Kanakadasa Jayanthi celebrated at Lourdes Central School, Bejai, Mangalore

Mangaluru: Lourdes Central School celebrated Kanakadasa Jayanthi, the birth anniversary of Kanakadasa, on November 30, 2023, as a commemoration of the great poet, saint, philosopher, composer, and musician.

It is a day of celebration that resonates with the soul of Karnataka and brings together people from all walks of life to honour the revered saint.

The Principal Rev. Fr Robert DSouza, Rev. Fr Arul, and Rev. Fr Leston, and the Vice Principals Ms Belita Mascarenhas and Ms Anita Thomas presided over the programme.

The programme began with the universal prayer and intentions, followed by a prayer song. A floral tribute was offered to the portrait of the Kanakadasa by the dignitaries on the dais.

The students of classes V and X recited Keerthan and sang devotional songs composed by the saint himself. Students of class VIII enacted a short play showing how Kanakadasa was deprived of entering the temple and worshipping Lord Krishna, but the devotion and belief of the saint made an opening in the wall of the temple, and the statue of Lord Krishna turned towards the saint who was praying. This opening, which was formed in the wall during this worship, was called Kanakana Kindi.

Fr Principal, in his speech, narrated a short story about a saint who distributed fruit to each of his disciples and asked them to eat in a place where no one could see them. The students went in different directions and completed the task. But only Kanakadasa brought it back to the saint. When questioned, Kanakadasa replied that he was unable to eat the fruit because there is no place where there is no God and he is always found in the heart of a believer. The value conveyed by the story was that God sees everything we do and we as children need to be good, obedient, respectful, truthful, and devotional in all that we do.

The distribution of prizes for the Social Science Exhibition conducted in school and various interschool competitions conducted in different schools and colleges was done.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Pragnya of class 8.