-
Books
-
Education
-
eBooks
-
Audio Books
-
Film & TV
-
Calendars, Diaries & Stationery
-
Giftshop
Browse through the navigation bar
-
Books
-
Education
-
eBooks
-
Audio Books
-
Film & TV
-
Calendars, Diaries & Stationery
-
Giftshop
When God is a Customer
Telugu Courtesan Songs by Ksetrayya and Others
by Velcheru Narayana Rao and others
$58.40
Spend another {0} to pay with
or 4 easy payments of $14.60 with
Paperback
Pub: 15/04/1994
How is it that this woman's breasts glimmer so clearly through her saree? Can't you guess, my friends? What are they but rays from the crescents left by the nails of her lover pressing her in his passion, rays now luminous as the moonlight of a summer night?
These South Indian devotional poems show… more the dramatic use of erotic language to express a religious vision. Written by men during the fifteenth to eighteenth century, the poems adopt a female voice, the voice of a courtesan addressing her customer. That customer, it turns out, is the deity, whom the courtesan teases for his infidelities and cajoles into paying her more money. Brazen, autonomous, fully at home in her body, she merges her worldly knowledge with the deity's transcendent power in the act of making love.
This volume is the first substantial collection in English of these Telugu writings, which are still part of the standard repertoire of songs used by classical South Indian dancers. A foreword provides context for the poems, investigating their religious, cultural, and historical significance. Explored, too, are the attempts to contain their explicit eroticism by various apologetic and rationalizing devices.
The translators, who are poets as well as highly respected scholars, render the poems with intelligence and tenderness. Unusual for their combination of overt eroticism and devotion to God, these poems are a delight to read. less
These South Indian devotional poems show… more the dramatic use of erotic language to express a religious vision. Written by men during the fifteenth to eighteenth century, the poems adopt a female voice, the voice of a courtesan addressing her customer. That customer, it turns out, is the deity, whom the courtesan teases for his infidelities and cajoles into paying her more money. Brazen, autonomous, fully at home in her body, she merges her worldly knowledge with the deity's transcendent power in the act of making love.
This volume is the first substantial collection in English of these Telugu writings, which are still part of the standard repertoire of songs used by classical South Indian dancers. A foreword provides context for the poems, investigating their religious, cultural, and historical significance. Explored, too, are the attempts to contain their explicit eroticism by various apologetic and rationalizing devices.
The translators, who are poets as well as highly respected scholars, render the poems with intelligence and tenderness. Unusual for their combination of overt eroticism and devotion to God, these poems are a delight to read. less
- ISBN:
- 9780520080690
- 9780520080690
- Category:
- Poetry anthologies (various poets)
- Format:
- Paperback
- Publication Date:
- 15-04-1994
- Language:
- English
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- Country of origin:
- United States
- Pages:
- 158
- Dimensions:
- 204x130x15mm
- Weight:
- 0.23kg
This title is in stock with our Australian supplier and should arrive at our Sydney warehouse within 2 - 3 weeks of you placing an order.
Once received into our warehouse we will despatch it to you with a Shipping Notification which includes online tracking.
Please check the estimated delivery times below for your region, for after your order is despatched from our warehouse:
ACT Metro: 2 working days
NSW Metro: 2 working days
NSW Rural: 2-3 working days
NSW Remote: 2-5 working days
NT Metro: 3-6 working days
NT Remote: 4-10 working days
QLD Metro: 2-4 working days
QLD Rural: 2-5 working days
QLD Remote: 2-7 working days
SA Metro: 2-5 working days
SA Rural: 3-6 working days
SA Remote: 3-7 working days
TAS Metro: 3-6 working days
TAS Rural: 3-6 working days
VIC Metro: 2-3 working days
VIC Rural: 2-4 working days
VIC Remote: 2-5 working days
WA Metro: 3-6 working days
WA Rural: 4-8 working days
WA Remote: 4-12 working days
Reviews
This product has no reviews yet.
Thanks for reviewing When God is a Customer. We will process your review. Accepted reviews will be posted within 3-7 business days.
You can find this item in:
You are buying a backorder title
×Be the first to know, stay up to date with what's trending and get staff picks in your inbox with our newsletter
Follow Us
Secured by:
Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.
Share This Book