Chalukya literature

Kannada language literature was prosperity during the reign of the Western Chalukya Empire.The Kannada literature from this period is usually categorised into the linguistic phase called Old-Kannada. It constituted the bulk of the Chalukya court's textual production and pertained mostly to writings relating to the socio-religious development of the Jain faith.Kannada literature written in the Sanskritic champu metre, composed of prose and verse, was popularised by the Chalukyan court poets.

The earliest well-known writers belonging to the Shaiva faith are also from this period.Under the patronage of Kalachuri King Bijjala II,whose prime minister was the well-known Kannada poet and social reformer Basavanna, a native form of poetic literature called Vachana literature.

the Veerashaiva  religious movement in the mid-12th century, poets favoured the native tripadi.Vachanakaras not only court poets, noblemen, royalty, ascetics and saints who wrote in the marga (mainstream) style,but also by commoners and artisans, including cobblers, weavers, cowherds and shepherds who wrote in the desi (folk) style. These Vachana poets  revolutionised Kannada literature.rejecting traditional themes that eulogised kings and noblemen, and writing didactic poems that were closer to the spoken and sung form of the language. In addition to hundreds of male poets, over thirty female poets have been recorded, some of whom wrote along with their husbands.

A century before these political developments, the age of great Sanskrit and Prakrit epics and classics had come to an end. This productive period had made available a vast corpus of literature that could be expressed in the local language of Kannada.

Kannada, which had flourished both as a language of political discourse and literature in the Rashtrakuta court, found enthusiastic support from the Chalukya kings.

Kannada writings by Jain authors thus used impressive Sanskrit-derived verses interspersed with prose to extol the virtues of their patron kings, who were often compared to heroes from the Hindu epics.

While Adikavi Pampa  compared his patron, the feudatory Chalukya King Arikesari, to Pandava prince Arjuna, in Vikramarjuna Vijaya, his version of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Ranna (983) found it suitable to compare his patron, King Satyasraya, to Pandava prince Bhima.

Lilavati Prabhandam, a novel written by Nemichandra (1170) on the topic of love, erotica, and of the victory of Kamadeva  over his arch-rival Shiva, is the first among such writings. It was followed by Kabbigara Kava  by Andayya, also a work depicting a war between Kamadeva and the god Shiva.

 Nagavarma II wrote his Kannada grammar Karnataka bhashabhushana ("Ornament of Karnataka language", 1042 or 1145). A milestone in the history of Kannada literature, it helped consolidate the language as competitor to established languages such as Sanskrit and Prakrit, bringing the local language within the realm of literary cosmopolitanism.Writing a Kannada grammar in Sanskrit language was essential to Nagavarma II, a subtle rebuttal to Sanskritic scholars of the day who may have considered Kannada a language of the common man and its grammar as underdeveloped.

 Adikavi Pampa and Sri Ponna. Ranna became the court poet of King Tailapa II and King Satyasraya. In his early days, he was also patronised by the well-known Ganga minister Chavundaraya.

Ranna is famous for writing Ajitha purana (993), which recounts the life of the second Jain tirthankar Ajitanatha. However, it is in his magnum opus, the work Sahasa Bhima Vijaya (also called Gada Yudda 982) that he reaches his zenith of poetic grace while describing the conflict between  Bhima and Duryodhana in his Jain version of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Another notable writer from the close of the 10th century, Nemichandra, wrote the Kaviraja kunjara and Lilavati (c. 990) with Prince Kavdarpa Deva of Jayantipura (Banavasi) and Princess Lilavati as the protagonists of the latter poem.Other writers whose works are now lost but have been praised by the Chalukya minister Durgasimha (1031) are Kavitavilasa (patronised by King Jayasimha II), Madiraja, Chadrabhatta, Kannamayya and Manasija.Other notable writers eulogised in the Kuppatur and Haveri inscriptions are Harivarma (1070) and Narayana Deva respectively.

Shridharacharya, a Jain Brahmin patronised by King Somesvara I (also called Ahvamalla or Trailokyamalla) showed his ability to write on scientific subjects in Jatakatilaka (1049), the earliest available writing on astrology in Kannada, citing the Sanskrit astronomer Aryabhata. His other work is the lostChandraprabha Charite, on belles-lettres.

Chavundaraya II, a Shaiva Brahmin by faith and a protege of King Jayasimha II, wrote Lokopakara (1025) in the champu metre. It is the earliest available encyclopaedia in the Kannada language, written at times with a poetic touch. It comprises twelve chapters and has found popularity in later references as well. The work is on various topics such as daily life, astronomy, astrology and forecasting of events based on the Indian calendar (panchanga phala), sculpture, construction of buildings (vastu vichara) and reservoirs (udakargala), omens, divination of water, preparation of medicine from herbs and plants (vrikshayurveda), general medicine (vaidya), perfumery, cookery and toxicology (vishavaidya). Mentioned in this book is the popular South Indian dish Idli and its preparation by soaking Urad dal (black gram) in butter milk, grinding it to a fine paste, and mixing with spices and the clear water of curd.

Durgasimha, the Sandhi Vigrahi (minister of war and peace) of King Jayasimha II wrote the well-known Panchatantra (1031) in champu style, basing it on Gunadhya's Paishachi language original Brihatkatha. This fable is the first adaptation of the original into a vernacular language of India. Containing sixty fables in all, thirteen of which are original, each is summarised by an ethical moral based on a Jain tenet. Durgasimha also authored the Karnataka Banachatantra, the earliest available commentary in the Kannada language, giving a brief commentary on all the Sanskrit verses he quoted in thePanchatantra. Around this time, Jayakirti (1000–1050), a Kannada language theorist, who considered the rules of prosody to be the same for Sanskrit and Kannada, wrote the Chandonusasana .

Shantinatha, patronised by King Somesvara II, wrote the poemSukumaracharita in 1068, Nagavarmacharya, a Brahmin Advaita saint of Balligavi, who was patronised by King Udayatidya, a vassal of Chalukya King Somesvara II, wrote Chandrachudamani sataka (1070) in the sataka (hundred-line verse) metre.In this centum of verses, where each ends with the term "Chandrachudamani" as another name of the god Shiva, the author treats on viragya(ethics of renunciation). Other writers whose works are considered lost but have been referenced in contemporary writings are Gunachandra and Gunavarma. Gunachandra, who was admired by King Somesvara II (also called Bhuvanaika Malla), wroteParsvabhyudaya and Maghanadisvara. Gunavarma, who earned the honorific Bhuvanaika Vira, a title befitting a warrior rather than a poet, is mentioned by grammarian Keshiraja  (1260) as the author of Harivamsa. His title identifies him with a Ganga prince called Udayaditya who was a minister and general under Chalukya King Somesvara II. Other writings ascribed to the author are Pushpadanta Purana and Devachandra Prabha Stotra.

The Veerashiava poet Harihara, one of the most prominent poets of the medieval era, established the ragale tradition with his biography of Basavanna (Basavaraja Devara ragale, 1160), the earliest available biography of the social reformer and of the Kannada language as well. His nephew Raghavanka established the shatpadi metre in his unique and original narration of the story of King Harishchandracalled Harishchandra Kavya (1200).Sisumayana is credited with introducing a new composition called sangatya (1232) in his allegorical poems Tripuradahana and Anjanacharita.

Noted Kannada poets and writers in Western Chalukya Empire (973-1200 A.D)
Ranna	982
Nemichandra	990
Manasija	10th
Chandrabhatta	10th
Madiraja	10th
Kavitavilasa	10th
Kannamayya	10th
Jayakirti	1000
Chandraraja	1025
Durgasimha	1031
Chavundaraya II	1025
Shridharacharya	1049
Nagavarma II	1042
Santinatha	1068
Gunachandra	1070
Nagavarmacharya	1070
Harivarma	1070
Narayana Deva	11th c.
Gunavarma	1070-1100
Nayasena	1112
Kondugoli Keshiraja	1120
Prince Kirtivarma	1125
Brahmashiva	1125
Karnaparya	1145
Jagaddala Somanatha	1150