Finding a good Kannada dictionary

From Kannada Dictionaries

You would imagine that a language, classified as a classical language with a 2000 year history of written records, and boasting of eight Jnanapith award winners, and a major source of Carnatic music compositions, and spoken by more than 50 million people, would have wonderful dictionaries. Right?

You're right. There are many, many Kannada-English dictionaries in bookshops. They are all meant for people to learn English through Kannada. In other words, people know enough Kannada. Now they should better learn English for bettering their lives.

But how about a Kannada-Kannada dictionary, to improve your Kannada vocabulary? Sorry, you do have some dictionaries, but most of them are of poor quality. The great lexicographer, Prof. G. Venkatasubbiah, has done yeoman service, but his dictionaries are mostly used as Kannada-English dictionaries. And further, I found his dictionary does not contain the word "Elaniru" for tender coconut. I was surely disappointed.

Here is a slide show for you to see some screen shots of my efforts. I did find two good sources, both published by English missionaries, more than 100 years apart. They indeed do a great job, I can tell you!

Bottomline: Is this a process of digestion we enjoy so much like the goat enjoys being eaten up by a tiger, as Rajiv Malhotra says?