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Composed in the mid-sixteenth century, The Sound of the Kiss, or The Story That Must Never Be Told, could be considered the first novel written in South Asia. Telugu, the language spoken in today's Andhra Pradesh region of southern India, has a classical literary tradition extending over a thousand years. Suranna's masterpiece comes from a period of intense creativity in Telugu, when great poets produced strikingly modern innovations. The novel explodes preconceived ideas about early South Indian literature: for example, that the characters lack interiority, that the language is formulaic, and that Telugu texts are mere translations of earlier Sanskrit works. Employing the poetic style known as campu, which mixes verse and prose, Pingali Suranna's work transcends our notions of traditional narrative. "I wanted to have the structure of a complex narrative no one had ever known," he said of his great novel, "with rich evocations of erotic love, and also descriptions of gods and temples that would be a joy to listen to."
The Sound of the Kiss is both a gripping love story and a profound meditation on mind and language. Shulman and Rao include a thorough introduction that provides a broader understanding of, and appreciation for, the complexities and subtleties of this text.
List of contents
The Beginning
Chapter 1
Dvaraka City, Where the Story Begins
Kalabhashini on the Swing and Rambha in the Sky
Chapter 2
Narada Studies Music
Enter Manistambha
Manikandhara's Pilgrimage
Chapter 3
Rambha Entices Manikandhara
Kalabhashini Flies off with the Siddha
The Temple of the Lion-Riding Goddess
Kalabhashini Returns
Rambha Meets Rambha
Nalakubara Meets Nalakubara
Chapter 4
The Story of Salina and Sugatri
Enter Alaghuvrata. Kalabhashini Is Sacrificed
Manistambha Tours the World with His Wife
Chapter 5
The Baby Who Talks
Sarasvati Decodes Brahma's Story
Manistambha and Sumukhasatti Exchange Genders
A Lecture on Yoga
Svabhava and Madasaya at Srisailam
Chapter 6
Manikandhara Fights the Porcupine Demon
The Story of Alaghuvrata and His Sons
Satvadatma's Question
Madhuralalasa Comes of Age
Chapter 7
Kalapurna in Love
The Wedding of Kalapurna and Madhuralalasa
Abhinavakaumudi Becomes Jealous
Chapter 8
Kalapurna Conquers the World
Homecoming
The Story of the Necklace
Invitation to a Second Reading
Guide to Pronunciation and List of Characters
Index of Names and Technical Terms
About the author
Pingali Suranna. Translated by Velcheru Narayana Rao and David Shulman
Summary
The story of a young courtesan who falls in love with the most handsome man in the universe and who overhears him speaking of a mysterious person whose story must never be told. Burning with curiosity and desire, she ventures to the god Krishna's palace where much intrigue and adventure ensue.
