Loving God in a Tamil Way: the Lyric Poetry of the Vaishnava Saints

Harvard FAS

This seminar is dedicated to reading in English translation selected works of the 6th-9th century Tamil-language Vaishnava saints of South India known as the alvars (popularly translated as “those immersed [in God]”). Tentative list of works include: the 100-verse poems of the first three alvars; a 120 verse philosophical poem of Tirumalicai Piran; the two works of the sole woman alvar, Antal, her 30-verse winter hymn of the young women, and collection of songs on various themes; the ten…