‘A Critical History of Kannada Literature’: A much-needed history of a major literary culture

Rajendra Chenni’s A Critical History of Kannada Literature is a timely, much-needed, readable history of one of India’s major literary cultures. While there have been such overviews before, it is necessary that each generation rewrite history with new foci and commitments. Unsurprisingly, however, the content is deeply indebted to the Sanskrit tradition of scholars such as Bhamaha and Dandin. According to Chenni, the imprint of Prakrit on even today’s Kannada (in meaning, pronunciation and grammar) remains immense and underappreciated. A Critical History of Kannada Literature, Rajendra Chenni, Orient Black Swan.