Procession held in Kalaburagi in honour of Rashtrakuta emperor Amoghavarsha Nrupatunga

A procession was organised in Kalaburagi city late on Saturday to celebrate the legacy of Rashtrakuta emperor Amoghavarsha Nrupatunga as part of the Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations. The event, oragnised by the Kalyana Nadu Vikasa Vedike, had cultural performances, banners, and tableaux highlighting the emperor’s contributions to Kannada language, literature, and governance.

The procession began from the Central Bus Stand and passed through Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Circle before concluding at Jagat Circle. Vehicles in the parade carried colourful posters hailing the Rashtrakuta emperor. Youths danced enthusiastically to Kannada DJ songs throughout the route.

The programme was held in the presence of Abhinava Karthikeshwara Shivacharya Swami of the Malkhed Kartikeshwara Moolaadhara Math and Hazrat Syed Shah Mustafa Khadri of the Roza-e-Rahmania Dargah.

In his opening remarks, Muttanna S. Nadageri, founder-president of the Kalyana Nadu Vikasa Vedike, said that Amoghavarsha was the only monarch in the world to have ruled for 64 years. “For the second time, we are holding a grand procession in Kalaburagi to honour him,” he said, urging the State government to officially observe Amoghavarsha Nrupatunga Jayanti every year and to name Kalaburagi airport after the emperor.

He also demanded that Gulbarga University be renamed Rashtrakuta University, that a Rashtrakuta Research Institute and Amoghavarsha Study Chair be established there, and that the Malkhed Fort and Nagavi monuments be developed and included in the UNESCO heritage list.

Inaugurating the event, Allamprabhu Patil, MLA from Kalaburagi South, assured the gathering that he would bring the demand for a Rashtrakuta Utsav and Amoghavarsha Jayanti to the notice of the government.

Activist Lakshman Dasti, who attended as chief guest, said that the Rashtrakutas gave first Kannada literary work, Kavirajamarga. “Such contributions must be preserved.” He called for struggles based on development rather than on religion or caste.

Hazrat Syed Shah Mustafa Khadri said that humanity is true worship and that people must live for Kannada while learning from history. Abhinava Karthikeshwara Shivacharya Swamiji recalled that during a famine, Amoghavarsha had sacrificed his own finger to Goddess Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur for the welfare of his subjects, symbolising his compassion and devotion.