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{{About|the Hindu devotional movement|the musician and teacher|Swami Haridas}}
{{other uses|Haridasa (disambiguation)}}
{{DvaitaInfobox}}
{{Vaishnavism}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
The '''Haridasa''' devotional movement ([[sampradaya]]) originated in [[Karnataka]], India, after [[Madhvacharya]], and spread to eastern states such as Bengal and Assam of medieval India.<ref>{{cite book|title = A History of the Dvaita School of Vedānta and Its Literature, 3rd Edition|first = B. N. Krishnamurti| last = Sharma| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass (2008 Reprint) |isbn = 978-8120815759| year= 2000|pages=xxxii-xxxiii, 514–516, 539}}</ref> Over a span of nearly six centuries, several saints and mystics helped shape the culture, philosophy and art of [[South India]] in general and Karnataka in particular by exerting considerable spiritual influence over the masses and kingdoms that ruled South India.<ref name="spread">Sharma (1961), p. 514</ref>

This movement was ushered in by the ''Haridasas'' (''lit'' "servants of Lord [[Hari]]") and took shape in the 13th century – 14th century CE period, prior to and during the early rule of the [[Vijayanagara]] empire. The main objective of this movement was to propagate the [[Dvaita]] philosophy of [[Madhvacharya]] (''Madhva Siddhanta'') to the masses through a literary medium known as ''Dasa Sahitya'' (''lit'' "literature of the servants of the lord").<ref name="hari1"/>

Prominent [[Hindu]] philosophers, poets and scholars such as [[Sripadaraya]], [[Vyasathirtha]], [[Vadirajatirtha]], [[Purandara Dasa]] and [[Kanaka Dasa]] played an important role during this time.<ref name="hari1">Kamath (2001), p. 155</ref> Though the movement found its roots in the [[Kannada]] country and later spread to other parts of South India, it was a net result of earlier devotional movements such as the [[Veerashaiva]] movement (of [[Vachana|Vachana literature]] in Kannada) of northern Karnataka led by [[Basavanna]] (12th century) and the [[Alvar]] saints of [[Tamil Nadu]] (10th century).<ref name="hari4"/><ref name="imm">Krishna Rao M.V. Dr. in {{cite web|title=Haridasa Movement-Part1|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka37.htm|author=Arthikaje|publisher=outKarnataka.com|work=History of Karnataka|access-date=2007-06-02}}</ref> Later, [[Vallabhacharya]] in [[Gujarat]] and Guru [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu|Chaitanya]] were influenced by the teachings of [[Madhvacharya]]. [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu|Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's]] devotees started the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] ([[ISKCON]]) - known colloquially as the [[Hare Krishna Movement]].<ref name="hari2">Kamath (2001), p. 156</ref>

The Haridasas were saints, some of whom were wandering bards, and considered themselves as slaves of their supreme lord - Hari. While the movement was mainly heralded by the [[Brahmins]], it was a [[:wikt:devotional|devotional]] one whose ideals and thoughts pervaded and received noteworthy contributions from all sections of society.<ref name="kan">According to some accounts, Kanaka Dasa came from a family of hunters (''beda'') and from other accounts, from a family of Shepherds (''kuruba'') (Sastri 1955, p. 365)</ref> The Haridasa movement can be considered as a part of a larger ''[[Bhakti]]'' movement whose devotional inspiration to the masses lasted over a millennium. The Haridasa movement made significant contribution to Kannada devotional literature.<ref name="bhak">Sastri (1955), p. 381</ref>

==Origin==
The origin of the Haridasa movement is not clearly known, with some legends indicating there were holy men and kings who espoused this form of devotion as early as the 9th century. However it is well known that the great [[Vaishnava]] religious devotionalism called ''Dasa Kuta'' found its organizational base and started to produce large congregation of devotees in the [[Karnataka]] region, largely due to the [[Vedanta]] (philosophy) propounded in the 13th century by [[Madhvacharya]] of [[Udupi]] (1238 - 1317 CE).<ref name="hari4">{{cite web|title=History of Haridasas|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/hist.html|author=Madhusudana Rao CR|publisher=Dvaita Home Page|access-date=2007-05-30}}</ref>

The Haridasas' who propagated the philosophy of Madhvacharya belonged to two groups; the ''Dasakuta'', those who conveyed the philosophy of Madhvacharya in simple and lucid [[Kannada]] to the masses, and the ''Vyasakuta'', those who were required to be proficient in the [[Vedas]], [[Upanishad]]s and other ''Darshana'' (scriptures).<ref name="Kuta">{{cite web|title=The Haridasa Movement|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka37.htm|author=Arthikaje|publisher=ourKarnataka.com|work=History of Karnataka|access-date=2007-05-31}}</ref> During this period, this movement became a strong [[Spirituality|spiritual]] force which helped a resurgence of a strong [[Hindu]] sentiment in Southern India, when Northern India was already under [[Muslim]] rule. The Haridasas' found state patronage in the [[Vijayanagara Empire]] which at its peak, ruled over the entire [[South India|Southern India]].<ref name="hari3">Kamath (2001), p178</ref> Vyasatirtha was intimately associated with the empire and was considered the family guru by King [[Krishnadevaraya]].<ref name="raj1">{{cite web|last=Pujar|first=Narahari S. |author2=Shrisha Rao |author3=H.P. Raghunandan|title=Sri Vyasa Tirtha|url=http://www.dvaita.org/scholars/vyasaraja/|publisher=Dvaita Home Page|access-date=2006-12-31}}</ref><ref name="raj3">Krishnadevaraya was highly devoted to Vyasatirtha (Kamath 2001), p178)</ref><ref name="raj2">Vyasatirtha was highly honoured by King Krishnadevaraya (Nilakanta Sastri 1955, p324)</ref>

Haridasas' belonged to the [[Vaishnava]] school of [[Hinduism]] and worshipped [[Vitthala]], a manifestation of the Hindu god [[Vishnu]] and all forms of [[Krishna]] (an ''[[avatar]]'' of Vishnu).<ref name="vai">{{cite web|title=Dasa Sahitya or Slave Literature|url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/kar/literature/dasa.htm|author=Kamat, Jyotsna|publisher=Kamat's Potpourri|work=History of Kannada literature|access-date=2007-05-31}}</ref> The Vittalanatha temple at [[Pandharapur]]a on the bank of the river [[Bhima]] in present-day [[Maharashtra]], the Vittala Swami temples at [[Hampi]] in [[Karnataka]] and the [[Srinivasa]] temple on [[Tirumala]] hills in [[Andhra Pradesh]] are considered the holiest of places in the Haridasa context.

==Preachers==
The Haridasas' generally hailed from places in present-day [[Karnataka]], but there were some exceptions such as [[Jayatirtha]] who was a native of Mangalvedhe near [[Pandharapur]] in modern [[Maharashtra]]<ref name="mangal">{{cite web|title=Sri Jaya Tirtha|url=http://www.dvaita.org/scholars/jayatirtha/|author=Pujar, Rao and Budihal|work=Online Webpage of Haridasa (dvaita.org)|access-date=2007-05-31}}</ref> and [[Naraharitirtha]] who was a native of either [[Andhra Pradesh]] or [[Orissa, India|Orissa]].<ref name="hail1">{{cite web|title=Sri Narahari Tirtha|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/yathi/narahari.html|author=Mahushudhana Rao C R|work=Online Webpage of Haridasa (dvaita.org)|access-date=2007-05-31}}</ref> Naraharitirtha (1281), a minister in the court of Kalinga was inducted into the Madhvacharya order. He composed many early devotional hymns in praise of Vishnu in the Kannada language, some of which are available today.<ref name="nara">Sastri (1955), p364</ref> While the Srikurmam inscription indicates that Naraharitirtha may have been the originator of this devotional movement, the songs of the Haridasas' give credit to [[Sripadaraya]] as the real founder of the movement in the 15th century.<ref name="hail1"/>

Famous haridasas from the Madhvacharya order during the [[Vijayanagar empire]] period were:<ref name="yathidasas">{{cite web|title=Yathi (Dasas) Lineage|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/general/yathi_map.html|work= Haridasa Webpage Online (dvaita.org)|access-date=2013-03-18}}</ref>
* [[Naraharitirtha]] (1243 - 1333 CE)
* [[Akshobhya Tirtha|Akshobhyatirtha]] ( 1282- 1365 CE)
* [[Jayatirtha]] (1345 – 1388 CE)
* [[Sripadaraja|Sripadaraya]] (1404 - 1502 CE.)
* [[Vyasatirtha]] (1447 - 1539 CE.)
* [[Purandara Dasa]] (1480 - 1564 CE.)
* [[Kanaka Dasa]] (1508 - 1606 CE.; non-Brahmin saint)
*[[Vijayindra Tirtha|Vijayindratirtha]] (1514-1595 CE)
* [[Raghuttama Tirtha|Raghuttamatirtha]] (1537 - 1596 CE)
*[[Raghavendra Tirtha|Raghavendratirtha]] (1595 - 1671 CE)
* [[Vadirajatirtha]] (1480 - 1600 CE.; lived for 120 years).

== Growth and patronage ==
Sripadaraya, Vyasatirtha and Vadirajatirtha are called "three great saints" (''yathi raja trayaru'', as they were accorded royal patronage) in the Haridasa movement whereas the epithet "great trinity of Vaishnava composers" from Karnataka goes to Sripadaraya, Purandaradasa and Kanakadasa, though it is difficult to separate literature, music, devotion from their composite writings.<ref name="trin">{{cite web|title=Dasa Sahitya or Slave Literature|url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/kar/literature/dasa.htm|author=Kamat, Jyotsna Dr.|publisher=Kamat's Potpourri|work=History of Kannada Literature|access-date=2 June 2007}}</ref> The center of their activity in the 15th–16th century was [[Hampi]], the royal centre of [[Vijayanagara]], the regal capital of Vijayanagara empire.

The Haridasa movement gained further impetus in the 17th and 18th centuries in and around [[Raichur District]]. Some of the noted saints from this era were [[Guru Raghavendra]], [[Vijaya Dasa]], [[Gopala Dasa]], [[Jagannatha Dasa]], Prasanna Venkata Dasa, Pranesha Dasa, Venugopala Dasa, Mahipathi Dasa, Mohana Dasa, Helevanakatte Giriamma and Harapanhalli Bhimavva.<ref name="renai">{{cite web|title=The Haridasa Movement|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka38.htm|author=Arthikaje|publisher=ourKarnataka.com|work=History of Karnataka|access-date=31 May 2007}}</ref><ref name="renai1">{{cite web|title=History of the Haridasas|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/hist.html|author=Rao, Madhusudana C.R.|publisher=www.dvaita.org|access-date=2 June 2007}}</ref> The history of the Haridasa movement from the 13th century to the present day is the history of spreading ''[[Bhakti|Hari bhakti]]'' (devotion to ''Hari'' or Vishnu) to the common man and in that purpose contributed immensely to [[Kannada literature]] and to the development of Kannada language. Both the Haridasa and Veerashaiva movements pervade the length and breadth of Karnataka and exert ennobling influences upon the neighboring provinces of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Maharashtra]].<ref name="hari1"/>

==Contribution to Kannada Literature==

Haridasa movement made a significant contribution towards [[Kannada literature]] by spawning a whole corpus of devotional literature in the form of verses, hymns and musical compositions, popularizing the [[Dvaita]] philosophy postulated by Saint Madhvacharya.<ref name="spread"/><ref name="hari5">Their poems were in ''ragale'' metre (Sastri 1955, p365)</ref> The literature that originated from this devotional movement is called ''Dasa Sahitya'' (or ''dasara padagalu'' - literature of the ''dasas''). These various compositions are generally called as ''Devaranamas'' (literally meaning ''names of the Lord'') and are sung in the praise of the god Vishnu. These compositions have the concept of ''[[Bhakti|Hari Bhakti]]'' (devotion to God) at their core and they usually revolve around references to [[Hindu]] mythology and the Dvaita philosophy. Some Haridasas' such as Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa also composed several ''Devaranamas'' using day-to-day episodes, morals and virtues as the central theme.<ref name="hari1" /> These compositions were in simple Kannada language since the main objective of this movement was to take the devotional movement to the common man.<ref name="hari1"/><ref name="common">Sharma (1961), p515</ref> In doing so, the common people were also educated in the importance of consciousness (''jnana''), devotion (''bhakti''), ethics and Hindu religion. Their hymns (''padas'') set to various musical tones (''ragas'') aroused fervor among the masses. As advocates of religious reform, the Haridasas' propounded the virtues of detachment (''vairagya''). [[Similes]] and [[metaphors]] found in their songs and hymns were used to great effect in achieving this.<ref name="common" /> In addition to devotional songs, Kanaka Dasa authored five literary classical writings in the [[kavya]] style.<ref name="kav">{{cite web|title=Kanakadasa - Poet among Saints |url=http://www.kamat.com/indica/faiths/bhakti/kanakadasa.htm|author=Kamat, Jytosna Dr.|work=Kamats Potpourri-Path of devotion|access-date=2007-06-02}}</ref> Jagannathadasa, [[Vijaya Dasa]] and Gopaladasa etc., are more well known among a galaxy of composers who made rich contributions to Kannada literature.<ref name="gal">{{cite web|title=Haridasa Lineage|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/general/das_map.html|author=Madhusudana Rao CR|publisher=Dvaita Home Page (www.dviata.org)|access-date=2007-06-01}}</ref><ref name="gal1">{{cite web|title=Yathidasa Lineage|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/general/yathi_map.html|author=Madhusudana Rao CR|publisher=Dvaita Home Page (www.dviata.org)|access-date=2007-06-01}}</ref>

The compositions can be broadly classified under one of the following three types:
:* ''Kavya'' or poetic compositions
:* ''Tatva'' or philosophic compositions
:* General compositions.

===''nom-de-plume'' (''Ankita Nama'')===
Each Haridasa had a unique ''ankita nama'', or pen-name, with which they 'signed' all their compositions. The [[nom-de-plume]]s of some of the most well known Haridasas is listed below:<ref name="ankitha">{{cite web|title=Ankitha|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/ankit.html|author=Mahushudhana Rao C R|work=Online Webpage of Haridasa (dvaita.org)|access-date=2007-05-31}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Haridasa
! Period
! Ankita nama (Insignia)
! Notes
|-
| [[Naraharitirtha]]
| 1243-1333
| ''Narahari Raghupathi''
|
|-
| [[Sripadaraja|Sripadaraya]]
| 1404-1502
| ''Ranga Vitthala''
|
|-
| [[Vyasatirtha]]
| 1460-1539
| ''Sri Krishna''
|
|-
| [[Vadirajatirtha]]
| 1480-1600
| ''Hayavadana''
|
|-
| [[Raghavendra Swami|Raghavendratirtha]]
| 1595-1671
| ''Dheera Venugopala''
|
|-
| [[Purandara Dasa]]
| 1484-1564
| ''Purandara Vittala''
|
|-
| [[Kanaka Dasa]]
| 1508-1606
| ''Kaginele Adikeshava''
|
|-
| [[Vijaya Dasa]]
| 1682-1755
| ''Vijaya Vittala''
|
|-
| [[Gopala Dasa]]
| 1722-1762
| ''Gopala Vittala''
|
|-
| Helevanakatte Giriyamma
| 18th Century
| ''Helevanakatte Ranga''
|
|-
| [[Jagannatha Dasa]]
| 1727-1809
| ''Jagannatha Vittala''
|
|-
| Mahipathidasa
| 1611-1681
| ''Mahipathi''
|
|-
| Prasanna Venkatadasa
| 1680-1752
| ''Prasanna Venkata''
|
|-
| Venugopaladasa
| 18th Century
| ''Venugopala Vittala''
|
|-
| Mohanadasa
| 1728-1751
| ''Mohana Vittala''
|
|-
| Nekkara Krishnadasa
| 18th Century
| ''Varaha Thimmappa''
|
|-
| Jayesha Vittala Dasa
| 1850-1932
| ''Jayesha Vittala''
|
|}

==Contribution to Carnatic music==
The Haridasa movement developed the [[Carnatic music]] tradition as a distinct art form from the [[Hindustani music|Hindustani]] style there by heralding a renaissance in the world of Indian [[classical music]]. [[Purandara Dasa]], one of the foremost of Haridasas' is known as the "Father of carnatic music" (''Karnataka Sangeeta Pitamaha'') for his invaluable contributions to this art form.<ref name="father">Owing to his contributions to carnatic music, Purandaradasa is known as ''Karnataka Sangita Pitamaha'' {{cite web|title=Purandara Dasa|url=http://www.kamat.com/indica/faiths/bhakti/purandara.htm|author=Dr. Jytosna Kamat|publisher=Kamats Potpourri|access-date=2006-12-31}}</ref><ref name="father1">{{cite web|title=Sri Purandara Dasaru|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/dasas/purandara/purandara.html|author=Madhusudana Rao CR|publisher=Dvaita Home Page|access-date=2006-12-31}}</ref><ref name="father2">{{cite web|title=History of Music|url=http://carnatica.net/origin.htm|author=S. Sowmya, K. N. Shashikiran|publisher=Srishti's Carnatica Private Limited|access-date=2006-12-31}}</ref> He was a prolific composer. Historians propose the number of his compositions in the Kannada language were as many as 75,000 - 475,000, though only few hundreds are available today.<ref name="father"/><ref name="pro">{{cite web|title=Sri Purandara Dasaru|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/dasas/purandara/p_dasa1.html|author=Madhusudana Rao CR|publisher=Dvaita Home Page (www.dviata.org)|access-date=2006-12-31}}</ref> He composed several ''[[Kirtan]]e'' which later served as the foundation for the [[Kriti]] form, elaborated and perfected by the [[Trinity of Carnatic music]]. He codified and consolidated the teaching of Carnatic music by evolving several graded steps such as ''sarali'', ''jantai'', ''thattu varisai'', ''alankara'' and ''geetham'', and laid down a framework for imparting formal training in the art form.<ref name="tattu">Iyer (2006), p93</ref> The structure and lessons he formulated four centuries ago remain the foundation for all students of Carnatic music. Apart from Purandara Dasa, several later Haridasas' composed songs adhering to the same musical and philosophical traditions. Their compositions usually fell in one of the following categories: ''Padagalu'' (or ''Devaranama''- devotional hymns), ''Kriti'', ''Ugabhoga'', ''Suladi'', ''Vruttanama'', ''Dandaka'', ''Tripadi'' (three line poetry), ''Pattadi'', ''Sangathya''<ref name="sang">Sangatya composition is meant to be sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument (Sastri 1955, p359)</ref> and ''[[Ragale]]'' (lyrical verses in blank verse). These forms of composition are still prevalent in [[South India]] and especially in [[Karnataka]].

Though these compositions usually adhere to the carnatic style of music, some of these compositions have also been sung in the [[Hindustani music|Hindustani]] style by musicians such as [[Bhimsen Joshi]] and [[Gangubai Hangal]].

==See also==
*[[Carnatic music]]
*[[Dvaita]]
*[[Vijayanagara empire]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|35em}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last= Sharma|first= B.N.K|title= History of Dvaita school of Vedanta and its Literature |orig-year=1961|year=2000|publisher= Motilal Banarasidass|edition=3rd|location= Bombay|isbn= 81-208-1575-0}}
*{{cite book |last= Nilakanta Sastri|first= K.A.|title= A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar|orig-year=1955|year=2002|publisher= Indian Branch, Oxford University Press|location= New Delhi|isbn= 0-19-560686-8}}
*{{cite book |last= Kamath|first= Suryanath U.|title= A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present|orig-year=1980|year= 2001|publisher= Jupiter books|location= Bangalore|oclc= 7796041 |lccn= 80905179}}
*{{cite book |last= Iyer|first= Panchapakesa A.S.|title= Karnataka Sangeeta Sastra|orig-year=2006|year=2006|publisher= Zion Printers|location= Chennai}}
*{{cite web|author=Arthikaje|title=The Haridasa Movement - Part 1|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka37.htm |publisher=OurKarnataka.Com|work=History of karnataka|access-date=2006-12-31}}
*{{cite web|author=Arthikaje|title=The Haridasa Movement - Part 2|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka38.htm
|publisher=OurKarnataka.Com|work=History of karnataka|access-date=2006-12-31}}
*{{cite web|author=Rao, Madhusudana C.R.|title=History of Haridasas|url=http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa|publisher=Haridasa@dvaita.net|work=Haridasas of Karnataka|access-date=2007-05-30}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160112010212/http://dasasahitya.org/ A collection of more than 20,000 compositions of 151 ''Haridasas'']
* [http://haribhakt.com HariBhakt]
* [https://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/haridasaru&date=2009-10-25+23:41:50 Brief life sketches and English translations of many prominent ''Haridasas'']
{{Karnataka topics}}

[[Category:Bhakti-era Hindu sects]]
[[Category:Vaishnava sects]]
[[Category:Dvaita Vedanta]]
[[Category:Haridasa]]
[[Category:History of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Kannada literature]]
[[Category:Carnatic music]]

Haridasa - Revision history

>MRRaja001 at 09:59, 7 March 2021