swamimalai abhishaegam

மன்னார்குடி மாஃப்யாவின் வேலையா?

ஸ்வாமிமலையிலுள்ள அருள்மிகு ஸ்வாமினாதஸ்வாமி எங்கள் குலதெய்வம் ஆகையால் அடிக்கடி அங்கு சென்று அபிஷேகம் செய்வது வழக்கம். அபிஷேகக்கட்டணம் ரூபாய் 600 ஆக இருந்தது. அதேபோல் இந்த வருடம் டிசம்பர் முதல் வாரத்தில் அபிஷேகம் செய்யச்சென்றபோது அபிஷேகக் கட்டணம் ரூபாய் 600 லிருந்து ரூபாய் 1500 ஆக ஜூன் முதல் தேதியிலிருந்து உயர்த்தப்பட்டதாக அறிந்து அதிர்சி அடைந்தோம். 250% கட்டண உயர்வா? நல்ல வேளையாக கையில் போதுமான பணம் கொண்டு சென்றிருந்ததால் சமாளித்தோம்.கையில் அவ்வளவு பணம் இல்லாதவர்கள் என்ன செய்வார்கள்? இக்கோவில் இந்து அற நிலையத்துறையின் நிர்வாகக் கட்ட்ப்பாட்டுக்குள் வருகிறது. அபிஷேக திரவியங்களிலோ முறைகளிலோ ஒரு மாறுதலும் இல்லாத நிலையில் இத்தகைய பெரும் உயர்வுக்கு என்ன அவசியம்?

இன்றைய தினமலரில் கோயம்பேடு வாகன நிறுத்த நிர்வாகத்தில் CMDA போர்வையில் மன்னார்குடி மாஃப்யாவைச்சேர்ந்த மகாதேவன் நடத்திய திருவிளையாடல்களைப் பற்றிப் படித்தபோது மேற்கண்ட கட்டண உயர்வும் இந்து அறநிலையத்துறையின் போர்வையில் மன்னார்குடிக் கும்பல் நடத்திய சதியோ என்று சந்தேகம் எழுகிறது. இது குறித்தும் தக்க விசாரணை நடத்த வேண்டியது அவசியமாகிறது.  

chardham yatra

Chardham Yatra

It has  been my long cherished desire to explore the nooks and corners of Incredible India and once I retired from service I started my expeditions/explorations in full swing along with my wife.  Accordingly, when a leading Yatra service provider announced the Chardham yatra, we booked our seats forthwith.

The pilgrimage to the four holy places of Gangotri, Yamunothri, Kedarnath and Badrinath is collectively known as Chardham yatra. These are located in the picturesque Uttaranchal and Chardham yatra is considered the holiest of pilgrimages. The yatra started from Delhi  via  Haridwar, and we travelled almost the entire stretch of  Himalayas. As is well known, the Holy Yamuna originates from Yamunothri and Ganges originates in Gangothri. Kedarnath has one of the twelve Jyotirlingas depicting Lord Shiva and Badrinath is one of the 108 Divyadesams of Lord Mahavishnu. Apart from the spiritual significance of the pilgrimage, one can admire nature in all its glory. The route to all these places is through mountains and so narrow that only one small bus can with difficulty pass through. If you look through the window, you can see that if the bus strays an inch, it will end in a precipitous fall. Only expert drivers can navigate these mountainous tracks. During the entire trip, we could see a number of waterfalls on the way. The mountain ranges are gigantic and in many places, we could see natural formations which looked as if they have been sculpted and chiseled by expert workmen. Yamuna and the Ganges in various nomenclatures travel all the way with you. The Ganges originates in Gangotri as Bhageerathi. It is so named after Bageerathan who after severe penance brought Ganges to earth. The river Mandakini flows from Kedarnath and  the river Alaknanda flows from Badrinath . Along the way, we could see various prayags  such as Rudraprayag(where Alaknanda and Mandakini merge),Karnaprayag(confluence of Alakananda and Pidari Ganga), Nandaprayag(Alakananda and Nandakini),Vishnuprayag(Alakananda and Dowliganga )and Devaprayag( where Alakananda merges with Bageerathi). We could aso see in Mana village near Badrinath the birth place of the River Saraswathi . It starts with such ferocity there, runs for 200 metres then disappears. It later reappears only in Allahabad in the Triveni Sangamam of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi.

Words are insufficient to describe the pristine beauty of the surroundings and the ecstatic pleasure we derived from seeing the mighty nature in all its glory all around us with waterfalls and rivers running with such ferocious sound and  mountains  everywhere, reminding us  how small we are before Mother nature. In all the four holy places, the river water is so icy that we cannot take holy bath. Everywhere, there are hot springs where you can have a dip. It is said that these hot springs contain sulphur and you have to finish your holy dips in seconds.

The yatra was not without its moments of tension. We had so far read about landslides and rockfalls only in newspapers. On our way back from Gangothri, there was a huge landslide and we had to wait for hours in the jeep not knowing when it will be cleared. We could not even get down in the pitch darkness with mountains on one side and the flowing river on the other. In fear and desperation, everyone started chanting Rama nama. Finally, it was nearly 3 hours before the Army came with a JCB and cleared the place.  But in retrospect, these stressful moments only enhanced the thrill and excitement of the Yatra.

The mountain ranges are known for their fickle weather and frequent rainfalls and weather Gods could have at any time played spoilsport with our Yatra. But, luckily, Gods were so kind that on two occasions, we escaped narrowly from the vagaries of weather gods. The road to Gangothri got closed the after we completed our journey there and after days of closure, the road to Badrinath opened only on the date of our visit. 

It was a delight to see the holy rivers in full force travelling along with us. With such vast water resources from these perennial rivers it is shameful that we in the Southern States cry hoarse about water scarcity and fight with neighboring states for water. If only political sanity can prevail, can these rivers not be linked to bring a permanent solution to the problem and bring to  an and this perennial source of dispute between States? 

Temples of Kerala-part4

Temples of Kerala-part4

From Guruvayoor, we proceeded to Thrissur.  Our first visit was to Thiruvambadi  which is one of the largest Krishna temples in the State. Thiruvambadi  is one of the major groups participating in the Thrissur Pooram, the main friendly rival being Paramekkavu Bagavathi temple. Devi Vishnumaya is the other major deity in the temple. During Thrissur Pooram,the temple exhibits the best art forms including caparisoned elephants, fireworks and giant umbrellas and conducts a colourful ceremonious procession called Madathilvaravu to the Vadakkunathan temple.

We then went to the Vadakkunathan temple which is one of the largest and ancient Siva temples in the State. It is also called Thenkailasam and Vrishabachalam and stands majestically on an elevated hillock in the heart of the city. According to traditions, the temple was built by Parasurama, one of the Avatars of Mahavishnu. The temple is the venue of  the famous Thrissur Pooram  which is celebrated in the month of Medam (Mid April-Mid May). The temple and its mural paintings have been declared as a National monument by the Archaeological Survey of India. The temple is surrounded by a massive stone wall and is spread over 9 acres of land. There a number of Sannadhis in the inner as well as outer praharams  and there is a detailed board indicating the various Sannadhis and the route map at the entrance to the temple. The temple closes by 10 AM.

We then visited the Paramekkavu Bagavathi temple  which is one of the largest Devi temples in the State. The temple is famous for making giant umbrellas during Thrissur Pooram. The temple is also known for its traditional orchestra known as the Palachothil Melom.The temple is one of the nine participants in the Thrissur Pooram.

In the evening, we started with a trip to Rama temple at Triprayar, in the Guruvayoor-Kodungallur-Ernakulam highway. It is said to be the only Rama temple on the banks of a river.

According to legends, four images of Rama,Lakshmana,Bharatha  and Satrugna  were washed ashore during the period of the Zamorins and were installed by a local chieftain  in the following places:

Triprayar-Rama

Thirumoozhikkalam-Lakshmana

Koodalmanikkam-Bharatha

Payammel-Satrugna

Even though all these are images of Vishnu,they are called by the name of the four brothers. The main deity in this temple is of Chathurbuja Vishnu-the four arms holding conch,disc,bow and garland with Sreedevi and Bhoodevi on either side. It is said that the image has some aspects of Shiva also. Rama with a garland is suggestive of the aspects of Brahma and hence the image is a manifestation of the Trimurthis.

From there, we proceeded to Irinjalakuda, where the above mentioned Koodalmanikyam temple of Baratha is located.The temple is a marvel in architectural beauty with a number of mural paintings and carvings. There is only a single deity at the temple which is that of Baratha, also known as Sangameswara.  Not even an image of Vigneswara is present in the temple .It is said that the Lord here has the divinities of all Gods and Goddesses(Sangamam). It is said that the image is of Baratha in a happy mood on the return of Rama after Vanavasa. Hanuman is said to be symbolically present in the kitchen.

Another legend is that the rivers Kurumali and Chalakudy at one point of time in history merged in Irinjalakuda and hence the deity is called Sangameswara.

Another interesting legend is that one saint from Taliparamba was collecting the Chaithanya(divinity) of all the temples in the State in his conch for transferring to the idol of the temple in his village. He accidentally fell down in Irinjalakuda , the conch broke and all the divinities got transferred to the deity in the temple which is why the deity is called Sangameswara. Hence, all  Sevas  in the temple are made in the name of Siva, Vishnu and Devi. The roundshaped sanctum sanctorum of the temple is covered with copper plates.

From there we proceeded to the Satrugna temple at Payammal which is 6kms from Irinjalakuda. On the way back to Thrissur, we had a darshan of Lord Hanuman at a place called Nadavarambu.

We started the next day with a visit to Thiruvivichikode,69^th of the 108 Divyadesams of Mahavishnu. It is

located in the Shornur-Kozhikode Railway route,2kms from Pattambi Railway Station. The main deity is Uyyavanda Perumal. As per legend, the main deity was installed by Arjuna. The outer praharam also has Vishnu idols installed by Yudhishtirar, Nakula and Sahadeva and Beema. 10 Pasurams have been sung by Kulasekara Aazhvar on this deity.

Our next visit was to Thiruvilwamala, a hilly village in the northern terrain of Thrissur, on the banks of Bharathapuzha  river.   The two main deities are Ramabhadraswamy and Lakshman. Ramabhadraswami is also called Vilvadrinatha.  According to legends, the idol of Sri Rama was installed and first Puja performed by Parasurama.  It is said that the idol is the one worshipped by Lord Siva in Kailasa. There  is also a belief that below the sanctum, there is a cave and a golden Vilva tree. Even though the temple is normally open for morning darshan  upto 11 AM,at present it closes by 10AM because of the renovations under way.

In the evening, we started with a visit to Thiruvanjikkalam, an ancient Siva temple near Kodungallur. This is the only Paadal petra Sivasthalam in Kerala ,sung by Sundaramoorthi Nayanar. The sanctum sanctorum is in the form of a chariot. There is no separate Sannadhi for Ambal. This is the only temple in which Lord Dakshinamurthy faces east. Mural paintings adorn the temple walls.

From there, we proceeded to the famous Bagavathi temple at Kodungallur. This is a famous Bagavathi shrine in Kerala. It is said to have been built by Cheran Senguttuvan in honour of Kannagi, who is a manifestation of Kaali, Kotravai or Durga.It is believed that this was originally a Shiva temple and hence Shiva is worshipped by devotees before worshipping Devi.The image of Bagavathi is carved out of a Jacjfruit tree. The face is covered with a mask.

Incidentally, on our way to Thirunavaya from Thrissur, we came across an indication Board regarding a Mahavishnu temple in Thirukkannapram about 4kms before Thirunavaya. When we went there, we found it was actually a temple of Lakshmi Narasimha. Unfortunately, the temple was closed, but the caretaker there informed us that this is a 5000 year old temple and there are plans to renovate the same.

The trip was on the whole  very edifying. All the temples we visited were ancient temples and had an aura of divinity hanging in the air. Incidentally, we were staying in Thrissur during the last 3 days of our visit .There is an excellent vegetarian Hotel called Hotel Bharat there which serves delicious food. For the information of coffee lovers, the Hotel serves excellent filter coffee. Delicious idlis are served, but in the morning only.

Temples of Kerala-Part3

Temples in Kerala-3

We left Kozhikode next morning and headed straight to the Bagavathi temple at Kadampuzha. This is a famous pilgrimage centre in Malappuram  district. The deity is Goddess  Durga –a supremely radiant image. There are two main rituals in the temple. One is poomoodal-Covering the deity fully with freshly plucked flowers. Another ritual is called Muttarukkal-the breaking of coconuts before the Goddess by the priest on behalf of the devotees. It is said that the coconut breaks into two equal halves. The belief is that whatever obstacles are faced by the devotee are warded off  by this ritual.

According to legends, Adi Sankaracharya, when passing through the place could not proceed further at one point. He understood it to be the meeting point of Goddess Parasakthi in Her Parvathi incarnation and Lord Shiva and did the first Pooja to the Devi. At  present because of  renovation work, the temple closes by 10AM in the morning and 7PM in the evening.  Annadhanam is daily in the temple done.

From there we proceeded to the Hanumankavu temple at Alathiyur, near Tirur in Malappuram district. According to local myths, the idol of Lord Hanuman was consecrated by Vasishta, one of the Saptharishis 3000 years ago. Even though the main deity is of Lord Rama, the temple is famously known as Hanumankavu temple. The deity of Hanuman is in a standing posture with face turned to one side and both hands pressed together in a worshipping posture. It looks as if He is listening to something that Lord Rama is saying.

From there, we proceeded to Thirunavaya, one of the 108 Divyadesams of Lord Mahavishnu, on the banks of  Bharathapuzha river.13 Pasurams have been sung in praise of the Lord by Nammalvar and Thirumangaiazhvar. The temple is situated in Malappuram district, 7kms from Kuttipuram Railway Station. According to Puranas, Goddess Lakshmi and Gajendran worshipped Lord Mahavishnu with lotuses from a nearby lake. Because of this , the number of lotus flowers in the pond dwindled and at the request of Gajendran, the Lord took Lakshmi by his side and accepted the flowers from Gajendran.

Another legend is that 8 idols of Lord Vishnu were  installed by a group of Rishis here. The first 8 disappeared as soon as they were installed. The ninth one sank to its knees before it was stopped. Hence Lord Naavai Mukundan can be seen only from above the knees. The remaining part is said to be below the ground.  The temple closes by 11 in the morning .

From there, we proceeded to the famous Krishna temple of Guruvayoor in Thrissur district. We stayed there overnight and had several darshans to our heart’s content both in the evening and next morning. We also witnessed the traditional Seeveli in which the Utsavamoorthy is taken around the Praharam in caparisoned elephants with Shotachobacharam to the accompaniment of Nadaswaram and Kerala’s traditional Chendavadhyam. After the final round, the Lord is put to sleep by playing Raga Neelambari. It was a real treat to watch. The main deity is of Lord Guruvayoorappan with four lustrous arms carrying conch Panchajanya,Sudarsana chakra,Kaumodaki and lotus.The deity is  of Mahavishnu as revealed to Vasudeva and Devaki at the time of Krishna Avatar. The Pooja routines in the temple are as laid down by Adi Sankara and are followed with meticulous perfection.

Legend has it that on Lord Krishna’s Swargarohana (ascension to Vaikunta) the idol was given to Uddhava who in turn was to entrust it to Brihaspathi(Devaguru) for installation in a suitable place. Devaguru along with Vayu with the help of Parasurama found a suitable place which at that time was the abode of Lord Shiva and Parvathi. Lord Shiva agreed that this was the suitable place to install the idol and agreed to move to a place called Mammiyoor which is one kilometer away. The place is called Guruvayoor since Guru and Vayu installed the idol. Since Lord Shiva agreed to move away, to give place to Lord Krishna, the pilgrimage to Guruvayoor is considered incomplete without a visit to the Mammiyoor Mahadevar temple. We visited this temple also.

It is said that Vishwakarma, the divine architect built  Guruvayoor temple. It is designed in such a way that on Vishu day, the first rays of the Sun fall straight on to the Lord’s feet. On 30^th November 1970,a massive fire broke out in the temple and raged for nearly 5 hours, but miraculously, the main Vigraha, sanctum sanctorum and the sub shrines of Ganapathi, Ayyappa and Bagavathi remained  unaffected. Later, the temple was once again built to the glory of the Lord. The foundation for the renovation was laid by Jagatguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi  and  worship restarted on the Vishu day of 1973.

Temples of Kerala-part2

Temples in Kerala-2

Normally, when we think of temples in Kerala, only major temples like Guruvayoor, Ananthapadmanabaswamy,Chotanikkara etc come to our minds. We therefore decided to visit some of the lesser known temples in the Northern districts like Kozhikode, Kannur, Thrissur etc along, of course with the major temples there.

 On Day1,we started with the Siva temple , located in the Tali area in Kozhikode. This is a historical Siva temple, built by Samuthiri, (Zamorins), rulers of the erstwhile Hindu State of Kozhikode. Exponents of different cultural arts used to display their talents in the presence of Samuthiris.(Zamorins) Even though it is a Siva temple, there is a Sannadhi for Narayana also.

Our next visit was to the Mahaganapathi Balasubramanyaswami temple situated just opposite to the Tali Shiva temple, said to have been built by Zamorins .We also visited the Ramaswami temple in the near vicinity. Another famous temple in Kozhikode is the Azhakodi Devi temple located in the Thiruthiyad area.

We then proceeded to Kannur by train and halted there for the night. Next day, we visited the temples in Kannur, Taliparamba and Talasseri. It is said that visiting Trichambaram Krishna temple in the outskirts of Taliparamba, Vaidyanatha temple in Taliparamba and Shiva temple in Kannur on the same day is very sacred. These trinity of temples  are collectively known as TTK temples.

We started the day with Trichambaram temple which derives its name from Thiru Shambara in reverence to Maharishi  Shambara. The temple is famous for the sculptures in the walls of the sanctum sanctorum and the exquisite collection of mural paintings.The temple is also known for the colourful annual temple festival held between March 6^th and 20^th.The highlight of the festival is the Thitambu Nrithyam, a dance featuring Krishna and Balarama.

Our next visit was to the Vaidyanatha temple at Kanjiragat in Taliparamba. The Lord is known as the divine physician or Vaidya(like Vaideeswarankoil in Tamilnadu). The abhishekatheertham here is said to contain medicinal properties.

We then proceeded to the Rajaraeshwara temple in Taliparamba. It is one of the existing 108 Shiva temples in Kerala. It is said to have the tallest Shikara among the temples of its times. The temple is several thousand years old and  the legend s that it was renovated by Sage Parashurama. Ladies are not allowed inside the temple precincts during daytime. They are allowed only after 8 PM  after Athazha  Pooja when the Lord’s consort Parvathi joins Him and the Lord is said to be at the pleasantest mood. However on Sivarathri day, ladies are allowed all through the day.  The  temples of Lord Vasudeva and Bhoothanatha, the chief lieutenant of Lord Shiva are also in the vicinity.

We then visited the famous Krishnan temple at Chirakkal near Kannur. The deity here is in a standing posture with a smiling face holding bananas in both hands.

In the evening, we went to Thalaseri where we visited the Jagannath temple which is actually a Siva  deity temple even though the name raises visions of a Vishnu temple.

We completed our visit to Talassery with a visit to Sri Ramaswami temple at Thiruvengadu in the eastern part of the town. In the same compound, there are two Siva temples Kizhako, ttu Sivan and Vadakkottu Sivan.

We then returned to Kozhikode for the night stay.

Temples of Kerala

There are some common aspects regarding temples in Kerala which makes visits to temples there a unique, blissful and exhilarating experience.

1) There are no touts or middlemen in any of the temples offering to take you straight to the sanctum sanctorum for a consideration depending on the size of the crowd. Everyone has to take his/her turn in the queue. There is of course a separate entry point (official) for VIPs, but even they are only allowed to join the queue at a particular point. The practice of taking them straight inside is not allowed in any of the temples.

2)All darshans are free and there is no system of special darshan for a fee.(even in major temples like Guruvayoor)

3)Deeparadhanas are performed only at the times fixed by the temple unlike in Tamilnadu where the priest shows Deeparadhana at frequent intervals depending on his perception of the amount that will be placed on his plate by the visitor.

4)Temples are maintained spick and span. The temple Premises as well as the Pooja equipments are cleaned meticulously. Old ladies are specially appointed only for the purpose of cleaning.

5)All temples have a strict dress code. Men have to necessarily wear Veshti(Mundu). Shirts and Pants are not allowed. Similarly, ladies are allowed to wear only sarees or half sarees.

6)Priests keep prasadams like Chandan, flower etc in a plantain leaf and drop it into the hands of the devotees without touching them.

7) People do not talk in loud voices inside the temples and strict decorum is maintained.

8) Flowers are not sold outside the temples. Flowers which grow inside the temples are arranged by temple staff. We can pay them as per our wish and they directly hand over the flowers to the priest.

Another aspect we noticed was that temples open early in the morning like 4 or 5 Am and except major temples like Guruvayoor close between 10 and 11AM.Similarly, temples open by 5PM and close around 8PM .No special dispensation or extended timings for anybody.

All these enhance the devotional aspects of the temples and ‘Sannidhyam’ is felt and experienced by the devotee. Perhaps it is because of this intense devotion that Gods are so pleased and the State generally experience  copious rains and Kerala is called ‘God’s own country’.

To hang or not

I do not want to go into the merits of the order of the Chennai High Court granting an interim injunction staying the execution of the three accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
However, to get some clarity on the whole matter, we have to first understand whether the present agitation by the Tamil activists is for the abolition of death penalty altogether or only to stop the execution of the three accused in the Rajiv Gandhi case. If it is the former, it calls for a nationwide discussion by legal luminaries at the national level and a comprehensive amendment to criminal jurisprudence.
If the agitation is against the execution of the three persons convicted in the instance case, it has to be clearly understood that not only the judiciary at various levels has examined the case in great detail and come to the conclusion that this is one of the rarest of rare cases warranting the extreme penalty. Various clemency petitions have been examined in great detail and found to be devoid of any merit.The case for stopping the execution of the three persons mainly hangs on the 11-year delay in taking a decision on the mercy petition filed before the President.While this inordinate delay in deciding on the petition is inexplicable and indeed deplorable, this alone cannot be the reason for stopping the hanging of the accused in the present case.If this
 argument is to be accepted, it will open a Pandora's Box and a plethora of demands for stopping the execution of all the others with similar penalties including terrorists like Afzal Guru will follow. At the same time, it has to be examined why the decision on the petition was delayed for such a length of time and what steps are being taken to avoid such delays in future.

Anna-in and out

Anna Hazare-in and out

Sri.Anna Hazare is a relatively little known Gandhian  till a few months back when he undertook a fast to root out corruption and for enacting a comprehensive Lok Pal  Bill to bring to book corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. The Central Government has succeeded in making him a cult figure by bungling and blundering at every stage.

First, they made him end his fast by giving all sorts of assurances making him believe that all his views will be incorporated in the Lok Pal Bill which has been delayed by nearly four decades.

Then they introduced a toothless Bill which excluded from its purview various categories of people including the Prime Minister and the judiciary.

When this was not acceptable to him and all sections of people who want to root out corruption at all levels, instead of calling him and other people for a discussion and arriving at a legislation acceptable to all, they started calling him names and threw challenges at him.

When he again announced an indefinite fast   the Government in desperation dug up some old files and threw corruption charges against him which was not swallowed by anybody.

One senior Minister made an absurd statement that Parliament is the supreme body and when a legislation is introduced in Parliament , it has to be discussed only there and not outside. Applying this logic, if Parliament unanimously enacts a legislation legalizing corruption, can it not be opposed by anybody outside Parliament?

Another ridiculous argument was that indefinite fast amounts to attempt to suicide which is a cognizable offence and cannot be allowed, thus ridiculing one of the major weapons in Gandhiji’s armour in his war for independence.

Finally, when the D-day drew near, they threw caution to the winds and threw him in Tihar Jail(along  with Raja and co)throwing all democratic norms to winds. They could have achieved some semblance of respectability  at least if they had stuck to their guns. But when the groundswell of protests grew to alarming proportions they had to eat a humble pie and order his release thus highlighting their total inefficiency in handling the matter and showing how thoughtless unplanned their actions are.

 In the Lok Sabha, which,the Government claims,is sacrosanct, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister make contradictory statements regarding the circumstances leading to the order for his release showing the utter lack of co-ordination in the functioning of the Government.

The funniest part of the whole story is the Government is now begging him with folded hands to come out of jail agreeing to almost all his conditions thus making a complete 180 degree turn

Tamilnadu Budget

Tamilnadu Budget

The AIADMK’S first Budget presented on Thursday   evokes mixed feelings. The shower of freebies announced perhaps with an eye on the vote Bank cannot be sustained forever. In fact, no nation or State can achieve progress in industrialization or agricultural production merely by offering freebies. Gujarat, which is counted among the most developed States in India has not offered any freebies, but has created the necessary infrastructure for people to work hard and achieve self sufficiency. I hope this freebie phase is purely temporary and soon steps will be taken to achieve real growth.

The most welcome feature of the Budget is the announcement of schemes to augment water supply to the city. The creation of three new reservoirs, restoration of six water bodies at Nemam,Thorumazhisai,Porur,Ambattur,Korattur,Madhavaram etc, increasing the capacity of Cholavaram  reservoir ,proposal to eliminate disproportionate water supply to different locations by replacing old pipelines, and envisaging a project to establish a 400mld desalination plant are steps in the  right direction and are long overdue. If these projects are implemented with the zest our Chief Minister is capable of will not only reduce the demand-supply gap in the water needs of our fast expanding metropolis but also avoid flooding during monsoon.Who Cn forget the zeal with which the rainwater harvesting scheme was implemented during her last regime?

cag report

The details available from the   CAG report on the functioning of the Organising Committee of the CWG clearly indicates that the whole foul operation has been meticulously preplanned .It appears to be a turn-key project entrusted to Mr.Suresh Kalmadi to siphon off  public funds with the active connivance of everyone concerned. It is inconceivable that  even with a long timeframe of 7 years, the committee thought it fit to start  awarding contracts at the last minute thus creating an artificial excuse  for throwing to winds all laid down norms  .All the elaborate set  of guidelines of CVC have been flouted with contempt.

The report also states that Sri.Suresh Kalmadi  was appointed Chairman of the Organising Committee by the PM(O)despite  serious objections from various quarters in 2004.Was it after the present UPA Government took over? If it is so, then what happens to Sri.Ajay Maken’s statement that the previous NDA Government appointed Mr. Suresh Kalmadi?

While the report will no doubt be further examined by the Public Accounts Committee and other forums, the very fact that such serious charges have been leveled by an august body like the CAG  shows the enormity and seriousness of the issue. It is therefore absolutely essential that the matter be examined in depth by the appropriate agency and the guilty brought to book expeditiously. It is also necessary to formulate clear guidelines on such matters ,with specific guidelines on the authority structure for permitting deviations under genuine emergent circumstances .

T.S.Krishnamurthy

cwg scandal

CWG scandal

It is pathetic to see the Government and the opposition trying to pass on the blame on each other  for the appointment of Mr.Suresh Kalmadi as the chairman of the CWG Organising Committee .Sri. Ajay Maken also argues that the Host City contract was signed by the then  NDA Government wheras  it should have been signed by the Delhi Government. Without going into the merits of the case, the whole stnking episode and the arguments and counter arguments raise very uncomfortable questions on the very functioning of the Government at the Centre.

-Is it true that the Host city contract should have been signed by the Delhi Government and not the union Government?

-If so, were not the concerned ministers or the bureaucrats advising them not aware of the proper procedure?

-If so, what does it speak of the concerned persons?

-If a mistake has been committed, is it not incumbent on the successor Government to rectify the position by resorting to some emergency steps?

-Are there no laid down procedures for the appointment of  the chairman of the Organising committee or the signing of the contracts? If so, were they followed?

The most unfortunate aspect of the whole stinking episode is that nothing is being done even now to plug the loopholes and frame proper guidelines for the conduct of such events in future. Instead, precious Parliamentary time and the taxpayers’ money are being wasted in meaningless blame games and infructuous arguments. Is there no way to fix accountability for this criminal waste of public money?

Tamilnadu Budget

Prime Minister’s role

The statement of Mr.Montek Singh Ahluwalia that  the Prime Minister or his office cannot be held responsible for the irregularities committed by his colleagues goes against the basic principles of accountability. Of course, no one has so far questioned the personal integrity of the present Prime Minister. But a Prime Minister cannot function in isolation. Does not the RBI or  the Government of India question the Chief Executive of  a Bank when a massive fraud takes place in his institution even though he has not personally authorized the transactions? It is true that the Prime Minister cannot indulge in micro-management, but when  massive scams of mind boggling  magnitude keep surfacing every now and then ,can he really disown at least vicarious responsibility? What then is the role of the Prime Minister if he does not have at least an overall view of what his colleagues are upto  particularly when major violations are taking place under his very nose? Is he expected to keep an ‘arm’s length ‘ relationship on such occasions also?

In this context, one is tempted to recall the time when Sri.Lal Bahadur Sastri was the Railway Minister. When a major train accident took place in Ariyalur, he tendered his resignation owning moral responsiblity. According to, Mr.Ahluwalia’s   theory  of ‘micromanagement’, he need not have resigned because he was not driving the train. The Prime Minister need not do micromanagement, but he cannot shut his eyes to mismanagement and corruption among his colleagues.

pm's role

Prime Minister’s role

The statement of Mr.Montek Singh Ahluwalia that  the Prime Minister or his office cannot be held responsible for the irregularities committed by his colleagues goes against the basic principles of accountability. Of course, no one has so far questioned the personal integrity of the present Prime Minister. But a Prime Minister cannot function in isolation. Does not the RBI or  the Government of India question the Chief Executive of  a Bank when a massive fraud takes place in his institution even though he has not personally authorized the transactions? It is true that the Prime Minister cannot indulge in micro-management, but when  massive scams of mind boggling  magnitude keep surfacing every now and then ,can he really disown at least vicarious responsibility? What then is the role of the Prime Minister if he does not have at least an overall view of what his colleagues are upto  particularly when major violations are taking place under his very nose? Is he expected to keep an ‘arm’s length ‘ relationship on such occasions also?

In this context, one is tempted to recall the time when Sri.Lal Bahadur Sastri was the Railway Minister. When a major train accident took place in Ariyalur, he tendered his resignation owning moral responsiblity. According to, Mr.Ahluwalia’s   theory  of ‘micromanagement’, he need not have resigned because he was not driving the train. The Prime Minister need not do micromanagement, but he cannot shut his eyes to mismanagement and corruption among his colleagues.

vidhura needhi

Vidhura Needhi-Upanyasam by Sri.B.Sundarkumar

Sri.B.Sundarkumar,an eminent exponent of Upanyasam genre is at present giving a series of lectures on Vidhura Needhi in Krishna Gana Sabha,Tnagar Chennai.As you may be aware, Vidhura Needhi is a part of Mahabharatha where Vidhura advises Dhridharashtra on the undesirability of fighting with the Pandavas. The lectures started on5/10/2010 and will go on till 16/10/2010.

Listening to the lectures is an unforgettable experience. Even though the subject dealt with is a very serious one, there is not a dull moment during the entire two hour period everyday. What is most notable about Sri.Sundarkumar is that he he symbolises humble ness and humility. is not a publicity monger, does not give cassettes or CDs-nor are his lectures available on You Tube or any other video sharing website. The only way to listen to him is to attend his lectures personally. Believe me-it is an experience to cherish. Replete with contemporaneous examples and subtle humour without sacrificing the main message-this is his unique style. I thought I will share with the members the gist of some of the gems I heard from him:

Not much of his personal life is public Knowledge,but from what I n

Have heard, he is a post graduate in Sanskrit.He worked in Canara Bank for sometime,before taking voluntary retirement and devoting himself exclusively to spiritual activities and Upanyasams.His knowledge of different spheres of life is amazing.He quotes extensively from various sources like Kambaramayana,valmiki,Tulsidas,Thiruvalluvaretc.Even though he resigned from Bank long back, he quotes even modern developments inBankinglike nonperforming assets,core competence etc..

1)5 persons to be worshipped:

a) Devatha-God

b)pithru-parents

c)Holy men

d)Bikshu-Sanyasi

e)Athithi-guest

2)different living beings meet their end thrugh different senses. For eg

Fish gets trapped because of its attraction for meat=taste

Deer falls a prey because of its liking for folk tunes—hearing.It is said that it goes after rustic tunes and gets trapped

Elephant falls into the trap(pit) because of its sexual instincts(Touch)

Vittil poochi-dies due to its attraction to light(sight)

Bee meets its end due toits weakness for the sweet smell of honey(smell)

Man is the only animal who gets his end through all the senses

3)To illustrate tha t we should not use harsh words against others, he narrated the following story:

Once, there was an argument between the tongue and the tooth

Tongue;I want to do you a favour in return for all the help you are doing me

Tooth:I am doing my duty and you are doing yours. What is there to thank for?

Tongue: Whenever something is put into the mouth, even if it is a hard object like seedai, you bite, break it into pieces and send it to me only for tasting. In other words, you do all the hard work, but I enjoy the benefits.

Tooth:ok,if you insist on doing me a favour, you may stop talking harsh words to others

Cheek:I wanted to do you a favour.If  Ido not talk harshly to others, how does it help you?s

Tooth: When you talk harshly to others, they do not say they will break your tongue,but they only say I will break your teeth and sometimes, they do it also. Why should I suffer for your misdeeds?

4)six things to be avided by everyone:

a)sleeping beyond physiological necessity

b)Laziness

c)

c)unnecessary fear

d)Anger (krodham which disturbs judgment)

e)lack of effort to do things

f)procrastination in taking decisions

5)6 traits not to be forsaken by kings

a)Satyam

b)Dhanam

c)Anavasyam(meaning absence of laziness)

d)Anasuya(meaning absence of envy)

e)kshamai(porumai)

f)Dhruthi(meaning vidamuyarchi)

6)six persons to be avoided:

a)Guru without teaching capacity

b)Purohit without adhyayanam of Manthras

c)king who does not protect his subjects

d)apriyamana pathni(anbillappendir)

e)goatherd who does not want to leave town(he is supposed to take the goats to forest for eating grass)

f)Barber who wants to stay in the forest(when his business is in the town)

7)There are two two types of griefs:

a)one which can be redressed by doing Pariharam

b)one which has to be endured

8)5 persons who cannot be pardoned

a)Disciple who forgets the Guru

b)Persons who forget their parents after marriage

c)Persons who forget the boat after crossing the river

d)Patients who forget the doctor

e)persons who forget those who helped them

9)7 things to be avided by kings

a)Sthreesambogam(excessive sexual desires)

b)Gambling

c)Hunting for its own sake

d)Drinking liquor

e)Using harsh words unnecessarily

f)Giving punishment disproportionate to the crime

g)misappropriation of public funda

8)eight qualities which popularise the king:

a)Medhavilasam(knowledge)

b)Pulanadakkam(controlling the senses)

c)Vedha Adhyayanam

d)nalla kulathil pirappu

e)Parakramam(competence)

f)Alavodu pesudhal(without banter)

g)Dhaanam

h)Seinanri Maravamai(not forgetting favours done)

9)Everybody would like to share your pleasures and luxuries, but no one will share your difficulties. You know that Saint Valmiki was once a robber and a sinner.He  was once asked “Why do you sin?” He replied “ For my wife and children”.He was told to check with them whether they will share the results of his sins. They flatly refused saying,”It is your responsibility to take care of us. We never told you to take care of us through sinning.It is entirely your choice and your burden”.

10)You should learn to live with the dispassion arising out of distance. What is unbearable grief now becomes trivial and fades into insignificance after 20/30/years. So,when you get depressed by some event today, try to distance yourself in time and look at it with dispassion. You will feel lighthearted.

11)He is never tired of talking about the wealth of knowledge of Kanchi Mahaperiava(His Holiness Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi).Once a great English scholar who was so proud of his ability to think in English came to have Darshan of Periava. At the same time, a poor lady also came for His darshan. She was once very rich, but now steeped in poverty.Periava asked the gentleman ‘you  are thinking English. This lady who has been once very rich, but now poor has been coming to have Darshan of me for the last 50 years with the same humility and devotion. What do you call this attitude?” The English scholar was not able to respond. Periava asked

“will the word ‘equipoise’ be correct?’. The professor was stunned at erudition of Periaval.

12)A mother  was earning her livelihood by tailoring . Once inadvertently, the needle pireced her hand. At that time, her son came jubilantly and said,” I have won a Gold Medal in my college”.At once all the pain was gone. When we concentrate on great things, trivial pains are forgotten.

13)Who is a true friend to whom?

    Sthree-Barthaa(husband)

     King-Manthri

     Brahmins-Vedams

     Satyam-Dharmam

14)The journey of our life goes as follows:

     Sareeram-Ratham(chariot)

    Jeevan-man who goes in the chariot)

    Indhriam(senses)-horses

     Kadivalam-Manasu-mind

     Therotti-Buddhi

All the horses should travel in the same direction and with the same speed.This is taken care of by Therotti with the help of Kadivalam

This shows the importance of brain-mind coordination.

15)A noble person should avoid the following:

a)chowriyam(theft)

b)Paisuram(backbiting)

c)Mathsaram(jealousy)

d)Rajathwishtam(going against the king)

16)Qualities of a noble soul:

Anasuyai(absence of jealousy)

Aaradhmam(Nermai)

Suddhi(cleanliness-Pushti-inner and susthi-outer)

Santhosha(kind words)

Dhaanam

Sathyam

Anaayaasam(doing things with pleasure without treating them as burden)

17)What ignoble souls do not have:

Aathmagnanam(knowledge of self)

sambrambam(activity)

Dhidhiksha(tolerance of difficulties)

Dharmanithyatha(decisiveness about Dharma)

Vasiva(protecting a secret)

Controlled speed

18)This is an episode about Sankaracharya of  Sringeri.

One day, after His Nithyapooja, He was distributing prasadams.One lady in the queue came to Him and cried ‘I have lost my gold chain’. He asked her to step aside. After a few minutes, the third lady on the queue came to receive prasadam.He simply told her ‘Give it back.”Even then she asked’What?”.He replied “Whatever you took”.She was simply stunned and gave the chain back.

19)The destroyers:

Desire will destroy Bravery(Dhairyam)

Jealousy will destroy Dharma

Krodham will destroy wealth(aiswaryam)

Helping ignoble fellows will destroy Seelam(nallozhukkam)

Pride will destroy everything

20)Difference between Unmai,Vaaimai and Mei

Unmai:Truth in mind

Vaaimai:truth in words

Mei:Truth in sariram(body)

21)Whom to appreciate when

Annam-after digestion

Pathni-after she loses her youth

Servant after he completes the work well

Sons-never(to prevent ego)

Relatives –after they leave after a visit

Sanyasi-after he attains Gnanam

Soldier(after he wins the war)

22)We generally call Sani Bagavan as Saneeswaran. We should call him SANAISCHARAN.This is because He limps while walking. This limping was caused by Yama chasing Him and disfiguring him.

23)Yama and Sanaischaran were the sons of Ravi(Sooryan).Hence it is not desirable to name anyone as Ravikumar

24)Nowadays, it has become a practice for people to order outside food for any function The contractor brings cooked food and serves .This is not permitted for Subakaaryams. On such occasions, food should be cooked only in the kitchen in the house. Only at the time of a death in the house, such outside cooking is permitted.

25)Uththamar,Madhyamar and Adhamar:

Adhamar:like waterdrop falling on fire:it evaporates

Madhyamar:Drop of water on the petal of lotus-looks like pearl, but not one

Uththamar:like Muthuchippt-becomes a pearl

26)Difference between loneliness and solitude:

Loneliness:has an unhappy connotationno one to talk to

Solitude:Has a happy association One can pursue his activities undisturbed-no one to disturb

27)Danger generally comes from one’s own kith and kin:

A Baby elephant once told his grandfather elephant ‘there is danger. We should run for our lives.’ The grandfather asked what the matter was.The Baby elephant said’people are coming with weapons, fire and iron chains’.Grandfather said,’no worry.are there any other elephants coming?’The Baby said’no’.The Grandfather said that danger generally comes from only our own kith and kin.

28)According to Vedas,human beings have a lifespan of 100 years,but very rarely do people live upto that age.Why?

Excessive pride

Excessive talk

Gluttony

Betraying friends

Excessive anger

Excessive sexual desires

29)8 Qualities of a messenger (Dhoothan)

humility

gift of the gab

no procrastination

intelligence

kindness

health

blemishlessness

not susceptible to temptations

30)              no one should have any commercial dealings with:

King who does not enforce law

Immoral ladies

Servants of the King

Brothers/sons of the King

Widow with a small child

Soldiers

One who has lost his wealth due to loss in business

31)              Rules for having snanam in Punyanadhis:

Do not put your leg first.Pray and do aachamanam before entering the river

Men should have a dip with Panchakacham and women with Madisar

Do Sankalpam treating sacred ash as theertham

Do not apply soap

After scrubbing with bare hands, have a dip again

Do Devarishi Tharpanam

32)              General rules for snanam:

No snanam before 3AM or after 6PM

No snanam after Pithrukarma

Brahmachari should do one snanam,Grihasthas,2 snanams and Sanyasis 3 snanams

33)Qualities of those who do snanam in the right way:

Strength

Roopam/Thejas

Kundam(pronunciation)

Soft complexion

33)              Qualities of those who eat Sathvic food moderately(twice a day)

Perfect Health

Long life

Strength

Children’s Health

34)              Shiva and Shakti are part and parcel of each other. Siva’s colour is white and Shakti’s colour is red.That is why we use this combination ..everywhere

Eg: Dhoti is pure white and the border is generally red

Vibhuti is white and Kumkumam is red

 Abishekam ,milk is white and honey is brownish red.

Lily is white and sembarathai flower is red.

Rice+Sambar-white and red

Thayirsadham+pickle-white and red

Kolam+semman

35)              Another miraculous story about Mahaperiava:

A poor lady and her husband came to Him and pleaded that they have fixed their daughter’s marriage, but they have no means to purchase even one gram of gold. Periava said that He is a Sanyasi and has nothing to offer. They should go and pray to Kamakshi Amman.So they went away to pray to Kamakshi Amman. Within minutes,a rich man came to have darshan and offered a 10 sovereign gold  at His feet. Periava told him that He is A Sanyasi and has no need for such things. He immediately called for the poor couple and told them’You seem to have prayed well”and asked them to take the gold

36)When all odds are against you and when you have reached rockbottom,do not despair.You cannot go further down. You can only go up.

I have written the above based on what I heard during the Upanyasam and what I understood from them. There may be mistakes especially in SANSKRIT WORDS and shortcomings due to communication gap and my own ignorance. Kindly excuse these aberrations and correct me wherever required.

Margazhi Musings

There is a popular song ‘Endha ooru enralum adhu nammoorai pola varuma?’ Nothing can be truer than this as far as Chennai in the month of Margazhi is concerned. Even Lord Krishna says in Bhagavat Geetha ,‘ Masanam Margaseershoaham’ literal meaning being ‘Mathangalil naan Margazhi’. In fact, Kannadhasan took his inspiration for his famous song from this saying of the Lord.

 What is so special about Margazhi? This is the month which Southern States observe as a holy  spiritual month. This month is to be entirely devoted to Bhakti and spiritual activities. People get up early in the mornings, go to temples, do Nama Sangeerthanam and incidentally enjoy some hot Pongal Prasadam. In olden days, people used to do even Nagarasangeerthanam which means devotees go round the town singing Bhajans (you might have seen such a scene in the film ‘Anniyan’.) Even now, people may be doing this in smaller places.

 As far as Tamilnadu is concerned, there is an added attraction. THE 30 pasurams of Thiruppavai sung by Aandal who is reverentially called  ‘Soodi  Kodutha Sudarkodi’, the 20 padigams of Thiruvembavai and 10 padigams of Thiruppaliyezhuchi, both sung by Manickavachagar, one among the famous quartet of Nayanmars are recited with music and devotion  by devotees all over Tamilnadu .People get up early in the mornings and recite these before attending to other household  chores. These pasurams  and padigams are said to contain the essence of Vedas. All major Tamil TV channels broadcast Thiruppavai and Thiruvembavai with explanations from scholars early in the morning during the entire month. People also decorate the entrances to their houses with different Kolams. There are local competitions for the best laid out Kolams.

 No marriages or happy functions such as marriages, upanayanams, nischayatharthams etc are performed during this month. Perhaps this has something to do with the spirituality  of the month. You are expected to concentrate on religious and Bhakti related activities and not fritter your attention and energy on worldly goodies.

 Margazhi is also known for Thiruvathirai festival which falls on the Thiruvathira Natchathiram day in Margazhi. This day is known for Arudhra Darsanam in the temple of Chidambaram. As far as people with sensitive taste buds like me are concerned, this day is known for the ‘Kali ‘, a sweet dish which is prepared at dawn and offered to Lord Shiva as Prasadam, but actually devoured by us. This is accompanied by a delicious Koottu made of various vegetables. Kali and koottu is a delicious combination to be tasted to be believed.

 The famous Vaikunda  Ekadasi also falls during the month when Paramapada vaasal is opened in famous Vishnu temples. In temples like Srirangam, Parthasarathi temple,triplicane and Tirupathi this vaasal which is also known as Sorgavaasal is opened very early in the morning and people who pass through this door on this auspicious day are expected to reach sorgam directly .There are serpentine queues in all Vaishnavite temples on this day to have a darshan of the Lord (Perumalai sevikka). I am reminded of my childhood days when we used to play Paramapadha sobana padam, a large picture with small and big snakes and ladders. At the top of the picture is the  paramapadhavasal. The game is played by casting dice or chozhis .The game is so exciting that there is loud cheer from the players whenever someone reaches a snake. The loudest cheer is reserved for someone who reaches the number106 where there is a long snake which brings you right down to no.1.  

Another attraction of Chennai during this period is the Music festival during the month of December/January.(a major part of Margazhi.) There are innumerable Sabhas vying with each other in holding these festivals. These festivals start somewhere between the 1^st and 10^th of December every year .But the king of all Sabhas viz The Music Academy starts the festival exactly on the 1^st of Margazhi and ends on 31^st of December. This is a prestigious organisation where opportunity is given only to musicians with a minimum talent. In fact people consider it prestigious to sing in The one and only Academy. It is also fondly known as the Sangeeta Vidvat Sabha.

This Music festival in Chennai is an unbelievable phenomenon, probably can rank as one of the wonders of the world. It features musicians, instrumentalists and percussionists of all grades and talents. Budding musicians get recognition only by performing in these concerts. It is widely rumoured that young artists offer money to these sabhas to get a slot. In fact one of the leading artists refused to perform in any of the Sabas in December to protest against this practice.(It is another matter that he has started a series of performances right from 1^ST January.)   Several NRIS from all over the world camp in Chennai only to sing in these Sabhas especially Academy. Several music rasikas from various places in India and abroad camp in Chennai during the season to attend the music festival.A major attraction (apart from Music)is the canteens in various Sabas. Several major catering contractors who are out of business in Margazhi (because there are no muhurthams during this month) get contracts in one of the Sabhas and amply make up for the loss of business. In fact, in the choice of Sabhas by Rasikas, the name of the contractor is also a major factor.

The choice of Sabhas by the Rasikas is an elaborate process in itself. ‘The Hindu’ releases a special supplement on 1^st December, listing out the programmes of major Sabhas. Generally, the list gives the name of the canteen contractor also. The various factors taken into account in the decision making process are:

1.  The musicians who perform

2.  Canteen contractor

3.  Ambience of the Hall(Air conditioned or otherwise)

4.  Affordability of the fare

5.  Conveyance facility

6.  Availability of parking space

7.  Availability of driver

Nowadays, the Sabhas offer not only music, but also dramas and dances.

As far as ambience is concerned, there is nothing to beat the Music Academy. Generally, in all these Sabhas,the morning and afternoon slots are reserved for junior, upcoming artists and entry is free. The Academy has been recently refurbished with State of the Art facilities, great ambience and well thought out seating arrangements so that nobody can complain (Munnal iruppavarin thalai maraikkirathu).Several Rasikas(?) come here in the afternoon enjoy the music, have nice food and have a peaceful nap.   There are people who come to sleep  and those who sleep after coming(Thoonguvatharkaga varubavargal  and vadadanal thoongubavargal)

After applying the above stringent yardsticks, me and my sahadarmini decided to purchase a season ticket at Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha which holds its programmes at Vani Mahal in G.N.Chetty street in Tnagar. When I write so elaborately about the music season, don’t for a moment imagine that I am a connoisseur of music. Nothing can be farther from the truth. The absolute truth is that I was guided (dictated may be the correct word) by myl Dharmapathni. Promptly on 10^th December we started attending the programmes.  Only after we started attending the programmes  did I realize what an ignoramus I am and how much more my wife knows about the subtler nuances of music. At the outset , I must confess that the distance between me and music is approximately as much as between Amavasai and Abdul Khader. I am basically a Thukada m(f) an who goes to kacheris only to listen to the short songs sung at the fag end of the programme.(popularly known as Thukadas). I do not know the difference between Alapana and Niraval, chittaswaram and kalpanaswaram, bruga and Sangathi, ragam and thanam, virutham and keerthana. In short I am  no better than Sulakshana who asks ‘KILO ENNA VILAI’ in the film ‘Sindhu Bhairavi’.

Now, let me revert to the topic of my  wife. When I  offered to accompany her to the music programmes, little did I realize what I am letting  myself in for. I thought she will be absorbed in the music and leave me in peace to attend to my pending sleep and allow me to test my tastebuds in the Gnanambika Canteen. Not only did she appreciate the music, recognize all ragas and appreciated even minor nuances of Alapana ,but was constantly asking me searching questions like ‘What is this Raga?’.After racking my brains(or what little there is of it),I will blurt out something like ‘Thodi’ which invariably will not be the correct answer. After staring at me like a vermin, she will turn the other side. Simultaneously with recognizing and  appreciating the music in its entirety, she was also observing what jewels and sarees the ladies were wearing, how cute some of them were looking, the dressing pattern of the musicians(especially the ladies) etc and commenting on them.  She goes to the extent of speculating how pretty some of the older ladies would have looked when they were young. On such occasions, I am caught in a terrible Hamletian dilemma. For obvious reasons, I can neither agree or disagree with her especially since the comments were about ladies.

Some interesting aspects of this musical extravaganza are as follows:

1)  You can see many old couples attending the programmes, armed with water bottles, tablets,

 mufflers, shawls etc sitting in pairs and enjoying the music. This is a welcome diversion for them from their lonely lives together. Nowadays it is very common for old couples to live alone since their daughters are married off and sons are employed abroad. This December season is a boon for them indeed. Generally, old people constitute the majority of the audience. In fact, an article in ‘The Times of India’, brought out this aspect and published, to our dismay, our photos as an illustration.

2)Generally, people carry with them a raga guide. Whenever an Alapana is begun, people start speculating what raga it is. Arguments between couple on this aspect are not uncommon. As soon as the main krithi begins, they turn the pages of the guide and verify whether their guess was correct. You should see the glow in their faces when their guess turns out to be correct. In fact, one gentleman who recognized the raga Chalanattai and said it out loudly was named Chalanattai by us. If he does not turn up one day, we used to say ‘chalanattai innikku vallai”

3)Since season ticket holders come daily and occupy the same seats, they become friends in due course, enquire why they did not come the previous day etc. At the end of the season, they go to the extent of inviting people to their houses.

4)People have a habit of visiting the canteen first to survey what are the fares available before entering the Sabha Hall proper. Actually, some people visit only the canteen and not the katcheri with the result The Music Academy has put up a board ‘no parking for canteen visitors”

5)It is a common sight to see people snoring away to glory during the concert especially in cosy surroundings like the Academy. Whenever there is an applause from the crowd at the end of a piece, they wake up during the commotion, join the applause and go to sleep again.

6)Many of the Vidwans show off their expertise in music by doing Alapana, niraval and kalpanaswarams for every single piece with the result the entire concert is shrunk to five or six songs. They should realize that everybody in the audience is not an expert. Many people like me come to listen and enjoy some soul stirring music with  some melodies, fast numbers as well as Thukadas. They should not create a feeling that carnatic music is only for the connoisseurs. They should attract the entire audience including thukadawalas like me. Only then youngsters will start  attending the concerts and the stigma Carnatic is only for old people will disappear. This has been proved by people like Ranjani-Gayathri duo and Aruna Sayeeram whose concerts always attract a full House(including many from the younger generation) and many people  return disappointed without getting tickets. The Ranjani –Gayathri duo gava a 4 hour concert in Rani Seethai Hall on behalf of Kalarasana which will perhaps rank as the best concert of the season. Not a single member of the audience left the hall in the middle of the concert. They kept the full hall spellbound for the entire duration of the concert with a variety of songs including Ragam,Thanam, pallvi, abangs ,and Thiruppugazh. In fact, they had to extend the concert by another fifteen minutes to cater to the requests of the audience. Their soulstirring Abangs have made a mark in Chennai Music circles and people wait till the end of the show only to listen

 to the Abangs. If they can attract youngsters, why not others? For that matter, they did not sacrifice any of the basics of Carnatic music. They attracted the audience keeping the tradition intact.

6) Some of the popular vidwans make us wonder which is the language they were singing. The singing is so elastic and the words so unclear that it makes no difference which language they are singing. In fact, in one such concert, it needed a lot of imagination and brainracking to decipher that he was singing Karthikeya kangeya Gowri Thanaya-a Papanasam Sivan song in Tamil. If this is the attitude, how will people sit through the programme?

7)In fact, it was very heartening to observe some excellent talent in some of the youngsters like Saindhavi, Uma-Radhika (known as Chinmaya sisters) and Iyer Brothers(Veena) and others. There was an all-ladies (Karnataka based) Ensemble which included Gata-tarang, Gatam,Veena, mridangam  konakkol and Morsing all by ladies. Gata tharang is a series of seven Ghatams producing perhaps different notes(something like Jalatharangam).One lady performed Ghata-tarang, Ghatam and konnakkol with ease and  expertise.

This was the first full season I was enjoying since I was  fully immersed in my official preoccupations till last year. When all is said and done, it was an exhilarating experience and at the end of it all, one is left with a sad feeling that we have to wait for one full year before we can be part of all this excitement. Yes, excitement indeed! All the elaborate planning and preparations before starting for the concert including what dress to wear, what things to carry, where and what to have  for ,dinner etc etc and the post concert discussions on the fare for the day will have to wait for a year.  Even though we had got season tickets for one particular Saba, we wanted to have a feel of the great Music Academy and attended some free concerts there in the afternoons and excited by the refreshing ambience we have decided that from next year, we will go only to the Academy.

Bye for now.