Kannada Literature

In the mid-forties the Navodaya movement gave way to Pragathisheela Chalavali. A.N. Krishna Rao was the torch bearer for this. The movement brought writers from their ivory tower to the common man. Though Anakru's short stories are better examples from this genre of writing, than his novels, he is mainly noted for his novels such as 'Sandhya Raaga', Udaya Raaga', 'Nata Sarvabhouma', 'Grihini' and 'Kanneeru'. Basavaraja Kattimani, hailing from North Karnataka, wrote 'Nee Nanna Muttabeda', 'Shivadara Janivara' and 'Nanoo Polisanagidde' portraying the netherworld behind the facade of Kaavi and Khaki. Ta.Ra.Su started as a progressive writer with novels like 'Hamsageethe', 'Masanada Hoovu' and 'Munjavinda Munjavu' found his forte in historical novels woven around his birth place Chitradurga, and 'Durgasthamana' is the finest example of his writing. Niranjana who was an active communist during freedom struggle wrote such down-to-earth novels as 'Doorada Betta' and 'Rangammana Vathara' as well as 'Chirasmarane' based on agrarian movement, but his magnum opus is considered to be 'Mrityunjaya', dealing with Egyptian history.

Chaduranga who inspite of his close relationship with the Mysore Royal family was a rebel and wrote 'Sarvamangala' and 'Uyyale' both dealing with extra-marital love. Interestingly, his 'Vaishaka' writen many decades later also deals with extra-marital relationship in a rural setting.

Among the women writers Triveni, whose novels like 'Bekkina Kannau', 'Sharapanjara' and 'Mucchida Bagilu' were essentially psycho-analytical. Anupama, who drew themes from her rich experience as a medical practitioner in stories like 'Aranyadallondu Aragini', and M.K.Indira whose forte was the protrayal of Malnad life in novels such as 'Phaniyamma' were all offshoots of the progressive movement.

Next to the progressive movement was the Navya movement. This was influenced mostly by the post-war writers like T.S.Eliot, Auden, Ezra Pound, D.H.Lawrence, Sartre and Camus. Gopalakrishna Adiga was the foremost exponent of the Navya movement and his 'Bhoomi Geetha' is said to have been influenced by T.S.Eliot's 'Waste Land'. P. Lankesh's collection of stories 'Kurudu Kanchana' and his absurd play 'Teregalu', Srikrishna Alanahalli's long story 'Kadu', Shanthinatha Desai's 'Vikshepa', Poornachandra Tejaswi's 'Nigoodha Manushyaru', Nisar Ahmed's poem like 'Masthi', 'Ramanu Sattha dina', U.R. Ananthamurthy's stories like 'Prashne' and 'Clip Joint', Yeshwanth Chittala's 'Shikari', Vyasaraya Ballala's 'Bandaya' are some examples of the new writing in Kannada.

Chandrashekara Kambara and A. K. Ramanujam widened the frontiers of Navya poetry. Kambara has a good command on the diction and tunes of the folk poetry, like Bendre, but who used them to embody the tensions of life caught between tradition and a new culture. He has made a mark as a poet, a novelist and a dramatist. His 'Jokumara Swamy' besides other awards, has won the prestigeous Kamaladevei Chattopadyaaya Award. It is a hit play, with liveliness, good song and gaiety. A.K. Ramanujam, a remarkable poet, presented clear, vivid pictures with an apparent casualness. S.L.Byrappa who shot into fame with his 'Vamshavriksha' is one writer who has scrupulously avoided confining himself into any frame. Some of his celebrated works are 'Anveshane', 'Grihabhanga', 'Thabbaliyu Neenade Magane', 'Daatu', 'Sartha', 'Mandra' and 'Thanthu'.

Post-Navya writing is sometimes called as Navyotthara Sahitya or Bandaya Sahitya, or even Dalita Sahitya. The writers belonging to this movement are of the firm view that only Daliths can authentically write about their trials and tribulations, and anything written by others, however, impressive it might be, will still remain second-hand experience. Still, it is interesting to note that Devanuru Mahadeva who does not like to classify himself into this or that group or 'ism' has given some of the finest Dalit literature. His 'Odalala' and 'Kusuma Bale' have won many laurels. Chennanna Valikar and Siddalingaiah are another notable Dalith writers. B.T. Lalitha Nayak, Aravlnda Malagatti and Geetha Nagabhushana are other important writers who are identified with their notable Dalith works. G.Venkataiah of Maddur Taluk had written some books in 1940 itself highlighting the pains and pleasures of Dalith people even before there was any such movement.

The Feminist movement began after the Dalit movement. Women writers started writing independently about their own experiences that had quite a different dimension. They not only questioned the male supremacy in society but also tried to bring about equality with men. The works of R. Kalyanamma, who published 'Sarswathi' a montly for 42 years, Nanjanagudu Tirumalamba who published 'Sathi Hithaishini' and then 'Karnataka Nandini'. Sarawathi Bai Rajawade (Giri Bale) who had new attitude and a vision of modern education for women, Kodagina Gouramma, Belagere Janakamma, Shyamala Devi Belagaumkar and the like, gained prominence in 80's and after, through the feminist writers of this movement. 'Phaniyamma' by M.K. Indira, 'Itigeetike' by Vijaya Dabbe, 'Gandasuru' by Veena Shanteshwar, 'Sahana' by Sara Abubakar, 'Seetha Rama Ravana' by H.V. Savitramma are some such quotable writings. The 'Karnataka Lakhakiyara Sangha' a feminist writers organisation founded in 1978, played an important role in giving a feminist touch to social values and also in mirroring them in the writings of women.

'Streevani Praveshike' edited by B.N. Sumitra Bai and N. Gayathri is noteworthy. Many women writers wrote books on different fields from a womens' points of view. Among them mention may be made for their writings and related activities of Hemalatha Mahishi (Law), H. Girijamma and Leelavathi Devadas (Health), Vijaya and S. Malathi (Theatre), Namichandra (Science and Fiction) and Vaidehi (Fiction). B.N. Sumithra Bai, Vijaya Dabbe and many others are good feminist critics. (The list is not exhaustive.) Feminist poets are large in number. Following this movement, discussions, seminars, workshops and conferences were held on the questions of women and feminism at all levels in the State. 'Women Studies' was introduced as a subject for students of degree level, first in NMKRV College, Bangalore and then in almost all Universities of the State.

Any survey of Kannada literature would be incomplete without the mention of some writers, who while not specifically representing this or that school were still successful in drawing enormous number of readers towards them. Krishnamurthy Puranika is one such. At one time, his novels like 'Dharmadevathe' which faithfully depicted the middleclass life of old Mysore or Hyderabad Karnataka or Mumbai Karnataka were a rage among women readers. Likewise, N.Narasimhayya who wrote detective stories under the series 'Patthedara Purushotthamana Sahasagalu' was so successful that the series exceeded one hundred. He was never seen in any literary meet, it is doubtful if he ever got invited, nevertheless his books did inculcate the reading habit in school boys. Ma.Ramamurthy of Mandya District continued such type of writing of detective novels.

At the other end of the spectrum, we find the B.G.L.Swamy who blended humour and science writing so effectively that his 'Hasiru Honnu' about the botanical wealth around us, remains a classic many decades after its publication. His 'Kaleju Ranga' and 'Kaleju Tharanga' are master peices of humour, dealing with his experiences as college teacher. 'Thamilu Thalegala Naduve' is a scholarly work which takes in its sweeps subjects like archaeology is veneered with deceptive humour.

In the sphere of drama, Girish Karnad's plays and performances are worth encore. His 'Tugalaq' and 'Nagamandala' with all its dramatic elements and high thoughts, made a big impact. 'Hayavadana' and 'Agni mattu male' are also notable plays. Karnad has given many plays drawing profusely from history, folk lore and epics. Along with the above plays, 'Yayati' also may be cited as an example for this.

Similarly there are writers like C.K.Nagaraja Rao, Ma.Na.Murthy, Devudu Narashimha Shastry and K.V. Iyer who have scholarly novels like 'Pattamahishi Shanthala', 'Shanthala', 'Mahabrahmana' and 'Mahakshatriya', and 'Rupadarshi'.

Travelogues are far too many even to make a brief mention. However Shivaram Karanth's 'Apoorva Paschima', A.N. Murthy Rao's 'Apara Vayaskana America Yathre', Goruru's 'Americadalli Gorur', popular detective story writer T.K.Rama Rao's 'Golada Melondu Suttu', N. Lakshminarayan's 'Nirdeshakana Videsha Yathre', D. Javere Gowda's 'Videshadalli Nalku Vara', Krishnananda Kamat's 'Naanoo Americakke Hogidde', Navarathna Ram's 'Pyarissininda Preyasige', K. Anantharamu's 'Udaya raviya nadinalli', Susheela Koppar's 'Paduvanada Pathramale' may be cited as examples.