Bunts’ Rule! The Birth of State-of-the-Art Rs 18 Crore ‘Buntara Bhavana’
Bunts’ Rule! The Birth of State-of-the-Art Rs 18 Crore ‘Bantwalada Buntara Bhavana’ at Valavur- Thumbay in Bantwal Taluk. The stage is all set for the inauguration of this multi-hall premises by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Indian Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, along with other ministers, politicians and cine stars.
Mangaluru: As the Bunts call themselves “The Warriors of Yesterday, Abettors of Today and Successors of Tomorrow”, they are also committed towards uniting and encouraging their Bunts community through various projects and services, have now have their own community hall named ” Bantwalada Buntara Bhavana” located at Valavur-Thumbay in Bantwal Taluk, and built a whopping cost of Rs 18 Crore. As Bantwal is the heartland of majority of Bunt community, and also known as the capital of ‘Tuluva Culture”, this is a ideal location for a unique and state-of-the-art Bhavana, to reflect Bunts’ Culture.
The land-locked country sloping down from the Western Ghats to the wave-lashed shoreline in the southern half of coastal Karnataka, lush with waving paddy fields and meandering rivers and streams, alternating with green hillocks and forests, once thick and alive with fauna and flora and chirping birds of all hues is Tulunad, known officially as Dakshina Kannada. In fact, Tulunad extends beyond the present boundaries of Dakshina Kannada and comprises the then Kasargod Taluk in the South. This is the homeland of a proud, tough, yet resilient community, the Bunt’s alias Nadavas, (or Vokkaligas) as they themselves would like to be known in common parlance.
This ‘Bunts’ Bhavana’ is a Bhavana for their people, of their people and by their people- and the Bunts main motto is to help their people and flourish in their community. And with their community services they are adding happiness in the life of the vast majority of Bunts’ community. The newly constructed ‘Buntara Bhavana” resembles a traditional house of Tulunadu ‘Gutthu Mane”, comprising of spacious corridors, large court-yards, portico’s and an impressive entrance which is decorated with massive and ornate wooden pillars and thick wooden doors, are a true depiction of the Tuluvara culture and architectural splendour. Located very adjacent to the Nethravati river, which flows behind the Bhavana, adds a picturesque beauty to it.
The “Bantwalada Buntara Bhavana” comprises of: ‘Bellore Paravi PV Shetty Auditorium’; ‘Dr RN Shetty Sabha-Bhavana’; ‘Nagriguthu Vittal Shetty Sabhagana’; and ‘Dhanabhagya Billipadi Ramanath Rai Sabhagraha’. Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Sadanand Shetty, Treasurer of Building Committee said, “The construction work started on 15 May 2015, and within 18 months the entire building is ready for business. Built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, with most of the funds being donated by the Bunt community. As of now, we have not finalized the exact rent for the different kind of hall at this premises. There are 100 seats, 250, 500, 1000 and 1200 seating capacity halls in this premises. It has a separate balcony, parking and other facilities. But special concession will be given to those people who are poor and those who can’t afford the regular rates. The funds raised from the rent will be utilized towards the education, health-care and weddings of the poor Bunt community”.
A three-day festival has been planned for this inauguration- yesterday a mega and grand “Hore kanike” (donation in kind) procession was held as a prelude to the inauguration. The Hore Kanike which started from B C Road main circle was flagged off by Minister B Ramanath Rai, and later inaugurated by M P Nalin Kumar Kateel. A Large group of the Bunt’ community members took part in this procession and vehicles filled with vegetables, Paddy (Rice), coconuts, Sugar, jaggery, sugar and various food items took the streets accompanied by musical bands and tableau’s.
Bantwal Bunts Sangha President Nagriguthu Vivek Shetty, Bunts Nadavara Mathrsangha President Malady Ajith Kumar Rai, Rajesh Naik Ulippady Guthu, Loknath Shetty B C Road, Rangoli Sadananda D Shetty, Kolambe Shashiraj Shetty, Kiran Hegde Ananthady-the VP of Bantwal Bunts Sangha, Vittalkodi Prafulla R Rai, Rangoli Chandrahas Shetty, Iraguthu Jagadish Shetty, Naveenchandra Shetty Mundajeguthu, Balajibailu Chandrahas Rai, Dr Prashanth Marla, Padmanabha Rai and Chandraprakash Thumbe were among the many present for the ‘Hore Kanike’.
Today’s (October 30) inauguration will be graced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Indian Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, State Ministers Ramanath Rai, UT Khader and many others, MLC Ivan D’Souza; MLA JR Lobo, Bollywood, Sandalwood and Coastalwood stars like Suniel Shetty, Prakash Rai, Niroop Bhandary, Rakshith Shetty, Upendra, Darshan , Sudeep, Yash , Vijaya Raghavendra, among many others. During the occasion several achievers from the Bunt community will be felicitated. Thousands of police personnel along with security men are controlling the premises as part of security procedures.