REVIEWS:
The Autobiography of a GoddessThe Autobiography of a Goddess is Andal’s entire corpus, composed before her marriage to Vishnu, and it cements her status as the South Indian corollary to Mirabai, the saint and devotee of Sri Krishna.
Eighth century Tamil poet and founding saint Andal is believed to have been found as a baby underneath a holy basil plant in the temple garden of Srivilliputhur. As a young woman she fell deeply in love with Lord Vishnu, composing fervent poems and songs in his honor and, according to custom, eventually marrying the god himself. The Autobiography of a Goddess is Andal’s entire corpus, composed before her marriage to Vishnu, and it cements her status as the South Indian corollary to Mirabai, the saint and devotee of Sri Krishna. The collection includes the Thiruppavai, a song still popular in congregational worship, thirty pasuram (stanzas) sung before Lord Vishnu, and the less-translated, rapturously erotic Nacchiyar Thirumoli.
Priya Sarukkai Chabria and Ravi Shankar serve as master translators for the volume, employing a radical new method for that revitalizes classical and spiritual verse by shifting it into a new contemporary poetic idiom in English. Many of Andal’s pieces are translated collaboratively, giving readers multiple perspectives on the rich sonic and philosophical complexity of classical Tamil. Andal: The Autobiography of a Goddess is a powerful expression of female sexuality in the Indian spiritual tradition—one newly available to a general readership in this fresh new translation. A powerful expression of female sexuality in the Indian spiritual tradition, in a breathtaking new translation.
…a translation maven’s dream.’ --John Stratton Hawley, Columbia University Ninth-century Tamil poet and founding saint Andal is believed to have been found as a baby beneath a holy basil plant in the temple garden of Srivilliputhur.As a young woman she fell deeply in love with Lord Vishnu, composing fervent poems and songs in his honour and, according to custom, eventually marrying the god himself.The Autobiography of a Goddess comprises Andal’s entire corpus, composed before her marriage to Vishnu, and cements her status as the South Indian corollary of Mirabai, the saint and devotee of Sri Krishna.The collection includes Tiruppavai, a song still popular in congregational worship, thirty pasuram (stanzas) sung before Lord Vishnu, and the less- translated, rapturously erotic NacchiyarTirumoli
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‘This book is a gatewayto a literature that dwarfs. Western bookshelves,an erotic metaphysics aPsychology of the absolute. To open these pages is to enter “the holy city of Arankaram”, “Dvarka”, “that kingdom of interconnecting lights”, the human mind refusing any limit. PriyaSarukkaiChabria and Ravi Shankar, remarkable poets in their own right, have taken us on a fascinating journey.’
--Dennis Nurkse, poet ‘We emerge bloodied and honeyed by Andal’s surrender to her Lord. PriyaSarukkaiChabria and Ravi Shankar, highly accomplished poets, rise to meet Andal with grace and fire, and transport her words, her worlds, to us, unafraid of its immeasurable depths. Theirs is as much a feat of courage and love as of craft and ingenuity.’
--Karthika Nair, poet ‘PriyaSarukkaiChabria and Ravi Shankar offer us a haunting chamber of echoes, and a figure that segues between mystic and metaphor, woman and deity. The result is verse that swirls between sensuality and sacred delirium – and a profusion of Andals, edgy, erotic and darkly ecstatic.’
--Arundhati Subramaniam, poet PriyaSarrukaiChabria and Ravi Shankar employ a radical method in this translation, breathing new life into this rich classical and spiritual verse by rendering Andal in a contemporary poetic idiom in English. Many of Andal’s pieces are translated collaboratively; others individually and separately. The two approaches are brought together, presenting a richly layered reading of these much-loved classic Tamil poems and songs.
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