Narahari Tirtha

Narahari Tirtha
Born	Shyama Sastry 13th century CE
Died	14th century CE
Occupation	Saint-Poet

Noted Kannada poets and writers in Hoysala Empire (1100-1343 CE)
Nagachandra	1105
Kanti	1108
Rajaditya	12th. c
Harihara	1160–1200
Udayaditya	1150
Vritta Vilasa	1160
Kereya Padmarasa	1165
Nemichandra	1170
Sumanobana	1175
Rudrabhatta	1180
Aggala	1189
Palkuriki Somanatha	1195
Sujanottamsa(Boppana)	1180
Kavi Kama	12th c.
Devakavi	1200
Raghavanka	1200–1225
Bhanduvarma	1200
Balachandra Kavi	1204
Parsva Pandita	1205
Maghanandycharya	1209
Janna	1209–1230
Puligere Somanatha	13th c.
Hastimalla	13th c.
Chandrama	13th c.
Somaraja	1222
Gunavarma II	1235
Polalvadandanatha	1224
Andayya	1217–1235
Sisumayana	1232
Mallikarjuna	1245
Naraharitirtha	1281
Kumara Padmarasa	13th c.
Mahabala Kavi	1254
Kesiraja	1260
Kumudendu	1275
Nachiraja	1300
Ratta Kavi	1300
Nagaraja	1331
Noted Kannada poets and writers in the Seuna Yadava Kingdom
Kamalabhava	1180
Achanna	1198
Amugideva	1220
Chaundarasa	1300

Naraharitirtha (1324-1333 CE). was a disciple of 13th Century Indian saint Madhvacharya and is considered the founder of the Haridasa (a Hindu Vaishnava) movement n India. He was not only a noted saint but also a pontiff to the ruling Vijayanagara royal as evidenced by some inscriptions. The pre-pontification name of Naraharitirtha was Shyama Sastry.

Early years

No clear picture appears regarding his early years except that he was the minister of the King of Kalinga (modern Odisha, a state of Eastern India) described in a work called Narahariyatistotra which says he was a minister for twelve years. Hence it is assumed that he was a native of either Andhra Pradesh or Odisha. Inscriptions from the Srikurmam and Simhacalam temples also attest to his ministry in Kalinga.

Literature

Though presumably not of Kannada origin, many of his works were in that language, although only three compositions in Kannada have been recovered. They are:

• yanthu marulade nanenthu
• hariye idu sariye
• tiliko ninnologe neene

Naraharitirtha was responsible for the conversion of many princely and aristocratic families of Kalinga and Andhra regions to the Madhva fold. The descedants of these families still flourish in the coastal Andhra and adjoining states. Though some allude to the belief that Naraharitirtha was indeed the founder of the Haridasa movement, based on the strength internal evidence of songs confirm that it was Sripadaraya who pioneered the haridasa movement, almost a century later.

Naraharitirtha is also attributed to be the founder of The Yakshagana and Bayalata dance and cultural art forms which still flourishes in parts of Karnataka and Kasargod in Kerela and is gaining widespread attention outside this region. He is also the founder of the Kuchipudi dance form when he was the "mathadhipathi"(high-priest) of his monastery in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh.

References

• Sri Narahari Tirtha in haridasas of Karnataka

NARAHARI TIRTHARU - HAMPI - by Sumadhwaseva.com