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Hoysala literature is the large body of literature in the Kannada and Sanskrit languages produced by the Hoysala Empire (1025–1343) in what is now southern India. Kannada literature during this period consisted of writings relating to the socio-religious developments of the Jain and Veerashaiva faiths, and to a lesser extent that of the Vaishnava faith. The earliest well-known brahmin writers in Kannada were from the Hoysala court. While most of the courtly textual production was in Kannada, an important corpus of monastic Vaishnava literature relating to Dvaita (dualistic) philosophy was written by the renowned philosopher Madhvacharya in Sanskrit. Writing Kannada literature in native metres was first popularised by the court poets. These metres were the sangatya, compositions sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument; shatpadi, six-line verses; ragale, lyrical compositions in blank verse; and tripadi, three-line verses. However, Jain writers continued to use the traditional champu, composed of prose and verse. Important literary contributions in Kannada were made not only by court poets but also by noblemen, commanders, ministers, ascetics and saints associated with monasteries. (more...) Recently featured: Choe Bu – Tropic Thunder – North Island Archive – By email – More featured articles...
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From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Whorlton Castle (gatehouse pictured) in North Yorkshire is an unusual example of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle that continued to be used throughout the Middle Ages? ... that Hanna Zemer, who became the first female editor-in-chief of a major Israeli newspaper, had survived imprisonment in two Nazi concentration camps? ... that the William Armson-designed Guthrey Centre fell victim to the Christchurch earthquake, but his Excelsior Hotel will be rebuilt? ... that the song "If I Had a Heart" by Fever Ray was featured in the Breaking Bad episode "Open House" because it matched the "full, heavy darkness" of its scene? ... that the lord of the Sanjak of Dukagjin was hanged by the sultan's order in 1536? ... that the Dickin Medal winner Peter was given a kiss on the nose by the future Queen Elizabeth II in 1946? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
The Saint Petersburg Dam (pictured), aimed to protect Saint Petersburg from catastrophic flooding, is completed in the Gulf of Finland. Scientists discover the first evidence of live birth among plesiosaurs. In an intellectual property dispute, Apple wins a temporary injunction blocking the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in most of the European Union. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania report preliminary success in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia using gene therapy. Rioting, initially sparked by a fatal police shooting in London, spreads across parts of England. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
August 15: Victory over Japan Day; Feast of the Assumption in Christianity; Independence Day in India (1947) and the Congo (1960); Liberation Day in South Korea (1945) 1517 – In the Pearl River Delta, Portuguese diplomat Fernão Pires de Andrade met with Ming Dynasty officials, marking the resumption of direct European contact with China. 1534 – Ignatius of Loyola (pictured) and six others at Montmartre near Paris took the vows that led to the establishment of the Society of Jesus. 1843 – Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, today the most popular amusement park in Scandinavia, opened. 1945 – The Gyokuon-hōsō was broadcast in Japan, announcing the unconditional surrender of the Japanese army and naval forces, bringing World War II to a close. 1948 – The Republic of Korea was established with Syngman Rhee as its first president. More anniversaries: August 14 – August 15 – August 16 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now August 15, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

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Donkey Kong is a video game series created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. It is published by Nintendo, with entries in the series developed by Nintendo, Rare, Namco, and Paon. The series debuted in 1981 with the arcade game Donkey Kong, a sales success that brought Nintendo into the North American market. Most Donkey Kong games have either been arcade games or released for Nintendo consoles and handhelds, from the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1983 to the current generation of video game consoles. However, some of the original arcade games were ported into versions on third-party home consoles and developed by several companies. Donkey Kong is among the best-selling video game franchises, with more than 48 million games sold worldwide. Most of the games in the franchise are platform games, although the series includes genres such as racing and rhythm games. (more...)

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Close-up of a juvenile Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina), showing face and mouth detail. This species of elephant seal is not only the most massive pinniped, but also the largest member of the order Carnivora living today. It is found throughout the subantarctic region.

Photo: Serge Ouachée

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