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Pictures,
Paradoxes and Tamils Breathtaking visual insight into society on either side of the Palk Strait. By S Kalidas SYMBOLIC HEAT This is not the usual cultural, anthropological tome. Rather, this tightly written, profusely illustrated, slim volume is a visual delight. Many world cultures have endeavoured to resolve the mystery of the universe and the magic of creation through the juxtaposing of complementarities: active/passive, hot/cold, female/male. Dennis B. McGilvray seeks to present how the symbology of these concepts translates into the daily life and rituals of Tamils on both sides of the Palk Strait, in India and in Sri Lanka. McGilvray scrupulously avoids being judgmental. In a panoramic sweep, crossing lands, waters, classes and castes, he describes how the complex and layered metaphors of "hot" and "cool" apply in the Tamil's choice of food, clothing, worship, medicine and decoration. At the centre of this sensual exploration lies the Hindu belief that "the cosmos is given form and consciousness by the male principle (purusha), but given energy and substance by the female principle (prakriti)". Interestingly, the male aspect of the universe is considered passive and "cool", while its female counterpart is taken to be active and "hot". What makes the book enchanting is the author's photo-documentation of life and rituals in Tamil temples, homes, fields and streets. We could do with more of its kind.
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