Classical Kannada

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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.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 7
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    ವಡ್ಡಾರಾಧನೆ
    (Shreekantaiah Acchu Kuuta, Kannada Sahithya Parishat, Chamarajpete, 1949) Shivakotyacharya
    Vaddaradhane was written by ‘Shivakotyacharya’ is the earliest prose work in ‘Kannada’ and also a informative work consisting of 19 stories and explanation is based on ‘Bruhatkathakosha’ by Harisena. It explains about the life of Bhadrabahu of Shravanabelagola in a detailed portrayal. The work may be dated to 9th Century but some scholars have mentioned as pre 6th century. As per the evidences, Shivakotyacharya is native of Kogali, Bellary district, Karnataka.
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    ಶಬ್ದಮಣಿದರ್ಪಣಂ
    (Kanarese Mission Book and Tract Depository, 1920) Keshiraja; Rev.F. Kittel
    ‘Shabdamanidarpanam’ was written by ‘Kesiraja’ in 1260 CE. It explains a comprehensively about ‘Kannada Grammar’. Literal meaning of the word ‘Shabdamanidarpanam’ is ‘Jewel-Mirror of Grammar’. It is used as a textbook, also in the introduction of this book explained by author himself firstly explained about importance of language, then importance of Grammar. Also he has mentioned about reference books, such as written by ‘Gajana’, ‘Gunanandi’, ‘Manasija’ ‘Asaga’, Chandrabhatta’, ‘Gunavarma’, ‘honna’, ‘pampa’ etc., which were helped him to write ‘Shabdamanidarpana’ in a systematic and significant way about ‘old Kannada language’. It may be treated as first book on ‘Kannada linguistics’, what modern linguistics is trying to explain.
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    ಹರಿಶ್ಚಂದ್ರ ಚರಿತೆ
    (Kannada Sahithya Parishat, Pampa Mahakavi Road, Chamarajpete, 2010 (2nd Publication)) Raghavanka; N. Ranganatha Sharma
    Harishchandra is a legendary Indian king of the Ikshvakudynasty, who appears in several legends in texts such as Aitareya Brahmana, Mahabharata, the Markandeya Purana, and the Devi-Bhagavata Purana. The most famous of these stories is the one mentioned in Markandeya Purana. According to this legend, Harishchandra gave away his kingdom, sold his family and agreed to be a slave - all to fulfill a promise he had made to the sage Vishwamitra.
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    ಕವಿರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗಂ
    (Manu Baligar, Director, Department of Kannada and Culture, Kannada Bhavan, J.C. Road., 2011) Shreevijaya; M.V. Seetharamaiah
    ‘Kavirajamarga’ explains mainly about the early literary styles used in various dialects of the Kannada language. This writing was aimed to standardize the existing Kannada writing styles. The book mainly dealt with the earlier writings of the Kannada Prose and Poetry. ‘Kavirajamarga’ has a great influence on growth of Kannada literary works and is a guide for Grammar of Kannada in that era. It has provided a great path to emerging writers as a model.
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    ಛಂದೋಂಬುಧಿ
    (Sreevathsa Press, 1946) Nagavarma-I ; H.S. Ramaswamy Iyengar
    ‘Chandombudhi’ was written by Nagavarma-I, a King of Ganga Dyanasty. He has devoted a section of the Chandombudhi to Kannada metres called as ‘Kannada Visayajati’. He mentioned the native metre that is ‘Shatpadi’. In this book he has also explained about the prosody of ‘Sanskrit’ and ‘Prakrit’. It has six chapters.

This collection offers open knowledge under fair usage clauses of The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012, for educational purposes. Copyright of the materials available here lies with the original holders.