There are days when things worth writing about happen. Most of these things are disconnected, trivial incidents but they are funny and interesting.
I made my directorial debut yesterday. Yeah, in my dreams.. (That's not sarcasm.No, I mean literally :-)) I slept off after watching some Vivek comedies and in my dream, I started watching a movie. I switch on the TV, pick up the remote and hit the play button. Only the TV is in focus. And "Manichitrathaazh" starts playing except it is black-and-white. I haven't seen this movie and god knows what prompted me to dream it all up. And so the first scene is someone with a deep voice who describes what MPD means and he says: "The best example is the story of -----" and the scene cuts to a verandah. Two people are sitting reading newspapers. The camera focuses on the lady and she removes the newspaper in front of her face and lo! It is Shobana! Again, all this is in B & W for some weirdo reason. And she talks animatedly with her hubby (I can't see his face). After a while, Mohanlal walks in looking all serious and scholarly and he talks something in Malayalam (I swear to god I have no knowledge of Malayalam but believe me, Mohan Lal talks a full-length Malayalam dialogue in my dream! God knows how my sub-conscious made it up so well. I seem to be blessed with a fertile imagination...:)). Then, there is one scene where Shobana rips up at MohanLal like a wild cat. Then finally, when we get to the "Raa Raa" like scene a la Chandramukhi, my dream goes bust....kind of a sad, dull
ending to my directorial debut. I am curious to watch the original to see how it matches with my dream venture...:)
The funny thing is that in my dream, I watch the movie in a big bhoot-bungalow type place and I hear the echoes richocheting off the walls.(There was one place in the dream where I hear a scream and my actual self shuddered in response to it) So my dream-self decides to close/open the window and I lean out to do it. Now I know that in reality, I had opened my window that night before sleeping. So when I
woke up, I had an eerie doubt as to whether I actually leaned to close the window or not.......
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Baby K has written a post about money and investing. I liked it and found it useful. So here's to Lex's new found Sledgeman and Financial Advisor...:))
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I had to switch to a Japanese character set for Windows recently for some work I am doing. And I found it so hard to navigate through my system. I didn't even know which were the OK , Cancel, Apply buttons anymore for some screens. And I had to IM someone and without looking at the screen, I hit the keystrokes and pressed enter. Only to find gibberish (Japanese to those who understand it, Gibberish to me) on my screen. I am not sure but the probabilities are the person at the other end thought I was swearing at them. Embarassments galore.
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I have become such a lazy bum that I am far behind with schoolwork and if I don't get my act in place soon, I am going to be in a huge mess...Eeks! I wish I'd not have these great enlightening thoughts just before the long weekend. They just spoil my peace.
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Some movies should be watched in the context of the decade/era they were released to capture the awe and amazement. Watch them farther down the line and they just don't seem as eye-popping as they must've been back then. I watched Star Wars-IV last week. It was not mind-boggling for me. In the 70s, the concept of spaceships, aliens, robots etc...was a giant leap in creativity and it captured people's imaginations! Now I am used to having aliens pop out of woods and cupboards and have all sorts of Borgs, Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians walk across my living room daily. Sigh. This jaded feeling is what comes out of watching Star Wars after having heavy doses of Star Trek (Deep Space Nine, Voyager etc...),Earth-Final Conflict, Mars Attacks, Independence Day, MIB and so on and so forth. I wish I were a kid who'd be amazed with every thing that she sees.
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Why do people need to elevate a person talented in some field to iconic status to the point of making them non-human? Be it Rajinikanth (to the extent that he was doing all sorts of Vittalacharya style magic tricks in 'Baba'), Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson or Gandhi, people simple make them icons to the point that any one negative quality attributed to them becomes totally unacceptable. Why not? I mean, weren't they humans too? So what if Rajinikanth has some bad qualities or Abe Lincoln doubted the divinity of Christ or Gandhi had (allegedly) been a bad
father? In my view, all that doesn't make any of these men lesser. I think it kind of cool that even people with imperfections can be great/famous. The quest for non-existent perfection in icons is dangerous.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Monday, June 27, 2005
And here I go again....
People, you've gotta put up with me for pouring tag lists on you..:) This one is in response to Dinesh's tag.
1. Favorite fellow blogger and why?
There's no one person I can name as being my favourite. I enjoy all types of writing and as my mood varies, I like one or the other. Here are a few that caught my attention recently:
a. Agnibarathi's Saadhanaa and Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari
I'd have to say I was very, very impressed with the flow of words and beautiful description in some of his posts!
b. Thus spake Vivek
I liked his post "Blah, blah and a lot of blah". Made me laugh.
c. Atanu Dey
d. Ramya Kannan I enjoy her creative taxonomy! She calls her shoutbox the "Tower of babel"..:)And I like her matter-of-fact, interesting ruminations.
2. Your favorite person/people in life
Tough call. Invariably, there's no list one can conjure up that could cover all people/aspects who've influenced me. This is just what comes
off the top of my head:
a. Mrs. Nair- One of the most well-read, intelligent, kind, graceful and elegant people I've met in my life! A PhD. from the University of British Columbia, she was as famous for her lectures in Mathematics as she was for her crisp, cotton sarees. A Canadian student of hers
remarked to me, "She is not just a great professor, she is a sight for sore eyes too!". My mentor in many ways, she introduced me to a variety of books ranging from "History of Civilization" to Alfred North Whitehead's "Introduction to Mathematics".
b. My Brother- At the risk of sounding maudlin, I am putting in my bro..:) I like him for his cool, devil-may-care attitude toward life. He is completely laid-back and rarely lets things upset him. Loves life and enjoys it to the hilt right from food to movies to friends. So here's to you bro (Whenever you read this post!)!
c. Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi- I don't think I am worthy of writing a preface for him..:)
d. Steve Waugh- For his tenacity, strength of determination and the will to win. Aside from his tough sportsman attitude, I like the fact that he is involved with orphanages and charity. Glenn McGrath- for his punishing line and length. The next on my list is going to evoke a
lot of criticism: Sourav Ganguly for his bad-mouthing, swearing and off-drives...:) I like the fact that he sledges back and his getting penalized for that doesn't reduce his image in my eyes one bit! India needs more players like that. Frankly, the Mr.Goody-two-shoes image is jaded and
doesn't work these days.
3. If you could be one person of the opposite sex, who would it be and why?
No thanks, I think I am quite happy being a female..:) Of course, I like and adore many people of the opposite sex, but I'd rather be me.
4. If you could be in a book/music band/movie, what would you be in ?
I would like to be in a music band. Singing/songs lightens, refreshes, levitates me and makes me plain happy.
5. If you were to be marooned in an island and you could pick one friend to go with you, who would it be?
Hmm. If I had to be marooned (which I wouldn't prefer in the first place), I would rather be marooned with someone who is strong and good at practical things- foraging food, building shelter, making a fire...:) I am not much good at this stuff and there's not gonna be much
to enjoy in an island with someone if we were both to drop dead in a few days. And this person had better not be a whiner because I hate whining when caught in life-death situations.
I'd probably pick my best buddy, Shailaja to go with me because she is witty, cool as a cucumber always and finds humour in the most unlikely situations. We have both been in a zillion scrapes together in college and have managed to wriggle out of most tight corners.
Or I would pick another good friend of mine, J. I always fight endlessly with him over the silliest of things. And despite all the terrible fights we've been in (with a good measure of swearing,cussing, gnashing teeth), we have managed to be good friends over nearly 5 years. Good timepass and that'd keep my mind off other pressing concerns..:)
1. Favorite fellow blogger and why?
There's no one person I can name as being my favourite. I enjoy all types of writing and as my mood varies, I like one or the other. Here are a few that caught my attention recently:
a. Agnibarathi's Saadhanaa and Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari
I'd have to say I was very, very impressed with the flow of words and beautiful description in some of his posts!
b. Thus spake Vivek
I liked his post "Blah, blah and a lot of blah". Made me laugh.
c. Atanu Dey
d. Ramya Kannan I enjoy her creative taxonomy! She calls her shoutbox the "Tower of babel"..:)And I like her matter-of-fact, interesting ruminations.
2. Your favorite person/people in life
Tough call. Invariably, there's no list one can conjure up that could cover all people/aspects who've influenced me. This is just what comes
off the top of my head:
a. Mrs. Nair- One of the most well-read, intelligent, kind, graceful and elegant people I've met in my life! A PhD. from the University of British Columbia, she was as famous for her lectures in Mathematics as she was for her crisp, cotton sarees. A Canadian student of hers
remarked to me, "She is not just a great professor, she is a sight for sore eyes too!". My mentor in many ways, she introduced me to a variety of books ranging from "History of Civilization" to Alfred North Whitehead's "Introduction to Mathematics".
b. My Brother- At the risk of sounding maudlin, I am putting in my bro..:) I like him for his cool, devil-may-care attitude toward life. He is completely laid-back and rarely lets things upset him. Loves life and enjoys it to the hilt right from food to movies to friends. So here's to you bro (Whenever you read this post!)!
c. Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi- I don't think I am worthy of writing a preface for him..:)
d. Steve Waugh- For his tenacity, strength of determination and the will to win. Aside from his tough sportsman attitude, I like the fact that he is involved with orphanages and charity. Glenn McGrath- for his punishing line and length. The next on my list is going to evoke a
lot of criticism: Sourav Ganguly for his bad-mouthing, swearing and off-drives...:) I like the fact that he sledges back and his getting penalized for that doesn't reduce his image in my eyes one bit! India needs more players like that. Frankly, the Mr.Goody-two-shoes image is jaded and
doesn't work these days.
3. If you could be one person of the opposite sex, who would it be and why?
No thanks, I think I am quite happy being a female..:) Of course, I like and adore many people of the opposite sex, but I'd rather be me.
4. If you could be in a book/music band/movie, what would you be in ?
I would like to be in a music band. Singing/songs lightens, refreshes, levitates me and makes me plain happy.
5. If you were to be marooned in an island and you could pick one friend to go with you, who would it be?
Hmm. If I had to be marooned (which I wouldn't prefer in the first place), I would rather be marooned with someone who is strong and good at practical things- foraging food, building shelter, making a fire...:) I am not much good at this stuff and there's not gonna be much
to enjoy in an island with someone if we were both to drop dead in a few days. And this person had better not be a whiner because I hate whining when caught in life-death situations.
I'd probably pick my best buddy, Shailaja to go with me because she is witty, cool as a cucumber always and finds humour in the most unlikely situations. We have both been in a zillion scrapes together in college and have managed to wriggle out of most tight corners.
Or I would pick another good friend of mine, J. I always fight endlessly with him over the silliest of things. And despite all the terrible fights we've been in (with a good measure of swearing,cussing, gnashing teeth), we have managed to be good friends over nearly 5 years. Good timepass and that'd keep my mind off other pressing concerns..:)
Friday, June 24, 2005
Shades of Secularism
Conversations...
On my recent trip to India, I had an instance of how misunderstood the term "securalism" has become in India's politico today...
The Railways is a great leveler. For the period of the journey, you get to talk on par with people from all walks of life. I met an interesting, old Muslim gentleman on the Dadar (Mumbai-Chennai).
Old man to me: So, would you marry my nephew? He is smart and intelligent but he is a Muslim.
Me: (laughing) Well, if it was that easy!
Old man: You are Hindu? Ah, you don't like Muslims!
Me: No, it has nothing to do with it.
Old man: Then why are you averse to the idea?
Me: But...
Old man: (shaking his head) Ah, you are a Hindu fundamentalist; not secular.
Me (Totally confused at this tangent): ????????????????!!!!!!!?
(Who says that only women go on tangents?:))
And the old man didn't talk to me for the rest of the journey!So, these days, I gotta marry an unknown Muslim whose Uncle thinks it is a good match in order for me to be "secular". Sweet.
-------------------------------*----------------------------------------
The Spectre of Jinnah
Jinnah must be turning in his grave. A half-century after the demise of the founding father of Pakistan, he still lingers fresh in people's memories; fresh enough to brew trouble, this time in the House of Saffron. India Today carries a series of articles on the soup that Advani has landed himself in with his comments on Jinnah.
Amidst the ruckus that Advani caused by calling Jinnah "secular", some say, "Why bother with issues surrounding a man who's been dead for a long time?". Some others, like the VHP and RSS, are adamant that Jinnah shouldn't be characterized as a secular figure.
I don't think you can ignore some things as being in the past. After all, the past is what defines the present. But neither can you say that the past is all black and white. Jinnah may have caused the bifurcation of the erstwhile British Raj but then he might have had his own ideas on secularism just as our netas have today (And most of what our honourable netas say are skewed, politically motivated and utter crap!). I prefer not to judge Jinnah. I think he must've been a complex man and perhaps, he had his own reasons....
[Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre give a more unbiased (I thought it unbiased. My dad disagrees with me.), objective view of Jinnah's political motivations in their "Freedom at Midnight". Read it if you get a chance!]
On my recent trip to India, I had an instance of how misunderstood the term "securalism" has become in India's politico today...
The Railways is a great leveler. For the period of the journey, you get to talk on par with people from all walks of life. I met an interesting, old Muslim gentleman on the Dadar (Mumbai-Chennai).
Old man to me: So, would you marry my nephew? He is smart and intelligent but he is a Muslim.
Me: (laughing) Well, if it was that easy!
Old man: You are Hindu? Ah, you don't like Muslims!
Me: No, it has nothing to do with it.
Old man: Then why are you averse to the idea?
Me: But...
Old man: (shaking his head) Ah, you are a Hindu fundamentalist; not secular.
Me (Totally confused at this tangent): ????????????????!!!!!!!?
(Who says that only women go on tangents?:))
And the old man didn't talk to me for the rest of the journey!So, these days, I gotta marry an unknown Muslim whose Uncle thinks it is a good match in order for me to be "secular". Sweet.
-------------------------------*----------------------------------------
The Spectre of Jinnah
Jinnah must be turning in his grave. A half-century after the demise of the founding father of Pakistan, he still lingers fresh in people's memories; fresh enough to brew trouble, this time in the House of Saffron. India Today carries a series of articles on the soup that Advani has landed himself in with his comments on Jinnah.
Amidst the ruckus that Advani caused by calling Jinnah "secular", some say, "Why bother with issues surrounding a man who's been dead for a long time?". Some others, like the VHP and RSS, are adamant that Jinnah shouldn't be characterized as a secular figure.
I don't think you can ignore some things as being in the past. After all, the past is what defines the present. But neither can you say that the past is all black and white. Jinnah may have caused the bifurcation of the erstwhile British Raj but then he might have had his own ideas on secularism just as our netas have today (And most of what our honourable netas say are skewed, politically motivated and utter crap!). I prefer not to judge Jinnah. I think he must've been a complex man and perhaps, he had his own reasons....
[Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre give a more unbiased (I thought it unbiased. My dad disagrees with me.), objective view of Jinnah's political motivations in their "Freedom at Midnight". Read it if you get a chance!]
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Blame it on Arun! :)
Well, Arun got me going on this Music tag thing. And after half an hour, I was struggling to fit in all the songs I like. I couldn't fit in my favourite Hindi/English song collection in this. Blame it on Arun if you think this is a huge post..:))
I. Albums I own
There's really no end to this. I don't have all the albums I own with me here in the US. But back home, I have quite a collection.
Hindi
The earliest recollection I have of collecting music is of Hindi songs. I am a huge Rafi fan. So I have
-Rafi sings for Shammi Kapoor
I love his "Yeh Chaand sa Roshan Chehra" from Kashmir Ki Kali and "Tumse Accha Kaun Hai" and "Badan Pe Sitare"!
-Rafi in Blue moods
-Rafi's melodies
Also, I have a comprehensive Kishore Kumar, Talat Mehmood, Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt ('Babuji Dheere Chalna' is one of her best!), O.P.Nayyar collection.
English:
I have a considerable English songs collection too with all varieties like Guns n' Roses, U2, Aerosmith (this is a bit too much for me!), Eagles, Beatles, Elton John, Bryan Adams (my eternal fave). I don't enjoy very hard rock and Eminem sucks (no matter what anyone else says)!
Tamil:
Of course, the usual medley of Tamil songs is always there. The one thing I really cherish is a Tamil old songs Mp3 that I made recently. It has one of the best selection of old hits and listening to it on Sunday mornings is the most satisfying thing!
II. First album/cassette I bought
I had to think a long time for this because usually my dad did all the buying...:) I believe it was ARR's Vande Mataram in 1997 that I bought with my pocket money. I bought it from New Music India (?!) in Adyar.
III. Other albums I bought...
These days there's no buying. I usually just burn songs from the net. But even that has become rare of late..:) I just let my friends do the hard work and copy CDs off them.
IV. Present Favorites
Here's my top 10 in no particular order:
1. Raa Raa (Chandramukhi)
- Binni has put in a lot into this song. Chandramukhi's yearning for her lover can be felt in her voice and the carnatic-filmi mix goes well. This song usually gets my pulse racing especially when she sings the closing lines of the charanam,
"Mila mila magasina, meruvula meriyaka raa raa raa raa..."
Awesome number!!
2. Chinna Chinna Sigarangal (Kana Kanden)
- A very husky number. Very well sung. The lyrics are a bit vulgar but nonetheless, a good rendition! I like it.
3. Konjam Konjam Enakkum Unnai..(Arindhum Ariyaamalum)
4. Kaadhal Yaanai (Anniyan, of course!)
- Again, a total dance number. Gets me each time I listen to it. I like the part "Ring master-in singam pol...". Waiting to watch it onscreen!
5. Stranger in Black (Anniyan)
- Again, a copy of the Lord of the Rings score. But nonetheless, quite good. As I listen to it, I can get the feel of a mysterious stranger..
6. Appan Panna Thappula (Thirupaachi)
- I know many screw up their faces if I say I like this song. But it is a fast number and I like Vijai's dance in this one...:)
7. Nee Endha Ooru (Thirupaachi)
-Again, a popular down-to-earth mass number!
8. Sathikadi..(Sukran)
A very racy number..I confess when Priya first told me that she liked this, I was kind of like, "Ewww!". But then, the "paal ice cup ice.." hum kind of catches on. The hero has done a worst-u job of dancing. It is one of those songs that doesn't have much to it as far as uniqueness goes but still becomes popular.
9. Seetukkattu raani pola (Mayavi)
I love this number especially the "Jo jo jothika" part!
10. Kaadhaal Valarthen (Manmathan)
I simply love Kay Kay's range and voice in this number.
V. I usually hum..
I confess this list is going to coincide a lot with Arun's. Suprising to find a lot of common songs.
Minnale Nee vandhadhenadi.....(May Maadham)
Nee partha parvaikku...(Hey Ram)
Thoda Thoda.. (Indira)
Azhage Sugama... (Parthale Paravasam)
Sangeetha Swarangal...(Azagan)
Rama Rama... (Sivamani. This is a Telugu movie. Short and sweet song.)
Inji Iduppazaga..(Thevar Magan)
Maraindhirundhe Parkum...(Thillana Mohanambal)
Aaha Inba Nilaavinile.. (Maya Bazaar)
Sowkkiyama Kanne...(Sangamam)
Ondra Renda...(Kakka Kaaka)
Ennai Yenna Seithai...(Ivan)
Aasai Aasai...(Dhool)
Kannil Kandhame Vendam...(Mounam pesiyadhe)
VI. My Fave dappankoothu songs:
- Aal thotta boopathy... (Youth)
- Malai Malai... (Chocolate)
- Tirunelveli Alva daa...(Sami)
- Inthadi Kappa kizhange...(Dhool)
- Inthunoondu Muthathile...(Dhool)
- Vaadi Vaadi...(Alli thantha vaanam)
- Theradi Veedhiyil..(Run)
- Sarakku Vechirukken...(Shahjahan)
VII. My Fave nakkal song:
Pombalainga Kaadhalai Dhaan...(Unnai Ninaithu)
VIII. Fave music directors
MSV, ARR
IX. Fave singers:
Malgudi Subha, Sunidhi Chauhan, Chitra, SPB (of course!), Kay Kay, Karthik, Kishore Kumar, Rafi, Adnan Sami.
I. Albums I own
There's really no end to this. I don't have all the albums I own with me here in the US. But back home, I have quite a collection.
Hindi
The earliest recollection I have of collecting music is of Hindi songs. I am a huge Rafi fan. So I have
-Rafi sings for Shammi Kapoor
I love his "Yeh Chaand sa Roshan Chehra" from Kashmir Ki Kali and "Tumse Accha Kaun Hai" and "Badan Pe Sitare"!
-Rafi in Blue moods
-Rafi's melodies
Also, I have a comprehensive Kishore Kumar, Talat Mehmood, Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt ('Babuji Dheere Chalna' is one of her best!), O.P.Nayyar collection.
English:
I have a considerable English songs collection too with all varieties like Guns n' Roses, U2, Aerosmith (this is a bit too much for me!), Eagles, Beatles, Elton John, Bryan Adams (my eternal fave). I don't enjoy very hard rock and Eminem sucks (no matter what anyone else says)!
Tamil:
Of course, the usual medley of Tamil songs is always there. The one thing I really cherish is a Tamil old songs Mp3 that I made recently. It has one of the best selection of old hits and listening to it on Sunday mornings is the most satisfying thing!
II. First album/cassette I bought
I had to think a long time for this because usually my dad did all the buying...:) I believe it was ARR's Vande Mataram in 1997 that I bought with my pocket money. I bought it from New Music India (?!) in Adyar.
III. Other albums I bought...
These days there's no buying. I usually just burn songs from the net. But even that has become rare of late..:) I just let my friends do the hard work and copy CDs off them.
IV. Present Favorites
Here's my top 10 in no particular order:
1. Raa Raa (Chandramukhi)
- Binni has put in a lot into this song. Chandramukhi's yearning for her lover can be felt in her voice and the carnatic-filmi mix goes well. This song usually gets my pulse racing especially when she sings the closing lines of the charanam,
"Mila mila magasina, meruvula meriyaka raa raa raa raa..."
Awesome number!!
2. Chinna Chinna Sigarangal (Kana Kanden)
- A very husky number. Very well sung. The lyrics are a bit vulgar but nonetheless, a good rendition! I like it.
3. Konjam Konjam Enakkum Unnai..(Arindhum Ariyaamalum)
4. Kaadhal Yaanai (Anniyan, of course!)
- Again, a total dance number. Gets me each time I listen to it. I like the part "Ring master-in singam pol...". Waiting to watch it onscreen!
5. Stranger in Black (Anniyan)
- Again, a copy of the Lord of the Rings score. But nonetheless, quite good. As I listen to it, I can get the feel of a mysterious stranger..
6. Appan Panna Thappula (Thirupaachi)
- I know many screw up their faces if I say I like this song. But it is a fast number and I like Vijai's dance in this one...:)
7. Nee Endha Ooru (Thirupaachi)
-Again, a popular down-to-earth mass number!
8. Sathikadi..(Sukran)
A very racy number..I confess when Priya first told me that she liked this, I was kind of like, "Ewww!". But then, the "paal ice cup ice.." hum kind of catches on. The hero has done a worst-u job of dancing. It is one of those songs that doesn't have much to it as far as uniqueness goes but still becomes popular.
9. Seetukkattu raani pola (Mayavi)
I love this number especially the "Jo jo jothika" part!
10. Kaadhaal Valarthen (Manmathan)
I simply love Kay Kay's range and voice in this number.
V. I usually hum..
I confess this list is going to coincide a lot with Arun's. Suprising to find a lot of common songs.
Minnale Nee vandhadhenadi.....(May Maadham)
Nee partha parvaikku...(Hey Ram)
Thoda Thoda.. (Indira)
Azhage Sugama... (Parthale Paravasam)
Sangeetha Swarangal...(Azagan)
Rama Rama... (Sivamani. This is a Telugu movie. Short and sweet song.)
Inji Iduppazaga..(Thevar Magan)
Maraindhirundhe Parkum...(Thillana Mohanambal)
Aaha Inba Nilaavinile.. (Maya Bazaar)
Sowkkiyama Kanne...(Sangamam)
Ondra Renda...(Kakka Kaaka)
Ennai Yenna Seithai...(Ivan)
Aasai Aasai...(Dhool)
Kannil Kandhame Vendam...(Mounam pesiyadhe)
VI. My Fave dappankoothu songs:
- Aal thotta boopathy... (Youth)
- Malai Malai... (Chocolate)
- Tirunelveli Alva daa...(Sami)
- Inthadi Kappa kizhange...(Dhool)
- Inthunoondu Muthathile...(Dhool)
- Vaadi Vaadi...(Alli thantha vaanam)
- Theradi Veedhiyil..(Run)
- Sarakku Vechirukken...(Shahjahan)
VII. My Fave nakkal song:
Pombalainga Kaadhalai Dhaan...(Unnai Ninaithu)
VIII. Fave music directors
MSV, ARR
IX. Fave singers:
Malgudi Subha, Sunidhi Chauhan, Chitra, SPB (of course!), Kay Kay, Karthik, Kishore Kumar, Rafi, Adnan Sami.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Worry
If there are no hands to wipe our tears of distress
If there is no comforting shoulder to provide us succour
If none is there to say "Hey, its okay!"
Is worrying even meaningful?
If there is no comforting shoulder to provide us succour
If none is there to say "Hey, its okay!"
Is worrying even meaningful?
Sunday, June 12, 2005
I am 'IT'!
Well, Venkitu sir has tagged me and I am 'IT' now!
Total books I own:
Around 250 back home in India. At present, around 40 in the US. Would like to transport my library here sometime.
Last book(s) I bought:
* The History of Civilization - Parts VIII and IX (Will and Ariel Durrant).
This epic series spans 10 volumes and covers the development of civilizations from pre-historic times to the present times. One of the most amazing historical accounts I've come across!
* A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
Simply a masterpiece!
* Ponniyin Selvan
Requires no review! :)
Last book I read:
Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer
Light reading. Victorian era romantic comedy.
Last Book I was Gifted:
1000 Places to see before you die
Book that made 0 sense to me:
Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie
It is no exaggeration to say that in 23 years of my life, this is one book out of which I understood zilch. Nothing against the author. It is just dumb 'ol me!
Books that mean a lot to me:
Ponniyin Selvan (Kalki), The Road Less Traveled (Scott M. Peck), Katradhum Petradhum (Sujatha), Theivathin Kural (Compilation of Paramacharya's talks), Lessons of Life (Ariel and Will Durrant), Calvin and Hobbes (Comics by Bill Watterson), The Color Purple (Alice Walker), The Kitchen God's Wife (Amy Tan), Freedom at Midnight (Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre)
Now, it is my turn to tag!
I tag:
Kamal
Ammani
Prabhu
Arun
Sujan
All those tagged, you've got to compile a similar list and keep the tag going around..:)
Total books I own:
Around 250 back home in India. At present, around 40 in the US. Would like to transport my library here sometime.
Last book(s) I bought:
* The History of Civilization - Parts VIII and IX (Will and Ariel Durrant).
This epic series spans 10 volumes and covers the development of civilizations from pre-historic times to the present times. One of the most amazing historical accounts I've come across!
* A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
Simply a masterpiece!
* Ponniyin Selvan
Requires no review! :)
Last book I read:
Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer
Light reading. Victorian era romantic comedy.
Last Book I was Gifted:
1000 Places to see before you die
Book that made 0 sense to me:
Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie
It is no exaggeration to say that in 23 years of my life, this is one book out of which I understood zilch. Nothing against the author. It is just dumb 'ol me!
Books that mean a lot to me:
Ponniyin Selvan (Kalki), The Road Less Traveled (Scott M. Peck), Katradhum Petradhum (Sujatha), Theivathin Kural (Compilation of Paramacharya's talks), Lessons of Life (Ariel and Will Durrant), Calvin and Hobbes (Comics by Bill Watterson), The Color Purple (Alice Walker), The Kitchen God's Wife (Amy Tan), Freedom at Midnight (Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre)
Now, it is my turn to tag!
I tag:
Kamal
Ammani
Prabhu
Arun
Sujan
All those tagged, you've got to compile a similar list and keep the tag going around..:)
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Miscellania..
Memorial Day Weekend
A weekend to remember. Met J and R after a period of 2 years. Drove to Dayton, picked J up and went to Edwardsville, Illinois to see R. Ate at an Indian restaurant (Punjabi cuisine) in Dayton. Food was thoroughly awesome! To someone who hates Tandoor these days, the food was a suprise to the palate. Drove all night (J did most of the driving) and arrived at 4.30 AM. We had a comedy of sorts trying to find R's house. We were in the vicinity and the roads didn't have any names. We vainly searched for a road named "Center Grove" which proved elusive. Finally, after two people sent us in the wrong direction we managed to find that road. After some confusions about a church (there were two of them), a basketball playground (which was totally invisible to us), a stop sign (stop signs are ubiquitous), R finally managed to get us home.
Trip highlights included visits to the St.Louis Arch, St.Louis Galleria, Priyaa South Indian Restaurant and J Lo's "Monster-in-law". But the evening walk along the Mississippi with two old friends chatting away (J was exasperated because I rarely stopped talking for a few minutes..:)) was my favorite! It was like fitting right into an old hat or an old shoe...:)
All in all, a memorable weekend.
*************************************
The hot Summer days leave me craving something cool during afternoons. Not being a big fan of soft drinks, I have taken to yogurts for solace. I've been trying new flavors this week. Yoplait's 'White chocolate with raspberry' and 'Chocolate with cherry' are really good. Of course, 'Orange Creme' always will be my fave. Breyer's Fruit Bottom yogurts are cool. It surprised me the first time when I suddenly scooped up some fruit along with yogurt. Yummy!
*************************************
Songs on my lips today:
1. "Ennai enna Seithai"
Movie: Ivan
Singer: Sudha Raghunathan
Raga: Simhendra Madhyamam
2. "I love you.." and "For all those times.."
Singer: Celine Dion
Album: These are good times
3. "Omkara nadhanu"
Movie: Sankarabharanam
*****************************************************
I was listening to the starting beats of "Ennai Thalaatta Varuvaala.." from "Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai". I was expecting Hariharan's voice to break out mellifluously when suddenly I heard Gangai Amaran! Didn't know that a version sung by G.A. existed. Anyway, I didn't like it much. Can imagine Vijai with Hariharan's voice but a big no-no to G.A!
The next song that played was "Vinodhamanavale". We always used this term to describe weirdos and here it was as a song! There's a line that goes "Tholaipesi seithai"?!!!
Making a phone?! I guess "phone seithai"="tholaipesi seithai" but the translation is ridiculous!
That's all, Folks! :)
A weekend to remember. Met J and R after a period of 2 years. Drove to Dayton, picked J up and went to Edwardsville, Illinois to see R. Ate at an Indian restaurant (Punjabi cuisine) in Dayton. Food was thoroughly awesome! To someone who hates Tandoor these days, the food was a suprise to the palate. Drove all night (J did most of the driving) and arrived at 4.30 AM. We had a comedy of sorts trying to find R's house. We were in the vicinity and the roads didn't have any names. We vainly searched for a road named "Center Grove" which proved elusive. Finally, after two people sent us in the wrong direction we managed to find that road. After some confusions about a church (there were two of them), a basketball playground (which was totally invisible to us), a stop sign (stop signs are ubiquitous), R finally managed to get us home.
Trip highlights included visits to the St.Louis Arch, St.Louis Galleria, Priyaa South Indian Restaurant and J Lo's "Monster-in-law". But the evening walk along the Mississippi with two old friends chatting away (J was exasperated because I rarely stopped talking for a few minutes..:)) was my favorite! It was like fitting right into an old hat or an old shoe...:)
All in all, a memorable weekend.
*************************************
The hot Summer days leave me craving something cool during afternoons. Not being a big fan of soft drinks, I have taken to yogurts for solace. I've been trying new flavors this week. Yoplait's 'White chocolate with raspberry' and 'Chocolate with cherry' are really good. Of course, 'Orange Creme' always will be my fave. Breyer's Fruit Bottom yogurts are cool. It surprised me the first time when I suddenly scooped up some fruit along with yogurt. Yummy!
*************************************
Songs on my lips today:
1. "Ennai enna Seithai"
Movie: Ivan
Singer: Sudha Raghunathan
Raga: Simhendra Madhyamam
2. "I love you.." and "For all those times.."
Singer: Celine Dion
Album: These are good times
3. "Omkara nadhanu"
Movie: Sankarabharanam
*****************************************************
I was listening to the starting beats of "Ennai Thalaatta Varuvaala.." from "Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai". I was expecting Hariharan's voice to break out mellifluously when suddenly I heard Gangai Amaran! Didn't know that a version sung by G.A. existed. Anyway, I didn't like it much. Can imagine Vijai with Hariharan's voice but a big no-no to G.A!
The next song that played was "Vinodhamanavale". We always used this term to describe weirdos and here it was as a song! There's a line that goes "Tholaipesi seithai"?!!!
Making a phone?! I guess "phone seithai"="tholaipesi seithai" but the translation is ridiculous!
That's all, Folks! :)
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Cinderella Man!
Who doesn't love a fairy-tale? Almost everyone does (at least, girls do. Prince Charming and the Happily Ever After are more appealing to us, I guess..:)). And who doesn't love underdogs? And throw into this mix two terrific actors, a superb cameraman, a talented director, a story of heroism and love and you have a hit!
My roomie and I happened to watch this movie yesterday evening. I became so ga-ga over it, I just had to blog about it.
The highlights of the movie (I loved these):
* The exchanges between Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti (his manager). Giamatti is thoroughly convincing and impressive.
* Killer camera. The fight scenes, I think, have been shot with multiple hand held cameras. Every blow delivered feels like it is delivered on one's face. I found myself flinching reflexively during the boxing scenes.
* Russell Crowe. This is another of Crowe's best performances. Looking more chiseled and gaunt than previous movies, he slides into the part of the gentle giant, James J. Braddock. I still can't get over the dignified yet emotion-filled dialogue delivery when he goes begging and says,
"My kids have been farmed out and I've no electricity at home. I'd be grateful if you could help me out now."
* The champion Max Baer. Whoever the actor is, he sure has done a terrific job. At one point, I just wanted to punch his face! Now, that's acting!
* Braddock's cutie pie daughter, Rosy! The kid is just too adorable.
All in all, a must-see, feel-good flick. I think people always fall in love with characters like James J. Braddock: strong yet kind; down on hard times yet dignified and honest; thoughtful, helpful and loving. Finally, modest and unassuming despite fame and success. Watch out, guys, this is the Prince Charming that women fall for...:)
Read The New York Times review here.
My roomie and I happened to watch this movie yesterday evening. I became so ga-ga over it, I just had to blog about it.
The highlights of the movie (I loved these):
* The exchanges between Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti (his manager). Giamatti is thoroughly convincing and impressive.
* Killer camera. The fight scenes, I think, have been shot with multiple hand held cameras. Every blow delivered feels like it is delivered on one's face. I found myself flinching reflexively during the boxing scenes.
* Russell Crowe. This is another of Crowe's best performances. Looking more chiseled and gaunt than previous movies, he slides into the part of the gentle giant, James J. Braddock. I still can't get over the dignified yet emotion-filled dialogue delivery when he goes begging and says,
"My kids have been farmed out and I've no electricity at home. I'd be grateful if you could help me out now."
* The champion Max Baer. Whoever the actor is, he sure has done a terrific job. At one point, I just wanted to punch his face! Now, that's acting!
* Braddock's cutie pie daughter, Rosy! The kid is just too adorable.
All in all, a must-see, feel-good flick. I think people always fall in love with characters like James J. Braddock: strong yet kind; down on hard times yet dignified and honest; thoughtful, helpful and loving. Finally, modest and unassuming despite fame and success. Watch out, guys, this is the Prince Charming that women fall for...:)
Read The New York Times review here.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Variations of Disconnect - The Philosopher Speaks
I am doing a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of the interior of the Church of Notre Dame. I am almost through with just the roof to be finished.
Life's a jigsaw too. All the different people and events are the different pieces.
The other day, I was looking for one piece that would fit in with one of the pillars just beside the pews. I was searching for a piece with a particular pattern that was present in the pillars.
The people we know and events past are the completed parts of the puzzle. We always look to solve new problems by precedents and pattern matching. If a new person walks into our life, we always compare him/her with our existing group of friends and wonder if he/she is of the same "type" and will "fit" in...
It was driving me crazy that none of the pieces I could find would fit in! I went to other parts of the puzzle but kept returning to this one piece.
We keep searching for the one friend who will always be in sync with us, our thoughts, our activities....
After a couple of days, I was just contemplating my puzzle over coffee and fiddling around with pieces randomly fitting them in different places. And voila! A piece magically fit into the pillar that I was struggling to complete!
Someone, once in a while, stops by and without any provocation or reason, brightens our life at just the right time: an acquaintance you thought you were not close to, a mentor, an advisor, a neighbour, a friend... I would like to call it serendipity...a random kind act of the universe!
The funny thing is that I had come across this piece when I was looking for the piece but ignored it because I thought it didn't fit into the pattern.
I wonder how many opportunities/interesting people I ended up missing because of this weird quality by which we always look for extensions of existing (sometimes stale, unhealthy!) patterns in each and every new experience/person.
It fit beautifully into the puzzle and I wondered how I could've been so blind! One particular pattern was so strongly embedded in my mind that I ignored what was, even if a bit different, staring me in the face!
Yet, if I just alter my vantage point a wee bit and look at people/events with a fresh outlook, I will see that they fit into the jigsaw of our life in a beautiful way in ways I didn't even expect and complete my life perfectly!
I know it seems like too much to draw generalizations about life from a jigsaw but then this is the Philosopher from my Senate who is shouting at the top of his voice compelling me to hear him...:)
Here are pics of what my jigsaw looks like now. Isn't it pretty? :)
And here's what the finished version should look like:
Life's a jigsaw too. All the different people and events are the different pieces.
The other day, I was looking for one piece that would fit in with one of the pillars just beside the pews. I was searching for a piece with a particular pattern that was present in the pillars.
The people we know and events past are the completed parts of the puzzle. We always look to solve new problems by precedents and pattern matching. If a new person walks into our life, we always compare him/her with our existing group of friends and wonder if he/she is of the same "type" and will "fit" in...
It was driving me crazy that none of the pieces I could find would fit in! I went to other parts of the puzzle but kept returning to this one piece.
We keep searching for the one friend who will always be in sync with us, our thoughts, our activities....
After a couple of days, I was just contemplating my puzzle over coffee and fiddling around with pieces randomly fitting them in different places. And voila! A piece magically fit into the pillar that I was struggling to complete!
Someone, once in a while, stops by and without any provocation or reason, brightens our life at just the right time: an acquaintance you thought you were not close to, a mentor, an advisor, a neighbour, a friend... I would like to call it serendipity...a random kind act of the universe!
The funny thing is that I had come across this piece when I was looking for the piece but ignored it because I thought it didn't fit into the pattern.
I wonder how many opportunities/interesting people I ended up missing because of this weird quality by which we always look for extensions of existing (sometimes stale, unhealthy!) patterns in each and every new experience/person.
It fit beautifully into the puzzle and I wondered how I could've been so blind! One particular pattern was so strongly embedded in my mind that I ignored what was, even if a bit different, staring me in the face!
Yet, if I just alter my vantage point a wee bit and look at people/events with a fresh outlook, I will see that they fit into the jigsaw of our life in a beautiful way in ways I didn't even expect and complete my life perfectly!
I know it seems like too much to draw generalizations about life from a jigsaw but then this is the Philosopher from my Senate who is shouting at the top of his voice compelling me to hear him...:)
Here are pics of what my jigsaw looks like now. Isn't it pretty? :)
And here's what the finished version should look like:
Monday, May 23, 2005
Variations of Disconnect- The Senate
The Senate is at full strength on some days. A timid voice raises a topic
tentatively. A strident, booming voice drowns it out mid-sentence with an
irrelevant observation. A scornful voice dripping with sarcasm interjects a
comment and quells any further discussion on that topic. A harmonious, soothing tone sprays a cool jet of water onto heated emotions. And on and on it goes...Yes, my mind sometimes feels like a Senate with a number of voices and tones voicing different opinions, sometimes relevant; sometimes totally off-topic and irrelevant but interesting nonetheless. I can't discern physical forms for the owners of these voices. All I can identify them is by their tone and style of talk. At times discordant, at times soothing, there is always a constant buzz of conversation in all our minds. Perhaps we don't notice it all the time but when you consciously still your awareness, you realize the omnipresent low-pitched hum. Many times, I have noticed that these observations are variations of disconnect from the task that my conscious(?!) mind is working on. I decided to write about these random, nonsensical observations that pop up in my head.
I was talking to someone I totally respect and like. X said,
"....As an aside,I felt that Y is REALLY good at what he does. But coming
back to the matter at hand,..." and so went the conversation. All day long, I could sense something in the back of my mind, nagging me but my mind was way too busy and I couldn't place my finger on it. Hours later,in the calmness of the evening, I
heard that same timid but persistent voice point out to me that all day long, I'd been thinking that someday, sometime, at least once, I want to be the person on the other end when X says "Good Job!" :)
tentatively. A strident, booming voice drowns it out mid-sentence with an
irrelevant observation. A scornful voice dripping with sarcasm interjects a
comment and quells any further discussion on that topic. A harmonious, soothing tone sprays a cool jet of water onto heated emotions. And on and on it goes...Yes, my mind sometimes feels like a Senate with a number of voices and tones voicing different opinions, sometimes relevant; sometimes totally off-topic and irrelevant but interesting nonetheless. I can't discern physical forms for the owners of these voices. All I can identify them is by their tone and style of talk. At times discordant, at times soothing, there is always a constant buzz of conversation in all our minds. Perhaps we don't notice it all the time but when you consciously still your awareness, you realize the omnipresent low-pitched hum. Many times, I have noticed that these observations are variations of disconnect from the task that my conscious(?!) mind is working on. I decided to write about these random, nonsensical observations that pop up in my head.
I was talking to someone I totally respect and like. X said,
"....As an aside,I felt that Y is REALLY good at what he does. But coming
back to the matter at hand,..." and so went the conversation. All day long, I could sense something in the back of my mind, nagging me but my mind was way too busy and I couldn't place my finger on it. Hours later,in the calmness of the evening, I
heard that same timid but persistent voice point out to me that all day long, I'd been thinking that someday, sometime, at least once, I want to be the person on the other end when X says "Good Job!" :)
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
The Fate of India's National Animal
India Today has a report on "The Missing Tigers" of India's wildlife sanctuaries. Illegal Poaching has depleted Sariska (200 Km off Delhi), India's premier tiger reserve, of its most famous denizen. The tigers have been hunted down (of course, with the help of the local Forestry department and associated government officials. It would be naive to expect otherwise!) for their skins and there are almost no tigers in this reserve now.
There is something nauseating and gruesome about the cold-blooded killing a magnificent beast for the aesthetic value of its skin. The poachers set an iron and steel trap. The tiger unfortunate enough to get caught in it suffers for hours in agony. Then the poacher comes and shoots the tiger through its heart, spills its guts, scrapes the flesh off its skin and bones and takes home his prize. What was once a living, breathing animal is now worth Rs. 8.6 lakhs....
Reminded of Kannadasan's lyrics,
"Paayum puliyin kodumaiyai iraivan paarvaiyil Vaithane..
Indha paazhum manithan kodumaiyai idhaya porvaiyil maraithane.."
There is something nauseating and gruesome about the cold-blooded killing a magnificent beast for the aesthetic value of its skin. The poachers set an iron and steel trap. The tiger unfortunate enough to get caught in it suffers for hours in agony. Then the poacher comes and shoots the tiger through its heart, spills its guts, scrapes the flesh off its skin and bones and takes home his prize. What was once a living, breathing animal is now worth Rs. 8.6 lakhs....
Reminded of Kannadasan's lyrics,
"Paayum puliyin kodumaiyai iraivan paarvaiyil Vaithane..
Indha paazhum manithan kodumaiyai idhaya porvaiyil maraithane.."
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Intimations of Immortality
Whenever I am frazzled, bored, stressed or in need of plain inspiration, I turn to the Romantics ( Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Byron et al). In their words and verses, I derive a deep comfort. Although separated by centuries, those poems reverberate through the corridors of time and strike a chord with me each and every time I read them...
I am re-reading
Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth for the millionth time.
There are some lines that are always more attractive and memorable than others in any work of literature. But I am unable to single out such parts in this poem because I love the whole too much! A feeling of unparalleled tranquility and peace is what these verses bequeath to me time and again.
To some, poems are a schoolgirl's chore: to be memorized by rote before exams and reproduced on the exam paper for paltry marks. To me, they've been more than that. In moments of despair, in moments of loneliness, in moments seeking wisdom, in moments of joy, in moments of sheer appreciation, I hear the words whispering across centuries to posterity and I see intimations of immortality....
I am re-reading
Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth for the millionth time.
There are some lines that are always more attractive and memorable than others in any work of literature. But I am unable to single out such parts in this poem because I love the whole too much! A feeling of unparalleled tranquility and peace is what these verses bequeath to me time and again.
To some, poems are a schoolgirl's chore: to be memorized by rote before exams and reproduced on the exam paper for paltry marks. To me, they've been more than that. In moments of despair, in moments of loneliness, in moments seeking wisdom, in moments of joy, in moments of sheer appreciation, I hear the words whispering across centuries to posterity and I see intimations of immortality....
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Gaps-1
A warm hearth. Cozy Comforts. Caring friends. Loving parents. Mirthful entertainment. Known settings. Familiar faces. Well-worn laugh lines. Predictable events. Recognizable patterns. A charmed life. Flash of white lightning. A dark knight on a stormy horizon. Fascinating. Mysterious. A novelty. Temptation of the unknown. A world of choices.
Desire is born.
Desire is born.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Life's Little Pleasures
This weekend, I set out to do exactly what I wanted to which is: DO NOTHING. There is a strange pleasure in being totally lazy for an entire day. At the end of the day, you feel bored and want to get into things again. There's no better way than that to start a week! Well, for me, doing nothing translates into random reading online and on paper.
This weekend has just been a jumble of miscellania that pleases me.I enjoy my morning coffee with Hindu's Sunday Magazine. V.Gangadhar's "Slice of Life" was one of my absolute favourites. I don't think he writes these days or perhaps it is not there online. The Hindu used to publish a monthly magazine called Folio before. A collection of essays on a particular theme, I have spent many interesting hours reading them.
One of my friends had forwarded me a really interesting article on blogging. I was random browsing the net and chanced across the writer's blog. Another find is Kiruba. Another enjoyable journo blog from Chennai: Ramya Kannan.
PB suggested reading "Katradhum Petradhum" by Sujatha in the current issue of Ananda Vikatan. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
And I have a pile of comics: Tintin, Asterix and Obelix, Calvin and Hobbes that I hoarded from the library this week! Amusing as it may sound, yes, I am crazy about comics. They provide a different kind of relaxation, a flight of fancy into a world of comical possibilities.
So, on a lazy, sunny, glorious Sunday morning, I am getting ready to dig into "Tintin and the Cigars of the Pharaoh" and later "Hero's Walk" by Anita Rau Badami. Life is beautiful...:)
This weekend has just been a jumble of miscellania that pleases me.I enjoy my morning coffee with Hindu's Sunday Magazine. V.Gangadhar's "Slice of Life" was one of my absolute favourites. I don't think he writes these days or perhaps it is not there online. The Hindu used to publish a monthly magazine called Folio before. A collection of essays on a particular theme, I have spent many interesting hours reading them.
One of my friends had forwarded me a really interesting article on blogging. I was random browsing the net and chanced across the writer's blog. Another find is Kiruba. Another enjoyable journo blog from Chennai: Ramya Kannan.
PB suggested reading "Katradhum Petradhum" by Sujatha in the current issue of Ananda Vikatan. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
And I have a pile of comics: Tintin, Asterix and Obelix, Calvin and Hobbes that I hoarded from the library this week! Amusing as it may sound, yes, I am crazy about comics. They provide a different kind of relaxation, a flight of fancy into a world of comical possibilities.
So, on a lazy, sunny, glorious Sunday morning, I am getting ready to dig into "Tintin and the Cigars of the Pharaoh" and later "Hero's Walk" by Anita Rau Badami. Life is beautiful...:)
Monday, April 25, 2005
The Art of Creation
The foamy surf laps gently on the shores of Mahabalipuram. I visited there when I was a little girl just as so many tourists visit there. The rock sculptures were beautiful and expressive but that was all they were to me. Beautiful sculptures cut in rock by the sea side. Till I read Sivagamiyin Sabatham by Kalki. A story of romance, art, valor all woven together like strands in a beautiful cloth, it captured my imagination like few other things have. In that immortal classic, Sivagami is a dancer non pareil and Narasimha, the heir to a powerful throne. Narasimha Pallava invades Vathapi, capital of the Chalukyas, and razes it to the ground primarily for the sake of love for Sivagami and her unequalled prowess in dance. I thought it pretty silly at that time. I’ve changed my mind since then about love and art.
Art seems to have a mysterious, irrational and irresistible sway over people. The striking chords of a song, an energetic dance executed gracefully, a life-like painting all have a way of arresting one’s attention and transforming moods like nothing else can.
5000 BC. Cave men returning from a day of perils and sheer terror draw stick figures on the walls of a cave depicting the day’s events. Time passes by. The rudiments of an agrarian, river-based civilization begin to appear. The ancients slave under the hot sun and fight nature’s vagaries in the sheer will to survive. Yet, they find the time to paint pots with bright colors depicting scenes from daily life and expressing their feelings. Time continues its unrelenting march. And today, we find an explosion of art forms, a variety of ways to express our innermost thoughts and feelings.
It is not very remarkable that today, we devote more time to music, art or literature. We have the leisure, the assurance of a long life and the technology to aid us. But in the Darwinian struggle for existence, what relevance did painting a pot or carving stones have to daily survival? Of what use was decorating cave walls with bright colors when your very life is in question everyday? Yet humans have from time unknown devoted time to such things. Perhaps the human eye innately craves symmetry, balance and aesthetic sense? I don’t know.
I happened to watch Chandramukhi on Saturday. In the movie, there’s a painting of Chandramukhi. I am no art connoisseur or judge of great art, but that painting attracted me irresistibly. There was a glow to the face, a grace to the mudra struck, a speaking quality to the eyes that imprinted itself on my mind. As I write this post, I can still see the painting in my mind’s eye. That day, I found myself wishing that I had learnt to dance!
The foamy surf laps gently on the shores of Mahabalipuram. I visited them again on a moonlit night after a gap of many years and this time, I had a strange appreciation for the Pallava’s art and Sivagami’s dance. I do not know if Sivagami’s father was indeed a sculptor or if he modeled those incomparable statuettes on his daughter or if Narasimha Pallava did indeed love Sivagami or even if Sivagami was real or not. But I do know this: that night as I roamed around the beach amongst the rock-cut sculptures, I felt that they were talking to me, telling me stories of the days when Narasimha Pallava enjoyed Sivagami’s timeless dance; of their creators; of romances and tragedies; of mortal desires and immortal creations. How many people who go there know of the history that lies behind them?
I am still mesmerized when I think of that day. The Pallavas are long gone and so is their kingdom but art lives on.
“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away. “
I think I understand why Narasimha Pallava reduced Vathapi to cinders.
Art seems to have a mysterious, irrational and irresistible sway over people. The striking chords of a song, an energetic dance executed gracefully, a life-like painting all have a way of arresting one’s attention and transforming moods like nothing else can.
5000 BC. Cave men returning from a day of perils and sheer terror draw stick figures on the walls of a cave depicting the day’s events. Time passes by. The rudiments of an agrarian, river-based civilization begin to appear. The ancients slave under the hot sun and fight nature’s vagaries in the sheer will to survive. Yet, they find the time to paint pots with bright colors depicting scenes from daily life and expressing their feelings. Time continues its unrelenting march. And today, we find an explosion of art forms, a variety of ways to express our innermost thoughts and feelings.
It is not very remarkable that today, we devote more time to music, art or literature. We have the leisure, the assurance of a long life and the technology to aid us. But in the Darwinian struggle for existence, what relevance did painting a pot or carving stones have to daily survival? Of what use was decorating cave walls with bright colors when your very life is in question everyday? Yet humans have from time unknown devoted time to such things. Perhaps the human eye innately craves symmetry, balance and aesthetic sense? I don’t know.
I happened to watch Chandramukhi on Saturday. In the movie, there’s a painting of Chandramukhi. I am no art connoisseur or judge of great art, but that painting attracted me irresistibly. There was a glow to the face, a grace to the mudra struck, a speaking quality to the eyes that imprinted itself on my mind. As I write this post, I can still see the painting in my mind’s eye. That day, I found myself wishing that I had learnt to dance!
The foamy surf laps gently on the shores of Mahabalipuram. I visited them again on a moonlit night after a gap of many years and this time, I had a strange appreciation for the Pallava’s art and Sivagami’s dance. I do not know if Sivagami’s father was indeed a sculptor or if he modeled those incomparable statuettes on his daughter or if Narasimha Pallava did indeed love Sivagami or even if Sivagami was real or not. But I do know this: that night as I roamed around the beach amongst the rock-cut sculptures, I felt that they were talking to me, telling me stories of the days when Narasimha Pallava enjoyed Sivagami’s timeless dance; of their creators; of romances and tragedies; of mortal desires and immortal creations. How many people who go there know of the history that lies behind them?
I am still mesmerized when I think of that day. The Pallavas are long gone and so is their kingdom but art lives on.
“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away. “
I think I understand why Narasimha Pallava reduced Vathapi to cinders.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Laughter
Of late, I have this uncomfortable feeling that I haven't laughed in quite a while. By laughing, I don't mean the stingy smile that is forced to one's lips when demanded by social etiquette or the quiet chuckle one has when listening to a fond friend recounting youthful misdemeanours or the subdued laughter when amongst people you don't know that well and are afraid of seeming too forward. I mean the kind of racuous, rib-tickling, stomach-cramp-causing, hearty laughter that bubbles up from the wells of one's soul and clears the mind of all heaviness!
Having stomach cramps from laughing is one of my most desired sensations these days. Seems to me like I used to laugh a lot before. I used to be looked at with dread by the pranksters in my class because off I'd go gurgling and bubbling with laughter at the slightest sign of mischief. And tears used to well up in my eyes from the sheer physical effort. There are people for every occassion but the ones that can pep me up in a moment and turn what promises to be a bleary, gray day into a shining, bright one are those that can make me smile and laugh. Raghavan is one such person amongst my close friends. His carefree, witty and sharp comments always used to bring a twinkle in my eyes and a smile on my face! Of course there are others and some might not be too happy with me thursting a comedian's role on them...So I won't mention their names here (People concerned, I hope you know!):) :)
I miss those days. Hope I hear or see something soon enough to burst into carefree laughter soon enough!
Having stomach cramps from laughing is one of my most desired sensations these days. Seems to me like I used to laugh a lot before. I used to be looked at with dread by the pranksters in my class because off I'd go gurgling and bubbling with laughter at the slightest sign of mischief. And tears used to well up in my eyes from the sheer physical effort. There are people for every occassion but the ones that can pep me up in a moment and turn what promises to be a bleary, gray day into a shining, bright one are those that can make me smile and laugh. Raghavan is one such person amongst my close friends. His carefree, witty and sharp comments always used to bring a twinkle in my eyes and a smile on my face! Of course there are others and some might not be too happy with me thursting a comedian's role on them...So I won't mention their names here (People concerned, I hope you know!):) :)
I miss those days. Hope I hear or see something soon enough to burst into carefree laughter soon enough!
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
A Swing Down Memory Lane...
Movies are a walk down memory lane for me these days. As conversation turns to a movie, I remember the time when I watched it, the people I watched it with, feelings associated with it,the fun we had after it. So many friendships and associations were formed at movies during undergrad years; So many funny and outrageous incidents that in retrospect, none of us would ever dare do again or can even imagine that we did during those years; Memories of the cheerful camaraderie that existed between us all come back to me as I listen to the strains of some song or scraps of a dialogue. I guess I watched countless movies during undergrad years with my friends but some are always more memorable than others:
Alaipayuthe-
First Year of college. We were all newbies and stressed out with Model exams. Semester exams were just a week away. It was a hot May afternoon and the unforgiving South Indian sun was scorching the dry lands of Trichy. S suggested that we go for a movie bunking class that afternoon. I was rather loathe to watch a movie with two newcomers and that too the second show on the first day. But I was dragged against my wishes and soon we were a gang of some 15 guys and girls. We went to the theatre and there was this huge mad rush of people waiting for tickets. I gave up and told everyone that we all better head home. S was more resourceful. She managed to get us tickets (Don't ask me how because that is another big story!) and we got in. And man what a movie it turned out to be! V and D were talking nonsense during the climax and when Maddy was crying over Shalini in the hospital bed, these two started giggling about something else..The entire theatre roared in disapproval of their giggling during the serious scene and what a roar it was...:)
By the time we left the theatre, our heads were replete with movie dialogues and scenes. For the next 3 or 4 months, it was all "ava enna parthu sirichittaaa....." and "un logic sagikkalai" in the corridors...:) That was the first time that our friends, as a gang, watched the movie and it was unforgettable.
Minnale-
Another Saturday afternoon. We were heading home when some friends invited us for this movie. I got very enthusiastic and we went to the theatre. But then, after having built up too many expectations, some of the guys came back and told us, girls, that the environment was not exactly conducive to girls inside the theatre and asked us to go home. We said we'd all go home and watch it together later. V and other guys refused because they wanted to see it on the first day itself. Can't remember when I was more angry. Got into an argument with V and the poor guy got an earful from me...:)As an apology, he gave me a treat at Banana Leaf later. I was so angry that I swore I'd never watch this movie and I didn't till a couple of months ago...:)
Deena-
Movie was okay. Some 5 or 6 of us watched it together. But the songs became a hit. K sang "Sollaamal Thottu Sellum Thendral.." at our college day function. One of the other performers didn't turn up and we had a mini-crisis on our hands. We had to somehow fill some 5 minutes without losing the audience. B went on stage and started an impromptu talk to engage the audience. Suddenly he called out my name and told the crowd that we were going to sing "Nee Illai endral" from Deena. I panicked and B was sweating but we managed to sing the song without missing a beat ( I still can't help but wonder how the hell we managed without lyrics, without practice, without any kind of co-ordination..!)and it was an instant hit! (Of course, we got a LOT of help from the crowd..they roared in response to a line in the second stanza of the song and we couldn't help but relax after that..!).
Invisible Man-
Super movie. Romba nenappoda ponen. Ulla poi ukkandha, title pops up on the screen with DTS sound effect: "Maaya Manithan". It was such a shocker that if someone had seen our faces at that moment, it would've been ridiculous. And the dialogues were so out of place and contrived that I got stomach cramps from laughing! You'd think I had learnt my lesson, but unfortunately not; after that, it was "Alaikadal Arakkan" (Godzilla Vs..something).
Run-
Again first day first show. Got dragged out of bed by R and S and I was made to sit in front of the theatre at 8.30 AM! But some others were late and I had to wait outside the theatre with tickets after the movie had started. The "Vaada Machaan.." song had started off and everyone was dancing in the aisles. To top it all, S and I were the only girls in the entire theatre and we had seats in the front of the theatre. The standing ovation we got for 5 minutes as S and I walked to our seats is still etched in memory today...:)
Dhool-
Watched it pretty late. The movie was enjoyable but there was no pep in the audience as the college crowd had long finished watching the movie. So it was just middle aged people in the theatre when we saw it. The audience was quiet till Paravai Muniamma started "Madurai Veeran dhaane..." and to our surprise, the audience burst into enthusiastic applause and dance! Didn't realize that the song carried such an earthiness to it till that moment!
Samy-
Again an unforgettable experience. I am a thayirsaadham and maavadu fan and that used to be my staple lunch on hot summer days. After that movie, I was the butt of jokes for the next 2 to 3 months (In the movie, Trisha romances Vikram over a box full of thayirsaadham and maavadu).
Kaaka Kaaka-
The movie was one of the best I've watched. The ending was heart wrenching for us all because Surya loses the love of his life. But just as Anbuchelvan's love life came to a gut wrenching halt, so did our college life. Yup, it was the last movie I watched with all my friends before I came to the US. After the movie, I still remember, we all walked back silently to our vehicles and without a word went home. I guess the movie made us think of loss and pain in a way we hadn't expected.
Since this is turning out to be a really long post, I am going to stop here. There are more movies and more incidents than I can fit in one post....:)
Alaipayuthe-
First Year of college. We were all newbies and stressed out with Model exams. Semester exams were just a week away. It was a hot May afternoon and the unforgiving South Indian sun was scorching the dry lands of Trichy. S suggested that we go for a movie bunking class that afternoon. I was rather loathe to watch a movie with two newcomers and that too the second show on the first day. But I was dragged against my wishes and soon we were a gang of some 15 guys and girls. We went to the theatre and there was this huge mad rush of people waiting for tickets. I gave up and told everyone that we all better head home. S was more resourceful. She managed to get us tickets (Don't ask me how because that is another big story!) and we got in. And man what a movie it turned out to be! V and D were talking nonsense during the climax and when Maddy was crying over Shalini in the hospital bed, these two started giggling about something else..The entire theatre roared in disapproval of their giggling during the serious scene and what a roar it was...:)
By the time we left the theatre, our heads were replete with movie dialogues and scenes. For the next 3 or 4 months, it was all "ava enna parthu sirichittaaa....." and "un logic sagikkalai" in the corridors...:) That was the first time that our friends, as a gang, watched the movie and it was unforgettable.
Minnale-
Another Saturday afternoon. We were heading home when some friends invited us for this movie. I got very enthusiastic and we went to the theatre. But then, after having built up too many expectations, some of the guys came back and told us, girls, that the environment was not exactly conducive to girls inside the theatre and asked us to go home. We said we'd all go home and watch it together later. V and other guys refused because they wanted to see it on the first day itself. Can't remember when I was more angry. Got into an argument with V and the poor guy got an earful from me...:)As an apology, he gave me a treat at Banana Leaf later. I was so angry that I swore I'd never watch this movie and I didn't till a couple of months ago...:)
Deena-
Movie was okay. Some 5 or 6 of us watched it together. But the songs became a hit. K sang "Sollaamal Thottu Sellum Thendral.." at our college day function. One of the other performers didn't turn up and we had a mini-crisis on our hands. We had to somehow fill some 5 minutes without losing the audience. B went on stage and started an impromptu talk to engage the audience. Suddenly he called out my name and told the crowd that we were going to sing "Nee Illai endral" from Deena. I panicked and B was sweating but we managed to sing the song without missing a beat ( I still can't help but wonder how the hell we managed without lyrics, without practice, without any kind of co-ordination..!)and it was an instant hit! (Of course, we got a LOT of help from the crowd..they roared in response to a line in the second stanza of the song and we couldn't help but relax after that..!).
Invisible Man-
Super movie. Romba nenappoda ponen. Ulla poi ukkandha, title pops up on the screen with DTS sound effect: "Maaya Manithan". It was such a shocker that if someone had seen our faces at that moment, it would've been ridiculous. And the dialogues were so out of place and contrived that I got stomach cramps from laughing! You'd think I had learnt my lesson, but unfortunately not; after that, it was "Alaikadal Arakkan" (Godzilla Vs..something).
Run-
Again first day first show. Got dragged out of bed by R and S and I was made to sit in front of the theatre at 8.30 AM! But some others were late and I had to wait outside the theatre with tickets after the movie had started. The "Vaada Machaan.." song had started off and everyone was dancing in the aisles. To top it all, S and I were the only girls in the entire theatre and we had seats in the front of the theatre. The standing ovation we got for 5 minutes as S and I walked to our seats is still etched in memory today...:)
Dhool-
Watched it pretty late. The movie was enjoyable but there was no pep in the audience as the college crowd had long finished watching the movie. So it was just middle aged people in the theatre when we saw it. The audience was quiet till Paravai Muniamma started "Madurai Veeran dhaane..." and to our surprise, the audience burst into enthusiastic applause and dance! Didn't realize that the song carried such an earthiness to it till that moment!
Samy-
Again an unforgettable experience. I am a thayirsaadham and maavadu fan and that used to be my staple lunch on hot summer days. After that movie, I was the butt of jokes for the next 2 to 3 months (In the movie, Trisha romances Vikram over a box full of thayirsaadham and maavadu).
Kaaka Kaaka-
The movie was one of the best I've watched. The ending was heart wrenching for us all because Surya loses the love of his life. But just as Anbuchelvan's love life came to a gut wrenching halt, so did our college life. Yup, it was the last movie I watched with all my friends before I came to the US. After the movie, I still remember, we all walked back silently to our vehicles and without a word went home. I guess the movie made us think of loss and pain in a way we hadn't expected.
Since this is turning out to be a really long post, I am going to stop here. There are more movies and more incidents than I can fit in one post....:)
Senthamizh Nadennum...
I was driving back home for lunch this afternoon. It is a glorious day here at Lexington with azure blue skies and trees and flowers in full bloom! Anyways, I was listening to Maharajapuram Santhanam's rendition of "Senthamizh Nadennum.." in Mohana Kalyani. The hot, sunny weather reminding me of days spent in Srirangam coupled with Bharathiyar's timeless words, the mellifluous raaga and Maharajapuram's voice transported me to another world for some five minutes! When I got out of the car, I had an indescribable tranquil feeling. I was moved enough to devote one post to it..:)
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
The gift of peace...
I had a Distributed Computing course in my final year. Unfortunately, I had an extremely boring teacher. He was a nice man, of course but just that he rambled on with his sentences so much that I lost track of the beginning of the sentence by the time he was done with it (Kind of like the way you may feel about this last sentence..). Many used to listen to him because he used to get all upset and start lecturing about life which was even worse than him lecturing about Distributed Computing. Anyways, I never did listen to him. As punishment (that too in the final year!), he sent me to the last bench aka "Maaplai bench" (I don't know what his logic was. Perhaps he thought I'd be so ashamed of sitting in the "maaplai bench"?! I sure wasn't because I had a lot more fun there). Which was just fine and dandy with me because it was more conducive to sleeping. He stopped short of sending me out of the class because I think he knew I would gladly trade the canteen for one of his afternoon classes.
Anyways, the point of writing this is that this guy really got me started on something. I had a book called Mental Fitness. In that, there was a chapter on making things interesting. So when I was bored, I used to put myself in his shoes and look at the class. It woke me up and man, was it interesting!! I tried looking at the class through the eyes of a person who didn't know the language, the eyes of a 4-year old etc...and it was very good mental exercise!!
I guess when you put yourself in another person's shoes, it is REALLY hard to get mad at that person or judge them or be obnoxious. Sometimes it annoys me that people judge so quickly without ever thinking that perhaps the person in front of them is more complex than can be fathomed in a short span of time. A silly joke, a small mistake and wham! There goes your reputation forever. And the worst thing about some is that they can remember such stuff forever.
For good or for worse, I can't hold grudges against anyone for more than 24 hours! I just tend to forgive and forget. And I can't remember all the silly things that people do because I guess I do them too. And finally, it is impossible for me to be angry with anyone for a long time because I put myself in their shoes and it feels like what they did was right at that point of time. There evaporates my irritation. Sometimes, I wish I could just hold it right there just to teach the other person a lesson. But maybe it is just a god-given gift that I don't carry all this unwanted baggage in life's journey. When I go to bed at night, I have the gift of peace and dreamless slumber.
Anyways, the point of writing this is that this guy really got me started on something. I had a book called Mental Fitness. In that, there was a chapter on making things interesting. So when I was bored, I used to put myself in his shoes and look at the class. It woke me up and man, was it interesting!! I tried looking at the class through the eyes of a person who didn't know the language, the eyes of a 4-year old etc...and it was very good mental exercise!!
I guess when you put yourself in another person's shoes, it is REALLY hard to get mad at that person or judge them or be obnoxious. Sometimes it annoys me that people judge so quickly without ever thinking that perhaps the person in front of them is more complex than can be fathomed in a short span of time. A silly joke, a small mistake and wham! There goes your reputation forever. And the worst thing about some is that they can remember such stuff forever.
For good or for worse, I can't hold grudges against anyone for more than 24 hours! I just tend to forgive and forget. And I can't remember all the silly things that people do because I guess I do them too. And finally, it is impossible for me to be angry with anyone for a long time because I put myself in their shoes and it feels like what they did was right at that point of time. There evaporates my irritation. Sometimes, I wish I could just hold it right there just to teach the other person a lesson. But maybe it is just a god-given gift that I don't carry all this unwanted baggage in life's journey. When I go to bed at night, I have the gift of peace and dreamless slumber.
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