The Hindu : Kambar decries globalisation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Others

Kambar decries globalisation

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHITRADURGA, FEB. 21. Noted writer, Chandrashekar Kambar, has expressed grief and concern over the impact of globalisation on native culture and civilisation.

Delivering the inaugural address at the 9th Kannada Sahitya Sammelan of Chitradurga district on Saturday at Hosadurga, he termed the effect of the fast-spreading "uniculturism," which is the result of globalisation, as "desertification."

"Our style of bringing up of children has also changed. Now, we are following the information-based system. We feed them floods of information and expect the same information output from them. Our society thinks that information itself is knowledge. Information sans creativity can't be knowledge. It can neither helpful to the individual nor to the society'' he said.

"In this era of globalisation, various languages are becoming extinct. In 1970, there were around 1,400 languages. In 1980, the number had come down to 700 and in 1990, it was 300. If this trend continues, our languages may also disappear one day.'' Mr.Kambar, however, said: "That horrifying story cannot be of Kannada. Because, we have such a good amount of literature, which cannot be translated into any other language. The contribution of Vachanakaras is great in this regard. Vachanas of Allama Prabu cannot be translated even into Sanskrit, which is considered to be the mother of all Indian languages.''

C.G. Krishnaswamy, former president of the Karnataka Nataka Academy, said, "Literature is the only answer to all the problems of society.

Contemporary literature should clear all doubts about the present-day crisis.''

Purushottamananda Puri Swamiji of Chinmooladri Shilapuri Math inaugurated the sammelan and stressed the importance of Kannada language.

Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji of Sanehalli, chairman of the sammelan, expressed the concern over the deteriorating cultural values in society.

He stressed the need for instilling confidence among the farming community.

"Lack of self-confidence is the cause for the spate of suicides in the State. Literature should infuse confidence among the farming community and it is the duty of every writer also.''

"Bayalu," a souvenir, was released on the occasion.

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