Mangalore University will bring out a series of five volumes portraying the life of the 15th century saint, poet, and >social reformer Kanakadasa in a comprehensive and analytical manner.
According to university Vice-Chancellor T.C. Shivashankara Murthy the first volume of the book, containing about 1,000 pages, would be released this March. The first volume would be released during a three-day international conference on “a dialogue on rethinking Bhakthi” at the university, he told The Hindu . The volumes would be published by the Centre for Research on Kanakadasa at the university, he said.
Published articles
Co-ordinator of the centre and Associate Professor at the Department of Kannada B. Shivarama Shetty said the five volumes would include more than 350 articles on Kanakadasa, both in English and Kannada, published in various periodicals since 1873. The centre began collecting the articles in 2006. Authors of many articles had analysed the life and works of the late poet from different points of view.
Some of the articles included in the volumes were Karnataka Vaishnava Dasas by Rev. Father Kittel published in the journal The Indian Antiquary , November, 1873 ; The Rise of Vaishnava Literature by Edward P. Rice published in the journal History of Kanarese Literature , 1915; and a write-up on Kanakdasa from the book Kelavu Sathpurushara Kathegalu by Hosakere Chidambaraih that was published in 1931.
Mr. Shetty said the first volume would include 108 articles about the caste, religion, and the life of the late poet. There were different views as to whether the late poet belonged to Beda, Kuruba, or Aadi Banajiga caste. He said the second and third volumes would include articles that analysed the four major “kavyas” of Kanakadasa. The “kavyas” were Mohana Tarangini, Nala Charitre, Ramadhanya Charite and Haribhakthisara . The second and third volumes together would include 128 published articles.
The fourth volume, which would include 77 articles, would throw light on the “keerthanas” of Kanakadasa and detail a comparative study of the “keerthanas” and the compositions of other saints and dasas from his period.
The fifth volume would include 49 articles. These articles encompassed all the aspects of the life and works of Kanakadasa, Mr. Shetty said.
All the volumes together would contain between 4,000 and 5,000 pages, he said.
