Published on: November 12, 2022

Kanaka Dasa

Kanaka Dasa

Why in news?

 The birth anniversary of the famous poet shri kanakadasa celebrated as kanakadasa Jayanthi by the government of Karnataka .

About Kanakadasa

  • He was a Haridasa saint and philosopher, popularly called Daasashreshta Kanakadasa.
  • He was a renowned composer of Carnatic music, poet, reformer and musician.
  • Known for his keertanas and ugabhoga, and his compositions in the Kannada language for Carnatic music. Like other Haridasas, he used simple Kannada and native metrical forms for his compositions.
  • Philosophy : Dvaita Vedanta, Vaishnavism
  • Guru : Vyasatirtha
  • Born : Baada, Shiggaon, Vijayanagara Empire (present-day Haveri District, Karnataka, India)
  • In 2008, Government of Karnataka decided to commemorate his birthday as a state festival and declared 11 November a state holiday.
  • As a child, he became an expert in tarka, vyakaran, and mimamsa.
  • Poems : “Narasimha Stotra”, “Ramadhyana Mantra”, and “Mohanatarangini”

Major works

  • Nalacharithre
  • Haribhakthisara
  • Nrisimhastava
  • Ramadhanyacharithre (a rare work on class struggle)