Oral Traditions Reflect the Cultural History of Tulunadu: Dr. Tukaram Poojary

The oral literary traditions of Tulunadu hold the key to understanding the region’s cultural and historical evolution, said Dr. Tukaram Poojary, Director of the Rani Abbakka Study Centre.

He was delivering the keynote address at a seminar on “Tulu Literature and Cultural Life” organised jointly by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, the Department of Linguistics, and the Literary Association of Yenepoya College, Kular.

Dr. Poojary said that without references to oral literary forms, it is impossible to reconstruct Tulunadu’s history. “Tulu’s oral expressions such as sandhi, paaddana, uralu, and eduru kathegalu are not mere folk traditions but living symbols of an immense knowledge system,” he noted. “They serve as vital sources for understanding Tulunadu’s heritage, values, and continuity.”

Academy President Taranath Gatti Kapikad, who inaugurated the event, stressed the importance of introducing Tulu-related activities in schools and colleges to foster appreciation and pride among the younger generation.

The seminar was presided over by Prof. Jeevan Raj Kuttar, Principal of Yenepoya College. Dr. Shivaprasad K, Superintendent of Yenepoya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Sharina P, Narayan Sukumar E, Dr. Shalini Siqueira, Prof. Vasanth Kumar, and Academy Member-Convener Pangala Babu Koraga were present.