KANARESE  , a

language of the Dravidian family, spoken by about ten millions of people in southern India, chiefly in Mysore, Hyderabad, and the adjoining districts of Madras and Bombay . It has an ancient literature, written in an alphabet closely resembling that employed for Telugu . Since the 12th century the Kanarese-speaking people have largely adopted the Lingayat form of faith, which may be described as an anti-Brahmanical sect of Siva worshippers (see HINDUISM) . Most of them are agriculturists, but they also engage actively in trade .