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The Rapids of a Great River begins with selections from the earliest known Tamil poetry dating from the second century CE. The writings of the Sangam period laid the foundation for the Tamil poetic tradition, and they continue to underlie and inform the works of Tamil poets even today. The first part of this anthology traverses the Sangam and bhakti periods and closes with pre-modern poems from the nineteenth century. The second part, a compilation of modern and contemporary poetry, opens with the work of the revolutionary poet Subramania Bharati. Breaking free from prescriptions, the new voices—which include Sri Lankan Tamils, women and dalits, among others—address the contemporary reader; the poems, underscored by a sharp rhetorical edge, grapple with the complexities of the modern political and social world. The selection is wide-ranging and the translations admirably echo the music, pace and resonance of the poems. This anthology links the old with the new, cementing the continuity of a richly textured tradition. There is something in the collection for every reader and each will make his or her own connections—at times startling, at other times familiar.
An elegant and thorough examination of the riches of Sangam poetry In this acclaimed comparative study, K. Kailasapathy, the celebrated Sri Lankan academic and critic, introduces and interprets ancient Tamil poems and examines the stylistic heritage, themes and motifs pervading Sangam poetry while building the literary corpus's bridge to heroic poetry in other languages - most notably Greek. He identifies the formulaic expression, stock phrases and overarching sensibilities pervasive in the poems and, going much against the popular grain, expands on the notion that oral verse-making is central to Sangam poetry. A nod to Milman Parry, this deeply necessary exploration of our neglected past is an engaging and accessible discourse on one of our most fertile literary ages and, with much agility, connects the dots in studying early Tamil poetry for a modern reader.
A reference tool for those who seek an understanding of the structure of classical Tamil poetry. This poetry reflects indigenous literary and cultural traditions of southern India, and therefore, a study of it is imperative for obtaining a balanced view of India's past and present cultures. The language which produced this poetry, Tamil, is the only living language of modern India that has an uninterrupted history spanning more than two millennia, and therefore, a study of it becomes even more crucial for a thorough understanding of India's linguistic complexity. Includes a bibliography.
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The contents of this book fall under two sections. Section-I consists of three exhaustive chapters, one in English and two in Tamil, dealing with all aspects of the Art of Translation and also providing an in-depth analysis of the problems of translating texts from Tamil into English in general and poetry in particular. These chapters form a strong theoretical basis for Section-II. Section-II contains select poems of five representative poets of the modern era, namely Na. Pichamurthy, Sirpi Balasubramaniam, Abdul Rahman, Manushya Puthiran and Tamizhachi Thangapandian, and their corresponding translations in English by me with a view to providing a practice-oriented approach to the process of...
In this bilingual book, the author takes the inquisitive reader through an unconventional poetic view of Sangam Tamil writings, through life situations that bring forward the Puram (?????) genre’s two thousand years of history to make it remarkably current. The English descriptions tread the middle path between a pedantic translation and street vocabulary, and the colors of life burst out vividly in each page through the Tamil verses, with different narratives co-existing with each other, through the eyes of a learned poet and interpreters. Quoting the original Tamil text and interpreting it through the eyes of the poet and his entourage, more than a hundred situations in the book shed light on the beauty of Tamil text. Verses from Thiruvalluvar, Kambar, Avvaiyar, Agathiyar nestle comfortably with proverbs and colloquial sayings, prominently highlighting the richness that adorns Tamil poetry with a grace that has withstood the passage of time. “...engages the reader with a timeless Tamil quote for every occasion in life…” “....definitely opens a small but interesting door into the infiniteness of Tamil culture. A must read…”
This volume focuses on the origin of the early Tamil poetical canon, which constitutes a set of specific subjects, images, principles of arrangement of basic poetical themes which are called tiṇai. The author proceeds from the idea of a Russian scholar O. Freidenberg that literary forms ‘originate from anti-literary material rather than their own archetypes’. An outline of mythological concepts, prevalent in ancient Tamil culture, is presented, alongside main mythological figures - Murukaṉ, Māl, Cūr, Koṟṟavai, Vaḷḷi. A controversial notion of aṉanku, especially in its aspect of an inner female energy, is analyzed. In addition, the author explores the panegyric art of the Tamil kings’ singers, describing such singers and performers while discussing the idea of ritual character. The elements of five canonical tiṇai-themes of the akam poetry are examined, where the use of ethnological data suggests that the themes are based on some behaviour patterns which are meant to ensure a reliable control over the female energy. Finally, the text raises the problem of earlier poetic forms that consolidated the tiṇai system.
Words translated. Thoughts in transit. Layered with dark humour and precise imagery, a collection of poems to plunge you into the core of meaning, Katha proudly presents its first anthology, tinted in every wash of life and dotted with the Sirissa trees and wailing Palms of the Tamil landscape. An art-tradition is living, breathing history, a contemporary past. Tamil Poetry traces its origin to thousands of years ago. Beautifully translated by Dr K S Subramanian, the anthology is the latest chapter in this history. Featuring a range of poets, from stalwarts like Na Pichamurthy to young artists like Kanimozhi, seeking a sun aflame as a sandal bowl, and a name that does not respond/ To anyone's voice; it brings together diverse voices united in their expertise.