H}r. V. SACHITHANANIDAM Professor & Head, - Dept. of English and Comparative Literature Madurai Kamaraj University Madurai -21 Prefa Ce
- In a multilingual and multicultural Indian Society, translation of Indian classics in several languages has a crucial role to play towards integration of the unity of the democracy. The unity of the country - India as a cultural entity is no longer an emotional issue. It is historical fact since 1947 particularly because the principle of peaceful co-existence against wanton terrorism or disrespect for human life which our peculiar brand of philosophy, holds as holistic in the
supreme sense. It is in this background crucial to the existence of a nation like India, I commend Dr. C. Srinivasan's readable translation of Tiruvachakam by the great Saivite Saint Manickavachagar who in his highly lyrical utterance pours his infinite love for Lord Siva in this unique mystical treatise. It is the first example of Bridal Mysticism, the devotee turning himself into a bride and bringing down the Divine Lover to utterly human level.Bridal Mysticism is not only a national theme which emanated from Tamil Nadu and spread to the rest of India but also to parts of South East Asia, as the idea has been convincingly demonstrated by Prof. TP Meenakshisundaranar in his scholarly but much neglected paper read as a key-note address to the Paris session of the International Association of Tamil Resarch Scholars. XIV
