Youtube: Tamil Poetry and the Azhwars: A Conversation with Prof. Archana Venkatesan

Join Mukunda and Krishna as we speak to Professor Archana Venkatesan, Professor of Religious Studies at University of California, Davis. She is an expert and translator of Tamil Bhakti poetry specifically the poetry or pasurams of the Azhwars, a group of saints, poets and mystics from what is now Tamil Nadu from the 6^th to 9^th centuries of the common era. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:

00:02:33 Introduction to Professor Venkatesan and her background/journey into studying Tamil poetry

00:12:40 The status of Tamil language and ancient literature in the modern world

00:16:50 Poetry of Women and brief introduction to Andal/Kodai

00:20:25 Ancient Tamil literature, its origins, characteristics, landscapes and history

00:33:55 Origins of the SriVaishnava Sampradaya from the Azhwars and the identity of the Azhwars

00:47:12 How is poetry created, what is the genius of the Azhwars and their pasurams

00:53:00 The journey and process of translation and it’s connection to poet and their poetry

00:58:20 Comparison between Tamil and Sanskrit poetry

01:02:11 Discussion on Andal/Kodai, her history, pasurams and impact

01:19:30 The voices of the Azhwars in the Pasurams

01:31:35 The importance of the Azhwars and how the pasurams become the Divya Prabandam

01:37:15 Questions from the listeners

01:49:00 Prof. Venkatesan’s message to young children about the greatness of Andal/Kodai

01:53:40 Prof. Venkatesan’s next projects

01:56:45 The impact of the Azhwar Pasurams on Professor Venkatesan

You can find Prof. Archana Venkatesan at:

Poetry Makes Worlds

https://ucdavis.academia.edu/ArchanaVenkatesan

Buy her books at:

Meru Media

www.meru.media

themerumedia@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/themerumedia

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/meru…

https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR…

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Mukunda

Mukunda Raghavan: Mukunda is a jack of all trades but master of none. His educational background is a mix of political science, criminology, psychological and philosophy. He received his Juris Doctorate in Law from Boston University and was simultaneously working on his Masters in Philosophy focusing on continental philosophy (not completed). He has practiced as a prosecutor in New York City, General Counsel and Operating Officer of a healthcare company in Southern California, Head of Business and Operations for a legal tech company in India and is now in Strategy and Development. Much like his career, Mukunda’s intellectual interests and knowledge is varied, he is interested in Indian and Western philosophy, world mythology, Quantum Physics, Consciousness Studies, Psychology and variety of other fields.

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