Karnataka Gram Charita to record history

BANGALORE: While we all get to know the history of the poets, artists, singers, sculptors and their contribution to the state and the language, we often neglect the villages which gifted them. In an effort to re-construct the memories and to showcase the lifestyle of villages, the newly started Karnataka Folklore University (KFU) has come up with a first-ofits- kind initiative in the country to document the history of over 36,000 villages of the state.The initiative to be known as the ‘Karnataka Gram Charitra’, has already begun in 98 villages on a pilot basis.The Karnataka Folklore University has taken up the research in 98 villages falling under Shiggoan taluka in Haveri district.In order to carry out this mammoth project, the Folklore Department has set up a high-power committee with nine members, headed by Ka Ta Chikkanna, Joint Director of Kannada and Culture Department.The other members are Dr M M Kalburgi, a historian, Prof S Shettar, historian and researcher, Go Ru Channabasappa, President, Karnataka Janapada Academy, Dr H S Ramachandre Gowda, Professor of Sociology R Indira, Professor K V Narayan, Professor of anthropology Murugeshi T, Professor of archaeology N Ningaiah.The KFU is planning to recruit two research assistants with Master’s degree.Each district will have an editor, who will monitor the works of the research assistants.Later the documents will be forwarded to the Chief-Editor who will be at KFU central office at Gotagodi in Shiggavi taluk, and would publish it.Speaking to Express, Prof Ambalike Hiriyanna said, “The experimental project will end by March.Later, based on the result and feedback of the pilot project, it will be duplicated to the rest of the villages.”