Sri Kanaka Dasa and Maharshi Valmiki

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Recently ,The Prime Minister of India  paid floral tributes to the statues of saint poet Sri Kanaka Dasa and Maharshi Valmiki in Bengaluru .

About 

• Kanaka Dasa :He is a very renowned name in the field of kirtans and ugabhoga ( Carnatic music compositions in the Kannada language). 
  • Born as Thimmappa Nayaka on 3rd December 1509, he grew to become a celebrated philosopher, poet, and musician. 
  • Every year his birth anniversary is celebrated as Kanakadasa Jayanti with great pomp and enthusiasm in the state of Karnataka. 

• Maharishi Valmik: He is known as the first poet of Sanskrit Literature.
  • According to mythology , Maharishi Valmiki was born to Brahmin Prachetasa and his wife, Charshani. 
    • He was born as Ratnakar and was a dacoit at one point in time. 
    • He would rob and kill people until one day, he met Narada Muni and under his influence, Valmiki got transformed into an ardent devotee of Lord Rama.
  • He met Lord Rama during his exile, rescued Sita after she was banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya and provided shelter to her. 
  • Later on, Valmiki wrote the story of Lord Rama, which came to be known as Ramayana. 
    • Ramayana has 24,000 verses and seven cantos (kandas).

Source:PIB