Purandara Dasa (
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: Purandara dāsa) ( 1470 – 1565) was a
Haridasa
The Haridasa Bhakti Sahitya devotional movement (sampradaya) originated in Karnataka, India, after Madhvacharya, and spread to eastern states such as Bengal and Assam of medieval India. Over a span of nearly six centuries, several saints and ...
philosopher and a follower of
Madhwacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' (dualism) schoo ...
's
Dwaitha
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta sub ...
philosophy -saint from present-day
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
, India. He was a composer, singer and one of the chief founding-proponents of
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
(Karnataka classical music). In honor of his significant contributions to Carnatic music, he is widely referred to as the ''Pitamaha'' (''lit''. "father" or "grandfather") of Carnatic music.
According to a legend, he is considered as an incarnation of Saint
Narada
Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...
.
Purandara Dasa was a wealthy merchant of gold, silver and other miscellaneous jewellery from
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
, who gave away all his material riches to become a Haridasa (literally meaning a servant of Lord Hari or Lord Krishna), a devotional singer who made the difficult Sanskrit tenets of
Bhagavata Purana
The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...
available to everyone in simple and melodious songs. He was one of the most important music scholars of medieval India.
He formulated the basic lessons of teaching Carnatic music by structuring graded exercises known as ''Svaravalis'' and ''
Alankaras'',
[ and at the same time, he introduced the '']raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
'' Mayamalavagowla
Mayamalavagowla (pronounced ) is a raga of Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is classified as 15th ''melakarta'' raga under Venkatamakhin's ''melakarta'' system. Originally known as ''malavagowla'', "maya" was pref ...
as the first scale to be learnt by beginners in the field – a practice that is still followed today. He also composed ''Gitas'' (simple songs) for novice students.
Purandara Dasa is noted for composing ''Dasa Sahithya'', as a Bhakti movement
The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6th centur ...
vocalist, and a music scholar. His practice was emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanakadasa
Kanaka Dasa (1509–1609) was a Haridasa saint and philosopher, popularly called Daasashreshta Kanakadasa (ದಾಸಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಕನಕದಾಸ). He was a renowned composer of Carnatic music, poet, reformer and musician. He is kn ...
. Purandara Dasa's Carnatic music compositions are mostly in Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
, though some are in Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
. He signed his compositions with the ''ankitanama'' (pen name) "Purandara Vittala" (Vittala
Vithoba, also known as Vi(t)thal(a) and Panduranga, is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is generally considered as a manifestation of the god Vishnu, or his avatar Krishna. Vithoba is of ...
is another name of Lord Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, one of the incarnations of the Lord Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
) and this same form of Lord Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
is his ''aaradhya daiva'' or ''ishta murthi'' or worshippable deity. His work was appreciated by many scholars of his time and the later scholars.
Biography
Inscriptional evidence suggests Purandara Dasa was born to a diamond merchant in a Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
Deshastha Madhva Brahmin
Deshastha Brahmin is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and northern area of the state of Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Bra ...
family, in 1470 CE in Purandara gada,18 kms far from pune present-day Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
state. According to other opinions, his native town was Purandaraghatta in Karnataka, or Purandaragad near Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...
, but the latter is considered a historical mistake – connecting his "pen name" (his ''ankita'') with a location that mainly served as a military encampment in the 15th and 16th century. In 2018, a five-member committee set up by the Government of Karnataka to ascertain the birthplace of Purandara Dasa has submitted its report asserting Tirthahalli as the likeliest candidate. The committee included veteran singer and musicologist RK Padmanabha, scholars Aralumallige Parthasarathi, AV Navada, Veeranna Rajora, and former minister Leeladevi Navada. It is now ascertained that Purandharadasa was born in Araga, Vijayanagara Empire (Modern Day Thirthahalli, Karnataka, India), Karnataka
Purandara Dasa was the only son of the wealthy merchant Varadappa Nayaka and his wife Rukmini. He was named Srinivasa Nayaka, after the patron deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala
Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared ...
. He acquired proficiency in Kannada, Sanskrit, and sacred music through education. At the age of 16, he was married to Saraswati Bai, traditionally described as a pious young girl. He lost his parents at age 20, thereby inheriting his father's business of gemstones and pawning. He prospered and became known as ''Navakoti Narayana'' (an abundantly rich man; worth ninety millions).
Popular legend narrates a miraculous incident in Srinivaasa Nayaka's life, owing to which he was led to devote himself to the practice, propagation and inculcation of ''bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
'' (devotion) towards Lord Krishna through musical compositions. As a natural, inescapable consequence of such a transforming event, ubiquitous in the lives of several saints throughout the ages, he is believed to have relinquished his former greedy and miserly self, having realized the worthlessness of attachment to worldly possessions: The Lord, in a bid to cure Srinivaasa of his tenacious materialistic delusion and attachment, and thereby claim his devotion to Himself, approached Srinivaasa in the guise of a poor man, with a piteous plea for money; ostensibly, the money was direly needed to perform His son's 'upanayana'(sacred-thread investiture ceremony).
Having been summarily rejected, mocked and turned out, the 'poor man' surreptitiously repeated his plea before Srinivaasa's wife; a generous soul of rigorous spiritual nature, she gave away one of her precious nose rings, unbeknownst to her husband; the 'poor man' sold the nose ring back to none other than Srinivaasa himself! The shrewd Srinivaasa, privy to his wife's openhandedness, immediately identified the nose ring as his wife's and hurried home; enraged and anxious to ascertain the truth of the matter, he demanded his wife to produce the nose ring before him immediately.
Realizing that Srinivaasa had grown wise to her secret donation, the wife decided to end her life with poison. Having completed her prayers to the Lord before her attempt, she was shocked to see a nose ring inside the poison cup – completely identical to the one she had just given away. Incredulous and rapturous, she recounted the entire episode to her husband, who was bewildered and lost. Meanwhile, a search for the 'poor man' was of no avail; he had as mysteriously vanished as he had appeared! At that very propitious moment, Srinivaasa's old self – convinced of the inscrutable ways of the Lord, having witnessed the unfailing grace that saved his pious wife, bewildered at the power that could, in a moment, produce a gold ornament by mere will – instantly shook off that beginning-less, persistent veil in the form of 'I' and 'mine', which masks most men's vision of the divine. At 30 years of age, he gave away all his wealth in charity, and together with his family, abandoned his house to lead the life of a mendicant – living on alms and singing the glories of the Lord. In his very first song composition, he laments his wasted life of indulgence. It begins with the words "Ana lae kara" in the Shuddha Saveri
Shuddha Saveri or śuddha sāveri is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music) and Yakshagana music. It is an ''audava'' rāgam (or ''owdava'' rāgam, meaning pentatonic scale). It is a '' janya'' rāgam (derive ...
raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
, set to Triputa tala.
In the course of his wandering he met the holy sage Vyasatirtha
Vyāsatīrtha (. 1460 – 1539), also called ''Vyasaraja'' or ''Chandrikacharya'', was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta. As the patron saint of the Vijay ...
, one of the chief exponents of Madhwa philosophy and the ''Rajaguru'' of Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya (17 January 1471 – 17 October 1529) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Empire, reigning from 1509 to 1529. He was the third monarch of the Tuluva dynasty, and is considered to be one of the g ...
, emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
. According to Prof. Sambamoorthy, Srinivasa had his formal initiation at the hands of Vyasatirtha in 1525 when he was about 40 years old, with the name Purandara Daasa bestowed on him. Purandara Daasa traveled extensively through the length and breadth of the Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
and Pandharapur
Pandharpur (Pronunciation: əɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ is a well known pilgrimage town, on the banks of Candrabhagā River, near Solapur city in Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District, ...
in Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
composing and rendering soul-stirring songs in praise of God. He spent his last years in Hampi and also sang songs in Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya (17 January 1471 – 17 October 1529) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Empire, reigning from 1509 to 1529. He was the third monarch of the Tuluva dynasty, and is considered to be one of the g ...
's court. The mantapa (mandap) in which he stayed is known as Purandara Daasa Mantapa (mandap) in Hampi. He died on 2 January 1565 at the age of 95. Within a short period after his death, Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
collapsed. Tradition and legend hold that he composed keerthanas (songs). Further, according to this legend, his original desire was to compose 500,000 keerthanas. Being unable to do it in his present life, he requested his younger son to complete them. His son Madhwapathi told his father that he could do this in his next janma (birth). It is believed that he was reborn as the famous Vijayadasa—birthplace is Cheekalparvi village near Maanvi town, Raichur district in Karnataka State—and completed the remaining 25 thousand keerthanas as promised. Most of his songs are in praise of Lord Narayana and other Devatas. Due to this, he is believed to be an avatar of Naarada, the celestial singer and son of Goddess Saraswati. One of the ''trimurtis'' (three icons) of Carnaatic music, Saint Thyagaraja
Thyagaraja (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his ...
, has paid tribute to Purandara Daasa in his ''geya natakam'' (an opera) Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam.
Influence on Carnatic music
Purandara Dasa systematized the method of teaching Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...
which is followed to the present day. He introduced the raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
''Mayamalavagowla
Mayamalavagowla (pronounced ) is a raga of Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is classified as 15th ''melakarta'' raga under Venkatamakhin's ''melakarta'' system. Originally known as ''malavagowla'', "maya" was pref ...
'' as the basic scale for music instruction and fashioned a series of graded lessons such as , , , , , , , , and ''kriti
Kriti may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* Kriti (music), a format of musical composition typical to Carnatic music
* ''Kriti'' (film), a 2016 Hindi-language short film
* Kriti TV, Greek TV station
People with the name
* Kriti Bharti, Indi ...
s''. Another contribution was the fusion of ''bhava'', ''raga'', and ''laya'' in his compositions. He included comments on ordinary daily life and elements of colloquial language in his lyrics. He introduced folk ragas into the mainstream, setting his lyrics to ragas of his day so that even a common man could learn and sing them. He also composed a number of ''lakshya'' and ''lakshana'' ''geetas'', many of which are sung to this day. His ''sooladis'' are regarded musical masterpieces and are the standard for ''raga'' ''lakshana''. Scholars attribute the standardization of entirely to Purandara Dasa.
Travelling Haridasa successors are said to have followed the systems he devised, orally transmitted his compositions. According to traditional sources, his compositions number as many as 4,75,000. His original collection of songs is referred to as ''Purandaropanishat'' as given by Vyasatirtha
Vyāsatīrtha (. 1460 – 1539), also called ''Vyasaraja'' or ''Chandrikacharya'', was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta. As the patron saint of the Vijay ...
out of which only 1000 are available right now.
Purandara Dasa was a ''vaggeyakara'' (composer-performer), a ''lakshanakara'' (musicologist), and the founder of musical pedagogy. Musicologists call him the ''Sangeeta Pitamaha'' (lit. "grandfather") of Carnatic music.
Social reforms
Purandara Dasa tried to reform existing social practices and preached through devotional songs in the local Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
language. Most of his keertanas deal with social reform and pinpoint the defects in society. The philosophy of Purandara Dasa is harmonious with the concept of ''bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
'' in Hinduism, broadly based on the ''Narada Bhakti Sutra
The ''Narada Bhakti Sutra'' ( IAST: ) is a well known sutra venerated within the traditions of Hinduism, reportedly spoken by the famous sage, Narada. The text details the process of devotion ( Bhakti), or Bhakti yoga and is thus of particular ...
s'' and essentially synchronous with the pan-Indian Bhakti movement
The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6th centur ...
. It teaches complete self-surrender and unadulterated love towards God. The philosophy of Bhakti in Purandara Dasa's compositions stems from the essential teachings of the realistic-pluralistic Madhava Mādhava means Lord Krishna an incarnation of Vishnu. It may also refer to:
*a Sanskrit patronymic, "descendant of Madhu (a man of the Yadu tribe)".
** especially of Krishna, see Madhava (Vishnu)
*** an icon of Krishna
** Madhava of Sangamagrama, ...
Philosophy of Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
, and has been rendered in simple Kannada. The individual soul (''jeeva'') is a ''pratibimba'' (reflection) of the Lord (''Vishnu/Ishvara''), who is the ''bimba'' (source). The ''jeeva'' owes its existence, knowledge and bliss to the ''Ishvara'', and any sense of independence with regards to one's actions and the results thereof is to be given up. The mind has to be turned away from transient pleasures and possessions of this world; instead, it is to be turned towards the Lord, who alone is the abode of unadulterated, unswerving bliss. His ''keerthana
Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance art ...
s'' have simple lessons in this regard and implore men to lead the noble life of a ''Vaishnava''.
Casteism
Purandara Dasa fought the evils of casteism
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...
through his songs. In his song ''aavakulavaadarenu aavanadarenu aatma bhavavariyada mele'' he wonders what is the use if one does not understand the spirit of humanism whatever caste or status one might be accredited to. In the same song when relating to cows of different colours and sugarcane of different shapes he emphasizes that one's birth cannot merely decide the highness or lowness of any individual. He asks will the sweetness of a crooked sugarcane be also crooked or will the milk of cows of many a colour be also of many colours. He asked people to do their best in the world, to provide food and charity to the poor, help others and give up attachments. He was against the caste system, and believed true caste was based on character, not on birth. Sacrifice did not imply the slaughter of animals, but the slaying of one's own bad qualities.
Gender equality
According to Purandara Dasa there were no inequalities among men and women. Both of them had same rights and obligations in their conduct of everyday life as well as observation of pity. Purandara Dasa distinctly described the quality of a virtuous women . According to him, the neck chains, bangles and other ornaments which women wore were not important; the beauty of mind and noble conduct were her true embellishments.
Untouchability
Purandara Dasa made some forceful expressions on untouchability
Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...
, which was dogging society. His strength comes perhaps from the support of his guru Vyasathirtha
Vyāsatīrtha (. 1460 – 1539), also called ''Vyasaraja'' or ''Chandrikacharya'', was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta. As the patron saint of the Vijay ...
with the backing of powerful king Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya (17 January 1471 – 17 October 1529) was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Empire, reigning from 1509 to 1529. He was the third monarch of the Tuluva dynasty, and is considered to be one of the g ...
of Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara () was the capital city of the historic Vijayanagara Empire. Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, it spread over a large area and included the modern era Group of Monuments at Hampi site in Vijayanagara district, Bellary ...
himself. In one such song ''Holaya
Chalavādi (Chalawadi, Chalwadi, Chelvadi, Chelavadi) is a dravida community, mainly belonging to Karnataka, "who are generally called formerly as Adi Dravida (Balagai), Channaiah or Channayya"(Bidar, Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwad districts), Toti ...
horagithane oorolagillave'' he opines that an individual should not be branded untouchable on the basis of his/her birth in any specific caste, however it is rather his conduct which should make him untouchable if at all he can be called so. The usage of the word untouchable is not used in the limited context of physical contact with the person, it is the worthlessness of the association with that person which is highlighted here. This is evident by the subsequent expressions in the song which says that one who does not practice self-discipline is untouchable, one who plots against his own government is untouchable, similarly one who shirks charity while having wealth is untouchable, one who poisons to eliminate his opponents is untouchable, one who does not use soft language is untouchable, one who prides over his purity of caste is untouchable and finally one who does not meditate on Purandara Vittala is untouchable. Dasa's message is loud and clear rejecting untouchability in our society. He uses the name of Purandara Vittala to imply any God. This is evident from his other songs on various Gods and Goddesses. Similar ideas were expressed by many other poets also.
Legacy and depictions in popular culture
In contemporary music
In the pure Carnatic tradition, Bidaram Krishnappa
Bidaram Krishnappa (1866–1931) was a musician and composer of Carnatic Indian music in the court of King Chamaraja Wodeyar IX (1862–1894) and King Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV (1884–1940) of the Kingdom of Mysore.
Bidaram Krishnappa was a Ko ...
was one of the foremost singers of modern times to popularize the compositions of Purandara Dasa. Singer Madras Lalithangi, and her illustrious daughter Padmavibushan, Sangeetha Kalanidhi M. L. Vasanthakumari
Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari (popularly referred to as MLV) (3 July 1928 – 31 October 1990) was a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulak ...
have rendered yeoman service in propagating the compositions of Purandara Dasa; both were considered as authorities on Purandara Dasa. M. L. Vasantha Kumari was awarded an honorary doctorate by Mysore University
The University of Mysore is a public state university in Mysore, Karnataka, India. The university was founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore. The university is recognised by the University Grants Commission ...
for her contributions to Purandara Dasa's music.
Though the compositions of Purandara Dasa are originally in the ''ragas'' of the Carnatic system of music, his compositions have been adopted and made equally popular in Hindustani music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sit ...
. Hindustani music legends such as Bhimsen Joshi
Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi BR (; ; 4 February 1922 – 24 January 2011), also known by the honorific prefix Pandit, was one of the greatest Indian vocalists from Karnataka, in the Hindustani classical tradition. He is known for the '' khaya ...
, Madhav Gudi
Pandit Madhav Gudi (Kannada:ಮಾಧವ ಗುಡಿ, Devanagari:माधव गुडि) (23 December 1941 – 22 April 2011) was a Hindustani classical vocalist, who specialised in Khayal and renditions of devotional music, particularly of ...
and Basavaraj Rajguru
Pandit Basavraj Rajguru (24 August 1920 – 1991) was a leading Indian classical vocalist in the Kirana gharana (singing style).
Early life and training
Basavraj was born into a family of scholars, astrologers and musicians in Yaliwal, a ...
have made them more popular in recent years.
Classical vocalists and musicians such as Upendra Bhat
Upendra Bhat is a singer of Hindustani classical music, from the Kirana Gharana, who reminds the listeners of his legendary Guru – Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.
Career
Born and brought up in Mangalore, a city in Kanara; Upendra began his musical career ...
, Puttur Narasimha Nayak
Puttur Narasimha Nayak is a Kannada and Konkani singer and vocalist from Karnataka. He sings devotional songs, chiefly Haridasa compositions, and Carnatic classical music. To his credit, he has rendered in Kannada, mainly devotional son ...
, Venkatesh Kumar
Pandit M. Venkatesh Kumar (born July 1, 1953) is an Indian Hindustani classical music, Hindustani vocalist. He is best known for his rendition of devotional songs composed by Swami Haridas. Kumar belongs to the Kirana Gharana, Kirana and Gwalior ...
, Nagaraja Rao Havaldar
Nagaraja Rao Havaldar ( kn, ನಾಗರಾಜ ರಾವ್ ಹವಲ್ದಾರ್) (17 July 1959) is a Hindustani Classical vocalist from Karnataka, India.
Education
Music
Havaldar is a disciple of Madhava Gudi, himself a prime disciple ...
, Ganapathi Bhatt
Pandit Ganapati Bhat, popularly known as Ganapati Bhat Hasanagi, is an Indian Hindustani classical music, Hindustani classical vocalist. He belongs to Kirana Gharana, Kirana -Gwalior Gharana. He is a resident guru at Dr. Gangubai Hangal Gurukul T ...
, Vidyabhushana
Vidyabhushana (1952-) is a vocalist from Karnataka. He sings devotional songs, chiefly Haridasa compositions, and carnatic classical music. He has many albums to his credit, mainly devotional songs in Kannada, Tulu and has given concerts all ...
, Pravin Godkhindi
Pravin Godkhindi (born 28 October 1973) is an Indian classical Hindustani flute (bansuri) player. He has mastered both the tantrakari and gayaki style of playing on the flute. He was called a top ranking artist in Hindustani bansuri, by Aka ...
, Nachiketa Sharma
Nachiketa (Sharma) Yakkundi (Kannada: ನಚಿಕೇತ, Devanagari:नचिकेत, IAST: Naciketā) is an Indian classical vocalist in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Background
Born in Dharwad, Karnataka, Nachiketa was initiated into Hindus ...
, Sangeetha Katti
Sangeeta Katti Kulkarni ( kn, ಸಂಗೀತ ಕಟ್ಟಿ ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ), is an Indian playback singer, Hindustani classical vocalist, musician, music composer from Karnataka. She was awarded the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 200 ...
, and the Bombay Sisters
The Bombay sisters, C. Saroja (b. 7 December 1936) and C. Lalitha (b. 26 August 1938), are a Carnatic music singing duo.
Early life
The Bombay Sisters, C. Saroja and C. Lalitha, were born in Trichur, Kerala to Mukthambal and N. Chidambaram Iyer ...
are continuing the tradition of singing and performing Purandara Dasa's compositions and other Dasa Sahitya songs in Carnatic as well as Hindustani music concerts. Of late, Mysore Ramachandracharya is industriously propagating dasa sahitya through his concerts. Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent trust which manages the temples including the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. The trust oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious cent ...
is also propagating the dasa krithis through the Dasa Sahitya Project. He also composed the first lullaby
A lullaby (), or cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies they are used to pass down cultural knowled ...
songs in Carnatic music, such as ''Thoogire Rangana'' and ''Gummana Kareyadire'', which led to the creation of many similar songs by others.
Memorials and monuments
The Purandara Mantapa adjoining the Vijayavittala temple at Hampi is one of the long standing monuments relating to Purandara Dasa. This is where he is said to have composed and sung in praise of Lord Vishnu.
Purandara Dasa is said to have composed his well known song, ‘''Aadisidaleshoda jagadoddharana''’ on infant Sri Krishna, in ''raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
'' ''Kapi
Kapi, Kapı, or KAPI may refer to:
Places
* Kapi, Estonia, a village in Estonia
* Kapı, Karataş, a village in Turkey
* a possible old volcanic eruption site near Krakatoa
People
* Mari Kapi (1950–2009), Papua New Guinean judge
* Mustafa Ka ...
'', at the Aprameyaswamy temple in Doddamallur, Channapattana
Channapatana is a city and taluk headquarters in Ramanagara District, Karnataka, India.
Channapatna is approximately 60kms from Bangalore and 80kms from Mysore.
Geography
Channapatna has an average elevation of 739 metres (2424 ft). ...
taluk, Karnataka. A small ''mantapa'' outside the temple is named after him, where he is said to have stayed as he passed through the village.
A statue of Purandara Dasa has been erected at the foothills of Tirumala in Alipiri. A statue of Purandara Dasa adorns the Asthana Mandapam (auditorium) on the Tirumala hill.
A huge statue of Purandara Dasaru is erected at the holy premises of Uttaradi Matha
Shri Uttaradi Math ( IAST:''Śrī Uttarādi Maṭha'') (also known as Uttaradi Peetha), is one of the main monasteries (matha) founded by Madhvacharya with Padmanabha Tirtha as its head to preserve and propagate Dvaita Vedanta (Tattvavada) out ...
,Bangalore
Sri Purandara Dasa Memorial Trust (SPDMT), formed in Bangalore in 2007, has been actively involved in promoting and researching all aspects of the life and works of Purandara Dasa. A 3500-square-foot concert hall, called 'Purandara Mantapa', has been erected on the premises of the Trust.
The Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha
Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha (or ISS) was established in 1986 at Indiranagar, Bangalore in the state of Karnataka in India as a school for Indian classical music and dance. In 2004, the Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha's cultural complex, Purandara ...
(ISS) at Indiranagar, Bangalore formed in 1986, has dedicated an auditorium with a seating capacity of 600 called Purandara Bhavana exclusively for cultural events, inaugurated by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, to his memory.
Salutations
* On 14 January 1964, the India Security Press
The India Security Press is a government press is a subsidiary of the Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL), a public undertaking of the Indian government. The company is charged with the task of printing passports, vi ...
– Department of posts had issued a stamp in honour of Purandarasa Dasa on his 400th death anniversary.
* Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam has propagated and popularised the literature of Purandara Dasa under the Dasa Sahitya Project.
Biographical movies and documentaries
Three biographical films
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
, in Kannada language, have been made on the life and compositions of Purandara Dasa.
* ''Purandaradasa
Purandara Dasa ( IAST: Purandara dāsa) ( 1470 – 1565) was a Haridasa philosopher and a follower of Madhwacharya 's Dwaitha philosophy -saint from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a composer, singer and one of the chief founding-pro ...
'' (1937)
* ''Navakoti Narayana
''Navakoti Narayana'' is a 1964 Indian Kannada-language film directed by S. K. Ananthachari starring Rajkumar and Sowcar Janaki. The film is based on the life of Purandara Dasa, a prominent composer of Carnatic music who lived from 1484 to 1564 ...
'' (1964)
* ''Sri Purandara Dasaru
''Sri Purandara Dasaru'' is a 1967 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by C. V. Raju and produced by Smt Jayalakshmi. The film stars K. S. Ashwath, R. Nagendra Rao, Udaykumar and Rajashankar. The film has musical score by C. N. Pandurangan. T ...
'' (1967)
* Film director and playwright Girish Karnad
Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019) was an Indian actor, film director, Kannada writer, playwright and a Jnanpith awardee, who predominantly worked in South Indian cinema and Bollywood. His rise as a playwright in the 1960s marked the ...
made a documentary film titled ''Kanaka-Purandara'' (English, 1988) on the two medieval Bhakti poets of Karnataka.[ '']Frontline
Front line refers to the forward-most forces on a battlefield.
Front line, front lines or variants may also refer to:
Books and publications
* ''Front Lines'' (novel), young adult historical novel by American author Michael Grant
* ''Frontlines ...
'', Vol. 16, No. 03, 30 Jan – 12 February 1999.
Aradhana
''Aradhana'' is a religious-devotional observation, held annually, to remember and honor saintly persons on the anniversary of the completion of their earthly lives. Purandara Dasa's ''aradhana'' or ''punyadina'' is held on the ''pushya bahula amavasya''Purandara Dasaru – Sumadhwa Seva
Sumadhwaseva.com. Retrieved 25 December 2018. of the Indian ''chandramana'' calendar (a new moon day, generally in February–March). Musicians and art aficionados in the state of Karnataka, South India and many art and religious centers around the world observe this occasion with religious and musical fervor. His compositions are sung by established and upcoming artists on this day.
In 2022, aradhanas are happening in India and around the world even to this day.
Compilations of Purandara Dasa's lyrics
A popular Purandara Dasa composition in Carnatic Raagam Hamsadhwani
*
* KavyaPremi. 1996. ''Purandara Daasa Haadugalu''. Dharwad: Samaja Publishers. Contains ca. 225 songs; in Kannada language.
See also
*
Haridasa
The Haridasa Bhakti Sahitya devotional movement (sampradaya) originated in Karnataka, India, after Madhvacharya, and spread to eastern states such as Bengal and Assam of medieval India. Over a span of nearly six centuries, several saints and ...
*
Madhvacharya
Madhvacharya (; ; CE 1199-1278 or CE 1238–1317), sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Madhva Acharya, and also known as Purna Prajna () and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the ''Dvaita'' ...
*
Vyasatirtha
Vyāsatīrtha (. 1460 – 1539), also called ''Vyasaraja'' or ''Chandrikacharya'', was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta. As the patron saint of the Vijay ...
*
Kanaka Dasa
Kanaka Dasa (1509–1609) was a Haridasa saint and philosopher, popularly called Daasashreshta Kanakadasa (ದಾಸಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಕನಕದಾಸ). He was a renowned composer of Carnatic music, poet, reformer and musician. He is kn ...
*
Annamacharya
Tallapaka Annamacharya (Telugu : తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య) ( IAST: taḷḷapāka annamācārya; 22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, was a 15th-century Hindu saint and the ea ...
*
Shishunala Sharif
Muhammad Sharif was an Indian social reformer, philosopher and poet.
Birth and early life
Santa Shishunala Sharifa was born on 7 March 1819 in Shishuvinahala, a village in Shigganvi (now Shiggaon) taluk (in Haveri district), Karnataka.
He ...
*
Puttur Narasimha Nayak
Puttur Narasimha Nayak is a Kannada and Konkani singer and vocalist from Karnataka. He sings devotional songs, chiefly Haridasa compositions, and Carnatic classical music. To his credit, he has rendered in Kannada, mainly devotional son ...
*
Dvaita Vedanta
Dvaita Vedanta (); (originally known as Tattvavada; IAST:Tattvavāda), is a sub-school in the Vedanta tradition of Hindu philosophy. The term Tattvavada literally means "arguments from a realist viewpoint". The Tattvavada (Dvaita) Vedanta sub ...
*
List of Carnatic composers
List of composers of Carnatic music, a subgenre of Indian classical music. Chronologically they can be grouped into 4 different Eras: Pre-Trinity Era, Trinity Era, Post Trinity Era and Modern Era. Composers are listed here based on this classif ...
* List of Carnatic artists
*
List of Carnatic instrumentalists
This is a list of Carnatic instrumentalists: musicians famous for playing the carnatic music of South India. Musicians are listed by the instrument they have played.
Bowed strings
Violin
* Lalgudi Jayaraman
* Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
* Tir ...
*
Trinity of Carnatic music
The Trinity of Carnatic music, also known as The Three Jewels of Carnatic music, refer to the outstanding trio of composer-musicians of Carnatic music in the 18th century, being Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. Prolific in composit ...
References
Cited sources
*
Further reading
*
* Kassebaum, Gayatri Rajapur. ‘Karnatak raga’ (2000). In
* Dr. Vasudev Agnihotry "Purandaradasaru mattu Shri Mad Bhagavata Ondu Toulanika Adhyayana" PhD Osmania University
Hyderabad, India
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the '' de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern In ...
1984 Publisher: Samskriti Prakashana Sedam. Keertana Vidya nagar sedam 58522 dist gulbarga Karnataka
External links
Annual Purandara Dasa and Thyagaraja Aradhana in D.C., Maryland and VirginiaBhagyada Lakshmi BaarammaA popular Purandara Dasa composition in Sri Raagam
Lyrics and translation of Purandaradasa compositions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dasa, Purandara
1470 births
1564 deaths
People from Shimoga district
Carnatic composers
Kannada poets
Indian social reformers
Hindu poets
Dvaita Vedanta
Dvaitin philosophers
Madhva religious leaders
Haridasa
Indian Vaishnavites
16th-century Indian philosophers
History of Karnataka
Kannada people
16th-century Indian poets
Indian male poets
Poets from Karnataka
Madhva Brahmins
Vijayanagara poets
Scholars of Vijayanagara Empire
15th-century Indian philosophers