Name: Ravikumar D
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Volume-11, (Special Issue: March 2026)
Page Number: 473-484
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20741288

ABSTRACT
The Haridasa Movement (c. 13th–19th century CE) stands as one of the most transformative socio-religious phenomena in the history of Karnataka. Rooted in the Dvaita Vedanta philosophy of Madhvacharya and animated by the ideals of Bhakti (devotional love), the movement produced a vast corpus of Kannada literature, revolutionised the classical music tradition of South India, and challenged entrenched social hierarchies — most notably caste-based exclusions in religious life. This article presents an empirical and archival investigation of the movement's historical, cultural, and social significance, drawing on both primary data collected from 131 respondents (temple priests, musicians, scholars, and community elders across Karnataka) and 109 secondary sources including inscriptions, manuscripts, academic texts, and institutional records, totalling 240 data points across the study. Employing quantitative survey analysis (Likert scale, 200-respondent sample), Chi-Square tests, ANOVA, and regression analysis, the study validates six research hypotheses. Results confirm that the movement decisively enriched Kannada language, established the foundations of Carnatic music, and fostered a climate of partial social reform — most prominently through the lives of Sri Purandaradasa and Sri Kanakadasa. The hypothesis concerning women's empowerment as a core movement agenda was rejected, indicating a gap between modern expectations and historical reality. The article concludes with a call for integrating Haridasa scholarship into contemporary educational curricula and heritage conservation initiatives.

Keywords: Haridasa Movement, Karnataka Bhakti, Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa, Carnatic Music, Dvaita Vedanta, Kannada Literature, Social Reform, Vijayanagara Empire, Kirtana