Kittur Utsav
Kittur Utsav that celebrates Queen Kittur Channamma’s victory over the East India Company’s troops in 1824, was organised in Channammana Kittur on Monday. The three-day festival ends on Wednesday.
Various sporting events, including kabaddi, volleyball and cycling, were organised on Tuesday. A bouquet of cultural performances from school and college students from across the district was presented in Kittur on both days.
Over 30 folk art teams are performing in the event. They include Garudi gombe from Mandya, Yakshagana gombe from Mangaluru, Kilu Kudure, Karaga Nrutya from Bengaluru, Hejje Mela from Ramanagaram, Jaggalige Mela from Ramdurg, Dollu Kunita from Bailhongal, and a women’s Dollu Kunita team from Jokanahatti.
District in-charge Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi inaugurated the festival on Monday. He said Kittur fort would be developed into a tourist spot. He also promised a memorial in Kakati, the village where Channamma was born.
Upset
Pro-Kannada organisations are upset that the State government was not according Kittur Utsav the same amount of importance as Mysuru Dasara. In fact, Kittur Utsav is more important than Mysuru Dasara as it is about a woman’s conquest of the company’s forces. Channamma’s struggle predates the country’s first war of Independence in 1857. Kittur Utsav should get more funds and the Chief Minister should inaugurate it, Ashok Chandaragi, convenor of the federation of Kannada associations, said.