Folk and didactic literature Mysore literature in Kannada

yakshagana artists applying makeup prepare play

yakshagana (lit. songs of demi-gods ) composite folk-dance-drama or folk theatre of southern india combines literature, music, dance , painting into. best-known forms of art dakshina kannada, udupi district, uttara kannada , extent shimoga district of modern karnataka. there variety of dance-dramas collectively termed yakshagana. yakshagana tenkutittu (lit. yakshagana of southern style ) popular in mangalore region , yakshagana badagatittu bayalaata (lit. yakshagana of northern style performed outdoors ) popular in udupi , surrounding regions. other art forms grouped under yakshagana nagamandalam, dance meant appease deity naga, , variety of bhuta (spirit) dances. yakshagana tenkutittu more akin classical kathakali of kerala.

according modern kannada writer shivarama karanth, region between udupi , ikkeri yakshagana of northern style originated. however, noted earliest forms of dance-drama, called gandharagrama, mentioned in writing narada siska dated 600–200 bce. primitive form developed ekkalagana , term appears in 12th century kannada writings mallinathapurana (c. 1105, nagachandra) , chandraprabha purana (c. 1189, aggala). according scholar m.m. bhat, chattana, native composition adaptable singing , mentioned in kavirajamarga (c. 850) considered earliest known forerunner of kannada yakshaganas. epigraph of c. 1565 bellary describes grant troupe of tala-maddale performers. earliest available manuscript containing yakshagana plays virata parva (c. 1565) vishnu of brahmavara in south kanara, , sugriva vijaya (mid-16th century) kandukuru rudrakavi. earliest available edition of yakshagana plays, sabhaparva, dated c. 1621.

haridasa sahitya, devotional literature of vaishnava saints of karnataka, flourished in 15th , 16th centuries under guidance of such saint-poets vyasatirtha, purandara dasa ( father of carnatic music ) , kanaka dasa. period, according scholars m.v. kamath , v.b. kher, may called classical period . literature revived in 18th , 19th centuries. according musicologist selina tielemann, vaishnava bhakti (devotion) movement, started 6th century alvars of modern tamil nadu , spread northwards, reached peak influence on south indian devotionalism advent of haridasas of karnataka. haridasa poetry, bears structural similarities devotional songs of northern , eastern india, preserved in written textual form musical compositions in rendered have been passed down orally. these songs have remained popular members of madhva religious order in modern age. vijaya dasa, gopala dasa , jagannatha dasa prominent among saint-poets belonging of didactic period . scholar mutalik classifies haridasa devotional songs following categories: biographical, socio-religious, ethical , ritualistic, didactic , philosophical, meditative, narrative , eulogistic , miscellaneous . contribution hindu mysticism , bhakti literature similar contributions of alvars , nayanmars of modern tamil nadu , of devotional saint-poets of maharashtra , gujarat. according scholar h.s. shiva prakash, 300 saint-poets cadre enriched kannada literature during 18th–19th century

basavanna, protagonist of many veerashaiva writing

after break of more 3 centuries, writing of vachana poems revived. though poets such tontada siddhalingayati (1540), swatantra siddhalingeswara (1565), ganalingideva (1560), shanmukha swamy (1700), kadasiddheswara (1725) , kadakolu madivallappa (1780) attempted re-popularise tradition noteworthy pieces, lacked mastery of 12th century social reformers. notable of later day vachanakaras (lit. vachana poets ) undoubtedly sarvajna , sisunala sherif (late 18th century). sarvajna known have lived sometime between mid-16th century , late 17th century. though vachana poetic tradition had come temporary halt, creation of anthologies , commentaries based on earlier vachana canon, depicting 12th century veerashaiva saints protagonists, became popular around c. 1400. among well-known 16th century anthologists channaveeracharya (16th century) , singalada siddhabasava (c. 1600) interpreted vachanas purely philosophical , meta-physical context. in keladi court, notable works on doctrine, such virasaivadharma siromani ( crest jewel of moral order of veerashaivas ) , virasaivananda chandrike ( moonlight delight veerashaivas ) written. new genre of mystic kaivalya literature, synthesis of veerashaiva , advaitha (monistic) philosophy, consolidated 16th century onwards. while famous writings ascribed nijaguna shivayogi (c. 1500), later day writers such mahalingaranga (anubhavamrita in shatpadi metre, c. 1675) , chidanandavadhuta (jnana sindhu) notable.