Large volumes of Tamil classical literature have little or no English translations compared with those of other classical/heritage languages (such as Sanskrit). Search for a translation of the Bhagavad Gita, or an Upanishad, or a Ramayana and you’ll come across hundreds of translations. Search for a translation of Manimekhalai or Thiruvasagam, and you’ll come across [...]
This is the main song from the film Kaaka Kaaka — a film that I haven’t seen (just not too fond of Tamil/Bollywood films).
I am told this is sung by the hero for his girl. But why not go for yet another kind of passionate love, the desire for God? This song can be treated [...]
This is a composition by the famous 15th century bhakti saint Annamacharya, rendered so well by M S. Subbulakshmi. For anyone else (like me) who doesn’t know Telugu I have it in Sanskrit:
कन्नुले धुतुदे घन वैकुन्दम्
वेन्नुनि गोलिचिन विज्ञानिकि ।।
तलचिनदेल्ला तत्वरहसमे
तेलिसिन योगिकि धिन धिनमु ।
पलिकिनदेल्ला परम मन्त्रमुले
फलियिन्चिन हरि भक्तुनिकि ।।
पत्तिनदेल्ला भ्रह्मात्मकमे
पुत्तुनु गेलिच्न पुन्युनिकि ।
मेत्तिन देल्ला मिन्नेति [...]