The Hindu : Da Ra Bendre remembered

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Da Ra Bendre remembered

By Our Special Correspondent

HUBLI Oct. 25. K.S. Sharma, Director of Da Ra Bendre Research Institute, has described the late poet laureate, Da Ra Bendre, as a "great traveller in the path of light".

Speaking at a function organised to mark the 22nd death anniversary of the poet on Friday, Prof. Sharma said the life of . Bendre symbolised his commitment to and belief in light.

The poet, who was born on Bharata Hunnime, a day of light, spent his life in the quest of the new light and breathed his last on Naraka Chaturdashi, symbolically the dawn of light after darkness. Prof. Sharma said Bendre's quest for light found expression in his early poems too.

The poet had said: "We should all seek the new light," Prof. Sharma said. He said . Bendre stood for the eradication of poverty and dreamed of a day when the toiling poor would rule society.

He was in favour of a society free from hate.

K. Raghavendra Rao, noted Indo-Anglican poet and former Professor of Political Science in Mangalore University, said Bendre was a people's poet unlike many other poets who had moved away from the people. he articulated the pain and sufferings of the common man, he said.

Prof. Rao said Bendre could not be placed in the category of spiritual poets, since his life was a saga of struggle and his works reflected struggle too.

The 13th edition of "Nada Leele", one of the earliest of Bendre's anthology of poems, was released on the occasion. Vaman Bendre, co-Director of Da Ra Bendre Research Institute, welcomed the gathering.

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