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Muddana
ಮುದ್ದಣ
The born poet — the author of the Ramashvamedha
Years
1870 – 1901
Known as
Nandalike Lakshminaranappa — 'Muddana'
Birthplace
Nandalike, near Udupi, Karnataka
Field
Poets & Writers
“The song is born, not made — the poet is only the instrument of the Muse.”
— The spirit of Muddana
The Story
Born in 1870 in Nandalike, Lakshminaranappa grew up in poverty, and his formal education was limited — but his genius was not. He began to compose poetry as a young man, and his talent was recognised despite the hardships that shadowed his short life.
His great work, the Ramashvamedha, is a poetic retelling of the final book of the Ramayana — the story of Rama's horse-sacrifice — written in verse of remarkable beauty. His other poems, devotional and lyrical, are among the treasures of Kannada literature, and his song of the love of the soul for God is sung across the land.
He died of consumption in 1901, at the age of thirty-one, leaving a body of work that had already made him immortal. He is honoured as one of the most gifted poets of Kannada — a born poet whose brief life lit the language with its beauty.
Core Ideas
The Ramashvamedha
His great retelling of the last book of the Ramayana.
The Born Poet
His genius needed no school.
The Devotional Songs
His hymns are sung across the land.
The Short Life
He died at thirty-one, leaving immortal work.
The Pen Name
'Muddana' — the name his poetry made famous.
Why it matters today
Muddana is honoured as one of the most gifted poets of the Kannada language — a born poet whose Ramashvamedha remains a classic of the tradition. His brief life and his immortal verse are remembered across Karnataka, and his songs are still sung in the homes of the land.