Grand inauguration for Hoysala Utsav in Belur

The 2015 edition of the Hoysala Utsav was ceremoniously inaugurated by the District in-charge Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa in the historic Belur Chennakeshava Temple on Thursday.

Speaking after the inauguration the minister said, “Those who forget history will never make history. The aim of Utsavs like this is to pass on the rich tradition that we have inherited to the generations to come.”

The inaugural ‘Hoysala Jyothi’ was brought to Belur from Angadi, in Moodigere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district.

The Jyothi was lit at the Vasantha Parameshwari Temple in the native village of the Hoysala kings to signal the start of the annual Utsav. The torch was welcomed at Belur by hundreds of students and others as it reached YDD First Grade College. It was then handed over to the historian and writer Srivatsa S Vati.

Speaking on the occasion the historian said, “The Hoysalas ruled over us for over three centuries and have built for us a rich tradition and history. They set an example to be followed for generations to come. The Hoysala rule ended when they were cheated and defeated in 1392.”

Tahsildar of Moodigere said, there are several sculptures reminiscent of the Hoysala-style in Angadi and the village can be developed into a tourist attraction.

Many artistes performed during the inauguration adding vibrance to the event. Thousands of people gathered to take part in the Utsav.

Later, a procession of folk art troupes was launched by MLA Y N Rudreshgowda on the premises of the Mini Vidhana Soudha at 2.30 pm. It concluded at Channakeshava temple by the evening.
Vehicular movement on the National Highway 234 — connecting Bengaluru and Mangaluru — was held up for over an hour, due to the procession. The highway passes through the town and is the only main road here, inconveniencing road users.

Black day for Halebeedu
Even as the entire district was in a festive mood, the residents of Halebeedu town and surrounding villages observed ‘black day’, protesting the change in venue for the inaugural function of the Utsav to Belur town.

Since the talks for the utsav preparations, the residents of Halebeedu have opposed the change in venue.

The utsav was for over a decade inaugurated at Halebeedu, earlier called Dwarasamudra, which was the capital of the Hoysala kings for a long time.

Their demands to continue the inaugural function at Halebeedu, followed by even a bandh, did not yield any results. While commercial establishments downed shutters, activists marched with black flags and staged a dharna to register their protest. Students formed a human chain and blocked 7vehicular movement for some time.

The agitators said, MLA Y N Rudreshgowda and Tahsildar Jagadish have neglected the capital of the Hoysalas to celebrate a festival that recognises the contributions of the legendary rulers.