Three gems of Kannada literature
Also called: Ratnatraya, Pampa, Ponna and Ranna · Topic: Southern Dynasties: Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
"Three gems of Kannada literature", or Ratnatraya, is the title given to Pampa, Ponna and Ranna. They were three Jain poets of the 10th century who shaped early classical Kannada writing. Each wrote Jain religious works and stories from the epics. Pampa is called Adikavi, the "first poet" of Kannada. Pampa and Ponna were tied to the Rashtrakuta world. Ranna wrote at the court of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani.
Example
Pampa wrote the Adipurana, the life of the first Jain tirthankara, and the Vikramarjuna Vijaya, a Kannada Mahabharata. Ponna wrote the Shantipurana. Ranna, at the court of the Western Chalukya king Satyashraya, wrote the Gadayuddha, the mace duel of Bhima and Duryodhana.
Don't confuse with
- Kavitrayam: the three poets who rendered the Mahabharata into Telugu (Nannaya, Tikkana, Errana), not Kannada.
- Triratna of Jainism: right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. This is a religious idea, not a group of poets.
Related concepts
- Chalukyas of Badami
- Pulakeshin II
- Western Chalukyas of Kalyani
- Vikramaditya VI
- Manasollasa
- Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi
- Kavitrayam