Context: Recently, the Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums, Karnataka will soon commence field research work at Araga in Malnad (Malenadu) region in Karnataka, to end the speculations regarding the birthplace of Purandara Dasa.
Issue

• There is much speculation about where Purandara Dasa, regarded as the pitamaha of Carnatic music, was born.
• As ‘Purandara Vithala’ was the pen name of his compositions, it was widely believed that the mystic poet was born in Purandharagad, Maharashtra.
• However, many in Malnad region claimed that he hailed from Karnataka.
• The Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums will soon commence field research work at Keshavpura in Araga Gram Panchayat of Thirthahalli taluk in Karnataka.
• This is to explore definitive archaeological evidence that may put an end to speculations regarding the birthplace of Purandara Dasa.

About Purandara Das

• Purandara Dasa was a rich merchant and was called Srinivasa Nayaka prior to his initiation to Haridasa tradition.
• The proponents of the theory that Puranadara Dasa was born in Malnad point out that ‘Nayaka’ title was attributed to locally influential people, including wealthy merchants in Malnad during the Vijayanagar rule.
• Purandara Dasa (c. 1484 – c. 1565) a renowned composer of Carnatic music, a great devotee of the supreme Lord Krishna, a Vaishnava poet, a saint and a social reformer.
• He was a disciple of the celebrated Madhwa philosopher-saint Vyasatirtha, and a contemporary of yet another great Haridasa, Kanakadasa.
• He gave away all his material riches to become a Haridasa, a devotional singer.
• He made the difficult Sanskrit tenets of Srimad Bhagavatam available to everyone in simple and melodious songs.
• He formulated the basic lessons of teaching Carnatic music by structuring graded exercises known as Svaravalis and Alankaras.
• He introduced the raga Mayamalavagowla and is noted for composing Dasa Sahithyad.
• Purandara Dasa’s Carnatic music compositions are mostly in Kannada, though some are in Sanskrit.

Contribution to Social reforms

• Purandara Dasa tried to reform existing practices in the society, and preached to others in the local language, Kannada by singing devotional songs. Most of his keertanas deals with social reform and pinpoints defects found in the society.
• It teaches complete self-surrender and unadulterated love towards Lord Krishna, the Supreme.
• The philosophy of Bhakti in Purandara Dasa’s compositions stems from the essential teachings of the realistic-pluralistic Madhwa Philosophy of Vaishnavism.
• Purandara Dasa fought the evils of casteism 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.
• 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.
• He made some forceful expressions on untouchability, which was dogging society.

About Bhakti Movement

• The Bhakti movement refers to the theistic devotional trend that emerged in medieval Hinduism.
• It originated in eighth-century south India and spread northwards.
• It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards, reaching its zenith between the 15th and 17th century CE.
• It has traditionally been considered as an influential social reformation in Hinduism and provided an individual-focused alternative path to spirituality regardless of one’s birth or gender
• The salvation which was previously considered attainable only by men of Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya castes, became available to everyone.