An interview with writer Indira Parthasarathy

[Oldposts]

Please read the latest article by Mr.Indira Parthasarathy, an endowment lecture on "Social Compulsion and Literary Continuity" here:
http://www.forumhub.com/tlit/ip.html

Please use this thread to dissect and discuss the observations made by Indira Parthasarathy.

[Oldposts]

An article of great depth from a a scholar who is well-read and a great thinker.
Some samples of his deep observations and analysis:
1. Look at his observations about how at Kamban's period the concept of monarchy had reversed since the Sangam era.
2. Analysis of kaikkiLaith thiNaip pAdal in kalaiththokai
3. A detached interpretation of the rise of bhakthi movement. Normally one sees description of bhakthi literature as Revival of great Literature (Sujaathaa's writings on Azhvaars works, for example) or as a decadent trend from Pure Dravidian/Sangam culture depending on ones belief system. i.pa. is unusually balaced and non-judgemental though he tries to find causes for the changes in the "social compulsions of literature"
[quote]
"The bhakthi movement, which soon followed, stole the thunder from the opposition, by introducing the concept of a personal God, accessible to everyone, irrespective of one’s caste affiliation and if his heart is full of love for receiving the Divinity
"[endquote]
4. Another thing that is impressing is the seldom quoted second line to "yAdhum UrE yAvarum kELir"
which he explains with modern terminology (I am unfamiliar with them)

AN article of great value any one trying to understand literature, and its relevance, and its history(at least of Thamiz literature)

[Oldposts]

vanchi, i think the second line is "theedhum nandrum pirar thara vaaraa".

[Oldposts]

Vanchi,

You should read the complete poem! It packs still more punches!! IP's analysis of Kalithogai is interesting considering what A. K. Ramanujan wrote about the exact same verse.

My Loyola professors have argued that the Bhakti movement was essentially inspired by the Christian concept of love and absolute surrender! But it is quite obvious that the Bhakti saints faithfully follow the Cankam motifs but replace the thalaivan with the Godhead and thalaivi with human souls yearning for union with the Godhead. Contrasted with the didactic texts that dominated before their era, one should say that it was a kind of revival of Tamil classics. Besides, one already sees a rudimentary bhakti idea in the kuravais and varis described by Ilango adigaL in CilapathikAram. ("nArAyaNA ennA nA enna nAvE"!).

As Chandra often says, all through the Tamil literature, starting with Cankam classics to modern movie songs, one can find an undercurrent that is consistent with a certain basic, universal view of life. Works that are true to this theme tend to be preserved in our collective memory. Works that challenge this self-identity provoke introspection.

[Oldposts]

Thiru. Manivannan:
Can you please tell us the complete poem? Thanks.

I like indira Parthasarathy's article coz it takes lit from the classics to now.Cannot isolate contemporary completely from classics. Sadly I don't know much of classics

[Oldposts]

venkat, now@toronto
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¡Ðõ °§Ã ; ¡ÅÕõ §¸Ç¢÷ ;
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¦Àâ§Â¡¨Ã Å¢Âò¾Öõ *ħÁ;
º¢È¢§Â¡¨Ã *¸ú¾ø «¾É¢Ûõ *ħÁ.

<192. ¦Àâ§Â¡÷ º¢È¢§Â¡÷!
À¡ÊÂÅ÷: ¸½¢Âý âíÌýÈý
¾¢¨½: ¦À¡ÐÅ¢Âø ШÈ: ¦À¡Õñ¦Á¡Æ¢ì ¸¡ïº¢ >

*Äź *¨½ôÀ¡¸ ².§¸. áÁ¡ÛƒÉ¢ý ¬í¸¢Ä ¦Á¡Æ¢¦ÀÂ÷ôÒ

Every town our home town
every man, a kinsman
Good and evil do not come from others
Pain and relief of pain come of themselves
Dying is nothing new
We do not rejoice that life is sweet
nor in anger
call it bitter
Our lives, however dear,
follow their own course,
rafts drifting
in the rapids of a great river
sounding and dashing over rocks
after a down pour
from skies slashed by lightnings -
We know this from the vision
of men who see,
So,
We are not amazed by the great
and we do not scorn the little

translation: A K Ramanujan from: Poems of Love and War

[Oldposts]

Thnx Venkat for that..starting my day on a note of level headedness, with that beautiful poem and an brilliant poetic xlation by AKR.

How is life in Canada?

[Oldposts]

Thnx Venkat for that..starting my day on a note of level headedness, with that beautiful poem and a brilliant poetic xlation by AKR.

How is life in Canada?

[Oldposts]

G.U.Pope's translation of ¡Ðõ °§Ã ¡ÅÕõ §¸Ç¢÷. AKR's translation is much easier to read than the poderous Victorian language of Pope

The Sages

To us all towns are one, all men our kin,
Life's good comes not from others' gifts, nor ill,
Man's pains and pain's relief are from within,
Death's no new thing, nor do our blossoms thrill
When joyous life seems like a luscious draught.
When grieved, we patient suffer; for, we deem
This much-praised life of ours a fragile raft
Borne down the waters of some mountain stream
That o'er huge boulders roaring seeks the plain
Tho' storms with lightning's flash from darkened skies.
Descend, the raft goes on as fates ordain.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !
We marvel not at the greatness of the great;
Still less despise we men of low estate.
(G.U.Pope, 1906)

[Oldposts]

G.U.Pope's translation of ¡Ðõ °§Ã ¡ÅÕõ §¸Ç¢÷. AKR's translation is much easier to read than the ponderous Victorian language of Pope

The Sages

To us all towns are one, all men our kin,
Life's good comes not from others' gifts, nor ill,
Man's pains and pain's relief are from within,
Death's no new thing, nor do our blossoms thrill
When joyous life seems like a luscious draught.
When grieved, we patient suffer; for, we deem
This much-praised life of ours a fragile raft
Borne down the waters of some mountain stream
That o'er huge boulders roaring seeks the plain
Tho' storms with lightning's flash from darkened skies.
Descend, the raft goes on as fates ordain.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !
We marvel not at the greatness of the great;
Still less despise we men of low estate.
(G.U.Pope, 1906)