In this next episode with world-renowned filmmaker Michael Wood ("The Story of India"), the theme is Bharati's beloved Tamil language, and the poet's fight to preserve it against the encroachment of English. Bharati's concerns are highly relevant in today's world, where linguistic diversity is globally threatened, and the poet's attitude offers fascinating ways of meeting this challenge. Michael and Mira explore the idea of a future where  Indian literature takes its place alongside major works from the Western canon, and quality translation forges new paths between cultures, building new hopes for mutual understanding.

Episode 3 features A. Kanyakumari's "Melting Aura" played by her  Carnatic String Ensemble. She writes: "This piece as the name suggests melts the listener's mood with its beautiful structure and scintillating Raga – the Charukesi. Though the piece is Indian Classical in its tone, the arrangement gives it another dimension without compromising the authenticity of the respective genres." 

It also excerpts a scintillating performance on the ghatam, a traditional clay pot used as a percussion instrument in South Indian classical music, by leading ghatam maestro Suresh Vaidyanathan.

Executive Producer & Host: Mira T. Sundara Rajan

Engineer: Emma Markowitz

Producer: Bradley W. Vines

Production Consultant: Jacqueline Santos

Music Credits for "Melting Aura":

Composed by Sangeetha Kalanidhi A Kanyakumari

Arranged By Raghavasimhan Sankaranarayanan

Performed in Octaves by: Guru A Kanyakumari, Kalaimamani Embar S Kannan, V Sanjeev, Anuthama Murali, Raghavasimhan Sankaranarayanan, Sayee Rakshith

Live Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Raghavasimhan Sankaranarayanan

Music Credits for Ghatam Solo: Drums of India, V. Suresh On Ghatam - Bickram Ghosh

Bickram Ghosh writes:

"Ghatam is one of the most ancient percussion instruments of South India. It is a clay pot with narrow mouth and its soothing sound takes you to a different world.

"Experience the tranquilizing sound of Ghatam in the live performance of famous percussionist V. Suresh."

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