25-04-2025
Veerashaiva and Lingayat organisations to jointly celebrate Basava Jayanti in Belagavi
Various Veerashaiva and Lingayat organisations have come together to celebrate Basava Jayanti in Belagavi.
Three events are being planned to be organised as part of the celebrations, a bike rally on April 27, a function on April 30 and a procession on May 4, organisers said in Belagavi on Friday.
Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha district president Basavaraj Rotti told reporters that the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha, the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the Rashtriya Basava Dal and other organisations will jointly celebrate the festival.
'It will be an unprecedented grand celebration. All the organisations will come together forgetting their differences,' he said.
On April 30, the festival will be celebrated in the houses of believers and in private colleges and offices, apart from the government celebrations in Belagavi.
The bike rally will start at Basaveshwar Circle near Goaves. It will pass through Tilakwadi, Wadagaon, Khasbag, Shahapur, Ravivar Pet, Maruti Galli, Rani Channamma Circle, Shiva Basava Nagar and end at Ramteerth Nagar. Over 1,000 bike riders are expected to participate.
On May 4, a huge procession will be taken out from Rani Channamma Circle to Lingaraj College Grounds. Folk artists will perform along the way.
To a query, Mr. Rotti clarified that the organising committee does not support the demand for celebrating Renukacharya Jayanti along with Basava Jayanti.
'Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shankar Bidri has made such a demand. But we do not support him. It is his personal view, though the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha does not endorse it,' Mr. Rotti said.
Leaders Rathnaprabha Bellad, Shankar Gudas, Ashok Bendigeri, Ramesh Kalasannanavar, A.Y. Bendigeri, M.M. Bali, Lingaraj Jagajampi and others were present at the press meet.
The district administration will celebrate Basava Jayanti in Belagavi on April 30. District in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi will inaugurate the celebrations. A colourful procession will be taken around the city.
Writer Basavaraj Jagajampi will deliver a special lecture at the function to be held at Kumar Gandharva Rang Mandir.
Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, MPs Jagadish Shettar, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Priyanka Jarkiholi, Iranna Kadadi, MLAs, MLCs and others will be present.
