Suswara Samyuta by TM Krishna & Bombay Jayashri

She was dressed in an olive green saree (Maanthulir) - tender, fresh and full of life just like her music and he was wearing a deep red kurta (Molahapazham) striking, rich, fiery and aggressive. Should we just listen to the music or interpret their singing style from their attire? What would be the outcome when such distinctly different styles of music confluence?

The ambience was energetic and the tampura drones that engulfed the house full auditorium only raised their curiosity levels and made them levitate to find out what is on the other side of the curtain. Finally when the curtains went up so did their eyebrows. TM Krishna and Bombay Jayashri adorned the dais with calm and majesty. They came from two different schools of Music one trained by Sangeetha Pithamaha Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and other molded by the violin Maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman. Can two different and distinct schools of music blend together and bring the divine unison without compromising on individual identity, style and creative freedom?

To add to this vocal fanfare we had renowned percussionist and non-percussionist – RK Shriramkumar who accompanied doyens like Semmangudi mama and MS amma on the violin, Ghatam Karthik and Arun Prakash on the mridangam, both distinctly accomplished and associated with music for more than two and half decades. In totality there was more than 125 years of musical experience on the dias – it was undoubtedly a confluence of jambavans.

The army of 4 tampuras strummed to bring the two souls to the same sruthi – musically and metaphysically. Jayashree started with Omkara Pancharasukhi, a stuthi on Parvathi and Krishna soon joined her in perfect sruthi and together they rendered the piece in Mayamalavagowlai, Sahana, Kalyani, Reethigowlai and the and Todi. Muthuswamy Dikshithar’s Rave Himagiri in Todi followed the stuthi in an unhurried pace packed with sowkyam. Jayashree’s voice carried the innate softness, and was laden with bakthi. It was as mild as a morning breeze, while TM Krishna was brisk, energizing and loaded with technicalities and emotions.

Saalakalla in Aarabhi was delivered with effervescence, spirit and swara. It had shades of brilliance from both their paatanthiram. Remember it is never easy for male and female singer to comfortably sing at a mutually convenient sruthi and that too from 2 different schools of music. Though TMK did not sing at his usual pitch, but his output didn’t suffer in terms of quality or sruthi.

While the audience was lost in the musical heaven the illumination on the dais quickly changed to reflect the mood of the raga and the composition. The stage turned saffron to go with the bakthi flavor in the krithi Nadhaloludai in Kalyanavasantham. When did Carnatic music become so sensory?

TMK showed maturity in rendering kritis loaded with such bhava and bakthi with atmost devotion and perfection. When one did the sanchara at the higher octave, the other would get into the lower octave without distracting the other.

The next piece titled Mahitha Bharatham paid tribute to our land, our thought and our philosophy. Violinist RK Shriramkumar must be given a big hand for picking up apt verses from Tagore, Barathi, Poonthanam, etc. in different languages to salute India and our motherland. This piece made the concert a Jugalbandhi. Diffused white, green and saffron lighting on the dais accentuated the sense of patriotism.

Shubhadayaka mahitha Bharatham Vande mathram – Shankarabharanam – Sanskrit

Hazaron khahishen aisi ki har khasish pe dam nikle – Shubapantuvarali - Urdu
Accham illai accham illai accham enbadillaye – Kambodhi – Tamil
Purona Shei diner kotha bhulbi ki re hai, o shei – Ananda Bairavi– Bengali
Chirunavvulu shirulu kanuchupulo karuna – Reetigowlai – Telugu
Kandu Kandann Irikkum janangale – Sivaranjani – Malayalam
Maati Kahe kumbhar ko tu kya rondhe mohe – Sindhubairavi – Hindi

The 6 language piece was presented in the typical ragam, thanam and pallavi style with enough room for swara exercise and thani avarthanam. The choice of the lines and ragas brought out the mightiness and diversity of our motherland and finally concluded with the famous Vande Maatram piece.

The last 15 minutes of the concert was packed with some lighter Hindustani ragas. Sri Ramachandra Kripalo in Behag, Sarvam Bhramamayam in Durbari Kanada. The double thillana rendition in Kamas was a highlight. Jayshri had taken Lalgudi’s composition and Krishna had taken a similar one from his school and they rendered them separately and in the end they came to together like strands of DNA.

The evening was very different in every respect – singers from different schools in Carnatic music coming together yet maintaining their individual identity and creativity. The stage décor added to the wow factor, the crowd turned disciplined and switched off their microwaves and washing machines and stayed in their seats till the curtain came down. This was the first time in the Carnatic Music history that music was ever made so sensory and stimulating. May be it is birth of a new dawn in the South Indian classical music?

Thirakkatha - Movie Review

When I left the theatre my mind was on overdrive and there was unexplainable heaviness that I was carrying home. There were also few questions that popped up in my mind – why is life so unfair to some? Should we bank our life and happiness on someone who can exit our life in seconds? Are we victims of circumstance or we like to play the role of a victim? Should we sacrifice our happiness and life in the name of career and chasing success? Parking these questions aside and let me proceed with the movie.

I am not a regular when it comes to Malayalam movies, but the subject and storyline made me curious to be in the audience. There were lots of rumors floating around that the embryo of the movie was born out of the love affair between two popular South Indian actors. May be that was another reason to watch the movie?

Handling one story line for some Directors becomes an arduous task, but Director Renjith has jogged back and forth between the 3 Thirakathas’ with mettle and clarity. One of the storyline is about a young director Akbar (Prithviraj) trying to find a storyline and subject for his next movie, and the other of the story of actress Malavika (Priyamani) and on the periphery is romance in actor Sreevidya’s life. Though Sreevidya’s story could have been the inspiration for the movie, but there is very less resemblance to her real life story. Is it because the other actor who was involved is still alive?

When you have reached the peak in your career and life is taking you to places, you have accomplished whatever is worthwhile in life and a loving family surrounds you. Yet, that first love in the life long bygone though still haunts you. When all is quiet around, that face silently emerges in thoughts. There is a beautiful song (Arikil Nee) rendered by Madhu Balakrishnan that brings out this vulnerable moment in actor Ajayan and it is beautifully picturized in the Padmanbhapuram palace.

Successful actor Malavika suddenly fades out after her marriage and bitter divorce. Life seems to be so abrupt, cold and cruel. There was fame and money, but marital happiness was ephemeral. While public is searching for her, she seems to be searching answers to questions and exclamation marks that life throws at her. Visit some of my questions in Paragraph 1.

We have young director Akbar trying to make his next success from narrating the story of two broken hearts. Isn’t one man’s trash is another’s treasure?

The tearful moment in the movie happens when Ajayan and Malavika come face to face to resolve issues from their past. Both of them were victims of time and fate. Aren’t we responsible for the choices we make in life?

The film industry has witnessed so many such Malavikas, and their sob stories but what makes this so different and poignant?

The movie portrays vulnerability of women in the movie industry, struggle in making a choice between career and family life, money hungry mothers behind successful actors, and disappointing marriage and divorce in the film industry with sensitivity, respect and finesse. Riveting performance by Priyamani and Prithiviraj enlivens the script and soothing music by Shareth adds more value to the movie.

Definitely Thirakkatha needs just more than applause in many departments viz. story telling, screen play, acting, camera, and music.

Navarathri - Mami….Sundall….Gossip….

I was not really looking forward for the day not because it was Oct 2, 2008, a public holiday or they had banned smoking in public places, but because my mother had invited her notorious and obnoxious Mami clan home for the annual Navarathri festival. What is it with Navrathi and women? Is gossiping a part of the Navrathra ritual? Does the festival turn women into hungry cockroaches that scamper around the neighborhood for food and gossip? Is there “HIT” or “Baygon Spray” available for the Mamis?

Whether Durga, Lakshmi or Saraswathi came together on this occasion, but Mamis, sundall and gossip always come together for Navrathri. If you came early there was first hand gossip served hot, free and sumptuously. Saas Bahus aka brokers/scalpers always trade hotter stocks than what is traded on Sensex and NIFTY!

Navrathri festivals were not this bad until I turned 25 because I got all the attention and free publicity, and I found a place in the Mamimapia, and their Linkedin without any subscription or prior registration. But now that I am 30+, single and an eligible bachelor, and all is get is lime, and light from the Mami world. Should I call this the webpower of Mamis’, planetary influence or their wrath?

From NY to Mylapore the Mami clan seems to behave the same way. When I used to do my routine weekend temple visits the Mami clan would try to entice me with a friendly smile and at times with free food all just to know my marriage status, my gothram and my parent’s number. Atleast they are a minority in the US but in India I have no option to escape their wrath. Should I placate any planets to escape their wrath?

I was more worried about turning into a hot snack to go with the sundal and panagam than walk the red carpet. Who was going to be the center of attraction was it me or my single status or the dolls that adorned the shelves?

Call it peristalsis or medically whatever, the very thought of their evening rendezvous left a weird churn in my stomach. I was afraid of the gait with which these polyester Padmas’, nylon Nirmalas’, silk Smithas’ and Sungudi Saraswathis’ would parade into the house and on the pre-text of watching the golu and start their “arattai kutchery” and before I know my single status will be discussed publicly like the financial market meltdown. Do I have a bailout plan?

Dad was equally pissed off with mom for having this gathering on a holiday. Are these Mamis’ so bad towards single men and married men? Atleast I had a reason to avoid them, but what reason did the 60 year old man have? May be he was too tired seeing them all his life?

There was a lot of commotion in the house from dawn that day. Servants arrived before time and were working hard to make the house look spiffy, while mom was busy soaking peas and grating coconut for the evening high protein snack to go with the chit chat. Was it another “Bhama Vijayam” happening in real life?

Do they have interesting conversations that I can eavesdrop on? Hello no! It doesn’t go beyond MEGA serials, matrimonial discords, in-laws autopsies, bad mouthing barren couples, impending divorces, neighborhood elopement, US sons, complains about daughters-in-laws, and finally garnishing their tittle-tattle with abundant materialism - diwali purchases, gold, and diamond. Their Iris is extremely powerful and scan the house and other women in a few seconds to spit a report in minutes. Should we bequeath Mamis’ with “Material Girls” title? Do Mamis pollute or pollinate?

Apart from proverbial matching making some of these Mamis are IT savvy and they instantly morph into HR agency and start pushing in resumes of their kith and kin. May it is time that IT companies must start using them as their brand ambassadors? A thought to ponder….

I thought this Oct 2 mishap was an endemic and confined to Alwarpet, but a call from my friend in Adyar confirmed that it was found in Adyar as well. He complained of a similar herd from the same biological family, clad in Kancheepuram, Kolar and Jasmine trespassing into their neighborhood that evening. Should I call them high nuisance individuals (HNI)?

I could sense the feeling of helplessness in his voice. He needed a bail out plan as well. Before I could offer him a solution, I heard my mother convincing my Dad that men should leave the house for couple of hours until the vixens left for the evening. For once dad and I joined hands to strategize a fight against these women roaches clad in silk bearing an armor of gold and diamond.

We timid men were on the prowl for a refugee camp or an underground bunker for the evening. If it was a working day then overtime at office would be the easiest way to wait out such a maelstrom, but being a holiday it was difficult to find a getaway spot. I offered a simple solution and a practical solution to my dad. I told him he could stay home and entertain other men who chauffeured their women for such gossip parties. Misery loves company, definitely it does. But he showed no interest for this suggestion. I also tried the Mami morphing technique that Kamal does in the movie Avvai Shanmughi. All my suggestions went invain.

The first refugee camp that came to our mind to wait out the Mamis storm was Besant Nagar beach and my friend seem to be okay with the idea. Though the crowd would be juvenile crowd at this time of the day, but it was better than being marooned by Mamis. I pitied those clay dolls for once and when I saw scores of men of all age groups on the shore line, I realized it was an epidemic and not an endemic occurrence.

When I got back home that night the house was reeking with gossip. My mother was busy scoring off the attendees’ names on her invitee list and making plans to visit their homes. My father had no expression on his face, may be it is better to be a doll or a women? I lowered my hand into the sundall vessel scrounging for left over sundall and picking my mother’s brain from left over gossip. Both were dry and empty.

Next year Navrathri will be different, I will try hanging a statutory warning outside the neighborhood that reads “Beware of Mamis”. Or even approach Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss for a permanent solution for Mami problem?

Raman Thediya Seethai

I have been waiting for this film ever since the promos were advertised in April 08. After watching Cheran’s last movie which was almost a slow documentary, I was not sure if I should catch this one on the first day first show, but nevertheless I decided to go. I was not disappointed, but moved, surprised and tearful.

We’ve heard and seen stories about women being traded like a commodity in the marriage market, but have seen a man in that place? Should you pity or should you shrug it off? May be that is how it is today? Let us park the thought there and go to the movie.

Raman Thediya Seethai (RTS), the title of the movie gives it all away, is a story about a successful young man who goes through the rigmarole of arranged marriage. He pays a big price for his transparency and honesty and is being rejected by all potential mates and finally the one born for him find him. Life goes a full circle is so true!

RTS, A simple well woven story line, well narrated, well edited and well packaged. There is not a moment in the movie where you wanted to leave for a smoke or popcorn, not a single scene that can do away with and still get to the end, and not a moment where the movie sags. Camera doesn’t fail to capture the beauty of all the women and the nature (Pondicherry and Nagercoil). Yet there yet not there, not over powering the story - lyrics and music only adds to the success of the movie. Vidyasagar is music is fresh, and fragrant.

Nedumaran’s character RJ is pivotal, fresh and adds strength to the script, but one may ask why is director using the same blind man card in this movie like Cheran’s Autograph? Was it is a coincidence, sentimental or for sympathy? Can’t we do stories without gaining the sympathy of the audience?

Nitin Satya comes across in his usual style - simple yet powerful style. You only feel sad and sorry for Venugopal (Cheran), who has done a great job trying to show myriad of emotions on the screen – compassion, anger, disappointment. He comes across as a true Raman in this world of Ravanan. I am sure all the women will vote for him.

Cast of heroines was a good choice. Vimala Raman was stunning, Ramya was pleasing and Navya Nair was an eye candy. Vimal and Ramya get a solid role to emote and tear. Should you praise the crocodiles?

A family movie with usual sentiments, drama, but none of flavors was overdone to reach the limits of cloying. It is definitely a must watch film with the family. A job well done by KP Jaganathan!

Times have changed

A typical household in Mylapore wakes up to the smell of freshly brewed filter coffee, voice MS Subbalakshmi rendering Suprabatham and the crisp newsprint with crunchy headlines in the doorway. Mine was no different from any other household in Mylapore, the orthodox DNA was chaste and intact.

For grandpa it was Leo filter coffee, for grandma it was MS Suprabatham and for dad it was the "Mount Road Mahavishnu" (MRM) and this routine had become a part of the family tradition and anybody who got between them and their morning ritual was considered a "Mahapaavi" and it is always attributed to "Kalee". On a clinical note can we call this morning ritual an obsessive compulsive disorder or on a frivolous note can we call it a Mylapore morning fetish?

I was not a trying change from MS to Madonna and annoy my granny, I was not trying to switch over from coffee to cappuccino and disappoint my grandpa, but all I was trying to do was to get TOI into my house. This was like bringing home a girl from another community and asking for Ravioli in the house of Rava upuma. In Bhagavad Geeta parlance this is "Varna sangraham". Is it really so? Isn't Athithi devoh bavah a part of our DNA?

Dad was being a typical "Mylapore Mama" with blinders on and spewing expletives like chewed pan when I mentioned about subscribing to TOI. It is not difficult to sell the newspaper to "Mylapore Mamis", a few freebies and there they fall. I was able to entice my mother with the idea of Rs 1 a day and the free travel bag. Grandparents were always by my side – we were both fighting against a common enemy, their son and my dad.

My dad testified that his brain was nurtured (neutered?) from reading MRM over 50 years, it was unacceptable to let the Mumbaikar in my house. Call it the breach the tradition, crossing of the Lekshman Rekha, or Conversion at home all this happened after a lot of drama and with the blessings of the home minister cum finance minister, my Amma (mother). Yes, the Mumbaikar was in the house with jubilation, but with a condition, The MRM would be the paper of the house and he will decorate the living room but TOI can exist only in my room.

For a closeted culture that has only had filter coffee, heard only MS Subbalakshmi and read the Mount Road Mahavishnu any substitute was a terrible curse. Here I was defacing a pure Brahminical Mylapore house hold. Every time I picked up the newspaper he would look at me as though I have crossed the boundaries of morality and chastity. Are these applicable to newspapers too? Well I had no other option but to prove that TOI was re-virginized.

Who said untouchability was a passé? It was openly practiced by this "Mylapore Mama". Is it the font of wisdom or fault of wisdom that kept my father loyal to MRM? He would pick up the MRM newspaper with love but treat TOI like an orphan, leaving it unattended at the doorstep. My TOI was treated like a pariah in this brahminical house hold. If given an option dad would have even asked the newspaper boy to drop the paper at the back door, and let it enter the same way my servant maid came into the house.

Are options more a hindrance than help in life? I slowly made it a part of the Mylapore household ritual to sit in front of my dad spreading the sheets of TOI and reading news loudly and intermittently inviting my mother to look at the newspaper. Is "Change" a dreadful word? How different is it from conversion? Is it a crime to open the window to get some fresh air in the conventional household? Here I was willing to try something new in this conservative household.

Was it enticement or surreptitious conversion that was happening in the house? This story continued for the next three months and the man was annoyed with my loud reading and advised me to get back into my room with the newspaper. But occasionally his ears would go up like an Alsatian when I read loudly to my mother.

Who wants to embrace change in this world? We all want to world to change for us, right? Embracing change though said easily is all internal and has been the toughest challenge ever for mankind and it always happens over a period of time like evolution. My father was no exception, but he was evolving unconsciously. Though he was not ready to swap the main course for a snack, but he was willingly read the Mumbaikar in his free time.

Is evolution growing new taste buds? By now the Pariah in the house was touched, read and slowly discussed during the family hour. This was a great victory for me, but I purposefully decided to let this go unnoticed.

Does comparison create a healthy conflict or does it alter perceptions? Tamilians are choosey and take time to accept Mumbaikars, wasn’t that the case with Jyothika, Kushboo, Simran etc? But once they’ve accepted they go to the extent of building temples. Before we realized dad and I were qualitatively assessing the news value in both the newspaper. It was over three months with the new entrant and she was no more the new daughter-in-law who stayed in the back quarters, she was willfully accepted at the breakfast table and she was serving the main course with all pride and no prejudice. Yes, Darwinism was working! Was it for my father or for TOI?

In religious parlance the end of unholy Aadi month ousted both Musharaff and The Mount Road Mahavishnu.The new Mumbaikar daughter-in-law adorned the throne in the living room and the chaste Mylapore DNA was mutated for good, and the MRM got downgraded to "Ex". Times have changed…

Shameful Sonia

What do all these people have in common - Hillary Clinton, Michael Brown, and Sonia Gandhi? Well they have earned a spot in the hall of shame and club of elitists without much effort. Whether you run for congress or Parliament it doesn’t matter, but should have you fudged your resume if you want to make it big in life. Is that the basic qualification to run for senate?

There is count of perjury against Sonia Gandhi (Perjury under section 177 of the IPC and Section 125A of the RPA (1951). When asked about the charge, Mrs. Gandhi in her reply to the Lok Sabha Speaker said it was a typing error. Wow! Such a frivolous explanation? Don’t you have to take responsibility for what you fill and file? Certainly not if you are a politician.

Why do people pad their resumes? Is it a fashion statement? Or is it a universal trend? Is it ethical? Why do we let them go scot-free?

When it comes to politics no one worries about ethics. It is one profession/business where no one questions you about your background, qualifications and pedigree. Isn’t it all about power, chair, amassing wealth, and pedaling personal agenda? Sonia had no big background and for her to make it big in politics she had just two trump cards - “Gandhi” for a last name and cashing in on sympathy wave after her husband death.

If you did the same in corporate world and if caught you would be asked to leave, but in the political world filled with perpetual criminals, thugs and liars there is no reprimanding the guilty. This certainly doesn’t speak high of a person who has Gandhi attached to her last name. May be it is time for her to let go of the last name.

Is it a proud moment for the University to confer Honorary Doctorate on Mrs. Sonia in the wake perjury and dishonor she has brought to herself and the Gandhi family? May be they should reconsider the idea of conferring the honorary degree.

Here is the excerpt from Indian Express Sep 5, 2008 – Chennai Edition

A claim In the affidavit filed as a candidate before the Rae Bareli Returning Officer during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Sonia Gandhi claimed that she had got a “Certificate in English Language” from University of Cambridge (UK). In 1999, in her biographical data given under her signature to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and published in the Parliament’s Who's Who, she had made the same claim.

The petition Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy moved the Allahabad High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court, alleging that Sonia Gandhi had committed ‘perjury’ by filing a wrong affidavit. The SC dismissed the plea saying, “Should the SC go into all the affidavits to find out if they are false or not. Further investigation is not possible into a stale issue.…” The truth Sonia attended an interpreter’s school where she studied English, French and Russian. This was followed by a two-year certificate course in English language at Cambridge city in the UK. Sonia in her reply to the Lok Sabha Speaker said it was a typing error.

For lot more controversy and juice on this issue read Mr. Sundaram on News Today - http://newstodaynet.com/col.php?section=20&catid=33&id=10433

Love and divine

Courtesy: Indian Express - Sep 4, 2008 – Chennai Edition

I have looked at the picture more than 100 times since this morning…

>> Gingerly walk and not arrogant – “Are you okay to come with me? Please say yes!

>>Cuddly tender arms and not an overpowering one - I promise to feed you and will take good care of you

>>Expressions of concern on his face and not conquer - We will watch Ganesha cartoon on Vijay TV tomorrow”

>>Effusing innocence in his eyes and not deceit - I will ensure that mom and dad don’t throw you after the pooja

Is love divine? Or is divine love?