Vachanas
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Vachanas (Kannada: ವಚನಗಳು) are a form of Kannada poetry which evolved in the 12th. century with over 20,000 poems being written. According to the 20th century scholars, it was closely linked to the social revolution lead by Basaveshvara, Allama Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi. This interpretation has been the dominant one in the modern studies in Vīraśaivism which dates back to the early 1920s.The pre-20th century scholars do not look at the vachanas as articulating an anti-caste position.
Most of the authors of a particular vachana can be identified by the style of invocation of god (Basveshvara invokes "Kudala Sangama Deva", while Allama Prabhu invokes "Guheshwara", Akkamadevi invokes "Channa Malli Karjuna") in the vachana. The existing readings of the vachanas are mostly set by the European understanding of the Indian traditions. It is high time that we re-consider those readings and evolve a more scientific way of understanding the vachanas.
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To date about 20,000 vachanas are published. Nearly 150 Vachana poets have been identified. The government of Karnataka has published Samagra Vachana Samputa in 15 volumes. Karnataka University Dharwad has published collections of individual vachana poets.
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- Vacanas as Caste Critiques: Orientalist Expression of Native Experience [1]
