Kannada Literature

KANNADA LITERATURE *

NITTOOR SRINIVASA RAU
Retired Chief Justice of Mysore

Prof. R. S. Mugali is himself a writer of eminence in the fields of poetry, fiction and literary criticism, and is a significant name amongst the younger figures of Kannada renaissance. His credentials to write a history of Kannada literature are beyond challenge by virtue of his vast scholarship acquired by deep study and many years of teaching. In fact he wrote the first comprehensive history of Kannada literature in the early fifties which received universal appreciation. The account given in that book, however, closes more or less with the end of the nineteenth century. The present book and its counterpart in Kannada, brought out by the Sahitya Akademi, cover the modern period also.

The author first wrote the history in Kannada for the Sahitya Akademi in 1963. A second edition was issued in 1966 and a third in 1976. The present English version, now being noticed, was prepared by the author himself, which the Akademi published in 1975.

Apart from offering awards to works of outstanding merit to authors in various Indian languages, “one of the important projects that the Sahitya Akademi has undertaken is to publish a history of the literature recognised by it. The history is normally first written in the language concerned or in English and then translated into other languages.”

The translation closely follows the original, with such alterations and additions as the author felt necessary.

After describing the origin and growth of the Kannada language in the preliminary chapter, the author divides the history of Kannada literature produced during nearly 2,000 years into three periods: (1) Old period in three chapters, (2) Medieval period in four chapters and (3) Modern period in five chapters. The writers of Kavirajamargaand Voddaradhanedominate the early phase of the old period. Pampa, Ranna and Ponna as trend-setters of the Champu period fill the pages of the next two chapters of the old period. The Medieval period in its literary firmament contains a galaxy of shining orbs like the various Vachanakaras (Basavanna and others, Harihara, Raghavanka, Rudrabhatta, Janna and Andayya)–some of these gave new trends, breaking the earlier tradition. In the subsequent chapter of this period more stars appear on the firmament, adding splendour to that of their predecessors–Kumaravyasa, Chamarasa, Nijaguna, Sarvajna, Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa and Jagannathadasa and others. In the last two chapters of the medieval period appears a new set of stars like Kumaravalmiki, Shadakshari, Tirumalarya, Honnamma, Kempunarayana and Muddanna, to mention a few among the many who have all individually contributed to the richness and variety as regards both style and content of Kannada literature.

We may, before coming to the modern period, make a passing remark that Kannada literature exhibits unique and daring experiments and significant achievements from the period of the early inscriptions of the 3rd century to the end of the 19th century in the matter of style, diction, prosody and choice of material for prose and poetry. It is both an adventure in the field of conception of ideas as well as that of expression. Prof. Mugali has with imagination and propriety avoided the earlier of dividing the periods on denominational lines like the Jaina, the Veerasaiva and the Brahmana periods.

Prof. Mugali’s treatment of the third, i.e., the modern, period is not only objective but characterised by careful analysis and dispassionate assessment of the authors and their works, not excluding the contribution of “Rasika Ranga.” Considering the vastness and variety of output during the period, the narrative gives a comprehensive and balanced picture of the literary scene. The author says: “Broadly speaking, it will not be far from truth to state that modern Kannada literature had its dawn in the third decade of the 19th Century, and saw the light of the day in the middle of the century. It was in the 20th century only that it saw the full flood of light. Even then, the sun of creative writing rose on the horizon of Kannada in the third decade of this century.”

If the earlier period–both old and medieval–derived its inspiration and pattern of expression from Sanskrit and Prakrit, the modern period got them from English. India in bondage, ruled by the British, had to learn that language, not to enjoy the beauties it expressed but to acquire sufficient working knowledge in that language to take advantage of job opportunities it opened. But the study had its own advantages, and students, were not merely content with a working knowledge, but felt the study of English poetry and prose gave them a new outlook and a new mode of expression and began to appreciate the new acquisition for a similar effort in their own languages. They derived help from the pioneering work of the Christian missionaries whose main purpose was to spread their religion through the several languages of India. These missionaries took to the study of Sanskrit and other major regional languages with genuine interest and rendered signal service to these languages. They published works on ancient grammar and prosody and compiled lexicons with the help of local scholars. Prof. Mugali gratefully acknowledges the contribution made by the earnest band of oriental scholars like Kerry, Macerrel, Rieve, Kittel, Lewis Rice and E. P. Rice. Local talent in old Mysore area, North Karnataka and South Kanara found expression, making a radical departure from the traditional mode and adopting new techniques in writing.

Prof. Mugali marks two stages in modern writing–the first stage (1820-1920 A.D.) and the second stage (1921-1958) and refers to many a writer–poets, novelists, dramatists, translators among the Kannadigas and Western scholars who endeavoured to enrich Kannada.

We have no hesitation in paying tribute to the labour of love Prof. Mugali has put in to assemble, sort out and present an eminently readable and insightful resume, fully expressive of the renaissance spirit that animated the period from 1820-1921 A.D. He similarly continues the rapid survey of modern period from 1921-1958 A.D. Then he devotes chapter X to Modern Poetry, chapter XI to the Short Story and the Novel and chapter XII to the Drama and chapter XIII to the Essay and other forms of prose. Many of the writers that contributed to the richness and variety are no more, but they are gratefully remembered by every successive generation. Some of the writers of this period are happily still with us and are continuing to give expression to new ideas in new forms.

We are tempted to quote a few lines from the author’s Summing Up: “In an over-all view, a recognisable temperament and approach to life appears to have manifested itself in Kannada literature through the centuries as a characteristic feature of Kannada culture. It may be defined thus: It lays itself open to all good influences. Though now and then it is carried away by these influences at the cost of its own tradition and culture, it generally maintains an individuality which reconciles native and alien elements and seeks a synthesis in its best manifestation.”

It is a matter for gratification that this fascinating subject of the history of Kannada literature is engaging the attention of the three universities of Karnataka. The Bangalore University has issued a ten-volume popular history. Bangalore and Mysore Universities have begun issuing larger tomes, exhaustively treating the writers and their works. This is an indication of the wealth of material worthy of loving labour.

We congratulate Prof. Mugali for his initial and pioneering effort made to present a concise and dependable history. The Sahitya Akademi too deserves our sincere gratitude. We wish every success in its career of service to the languages of this land.

* History of Kannada Literature: Dr R. S. Mugali. Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. Price: Rs. 10.