Turangalila -Reply

[Allen W Thrasher]

Dermot Killingley asked why Messiaen named his symphony turaNgalIlA,
horse-play.  I don't know, but one meaning turaNgalIlA has is the "knight's
move" in chess, or "the knight's tour" in chess problems.  It is also used for
the order in which a particular mantra arranged on a yantra of 8 X 8, like a
chess board, ought to have the syllables read, in Damodara's
YantracintAmaNi.  Does it have the same meaning of a move of one square
in one direction and 2 in another in CitrakAvya?  I preparing to leave for a
week at Nag's Head with my family Friday night and am too busy with
things associated with the American Library Association convention here
in Washington to check.

Allen

Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
Senior Reference Librarian
Southern Asia Section
Asian Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4714
tel. (202) 707-3732
fax (202) 707-1724
email: athr at loc.gov

The opinions expressed do not represent those of my employer.