3 Review(s)

The Bhakti movement, which began around the 6th century, transformed Indian thought in fundamental ways. It took seed in Maharashtra in the early 13th century in the form of the Warkari movement. With unmatched passion and eloquence the Warkari saint-poets spread the message of universal humanism combining it with a deep devotion towards Vitthal. The Ant Who Swallowed the Sun is a collection of translations of abhangs by ten prominent and lesser-known Marathi women-saints belonging to this movement. These women came from diverse backgrounds: Muktabai was Saint Dynaneshwar's sister, Janabai was Saint Namdev's maid, Rajai his wife and Gonai his mother, Bahinabai was a brahmin trapped in a difficult marriage, Kanhopatra, a sex-worker, Soyarabai and Nirmala were from lower castes, and not much is known about Bhagu and Vatsara. At a time when women hardly had any autonomy, each claimed Vitthal as their own, addressing him variously as the divine, the lover or the friend. Their abhangs are not just expressions of devotion but offer a scathing criticism of patriarchy and caste hierarchies. With Neela Bhagwat and Jerry Pinto's pitch-perfect translations, The Ant Who Swallowed the Sun is an important addition to Bhakti literature, as well as a delight for poetry lovers||About the Author||Neela Bhagwat is a renowned exponent of Gwalior Gharana. With her background of Masters in Marathi, Sanskrit and Sociology, she has been engaged in composing khayals based on her own experiences as well as social concerns. After the 1993 riots in Mumbai, she turned to mediaeval saint-poetry, which reflects the inner voice of love for all irrespective of socio-cultural differences. That was when her compositions of Kabir, Meera, Sahajo and Marathi saint-poets like Tukaram, Chokhamela Muktabai, Soyarabai and others appeared on the music scene. She has twenty audio CDs to her credit-some showcase Gwalior gharana khayal while others are based on Saint poetry. She is also the author of four books. Jerry Pinto is the author of the novels Murder in Mahim and Em and the Big Hoom, and the non-fiction book Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb. He has also translated the autobiographies, Baluta by Daya Pawar and Strike a Blow to Change the World (Jag Badal Ghaaluni Ghaav) by Eknath Awad, the memoirs I Want to Destroy Myself (Mala Udhvasta Vhachay) by Malika Amar Shaikh, and I, the Salt Doll (Mee Mithaachi Baahuli) by Vandana Mishra, Baburao Bagul's short-story collection When I Hid My Caste (Jevha Mee Jaat Chorli Hoti), and the novels Cobalt Blue by Sachin Kundalkar and Half-Open Windows (Khidkya Ardhya Ughadya) by Ganesh Matkari. Jerry Pinto is the recipient of, among other honours, the Sahitya Akademi Award and Yale University's Windham-Campbell Prize.