Express News Service By

“Tulu literary works will receive more weightage, if the language is included in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution. Thus elected representatives from Tulu Nadu should raise their voice to realise this dream,” Shri Gurudevadatta Samsthanam pontiff Gurudevananda Swami stressed on Sunday.

The pontiff was addressing the gathering at a convention of Tulu speakers, organised as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of Shri Gurudevadatta Samsthanam, Odiyoor. “As we are living in Tulu Nadu region and as a majority of people speak Tulu, we need a separate state,” he said.

Gurudevananda Swamiji however stressed that their demand should not be perceived as anti-national. We also respect Kannada and other languages spoken in the country.

By giving the analogy of a colourful butterfly secured in the hand of a youth, the swamiji declared that the future of Tulu language and culture was in the hands of its young people.

The anniversary of Odiyoor Samsthanam will be celebrated as ‘Tulunada Jatre’ from next year, he declared. Senior pontiff of Udupi Pejawar mutt Vishweshateertha Swamiji urged elected representatives to ensure that Tulu gets its due. K Chinnappa Gowda of the Kannada Department in Mangalore varsity felt that recognition for Tulu will witness a four-fold development in language and culture.

Cultured Language

The Pejawar seer quoted Victorian linguist Robert Caldwell who had said Tulu was a highly developed and cultured language among the Dravidian languages.

District Minister B Ramanath Rai said Christians who speak Konkani as well as Muslims who speak Urdu use Tulu in their day-to-day transactions.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said he had raised the issue of recognition for Tulu twice in Parliament.

Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Dharmadikari D Veerendra Hegade presided over the programme.

He regretted that even as they kept demanding recognition for Tulu, other languages were included into the eighth schedule.