Recreating the life and works of saint-poet Kanakadasa

You should visit Bada and Kaginele to better understand the significance of saint-poet Kanakadasa and the values of his literary compositions. He can’t be read and understood within four walls,” Sangappa Chakrasali, a school teacher, says. Chakrasali was on a visit with his students to Kaginele.

There is a steady stream of visitors to Kaginele and Bada.

Kanakadasa was born in a shepherd community in 1495 at Bada village in Haveri district. He was appointed chieftain of 78 villages by the Vijayanagara rulers. He renounced worldly life after sustaining an injury in a battle and became a saint-poet who travelled across India on foot. He died in 1593 at the age of 98 in Kaginele in Haveri district.

His work

Kanakadasa wrote under the pen name Adikeshava, composing keerthanas in Carnatic music style, mundige (literary riddles), Mohanatarangini (an epic revolving around Krishna having 2,699 stanzas, each with four lines), Nala Charitre (a composition of 9 cantos having 481 shatpadis; shatpadi is a stanza with six lines), Ramadhanya Charite (a work of 158 shatpadis), Haribhaktisara (interaction between lord and devotee) and Nrasimhastava, an anthology of poems.

The state government constituted the Kaginele Development Authority (KDA) in 2007 to restore Kanakadasa’s legacy. The renovation work has been done at a cost of over Rs 110.18 crore.

In Bada and Kaginele, 28 structures have been developed to recreate the life and works of the saint-poet. Six temples at Kaginele and four at Bada have been renovated based on the Vijayanagara architectural style.

M M Nashi, a hotelier from Haveri, says, “The chief attraction is the theme park, Kanaka Loka, spread over 138 acres of land at Kaginele. The structures dealing with various incidents in Kanakadasa’s life and major themes of his compositions introduce the saint-poet to the visitors.”

The 60-foot-tall Kanaka Kavya Gopura is a uniquely-conceived circular structure with a base and five layers. Incidents narrated in his compositions have been carved in each of the five layers.

“A tamburi atop the gopura symbolises the principles of a human being winning over six vices,” points Horpete Malleshappa, commissioner, KDA. For many visitors, looking at these inscriptions provides the experience of reading Kanakadasa’s compositions.

“Kanakadasa is primarily known for his message against conflicts based on castes. In order to highlight this, we have installed his 15-foot-tall bust. He is seen blowing a conch to announce his message,” says Malleshappa.

The musical fountain draws huge crowds on Saturdays and Sundays. Kanakadasa’s keerthanas, devotional and patriotic songs are played. Kanaka Mahadwara with Kanakadasa statue in singing posture holding the tamburi at Bankapur cross draws the attention of passersby.

“Over 6,000 tourists, including foreigners, visit these places in a month,” says the commissioner.

The state-of-the-art museum takes visitors back to the medieval period. It houses artefacts, hero stones and inscriptions dating back to the 15th century.

Kanakadasa’s fort has been recreated at Bada with 33 murals, 17 embossed paintings and 38 keerthanas carved on granite slabs. The fort has 20 entrances, 84 windows, a private durbar hall and Kanaka memorial hall. A garden fountain in front of the fort captures the attention of the visitors.

The fort has a theatre equipped with holographic projection with 3D technology facilitating viewers to watch the three-dimensional characters virtually.

The KDA’s publication wing has brought out 43 works and seven CDs on the saint-poet. Five works have been translated into English, four into Marathi, one into Telugu and two into Hindi. Six comparative studies have been published.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai recently announced that the government would set up a Kanakadasa study centre at Bada.