Classical Kannada

Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada is an institution working on the basis of objectives & guidelines contained in MHRD’s vide letter F.No.8-81/2009-Language-II dated 29.9.2011. It functions as a project initiated by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, with a view to research and study of Kannada and its antiquities. The aim of the project is to facilitate the study of ‘Ancient Kannada’ by identifying its sources from its beginning, till the end of 18th century.

The Centre thus aims at the collection of ancient sources, conduct studies, documentation, research, dissemination and teaching. Plans for digitization of ancient Kannada texts, translation into other Indian and foreign languages, undertaking publication and dissemination campaigns are underway. To facilitate this,you will find some of the source in this collection:

This collection has records related to the antiquity of Kannada language;

1. Demography of Kannada speaking people,
2. Ancient Kannada literature,
3. Records of Inscription,
4. Shastric literature,
5. Anthropological sources on Karnataka and Kannada,
6. Archaeological sources,
7. Coins and Numismatics related Karnataka and Kannada,
8. Manuscripts in Kannada,
9. Records on Arts and Architecture found in Karnataka and Kannada language,
10. Folk Tradition of Kannada.

We believe that these records will make study the life of the people of Kannada language and its dialects, political changes of those times and comparative studies of other contemporary works convenient. More over we believe it will also facilitate the worldwide promotion of the essence and glory of Kannada language and its heritage.

The centre will collect the data of the little traditions, literary traditions, contemporary cultural activities through intensive fieldwork spread across 30 districts and organisations as recorded in manuscripts, inscriptions, books, official records, journals, newspapers, scholarly papers and archival texts. This will be a rich resource for future research. This will also be an attempt to draw a cultural map of Kannada language and culture which will in some ways redraw the official linguistic mapping of the Karnataka state. Knowledge and resources from these projects will be added soon.