Durgaasthamaana

By T.R. Subba Rao

Durgaasthamaana is a 1982 historical novel that charts the downfall of the Nayakas of Chitradurga, a dynasty that ruled there for two centuries. The story follows the epic battle between Madakari Nayaka and Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1779, as the latter lays siege to the fort, and the events and political intrigues leading up to it. Released to much acclaim and popular reception, it is considered a classic of Kannada literature. It received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985.

About the Author
T.R. Subba Rao, popularly known as Ta. Ra. Su., was a novelist and a scholar in Kannada language. He is considered as a harbinger of the Navya movement of Kannada literature. Ta. Ra. Su. experimented with various narrative styles and was the first author to introduce the stream-of-consciousness literary technique in Kannada. He also used the Indian independence movement as a background in his novels, like Rakta Tarpana. He is well known for his novels like Durgaasthamaana which won him the Sahitya Akademi award posthumously in 1985.