Kannada is almost as old as Tamil, the truest of the Dravidian family. The oldest existing book in Kannada is king Nripatunga`s literary critique Kavi Raja Marga (circa 840). Jainism being a popular religion at the time, there were some Jain poets like Srivijaya and Guna Varman I. A new trend began with the `Three Gems` of Kannada literature, Pampa, Ponna and Ranna in the 10th century, where prose and verse were mixed. The three poets extensively wrote on episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and Jain legends and biographies.

Chavunda Raya, Ranna`s elder contemporary then came up with an elaborate work - a history of all the 24 Jain tirthankaras. The Chola kings of Tamil-land got too aggressive around the 11th century and fought wars. This meant a lean phase in literary activities except for the works of a few writers like Naga Chandra, known for his Jain Ramayana, the Jain poetess Kanti, the grammarian Naga Varman II who wrote Karnataka Bhasha Bhushana in Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms), and Kirtti Varman and Vritta Vilasa.

The middle phase of Kannada literature (1150-1800AD) saw the power of Puranic Hinduism over Jainism. A very distinct phase of writing began the second half of the 12th century in the Vira-Shaiva phase with Basava`s Vachanas. There was a spate of writers like Harihara, Raghavanka and Kereya Padmarasa writing fervently about Shiva in the 12th-13th centuries. Haridasas moved through the length and breadth of the country, singing praises of Krishna and Vittala, extolling the merits of `jnana` and `bhakthi` and giving wholesome advice to the people in ethics and religion and rousing the indifferent and pusillanimous spirits by the irresistible attraction of their teachings conveyed through melodious songs in diverse ragas (tunes).

Since the 6th century, the language and literature had grown under the patronage of Karnataka Kings and emperors, and had made one of the greatest contributions to Indian art and culture. Even epigraphically records are an eloquent testimony to the beauty an elegance of Kannada style and reveal the adaptations of Vibhakti, Pratyayas and Hrasvas in consonance with the prevailing practices among the kannada speaking people. Hale Kannada compositions were already masterpieces of Kannada literature and style, by the time a new Kannada style emerged with the growing intelligence and developing culture and civilization of the people.

With the growth of the Empire of Vijayanagara and wide contacts among diversified peoples of peninsular India, old modes of expression were yielding place to new morphological changes in the dialects of the Empire. The Haridasas employed various modes of speech popular among the people and among the different classes in the Social hierarchy and thus have enriched Kannada literature. The Haridasa Movement has contributed a great deal to Kannada language and literature. It has preached the tenets of Dvaita Philosophy (tattvavada) quite exhaustively, but in a very simple and clear style through the medium of sweet songs. They therefore make a direct appeal and reach the hearts of the masses to satisfy and give solace to them.

The Literature of Dasas falls into the three groups- general, special and sectarian. The earliest and most distinguished Dasas like Sri Sripadaraja, Sri Purandara Dasa and Sri Kanaka Dasa produced a literature that was meant for all classes and communities. Stirring songs of Sri Vyaasaraja Tiirtha, Sri Gopala Dasa and others, who wrote for the Brahmanical World in particular, represents the second group. The stirring songs of Sri Vijaya Dasa Sri Jagannatha Dasa and others represent the third group. These were meant for the followers of Madhva and which dwelt exclusively upon theological matters. The Haridasa movement strove to place a complete scheme of religion and morality before the people.

Dasas all over the world sing the praise of God. Many Dasas have composed songs in simple language to enable common people to understand God`s greatness, his merciful nature, and his omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. The literature of dasas expounded the main principles of the Dvaita system in a popular and attractive form in the language of the people. The dasa literature deals with the mystic and spiritual experiences of enlightened life. The songs of particular saints may be distinguished by their style and mudrikas/ankithas (pen-names). The bulk of the literature has been published from Udupi, Belgaum, Lingasugur, Mysore (University of Mysore) and Bangalore. The songs of earlier saints like Sri Padaraja, Sri Purandara Dasa and Sri Kanaka Dasa deserve to be translated into English and other languages.

Kannada literature took a strong Hindu bend with the orthodox Vijayanagara kings (14th-15th AD) during the middle ages. Some eminent names were Bhima Kavi, Padmanaka, Mallanarya, Singiraja and Chamarasa. The Bhakti movement also affected Kannada literature in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas were translated afresh using the folk meters satpadi and regale. Devotional songs of dasas or singing mendicants were compiled, which formed an important part of popular literature.

The next two centuries were a busy period with many rules, of the Wodeyar kings, Bijapur Sultans and Mughals, and much literary activity. Bhattakalanka Deva`s Karnataka Shabdaushasana (1604AD) on grammar, Sakdakshara Deva`s romantic campu the Rajshekhara Vilasa (1657AD), the historical compositions of the Wodeyar period (1650-1713AD), Nijaguna Yogi`s Viveka Chintamani of Shaiva lore (mid 17th century), Nanja Raja`s Puranic works the Shiva Bhakti Mahatmya and Hari Vamsa (circa 1760), were some of the notable creations.

All this while the language was changing from Middle to Modern Kannada. The popular Yakshagana, dramatization of Puranic tales with much singing, was an innovation of the late 18th century. A good mass of folk poetry thus came to be written. Modern education made a late entry in Karnataka as compared to other parts of India. Works based on Sanskrit models, like Shakuntala of Basavappa Shastri, continued till the late 19th century. With a little initiation from the Christian missionaries, the Academy of Kannada Literature was set up in Bangalore in 1914.

Gradually modern literature gained tempo and translations were made from English, Bengali and Marathi. Kerur and Galaganatha attempted the first novels in Kannada, followed by a host of novelists like Shivarama Karanta, K. V. Puttapa, G P Rajaratnam, Basavaraja Kattimani, Nanjanagudu Tirumalamba (the first major woman writer in modern Kannada) and others. The short story too made its advent with Panje Mangesha Rao and Masti Venkatesha Ayyangar. A new trend in drama began with the use of colloquial language. Poetry, too, wasn`t left behind; B. M. Shrikanthayya too Kannada poetry to great heights with innovations like the blank verse. Literature in Kannada today is a big enterprise, with bustling centres like the University of Mysore, the Karnataka University at Dharwar and the Kannada Sahitya Parishad of Mysore.