Author: Dr. Shuddhananda Bharati
A literary treasure is not just for a moment of life but for eternity. Silappadikaram, is one of them. It is a poetic masterpiece written by Ilango Adigal almost 2,000 years ago but still relevant today. The main characters of this history are Kovalan, his wife Kannagi, and the dancer Madhavi.
Before writing a synopsis of Silappadikaram entitled Silambu Selvam, Dr. Shuddhananda Bharati critically studied 150 works and thus developed a thorough understanding of the Silappadikaram. The explanation of Indian music, of the effects of musical vibration on the body and of the meaning of hand gestures during the dance form of Bharata Natyam make Silambu Selvam a very rich book. Silambu Selvam is the first translation in English from the original in Tamil, Chilambu Chelvam.
