10 Comments

This is a wonderful review of an amazing book. I read it after reading V. Sriram's book The Devadasi and the Saint, about the life and times of Bangalore Nagarathnamma. There was also a Bharata Natyam performance that I watched several years back that told the stories of Muddupalani, Nagarathnamma and Radhika.

I have always loved the fact that in India - ancient India, at least - there was never any thinking that the sacred and the sensuous were incompatible and should not coexist. In fact, it was the very opposite, that what are conflicting elements to our modern minds are part of a whole where they must exist together. Sensuality and sensuousness are merely manifestations of inner beauty, and the erotic and the chaste mingle together in art as do in real life. The lusciously voluptuous Chola bronzes are another example of this.

Expand full comment

What an amazing piece Kalpana! I did not know about this epic poem and am now prompted to find and read it! I would like to know more about the aspects of feminism that you mention in your reply to the other comment… so definitely plan to find the translation!

Expand full comment

Thanks Kalpana for this wonderful review. Will check it out .

Expand full comment