tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219459342024-03-19T14:51:59.502+05:30My own window To Madras and Music (mostly)!Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-78260109227176155502014-08-29T00:57:00.001+05:302014-08-29T00:57:18.315+05:30The CBC TABLOG 2 : One aspect of Chennai that I would like to change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>This post is part of 'The CBC Tablog - 2.' Chennai Bloggers Club (CBC), a group of active bloggers of Chennai city has hosted this series focusing on 'One aspect that I would like to change in Chennai' to celebrate Madras Week 2014. </i></b><br />
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The previous post in this series by Dr. Jennifer Divia Clement who blogs at <a href="http://trinityreigns.blogspot.in/" target="_blank">Princess of God</a> and at a couple of other blogspots. She has written about the one aspect she would like to change in Chennai <a href="http://trinityreigns.blogspot.in/2014/08/the-cbc-tablog-2-one-aspect-of-chennai.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Call it Chennai or Madras, the city is beautiful. It has its characteristics, some good and some bad. After all, contrasts make both living and non-living things interesting.<br />
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When we say the city is beautiful and has interesting sights to offer to us, why not we stop for a while and take in all that the city is!<br />
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The one aspect I would like to change in Chennai city is that its people give their vehicles a break in their neighbourhoods.<br />
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To the market, the temple, the grocery, the salon and even to hire an auto from the street-end, people in Chennai just hop into their cars or ride on their bikes. I see many women with kids in the front and in the pillion of the scooters fly around taking them to their afterschool activities. I see people getting down right at the gates of the temples, schools and shops. I see them drive with a goal to get one thing done and get back in the same breath!<br />
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Try holding the little fingers of your kids and walk along showing them the streetscape, the road signs, the flower seller on the pavement, the strings of hair clips, the posters in the newspaper shops, the tea shacks ... It is hands-on knowledge of the good and the bad, the to-do and the not-to, on the road. Walk along with your partner in your neighbourhood for fetching milk and for the evening worship in the colony's temple. The neighbourhoods throw many surprises from a celebrity's name board to a clay potter's wheel workshop.<br />
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I am not talking about walking for fitness. But, about walking for an experience. I am not wanting the change because of the crowded roads, but because the people of Chennai miss the beautiful sights of the city and the village existing together in this fascinating city.<br />
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I wish the series continued and I passed on the baton to another blogger. Yet, thank you all bloggers who participated in this series. I eagerly looked at what each one wanted to change in the city for the past one month now.<br />
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Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-39080760152953737312014-02-01T09:18:00.000+05:302014-08-28T00:19:25.608+05:30Chennai from the top of the lighthouse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Two months after opening the Madras Lighthouse to public I decided to go to have a view of the city from its top. The entry to the lighthouse was smooth. A small fee for entry to the lighthouse and its technical museum had to be paid and a ticket for the camera was issued.<br />
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Just after lunch time, there were only a few people in the queue to the elevator. Yes, you can go up only by the elevator and not through the stairs. We got off at the 8th floor and there is another floor to climb up. Closed with iron grills, the narrow corridor of the viewing gallery is said to accommodate 30 visitors conveniently. But with a little over 15, we had to squeeze in and we didn't mind it as the view from the top was breathtaking.<br />
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This lighthouse, the fourth in city since the ships began travelling through Bay of Bengal has its older siblings in Fort St. George and Madras High Court.<br />
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In Feb. 1795, three commanders of Indianmen Captains W.T. Money, T.D. Foulkes and A.J. Applegarth proposed to the Government for a fixed lighthouse. They felt that the ships nearing Madras from the southward were to risk the shoals of Covelong and those from the northward had the dangers of sand-banks of Armagon and Pulicat. They proposed the steeple of St. Mary's Church in Fort St. George as the site for the lighthouse.<br />
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But the Chaplains quoted an engagement made in 1680 that the church should be put to no secular use that finally made the Government select the roof of the Exchange building (currently the Fort Museum) as the position for the light. <br />
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Henry Davidson Love in his 'Indian Records Series Vestiges of Old Madras' writes – <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The lighthouse, which appears to have been a framed iron structure, carried a lantern, reflectors and twelve lamps burning cocoanut oil. It was completed by the end of 1796. </blockquote>
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A note in the 'Madras Almanac for 1822' says, 'the Light is 90 feet above the level of the sea at high water; it can be seen from the decks of the Honorable Company's Ships about 17 miles, and from their mast-heads near 26 miles.' This lighthouse was in operation till 1841.<br />
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In 1834, when the necessity of a lighthouse with more advanced features was felt by vice-admiral Sir John Gore petitioned the East India Company. <br />Handbook of the Madras Presidency (1879), by John Murray Publishers records - <br />It stands on the Esplanade, close to the N.face of the Fort, and is 128ft, above the level of the sea. Its light, one of the most brilliant in the world, is a flashing one, the duration of the flash being to that of the dark interval as 2 to 3, and was first shown on the 1st of Jan. 1841. It is exhibited from the top of a Doric column of granite standing on a cubic pedestal 21 ft. high, also of granite, with massive steps, the shaft being 111 ft. high. The lantern consists of a 12-sided polygon, framed in gun-metal, with 9 glass and 3 blank faces. The interior diameter of the lantern is 9 ft and its height is 41/2 ft. The entrance is on the W. side. On the pedestal is inscribed 1838-44. There are 210 steps to the light including 3 on a short wooden ladder. There are 15 burners and 6 light-keepers... There is a fine view over Madras city from the top of this building.<br />
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Then comes the third light house.<br />
After the 1886 cyclones, Madras Port was reconstructed. A port officer found a reef around the present Mamallapuram area and recommends for a taller lighthouse. The Government then shifted the lantern from the second tower to one of the tallest ornate towers of the Madras High Court building. This tower functioned till 1977.<br />
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The modern lighthouse in the present location diagonally opposite All India Radio. Originally, the lighthouse department proposed a site opposite the Madras University buildings, but was turned down by the Government. The present lighthouse functions from Jan. 1977 and serves a range of 28 nautical miles.<br />
This was closed to the public after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister in 1991.<br />
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After 22 long years, the lighthouse is open to public again from Nov. 14, 2013.<br />
It is worth spending time travelling to the tower and climbing up as well peep into the history of Madras lighthouses at the cute small museum in the ground floor.<br />
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Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-48292629090474995362014-01-27T21:50:00.000+05:302014-08-26T21:51:01.776+05:30Chennai's spirit catches on<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am just back after the Mylapore Festival during which the neighbourhood witnesses huge carpet of kolam in the weekend. And the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) invites for an evening of Pongal celebrations. The catch is a kolam competition that tempts me to drive down to the campus.<br />
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The student co-ordinator says that this contest would never match the Mylapore's kolams as most of the students are not from this part of the country. This kindles my curiosity more that I definitely want to be there.<br />
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The Basket Ball court in the campus turns into a front yard of a countryside row houses. About 20 kolams smile at you as you stand on the side of the court. I couldn't help asking the faculty if the students didn't really know about kolams before this contest! Such is the precision.<br />
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To me, the kolams drawn in the city do bring surprises, as I always thought that this art is mostly confined to the villages and to small towns. Life in the takes you away from the time-taking routine rituals. But every time the Mylapore Festival proves me wrong. And this time, the NIFT students too!</div>
Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-70312670663660737162014-01-22T16:15:00.000+05:302014-08-27T16:15:55.179+05:30Colours in the sky<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thyagaraja Aradhana in Tiruvaiyaru is a nice occasion to soak in classical music. There are some crazy moments too that people, mostly singers try and grab a place to sit inside the pandal and offer anjali to saint Thyagaraja.<br />
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Once the five-day event is over and after the long night of listening to great nadaswarams, waking up early in the morning is really tough unless you have a great energy.<br />
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But, this time, I had to get ready to leave early to Chennai. And this was the gift for waking up early despite tired eyes due to lack of sleep.<br />
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Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-14964022432195988642013-05-08T09:23:00.000+05:302014-07-30T12:23:23.113+05:30My childhood summer holidays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The days of the annual exams were never of anxiety and fear during my school years. Instead they were prelude to an exciting summer vacation at our native place with cousins and grand parents.<br />
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Train journeys were far and few during our childhood days. Save for weddings in the family, we never travelled taking off from school. So the summer holidays were looked at as fun times to travel and just enjoy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the pond from our home</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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The pattern of holidays and travels were almost the same every year. My uncle's family along with a lovely cousin used to take the first train from Madras to Cuddalore. A few days of evening beach visits, roaming around a super market and some drawing and painting at home were the routine for a week.<br />
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Then the travel used to take all of us to Karaikkudi, our native place. My cousin, my brother and I along with my uncle and aunt formed the group. Sometimes my mother joined us. We travelled by the 'Boat Mail' that departed a few minutes after midnight at Cuddalore and reached Karaikkudi around 8.45 a.m. Not-to-forget fun was the date in the ticket. It was always the next day's date since the departure time of the train was 00: 25 a.m.!And we always had the doubt if the train we had to catch was 'today's or tomorrow's'!<br />
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The holiday fun started there every time. <br />
It was <i>jhatka</i> earlier and then the motorised cycle rickshaws that took us home from the railway station at Karaikkudi. We and our cousin never had the opportunity to travel by these means in our places.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our grandparents' lovely home</td></tr>
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Our home in Karaikkudi was on the northern bank of a Ooruni, a tank. Called the Muthoorani, the four sides of the bank had row houses and most of the occupants of these houses were either relatives or friends of our other cousins, my brothers and sister who were schooling at our grand parents' home there. The news of our arrival would spread to the small community around the Ooruni bank in no time.<br />
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The second cousins who were our neighbours also drew plans for the holidays. But the times spent at home with grand parents were real fun.<br />
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Our grandfather woke us up early morning and we took turns to draw the<i> kolam</i> in our front yard. Sometimes all of us joining to draw the <i>kolam</i> was creativity coming together. <br />
We fetched our drinking water from outside since our home used only the water from the well at our backyard. The ice apples (nungu) used to come to our home in dozens. Wrapped in palm leaves they were treat for the heat. Our grandma took the palm leaves out carefully and taught us to make little baskets locally called the <i>kottaan</i>.<br />
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The afternoons were spent watching our grandma and aunts make <i>appalams</i> and <i>vadams</i> at home. Kilos of sweets and snacks were made at home and gobbled up by the whole group of children. We were nine in all. We still, are!<br />
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We took the evening tiffins and baskets of mangoes to the garden and spent hours eating them. We cousins learnt to ride the bicycle on the banks of the tank. Hiring a pair of cycles, we took turns to rode on them supported by the cousins, who ran along the bicycles.<br />
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Our grandma used to do up our hair nicely stitching jasmin flowers together. With so much flowers in the hair and long paavadais, we used to go the cinema at the street corner. The 'old fims' (now most of them are almost almost extinct!) of our times, my uncle introduced us to, were a lot of fun and learning. The New Cinema probably saw us, the balcony ticket customers only during the summer vacation!<br />
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Some evenings were for classical music. At home it was with a nice cute harmonium. The sessions used to go on till dinner many times. It was also series of concerts at Pudukkottai, another town close by that hosted Narasimha Jayanthi concerts in summer. Our uncle took us to the festival in twos and threes during the ten days.<br />
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Half way through the vacation, we all used to pack up to Madras. A 'city' all the cousins enjoyed. Shopping, beach, zoo, parks, car rides, temples and just like that outings ...<br />
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At the end of the summer, when we all returned to our respective towns, we were all richer by a couple of new dresses, new books, new toys and great experiences!<br />
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We never had a holiday abroad or summer camps like the kids have these days. But the fun we had and the hobbies we learnt, knowledge we acquired just by being with cousins and grandparents cannot be just be compared with today's vacations.</div>
Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-71233304147541269532013-04-23T11:29:00.002+05:302013-04-23T11:36:02.930+05:30Music, maestro and memories - Tribute to Lalgudi Jayaraman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFfpedkErpWf-lGdHqIDS0gWduSPVv6X4uooFGrTxPp6NMi7WyIiVtVXzTSGCeyHTeDp2Ufd29j5Dn25TTuQ7YRaQSByQmPl7Iai0RZ_Z1YOnxiEh_aUJMIEFztkzZ9YIKZc3/s1600/lalgudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFfpedkErpWf-lGdHqIDS0gWduSPVv6X4uooFGrTxPp6NMi7WyIiVtVXzTSGCeyHTeDp2Ufd29j5Dn25TTuQ7YRaQSByQmPl7Iai0RZ_Z1YOnxiEh_aUJMIEFztkzZ9YIKZc3/s1600/lalgudi.jpg" /></a>Amidst the Sri Ramanavami music concerts in Bangalore, my phone buzzes to convey a very sad news. <br />
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The violin falls silent. Maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman passes away. This happens while I plan to visit him in a week's time. This makes the moment more pensive. And my mind travels back by 30 years.<br />
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I will never be able to express how I felt when I received a letter from the legend Lalgudi written in his own very beautiful handwriting. Even the address on the envelope was written by him very neatly! It was after a concert in Cuddalore, I had written to him and he 'penned' a reply. And my mom and dad were surprised at the letter written by the maestro himself more than I did.<br />
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Two years after the mail, I met him at his residence in T. Nagar. I was amazed at his memory recalling a letter written to one of his thousands of admirers. We spoke about many things, about my workplace, the place I started living after joining my first job, my music training and more. The two hours I spent with the person he was, apart from great musician, still stays green in my memory.<br />
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Long after this, I met him on the corridors of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha after his concert during the December season of 1988 / 89. He looked at me as though he was recollecting something and I just began ,"I am ...". He completed my name! What a memory!<br />
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His Christmas day concerts for Kalarasana at Rani Seethai Hall on Mount Road and the New Year's Day concerts at the Mylapore Fine Arts Club became part of my calendar in the years of my living in Madras on and off during my transferable job.<br />
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Again in 2008, when Lalgudi received the 'Lifetime award' from the Music Academy, I went to be there at the function just to have a glimpse of my favourite music genius.<br />
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I might have taken to Lalgudi's music through my mother who admires his
playing a lot. She recognises his style with ease even when she hears
him accompanying a vocalist in the vintage recordings. I am sure she
must have heard almost all his recordings at some point and so she
identifies the 'voice' of his strings at one stroke of his bow. She has
stories of seeing him with a tuft in his early years. A sort of
admiration the present day young people have for their filmy heros!<br />
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When
we bought a 'two-in-one' in the late 70s, it was a cassette of
Lalgudi's music that inaugurated the precious device of ours on that
day. The universal choice of all of us at home! <br />
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Of all the memorable days of my life, one important day associates with
Lalgudi much more than any other. The day never passes without thinking
of him. That is my son's birthday who shares it with this maestro!<br />
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I
became the happiest person when my son took to learning the violin
involuntarily, as a kid of 5 years. He got introduced to many
instruments along with violin and vocal singing later. He loves
Lalgudi's Saramathi. And we all love the Ganamurthi in the veena-venu-violin recordings!<br />
<br />
Lives are ephemeral. Memories live longer and music lives forever.<br />
<br />
Lalgudi's Saramathi masterpiece '<i>Mokhamu galada</i>' asks 'Is moksha attainable in the world?'<br />
<br />
Yes. He proved it through his music.</div>
Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-37968211173529013092013-02-22T00:15:00.001+05:302013-02-22T00:26:59.568+05:30Wall arts. Will they be back in Chennai?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Compound walls are always the face of any building. Be it a small house, a bungalow or a landmark building.<br />
Some prefer to have the walls plain and put up terracotta tiles to give them a look of a heritage house.<br />
<br />
These days, graffiti on private walls are rare to see.<br />
We
always had great painting tradition on the walls. The murals, the warli
art of Maharashtra and the madhubani paintings on the mud walls in the
interior Bihar are artistic expressions of common people even now.<br />
<br />
A few years ago, artists in Mumbai joined hands and started painting the walls of private houses and institutions. <a href="http://laurenfarrow.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/the-wall-project-brightens-up-mumbais-streets/" target="_blank">The Mumbai Wall Project</a>,
founded by Dhanya Pilo, who caught up with the artists and public very
quickly and as they were looking at the great wall along the Tulsi Pipe
Road between Mahim and Matunga (West) railway stations, the city fathers
invited them to just paint up the wall! <br />
<br />
Mumbai is
open to creative projects in many fields. Art is just one among them.
The characters the city has in the form of the historical buildings and
the style of living perhaps allow art to be pat of their daily life. The
annual <a href="http://www.kalaghodaassociation.com/" target="_blank">Kala Ghoda Arts festival</a> is a testimony of the love for arts the people of Mumbai have.<br />
<br />
The Tatas have lapped up the concept and began involving themselves in such creative art projects. Last year they hosted '<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MumbaiWallbook" target="_blank">Mumbai Wallbook</a>' to paint up a two kilometer wall stretch from Mahim Railway station.<br />
I just received a Press notification from Tata Housing Development Company (THDC) about the upcoming '<a href="http://www.tatahousing.in/mediacentre/article.php?aid=1062&cid=19" target="_blank">Delhi Wallbook</a>'
event. Now their canvas will be the one kilometre wall along the North
Campus of the Delhi University, University Road, Maurice Nagar. About
500 artists are expected to paint the wall this Sunday, Feb. 24.
Strictly only art, no text, no product, politics or whatsoever!<br />
<br />
Chennai too has long private and public walls.<br />
I
used to look up the walls of Theosophical Society on either side of
Besant Avenue. <br />
Brightly painted in yellow is the Chepauk stadium wall
...<br />
Chennai too had its wall paintings along the long walls on the
Mount Road. The previous DMK Government had decided to decorate the
walls with paintings when the Supreme Court banned posters.
While the paintings withered in the rains and shines, political and
promotional graffiti slowly overtook the space. And as ever, the
decision by a new Government is not to redo or repair the paintings but <a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-23/chennai/36505164_1_public-walls-paintings-posters" target="_blank">to whitewash them</a>.<br />
<br />
We still have space on the walls of private houses. The walls of the new gated community apartments make good space for arts. The trendy malls can also offer that space for arts.<br />
<br />
Tatas,
are you listening? Turn your eyes on Chennai after you are done with
your Delhi project. We do have long walls in the culturally rich Chennai
city!</div>
Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-84552334569454305662012-05-13T11:23:00.000+05:302013-02-07T11:40:46.564+05:30Jacks at our backs!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After I saw the clusters of the tender jack fruits in Palathope (Mylapore) last Sunday, I think I have been looking at every tree in every bungalow I come across on my way!<br />
It was a great scene at Luz Avenue today. The corner house, where we went to meet an old friend (later we came to know that he has shifted to a crowded place and to a gated community on the OMR), has many trees. A hearty scene in the heart of Mylapore.<br />
One among them is this jack fruit tree!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9VLvOjby8csyomDsZJfgnhMT2QI80iIvAjSgQFV2BlOPJZWilOzr2EXFbqhg5pyVoPOr60KZCihsSDGfDQpTphXEVzxQEI98GQF1RX3y7pV-65wQEzgiXEiKIP3kdEsx9U24/s1600/jackfruits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9VLvOjby8csyomDsZJfgnhMT2QI80iIvAjSgQFV2BlOPJZWilOzr2EXFbqhg5pyVoPOr60KZCihsSDGfDQpTphXEVzxQEI98GQF1RX3y7pV-65wQEzgiXEiKIP3kdEsx9U24/s320/jackfruits.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I remembered the good old days we spent in Cuddalore, a coastal now now famous for its Silver beach. It was then a quiet place, though it was the district headquarters and housed a beautiful Collector's bungalow. Cuddalore is still a district headquarters, just that the name of the district is Cuddalore now and then it was South Arcot.<br />
<br />
The summer vacations used to be fun with evenings at the quiet beach which used to submerge in the dark at around 6 in the evening and there were a very few roadside lights on way back home. So the most part of the days were to be spent at home.<br />
And there was this sweet guest at every vacation. The jackfruit.<br />
Appa used to get the best ones from Panruti, known for the sweet fruit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuhsz07jF6psSd_DwCvb27hv1a_SfccXEyNBrF7LMEJxp-RyZty3CnGPQqLNego1mfAHR5K2KEcH-pVDy6aet96GD0gnfKeEkqfclV077cK2jzYKriQZG1v-kl-Rxt-v4Nl1d/s1600/palathope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuhsz07jF6psSd_DwCvb27hv1a_SfccXEyNBrF7LMEJxp-RyZty3CnGPQqLNego1mfAHR5K2KEcH-pVDy6aet96GD0gnfKeEkqfclV077cK2jzYKriQZG1v-kl-Rxt-v4Nl1d/s320/palathope.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>
I don't remember bringing a whole fruit to home after that, cutting it with gums all over the hands, drying up the seed for the next day sambar ...<br />
<br />
Naturally it was a great sight for me after a long gap of 25 years! Sweet memories.<br />
<br /></div>
Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-42203831000627053942011-09-29T23:10:00.000+05:302013-02-07T11:18:13.669+05:30Lattice Bridge Road - then and now!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Am not talking about history here.<br />
Just wanted to share a picture I shot yesterday.<br />
A walking distance from my home, L.B. Road has lots to it. From small bunk shops to shopping complexes, cinemas, auto showrooms ...<br />
I never had time to walk leisurely on this road just because of the sheer traffic ordeal.<br />
Today, I couldn't help stopping at this board on this furniture hiring place.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1onzDjd-UuEZWuV68NE9LK26DqWM2gEvG_mqyh0-ZgESSkkRQEePm2t484bhvdHhEh-RiphBflz6YoVvuG_mSY-Pn-YHnFBHCHs1caI-N8tdM-E_og_Cayat2vfB2qxFGikE-/s1600/palagai+varavathi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1onzDjd-UuEZWuV68NE9LK26DqWM2gEvG_mqyh0-ZgESSkkRQEePm2t484bhvdHhEh-RiphBflz6YoVvuG_mSY-Pn-YHnFBHCHs1caI-N8tdM-E_og_Cayat2vfB2qxFGikE-/s400/palagai+varavathi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The Lattice Bride in Tamil '<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">பலகை வாராவதி'!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the subtle changeof 'Nadar' to 'And' ...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chennai is changing?!</span></span></div>
Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-68606079098059801612011-07-19T21:29:00.003+05:302011-07-19T22:40:10.401+05:30The virgin goddess of Mylapore<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcS1iEvlJvHBUo18spbyrn2-V4g4sOmsZ2MFNmp1X5Bec_vi_L3Jp8czyGst6IbNgl_tl1ygME9jNzSWVYCbJDA7iiuaUYjDCz2nPmng3TcH8fAnfKRlPq2fcukqvXOF__UmP/s1600/psnorth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcS1iEvlJvHBUo18spbyrn2-V4g4sOmsZ2MFNmp1X5Bec_vi_L3Jp8czyGst6IbNgl_tl1ygME9jNzSWVYCbJDA7iiuaUYjDCz2nPmng3TcH8fAnfKRlPq2fcukqvXOF__UmP/s400/psnorth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631111708349604146" border="0" /></a>I couldn't stop thinking why people should study their mother tongue well.<br />Do we take it for granted that we all are pundits of our own language?<br />When the name of the school is flawlessly translated into Tamil, why can't the street name be?<br /><br />Mundaka kanni amman (the goddess with eyes like lotus petals) becomes one that sounds like virgin Mary in this name board!Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-30625682253761375562010-05-27T21:51:00.001+05:302010-05-28T15:15:39.138+05:30Cyclone Laila and afterThe recent cyclone across the eastern coast of the Indian continent has brought some rains to Tamil Nadu. There was damage to some extent in Andhra Pradesh though.<br /><br />But, this Cyclone Laila meant different things to different people.For some it was the name. (Read the article on The New Indian Express - Indulge below)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAAq8RIf7Msh_ud9A0jfghqvp4CUXwVtDRIvWxO24cedcAeAQcZC60pvmPBaT-jTlIdfSbkeucwueAMdpuEjRiZvdtKyNCKqv3itthp0sJdowau6GPH-8lFknTgAWU2q_o9j8/s1600/laila.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAAq8RIf7Msh_ud9A0jfghqvp4CUXwVtDRIvWxO24cedcAeAQcZC60pvmPBaT-jTlIdfSbkeucwueAMdpuEjRiZvdtKyNCKqv3itthp0sJdowau6GPH-8lFknTgAWU2q_o9j8/s320/laila.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476254658741087506" border="0" /></a>For the Tamil Nadu Govt., it was the wind that produced more energy so that they could announce less power cuts.<br />For the ordinary residents of Chennai it was just a day of respite but raising mercury to 41 degree celcius.<br /><br />But for this group - Reclaim Our Beaches (ROB), it was a lot of garbage they found near the broken bridge, Adyar, washed in from the Adyar river estuary after the cyclone Laila hit the coast.<br />They say that, with a lot of plastic, thermocol, glass etc. it needs a huge cleanup with more volunteers for at least 2 hours.<br />They have roped in the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) to be part of the cleaning up as part of the Network's International Turtle Day campaign.<br />Still they need more hands.<br />If you are free join them at Broken Bridge, Besant Nagar beach (walk towards the Urur kuppam side and walk towards the broken bridge)<br />On May 30, 2010 between 4 pm and 6 pm.<br />Walk with free hands, the group will provide gloves, trashcans and water.<br /><br />If you want to join the group in all its future projects sign up with their <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/civilsocietygroup?hl=en">Google Group</a>.Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-75625988459058496042010-04-07T08:35:00.002+05:302010-04-07T08:41:54.164+05:30Chennai Kids Directory on ExpressoIt was one of the nicest moments when YOCee released the first Chennai Kids Directory.<br />Planned in a short time, the official launch of the directory was another chance for me to meet the kid reporters of YOCee informally.<br /><br />When I sent out invites to YOCee's young reporters, I had mentioned, "Please be with us on this important occasion, as you are our proud reporter who keeps the website busy and buzzing!"<br /><br />Expresso captured it right. This is the piece that appeared in today's Chennai supplement.<br />Click on the image to view and read in the actual size text.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCTl3tfkaOBuDCbBnDGOGJY1DqhnaI4D3eNu41oh-TgAroFoGvLrX6wXTZnZRQPUVfVFOCLxneSvJPynuwqrLMv2bn57-090j3dGvJSK-JxYk0yjE5IHxPRSr-9eukeyDEDOh/s1600/express.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCTl3tfkaOBuDCbBnDGOGJY1DqhnaI4D3eNu41oh-TgAroFoGvLrX6wXTZnZRQPUVfVFOCLxneSvJPynuwqrLMv2bn57-090j3dGvJSK-JxYk0yjE5IHxPRSr-9eukeyDEDOh/s320/express.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457227686009140930" border="0" /></a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-88991485251430690622010-03-26T19:51:00.000+05:302010-07-18T19:53:45.573+05:30Adhikara Nandi at Sri kapaleeswarar TempleA few pictures of Adhikara Nandi in slideshow<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_GB&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fmailrevathi%2Falbumid%2F5451380551797507313%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_GB" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="400" height="300"></embed>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-22370614922592676972010-03-25T18:06:00.001+05:302010-04-16T18:41:37.788+05:30Kapaleeswarar and the English noteIt was a wee bit early in the morning. 4.30 am is not a time I dare to take my bike out.<br /><br />And when I had decided the previous night that I would go to see the gods the next morning, I had to do a little bit of preparation. To leave home at 4.30 am I had set alarm to get up at 4, take bath and of course have the earning morning filter coffee!<br /><br />All for capturing a glimpse of the Rishabha vahanam procession of Sri Kapaleeswara. Rishabha Vahanam starts off at late night around 11.30 pm and after going around the Mada street, the procession reaches the temple the next day morning.<br /><br />Then why go at 4.30 am, why not the previous night? That was for the special part of the procession when Kapali dances to the tunes of the English Note (Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar's) followed by 'For he is a jolly good fellow' both played on the band and not on the nadaswaram!<br /><br />Yes, it is a special occasion. You need to wait once the Gods reach the 16 pillar mandapam in front of the eastern gopuram of Kapali temple. The five 'Sivan Kovil Samis' - pillaiyar, swami, ambal, subramanyar and chandikeswarar - assemble at the mandapam. Siva (Kapali) at the centre, the other gods do a <span style="font-style: italic;">pradakshinam</span> (clockwise around the deity) and get back to the temple after special <span style="font-style: italic;">arti</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">upacharam</span> - welcome rituals.<br /><br />Kapaleeswara stays back. The muscled men who carry the god on their shoulders arrive after a tea break. The band troupe is signalled to take position in front of the God.<br />The music begins. The English note floats. The men sway to the tunes. Kapali enjoys the dance.<br />Then He is carried inside the temple in a fast pace, as though a child runs back home after a long tour!<br />Here is the short video clip.<br />Perhaps the men were too tired, as it was already hot in March. This year the song and dance did not have the vigour of merriment but were carried out as a ritual.<br />Still it was special and now enjoy the clip!<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SUPSEfzTo1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SUPSEfzTo1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-34520009088361352192010-01-31T21:58:00.006+05:302010-02-02T16:56:40.098+05:30Tribute to S. RajamOn Jan. 29, S. Rajam, musican, musicologist, guru and artist passed away after 91 years of graceful living and serving arts in various forms.<br /><br />I have been to S.Rajam's place on the Nadu Street, Mylapore on three occasions, on various assignments. I have seen him giving a touch to one of his old paintings, of which we wanted a picture for the <a href="http://www.kutcheribuzz.com/">Kutcheribuzz</a> dance guide book. I had been to his talks on a few occasions. I have listened to his Naganandini raga kriti 'Sathaleni dinamulu' at a lec-dem session.<br />All this after a piece I wrote for Mylapore Times in 2005. Those were times I enjoyed writing occasionally for the weekly tabloid on my own and of no assignments.<br /><br />Earlier, I had known him as a good musician and a good painter, through my mother who looked for classy music legends and listened to them in her times of learning and singing music. She passed on the 'sangeetha gnanam' (which is beyond singing and practising) to us.<br />Later living in Madras, I had the opportunities to listen to many finer artistes including S. Rajam. At the Painting Exhibition organised by The Prakriti Foundation (2005), I saw much more than his usual paintings and listened to him with my mouth wide open, the stories behind each of his paintings.<br /><br />His life in his own words, <a href="http://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.com/2009/12/27/rajam/">as captured by Lalitha Ram is here</a>.<br /><br />The scanned copy of my article in Mylapore Times is below. The issue carried a cover picture and a big story inside. It was one of the happy moments in my life.<br />I dedicate those moments to the grand man of music and arts as a tribute.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPH0GVJuDLIaxLRAaCFLDHOI4n-8O02r7KlclmeYdmcpqKbm6qLBs-if1t4n7AZJebS5X8lxQ20Zszti0b8pPMPllvipRlPTVy0p_KkCb1GWtZEhQxWMhxklqq9ENd_n-oPv_-/s1600-h/rajam1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPH0GVJuDLIaxLRAaCFLDHOI4n-8O02r7KlclmeYdmcpqKbm6qLBs-if1t4n7AZJebS5X8lxQ20Zszti0b8pPMPllvipRlPTVy0p_KkCb1GWtZEhQxWMhxklqq9ENd_n-oPv_-/s400/rajam1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433319343465352722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuwR82TVtHs3SPXXmQ_NbE_3lhQUV5MauGlCeUN7tPE8z37aX26Undg5gUZSo5PdkWueN4fQyvlXr2TfyC_PLtbOVK9i7tDR6Z37gMIivIF21cH0nHGadJb34fB3g1AbiClzm/s1600-h/rajamfinal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuwR82TVtHs3SPXXmQ_NbE_3lhQUV5MauGlCeUN7tPE8z37aX26Undg5gUZSo5PdkWueN4fQyvlXr2TfyC_PLtbOVK9i7tDR6Z37gMIivIF21cH0nHGadJb34fB3g1AbiClzm/s400/rajamfinal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433318040872307954" border="0" /></a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-7026977717842176412010-01-07T15:05:00.001+05:302010-05-29T18:20:46.175+05:30Season's specialIf you refer to 'season' in Madras (Chennai), it is the December Music Season.<br /><br />After a decade of only music concerts during the December season, classical dance was added to the calendar and now it is a huge 'season' of everything related to arts!<br /><br />I look forward to December every year in Madras. Even when I was living outside Madras due to the career I was in, I missed a very few December seasons. The process of planning 'leave application' and travel used to begin in October and after a rejuvenating season, I went back to work towards the financial year end.<br /><br />This year the season was more special to me.<br />Apart from listening to concerts, I filed reviews and reports for The Hindu, the newspaper which covers the season extensively.<br /><br />Here are a few links to my reviews published in The Hindu:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/15/stories/2009121550070500.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/15/stories/2009121550070500.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/16/stories/2009121650020200.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/16/stories/2009121650020200.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/16/stories/2009121650090500.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/16/stories/2009121650090500.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/22/stories/2009122250090600.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/22/stories/2009122250090600.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/23/stories/2009122350150800.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/23/stories/2009122350150800.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/25/stories/2009122550110600.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/25/stories/2009122550110600.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/30/stories/2009123050190800.htm">http://www.hindu.com/ms/2009/12/30/stories/2009123050190800.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2009/12/25/stories/2009122551140200.htm">http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2009/12/25/stories/2009122551140200.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/01/22/stories/2010012250990900.htm">http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/01/22/stories/2010012250990900.htm</a><br /><br /><a href="http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/music/article75801.ece">http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/music/article75801.ece</a><br /><br />A set of photographs of concerts I attended during the concert are <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=180704&id=631562288">uploaded here</a><br /><br />Additionally, I enjoyed contributing to a website dedicated to Chennai's December season - <a href="http://www.chennaidecemberseason.com/">www.chennaidecemberseason.com</a> .<br /><br />Read my posts for this website here -<a href="http://www.chennaidecemberseason.com/search/label/R.%20Revathi"> http://www.chennaidecemberseason.com/search/label/R.%20Revathi</a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-67174755315975489202009-10-29T19:06:00.011+05:302009-10-31T15:09:14.772+05:30Kolam on the new Tamil Nadu State Assembly buildingThe team of architects from Germany are inspired by the kolam designs drawn by the rural women in Tamil Nadu and that made them come up with a motif for the new building to be constructed for the Tamil Nadu State Assembly.<br /><br /><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Ancient-kolams-inspire-new-Assembly-design/articleshow/5174245.cms">TOI Report</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> - In the Public Plaza, a kolam engraved on natural sandstone will cover 14,000 sq m of the floor space. In the eight 3.75 m high and 1.75 m wide columns, a kolam will be spread over an area 2,300 sq m. And in the metal screen that will adorn the entrance of the complex, a kolam will cover 10,000 sq m.</span><br /><br />The GMP International's Indian arm Archivista Engineering has selected the motif pattern too. The picture on Times of India - Chennai edition (Oct. 29, 2009) shows a simple 5 dots - 5 rows kolam<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJqOzX8a59B-N1LUB8qbRVd84JOnZSYZ4xvHvgnCWwxJWYLoBhWPtw-_vcsl5JT94kyEA9KdEBSa59L5Xl30rlYkBQLMauoC1dvqBd3gDwUUcYNzo_tRwkvT66jxGnDhaVA7l/s1600-h/TN+assembly+kolam.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJqOzX8a59B-N1LUB8qbRVd84JOnZSYZ4xvHvgnCWwxJWYLoBhWPtw-_vcsl5JT94kyEA9KdEBSa59L5Xl30rlYkBQLMauoC1dvqBd3gDwUUcYNzo_tRwkvT66jxGnDhaVA7l/s320/TN+assembly+kolam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398024128079197986" border="0" /></a><br />Kolams are not just dot and chain patterns. They have an in-built pattern of calculation in them.<br />If you know about the Fibonacci numbers, <a href="http://vindhiya.com/Naranan/Fibonacci-Kolams/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20fkolampart1a-081108.pdf">this article</a> will interest you.<br /><br />While the free hand patterns were popular in the agraharams of villages in Tamil Nadu, the chain pattern like the one chosen for the Assembly building were drawn by mostly the illiterate women.<br /><br />A pattern drawn on of the four sides is repeated and joined with each other to form an even pattern. The calculation facilitates multiplication of the number of dots and enlarging the design with more number of similar patterns in a single kolam.<br /><br />Colours were not used in kolams. The urban folk introduced the concept of colours in kolams that join the dots through straight lines and these are done on festival days like Pongal. Colours are still not used in the chain kolam patterns. These patterns look bright and beautiful on the plain ground.<br /><br />View a carpet of kolams here - <a href="http://mylaporefestival.com/day3/album/slides/DSC_2002.html">http://mylaporefestival.com/day3/album/slides/DSC_2002.html</a><br /><br />I find the basic single pattern of these kolams to be a pleasant welcome symbol at the entrance of a home even it is an apartment. I wake up to draw very simple ones at my doorstep everyday and I find one of my neighbours come with a paper and pencil to draw the pattern and take it home! She is disappointed when I repeat the kolam patterns!<br /><br />Here are a few 5 dots 5 rows kolams that I make in front of my home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-EI4YM4nzE8FcERJj5vPmtdhkMnng-GYXaQFO8GvpzKndzFr77-it9BGWGBX87dKCszXWbpxH0PLhv9OaadUCnfP3uZHgCKOdYPh0d7jmGpqTtMK22CYUA-HhhwSHZMUb4tQ/s1600-h/kolam3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-EI4YM4nzE8FcERJj5vPmtdhkMnng-GYXaQFO8GvpzKndzFr77-it9BGWGBX87dKCszXWbpxH0PLhv9OaadUCnfP3uZHgCKOdYPh0d7jmGpqTtMK22CYUA-HhhwSHZMUb4tQ/s200/kolam3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398028568597632706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_xQJ6DStRTulpOsx4GLnVm9WOwNNILMqD_Rs8YMiG1NUopwJRGj102afVv9q9p8_qTndVON2tsK3ZseUCLy_xbaw7-1i4N753VNh1rnh5O8hD46UCewE1TCaLPw3yULhPr2H/s1600-h/kolam1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_xQJ6DStRTulpOsx4GLnVm9WOwNNILMqD_Rs8YMiG1NUopwJRGj102afVv9q9p8_qTndVON2tsK3ZseUCLy_xbaw7-1i4N753VNh1rnh5O8hD46UCewE1TCaLPw3yULhPr2H/s200/kolam1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398027425290865762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrw4L6tgpmOUGhSPwkuiJCbyvCtD-mPBjoFomlyVvp9kFRQJMfxCsMsla9jQqeYSuYhvGHHQDrQ7YNt-75KiIiOTavoPcRgCJw5Evu6IKzDsuyHyh_NfhwhnFHM4avg07FIdE/s1600-h/kolam2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrw4L6tgpmOUGhSPwkuiJCbyvCtD-mPBjoFomlyVvp9kFRQJMfxCsMsla9jQqeYSuYhvGHHQDrQ7YNt-75KiIiOTavoPcRgCJw5Evu6IKzDsuyHyh_NfhwhnFHM4avg07FIdE/s200/kolam2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398027745968543250" border="0" /></a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-81319770027685198892009-10-19T13:06:00.005+05:302009-10-19T16:01:10.405+05:30Expecting IT refund? Beware of hoax mails!If you were one among those 'trusted' friends, who online hackers send mails from your friends' email ids when they are 'in distress', you could expect one more mail. This time from the Income Tax Department.<br /><br />This hoax mail appears as though it is from a genuine website requesting you to give your Bank account number for crediting the Income tax refund. But what the new 'online Bank customers' do not know is that their password is not required to credit or deposit any money to their Bank account. So fall prey to such mails.<br /><br />Today's Deccan Chronicle (Chennai edition) carries a big advertisement issued by the Income Tax department.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMKN-q07scFPSZ7oNaeTQr9ImMRmpo-nGgMQbDhyt-YYCTi96hMRblh1kXjlfmAt-SjhvdOKtJ2AXmeOTfLtgT6-ju_T6aWCJKKwQ4YwBPDYLXHSZ5clk2BIjL5BhbHYD2F1k/s1600-h/it.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMKN-q07scFPSZ7oNaeTQr9ImMRmpo-nGgMQbDhyt-YYCTi96hMRblh1kXjlfmAt-SjhvdOKtJ2AXmeOTfLtgT6-ju_T6aWCJKKwQ4YwBPDYLXHSZ5clk2BIjL5BhbHYD2F1k/s320/it.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394214706867052802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Strangely, I did not find any advert or alert in any of the other papers.<br />Here is a link to <a href="http://www.indymedia.org/pt/2009/10/929879.shtml">The Independent Media Centre's article</a> on this issue.<br /><br />Alert your friends too.Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-16851879587906883562009-06-02T21:09:00.007+05:302009-06-02T22:07:12.838+05:30Mridangam falls silent with Palghat RaghuWhen my friend Devaki called me to say that Palghat Raghu is no more, the mridangam had already fallen silent. She spoke emotionally about the mridangam vidvan, not just as a rasika. But as one who had been in touch with him often during the last three years.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu89fKrnjxtAEKgXoxx7IsGw6eYLN_k0Q8fYRYlrjw18AYe2jF6ICjnjSFZbtGqclzNtxoyMxNtlfxDusD58YUX_ECqG2Cc7zszwbmrb4wcMTF1sGDJumKTyyfXPjo4I9qfCCt/s1600-h/palghat-raghu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu89fKrnjxtAEKgXoxx7IsGw6eYLN_k0Q8fYRYlrjw18AYe2jF6ICjnjSFZbtGqclzNtxoyMxNtlfxDusD58YUX_ECqG2Cc7zszwbmrb4wcMTF1sGDJumKTyyfXPjo4I9qfCCt/s320/palghat-raghu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342766306557392178" border="0" /></a>She expressed all her awe about the values he lived with and handed over to the next generation. The way he welcomed the guests who entered his home, his casual 'storytelling' about the days he spent with the Hindustani musician in his sister's family in Mumbai and much more. She shared a lot of her experience with this Sangita Kalanidhi, Padma Sri artiste.<br />I haven't heard this good about him so far. Nor did I have any personal association with him. His daughter in law Usha and I used to be colleagues in Bank though.<br />On one occasion I happened to meet him. He had his deposit account in the branch where I was working then. The branch catered to business clients mostly and was not in his residential area too. Still his account with the bank could have been due to his daughter in law who was working in the branch. She was already transferred to another branch, but his deposit remained with this branch. It was overdue to be renewed and we were in a situation of partly computerised and partly manual operations. It took unduly long time to renew the deposit and Raghu had to visit the branch to get this done. He sat down patiently till we went through complex procedures and handed him over a new receipt. He smiled and said thank you after waiting for more than an hour! A gentleman was he.<br />Today I chanced upon the website the family put together for the artiste, personality Palghat Raghu on his 80th birthday. <a href="http://www.palghatraghu.org/">www.palghatraghu.org</a><br />Great website, great pictures that brought the great personality before us. I am told a girl from Kerala specially took this job last year and did wonderfully well.<br />Different people, different perspectives, different personalities!<br />May his soul rest in peace!<br /><br />Pic courtesy - <a href="http://www.palghatraghu.org/">www.palghatraghu.org</a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-66021499304294545972009-05-22T12:19:00.005+05:302009-05-23T22:04:09.037+05:30Hand crafted paper jewelleryYes, these are made of papers. And each one is unique as the making of the pieces involves 10 fingers. Fully handcrafted, trendy, eco-friendly and light weight jewellery.<br />There are gorgeous roses, colourful danglers, traditional yet modern <span style="font-style: italic;">jhumkas</span> to go with your modern and ethnic outfits.<br /><br />In June last my friend Deepa mailed me a link to Flickr with loads of paper jewellery made by her. She moved on from there to have a shelf for her jewellery in a few places including DakshinaChitra. Then came her blog updating what's she bringing out periodically.<br /><br />She is not yet another 'craft aunty' or 'jewellery maami'. She calls her brand '10 fingers!'. She does her business online. The packing and despatching the hand crafted jewellery is thoroughly professional.<br /><br />Now if you want to see a few samples of her work, below are a couple of them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoOguNT5gft0PmDaXytYHnixYr2L4binoE8wfljc4VTpuAdqvrmeEOmSv5wvzTM_RURYrZ66gakUJbrBVLWSR8bAgaoW23ulEsrOOtoy0SriIJ-iKmL37aprf-sBbQo-ALil_/s1600-h/paper1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoOguNT5gft0PmDaXytYHnixYr2L4binoE8wfljc4VTpuAdqvrmeEOmSv5wvzTM_RURYrZ66gakUJbrBVLWSR8bAgaoW23ulEsrOOtoy0SriIJ-iKmL37aprf-sBbQo-ALil_/s320/paper1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338538488537968866" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkKAVE0ZufwZnScUaQPv0WN0h3aRxNn_ifcOsbCA0ib-ILsAjiyQx_Z37CqfOHfddPOZ1az3ZGVt-tSw5lIRM-vXdAjfQVbfy73xNpOU4Wx9Yk9QNeiMjfZkxNPLlfULAlgZx/s1600-h/paper2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkKAVE0ZufwZnScUaQPv0WN0h3aRxNn_ifcOsbCA0ib-ILsAjiyQx_Z37CqfOHfddPOZ1az3ZGVt-tSw5lIRM-vXdAjfQVbfy73xNpOU4Wx9Yk9QNeiMjfZkxNPLlfULAlgZx/s320/paper2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338538685204160690" border="0" /></a><br />For orders and more details, go to her blog - <a href="http://paperjewellery.wordpress.com/">http://paperjewellery.wordpress.com/</a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-77674592076414293242009-05-17T21:45:00.008+05:302009-05-24T16:13:36.516+05:30Senior citizens opt to forego their rights to vote?!I just had to change the direction of my walk on the day of the Lok Sabha elections in Chennai. Instead of walking towards the right from our road-end, I took a left turn and walked down to Gandhi Nagar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdouNkaLd7UAdDXjKdBhebKhl5f8P-Re4TCRAXcNCN15JVdK79rHkWAIJIwAIyKH7R2E4572ux_Foki9_45GeGDXU4bq8N67RDA0NezwA7iICirt3YA9E17NhH5vfktOZuNRO/s1600-h/vote1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdouNkaLd7UAdDXjKdBhebKhl5f8P-Re4TCRAXcNCN15JVdK79rHkWAIJIwAIyKH7R2E4572ux_Foki9_45GeGDXU4bq8N67RDA0NezwA7iICirt3YA9E17NhH5vfktOZuNRO/s320/vote1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339057098161255858" border="0" /></a>But it was not that simple for many of the senior citizens here.<br /><br />For it is more than a walking stretch for them. And crossing the road at the Aavin Park is another they wanted to avoid. My next door 'maami' declared that her single vote does not decide the fate of the country! My another neighbour was waiting to see if any of her friends went by car so that she and her husband could join. But by evening the couple said they didn't vote!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5gJcYpzTOlx3IxAyqkCtBB6VwFZqYM6d_QQQ72wEmBioD3sZPfmRqSMXJN2XuNp27fFRxs0NuNzjZuT7l2J2KU7Fmsw9q_zrx0zXMufcg_AkGYEivc2_Zm54lAKR-vYsNTu-/s1600-h/vote2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5gJcYpzTOlx3IxAyqkCtBB6VwFZqYM6d_QQQ72wEmBioD3sZPfmRqSMXJN2XuNp27fFRxs0NuNzjZuT7l2J2KU7Fmsw9q_zrx0zXMufcg_AkGYEivc2_Zm54lAKR-vYsNTu-/s320/vote2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339057214307467170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Avvai Home on the Besant Avenue Road was the closest polling booth. But that was not meant for the residents of Karpagam Garden or Padmanabha Nagar. The school is situated in a fairly big campus and could have accommodated the residents of these two areas also.<br /><br />Adyar Times did mention this in this week's edition (May 17 - 23). But how many votes were not polled due to this reason? Any audit possible so that this can be rectified in the next election at least?Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-78367274311212661242009-05-14T11:37:00.004+05:302009-10-31T15:08:36.114+05:30YOCee's reporter programmeWhen I was doing my graduation, the popular Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan came up with the Student Reporter Programme. Though I was very much interested in writing I wasn't enthusiastic about being a 'reporter' as I thought it would affect my academic course!<br /><br />But after 12 years my own child studying in class 3 was writing single page reports whenever he came across something interesting. He was writing in bits of papers with his pencil and was throwing them all over the living room. I accidentally saw his 'report' on an imaginary cricket match, after he saw a lively match on the television. This really opened my eyes, I should say.<br /><br />Then we moved to Bombay on transfer; but the writing of young children was popping in my mind now and then. It was a dream come true when the kids in our building were introduced to the scribble magazine. The magazine saw eleven monthly issues and then came our transfer back to Madras.<br /><br />When <a href="http://www.yocee.in/">www.yocee.in</a> was up, the first idea sparked in my mind was the 'student reporter programme'. I had to give a year to set right a few technical issues as to how the bylines would appear on the website, how do we assign jobs to the reporters, how do the reports and photos could be collected and how do the reporters meet periodically to train and get better. . .<br /><br />There are still a few issues, which we still face - like - meeting the kid reporters at regular intervals is next to impossible as any six kids in the group would invariably have one or the other exam. We are still scratching our minds to find ways to overcome this and have meetings.<br />Simple, we could meet in small groups, you may think. But hiring a hall for such small meetings is costly and remember YOCee is yet to break even.<br /><br />Still when the programme that started as passion to see kids writing is being recognised, it makes me feel happy and proud.<br /><br />This is what appeared in yesterday's Times of India.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocm7nWjEsn0wYSGbQQqdqvSqY_Jo1_ZPb_ex84BJyYnbv0cvXtHlYeiktiPnYlHfP0deDCvsceQPhlMEjQllvdaUcBI5NqF2rvKTrcIRnOO-4KnqUNIbHImu-Df2FcNHcmXER/s1600-h/yocee3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocm7nWjEsn0wYSGbQQqdqvSqY_Jo1_ZPb_ex84BJyYnbv0cvXtHlYeiktiPnYlHfP0deDCvsceQPhlMEjQllvdaUcBI5NqF2rvKTrcIRnOO-4KnqUNIbHImu-Df2FcNHcmXER/s320/yocee3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338902529981239778" border="0" /></a>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-14709763665450066232009-05-03T22:17:00.004+05:302009-06-02T22:00:03.588+05:30Creative writing for the youngI was not sure what the six year and eight year olds would do in a writing camp, when I accepted to do a summer camp for one of my friends.<br />Originally targetted at 12 year olds, the camp ended up with kids in a much younger group. But looking at the kids on day one, I couldn't resist continuing the camp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFl5UYcn7ZYLkZhWlfVxA6HF0caQs_jTOeS2Cm3qsCQZKY8yww2UoFNpwFsMCChpDPPqVcvJRodPlMCvW1SEFybG5Qt5dRpssJY89kUyiBqFnRIZTYmqk8Hj2iQ4_i5RkGrIV/s1600-h/writing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFl5UYcn7ZYLkZhWlfVxA6HF0caQs_jTOeS2Cm3qsCQZKY8yww2UoFNpwFsMCChpDPPqVcvJRodPlMCvW1SEFybG5Qt5dRpssJY89kUyiBqFnRIZTYmqk8Hj2iQ4_i5RkGrIV/s320/writing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339063838517708978" border="0" /></a>It was partly fun, partly learning - both for the kids and me!<br /><br />They learnt making their personal profile, made poetry calendar sheet, cracking a logic and making a story, news story ideas, components of a newspaper and how to write a short report!<br />This is the finale when they made up their daily working sheets together and took home their precious writings!Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-76080383466404016512009-04-17T17:03:00.014+05:302012-03-13T21:38:34.353+05:30Stop, Yocee, Proceed!Indulge, the Friday supplement of the New Indian Express has featured <a href="http://www.yocee.in/">YOCee</a> in the Webscout column today. That took me back by at least 5 years and to Bombay.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OOm7l9Rhmow0po5tV1s9PPMSoeIOlj-c7fGiEUKDa5DWhMLNLWRRLvfcXjEMvBKqG44ArkMVU7h6Cqs9nyT1EDOOxApOgFT4QyFsTQwOQoWIAKizxTyRg8dr0a07bYfPDDsx/s1600-h/yocee.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OOm7l9Rhmow0po5tV1s9PPMSoeIOlj-c7fGiEUKDa5DWhMLNLWRRLvfcXjEMvBKqG44ArkMVU7h6Cqs9nyT1EDOOxApOgFT4QyFsTQwOQoWIAKizxTyRg8dr0a07bYfPDDsx/s320/yocee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325635463785969970" border="0" /></a>I still remember the day on which the first issue of the scribble magazine, Kids Magic was launched at the CanHeritage building in Bombay.<div><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NtsWTIQoGwgR1LAOs09kIklMra8BvkQe8B_xDrQ6AcEgZyTDNNG8LPhDASJq9Ymi4FC_3AT9g1whPz00KTn6zQQr-jtyi9AWE2u8S71lB5pNtq9tq-6v8rck0Z-IgLsVpeYK/s320/heritage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325640476188336322" border="0" />I still remember every moment of each page of the magazine getting ready at the hands of the kids on our dining table. </div><div><br /></div><div>Many of these kids are now in colleges doing engineering, medicine . . .<br /><br /></div><div>And I still remember the day I took the sheets of the first issue for binding, to a bookshop opposite IIT Powai.<br /><br /></div><div>Of course I cannot forget the day when the kids first saw their effort as a magazine.<br /><br /></div><div>It happened in 2003.<br /><br /></div><div>After I moved out of Bombay and landed in Madras in the year 2004, it was just 'evening gatherings' with a few kids in the neighbourhood where we lived then.<br /><br /></div><div>We didn't have a big community like the one in Bombay, where 72 families lived in an apartment complex. I still don't live in such a colony. But getting the kids across to have their own space for news, events, happenings that interest them is all fun I would say.<br /><br /></div><div>A <a href="http://www.kiddiesdayout.blogspot.com/">simple blog</a> on what the kids in Chennai can do in their leisure was the first one to come online. It was hosted by me and I collected the info and posted.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvXCkIsJx_St1IVU8AF3SRGRxOLeKMKe5Ufs9emocT8k_-JkoKQsiZXds0D0jkIQPvvOEYyCsj3IldeWtLg3I6PwJktFPifxbwsNfymUHiq2JcFMZ0fq8qcuOAozVOyx18nbJ/s320/kidsmagic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325641034661366914" border="0" />But I wanted that kids should share news and info on a common platform. </div><div><br /></div><div>So a website, I thought, could be the best place for it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't feel like leaving the effort I took to host the blog and the thought process that went into the making of such a website. I went on to create that space for kids - online!</div><div><br /></div><div>That is <a href="http://yocee.in">YOCee</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Kids came together to contribute to the colour and design of the website. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_D'Souza">A friend</a>, a veteran journalist and publisher proposed the name YOC. The kids added two 'e's to make it sound the way YOC has to be pronounced.<br /><br />It took three months to get a shape for the website and the D-Day came on Nov. 14, 2006.<br /><br /></div><div>There were hiccups, time constraint, revenue issues, personal reasons that could have stopped me from continuing to host YOCee.<br /><br /></div><div>But today when I look back and the work of the small team of two hands directing. gathering and keeping the website update, I feel happy.</div>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21945934.post-12036059059633467652009-04-07T11:40:00.005+05:302009-04-07T12:24:01.779+05:30Narayana Tirtha Aradhana at TirupoonthuruthiPoonthuruthi - the place where Lord Siva is worshiped as Pushpavaneswarar, has been on the cultural map of Tamil Nadu since the time of nayanmaars. Tirugnanasambandar, one of the Saiva Naalvar, had visited the temple and written verses on the Lord here.<br />A little bit about the place - 'thuruthi' in Tamil is referred to a place situated between two rivers. Legend goes like Indra created a garden between the river Cauvery and its tributory Kudamurutti and worshipped Siva at this place.<br />Apart from the God, a sage who attained 'jeeva samadhi' at this place is also being worshiped by the locals. The Carnatic music fretenity pays homage to this saint Narayana Tirtha, who composed the beatiful verses of Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini. The saint's aradhana and a full day homageon Sri Krishna Janmashtami is held at the brindavanam.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kutcheribuzz.com/news/20090321/Tirupoonthuruthi.asp" target="_blank">Read my report</a> on this year's aradhana for Kutcheribuzz.<br /><br />This year the aradhana was celebrated from March 2 to 4. On the last day, my son Prasanna played a few tarangams on chitravina accompanied by Manikudi Chandrasekahar on the mridangam and Hidenori (Japan) on the kanjira. Prasanna is the disciple of 'Chitravina' Narasimhan and 'Chitravina' Ganesh.<br />Here is a video clip of one song from Prasanna's concert.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CiW3Y7wvH_0&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CiW3Y7wvH_0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Revathi Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00099054432191778922noreply@blogger.com0