A day of the season

The idea of Navarathri golu (Kolu?) is one I like among the Hindu festival.
This allows the creativity of the family to come out with ideas right from decorating the home, arranging the dolls to receiving and seeing them off!
This is the picture golu in our home.

A mission is set!

Can you guess what these kids are eagerly watching?
A movie?
A TV show?

No, it is a session in which all about writing from their campuses and localities were briefed.

In my opinion, if kids are let to do what they like most they come up with wonderful ideas. Different perceptions about issues. Just that the parents and teachers should just allow them to do and watch the results!

YOCee (Youth Of Chennai - energetic and enthusiastic) is the new place for the kids to freak out.
At a recent get together of student reporters for the website, kids got their reporters' notebook, reporter's ID card and a few tips on writing and reporting.
It is now over to them!

In search of wisdom!

Just self-explanatory! (Click on the photo for an enlarged view)
My son quotes this, when he goes on 'night out' for studying during exams!



Found it at the beautiful Kalakshetra campus!

Take divertion, please!

Madras ahoy!
Call it Madras or Chennai or Pattanam or...
It's 'namma' Chennai!
Join the celebrations this month!
A lot of ideas, plans, events. . . For kids, adults, senior citizens. . .

Go to http://www.themadrasday.in

Do we really need a telephone directory in print?

BSNL has announced release of new telephone directory!

Having used to the very old (updated 2002?!) directory and now most of the population on the mobile phones and most importantly when all the numbers are available on a call to 197 - very efficient now - do we really need a new, bulky directory?

But we check the numbers online www.chennai.bsnl.co.in

By the way, today is a special day - 07/07/07!

Magnificent Ther of Tiruvarur

Everything about the temple of Tiruvarur is huge!

The temple itself has three praakarams and houses a number of smaller sannidhis.

The Kamalalayam, the temple tanks is another huge one, where boating for the public is also allowed!
The ther is really huge. It is called the Azhi Ther. Once you see this ther, all other temple thers will look like toys!

It was for the birth anniversary celebrations of Carnatic music trinity, I made trips to this town.
Yes, two trips. One for the Dikshitar Jayanthi in April.
It was then, just this festival and the walk inside the Thyagaraja temple was in a nice and calm atmosphere.
We could just float around the long maada veedhis, Enjoyed tender coconut sessions on the road. The summer was on, but it was not sweaty!

The next trip was in June for the other two composers' birth anniversary celebrations.

The Brahmotsavam at the temple was coincidence. The day we arrived was the most important day of the utsavam - ther.
The weather was sultry. Huge crowd thronged the temple as well as the maada veedhis, where the procession of the ther was on.
But, the sight of the ther at a corner of the maada veedhi from the other side through the temple tank is unforgettable. The huge there which once took a week's time to get back to its shed, now comes back to the temple by the evening. Thanks to BHEL, who have provided hydraulic brakes and a generator push from behind.

The devotees still pull the ther and apply the muttukattai - the manual brakes.

The evening concert by Sikkil Gurucharan, now a popular artiste is well-known in the musical ly starving Tiruvarur too. At a prominent place in the hall were the bronze idols of the trinity decorated with the traditional Tiruvarur garland.



The catch of the day for my camera!

Puppet show at the Elliots

Out guests this summer vacation wanted to go to Elliots Beach.

But it was a surprise when we could watch a puppet show in front of the Schmidts Memorial at the beach. The evening visitors sat down to enjoy the show.
A really free-for-all-show.
And I felt many more events can be held at our beaches, without spoiling their natural beauty. Street theatres, sand castle building contests for kids, tug of war game shows or just painting the sky!

Kuppamma - Suppamma show!

The story of two sea turtles - Kuppamma and Suppamma - was a unique show.

A puppetry show, in which they told everyting about their survival from hatchlings to young adults who have now returned to the beach of their birth, to lay their own eggs and what the humans do to them.... All in conversation in Tamil.

This event was organised by Naturequest, will be held at the Book Point Auditorium, (Opp. Spencer Plaza) in Chennai.

Dr. Bhanumathi, who runs Pavai Centre for Puppetry gave the intro and demonstrated another nature and environment related story through glove puppets.

The evening was wonderful. The audience looked relaxed and enjoyed the conversation like kids would do!

Yes, where were all the kids of Chennai?

Too busy reading? No. The exams are over!

Busy holidaying? Should be!

Parade of 63 devotees!

The next day after the ther was the Arupathumoovar (festival of 63 nayanmars or Saiva saints).
A glimpse from the terrace of a friend's house!
















Kolavizhi Amman, who joins the tribute to the saivaite saints!
















Do you recognise this deity? (!!!)
Tiruvalluvar with consort Vasuki!
It is customary for the neighbourhood temples to join the procession during the Arupathumoovar festival.
And yes, Tiruvalluvar has a temple and is worshiped in Mylapore. It is but natural for him to join the festivities!

Colourful farewell to the chariot!

The Car Festival at the Kapaleeswarar Temple is one which we don't miss to visit.
There is less crowd in the mornings, when the ther starts its procession. The preliminary pooja and the swamy's ascent to the ther are events one should not miss!
What interested me this was a novel idea to introduce the festivities to the younger generation. Kids who enjoy an outing with the parents during the temple festivals, sat down to paint their own ther!
The contest, which Mylapore Times, the neighbourhood newspaper organised for kids attracted the kids on the next day morning, when the ther was still standing tall at its shed, with all decor.
Once the contest was over, the pictures were hung on a clothesline on Sannadhi Street.
Wow! Twenty more thers. All perceptions of young kids!

Solar Eclipse in Chennai

A partial solar eclipse occurred on March 19 and was visible in Chennai.
A day before the eclipse, the newspapers said that it would occur between 6.45 am and 7.23 am.
Also a caution was thrown not to view the Sun or the eclipse with naked eye or through binoculars.The newspapers also carried info that arrangements were made at the Birla Planetarium to project the images on a plain surface for public.On the day of eclipse, as nothing could be done at home, owing to the age-old 'beliefs' I biked to the planetarium.
Surprisingly, at 6.30 in the morning, there were about 100 people at the planetarium. More surprisingly, light refreshments were provided to enlighten the public that there is no harm in consuming food during the eclipse!
But we stayed away from the refreshments. Not for the superstitions, but we were in a hurry to stand in the queue to view the projection through the telescope!

Many kids landed at the early hours with their parents. A few press persons!After Mr. Iyam Perumal took charge as executive director of Birla Planetarium, we see many such activities happening inside the campus.
Two information notice boards on triangular boxes provided information about the eclipse.

The volunteers and staff of the planetarium were willingly assisting all those who landed at the centre on that day.
We watched the celestial event through the welder's glass and also the telescopically projected image. But I was watching the curious kids posing questions to the scientists and the staff of the centre.
One kid kept 'bothering' more people. I asked him what more information he could gather at the event.
He wrote about the experience and it is on the website for kids - YOCee!

Where were the kids?

It was the release of the book Aditi and her friends take on the Vesuvian Giant by Siniti Namjoshi. The book for kids in the Aditi series.
And the place was Landmark bookstore.
The author explained how she could write for kids, though she is a feminist writer. (Her first book Feminist Fables was published in 1981). She said when she wrote for adults she could be quite savage. But while writing for kids she had to be sober and stay mild.
Though she shared the dais with young Nayantara, who was introduced as an avid reader, one could count the number of kids attended the book release function. A few visitors to the store stayed back for the event. Many were from the media - newspapers and TVs. Some from the publishing house - Tulika Books
But where were the kids?

Perhaps busy preparing for the annual exams!

If extra curricular reading is encouraged in schools, such events should be announced in schools. Such events are to be on the notice board as events for kids.
At least such books should find a place in the school libraries. Reading is fun, if intrioduced the fun way.
Writing is much more fun. Wish a kid could write a review of this book!

Vintage car show at Anna University

The City Express - supplement to the New Indian Express, had something interesting for me - a vintage car rally from the Anna University to MIT Chromepet on Feb. 27

I had also read about the Auto Meet 2007 in the papers. So early in the morning, I biked to the Anna university.
It was nice to see the mechanical engineering students in uniforms. The student organisers were ooking at the few cars parked at the university campus.

The student co-ordinators were seen in a hurry. I thought, perhaps it was already time to ferry the cars to Guindy. But there were only four vintage cars. I was watching the university faculty advising the co-ordinators to call up someone for the cars to arrive at the plac early.

I asked one of the faculty members whether they were waiting for more vintage cars. He said they were on way to Anna University.

I was waiting patiently. After 15 minutes, all the students boarded the college bus. Two students took the bikes that were parked along with the vintage cars. The bikes appeared to have been remodelled ones. In a few minutes all of them left the place. And the four vintage cars followed them.

There were a few newspaper reporters covering the event. But not many public were seen around. I was disappointed. I could only capture these cars at the 'rally'!

This is what our colleges and universities fail to teach the students. The students of the university who organise the techfest Kurukshetra and claimed it to be bigger than IIT - Madras' Shaastra, could have very well organised a simple rally.
The amount of work that goes into publicity and media releases should reflect in a well-organised show. Instead it was taken very casually. There are always people like me who snatch the newspaper in the morning from the paper boy and rush to interesting events.

But, who cares?

The art of silence!

Have you come across silence for a whole day in your life?
But, if you feel the 'deafening silence' throughout your life, how would you feel? I mean, if you can't speak or hear anything...
May be we will be fortunate enough to follow Mahatma Gandhi's rules - Hear no evil and speak no evil. But the basic communication we need to do with others will definitely be a little difficult.
Not for Suvedha Ganesh. A class 10 student, Suvedha has turned the time of gossips to productive one.Here is a sample painting she has done.
The colony where she lives (in Perungudi, Chennai), helped her put up a small exhibition of her paintings recently. It's no aristocratic colony, but a lower middle class residential colony. The community hall of the colony was the venue.
A few students caught up with Suvedha after the exhibition and have made a presentation here.

Double bill at the temple!

Following Shivaratri, I happened to visit a dance programme at the Kapaleeswarar temple, Mylapore.
Actually it is not just one dance programme, but a series of dances on the day (night) of Shivaratri and the following two days.
Dancers from many places participated in the homage at this temple, on their way to Chidambaram and Thanjavur or on the way back. Dance festivals are held in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu during Shivaratri. A day to celebrate the Cosmic Dancer!
When the dance programme was going on at the Navaratri Mandapam, the Goddess also set out for a procession in the Gold 'ther' (Ratham - chariot). As I was watching the dance, I turned to my right and just captured this wonderful sight. My photography skills are just enough to use a camera in its auto mode. Here is the picture!

Inspired by another photographer, I was aiming to capture a very good view of the dance programme too.
The Madapam has a nice front yard with glacier tiles. The dancers enjoy performing at this floor. The reflection of the dancers on the floor creates a wonderful sight.
In all the evening was a beautiful one. What I am giving you here is just a sample.

Dream drive, cool sight!

Can you believe that the photo on your right is taken in Chennai city? Not at the outskirt, but at the heart of the city.
I had to reach the Taramani Gate of IIT-Madras from Adyar.
Usually I take the route through L. B Road and at Tiruvanmiyur signal, turn to the right and travel straight and take a left turn and then right. I always felt sad about the condition of the road, where the prestigious Ascendas - the new IT park stands tall. But that is the only route you can reach the other gate of IIT Madras.
This time, my son said he would show me a better road. We set off on the bike.
At the Madhya Kailash signal, my son signalled me to turn to the left and lo! what a beautiful ride it was. The lights on the median were artistic. Some arts on the walls of big compounds. Some green patches and a few small installations!
I decided to stop by on the way back as we were to reach IIT early. And I did. In fact I stopped at three places and started clicking my camera. This is one picture of the few I took.
If you travel through this road look out of the window of your car to your left near Indira Nagar station. You will find this beautiful sight!

Veena concert in Pondy Jam

Jamming up in music need not necessarily mean fusion music.
It can be any form of music And still can be jammed up with the moods of the audience!
Freedom Jam is one such concept of taking music to the audience by the artistes - for free. It is the voluntary act of musicians to come together to perform one after the other on the same stage. Thats is, the audience get to listen to different types of music on the same platform, same day.
Born in Bangalore, Freedom Jam has a monthly 'avtar' by name Sec-sat Pondy at the erstwhile French colony Pondicherry, now Puducherry.
For the Pondy music festival, which took place during late January this year, the steps to Gandhi statue on the beach was a venue! Musicians sat on the steps and performed to the 'sruti' set by the waves in the sea!
Another venue was the park!
But my post is about the veena concert held at the Alliance Francaise auditorium. Following a vocal music concert, which set the mood for a lighter concert - the vocalist sang Sri Satyanayaranam, in the raga Shubha pantuvarali - the three young artistes from Chennai took their traditional instrument to the stage.
Unusual accompaniment of Tabla for the veena concert. That's a kind of jamming up!
Some brisk, some slow, one popular song, one not-so, though short, the concert was complete. Nithyashree, Ajitha, Lakshmi played the veena and Vageasan played the Tabla.
All the college kids thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Pondy, the concert, the eating out and the night travel on the East Coast Road, back to Chennai.
And I accompanied the kids, as they are all students of my Guru - Kalyani Ganesan!

Colourful kolams

Call it kolam or rangoli, the patterns drawn through the slits of the fingers are wonderful and exclusive to our country.
Rangoli is known by different names - Alpana, Aripana, rangavali, chowkapurana.
But what I know well is 'Kolam' - the traditional Tamil Nadu kolam.
I distinctly remember my childhood days when we used to get up early in the morning (at 5am?) during Margazhi, after Dec. 15, especially during Christmas holidays. Our mom used to wake up before us and get the front yard cleaned and keep ready for us. Us? - My sister and I!
Our dad also used to get up and be with us at the entrance, keeping an eye on the passers by at the wee hours.
We always put up a traditional kolam with white powder. Sometimes two coats of lines and patterns to make the kolam look brighter!
I could rewind my memories of drawing big kolams during the Mylapore festival, where we see only the traditional while powder kolam.

But the announcement in the paper about the longest, record breaking rangoli at the Marina beach, made me curious. The competition was to be held on Jan. 28 between 8 and 11am.

At 8am in January, when one would expect a chill in the air, the Sun was up and the women who participated in the contest were sweating!
Yet, the long trail of rangolis was nice to watch. The colour powders made a few rangolis clumsy though.
At 11am, the jeep carrying the judges, S. Ve. Shekhar (the Mylapore MLA), dancer Chitra Visweswaran and TV anchor Uma Padmanabhan started moving from rangoli no 1. The trail started from the lighthouse and went up to the swimming pool in the north.
A few rangolis I loved are here. But none of these won a prize!

Amazing kids!

The title would remind us of Pogo Amazing kids!
I happened to see a giant advertisement board near Besant Nagar beach, during the December music season in Chennai. That was about the Amazing kids award by Channel Pogo - the kids' favourite channel!
That was 'Keyboard' Satyanarayanan - the child who is globe-trotting with his western instrument playing Carnatic music!
But, in my opinion, all kids are amazing. In their talents, enthusiasm, curiosity to learn things on their own and even in observing the elders like parents and teachers.
It is the amount of exposure they get or the parents introduce them to.
Yes, for example, introduce a kid to various kinds of music - Carnatic, Western, folk and Hindustani. Take the kid to performances in all the types of music. If possible, introduce them casually to learn the basics of different kinds of music. Watch the kid for a few months.
You would be amazed at the open mindedness of the kid to all types of music. He will listen to melodic Hindustani as well as enjoy a rock concert.
Later he would choose his kind of music to pursue. But will never, never look down on the other types of music!
It's my personal experience!
But, watching the kids a s a group, to do anything - music, dance, drama or just evening time playing in the apartment complex - is just fun.
I happened to be at the anniversary celebrations of a music school, Hamsanadam, run by singer Subha Ganesan. I have seen this school with a board drawn on a hard board with the name written by her students (they were a handful at that time). It was around 1996 - 97.
I could not believe that the school has now about 250 children in various age groups. The senior children presented a set of kirtanas with rich sangatis - typical of Subha Ganesan's school.
The 'kutties' presented beautiful small pieces.
Look at one such group! Aren't they amazing?

The Carnatic spirit lives here!

If you have not got it, here is what it is.
The town is Tiruvaiyaru.
You are right, the famous Thyagaraja Aradhana takes place here every year.
The building seen in this picture is the samadhi of Bangalore Nagarathnam Ammal, who was instrumental in making this festival happen.
The small raised structures in front of the building are the two stages on which musicians pay homage to Saint Thyagaraja during the aradhana.
These platforms are decorated with a backdrop and temporary green room for the musicians to assemble before the concert and align their instruments to sruti.

I am not going to talk much about what happens beyond all these things, at this place, during the aradhana. One has to experience. Some pluses and some minuses. A few people who visit this place during aradhana, share their experience with the world.

The sandy banks of river Cauvery is a beautiful place to just unwind, have a darshan of Thyagaraja and if you can sing or play an instrument, bring it to the place and pay your homage to this saint peacefully!
You will feel good

Happy New Year!

A belated wish to the readers of my blog!
I know I should not be boring with what is over now. Yet the videos, photographs are just tempting. If you have missed it, you have to wait for another year!

January is the season of many more things! Apart from Pongal, some important events people look forward to in the new year are already up.

Here is a quiz!
Identify this place.
Clue: A major event, Doordarshan telecasts every year takes place here!
If you got the answer - Congrats!
If no, do wait for my next post!