Discover the beauty, history, and cultural significance of one of India's classical languages
Kannada is primarily spoken in the Indian state of Karnataka and parts of neighboring states. It's one of the oldest Dravidian languages with a history dating back to around 450 CE.
Kannada is spoken by about 45 million people worldwide. It's the official language of Karnataka and one of India's 22 scheduled languages recognized in the constitution.
In 2008, Kannada was officially recognized as a Classical Language of India due to its rich literary history and antiquity, joining Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu with this prestigious status.
The earliest Kannada inscription dates back to 450 CE (Halmidi inscription). The language has evolved through three distinct phases: Old Kannada (450-1200 CE), Middle Kannada (1200-1700 CE), and Modern Kannada (1700 CE to present).
Kannada has a rich literary tradition spanning centuries. The earliest works include Kavirajamarga (850 CE), and the language boasts eight Jnanpith Award winners, the highest number for any Indian language.
Kannada uses its own script derived from the Brahmi script. It has 49 letters in its alphabet, with 13 vowels (swaragalu) and 34 consonants (vyanjanagalu), and follows an alpha-syllabic writing system.
Kannada is one of the few languages to have received the 'Classical Language' status in India.
The Kannada script evolved from the ancient Kadamba script.
Kannada is the third oldest of the four major Dravidian languages.
The Kannada film industry, known as 'Sandalwood', is one of the largest film industries in India.
The oldest known Kannada dictionary, 'Amarakosha', dates back to the 9th century.