Swabhasha Chaturmasya: Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi’s Call to Save Native Language

Gokarna, July 6, 2025: The 32nd Chaturmasya Vrata of Gokarna Mandaladheeshwara Shrimajjagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi Mahaswamiji will commence on July 10, 2025, and conclude on September 7, 2025, in the sacred environs of Ashokeya, Gokarna. This year’s observance, themed ‘Swabhasha Chaturmasya,’ aims to promote the pure use of one’s mother tongue, emphasizing its role as a carrier of culture and heritage. Addressing a press conference, Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji urged people to preserve their native language to safeguard their cultural identity, highlighting the initiative’s unique focus on linguistic purity.

Swabhasha Chaturmasya 2025: A Call to Revive Linguistic Heritage

According to media reports, Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi emphasized that language is not merely a tool for communication but a medium of culture. “Speaking our mother tongue purely is the greatest service to our nation, culture, and heritage,” he said. He expressed concern over the erosion of native dialects and the infiltration of foreign words, particularly English, into Kannada. This Chaturmasya, a first-of-its-kind initiative, will encourage devotees to rediscover forgotten words, speak Kannada purely, and resist linguistic hybridization. The seer likened language preservation to protecting indigenous cow breeds, underscoring its cultural significance.

Key Events and Message of Linguistic Purity

The Chaturmasya will begin with Shri Vyasapooja on July 10, followed by Shri Vardhanti on July 13. Two Swabhasha Goshtis are scheduled for July 21 and August 19, alongside celebrations of Shri Krishna Janmashtami on August 16 and Shri Ganesha Chaturthi on August 27. The observance will conclude with Seemollanghana on September 7. The seer called for a societal movement to eliminate foreign words, rediscover lost vocabulary, and even create new words to enrich Kannada, urging households to practice pure Kannada to preserve ‘nammatana’ (our identity).

The press meet, attended by Manjunath Suvarnagadde, Prasanna Kumar T.G., J.K. Hegde, Shrikant Pandit, Udayashankar Bhat, Madhu J.K., J.S. Hegde, Subraya Bhat, R.G. Hegde, K.L. Hegde, Raju Hebbar, Uday Bhat, Rajaram Bhat, J.V. Hegde, Mahesh Hegde, and others, highlighted the collective commitment to this cause.

Keywords: Chaturmasya 2025, Chaturmasya Vrata, Gokarna, Shri Raghaveshwara Bharathi, Swabhasha Chaturmasya, Kannada preservation, mother tongue, linguistic purity, cultural heritage, Kannada language, Ramachandrapura Mutt, native dialects, language revival