Structure

Introduction: Cultural awakening and growth of national literature

Body: Mention about the important personalities and their work which promoted nationalism in Karnataka.

Conclusion: Brief note on the Impact on Unification of Karnataka.  

Supporting Points:

• As an impact of the British rule, India woke up to a new life. Cultural awakening started in almost all parts of India. India, which was the most disintegrated at one time, started realising the importance and the necessity of staying together. More than all, the Indians recognised that they were brethren, due to the fact that they were bound by the same culture and heritage.
• This cultural awakening was one of the most important parts of Indian renaissance.

Cultural Awakening in Karnataka:

• In Karnataka too this happened. In different fields of activities people were awakened. There was cultural, social, political, educational awakening.
• This was more marked in Kannada language and literature, because of the fact that unlike other states, Kannada speaking areas had not remained a single whole. It had been sliced into pieces and grouped with other areas where Kannada was not the mother tongue. When the parts of India were awakening to a new life, Kannada speaking land was no exception.
• In this field, Kannada   language and literature were revived and this was undertaken at first by a number of European scholars, followed by many a patriotic Kannadiga who recognised the importance of Kannada language and literature; Karnataka state and also the importance of being with India.
• All these ideas together caused the renaissance in Kannada literature. This renaissance, at first with reference to the language gradually led to the unity of the Kannada speaking areas while at the same time the support for national freedom movement also continued
• Every state and every language was working for its own cause of language and state and at the same time was working for the cause of the country. In this respect some of Kannadigas who stand at the forefront are people like M. Srikantiah, Alur Venkatarao, Shantakavi, Huyilugolu Narayana Rayaru, Sali Ramachandra Rayaru and many others.
• These people with their effective writings provoked the feelings of love and patriotism in the people, particularly love for Kannada language and the land. This led to a feeling of oneness in the Kannada people which prompted them to ask for the unification of the Kannada land and people, which had been torn apart.
• Alur Venkata Rao is the author of the celebrated work „Karnataka Gatha Vaibhava‟. The holding of the Kannada Writers„Conference (1909), the formation of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (1915) and the  Karnataka Sabha (1916) led to the strengthening of this movement.
• In the educational field, persons like Deputy Channabasappa, encouraged writing Kannada books. Many scholars like Churmuri Sheshagiri Raya, Huyilogola Bhujangaraya, Venkatarango Katti, Gangadhara Madivaleshwara Turumari and others wrote books in Kannada as a result of the encouragement given by Deputy Channabasappa .
• The prominent men of letters who inspired the Kannadigas in different presidencies and princely states to stand untidily to secure united Karnataka were Shivamurthy Swamy, K.V.Puttappa, Govinda Pai, D.R.Bendre, G.P.Rajaratnam, Burli Bindu Mahadev, Manvi Narsingarao, Siddayya Puranik, Santarasa, Jaidevi Tai Legade and others. D.R.Bendere is the Varkavi (Gift Poet of Karnataka) of Karnataka. He wrote and published several collections of poems, which were rendered himself to the people of Karnataka. Dr. Bendre expressed his feelings about love and affection for Kannada and Mother India respectively. His writings were dedicated for both Karnataka and India, he had two dreams to realize one is free India and another one is Unified Karnataka. Though he had wrote many poems related to Nationalism and Kannada Nadu.
• Betageri Krinshna Sharma was one of the famous nationalist poets, he was famously known as “Ananda Kanda” his pen name. He writes about Nationalism of both India and regionalism like Karnataka or Kannada. He participate and greatly contributed for the rise and growth of nationalism and as well as Unification of Karnataka. His songs were found in “Arunodaya” collection of poem.
• Kuvempu played a very crucial role in the Kannada Unification Movement and in the making of the Kannada identity. His poetry was very simple, easy to assimilate, and very powerful.
• The contributions of Huilgol Narayanarao to the new awakening in Karnataka were remarkable. The song which he composed for the 1924 annual session of the Indian National Congress held at Belagum under the presidentship of Mahatma Gandhiji has stood as monument of the renaissance in Modern Karnataka
• The few intellectual leaders came forward to change the future of the Kannada literary world. This in course led to the political idea of unification. In this context the above said Kannada writers influenced people. Because of this class of people the methods of teaching and learning also underwent changes. Alur Venkatarao voiced the urgency for the unification of Karnataka. Similarly M. Srikantiah through his speeches and writings filled new vigour into the Kannada language and literature.
• It was his spirited words which changed the language to suit the present times. He saw the poor state in which Kannada was. It was mainly his work, "English Geethegalu" that changed the course of Kannada literature. Therefore he is considered the father of Kannada renaissance.
• In this way no opportunity was lost by the poets in composing the patriotic songs to awaken the people to fight for the cause of united Karnataka. Under the inspiration of these songs, the prominent men of letters from Hyderabad Karnataka such as D.K.Bheemasena Rao, Keerthana Kesari Jayaramachar, Bettaduru Channabasappa, Shantarasa, Saranaia Swami, Gurlingappa siddha, Vyakarana Tirtha Chandra Shekar Shasthri, Manvi Narsinga Rao, Devendra Kumar hakre, and Panchakshari Hiremath under took the tour in the Nizam Karnataka region and moulded the public opinion in favor of the merger to form the Vishala Karnataka.