – were some of the other factors.
Fourth
decade (2006 onwards)
But
situation began to improve in the fourth decade (2005 onwards). Defeat of NDA
in 2004 elections and “India shining’ campaign, widespread dis-enchantment with
illusions of LPG after a decade and half, Left influence on new government
buoyed the democratic movement. 8th
conference at Dharawad in 2006 attempted to rejuvenate the movement. Two day Seminar on Atrocities against Dalits
at Mysore in July 2006 and subsequent theatre workshops in four zones followed.
Programs like ‘Samudaya towards colleges’ were chalked out to sensitise youth on
dalit/communal issues with street plays, literature, seminars in colleges. Jatha conducted by units in coastal area
(Kundapur, Mangalore and Belthangadi) got good response from the people since
communal forces are active in those area.
A jatha
for ‘Hunger-free Karnataka’ was taken out
during the period of Dec 26 2009-Jan 02 2010, after a gap of over a decade.
Two jathas starting respectively from Sindhanoor and Chickballapura converged
in Dharawad. A symposia on ‘Hunger and
Profits – a Cultural response’ held at Bangalore earlier set the tone for the
Jatha. The jatha as always had songs,
streetplays, talks, seminars. A booklet on ‘Hunger and Profits’, ‘Odala Benki’ (collections of poems on
Hunger), “Aluva Yogiya Nodilli”(collection
of articles on drought, hunger by P Sainath) – were published and sold in big
numbers. Perhaps for the first time, jatha covered all district centers of the
state.
Mega
corruption scandals and unprecedented price rise marked UPA2 regime. Samudaya decided to conduct another
jatha “Against Corruption and Price Rise’ during May 15-28, 2011. Again two jathas – one starting from Gulbarga
and covering mostly northern Karnataka, other starting from Dharawad covering
western and southern Karnataka – converged at Bangalore to a well attended
concluding ceremony addressed by Justice Santosh Hegde. A 50x4 feet long flex banner with 24 posters was
the main attraction of the jatha. Posters using extensively the cartoons of
renowned cartoonists against Corruption and
Price-Rise explored the extent ,
manifestations, root cause and possible solutions to tackle the problems. Jatha had 40 major stops and covered most
districts. At each place - inauguration by ringing a bell of warning against corruption
and price-rise, singing four Jatha songs, poster banner exhibition, speech by
an eminent writer/intellectual, selling of jatha booklet –were the essential
agenda. In addition many places poetry reading, plays, symposia were
conducted. Unlike other campaigns that stop at cribbing
about Corruption and Price-Rise, Samudaya
campaign brought home the point that these are in essence only the consequences
of policies and agenda of ruling classes that are more systemic and deep
rooted. The need to fight these policies and agenda to eradicate corruption and price rise was
also brought out.
‘Mangalore
Chalo’ against communalism (March 2009), Study & Training camp at Kundapura
(2010) Tagore-150 (Feb 2011) festival at Bangalore & Shimoga, Jansasanskriti
workshop at Sirsi (Aug 2011), 5-day state-level Janasanskriti Festival (2012), Workshop to prepare for
Vivekananda-150 campaign at Dharwad, 12 day theater directors workshop, 3-day
Shantaras Utsava, year-long Samudaya-30
festivals by Kundapura & KGF units - were other major programs. Sirsi Jansasanskriti workshop adopted a
document that updates concept of people’s culture, identifies ideological and
other forms of attacks on it, and outlines of a new movement to address all the
aspects. Major cultural issues on which interventions were taken up in the form
of campaigns, demonstration, statements,
seminars, talks, publications include – Bill banning Cowslaughter, Funding of
Mutts/Religious institutions, Abolition of Urdu academy , Witchcraft at
Vidhanasoudha, Mining and other state scandals, Teaching of Bhagavadgeeta in
schools, Bhopal Tragedy judgement, closure
of Kannada schools, saffronisation of text books, Land of Hampi University
usurped by a private trust, Madesnana-Panktibeda, Banamati. Notable plays from this
period were – Swatantryada Ota, Jugari Cross, Buddha Prabhuddha, Raja Rani Mantri Tantri, Kulam, Pinakini
Teeradalli, Jalagara, Train to Pakistan .
Chinthana
Ranga Adhyana Kendra pioneered rural and children theater in Uttara Kannada
district led by Dr. Vittala Bhandary and creative director Dr. Sripada Bhat. It
organised Annaul children theater camps, many shows of plays produced in these
camps in rural areas. It came to be
affiliated to Samudaya strengthening
and expanding its sphere. Makala Ravindra, a nationally acclaimed children’s play is its notable production. Chitra Samudaya was re-launched with a 5-day
film festival (2010) of recent progressive Kannada films in Banaglore. Tagore Film festival (2011) at Banaglore and
Mangalore, regular screening of films by Sirsi, Raichur, Sindhanoor and other
units followed. An ambitious program is
being chalked out for the centenary year of Indian cinema. Plan is being chalked out to screen progressive
Indian films in 100 places. Sahitya Samudaya held a one day seminar
on “Kannada Short stories of the last decade: A retrospective’ recently in
Gulbarga. A convention of writers from Hyderabad Karnataka region was also held
next day. Response was very good for both initiatives with over 200-300
participants. Four more seminars are planned in Mangalore, Dharawad, Shimoga,
Bangalore on similar retrospective on Novels, Poetry, Plays/Criticism,
Non-fiction. Alongwith regional
convention of writers also will be held.
This will culminate in a state-level convention.
Three
organizational conferences of Samudaya
were held (2006-Dharawad, 2008-Bangalore, 2010-Gulbarga) in the fourth decade.
R K Hudagi, T Surendra Rao played role of lead organizers and were President
and Secretary respectively in this period.
Despite
some revival of the movement since 2006, Samudaya
continues to suffer from many deficiencies. Its call for at least one unit in
all districts is yet to be fulfilled.
Co-ordinated state-wide action to create required impact is still not
feasible on most occasions. Ability to
train, attract and retain artistic talent continues to be a challenge. Impact
of its Campaign against twin evils of Globalization and Communalism is not
adequate. Often cultural content of its
campaigns have serious artistic shortcomings.
Tradition of street-plays is dwindling.
Use of other forms (music, video) and new media is yet to take off. Its organic link with toiling masses is not
at desired level. Its link with writers
in general and play-writers in particular is weak, causing fewer original plays
being staged. Next conference of Samudaya will be held at Mangalore early
next year which is expected to plan for addressing deficiencies, consolidation and
quantum leap of the progressive literary and cultural movement in Karnataka.
Other
Moements
Apart
from Samudaya, other progressive
trends and currents are also present in Karnataka. Dalita
Kala Mandalis (DKM) - cultural wing of Dalita
Sangarsha Samitis(DSS)- are prominent among them. DKMs have local units in places where
respective DSS has a base. Typically DKMs have singing squads rendering Dalit
and folk songs in a powerful manner using traditional folk instruments. Some
DKMs also have theater units that stage street and proscenium plays. DKM
typically performs in all DSS programs. Although
DKM does not conduct its own jathas, it performs in jathas organized by DSS.
Such jathas were typically held on specific incident of atrocities or other
issues. Jathas organized by DSS - in
protest against murder of Sheshagiriyappa (and rape of his daughter Anasuya)
from Hunasikote to Bangalore (1980), to demand restoration of Dalit lands
usurped by Ramamurti from Marasanapalli to Kolar DC (1982), to demand arrest of
perpetrators of infamous Bendigeri (Belgaum District) incident in which Dalits
were forced to eat excreta (1987), to demand arrest against murderers who burnt
7 Dalits live in Kambalapalli village (2000)
- are some of the examples.
Some
NGOs working on Dalit or other specific issues also have cultural units. Adima of
Kolar is one such example that has an active theater unit and organizes other
cultural performances. Neenasam K V under stewardship of Subbanna
at Heggodu (a village in Shimoga Dt.) in 1970s -pioneered rural theater, film
appreciation, theater training institution, cultural workshops – had a
prominent role in promoting democratic secular culture in the state. Many progressive plays were popularized by its
troupe in its annual program Tirugata- tour
of major cities with new plays. Although democratic/progressive content has
watered down of late, it continues to play a prominent role in Kannada
theater. Many other theater groups (mostly led by ex-Samudaya Directors e.g. Ranganirantara of
CG Krishnaswamy) also stage progressive plays.
Rangayana state-funded
reportery (which had 3 ex-Samudaya
activists as its directors – Basavalingayya, Prasanna, Lingadevaru) has also
staged many progressive plays in its annual theater festival and play tours.
V
Towards a new progressive cultural movement
Of
late, we have seen a resurgence of socio-political movements – at regional,
national, international levels. It is also quite apparent from above
discussions, that a new progressive literary and cultural movement is the need of hour in Karnataka. Current state of Bandaya and Samudaya are
not enough to meet challenges of our times. We need to learn from movements of our state
– Vachana, Pragatisheela, Bandaya,
Samudaya; IPTA/PWA at the national levels; ant-fascist writers/artists
movement of 1930/40s – their achievements, strengths, failings, pitfalls.
We identify following as the essential features of
this new literary and cultural movement.10
·
Support and have organic relationship with socio-political movements
·
work with many cultural forms (Literature, Music, Plays, Cinema etc.) and
co-ordinate across them
·
Artists/cultural workers/activists should live the life experiences of
toiling people and reflect their cultural aspirations
·
Popularize best progressive artistic works from Karnataka, India and
world
·
Creative re-use of resources from all possible sources (folklore,
classical, myths)
·
Develop clear ideological perspectives on People’s Culture and confront
ideological props of neo-liberal order (such as post-modernism, identity
politics, media that ‘manufactures consent’, communalism/fundamentalism)
·
Intervene in
traditional cultural practices of people in daily life (festivals, daily
practices, fairs, marriages etc.) to highlight pro-people aspect and weed out
obscurantist/religious chores
·
Use the new
possibilities of electronic media (Radio, TV, Web) for distribution of progressive audio/video
References
1. ‘Farewell to Niranjana : Lessons from
Pragatisheela writers’ in ‘Pratisanskriti – Dr. Rahmat Tarikere
(1992)
2.
Shabda Rekhe :Dr. Keshava Shrama (1998)
3.
Abachurina Post office: Collection of Short Stories by
Poornachandra Tejaswi (1973)
4.
`Sahitya mattu Rajakarana’ by Prof.
Baragooru Ramachandrappa (1981)
5. ‘Bandaya Sahitya Kuritu’: by Prof.
G S Shivarudrappa in `Bandaya Sahityada Tatvika Nelegalu’ published by
Kannada Sahitya Parishath. (1986)
6. ‘Dashakada
Kathegalali Jagateekarana mattu sthaliyateya mukhamukhi’ in Symposium on
Short Stories organized by Sahitya
Samudaya in Nov 2012 at Gulbarga.
7.
Marxist Cultural Movement in
India by Shudhi Pradhan Vol. I
8.
Constitution of Karnataka Rajya
Samudaya Samanvaya Samiti
9.
‘Great Cultural Movement’ by
Laksmi Chandrashekar in The Hindu 24 Nov 1995
10.
Draft Statement on Janasanskriti - Samudaya workshop held
at Sirsi (2010)
Notes
Material for section IV on
Samudaya taken from various Souvenirs, Article, Organization papers etc. and following publication:
·
Samudaya 25 – Janasanskriti Jathas and feastivals Ed. By C R Bhat, C K
Gundanna (2000)
