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Seer calls for translation of Basaveshwara's works

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIDAR, APRIL 6. The writings and the influence of the 12th century social reformer, Basaveshwara, have been limited to South India, the seer of the Bhalki Math, Basavling Pattaddevaru, said here on Sunday.

The seer regretted that a major portion of the country's population was not aware of Basaveshwara's philosophy as his works had not been translated into other languages.

The seer, who was speaking on the concluding day the third All-India Sharana Sahitya Sammelan, said saints such as Mirabai and Kabir Das were well known to people all over the country because their followers had translated their works into English and many Indian languages.

He urged writers and intellectuals to translate the works of Basaveshwara, Akka Mahadevi and other sharanas, who produced over "a million lines of poetry'' 900 years ago.

He called for the dissolution of the associations of Veerashaiva sub-castes as "their formation goes against Basaveshwara's philosophy of eradicating the caste system.'' According to him, more marriages should be encouraged among people of different sub-castes.

He called upon the maths to choose seers from various sub-castes and not just from among the Jangamas.

Maths at Ilkal and Bhalki had chosen Dalits as seers of some of their branches.

He attacked the heads of some maths and their followers who followed Vedic practices, despite being influenced by the 12th century cultural revolution led by Basaveshwara. "Some of us continue to follow unscientific Vedic practices, though the revolution taught us not to do so," he said.

He called upon the maths to open schools to teach the Vachana literature of sharanas and not Vedic teachings.

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