An English book on medieval Kannada poetry, which shows how Kannada literature flourished between the 12th and 19th centuries, is ready for release.
Written by scholars B.A. Vivek Rai and C.N. Ramachandran, the work of about 400 pages, under print, is being brought out by Kannada University, Hampi. There are 10 chapters on vachana, ragale, satpadi, Dasa literature, sangatya, tripadi, tatwapada, sataka poetry, Yakshagana literature, and medieval prose.
Begins with discussion
Each chapter begins with a discussion on the nature and history of the particular form, followed by a brief introduction to major writers and works in that form. It concludes with selected verses translated into English.
Mr. Ramachandran is a well-known critic, writer, and former professor of English at Mangalore University. Mr. Rai is a former Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University and Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), and also a former professor of Kannada at Mangalore University.
The authors said that linguists trace, roughly, three stages of Kannaa as a language, spoken and written: Haagannaa (old Kannada, 5th century to 12th century), Naugannaa (middle Kannada, 12th to 19th century), and Hosagannaa (modern Kannada, 19th century onwards). The scholars have designated a phase roughly from the 9th century to the end of the 11th century as the classical period.
The authors argue that medieval Kannada literature can be considered the richest period both in quality and quantity, owing to its different politico-religious ideologies, new metrical forms, constant experimentation, abundance of varying forms of literature, and writers of different religious identities.
‘Poetry was inclusive’
“Medieval Kannada poetry was inclusive, multi-faceted, and democratic,” Mr. Rai and Mr. Ramachandran told The Hindu.
The first work on poetics in Kannada (Kavirajamarga), the first work in prose (Voddaradhane), the two epics by the great poet Pampa (Adipurana and Vikramarjuna Vijaya), the works of Ponna, Ranna, Chavundaraya, Nagavarma – and others who came a little later than Pampa – were all written during this period, they said.
The authors said that three Bhakti-centred streams (Vachana, Haridasa compositions, and Tatwapada) flourished through the medieval period.
People of all castes and classes got an opportunity to enter the literary field and write poetry during this period. For the first time in the history of Kannada literature, Dalits, socially mariginalised classes, and all those who depended on manual work and occupations considered “low” could claim equal status in Anubhava Manapa (in the 12th century) and compose vachanas.
Similar social awareness was to be found during the period of Haridasa literature too. Many women writers emerged during this period.
It was also during this period that Muslim poets, such as Motnahalli Hassan Sab, Channura Jalal Sab, and Bada Saheba, began to write in Kannada, in the 17th century. In Haridasa sahitya, Bada Saheba got initiated into the sect and composed about 700 songs.
The most famous Muslim poet in the early part of the 19th century was Shishunala Sharif.
Grammatical bonds
Kannada, in the medieval period, not only freed itself from rigid grammatical bonds, but also opened itself freely to other languages. The tradition of reading, singing poetry in public, and explaining it in simple words, known as gamaka, began during this period and continues even today, the authors say.
Yakshagana prasangas (performance texts) became a part of literature in the medieval period.
The Yakshagana texts, available from the 16th century, are simultaneously a literary form and performance texts.
