Gender and Caste in Harishchandra Kavya

The Lecture

Raghavanka is a celebrated Kannada poet. Harishchandra Kavya is regarded as a significant classic of Kannada language. It is written in the shatpadi metre. This work is groundbreaking in multiple aspects. It is the first Kannada epic to abandon Sanskrit metres (vruttas) and instead employ a native metre known as shatpadi, which consists of a six-line stanza. In this piece, Raghavanaka presents a perfect amalgamation of Sanskrit and medieval Kannada.

The narrative of King Harishchandra is well known. The origins of this can be traced back to the Vedic era, with the earliest mentions of it in numerous Puranas. Viswamitra challenges Harishchandra's dedication to truth in a bet with Vashista. King Harishchandra endures many hardships, including the loss of his wife and child, his subjects and authority, and, most importantly, his caste pride. However, he remains unwavering and does not surrender till the end. This narrative has exerted a profound impact on poets and readers across several eras. The narrative has evolved in a pluralistic manner and has undergone many changes in the regional languages of India. 

Raghavanka composed this masterpiece in the 13th century, amidst the enduring turbulence—linguistic, political, and social—that arose from the Sharan movement spearheaded by Basavanna. Raghavanka's work aligns with the subversive ideas that emerged from the Sharan movement in Karnataka. This poem can be from a regional geography and from a very specific caste hierarchy.

In her talk, Nagaratna ParandeI will explore the representation and intersection of gender and caste in Raghavanka’s Harishchandra Kavya, examining how these social constructs are portrayed, challenged, and understood in this work.

The Speaker

With Master's degrees both in English and Kannada, Nagaratna Parande obtained her M.Phil. and PhD in English literature from Karnatak University, Dharwad. She also has a PGDTE from the English Foreign Language University, Hyderabad. 

She is currently a Professor of English at Rani Channamma University, Belagavi. Karnataka, India. She also serves as Director of the Rani Channamma Study Chair. She served as Chairperson of the Department of English from December 2021 to December 2023. 

She has authored five books titled Modern English Grammar and Usage, A Rainbow Bridge, Globalisation and Literature, Gendering Diaspora, and Critical Perspectives on Anita Desai. She has edited a book titled New Perspectives on Post Independence Indian Literature and co-edited Venugopal Abhinandan. She has published more than 20 research papers in peer-reviewed national and international journals. Her areas of interest include Comparative Literature, Diaspora Literature and Indology.

Registration (required)

Everyone is welcome to attend. Participation is free of charge, but registration is mandatory as seating is limited. Please register using the web form on this page.