Ragatalacintamani of Poluri Govinda Kavi: Critical Edition with Translation and Comments

This book has been based mainly on the study of literary sources. Firstly a detailed and deep study of the printed text of Ragatalacintamani was done and it was felt necessary to consult the original manuscripts relating to the printed work for clarifying some readings. Ragatalacintamani, as the title suggests, focuses mainly on Raga and Tala aspects of Music. The work has five chapters and in it, the fourth and fifth chapters contain the treatment of Raga and Tala respectively. Like many works of the later medieval period Ragatalacintamani too has presented brief accounts about the musical systems that had existed in the earlier periods in history. Thus descriptions of Grama, Murchana, Tana and Svaraprastara are found in the third chapter. In the second chapter while describing Svaras and Srutis, he includes the description of Suddha and Vikrta Svaras. A brief account about the four kinds of musical instruments is also given in the fifth chapter. Apart from music, Govinda Kavi touches upon other arts like drama and dance too in the first and last chapters.