Tulu Language and Script

Tulu Language:

Tulu is a language spoken in the area situated on the West Coast extending from the northern part of the undivided Dakshina Kannada district (now this part belongs ot the Udupi District) of Karnataka state up to the Kasargod Taluk (on the northern part) of the Kerala State. In ancient times this region was called Tulunaadu (the Tulu country) and the people whose mother tongue is Tulu are called the Tuluvas.

Tulu language belongs to the Dravidian group of languages that are spoken mainly in South India. Linguists enumerate about 24 Dravidian languages spread mainly in South India and some parts of North India and also in a few areas of Pakistan. Among a couple of dozens of Dravidian languages a few have evolved into major ones and have produced innumerable literary works for the last two thousand years. These works can stand par with other literary works of the world both in quality and quantity. Such developed languages of the Dravidian family are called as Major Dravidian languages. They are mainly five in number viz. Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Tulu and Malayalam. Thus attention may be drawn upon the fact that Tulu language is also one among the five major Dravidian languages. These five major Dravidian languages together are called as ‘Pancha Dravida BhashegaLu’.

Unfortunately the significance of the Tulu language was note recognised until Rev. Caldwell brought out his monumental work called ‘A comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family of Languages’. In this prestigious work he justifies that ‘Notwithstanding its want of a literature, Tulu is one of the most highly developed languages of the Dravidian family.’ It was this appraisal that opened the eyes of the lingusts towards Tulu and made them to give due respect and recognition to it as one of the important and developed Dravidian languages.

Tulu is spoken by about 2.5 million people. The major number of Tulu speaking population is found, in dense, in the coastal area of Karnataka state. Equally good number of Tulu speakers can be seen all over India and also in other parts of the World, mainly in Gulf countries and in U S A.

Tulu script:

Tulu Script
Tulu Script

In a casual or serious discussion on Tulu language, a question often crops up, right from the experts to laymen. That is whether Tulu has a script ? If ‘yes’ whether it is a form of Malayalam script?

The reasons for such a question are:

1. Tulu literature written in Tulu was, for long, not available (now Tulu classics in Tulu Script are discovered)

2. Tulu script was mainly used by Brahmins for writing Mantras. So others were not exposed to the script.

3. Tulu was not a medium or subject of formal school education. So Tulu script did not figure in school curriculum.

4. The similarity between Tulu and Malayalam scripts.

5. And, mainly because of the use of Kannada script for Tulu by German missionaries during the early stages of printing of Tulu works.

Language and Script

Language and Script are two different entities. The relation between a language and a script is neither ‘original’ nor ‘fixed’. Any language can be written in any script. That is how, there are about twenty scripts in the world for thousands of languages. Having or not having ‘own script’ is neither a status nor any impediment for a language. One of the prime language of today, English doesn’t have its own script. It uses the Roman script. So called ‘Divine language ‘ (Devabhasha) Sanskrit is written in Nagari script. Nagari is employed by Marathi, Hindi etc. English or Sanskrit can be written in Nagari or Kannada scripts. Name boards, letterheads etc use this type of writings. The words like English, railway, bus, paper, engineer are English words  written in various scripts. “I speak English” can be written in many scripts and the meaning is same. So also, sentences of any language in any script. Language and Script are not inseparable. Script is like mirror. It can reflect any image.

A script called Tulu is used in Tulunadu for centuries. All Tulu classics discovered recently are in Tulu script, and som in other scripts. This Tulu script was being used by Brahmins. Till recently they were using it for writing Mantras, for accounts etc. Since hundreds of years, Tulu Brahmins were going to Kerala Temples for priestly work (called ‘Shanti’ Services). They took the Tulu writing with them to Kerala thus they carried the Tulu script to Kerala. Malayalam had not developed a script of its own by that time. The upper castes and classes of Keralites started close contacts with the Tulu Brahmins and hence they adopted the Tulu script, and later adopted it to what is now called the Malayalam script. (This has been proved in detail by Vidwan P V Puninchathaya in ‘Tulu -Nadu-Nudi’).

Tulu as a language branched off from Dravidian (Mula Dravida), language, at least a thousand years earlier to Malayalam. So it is unlikely that a language much younger gave a script to an older language. Actually, probably Malayalam as an independent language was yet to be evolved, when Tulu had its own classical literature. So Tulu could not borrow a Malayalm script, simply because it did not exist. What existed was a Tulu Script, later taken by Malayalam. Another important proof of its antiquity is that the pundits (‘mathadhipatis’) use only Tulu for their signature since the begining of Matha tradition, despite the high status of Sanskrit in Mutts. Neither Sanskrit nor Kannada, but Tulu script is the official script of the Mutts in Tulunadu. Hence, it is a script evolved in Tulu area, that was later adopted for Malayalam. Hence it is Tulu script, and not Malayalam script nor Tulu-Malayalam script. To call Tulu script as Malayalam is both wrong and unfortunate.

Tulu is now disappearing in Tulu country and has established itself in Kerala. This, like many, is a paradox. So Tulu script has become a daughter of the in laws, and in-law of the motherland. The use of Kannada for Tulu is the reason for this pecular situation. The modern Tulu writings are using Kannada script. So it is natural that Tulu script is not likely to be revived for writing Tulu.

Summary

It is proved beyond doubt that Tulu had a script of its own. Tulu has given a script to Malayalam. Because of the use of Kannada for Tulu by German missionaries, the use of Tulu script declined. Most Tuluvar know Kannada. So they can easily use kannada script for Tulu.  Script and language are adoptable to each other. So with a few modifications, Kannada can be used for Tulu also. Any language can use any script. It is in question of usage and practices. However we should not forget that Tulu had its own script, and should at least know about it.

– Dr. K Padmanabha Kekunnaya

155 thoughts on “Tulu Language and Script

  1. Im happy to see there is a tulu script and hoping to all tulu people know how to write this script because this is important for all tulu people it means we need to be proud of this.thanks for the things that bring out from dark.
    thanks and all the best

  2. This discussion regarding tulu is good. we often find many in karnataka able to speak in tulu. but we often notice that they are quite shy and hesitent when it comes to tulu. instead they prefere kannada, may be due to incompatibility problems. tulu using its own script should be actively encouraged and instead of saying that some language came form some other, it is better to say that all related languages came from some proto language and that is the convention followed worldwide and it promotes all the languages.
    Thank you.

  3. It is quite nice to know that several people speaking tulu as their mother tongue (including me) can now boast of having a proper, redesigned, Tulu Script (at Last Years Tulu Conference) that can be widely used.
    It is not important of arguing which one is parent and daughter. Instead, it is important to cultivate and spread the awareness among Tulu speaking about the script and usage. Thus it helps to popularise first amongst Tuluvas, then can slowly expand to the interested ones too. My great grand father had written about dozens of Palmyra leaf scripts in Tulu, which unfortunately was not possible to read as further hardly anyone knew script. Now it might help me to further investigate the content of them. This also proves that Tulu Script was popular 2 centuries ago amongst the speaking and writting people, may be traditional literatures.
    Now high time, people come forward and popularise the existing (I do not accept dying language) language.
    Thanks for the details….

  4. i am very happy to see there is a tulu script and hoping to all tulu people know how to write this script because this is important for all tulu people it I want so many others who read this also to join .{tulu porlu base.math kdetla merevodund aase,} my mail add anugayatri24@gmail.com

  5. Let me narrate my feelings about this topic. I do not claim to know or practice the script. Like many of us I was ignorant of the its existence, richness, past history, its usefulness etc. Thanks to the scholars who revealed and brought it to the attention of many of us. We are grateful to these scholars – Venkatraj Puninchithaya, Dr. Padmanabha Kekunnaya and others to name a few, for their research, effort to preserve and propagate. We know lot more about Tulu lipi now than a few decades ago! For example, the Malayalam must have been derived from the then existing older common script of Tulu (controversial assumption!).

    So what? What use is the Tulu script for us anyway? Why bother to develop the script or the language when no one seems to be interested! (but you are not one among them! Or else you would not have responded to the exhibit I had at the AVG booth!). It is a dying language !?! May be. (That is what we were told about Sanskrit in those days, remember?) We may not find its usefulness now.(Technology can only prosper with a sound basic science research!) But when they collect those palm scripts from various sources such as our ancestral homes, would there be someone to read and decipher or transliterate into Kannada or English? We may store in the library. But who would read them? What will happen to those palm leaves which otherwise would have been scrapped because nobody knows how to read them or witness the tragedy of being eaten by termites! I even heard that they have used as fuel for fire?! We will never know what treasure we lost because of the ignorance.

    What is the solution? What can we do before it is too late? If I made you aware of this I have accomplished the purpose, at least half of it. First task is to urge the people who own these palm leaves to deposit in libraries in Dhamashtala or Manipala or any library that can undertake the preservation and catalog properly. Second task would be to train students to read and write the scripts and create interest in Tulu literature. As an exercise they could use the Tulu Bhagavatho, Tulu Mahabharatho or Devi mahatme etc. In trying to do this keep in mind that we have already lost a generation of students. So we have to start from children of elementary level. No parents would want their children to start another language if they can help! Everyone wants their children to learn only English and I presume that even Kannada will have to be taught through English in Karnataka!

    So, under these circumstances, we are left with the choice of only compulsory teaching of Tulu in elementary schools. Again, public schools which depend on government support are out of the question. Private schools will have to be funded. Can we foresee this happening? What choice do we have? If Tulu is not encouraged in the Tulu region of Karnataka where else can we expect of its survival, preservation and propagation?

    One more suggestion. Udupi Ashta-matha Swamis are generous in providing free shelter, food, education etc. to a number of children. They prepare them to get to the high school so that they be on their own. I understand they are being taught Kannada, English, Sanskrit and Hindi and other subjects for this purpose. Why not teach Tulu script with its grammar until they go to high school? Are there teachers to do this? Can we encourage them undertake this aspect?

    I welcome other suggestions. You are not obliged to answer or respond to this email if you choose. This is just to make you aware of the situation. That is all. Sorry, for long narration.

    Balakrishna Rao

  6. Dear sir,
    i am Pradep i want all Tulu Language and Script please send me sir

    Regards
    Pradeep

  7. Thank you for your response Dr. Halemane. Let us start doing something to encourage the reintroduction, propagation and development of the tulu script and literature before it is too late!

    With regards
    Balakrishna

  8. Learn the origin of Malayalam script..It has nothing to do with Tulu script…It is neither borrowed from Tulu by Malayalis nor borrowed from Malayalam from Tulu ppl…They hav a common ancestor from which both originated…

  9. Namaskara mathergla,

    Tulu Rocks Man, no matter wr it comes from or wr it has gone. I am proud to ba a Tuluvan.

    mathergala solmelu….

  10. I learned from my recent visit to Udupi that Tulu studies have been incorporated into the academic curriculum in Mangalore area (but not so much in Udupi!). In some schools they are introduced at the High School level(includes scripts grammar etc.). This information was given to me by Dr. Padmanabha Kekunnaya who is actively involved in the propagation of Tulu lipi. Another active center is in Dharmasthala where active research is going on. They preserve a large number of tuluscript palm leaves. Yet another center is the Puthige Mutt in Puthige. Tulu is being taught to students at a very young age! and also they preserve a small number of palm-leaf books.

    Let us encourage them to continue and intensify the study by recognizing their hard work. Congratulate and support them!

    Thanks for your attention!

    Balakrishna Rao

  11. I’m a northie (hate the term) who studied in k’taka for a couple of years and learnt kannada and had a brush with tulu and telugu. I must say, that they’re all beautiful languages. I found tulu especially beautiful and sweet, next only to my mother tongue (which is NOT hindi). Sadly, i noticed that it isn’t a language which tuluvas prefer to speak at home. As i see it, it’s a threatened language and it would be sad for it to go extinct. I have nothing against kannada, a beautiful language itself, but i feel that tuluvas should enrich their language by taking pride in speaking it at home, taking it as a second or third language in school and encouraging artistes to write QUALITY music, drama and literature in tulu for a wider appeal. It is after all a heritage of k’taka and has equal right to flourish as its sister, kannada. Speak your mother tongue at home atleast.

  12. maatergla namaskara……….

    tulu is the best among the pancha dravida bashegalu…………..

  13. Thanks Harry for your great insight! I am really indebted to your input in this matter. You seem to grasp the real urgency of the upholding of Tulu and I am praying that our Tulu speaking youngsters realize the importance of your comment.

    Thank you immensely.

    Balakrishna Rao

  14. Can anyone point me to books available to learn Tulu. I have been searching since years for this.

    Thank you,
    Ravidatta HS

  15. “Namaskaara tuluappe g bakka matha tulu baandaverg”

    Yaann tulu appena bale…
    Yank tulu mast ishta…
    Yaan tulu lippi kalthe….nikul matherla kalple…mathergla pandad korle…
    “denna na denna” tulu k ongi raaga korle…
    bale matherla ottige bale…
    namma tulunadu n gatti pathle…

    Thirth barethina Itheda paristiti thoole?????
    I am very sad that people saying there is no script for tulu,No one should talk tulu,believe or not we are helless…

    So, we( tuluvas) should prove that it is wrong and we have to make TULUNADU bigger! bigger! and bigger!!!.

    Lets Hope “Tulu will be spoken by everyone”

    “Jai Tulunad”

  16. jai tulunad. Join our facebook grou TULU PATHERGA TULU ORIPAGA to learn tulu. and knw abt our culture join TNTBTR on fb

  17. Join on face book> TULU PATHERGA TULU ORIPAGA and TNTBTS…. (kisutulunad@yahoo.com)

  18. 28.8.2011=mumbai= Jayakar Dejappa Poojary=a retired Ex Banking personnel.
    My book =THULU LIPI THERILE= AKSHATUdDU URKINA= being published by JANAPADA / JP. PUBLICATIONS =MUMBAI, about Thulu Saahithya and also about learning to read and write THULU LIPI is under printing in Mumbai . This book will be released in September /Uctober 2011 in Mumbai. This book is the SANKALANA of my all abt 16 articles written in THULU LANGUAGE using KannaDa Lipi about THULU SAAHITHYA and published the same in Akshaya monthly magazine in Mumbai. Moreover, each article was also publishedwith my lessons showing how to read andwrite THULU LIPI . My method of teaching to read and write THULU LIPI is with some different method which is easy for three groups of people. All this shall be claearly shown in the said projected book.
    About my study about THULU LIPI:
    My first inspiration was my fatehr Late Moodabidri Dejappa Amin in 1957 with whom I got an inspiring suggestion whenI was 9 yaers lod and asked him a question about the existenec of THULU LIPI. Due to my devotion to complete my pstgraduation in 1969 and some committed natinal level competitive examination I could not start searching about the thulu Lipi. However, in 1970 I developedmy own TULU LIPI thinking that there might not be any THULU LIPI . Part of such set of old papers is still with me but in delapidated conditions. But it was in 2004/5 I got actual inspirational information from my son in USA and since then I started indepth studies about the Literature ( including Thulu Sansrithi, Thulu Sanskaara, Thulu Dharma, Thulu Kale, Thulu Parampara, Thulu Janapada, Thulu Jaana Pada , Thulu OObeele, Thulu Oral, Thulu Biira ( BEERA ), Thulu Sandi etc and also Thulu Lipi with its VOWELS ( sara=(swara), CONSONATS ( Banjana = Vyanjana both vargeeya and avargeeya ), ALLOGRAPHS ( OTHTHULU= 12 types) and LIGATURES OF VOWELS ( Akshara Maale=BaLLi ) etc. I also wrote my first samll articel using THULU LIPI using in readable form on 9.9.2007 in Mumba. I also informedabout my works on Thulu Lipi to some well known institutions in Dakshina Kannada and Kuppaum University in Adra Pradesh for which I got appreiating lettrs. I realeased some private circular in Mumbai to teach those who were interstedin learning THULU LIPI. Mean time I wrote my FIRST handwritten book about Thulu Lipi in October 2009 titled = THULU LIPI THERILE =BARAVUGU NIREL Due to some personal and finacial constraint , being retired and senior citizen, I could not attend the VISHVA THULU SAMMEELANA hed in UJIRE URING 10=12/11/2009, as sponsored by Dr.Veerendra Heggade of Shri DharmasthaLa Ksheethra . Hoever, on 5.2.2010 my hand written above quoted book came to light during the THULU UTHSAVA held in Mumbai in the presense of the Registrar ofthe Karnaaka Thulu Academy, Mamngalore. I got immediate opportunity to start publishing my article along with the lessons about THULU LIPI. Thereafter,I did not look back, nor rested . I wrote another handwritten book titled= THULU LIPI THERILE= BARVUUDA BOORU= which showes mast of the aspects about easy w ay of learning to read andwrite THULU LIPI. Mean time I also translated an article published in = KODIPU= the sovenier released during The Vishva Thulu Sammeelana fot which I receiveda letter ofappreciation from Dr.Virendra Heggade. I will be publishing the same for a larger use to know the content of that atricle after taking necessary permission from the concernedauthorities. Mean time I am also writing using THULU LIPI / language in readable form the 4020 lines of a THULU LIPI SANDI named = THE EPIC OF THE WARRIERS = KUOOTI CHENNAYA= written in English by Prof SND Poojary, Goa . Very tiresome, expensive and mindbogging. I doubt if I complete that exercise.
    THERE IS LOT of things to do abpout THLU LIPI to propogate the significance of the same especailly to the younger generation who are mostly after the intrinsic utility of the same for the progress of their career..BUT FINANCEIS THE RESTRICTION AND` HENCE TO DO IN A PHASEDMANNER WHICH WILL BE ON A SLOW TRACK AND MOVE IN A SNAILS SPACE.
    Institutional help, if provide, a great deal can be done to bring back the THULU LIPI into practice, not in a revolutionery war but by evolutionery process.
    I amy be copntacted on mobile 09833723472 , email( mail4jayakar@rediffmail.com> I am domiciled in M

  19. Namaskaara, encha uller?

    Intro: I am student of all dravidian languages + aryan languages. I was born in bengaluru and lived in chennai. I am currently studying samskrtam.

    As another brother put it, all dravidian languages borrowed their script from brahmi (other non dravidian languages that borrowed from brahmi lipi are burmese and sinhalese). So the question of the lipi coming from malayalam to tulu or vice versa cannot be proved. Like some folks mentioned, tulu and malayalam as languages is a different story than the lipi relationship itself.

    Secondly, I was amazed at the amount of similarity between Tamil and Tulu. Some of the older Tamil words are being used with slight modifications in current Tulu language. Vernacular Thamizh (Kodunthamizh) has moved on but Tulu stills used some older dravidian words. Having said that, we cannot conclude if Tulu was the first language to branch out from what we call ProtoDravidian.

    Thirdly, is the branch out sequence really important? As a fellow dravidian Indian Citizen it is important for us to enrich and preserve ALL cultures of our nation including that of Tuluver and Tulunaadu.

    Finally, due to religious and other cultural factors, we have allowed extreme sankrtization in all dravidian languages even when there are sufficient pure indigenous dravidian words available for it in our respective languages. Again, this comment is NOT to be construed as hate for Sanskrit. I am a current student of Samskrtam and consider myself a patron of ALL Indian languages. But, it is easy to understand why this happened. Look at the language we are communicating today – English became de facto language of trade and commerce first due to British rule and next due to globalization forces. Similarly, Kushanas brought a earlier form of Samskrtam called Bactrian to India. (There were more such movements into Indus delta region) in the past. I can talk about that movement in another article. I have to say that I find Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada more influenced by Samskrtam (maybe due to political power and religious reasons) than Tamil and Tulu. So instead of battling which dravidian language came from which one I would focus on the reestablishment off Tulu language, and a Tulunaad if possible. If we dont take the preservation work – the beauty and heritage of the region will be submerged in a different culture again for political reasons.

    My 2 paise….
    Jai Tulunaad!

    Srikanth Naidu (Yes I am Telugu!)

  20. Hi,

    Happy to know that TULU has a lipi thank you all for finding out the lipi

    Regards

    Satish kallamundkur

    Mumbai 25/09/2011,time 17:30 pm

  21. @ramesh: a very late reply to sixth post.
    “Baseless arguments, rooted in egotism ,like the one by Potti are perhaps responsible for the uncharitable remarks made by Malayalis about Tuluva settlers in Kerala”

    Boss perhaps you should explore internet and make sure whether he or you making baseless arguments.
    And about “uncharitable remarks made by Malayalis about Tuluva settlers in Kerala” . I did my schooling there and never once did i hear about such uncharitable remarks. So dont tell some stupid things for sake of telling.

    For your knowledge “Tulu brahmins” command a very good respect among Malayalees.

  22. It has been known for long that Tulu had a script. It is only recently that more people have become aware of this. Had brahmins made any attempt to popularise the script in olden days it would have become popular. I hope present day researchers/scholars will make all efforts to make tulu people be aware of the history of their language and its script.

  23. Greetings everyone!

    I have a couple of observations which I think help distinguish Tulu from other languages.

    1. Tulu is probably the only language in which “m” sound is used to address father and “p” sound is used to address mother. In most languages it is the opposite. The Tulu word for mother is Appe (e as in end, egg, etc.) and for father is Amme (e as you say the letter “a” or the short version of the first a is asia, ate, etc.).

    2. Tulu is also one of the few languages which uses the above 2 forms of pronouncing “e”, that too in the most important of words in any language – the ones for father and mother.

    These points don’t prove that Tulu is older, which is rather irrelevant in this day and age, but do show that Tulu is an original language that can stand on its own merit.

    BTW, Kannada also uses the 2 “e” sounds, for example, in enTu (eight) and ele (leaf). I think Hindi doesn’t – it has only the “a” sound but not the “egg” sound. And regarding Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu, I request readers more familiar than me with those languages to let us know if the 2 sounds are used in those languages with a couple of examples.

    I now have a question regarding the 2 “e” sounds which I hope someone here can answer.

    Q. Since Indian languages are much richer in alphabets than European languages, how come there are no separate alphabets to distinguish these 2 vowels in the languages that use them? European languages at least have “accents” to distinguish those sounds but Indian languages don’t have anything!

    Any and all ideas welcome.

    Thank you!

  24. ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳು ನಾಡುದ ತುಳು ಅಪ್ಪೆನ ಮೊಕೆದ ,ಕರ್ನಿಕದ ಜೋಕುಳು ಮಹ ಪುರುಷೆರ್,
    ಕೊಟಿ ಚೆನ್ನಯೆರ್,ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳು ನಾಡುದ ಪುದರ ಮೆರೆಪ್ಪೆರೆ ಬೆಗರ್ ಕ೦ತದಿನ ಅಮರ್ ತೊತ್ತ ಚೆ೦ಡುಲು
    ಈ ನಮ್ಮ ಕರ್ನಿಕದ ಬೈದೆರ್ಲು,(ನಮ ಮಾತ ತುಳು ಅಪ್ಪೆ ಜೋಕುಳ್. ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳು ನಾಡುದ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕ್ರತಿನ್
    ಒರಿಪವೊ೦ದು ಬರೊಡು ಪ೦ಡುದ್. ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳು ಪತೆರ್ನ ತುಳುವೆರೆ,ನಮ ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳು ಸ೦ಸ್ಕ್ರತಿನ್
    ಬುಡ್ದ್ ಪರವೊರ್ದ ಪೊರ್ಲುಗು ನಮ ಬೊಕ್ಕ ನಮ್ಮ ಜೋಕುಳು ಬಲಿ ಆವೊ೦ದು ಉಲ್ಲೆರ್ ,ದಯದೀದ್ ಅ೦ಚ ಅವೆರೆ ””
    ಬುಡಡೆ ತುಳು ಅಪ್ಪೆನಕ್ಲೆ .ದಯೆ ಪ೦ಡೆ ಪ೦ಡ ಜೋಕುಳೆನ್ ಎಲ್ಲಿಡೆ ತಿದ್ದರೆ ಸಾದ್ಯ ಇಪ್ಪುನು ಅವು ಅಪ್ಪೆಗ್ ಮಾತ್ರ .,ದಯ ದೀದ್
    ನಿಕ್ಲು ನಿಕ್ಲೆನ ಜೋಕ್ಲೆಡ ಪತೆರ್ನಗ ಐನಾತ್ ತುಳುಟ್ಟೆ ಪತೆರ್ದ್ .ತುಳು ನಾಡು ಪ೦ಡ ದದಾ ,ನಮ್ಮ ಸ೦ಸ್ಕ್ರತಿ ಪ೦ಡ ದದಾ
    ಉ೦ದೆನ್ ಮಾತ ನಮ ಯೆಲ್ಲಿಡೆ ಜೋಕ್ಲೆಗ್ ತೆರಿಪದ್ ಕೊರೊಡು ಪ೦ದ್ ವಿನ೦ಬ್ರ ವಿನ೦ತಿ,ದಯೆ ಪ೦ಡ ಯೆ೦ಕ್ಲೆಗ್ ಯೆ೦ಕ್ಲೆನ
    ಅಪ್ಪೆ,,ಅಮ್ಮೆರ್ ದೈವೊಗು ತ೦ಭೀಳ ಪ೦ದ್ ಕಲ್ಪಾದ್ ಕೊರೊ೦ದ್ ಇತ್ತೆರ್, ಆ೦ಡಾ ಇತ್ತೆದ ಜೋಕ್ಲೆಗ್ ಆಕ್ಲೆನ ಅಪ್ಪೆ,ಅಮ್ಮೆರ್ ದದಾ ಕಲ್ಪವೆರ್
    ಗೊತ್ತು೦ಡೆ ಡೆವೀಲ್ ಡಿನ್ನರ್ ಮಗ ಪ೦ದ್,ಉ೦ದು ಒಡೆ ಮುಟ್ಟ ಪರಿನಾಮಾ ಬುರೊ೦ದ್ ಪ೦ಡ ,ಕಾಡೆಕ್ಕ್ ಒ೦ಜಿ ದಿನ ಆ ಜೋಕ್ಲು ದದಾ ಎನ್ನುವೆರ್ ಪ೦ಡ
    ಚೀ ಮೊಕುಳು ಸೈತಿನ ಕುಳೆಕ್ಲೆಗ್ಲಾ ಬಳಸುವೆರ ,ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳುತ್ತ ಜನಕ್ಲೆಗ್ ಮ೦ಡೆ ಸರಿ ಇಜ್ಜಿ ಪ೦ದು ಅವೆನ್ ಉ೦ತಯೆರ್೦ಡ??? ಅಡೆಗ್ ನಮ್ಮ ತುಳು
    ಸ೦ಸ್ಕ್ರತಿಲ ಸೈಪು೦ಡು,ಒಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ನಮ್ಮ ದೈವ ದೆವೆರ್ಲ ಅಳಿವೆರ್,,,,ಬೊಕ್ಕ ನಮ್ಮ ತುಲು ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಪುಟ್ಟೊಕ್ಕು ಸೆರು೦ಡು ತುಳು ಸೈಪು೦ಡು,ತುಳು ನಾಡು ಪನ್ಪ್ಪುನ
    ಪೊರ್ಳುದ ಪುದರ್ ಮಾಜು೦ಡು,ಯನ್ಲಾ ಒರಿ ತುಳು ಅಪ್ಪೆನ ಮಗೆ ಐನೆರ್ದ್ ಅವ್ರ ,ಕುಲೊ೦ದ್ ಅಲೊಚನೆ ಮಲ್ಪುನಗ ಈ ನಮುನೆ ಮನಸುಡು ಪೊಡಿಗೆ ಬತು೦ಡು,,

    ದಯಾದೀದ್ ಯಾನ್ ಬರೆತಿನೆಟ್ಟ್ ದಾಲ ತಪ್ಪು ಇತ್ತು೦ಡ ಐಕ್ಕ್ ಮಾಪು ಕೊರೊಡು ಪ೦ದು ನಟ್ಟೊನ್ವೆ,ಜೈ ತುಳು ನಾಡು,ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಬೈದೆರ್ಲ್ಲೆ ಕಾಪುಲೆ.

  25. I came across Tulu script by chance in 1975,before the advent of internet.thereafter I met many Tulu speaking friends,but they said,Tulu has no script.today,many know about the TULU script-thanks to the Net.Best wishes to TULU,the ancient language used in a GREEK PLAY about 2000 years ago.

  26. I have a copy of book written in Tulu Lipi and appears to be Mantras written a long ago. Please let me know if some one can help me to translate this to Kannada.

  27. Tulu Language may be introduced in all School as an Optional language at least in the
    Tulunadu in Karnataka.

  28. JAYAKAR DEJAPPA POOJARY from Mumbai is glad to inform that hios book ” TULU LIPI THERILE” first of that contents about knowing how to read and write TULU LIPI was released in a grand scale on 28.1.2012 and in the presense of destined dignitaries.
    It was at the Devadiga Sangha, Devadiga Center , Nr.Dadar Central in its A.C Hall between 3.30.PM till 9.30.PM and with packed audience. The function began with a prayer to Vighneshwar by Chitra JayakarPoojary . The function had two proceedings , The first one was the KAVI GOSHTI for exclusively reading TULU KAVANAS There were abt 15 poets including myself . I read the poem ” ENKULU TULUVER “, The Kavi Goshti was preside by Dr.Suneeta Shetty( Ph.D, and a retired Professor and a well known writer and poet) .
    The Chief Guest of the function was The newly appointed president of the KARNATAKA TULU SAAHITYA ACADEMY, Mangalore,Shri UMANATH A.KOTIAN.. THE FUNCTION WAS HOATED BY The Tulu Nada Samaj , Mira Bhayinder, JP PRAKAASHAN, andJAYAKAR DEJAPPA POOJARY. It was First of that kind all seasoned pets read exclusvely TULU POEMS. The event was managed( NRUUPANE) by Shri Gangadhar Paniyuru,Mumbai.It was for 100 minutes.
    The secondpart of the proceedings was commencedafter the snacks with tea. this proceeding was for releasing my book ” TULU LIPI THERILE” The function was presided by Shri Babu Shiva Poojary ( well known scholar about Tulu Sahitya and Chief Editor of Gurutu monthly ,Mumbai ), Chief guest was Shri Umaakanth A.Kotian ( President of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy ,Mangalore ), Guests of Honour Dr, Suneeta Shetty (Ph.D. well known poet and writer in Tulu language), Shri Shimanturu Chandrahasa Suvarna ( ex Managing committe Member of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Mangalore representing Mumbai and a poet , writer and famous orater in Tu;lu language in Mumbai ), Dr.Ishwar Alewoor (Ph.D and Editor of Akshaya Monthly Mumbai and a Banker ), Dr.U.Dhanajaya Kumar ( Ph.D. and Joint Secretary of The Billawar Association , Mumbai and and a banker ), Dr Vishvanath Karnad ( Ph.D. and a retired Professor in Mumbai ), Dr.Vishvanath Karnad (Ph.D. and retired professor in Mumbai ), Shri Ashok Suvarna . Editor of Mogaveera Monthly in Mumbai, Dr.Raviraj Suvarna , the presidnt of one of the hoasting organisations, Tolu Nada Samaja, The occasion honored The Chief Guest Shri Umanath A Kotian recognising hids FIRST VISIT TO MUMBAI AFTER HSI APPOINTMENT AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE KARNATAKA TULU SAHITYA ACADEMY), being the Professor A Shrinath ( Ex Rep of Kasaragod Tulu Sahitya Academy)
    The Book war released by the chief Guest and Shri Chandrahasa Sand Shr

  29. contd: from the previous incomplete message. (REF JAYAKAR DEJAPPA POOJARY’S BOOK TULU LIPI THERILE RELEASED )

    Shri Shimanthuuru Chandrahasa Suvarna spoke about the book as FIRST OF THAT KIND and easy to learn Tulu Language and Tulu Lipi . All the Hon.Guests were expressesd the same. Even the Chief Guest exclaimed the Book as the First of that Kind. There is every chance to work towards the unified code
    Dr Suneeta Shetty wrote preface in Thulu ( MUNNUDI -SURUTTA PAATHERA ) and Dr.Ishwar Alewooru wrote for Cover page in Kannada ( BENNUDI=KADETTA PAATHERA ).The book consisting of the letter of appreciation by Dr.Veerendra Heggade , The Dharmadarshi of Dharmasthala Manjunaatheeshwara Temple, Karnataka . The entire book is written in THULU and the Lipi part is in three scripts i.e. KANNADA, THULU and ENGLISH. Therefore THULU language and`LIPI can be easily learnt .’
    The book cost Rs.150 as special rate for the first 1000 prints with 125 pages and a beautiful cover photo of two young children (depicting the future generation) pouring water (depicting the support for the future growth of THULU LIPI ) into a pot (depicting the hidden position of THULU LIPI) with the background of THULU NAADU.
    The entire proceeding was appreciated with emphasise on the newly written book titled THULU LIPI THERILE written by me
    Those who are interested can order in lot against full payment .
    The publication is done by J.P PRAKAASHANA ,Mumbai with out any financial help but with the co operation for delayed payment through sale proceeds.
    I expect good response from the THULU BAANDVAAS SPREAD ALL OVER.
    Regards
    JAYAKAR DEJAPPA POOJARY, MUMBAI
    or ( jayakar27@gmail.com>
    MOB:09833723472 .

  30. i am a malayalee from kannur and it is really pathetic to know that you tuluvas are not aware of your heritage. let me put some informations about tulu.
    malayalam as spoken in kasarkode,kannur dist are really originated from tulu.in south kerala malayalm evolved from tamil and the script from old tamil called vattezhuth. so malayalm is a mix of tulu and tamil . about tulu script the real tulu script is yet to be discovered and tulu is not 800 year old. if some rock drawing some light we might see the old tulu script and the first malayalm script in north kerala.

    In the ballards of north kerala tulunadu is know as the place of kalari and all the sword fighters go to tulunadu to get higher learning in fighting.
    ancient manglore,manjewaram harbour were frequently visited by ancient greeks,jews etc for spices and gold.
    tulus and kannadigas have not much in common in ancient days,but was close with north kerala.

  31. Hi, I am a kannadiga and feel very proud when I hear something about Tulu language. Every south Indian is linked either by customs, language , similar castes systems etc..,Hence let us not fight which language came first and which came later. Kannada and Tulu languages have mixed so well that its almost inseparable now. This shows that there is unity in diversity thats the beauty of India and Indians. So lets not pick up such fights get separated.

  32. We are basically tamilians. My grand father taught this lipi some 30 years back itself calling it “GRANTHAAKSHARAM”. He taught me many manthras through this language. In my personal opinion, since tamil does not have letters to spell like the sanskrit ‘ka’ ‘kha’ ‘ga’ ‘gha’ ‘cha’ ‘chcha’ ‘ja’ ‘jha’ like that, this may be an alternate second language to the descendants of the aryans migrated from the north who would have forgotten the sanskrit lipi or found it easy to teach the mantras in this sister language

  33. Yes Mr S.Udupa
    You can learn to read andwrite TULU LIPI by refering my book ” TULU LIPI THERILE ” released in Mumbai on 28.1./2012.
    The book is 125 page and priced Rs.150 per copy
    You can get three books free of postage cost but against payme3nt of Rs.450 in advance by sending a draft in my favour payable in Mumbai only.
    Or you can collect the book from me through your known friends in Mumbai but agaist payment . Ik this is acceptable pleasesend me SMS on 09833723472 so that I

  34. I am from Kasaragod . I am proud of my Tulu culture and my ancestors are of Tulu origin.

  35. IS THERE ANY GOOD FINANCER WHO CAN FIANNACE PUBLICATION AND MARKETING OF MY BOOKS ABOUT TULU LIPI.
    THESE BOOKS ” TULU LIPI THERILE”, THULU LIPI THERILE BARAVUGU NIREL” AND ” THULU LIPI THERILE-BARAUGDA BOORU ”
    THESE BOOKS WOULD ENABLE THE TULU BHAANDAVAAS TO STUDY ABOUT TULU LIPI ” THE PUBLICATION CAN BE EITHER FROM MUMBAI OR BANGALORE OR MANGALURU .

  36. The foreword to the dictionary is reproduced. I do not know about the correctness of his claim on various issues.

    The Tulu language, one of tlie Dravidian family, is spoken
    only by half a million of people, inhabiting the central part of
    South-Canara. Until recently there was no literature in this
    language, except some legends written on palm-leaves in the
    Malayalam character, in the possession of Brahman families.
    It was only after the arrival of the Basel Missionaries in this
    district (1834) that some books were written and printed in
    the Basel Mission Press, the most important being a translation
    of the New Testament, which was completed in 1847, and
    of which a new typographical edition was issued in 1859.
    Other publications intended for the use of the church and
    schools followed in course of time, and in 1872 Eev. J. Brigel
    compiled a Tulu Grammar, which we recommend to those
    interested in that language. For writing, a modification of the
    Malayalam alphabet was in vogue till the Basel Mission Press
    employed Canarese characters in printing.

    2. The compilation of a vocabulary was commenced some
    30 years ago. The Rev. G. Kammerer, who died in 1858, left a
    manuscript containing about 2000 words. The author took this
    vocabulary in hand and continued adding to it from all avail-
    able sources, without in the leapt contemplating the printing
    of the same. In ^1883, however, the question of printing a
    Tulu Dictionary was first mooted, and further steps having been
    taken in the matter, the Government of Madras was pleased to
    defray the cost of its publication.

  37. Dear All,

    I am inviting you all for the function of ” Remembering Dr. Venkataraja Punichitthaya ” on 15-09-2012, 5pm at UVEC Alumni Association Hall, K R Circle, Bangalore on behalf of ‘Tulu Koota, Bangalore’.

    If required contact me on 9845403452 or surendra@pixelsoftek.com

    Thank you
    Surendra Rao N

  38. Happy to know that there are so many people who love tulu…
    friends let this LOVE for TULU NEVER DIMINISH in our life…

    Enkalna Tulu bhashe bhoka sampradhayag mateerla sahakarisodu..

  39. I love Tulu and whenever opportunity comes on my way I speak in this langauge (since i am living outside Tulu Nadu). I have seen the encouragement shown to Tulu by other community people who hail from Tulu Nadu. Even though it is not my mother tongue, I speak with my family in this language so my children should have a touch of this beautiful language. The day is not far when this language will be one recognized by Indian Government in the same level of Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.

  40. I am a Kannadiga by birth and born and brought up in Mangalore . Hence, I am equally comfortable with Tulu language also. I married a North Indian girl so naturally Hindi is spoken at our house very often. My duties took me various parts of India and I spent major portion of service period in Chennai, where I learnt Tamil also. Now, I can proudly say I am fluent in Kannada, Tulu, Hindi, Tamil and of course English. I respect all the languages but I have a special love for Kannada and Tulu.

  41. Hi all,

    I want to learn tulu professionally. Is there any material available that I could buy to learn tulu. If any of you could assist it, will be of great help.

    Regards
    Yuvaraj

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