After five centuries of the birth of the poet, philosopher, musician and composer Kanakadasa, Bengaluru is witnessing a release of 23 books written on the 16th-century social reformer. Brought out by the Rashtrakavi Kanakadasa Study and Research Centre, the books are part of a series taken up for propagating the poet’s works.
Amongst the releases would be 15 translations of the Kannada book Sant Kavi Kanakadasa,written by Chikkamangaluru Ganesha and released earlier by the Centre. The other eight books are the research studies of scholars from Karnataka who were given a fellowship by the Centre. All 23 works will be released by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at 3 p.m. on July 3, at Yavanika Auditorium, Nrupathunga Road.
“The marathon translation work in 15 languages, including in English by D.A. Shankar from Mysuru, was completed in 10 months!” says K.T. Chikkanna, co-ordinating officer, Kanakadasa Study and Research Centre. While the translation received a State government grant of Rs. 5.25 lakh, the other eight researched books received a grant of Rs. 7.9 lakh for the project.
Kanakadasa, who has left behind 1,700 pages of his literary work, was born as Thimmappa Nayaka and belonged to a chieftain family of Kaginele village in Byadgi taluk of Haveri district. Also referred to as Kanaka Nayaka as he shunned the treasure-trove of gold he chanced upon, some of Kanaka’s compositions reveal that a grievous injury in war turned him towards composing couplets, kritis, and music to spread social unity and devotion, leading him on the path of ‘living a meaningful life.’
Sea of work
Apart from workshops and appreciation courses in each district covering 100 colleges, and a website (www.saintpoetkanaka.in) containing all his works, the Kanakadasa Study and Research Centre is receiving an annual government grant of Rs. 50 lakh for a slew of ambitious projects involving 200 scholars in Kannada and other languages. Amongst others, works in the last leg of completion include a ‘cultural lexicon’ to understand the original language used by the erudite Kanaka. “Ten scholars are involved in this work as they are re-showcasing lakhs of words used by Kanaka with the cultural and historical background in which the saint weaved them,” says K.T. Chikkanna of the centre.
The 50-volume project Karnataka Tatvakaarara Samagra Sahitya has 125 people working on the compilation of Karnataka’s pre-eminent wandering minstrels or saint-poets. With each volume containing 400+ pages, the work of nearly 250 saint-poets like Sishunala Sharifa, Gattihalli Anjanappa, Shankarananda Jogi, Chidananda Avadoota, and Lingannacharya are being recorded.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – July 02nd, 2016