01The nose ring
He was born Srinivasa Nayaka, son of a wealthy dealer in gems and pledges, and was known for never giving anything away. The Haridasa katha tells that a poor Brahmin begged from him for days and was refused, then went to his wife Saraswati, who gave him her nose ring. The Brahmin pawned it at her husband’s own shop. Srinivasa locked it away and demanded his wife show hers; in fear she prepared to take poison, and found the ring in the cup. He saw who the beggar had been, gave away his wealth, and with his family took to the road as a Haridasa.
02Sarali varase
At Vijayanagara he became a disciple of the great Madhva teacher Vyasatirtha, who is remembered as saying that among dasas, Purandara is the dasa. His songs carry the signature Purandara Vittala. Tradition credits him with 4,75,000 compositions; far fewer survive. He set the first lessons of Carnatic music in raga Mayamalavagowla, the sarali varase, janti varase, alankaras and pillari geetams, which every child learning the music still sings in the same order. He died at Hampi in 1564, the year before the city fell; the Purandara Mantapa by the Tungabhadra bears his name.
