I found this recent review of my book on the web. It is written by G Swaminathan who also reviewed my first book Carnatic Summer.
I found this recent review of my book on the web. It is written by G Swaminathan who also reviewed my first book Carnatic Summer.
sir,
I have been following your blog and I have read your articles in Sruti. Recently I had the opportunity to visit Thriumanjana Veedi in Thiruvaiyaru , hoping to see the place where Saint Thyagaraja lived and composed his kritis. To my shock I found that the house was being remodeled into to a modern day mandapam complete with granite slabs and all the grandeur.
I felt that It would have been better that they had left the house as the Saint had it. I was not able to trace anything that could connect to his times. I do not know whose idea was it to convert the cradle of great Kritis into nothing short of a kalyana mandapam! In the name of restoring the name and legacy of the great saint we have destroyed the charm of simplicity that the man enjoyed. Nithi chale sukhama!
with regards,
S. Sivanandan
I agree with Sivanandan. We can see the same attitude towards such monuments through out Tamilnadu. Our people doesn’t celebrate our heritage.
Losing our Culture, Losing our Root
I just read your book, The Devadasi and the Saint. I want to thank you for researching and writing this fascinating book. I first learned about Bangalore Nagaratnamma from the book Women Writing in India, and I was delighted to find your biography. I would also love to read an English translation of the entire Radhika Santwanam. Is such a thing available anywhere? Thank you again.
Hi
Many thanks. I am however yet to come across an English translation in full for Radhika Santwanam
Dear sir,I am reading your book now and i am thoroughly enjoying whilst learning:)…i am a dancer and i was wondering where i can get the text of radhika santwanam…is there a published book?i would like the verses..and based on the verses with the help of a scholar i would like to see if i can set to to music and perform it like a padam…thank you
Hi
I have not come across any english translation of the Santwanamu.
I am a big fan of your books, and have bought several copies of the Devadasi and the Saint, and gifted to my friends, who have also been thoroughly enthralled.
I also agree that it was vandalism of a historical monument to break down Tyagaraja’s original house to construct an ostentatious and vulgar palace. I can’t understand that mentality at all.
Re Radhika Santwanam: can you comment on why these poems have not been taken up by classical dancers, in the same way that Jayadeva’s Ashtapadis (also erotic) have been taken up?
You say there is no full English translation of Radhika Santwanam available, but is the Telugu version available? Has it been set to music?
Thanks in advance
I fully agree with the review on the book . The high quality of english in both the books makes me proud that as a non-english speaking person , so much eloquence has been showcased by a similar native non-english person . Kudos and looking forward to more such books
I’ve been trying to buy your book The Devadasi and the Saint. However no online stores carry it. It appears to be out of print. How do I get hold of a copy?
Savita Narayan