Pujya Shri Shivaparadha and Shrimati Nanjamma were blessed with the birth of a son on March 3, 1948. Shri Bellimath Mahasamsthanam is one of the oldest monasteries in South India.
Established by revered Shri Edururu Siddalingeshwara Swamiji, who was the 12th century pontiff, records show its restoration dating back to 1640. Initially located in the outskirts of Bangalore, today it stands witness to the growth of the city.
Similar to other Veerashaiva-Lingayat monasteries, this institution also holds several branches across South India. Its tradition includes providing free education and accommodation to the poor and marginalized children.
Pujya ShivAnubhava Charamurthi Shri Shiv Rudra Mahaswamiji received initiation at the age of 13 in 1961 from Shri Siddaling Swamiji and has been serving as the head pontiff since then. Engaged in propagating Basava Dharma and Vachana Literature for the last 50 years, they currently hold the position of the 13th pontiff of Shri Bellimath Mahasamsthan.
They have revitalized the Basava community by initiating thousands into Basava Dharma in Kerala. Alongside Shri Aravind Jatti from Karnataka Basava Samiti, they have been actively spreading Basava Philosophy throughout India.
Pujya Shri Shiv Rudra Mahaswamiji has been awarded the “2022 Ramanashree Sharana Prize” by the All India Sharana Sahitya Parishat and the Ramanashree Foundation.
Dr. B. V. Shirur was born on March 2, 1941, in Kukkanur village of Koppal district, Karnataka, India. His father, Shirur Veerabhadrappana, was known for his integrity, Gandhian principles, involvement in the freedom struggle, and his past political career.
Dr. Shirur completed his Bachelor of Arts in 1963, Master of Arts in 1965, and obtained his Ph.D. in 1973. He served as a lecturer, preacher, and principal at Sri Anandaneeshwara Mahavidyalaya in Naregal from 1966 to 1985. In 1985, he became a professor at the Kannada Study Chair at Karnataka University, Dharwad, and retired in 2001. He has published over 200 research articles and authored 65 books in various fields including Old Kannada, Vachana literature, epigraphy, culture, history, and research.
His contributions to Sharana literature include editing several Vachana compilations such as Patala Jnana Saraamrita Bedagina Vachanadata and publishing works like Jakkanayyana Nirala Mantragopya and Urali Lingapeddi’s Nuraondu Vachanagalu. He has also published 18 collections of poems and received numerous awards and accolades for his literary contributions.
Dr. Shirur’s extensive research and writings have significantly enriched the Kannada language and literature. He has been honored with several awards, including the B. Bahubali Pratishthana Award from Shravana Belgola, the Teenamshree Pratishthana Award from Mysore University, the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award, and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Hampi University Kannada Department. He has also received recognition from the Prabhudev Mutt in Sondur for his contributions to “Basava Belagu.”
In 2001, around 850 students and admirers came together to dedicate a felicitation book titled “Sirisampada” to Dr. B. V. Shirur.
Dr. B. V. Shirur was honored with the “2022 Ramanashree Sharana Prize” by the All India Sharana Sahitya Parishat and the Ramanashree Foundation.
In the literary world, P. G. Siddhapur is a well-known figure. His full name is Paragonda Gurupadappa Siddhapur. He was born on June 1, 1958, in Basavana Bagewadi to his parents Gurupadappa Siddhapur and Munabai. He completed his primary education in Swagrama and his secondary education at Sri Shantaveera Kiriy Mahavidyalaya in Babaleshwar. After obtaining a degree in Fine Arts, within a few months, on November 20, 1978, he started his career as an art teacher at Sri Mallikarjuna High School in Mulavada, Basavana Bagewadi.
As a beloved teacher of children, he ventured into literature and agriculture. He has filled lines with colors and played with words, captivating readers with his excellent works. “Anubhava Deepthi,” “Makaranda Part 1 and 2” are excellent literary works. Along with modern vachanas, he has written good stories and poems for children. Many of his poems have found a place in the syllabus of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala state textbooks. He has dedicated about 32 works to the Saraswati world, earning accolades from the Karnataka Sahitya Academy, Bangalore, Karnataka Balavikasa Academy, Dharwad Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Bangalore, and many more organizations.
Moreover, he has been honored with the State’s Best Teacher Award for his dedication and contribution to both profession and literature. He is admired and respected by many in both realms.
Sri P. G. Siddhapur is honored with the “2022 Ramanashree Sharan Prize” by the Akhila Bharat Sharana Sahitya Parishat and Ramanashree Foundation.
Shri Mrutyunjaya Doddawad was born on December 24, 1973, as the son of Shri Chandrashekharappa and Smt. Sushil in Karalavadi village, Dharwad district.
Profession: Singer, Music Director. He graduated in Film Background Music in 1993. In 1994, he studied Sugama Sangeetha, music, and Hindustani classical singing.
From 1995, he served as a music teacher in schools. In 2001, he worked as an assistant music coordinator and singer in the popular TV program “Kuhu Kuhu” on Udaya TV. He also participated in numerous other TV programs and sang in various events and festivals across Karnataka and India.
He established the Sangita Dham Music Academy in 2003 and released his first music album “Durgada Sobagu” in 2004. Since 2005, he has been continuously organizing musical events featuring famous Kannada poets’ compositions.
He actively participated in various cultural events and festivals such as Mysore Dasara, Hampi Utsava, Chalukya Utsava, Kittur Utsava, Ranna Utsava, and Rani Chennamma Utsava, spreading the essence of Kannada music across the nation. He received several awards and honors for his contributions to music and culture.
In recognition of his achievements, Shri Mrutyunjaya Doddawad was awarded the “Ramanashree Sharana Award” in 2022 by the All India Sharana Sahitya Parishat and Ramanashree Foundation.
Sri Chittaragi Vijaya Mahanteshwara Math, Ilakal, Hunagunda Taluk, Bagalkot district, Karnataka. The math, renowned as ‘Jolige’, has been actively involved in uplifting society for the past 33 years, reaching over 3500 villages and neighboring states as well as foreign countries. It has liberated numerous families from economic distress and mental anguish. It played a significant role in the liberation of Devadasis. Many women who were engaged in the profession of prostitution abandoned it and found livelihood in mainstream society.
Teachers and students have been imparted moral values, sense of duty, and health consciousness through hundreds of camps conducted here. During droughts in Ilakal, Hunagunda, Sulibavi, and Savadi, the math ran grain distribution centers for months, providing food to thousands.
During natural disasters, like the earthquake in 1993, the math provided financial assistance to distressed villages along the banks of the Bhima river in Indi taluk, Bijapur district. For 60 years, the math has been providing free meals and accommodation to students of all religions. It has been fighting against the dowry system, encouraging widow remarriage, and providing financial assistance for marriages, which has been recognized as exemplary service.
Rejecting the caste system as a curse to Indian society, the math has provided free access to people of all lower castes. It has trained members of the Lambani, Madiga, and Bovi communities as priests and appointed them to various branches of the math. The monthly Shivabhog and Mahamane programs in villages and devotees’ homes have helped foster spiritual and moral consciousness, contributing to the formation of a virtuous society.
For the past 25 years, the Basava Belagu quarterly magazine has been encouraging budding writers and promoting Sharana culture. The math has several educational institutions, including 113 schools and colleges and 16 hostels. Its dignitaries have received numerous awards, including the “Sanyama Prashasti” from the Karnataka State Government’s Alcohol Control Committee for their anti-alcohol campaign, which is a matter of great pride.
The Akhil Bharat Sharana Sahitya Parishat and the Ramanashree Foundation take immense pride in awarding the “2022 Ramanashree Sharana Prashasti” to Sri Chittaragi Vijaya Mahanteshwara Math.
Honoring individuals who inspire and motivate others through their actions and achievements.
Pujya Dr. Sri Shivayogi Devru, who hails from the village of Madagunaki in Gadag district, has become a source of inspiration for the youth of our state in revitalizing the Kannada language and culture. They are remarkable and visionary leaders who have embarked on the mission of reviving the Kannada language and culture in the Gadag district and beyond.
Pujya Sri Shivayogi Devru was born on 5.71989 to the revered Guru Siddhayya and Nagaratnamma couple in the lap of divine grace. Under the guidance of Pujya Sri Shantalinga Mahaswami of the Bhairanahatti Doreswami Virakta Math, they received their primary education and spiritual training at the Shivayoga Mandira, founded by Gurukumar Shivayogi. They pursued higher education, earning Bachelor’s degrees in Kannada (2013) and Philosophy (2015) from Davangere Karnataka University. They have been passionately involved in social and spiritual service.
Endowed with a good-natured language, devotion to linga worship, impeccable character, creative mind, and diligent work ethic, Shivayogi Devru is an embodiment of many virtues. Under the guidance of Pujya Dr. Tontada Siddharama Mahaswami of the Tontadarya Math, they have delved deep into the principles and doctrines of the Lingayat faith. They have obtained a Ph.D. degree from Rani Channamma University, Belagavi, on the topic of “Alamana’s Experience and the Doctrine of Emptiness.”
They have authored several works, including “Basava Belagu” (2014), “Nelada Nidhana” (2019), and “Yugavatari” (2022), attracting attention in the literary world. As prolific writers, they have consistently contributed articles, poems, and modern vachanas to esteemed magazines like “Mahamane,” “Lingayat Darshana,” “Basava Patha,” and “Sharanakiran.” They are revered as upcoming poets in the literary community.
Driven by a passion for social service, they played a significant role in the successful organization of the 155th Jayanti Mahotsava program of Sri Kumar Shivayogi, held in the town of Chikodi. They have actively participated in religious awakening and community organization by conducting padayatras in 23 villages of Chikodi Taluk, initiating linga deeksha, Rudrakshi dharana, and dissemination of vachanas to more than ten thousand people.
In recent times, they have been instrumental in the success of the 155th Jayanti Mahotsava of Sri Kumar Shivayogi, which took place in Chikodi city. By conducting padayatras in 23 villages of Chikodi taluk, they introduced more than ten thousand people to linga deeksha, Rudraksha dharana, and vachanas. They have touched the lives of numerous people through their public speeches and have been honored with the “2022 Raman Sri Sharana Award” by the Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Parishat and Raman Sri Foundation.
These are just a few highlights of the remarkable journey of Pujya Dr. Sri Shivayogi Devru, a beacon of hope and inspiration for countless individuals in our society.
Srimati Dakshayini Jayadevappa” was born as the beloved daughter of Sri M.V. Channappa Shetty and Smt. Shivamma on October 29, 1952, in Mooguthihalli, a village in the Malenadu region of Chikkamagaluru taluk.
She completed her primary and secondary education in Mooguthihalli and Chikkamagaluru respectively. After her pre-university education, she married Sri H.M. Jayadevappa, the son of former MLA Sri Mallikarjunappa, and later settled in Shivamogga city, where she dedicated her life.
From a young age, Srimati Dakshayini Jayadevappa was inclined towards spiritual contemplation, which led her to study and immerse herself in the teachings of Basava philosophy. Her keen interest in spirituality motivated her to study and delve deeper into Vachana literature, and her dedication to spiritual works is evident in her effort to publish and study a collection of three thousand Vachanas. So far, she has contributed to the publication of 720 Vachanas.
Srimati Dakshayini Jayadevappa has been honored by numerous organizations and associations from Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, and Chitradurga districts. Notably, she was honored by the Sannehalli Mutt and the Shivamogga Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, which are sources of great pride.
Srimati Dakshayini Jayadevappa was awarded the “Ramanashree Sharana Award 2022” by the Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Parishat and Ramanashree Foundation, which further adds to her illustrious accolades.
Suresh Keshapura, the son of Mr. Suresh Keshapura and Mrs. Sharada, was born on 17-08-1982 in Muddebihal Taluk of Vijayapur district, Karnataka. He completed his primary education in Huttur and pursued his high school education at J.S.S. School in Mysore. Even at a young age, he showed a keen interest in music. His first mentor in music was his father, Mr. Suresh, who was a renowned stage artist and singer.
Despite facing polio at the age of three, which caused trouble to his legs, Siddharam Keshapura continued his relentless pursuit of music. He quickly gained popularity among music lovers in the region. Starting to sing publicly at the age of five, he received encouragement and opportunities from eminent personalities in the music industry. He has provided music for more than 150 dramas, including popular ones like ‘Maneya Malige’, ‘Amrapali’, ‘Kalaavu’, and many others.
Participating in over ten thousand programs, including prestigious festivals like Ranna Utsava, Chalukya Utsava, and Hampi Utsava, as well as the All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, Siddharam Keshapura has sung soulful renditions of Bhavageethe, Dasara Sahitya, Vachana Sahitya, Rangageethe, Tatwapada, and Janapada Geethe, earning the admiration of the audience. Recently, his socially relevant and environment-conscious songs have been widely appreciated. Through the Bhumayi Balaga troupe, he has sensitized people with songs about land, water, and folk culture.
Siddharam Keshapura’s exceptional contribution to the field of music drama for two decades has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Satyappa Sharan Prashasti, Gaana Kala Kusuma, Gaana Kogile, Gaana Garuda, and others.
Siddharam Keshapura has been honored with the ‘2022 Saana Raman Shree Sharana Award’ by the Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Parishat and the Raman Shree Foundation.
The Vishwa Basava Sena, which upholds the principles of Basavanna’s teachings, is an extraordinary organization that, like the words of Basavanna himself, not only preaches but also embodies those teachings in life without limiting them to mere advice. It stands out for its commitment to the philosophy of Vachana Dharma, even as it navigates the complexities of life.
In Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, approximately more than 300 youths refrain from vices such as alcohol, meat, and smoking, and instead, they lead exemplary lives, embodying the spirit of service and adopting the principles of Dasoha, despite the challenges. This is the unique aspect of the Vishwa Basava Sena.
Members of the Vishwa Basava Sena, who organize Guru Pravesh and Vachana Kalyana Mahotsavas in accordance with the principles of Basavadi Pramathas, may not have higher education, but they possess the ability to recite and understand at least a hundred Vachanas.
Sri Basava Yogesh, serving as the dynamic president of the Basava Sena, along with Sri A.M. Basavanna and Basamma’s son, born on August 19, 1991, in Nanjangud, holds a Mechanical Diploma and, influenced by the thoughts of Basavadi Pramathas, actively serves the villages of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, bringing together young people. They have organized hundreds of programs.
They are always cheerful while conducting humanitarian activities and, with love and trust, they inspire everyone and instill self-confidence, encouraging people to join them in their work.
They have given names of Sharanas to many circles and parks in the city of Nanjangud. They have established Basava Mantapas in about ten places in the taluk.
Young, energetic, hardworking Dasoha lovers who have dedicated their lives to the propagation and practice of Basava’s principles, Sri Vishwa Basava Sena, are proud recipients of the “2022 Sagan Ramana Shri Sharana Award” from the All India Sharana Sahitya Parishat and the Ramana Shri Foundation.
Check out the moments captured from the award ceremony through pictures.
Copyright © 2024 Ramanashree Awards . All Rights Reserved. Crafted by Pixelsbrew