Rashtrakavi Manjeshwara Govinda Pai Memorial Trust and Govinda Pai Memorial Government College observed the death anniversary of the late poet at Gilivindu, the late poet’s memorial in Manjeshwara in Kasargod district on Sunday.
A large gathering including students from the College, late Pai’s fans, literature lovers, members of the Trust, writers, artists and lecturers witnessed the event. Trustee D.C. Chowta, Secretary Uday Kumar Irvathur and others inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp in front the poet’s bust.
Head of Kannada Department in the College, P. Shivashankar said patriotism, religious harmony, universal brotherhood and humanitarian concern were prominently featured in the poetry of late Pai, who had been a rare poet and a researcher. Mr. Shivashankar said he had been a humanist poet and scholar.
He explained that Govinda Pai, in his poem ‘Jesus-Krishna’, conveys the message that ‘the sun who rises on different days is the same,‘ that the paths to reach the God may be different; but the source of humanity was the same. He mentioned that Pai’s poems about his mother, the mother of Kannadigas, and the glory of Bharatambe, reveal his love for his land, the language, and the country.
Shreya, Pooja, Rashmita, B.R. Anuprabh and Manisha, third-year degree students, and K. Shivani and Krishna Pranam, second-year degree students of the College, presented a topic on the life and various aspects of Govinda Pai’s literature.
Trustees K. Tejomaya and Subhashchandra Kanvatheertha, poet K. Radhakrishna Kaliyathadka, retired lecturers N.K. Rajalakshmi and U. Maheshwari, Kavya from Kannur Central University, Kannada Sahitya Parishad Kerala Border Unit president Jayaprakash Narayan Thottethodi, Karnataka Gamaka Kala Parishad Kerala Border Unit president Tekkekere Shankar Narayan Bhat, Yakshagana Academy member Satish Adapa Sankabailu, Border Development Authority member A.R. Subbaiah Katte and others were present.
Students of the Sri Durga Dance Troupe sang Govinda Pai’s Ashaya Geetha.
source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)