Ethos

 What is energy? What is spirit?

This is not a post on science class nor is it an article on occult sciences. But the idea behind that question is simple. I just want to know if any of you have experienced vibrations in some particular places(not during an earthquake or during a flight/train journey).

At least I have experienced such vibrations. It is said that one experiences this when the energy levels match with that of ours.

Take some temples; or concert halls; or even places not popular but are very special to us. I shall come to the last mentioned in a while.

That is why, places where some legends were born or where they grew up or even places frequented by them carry that value. And that is why, such places are converted into memorials.

In Salzburg, Austria – the place where one of the greatest composers of Western Classical Music lived has been converted into a beautiful museum which houses the artefacts used by the composer.

In Bonn, Germany, Beethoven’s birthplace is a memorial, museum and an institution.

In Eisenach, Germany, there is a museum dedicated to Bach with more than 250 exhibits.

At Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, a 16^th Century half-timbered house has been restored and has been converted into a small museum.

Then we have memorials for John Keats, William Wordsworth and for many other poets and writers. A book ‘Second Thoughts’ written by Navtej Sarna, a book which I own with a lot of pride, describes the houses and memorials of many writers and poets across the world.

What about our ‘Bharat’? (and I am focussing only on Dakshin Bharat as of now).

Ettayapuram- the place where Mahakavi was born is very poorly maintained, though there is a MaNi Mandapam which was constructed thanks to the efforts of writer Kalki.

Thiruvaiyaaru- Musicians who make a living singing a majority of his kritis, assemble once in a year, ‘sing’ the pancharatnas looking at the TV cameras, pack their bags and never bother to even look at that place for the next 362 days. Since I went there during one of those 362 days, I know what condition that place is in.

There are more such namesake memorials in our country, but let me stop here.

One must thank their stars for the existence of such memorials. But many legends do not have even this ‘luxury’.

So, why am I writing all these now?

The house of T.N.Rajarathnam PiLLai- considered to be the father of Nagaswaram, who would play a single raga Todi from midnight to early morning with people listening with rapt attention, and a vidwan who was asked to perform on AIR on the 15^th of August 1947- was razed to the ground 4 years ago!

What shocked me was the apathy of the Government of Tamizh Nadu who decided to shut their eyes and be a mute spectator. It is more shocking because Karunanidhi, the former Chief Minister of TN was a huge fan of Rajaratnam PiLLai and had wanted to convert his house into a memorial. But somehow this did not happen during his time. It is unfortunate that people in his lineage do not share his musical taste and also the sensitivity to respect legends.

What is also surprising and shocking is the fact that none from the Carnatic music fraternity have bothered to raise their voice. Goes to show that most of them just pay lip service and keep their mouth shut when it comes to some real issues.

Now, I was mentioning ‘places which are not popular but are special to us’. TNR’s house is an example. Likewise, places frequented by us during our childhood also carry that stamp of speciality.

The song of the day is special essentially because of this fact.

‘ALLi thandha bhoomi’ from NaNdu (1981) kindles such memories without a doubt.

Rendered by Malaysia Vasudevan in a very different voice, the song has nostalgia written all over it.

Take the beginning. The humming tinged with a sense of poignancy is backed by the strings of the guitar- which plays the chatushram beats with joy- is followed by the keys which is backed by the bass guitar and this is followed by a unique sound which almost ‘speaks’ to us.

The Pallavi starts and to our surprise- and not to our surprise- it is set in Tisram , the 3-beat cycle and not in Chatushram (prelude). Laya Raaja does not stop here. The beats follow a peculiar pattern in tisram – ta ta tataaa- which is 1 2 3 4/ 1 2 but played with gaps giving a unique complexion. There is more too.

The word ‘ini’ in the second line is rendered plainly the first time and is extended the second time to make it sound like off beat though it follows the beat.

In fact, rather than an experiment done just for the sake of being done, this one is in line with the emotions and the feelings conveyed by the song.

Doesn’t the bell sound in the beginning of the first interlude remind you of your school bell? To me, it does! And along with that it also gives me some memories of many things associated with the school.

The keys that follow to the backing of the rhythm pad reminds me of the games we played and the fights we had. The two sets of strings with different melodies in different octaves remind me of different sets of friends and the debates we used to have. The guitar which bends towards the end, makes me feel melancholic.

The first CharaNam gives me memories of the paths and ways I took to reach my schools(in Madras, Hyderabad and Cuddalore).

The guitar playing the same melody repeatedly with the different sets of strings playing different melodies again remind me of my college surrounded by the sea which had different colours in different places and dirctions.

The flute and the single-stringed instrument remind me of the birds perched on the trees on my way to the college and their songs.

The second CharaNam reminds me of my trips to the library and of me sitting under the trees with a book in my hand.

Life is a lesson. What we experience cannot be taken away. This is what is energy. This is what is spirit.

Wish people in our country were more sensitive to this fact and respected what needs to be respected!

 

Nostalgia..

About 4 years back when I was on an official tour to a city where I spent my formative years, I took a stroll after my dinner. Since the hotel was not very far from the place I lived nearly 3 decades back, I decided to go and see the house, and the school where I studied for 4 years. As I was walking by the side of the road, my heart rate increased. Just before the ‘gully’, something caught my instant attention. That object seemed so familiar to me. It was a huge tamarind tree. It was old now but surely seemed to recognise me. I went near that and gave it a caressing touch. The feeling I had then, is very difficult to express.

Nostalgia is a very special feeling. Though Eckhart Tolle may not agree, the past also has its own power. We are what we are because of our past. It is the past that has guided us to the present which in turn will take us to the future as the present becomes the past in future.

Show me one person who does not indulge in nostalgic trips now and then and does not enjoy it.

School, favourite teacher, dearest friend(s), objects, cycle, neighbours, pranks, games, music, radio…
The last two are the most relevant here.

Let me go back to the first paragraph. The house that I referred to was the place where I got my first transistor radio. Of course, I had an old valve set radio too which would receive Radio Australia, BBC and ah yes.. Radio Ceylon. If the first two introduced me to the finer nuances of the game called cricket through the voices of some great legendary commentators, the last mentioned introduced me to the world of music. The ‘Binaca Geetmala’ on Wednesday nights between 8 and 9 pm was one programme which I would never miss. The Hindi film songs attracted me so much that I became addicted to it.

Since the city I was living that time was about 750 kms from Tamizh Nadu, my exposure to Tamizh songs at that time was through Vividh Bharati during a 15 minute slot between 4.30 and 5.30 pm, and the Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation Asian Service between 4pm and 6pm.

Post-1976, I would be glued to the radio during this time for reasons that are obvious and I am sure this needs no elaboration.

I vividly remember the first time I listened to each and every song of his not just during this period but also post-1978 when we moved to a place in Tamizh Nadu about 150kms away from Madras.

Even very recently he himself has said in an interview about how people recall various incidents in their life through his songs and also how they always remember the first time they listened to the songs.

The rare gem of the day also talks about nostalgia.

Rendered beautifully by Deepan Chakravarthy, ‘Paaduthamma Aatrin alaigaL’ from the film ‘NaNdu(1980) moves like a gentle breeze.

The prelude starts with his favourite instrument during early ‘80s(refer my previous post) followed by the soft humming of Deepan. The Pallavi in ShankarabharaNam is breathtakingly fresh.

The eloquent flute dominates the interlude. The one- stringed instrument that nods its head in the first part gives a folksy feel while the keys towards the end gives that western touch with the dilruba in the middle kindling our deepest emotions.

The CharaNam is mellow and tranquil with some meaningful melodic lines.

The first two lines are graceful and the next two lines move like a gentle stream.
The lines that follow are resplendent with the alien note at the end giving a diffused glow.

Glow of nostalgia..

Hindi in Tamizh!

Tamizh novelist Sivasankari can be called as the Arthur Hailey of Tamizh Nadu.
Before writing on any topic, she would spend months studying the subject.

She covered a wide range of topics which included alcoholism and drug addiction .,

While the former was filmed, the latter came out as a weekly serial(not a mega)on Doordarshan in late '80s.

In mid '70s she wrote a novel on cancer- aptly named as 'Nandu'.How this dreadful disease affects a peaceful family was the theme of the story.

A South Indian girl from a conservative family falls in love with a North Indian and they get married after the usual protests from both the families.

The couple manage to fight this cancer but not the one that attacked them.
First it is the husband who falls the victim.

Then it is the turn of the wife who fights it out bravely.. A gripping story indeed!

This story was adapted by the 'Uthirippookal' fame Mahendran.
One had great expectations..But can Tamizh cinema ever change?

The Ladies' sentiment played a big role and the movie ended with the death of the husband and the wife kicking herself and shedding tears (so much that the teardrops fromed a riverr.In fact the tears were also 'brilliantly' used to wipe her 'Sindoor' off.Wow! Ladies' sentiment at its best!).

Whatever be the quality of the movie, it gave us some excellent music.Two pure Hindi songs and two Tamizh songs.

We shall see the Hindi Songs today.

In fact, two songs were recorded by Raja but Mahendran was not too happy with the songs.

It was fresh composing again.

The linguist who also has a very sweet voice Shri.P B Shrinivas wrote the songs.

The duet was sung by the ghazal singer Bhoopender- himself a fan of Raja- and Janaki.

'Kaise Kahoon' is a wonderful melody with lovely beats.One cannot miss the meloncholy touch in this duet.

'Hum hai akhele' is a Qawali type song rendered by Janaki.Takes us to the old hindi songs era.

Listen to these and enjoy: