(K.K.Kalavarkar)
Kundapur; Nov 27: Dalit litterateur Haridas K.K.Kalavarkar has been elected unanimously as the president of 13th taluk Kannada Sahitya sammelan, which will be held on Dec 5th in Kundapur taluk’s Siddapur.
Mr.Kalavarkar was born in poor Dalit family in Garagadde of Kalavara village in Kundapur taluk in the year 1943.His father Kalappa and mother Chekku were belonging to Aadidravida community of scheduled caste. He lost his father when he was young and was dependent on his mother. When he was growing under the shelter of his mother, he had the opportunity to learn about the story of Jangamas, prayer songs, marriage songs and lavane and was able to engage himself in folklore. He got three sons and one daughter.
(Entry to temple by Dalits,Raj Ballal,Kalavarkar)
Among the three sons, Mohanchandra Kalavarkar is a social activist and Satishchandra Kalavarkar and Umeshchandra kalavarkar are working as lawyers in Kundapur. His only one daughter, who got happily married and leading a happy married life.
He had a great interest in acting right from his school days time. But he was not able to get any chance in acting as he was belonging to Dalit community. However without giving up his hopes, by joining with boys of other community, he staged a brilliant stage performance and was being appreciated by his teachers.
After finishing his education in Kundapur board high school, he did his B.com degree in Udupi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College (MGM) and joined government job and served for thirty three years in different capacities such as in sub divisional office, municipality and as an assistant treasurer and retired now.
(Kalavarkar with Satyajit in one of the films)
Without the help of teacher he learnt the art of flute, tabor, harmonium, Dolak and music. He was the one of many, who fought for the welfare of entire Dalit community. He fought against the evil practice of eating left out food by the dalits in a plate or leaf after man has eaten and fought against all the exploitations, discrimination and atrocities against dalits. Earlier there was no access inside temples, hotels, restaurants, no proper accommodations and treatments to dalits in the hospitals due to social inequalities. But now due to his efforts, provided equal opportunities in the society almost in all the fields to dalits.
In one of the novels”Nadedhu bandha Dhaari” written by Shrinivasa Kalavar in 1997,first of its kind, wherein it was clearly explained about how Mr.Kalavarkar was being discriminated, exploited as a dalit and how much he has struggled for his education and his special contribution towards society.
(Kalavarkar as Paathri in Tulu film released in 1995)
Mr.Kalavarkar, who wrote more than 15 plays and staged it.”Yaara Hendathi cheluve,Huli bête,Paligebandha panchamratha,Mookana Madhuve,Vidhi Sankalpa,Belakinedege,Kaala,Shilpi,Premadasi,Nisarga,Oorugolu etc were his some of the plays. One of the famous plays ‘Kaala”,which brought him laurels, name and fame was experimented on stage for more than hundred times in languages like Kannada,English and Hindi and earned him several awards from taluk level to national level.
In 1994 based on this play, director Raj Ballal, it was selected in Panorama division under the direction of Ballal in hurry it appeared in silver screen in regional Tulu language as an art film. In this movie, Kalavarkar’s role as paathri, photography, story, dialogues, screenplay etc were directed in artistic manner and thus selected and won award as the best regional art film by the Karnataka state government.
Besides he also written’ Kacchur Maldi Devi Mahatme, Rakteshwari Devi Mahatme, Girikanye, Chiranjeevi, Premanjali, Naagambike etc.Girikanye in Perdur troup (Mela) Chiranjeevi in Haalady troup (Mela) have successfully been experimented.Premanjali and Naagambike looking forward for an experiment.
As a Haridas Mr.Kalavarkar has written Shabarimale Kshetra Mahatme, Bhakta Prahlada, Kollur Mahatme and Kausalya Parinaya and staged across the state.
It is really a delight to have an eminent man of this caliber with vast literature experience as the president of 13th taluk Kannada Sahitya Sammelan,it said.
