Translations of Gitagovinda

[Srinivasan Pichumani]

>>Jayadeva is variously depicted as having been a native
>>of Orissa and Bengal( since there is a village called
>>Kendubilva , the village where Jayadeva lived in both
>>states) or of KErala, since there is a popular style
>>of singing in Kerala called "sOpAnageetham" which 
>>utilises Jayadevas Ashtapadis.

Jayadeva as a native of Kerala _seems_ very far-fetched 
although the gItagovinda has been very popular in Kerala 
and used in various art forms ... aShTapadis are also 
sung in sOpAna-sangItam style in GuruvAyUr and various 
other temples.

In this connection, Nirmala Paniker in her book "Nangiar 
Koothu" talks about a treatise on music and dance called
"nATyamanoramA" found in Orissa which is said to have 
been dictated to an Oriya scholar by a king of Kerala 
named Nilakantha.  Based on this, the author postulates
links between Kerala and Orissa in the 16th/17th centuries,
and also mentions that there are historical records to
show that Chaitanya visited Kerala.

-Srini.