Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Muscat: Openness of Indian culture will be the high spot during celebrations to mark the anniversary of Karnataka Rajyotsava, the day on which the Indian state of Karnataka was formed.
“The core values of our culture is that we are totally accommodating. This is because of our wholeheartedness and welcoming nature,” said Karunakar Rao, convener of the Indian Social Club’s Kannada wing, who is spearheading the celebrations.
There are some 15,000 Kannadigas (people from Karnataka) in Oman, and Rao is keen to showcase the warm and welcoming nature of his state to the other residents of the Sultanate.
The celebrations will be held on November 24 at the Grand Hall in Al Falaj Hotel.
A host of popular Kannadiga entertainers have been roped in for the festivities. These include comedic writer and actor Nagaraj Kote, stand-up comedian Krishne Gowda, classical singers Ratnamala Prakash and Seema Raikar, folk artiste Pancham Halibandi and keyboard maestro Krishna Udupa, among others.
Although these celebrations have been taking place for the last 15 years, getting such accomplished artists to Oman was no mean task.
“We had to book them in August itself; we had to tell them that this was a prestigious programme that takes place every year,” revealed Rao. “We want to depict the true culture of Karnataka, including its entertainment and music. This is culture at the grassroots level. Our music has literary value and is very melodious. We will also have some folk songs.
“Although Karnataka Rajyotsava actually falls on November 1, here in Oman, it is difficult to get a hall to accommodate so many people,” he admitted. “We normally have about 1,000 to 1,200 people attending the programme. There are about 15,000 Kannadigas in Oman, but we only have about 1,200 members, and we want to increase this number.”
Highlighting the openness of the Kannadiga society, Rao observed that it was a quality it shared with the people of Oman.
“Those who come to Karnataka want to settle there,” he noted. “This is the essence of Kannadiga culture. Wherever you come from, you feel the need to settle in Karnataka. If you look at a city such as Bangalore, you will find many people from other states and countries; many languages are also spoken here, which reflect the openness of the Kannadiga people.
“We are also good innovators and enterprising,” said Rao. “There are many enterprises in Karnataka, and we welcome people from all over the world.”
In addition to celebrating Karnataka Rajyotsava, the ISC Kannada wing will also pay tribute to Oman’s 47th National Day this Friday.
“We will also hold Oman’s 47th National Day celebrations on this day, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for his warm and welcoming nature, and for inviting so many of us to start our lives here,” emphasised Rao. “I wish him very good health and happiness in the future.
“We are always ready to help those who require our assistance, and we work closely in coordination with the Indian Embassy to work out the best solutions for those who need our aid,” he added. “If any Indian resident in Oman needs our help, we will assist them.”
Residents who live in Oman and wish to attend these celebrations may contact Karunakar Rao on 99453528, or call the Indian Social Club directly on 24703263.
