Hoysala literature

Hoysala literature is the large body of literature in the Kannada and Sanskrit languages produced by the Hoysala Empire in what is now southern India. The earliest well-known brahmin writers were from the Hoyala court. Jain versions of the Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Bhagavata were also written. The exact beginnings of the haridasa movement in the region have been disputed.

About Hoysala literature in brief

Hoysala literature is the large body of literature in the Kannada and Sanskrit languages produced by the Hoysala Empire in what is now southern India. The empire was established by Nripa Kama II, came into political prominence during the rule of King Vishnuvardhana, and declined gradually after its defeat by the Khalji dynasty invaders in 1311. The earliest well-known brahmin writers were from the Hoyala court. Jain versions of the Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Bhagavata were also written. The exact beginnings of the haridasa movement in the region have been disputed. The Veerashaiva writers wrote about his 25 forms in their expositions of Shaivism. Vaishnava authors wrote treatments of the Hindi epics, the Ramyana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagvata. Some scholars continued to employ Sanskritic genres such as champu, shatpadi and shhtaka. However, neither the name of a composition with the name Achalananda Dasa nor the discovery of a language used in the 13th-century mentions a pen-name for the movement, which was later used by the Bhakti movement in Karnataka. The first writings in native metres were the sangatya, compositions sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument; shat padi, six-line verses; ragale, lyrical compositions in blank verse; and tripadi, three-line verse.

The Jain authors wrote about tirthankars, princes and other personages important to the Jain religion. According to R. Narasimhacharya, more Jain writers wrote in Kannadas than in any other Dravidian language during the “Augustan age” of Kannado literature, from the earliest known works to the 12th century. The Hoysalas, native Kannadigas from the Malnad region, were on the ascendant as a political power. They are known to have existed as chieftains from the mid-10th century when they distinguished themselves as subordinates of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani. In the following decades, with the waning of the ChalUkya power, the Haysalas proclaimed independence and grew into one of the most powerful ruling families of southern India, Consequently, literature in Kansada flourished in the Holdsala empire. This literature can be broadly subdivided as follows: works dominated by the themes of Jain writings, contrasting works by Veer Sashaiva writers not belonging to the vachana poetic tradition, rebuttals to Shaiva writings from Jain writer, early braHminical works, and writings on secular topics, and the first writings of the Bhackti movement. Some scholars continue to employ the genres of champu and shatPadi, while others have continued to use the Sangatya metre.

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