A Poem at the Right Moment: Remembered Verses from Premodern South IndiaVelcheru Narayana Rao, Vēlcēru Nārāyaṇarāvu, David Dean Shulman A Poem at the Right Moment collects, and preserves, poems--called catus--that have circulated orally for centuries in South India. The poems are remarkable for their wit and precision, their lyrical insight on the commonplace, their fascination with sensual experience, and their exploration of the connection between language and desire. Taken together the catus offer a penetrating critical vision and an understanding of the classical traditions of Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit. Each poem is presented in a contemporary English translation along with the Indian-language original. An introduction and a concluding essay explore in detail the stories and texts that comprise the catu system. A Poem at the Right Moment collects, and preserves, poems--called catus--that have circulated orally for centuries in South India. The poems are remarkable for their wit and precision, their lyrical insight on the commonplace, their fascination with sensual experience, and their exploration of the connection between language and desire. Taken together the catus offer a penetrating critical vision and an understanding of the classical traditions of Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit. Each poem is presented in a contemporary English translation along with the Indian-language original. An introduction and a concluding essay explore in detail the stories and texts that comprise the catu system. |
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After-Essay Ampikāpati Andhra anklet anthologies Ascribed asked Atimaturakavi Auvaiyār beauty betel Bhavabhūti Bhoja Brahmins breasts cāṭu cāṭu poet cātu tradition cățu verses catus Cellapilla century Chola Cilampi circulation classical collection completed the verse composed context court courtesan critical cultural curse Dandin dark lotus enren eyes flowers goddess hair husband improvised kaitaka Kālī Kālidāsa Kampan kavi King Bhoja king's Kṛṣṇadevaraya Kuruntokai language legends lips literary living Lord lotus lover Madras medieval mode moon muktaka Nakkīrar Nannaya Narayana Rao narrative night oral pandits Pārvatī patron Pěddana poem poet poet's poetic poeticians poetry Potana premodern printed pustakam Rajahmundry Rāma Rāmalingaḍu Rāmāyaṇa recite sang Sanskrit sari Sastri scholars Shulman Śiva smile south India stanza story Tamil Tamil Literature tanippaṭal taste tava Telugu tradition temple Tĕnāli Tēnāli Rāma Timmana Timmarasu Tirupati Translated Velcheru Narayana Rao voice wife woman women words yān