Literary feast

SPECIAL The volumes are richly informative.

October 16, 2009 04:36 pm | Updated 04:46 pm IST

If it is Deepavali it should be special editions. The glossy and picturesque volumes are out and a few are noticed here.

Om Sakti is always bhakti-oriented towards the spiritual and this year is no exception. There are messages from spiritual leaders including Paramacharya, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana, Sri Vedadri Maharishi and Sri Satyasai Baba. Pictures of Guruvayurappan and Tirukkadaiyur Abhirami. Scholar Kudavayil Balasubramaniam explains the speciality of the Thanjavur Big Temple, how the structure is actually a lingam. The contents range from poetry, essays, short stories and so on. Priced at Rs. 60, the volume has Maniyam Selvan's depictions of Radha and Krishna.

Tirisakti

A new entrant, the impressive volume comes from the publishers of Tamizhaga Arasiyal, Tirisakti and Devathai. Editor P. Swaminathan acknowledges the support of founder Sundararaman in the making of the edition. Packed with eminently readable material including articles spanning several fields, short stories, pieces of nostalgia, tourism notes, this special edition comes with a daily calendar for 2010. The last few pages are devoted to pictures of deities meant for the puja room.

Amudasurabhi

Gopulu's visual of Subramanya receiving the Vel from Mother Sakti with Siva in the background adorns the cover of this special edition. From celluloid to the spiritual, from music to the mundane and from sports to industry, the volume offers sumptuous material for the readers. 'Kannan Anubhooti' by Crazy Mohan, who also has provided illustrations of a high quality is drenched in bhakti. Priced at Rs. 100, the Malar boasts interesting short stories, profiles - the brief sketch of La.Sa.Ra. by .... deserves special mention - and attractive pictures to delight the readers.

Sri Sai Margam

Totally dedicated to Shirdi Saibaba, this festival volume has blossomed with a majestic Saibaba in regal splendour on the cover. Inside are articles and poems oriented to the spiritual. Devotees, including actor Lakshmi and musician Aruna Sairam share their experiences as devotees. A bonus is a Sai Likita Nama Japa notebook that comes with the Malar.

Ladies Special

From K.B. Sundarambal to Chinmayee and Mahati - Aranthai Manian's article traces the contribution of women playback singers to Tamil cinema in this release priced at Rs. 110. There are short stories, poems and essays. Hanuman seems to be a recurring theme in this edition, at least three articles speaking of the deity worshipped at different places.

Ananda Vikatan

In a way, this is the odd one out, bearing the charming picture of actor Sneha on the cover. A talk with Poompuhar's Managing Director, K. Chellamuthu is accompanied by enchanting images of icons. Whether it is the written word or pictures, matter about Paramacharya has eternal appeal. Thus two pages filled with rare photographs arrest the reader's attention. Ardent followers of teleserials will lap up Narayanasamy's account of some of the houses that regularly star in the soaps. There is no dearth of articles on temples and deities. On the sports front S. Rajath facilitates a write-up the IPL tour of South Africa. Rajath also is the author of a moving narrative on the late Kakkan, former Tamil Nadu Minister. Humour-laced short stories and anecdotes, etc. fill the glossy pages of the edition prices at Rs. 99.

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