{"product_id":"youth-the-balakandam-of-kampans-blake-wentworh-9789354470066","title":"Youth the Balakandam of Kampan's Ramayana","description":"\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eComposed in the 12th-century by Kampan, regarded by many as Tamil's\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efinest poet, the Kamparamayanam is perhaps the most splendid retelling of\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eValmiki's Ramayana. This first regional retelling of the great Sanskrit epic is\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eset firmly in Tamil country and draws from Puranic lore and Tamil literary\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003emasterpieces. The approximately 12,000 verses that make up the six books\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eof the Kamparamayanam fully and unabashedly embrace Rama's identity as a\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ehuman avatar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first kandam, or book, of Kampan's Ramayana is Balakandam, about the\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eboyhood of Rama, who under the tutelage of Vishwamitra learns the lay of the\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eland he will one day rule, as well as his true nature. This son of Dasharatha, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ealong with his brother Lakshmana, reverses ancient curses of sages and gods, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eamasses powerful weapons, and protects the sacrificial rituals of the rishis\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efrom vicious rakshasas. In Mithila, he falls in love with Sita, the daughter of\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKing Janaka. The chapters that follow describe-in a manner unique to early\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTamil literature-the joyful procession of Dasharatha's retinue to Rama and\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSita's wedding, and contain some of the most beautiful verses composed in\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eany South Asian language. The book concludes with Rama's first true test of\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003emanhood and a sign of the times that lie ahead: a conflict with the mighty\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParashu Rama, an avatar, like Rama himself, of Vishnu.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTranslated from the Tamil with great skill by Blake Wentworth, Youth brings\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe lyricism, the exquisite imagery and the wonderful sensuousness of\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKampan's masterpiece to modern-day English-language readers. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Blake Wentworh\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 9354470068\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9789354470066\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Speaking Tiger Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/10\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 376\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.86lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.94d\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blake Wentworh","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44128391397631,"sku":"9789354470066","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_97f60943-c106-449a-b750-481a7aba50e4.jpg?v=1687458465","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/youth-the-balakandam-of-kampans-blake-wentworh-9789354470066","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}