Ponna

Ponna is enumerated among the three poets laureate (kavi‧cakravarti) of Old Kannada by his junior contemporary Ranna. He wrote the Śāntipurāṇam [SP] – a hagiography of the tīrthaṅkara Śāntinātha, sponsored by Mallappayya and Ponnammayya – generals of the Calukya chieftain Taila II. Ponna also appears to mention Kṛṣṇa III as a patron. Since Ponna lived in Puṅganūru in the Veṅgi realm, he is sometimes identified with Sarvadēva who wrote a Telugu Ādipurāṇam.

Ponna wrote three other books - the Jinākṣaramāle – an acrostic poem in praise of the jina, a Rāmāyaṇa-themed text - the Bhuvanaikarāmâbhyudaya and a citrakāvya Gatapratyāgata. The latter two are mentioned in the SP, but are no longer extant.