Kanaka Dasa belonged to the lineage of the Haridasas of Karnataka, known as the Dasa Kuta (Kuta means a junction where people come together). These Haridasas were all Vaishnavites worshipping Lord Krishna as Vitthala of Pandharpur and Krishna of Udupi. They composed songs in simple language, which were in praise of the Lord and appealed to the people very easily. Born in the village Bada near Bankapura in Dharnad district of Karnataka in 1508 A.D, Kanakadasa was a sheperd who later became a disciple of Sri Vyasaraya. He is believed to be a follower of the Sri Ramanuja Pantha. Kanakadasa's compositions in Kannada showed subtlety and were philosophical in tone. Among them, Ramadhanya Charite is a poem that relates to a debate between rice and ragi, each trying to establish its supremacy. Ultimately, ragi, the staple food of the poor is adjudged superior by Lord Rama, symbolizing that God is a votary of the common man. His work Mohanatarangini, expounds the love between Usha and Anirudha as recounted in the Bhagavata. His other contributions include Haribhaktisara and Nalacharitre among several other kirtanas. He built a temple for Adikesava at the village Kaginele and used the signature of Kaginele Adikesava in his songs. Most of the compositions of Kanaka have the Mudrika Kagineleyadi Keshava There is a class of compositions called Kanaka Mundige full of abstract imagery, subtlety of metaphysics and inscrtable implications, challenging the finest in the Bhakta