A Grammar of Belare

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Foreword The Central University of Karnataka established in 2009 by an Act of Parlia nent at addressing the concerns of equity and access. The prime objectives of the University are to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities to the students and to pay special attention to the betterment of the social and economic conditions besides affecting the welfare of the people by making contributions towards the intellectual and academic growth.

In view of the aims and in pursuance of the direction by the Government of India the University started a Centre for Endangered Languages in November 2015. The Centres main aim is the preservation and promotion of endangered languages through documentation and revitalisation for restoring the status of these languages used to enjoy in the past. The Centre also works to empower the Endangered Language communities too in possible ways by training the persons from among them for sustainable development.

Preface The present grammar of Belare is a project work assigned by the Central University, Karnataka. This work is one of the language analyses under the project on endangered languages of India. Though the aim of this project is the preservation and promotion of Endangered languages through documentation; this analysis has limitations mainly in collection of data, as the Belare Community has already given up the language some five decades back and now only one speaker remembers some of the language, which has been presented here. So, it is not a complete grammar of the language. Still it has been attempted to provide almost all features of the language.

There are some past works on this language. Prof. D.N.S Bhat's work was one of them. The present work was based on the data collected from Hosangadi area of Kundapur taluk. It was an interesting study as Belare has retained some of the probable archaic features.

I am very much grateful to the honourable Vice Chancellor Prof. H.M.Maheshwaraiah, Prof. C.Ramaswamy, Coordinator, CFEL, Editor of the volume who put his efforts to correct, align and bring this volume in a beautiful shape and Prof. K.S.Nagaraja, for editorial assistance.

Introduction Belare is a community of about 500 people found around Kundapur Taluk of Udupi District. The Settlements of Belare. Community are Edamogge, Ulluru, Karuru, Alpadi, Muduru, Kaltodu, Aluru, Hosabalu, Rattadi, and Amasebailu. It is said that they are originally from Tirupati and belong to Panchakula. They migrated from Tirupathi to Sringeri. Later they moved towards Kundapura. They construct small huts in the open field and stay there. According to folk etymology they are named as belihari as they supposed to have crossed the fence and moved from there. be:li means 'fence' and haru is 'to cross'. The etymology of the term belare is undecided. There is a village called bellare in Sulya Taluk. But there is no evidence to show that this community has any connection with the village bella:re. In the initial stage of migration they identified themselves as the disciples of lord Venkateshwara. Later on, when some of the members of the community visited the Sharadamba temple at Shringeri, they were told about a course on them, and to overcome of it, they were suggested to become devotes of Sharadamba and they were asked to pull the silver chariot of the temple. Then onwards Belare community became the followers of goddess Sharadambe of Shringeri.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages