Raghunath Hadpad to preside over Tatvapada cultural meet in Bidar
Dharinadu Kannada Sangha will organise the first Tatvapada Sammelan, a meet of Tatvapada singers and writers, here on June 17.
“This is the first such conference in the State,” sangha president Deshamsha Hudagi told presspersons here on Thursday.
Tatvapadas are folk ballads that have a general theme of spirituality.
Procession
Mr. Hudagi said artiste Raghunath Hadpad had been selected as sammelan president. He would be brought from Chittavadi to the Indian Medical Association hall here in a colourful procession, at which folk artistes would perform.
Over 20 writers and 50 singers would participate in discussions and talks, and there will be cultural performances too.
Tatvapada singers Ishwar Hosmani, Sangashetty Madaragi, Chandrappa Basannor, M.G. Nadaf, Nagappa Sheshappa Doddi, Manik Nelge and Chennappa Sangolagi, and writers Channamma Wallepure and Kashinath Patil are expected to participate.
Self-taught
Mr. Hadpad is a barber at Chittavadi, a hamlet near Bidar. Writing, collecting and singing Tatvapadas is his passion.
Born in a village in Andhra Pradesh, where he studied up to class 10 in Telugu medium, he moved to the district four decades ago, and learnt Kannada. Now, he has published three collections of Tatvapadas and two anthologies. He has also written a book about Kannada metre, rhyme and rhythm.
“I keep a book at my shop. When I get a spark of inspiration, I write it down. It becomes a song before the day ends,” he says.
He writes songs in Kannada and Urdu around themes such as death, ideals in life, and the relationship between man and God. “I use English terms like ‘romance', ‘college', ‘politics' and ‘computers' to appeal to youngsters,” he adds