Taledanda by Girish Karnad

Taledanda (literally Death by Beheading) is a stirring historical drama written in Kannada by Girish Karnad in 1990, later translated into Hindi (Rakt Kalyan) and English . Set in 12th‑century Kalyan, the play depicts the rise and tragic downfall of the Lingayat reform movement led by Basavanna—an egalitarian revolt against caste, gender inequality, and religious orthodoxy . Characters including Basavanna, King Bijjala, and reformist Sharanas appear in a narrative that dramatically unfolds when a Brahmin girl marries a cobbler’s son—challenging societal norms and spiraling into chaos and bloodshed . Critically acclaimed and socially relevant, Taledanda channels themes of social justice, reform versus tradition, leadership versus idealism, and the cycle of hope and betrayal. It won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award (1993) and the Sahitya Akademi Award (1994)