Glorious history of the Sharnabasaveshwar Samasthan encapsuled in a 25 minute Play

KALABURAGI; In a captivating performance a group of young children have encapsuled the 250 plus year glorious history of the Sharnabasaveshwar Samasthan and that of 18th Century Saint Lord Sharanabasaveshwar in a 25 minute stage performance .

Thanks to the initiative by the Chairperson of the Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha Poojya Matoshree Dr Dakshayini Avvaji this awe-inspiring spectacle providing insight into the important historic facts, traditions and culture of the Samasthan is presented in a live performance which many in the present generation may not be aware.

Seen to be believed performance of the young children, who did not had any previous experience of participating in any drama kept the audience in the packed Poojya Basavarajappa Appa Memorial Hall glued to their seat during the Annual Day celebrations of the school couple of days back. This pack of zestful children in the troupe is led by the 9th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Poojya Chiranjivee Doddappa Appa and ably supported by his sisters Bhavani, Shivani and Maheshwari who executed with perfection the different roles given to them.

Ms Kamakshi Katti, working as English Teacher in the Appa Public School who led a team of staff of the Samasthan including Mr Girish Patil and Mr Akash Madiwal was responsible for training the young children to execute the roles given in the drama without any hitch. Ms Katti said that she was happy that her 30 day long training of the children has come out with a beautiful perfection in the drama form.

Every minute detail of the history of the Samasthan, the age old tradition and culture followed in the Samasthan, and the important milestones crossed has been carefully cross checked and included in the skit. Dr Shivaraj Shastri Heroor, Prof of Kannada in the Sharanabasaveshwar Arts College provided all the historic background and other details for the inclusion in the script of the skit.

It was a cinematic experience for the audience and the skit is presented with the recorded voices of the participating artist children in different roles playing in the background and the children donning different roles excelled with their synchronized lip movements to the voices heard in the background movement. Another feature of the presentation was the use of the focus lamps on the performing artists to highlight their performance.

The drama begins with the birth of Lord Sharnabasaveshwara in Aralagundagi village in Jewargi taluk and the time spent in the village and his involvement with spiritualism and practicing Dasoha in his field is presented in about 5 minutes followed by the historic meeting of Adi Doddappa Appa and Lord Sharnabasaveshwara and Adi Doddappa Appa inviting Sharanabasaveshwara is shown.

The important events and milestones in the history of the Samasthan including the instance of Lord Sharanabasveshwara gifting away the child of Adi Doddappa Appa and his wife to a childless couples without seeking the consent of Adi Doddappa Appa is enacted by the children. The construction of the Sharanabasaveshwar Shrine by the 5th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Poojya Linga Basappa Appaji is among other important events is enacted next.

The important part of the history of the Samasthan including the contribution of 7th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Poojya Doddappa Appaji in broadbasing the Dasoha culture from Anna Dasoha to Jnana Dasoha by starting educational institutions and giving importance to the women education is enacted with beautiful perfection along with the historic meeting of Mahatma Gandhi with Poojya Doddappa Appaji and his involvement in the freedom movement is feast to the eyes of the spectators.

In the concluding part of the skit the children enacted the significant role played by 8th Peetadhipathi Poojya Dr Sharnabaswappa Appaji in extending educational activities of the Sangha and converting the once educationally backward Kalaburagi into a major educational hub and how the Matoshree Dr Dakshayini Avvaji stood like rock behind Poojya Appaji in carrying forward the culture of Dasoha and her role in providing the food and water to the most needed in the lockdown period during Covid-19 pandemic.