Maharshi Valmiki had earned the admiration of all for spreading harmony, love, sacrifice, and development-oriented governance across the world through his poetry, said Minister for Social Welfare and Minister in charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa.
Speaking at the Maharshi Valmiki Jayanthi celebrations organised by the Mysuru District Administration, Mysuru Zilla Panchayat, Scheduled Castes Welfare Department, Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, and Nayaka community leaders at Kalamandira in Mysuru on Saturday, Mr. Mahadevappa paid glowing tributes to the poet and celebrated author of the epic Ramayana.
Admiring him for writing such quality poetry while wandering in the hills and forests, Mr. Mahadevappa hoped that Valmiki’s culture, human values, and foresight would guide the oppressed classes and communities.
Maharshi Valmiki not only created the personality of Rama, but also the characters of Sita, Lakshmana, Ravana, and Anjaneya in Ramayana, whose roles are close to human lives. The qualities of governance, love, sacrifice, leadership, destruction of the wicked, protection of the virtuous, and keeping one’s word espoused in the epic are most ideal for a man’s life, he said.
Mr. Mahadevappa also recalled that it was the government headed by Mr. Siddaramaiah that not only started the Maharshi Valmiki Jayanthi celebrations, but also brought in laws that benefited the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He recalled that the Congress Government had favoured the inclusion of Nayakas in the list of Scheduled Castes through a Cabinet decision.
Meanwhile, the Valmiki Jayanthi function at Kalamandira was preceded by a procession comprising tableaux and folk troupes from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple in front of Mysuru Palace to Kalamandira.
MLAs including G.T. Deve Gowda, Harish Gowda, Srivatsa, and MLCs D. Thimmaiah, C.N. Manje Gowda, Mayor Shivakumar, Deputy Mayor G. Roopa, Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra, and others were present at the function.