Holiday Doodles

Some part of the holiday was spent with no travel. Just stayed put....with no agenda, no plan, no place to visit, no checklist to tick off! There was a lot of leisure in the afternoons. Dil dhoondta hai...phir wahi....fursat ke raat-din!


Tried to paint a picture, each in a different medium and "on location", with live-subjects and without photographs for reference- sometimes in pen-and-ink, sometimes, a cartoon of sorts, and at times....with water-colors and a realistic style.


A couple of attempts below to get a breezy picture done....in quick time! It didn't matter that the resemblance was a tad off.... Just wanted a picture at the end of the session.

At Puvar.....

At Isola....Puvar...painting done on location!

Painted on location, the Anaconda-boat-ride in the distance!

Puvar is an hour's drive from Trivandrum.....right on the coast. From Trivandrum, you head down South, pass Kovalam and reach Puvar. It's a sort of island, flanked by the back-waters and the Neyyar River.
The Neyyar River empties itself into the Arabian Sea.


The Puvar beach is an unusual sight. You have to cross the Neyyar River by boat before you can hit the sands of the beach and the expanse of the Arabian Sea. It's a little like the land-and-water game we used to play. There's land...which is Puvar, then water, again sand....and then water!


The Anaconda ride:


Amongst the to-do things at Puvar, is the "Anaconda boat-ride"! Not that there's an Anaconda snake in these parts. But the ride is such. It takes you through the backwaters, flanked by mangrove forests...almost as if you are in the Amazon.


Vegetation is all around- it thrives in the water. Branches crisscross just above the boat like Old-Delhi-City electric-wires...all tangled and haphazard, creepers dive into the water, coconut-trees grow out of the water. It feels like a tropical jungle...the kind you see in the movies!
Simon Raj, our boatman gives us a running commentary through the journey. He talks about a certain "water-dog" in these backwaters, which looks like a normal dog, but with no tail. And points to a "water-crow" which stands in attention with its wings spread out like two-hands! And draws our eyes to the Kingfisher....with its bright blue-plumage and red beak! There are storks, there are herons, lots of crows.....and birds we could barely identify. Towards the end of the ride, which lasts an hour, we turn into the Neyyar River....and ride with the river into the Sea....where we get dropped.


You can't do this trip everyday. It has to do with the water-level in the back-waters. Simon talked about a man-made estuary which is sometimes cut through the sands right up to the sea. The Neyyar River now gets an alternate path to exhaust itself. And with that, the depth in the back-water reduces.


The boat is well maintained, the life-jackets are in good condition. You feel safe and in-control all the while. The next time you are at Puvar Beach, just ask for "The Anaconda ride"!


Nature:


Puvar is nature at her best...in all her pristine beauty. It's as if she has been in some ways over indulgent and pampered Puvar with groves of coconut trees, lush vegetation, trails of backwaters, ponds with lotus and lily......and made it home to birds of every variety....from droves of common crows to the Kingfisher.

And above all, Puvar is about the Arabian Sea- row-upon-row of waves shimmering in the sun, now billowing, now falling, now surging over the sand like frothy, fresh sugar-cane juice, now receding........and carrying with them.... forever....all those little notes....those notes scribbled.... on the sands of time....someday, somewhere. 

Sri Chitra Art Gallery....and the zoo, Trivandrum

The painter, Raja Ravi Varma was a trail-blazer when it came to depiction of mythological and religious figures in the last century. Since then, prints of his works have found a place in every traditional home across the country. When we think of a Krishna or a Lakshmi or a Saraswati, the standard is Ravi Varma. If Lord Krishna appears before us, and looks any different from these paintings, for sure, we will reject the original! In terms of grandeur, grace and beauty, Ravi Varma's paintings have no parallel.


Many a budding artist tries his hand to copy these works. We get elated when our amateurish painting gets a few words of praise! To know where we stand, in comparison to the Master, the original paintings are a must-see. It is a humbling experience.


Ravi Varma's works are predominantly found in two galleries: The Jaganmohan Art Gallery at Mysore and the Sri Chitra Art Gallery at Trivandrum. If you've not seen either of them, plan for it! It's time...well spent!


The Sri Chitra Art Gallery is housed in a 160 year-old structure. In 1935, the monarch of Travancore converted the building into a guest-house. Today, it showcases several Ravi Varma paintings.


It is difficult to do justice to these paintings in the short time at our disposal. We look at the plaintive expression of the little girl clasping her knee in "The Beggars". Soon, Damayanti's radiant face drags us! Before we can see the picture in full, we get distracted by Shakuntala! And immediately get pulled into Draupadi sprawled on the ground at King Virata's palace. In a moment, the eyes have moved onto "Rukmangada". And ere long, to Ravana, Sita and Jatayu! You get the feeling now.....? It is simply a problem of plenty! We are spoilt with such riches, heaped and piled up, all in one place!


We gaze at each painting, studying it now from far, now from close-quarters.....trying to take in......as much as we can, the technique used for the face, for the "zari-work" on the sari, for the backdrop, for the multitude of expressive figures in each composition!


Apart from Ravi Varma, the gallery has other exhibits- works by his uncle, his brother, his sister and son! Evidently, painting runs in the whole family! Roerich's paintings form an entire section.....in their characteristic flat tones and predominant usage of blues and violets. It's impressive.
We glossed over the rest of the sections....Tibetan "thangas", Balinese paintings, Japanese works, miniature paintings, calligraphy from the days of Aurangzeb, a Persian translation of the Mahabharata....it's an assorted collection.


As we wear our slippers and head out of Sri Chitra, we are truly inspired. The mind is full, the ideas are many....and the hands twitch in impatience! It's time to take the oil-paints out of the shelf .....get a new canvas board....and paint away!


Who knows....who knows...the next work to rival a Ravi Varma......may take shape in our own garage!!! Inspiration is such..... it often borders on childishness!!!


The zoo!


Sri Chitra is part of the same museum complex as the zoo. Spent the rest of the morning ambling around the zoo.


The zoo is a debatable topic. Part of us says it's wrong to keep animals in captivity. The other half says...at least they are cared for! They get regular food without having to hunt! How bad can that be!?


The Trivandrum zoo has a nice collection. The big ones- lion, tiger, leopard, hippo and rhino. The also-rans like deer and bison and monkey. The "I don't care" ones like peacocks and owls and parrots. And a section for reptiles.
As it turned out, the bear was in hibernation and couldn't be spotted. The lion was sleepy and crouched in the distance. The rhino merged with the rock-formation and could barely be seen except when the rock appeared to be on the move!


The most interesting were the hippos. Five of them....and a loner...all in one pond! When it was time to feed, five social hippos egged each other with loud grunts.... and trooped out of the pond to the open-area close to the enclosure. Their biological clock was spot-on! Within minutes, food was served by the attendant. The hippos cleaned it up in no time!
The loner continued to sulk in the water!! Poor thing! Wonder what upset him so much! May be, the rest of them ganged up and cut a joke, which was in poor taste? May be!

Hippo at T'drum zoo....ink and water-colors

As we turned the corner, a tiger paced about his cage impatiently. There was anger in the gait, ferocity in the heavy breath and displeasure in the low-growl. May be, the food was late. He looked plain menacing. The deduction was on the dot! As the attendant walked to the cage (thankfully, from the outside) and held the bar, the tiger pounced at him....in one lightning move! Had the bars been absent, it would have been all over! Such was the strength and the awe-inspiring....raw...power!
In High School, we read this poem by Harindranath Chattopadhyaya.


I am not afraid of a tiger,
I am seven years of age,
I am not afraid of a tiger,
When it rumbles and roars in rage,
I am not afraid of a tiger,
Provided..........it is in a cage!!!


It says it all!!!!

Trivandrum and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Kerala is surely God's own country! In these cash-crunch times, there are no lines at the ATMs and yes, these ATMs are actually functional! It was not an isolated incident- we withdrew cash multiple times, at the airport and elsewhere too. May be, God's own country has a divine currency....all its own- they don't seem to care for our measly 100 and 500 rupee notes!


Trivandrum is simple, much like its Domestic Airport. The monstrosity of mall-culture....is yet to take over the city. There is a languid feel to life on the street, none of the ugly traffic snarls which plague the metros for instance. Don't know if it is a reflection of Kerala's literacy numbers, or the place we stayed, but MG Road, Trivandrum's MG Road that is.....abounds with book-shops. It's a bookworm's delight!


A few things caught the eye......public-transport, not overly crowded and the buses- all new and gleaming....with full, open windows (no window-bars). A swanky next-gen bus-stop.....with elegant seating arrangement and catchy billboards.
And yes, an ongoing protest of sorts....with a little group camped on the footpath, and a rhythmic chorus...to give expression to the voice of dissent!
The weather.....comfortably humid at this time of the year.


 Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of Trivandrum's main attractions. The gopuram is characteristic.  It's as if the gopuram was made with the usual proportions and then, someone changed the mind and patted the whole structure down, as one would...a sand-castle! The result- it falls really wide at the base....but the height doesn't quite match the width. The gopuram has an off-white coat of paint, which masks the antiquity of the structure.

Quick Ink and water-color sketch- Just after temple visit!

Padmanabhaswamy is Lord Vishnu. He reclines on the serpent Adi Shesha. What distinguishes this pose from Lord Ranganatha at the Srirangam Temple, is the right-hand hanging down. The finger-tips touch a shiva-linga.


"Padmanabha" is the one.... from whose navel....(naabhi), a lotus (padma) emerges. The lotus signifies this world.  Like a lotus, everything in the world has a symmetry, a pattern, an order....and to the eye of the beholder....it is attractive and a source of wonder!
Through the lotus-metaphor, it shows that the world has its origin and being in the Lord.
Where do we find this interpretation? In the Purusha Sukta. It says... "naabhyaam aaseet antariksham". "Space" (antariksham)....emerged from the "naabhi" of the Lord. And by extension..."space" includes all the five-elements. And the world is but a combination of these five-elements (space, air, fire, water, earth). Thus, we can relate the imagery of Padmanabhaswamy to this grand vision.....a vision wherein...whatever we see in the world....is but Him. And He cares for us, and nourishes us, through that lotus stalk as it were, like a mother through her umbilical cord!


While our mind is occupied in these lofty thoughts, it is jolted with practical issues which hold us hostage before the temple-entry. Mainly, the dress-code. For the uninformed, you cannot enter the temple in a regular shirt-trousers or salwar. Men should be in a dhoti and no shirt. Women have to be in a sari or its equivalent. There are enough eyes to confirm whether you subscribe to the dress-code or not...as you walk down the street to the temple. If you're caught napping, you can always purchase a dress which meets the requirements. The shops are well stocked. Cell-phones, cameras and eatables have to be deposited in a cloak-room to be claimed later. All this takes time. Give yourself that time.


Don't worry....we were well-prepared! It allowed us the luxury to scour the crowd...in their quaint dresses. Men in first-time dhotis...which clung to them dangerously....and women in a newly purchased off-white drapery wrapped right over their tucked-in Punjabi-suits!


The temple is crowded, but not to a point where it becomes irksome and you want to give-up. Plus, for a little price, there is provision to skirt the crowd and surge ahead in line for an exclusive darshan.
The interiors of the temple are grand- with sculpted, stone pillars...and exquisite figurines on each pillar....down the entire corridor. There are open sand-courtyards to give a welcome break from the labyrinthine corridors and crowd.
The details become sketchy after a point. We catch an "ugra narasimha" shrine just before the main-canopy. The main-mandapa is all gold. Three doors give us a quick glimpse- one to His face, the second to his middle and the third...to his feet. The dwara-paalaka (door-keepers) figures are special. They majestically rest their foot over a hooded snake as if it were a footstool!
With milling crowd, it's tough to register details of the Lord. The hand hanging down....a faint outline of the feet....is all that stays with us. It's enough. We pass by the Rama-Lakshmana and the Kshetra-paalaka shrine followed by "Tiruvembadu" Krishna....an alluring idol of Krishna...smeared in sandal-paste and with beady eyes!


A pick-up of  delicious "Aravana paayasam" prasada-tins and a stop at the gift-shop complete the visit. Our hands are full with a clutch of curios and knick-knacks for the mantle-piece- wooden procession elephants, elephant heads, picture-frames of the Lord and the temple. It's been a full-morning.....and an experience, at once....rich and divine!

At the park....

At the railway station....

A concert...with a difference!

With TM Krishna, we expect the unexpected! May be, if we had a traditional concert by him, we would feel terribly cheated! We need some conversation, some discussion at the end of it. It has to provoke us in some way, stir some debate, ruffle a few feathers, raise some questions at least.  As they say, agree with, disagree with him....we can do all that, but for sure, we cannot ignore him! End of the day, the differences if any, are about packaging- packaging Carnatic music. TM Krishna questions the packaging...if I understand him correctly. Let him package music whichever way he wants. It's entirely his choice and mission. As far as we are concerned, we care about the content! We go to listen to his sublime Thodi, to his expansive Kedaragaula....to his soulful Yadukula Kambhoji. In that, he has never let us down! The rest....as they say....is detail!


It was a concert with a difference. It was a veena, violin, vocal trio...with ghatam and mridangam for percussion. And this time, none would follow the vocalist. That was the whole idea. They would each be on their own, creating their own music-scapes.....and feeding off each others' ideas.
The concert started with "mallaari"- a composition traditionally played when the temple-deity is taken around in a procession. It is set to the raga Gambhira-naattai. You can feel the rhythm in the composition- it's as if the deity is being gently rocked...a swerve here, a little toss there....as it makes its way through the streets of the temple-town! If we were edgy about what kind of musical fare would be dished out in this concert, we settled down....comfortable....wrapped in the arms of mallaari! "Augurs well...", a voice chuckled through the darkness of the hall, "to open the concert with Gambhira-naattai. Isn't Gambhir the opening batsman in the ongoing Test match!!?"


The next composition started off with a string of short raga-forays. It started with Shanmukhapriya played on the veena and covered several raga-terrains by the trio, before settling on Thodi raga. Some of the ragas weren't easy- there was Saalaka Bhairavi and Manirangu and some....which couldn't be fully deciphered. The more informed in the audience....reeled out ragas which couldn't be authentically verified. Multiple options floated around in whispers and hushed voices, and settled down only when the next raga was unfurled. It would be more obscure than the previous one. Thankfully, there was Desh and Kapi and Dwijavanti.....with their indelible signature. You can't miss them. And finally....the raga Thodi....stately as ever!


The Dikshitar kriti "Shri Krishnam bhaja maanasa" was presented elaborately. As the lines "guru pavana pura" was sung, our minds traveled to Guruvayur. "Guru-pavana-pura" is "Guru-vayu-oor". Dikshitar composed this magnum opus at Guruvayur.


The main piece of the concert was a varnam (traditionally, the opening batsman in a concert)! Yes, an opening batsman can bat lower down the order too! Why not!! The trio took up the nava-raga-maalika varnam and dealt with it elaborately. All the nine ragas were detailed, there were mini-thaanams played, followed by the actual varnam and kalpana swaras to round it off!


In fact, this opening batsman batted so low down the batting order, that there was time only for a tail-ender! The varnam was actually followed by a Thillana- Lalgudi's thillana in the raga Mohana Kalyani. If ever there is a raga which exudes happiness....undiluted, unalloyed, concentrated happiness...it has to be Mohana Kalyani! There is no other! And Lalgudi's thillana is a treat!


The concert came to a close with one of Dikshitar's "note-compositions"- a scottish tune with Sanskrit lyrics. When Dikshitar stayed at Manali (near Madras), he was influenced by the English band. We have about 38 compositions of Dikshitar in this genre. Needless to say, these compositions are a big hit with the audience! It's like tucking a "beeda" after a hearty meal!


It was time to head home. The night was still young....and cars whizzed past the road. Saturday night has a relaxed feel to it. Monday is still very far away!
People hung around..... in animated conversation... with an acquaintance here, an old friend there....a rather barmy atmosphere you can say.

You cannot slink away from a TM Krishna concert quietly. Soon, we had a huddle of our own. "So..... gentlemen! Gentlemen!.....A varnam...a varnam... as the main-item! Of course, it was brilliant....most undoubtedly. Don't get me wrong on that. But.....but... a varnam. Next, what are we going to hear.....as the piece-de-resistance......may I ask? A mangalam...may be... in the next concert? May be...the National-Anthem...with a raga-alapana....and a thaanam ....while we all stand in attention for two hours?" We cleared our throat to find an answer. Someone shot back, "Why not! Why not.....!? And who said varnam was the main piece? To me, all the pieces were equally important!"


Evidently, this debate could go nowhere! TM Krishna had made his point! I took the easiest option out. "Cheerio! Getting late... mate! Catch you another day!" As we got onto the main-road with a left-turn at the lights, the mind was on a high. A dash of Mallaari, a dollop of Thodi, a scoop of Mohana Kalyani, the finest Scottish brew....all blended effortlessly.... to make it the most engaging cocktail! Now, now...who is complaining!!!?

Vignettes of Chennai

There is little to match the pleasure of the aimless stroll- you  go where your legs take you! You can start from anywhere. I did just that each day....took an auto-rickshaw and got down at the "tank"- Mylapore tank. From then on, I let my feet take complete control- choosing this lane over the other, turning into a little street here at the roundabout, an alley there....and simply soaked in.... the sights and sounds of Chennai. The smells couldn't be missed too- the fragrance of jasmine, the aroma of rich, freshly-ground coffee and the heady pull of "masaal-vadai" from the wayside hotels! 


But....the aimless stroll has one cardinal rule- you don't pause and get caught-up in any particular topic. That's the trick. You "observe" with a keen eye.....and register all the details...the cyclist, the auto-rickshaw, the car, the cow, the crow, the people, the tiffin-menu.... but you let-go each time...and walk past. You walk, observe, walk, observe...walk....
It's therapeutic....I tell you... and the perfect antidote to break the tedium of routine, the routine of our lives....the "triteness of being"!


It was thus that I found myself at Ramakrishna Mission as I turned the corner. The location changed...but not the approach-  I didn't rush to the main structure- the prayer hall, spend the ten-minutes and dash out! That routine will wait another day. Instead, I chose to linger around the satellite buildings.  The foundation stone went back to 1906 and the "Old-Temple" came up in 1916! Sri Ramakrishna's direct disciple, Swami Ramakrishnananda was sent by Vivekananda to Chennai...and the mission's activities in the south started from this very site.....a hundred years ago! The plaques were informative and marked key spots around the entire campus.
I selected a spot facing the Library. To the right is the "Old Temple". To the left is a park with a monument. The sky....in swirls of grey...and the ground...damp...with a hint of overnight drizzle and strewn with yellowed leaves. A canopy of trees spread its gnarled fingers...over the entire pathway.

Perfect setting! Sitting down on the steps....I took out the sketch book and the sharpened, 2B pencil and drew. 

Just a rough, loose, breezy sketch....an attempt to convey the mood of the moment, without worrying about exactness or detail. In an hour, I was done....the outlines inked in black. It was time to head home. Later in the day, I faired it up, with water-colors and color-pencils.


The next day, my stroll took me to the Kapaleeshvara Temple, one of Chennai's most celebrated temples. I selected a remote spot, facing the shrine of "Punnai-vana-natha". Lord Shiva is Punnai-vana-natha....the Lord (natha) of the forest (vana) of "punnai" (punnaga, "Alexandrian Laurel" in English) trees. As per the Temple-Purana, Parvati, in the form of a peacock ("mayil") worshipped Lord Shiva at this very shrine. That's how "Mayilaapore" got its name!

 


People thronged the temple premises...to form queues to get to the main-sanctum and to see the "vahanas" on display. I chose to "observe".....the place, the people..... and a little cat which stretched itself on the stony-corridor...mindless of the commotion around!
And that's when the sketch was born...I drew what I saw....till it got so dark that I couldn't see any more! The next day, I faired it up at home, with black-ink and a quick, water-color wash!


Ultimately, Chennai is about having oodles of time on your hands. It's about that inexplicable feeling of leisure; it's about reconfirming from the clock that it's only 7:30 in the morn but you felt it should be 11 am,  it's about taking your time over a cup of hot filter-coffee tucked with the morning Hindu, it's about overhearing Carnatic music from the neighbor's, it's about the raucous caw of the crow at the window-sill, it's about the eye-piercing dazzle of the afternoon sun!!!

That's how the other home-sketches came up. Just drew what I saw each day. It's all about a box of colors and time....that's all you need!

Flight Plight

Flight journeys are not for the squeamish...for the faint-hearted I mean. The human mind may soar, but the human body is intrinsically, firmly anchored to the earth. Little wonder, air travel is somehow not natural. There is an element of the bravado in it, almost like bungee-jumping!


Let's face it- we all go through it.　Our denial is not going to change the fact about Air Travel. It is just　not as easy as stepping inside a train compartment. We naturally relax into the environs of the train- slip our suitcases below the berth, kick-off the footwear in a hurry, change into some relaxed pajamas and have the liberty to stretch our legs in full　or sit cross-legged or even do a head-stand if　we chose to! The ease, the freedom and the informality of it all!

Air Travel presents a contrasting picture of sorts. It's a tight-fit from the moment you step in- like squeezing yourself in a size-0 skinny-pair of jeans, when you actually belong to a commodious extra-large and beyond!
The seat is compact and so is everything else.　A single　posture into which you compress your　whole frame and have to hold it for 16 hours flat! Every movement has to be measured.　　One　careless move and you would have jabbed your neighbor’s sides with your elbow or knocked his spectacles off...when you tried to stretch your arms. When food is served, it needs a different skill altogether- the table is miniscule, the items many and space at　an absolute　premium. It's like a Mumbai chawl.　Elbows tucked to the body, you nibble at it- as a squirrel would. Attention has to be full and complete- else,　you could topple and bring down the entire food-pyramid topped with a coffee-cup....and watch it helplessly run down your trousers, your neighbors and into the aisle! At the end of the journey, there is confirmation that you can successfully do another job- the job of a contortionist!


Part of the problem of Air-Travel is the fear-factor. Already the mode of travel is unnatural. The exaggerated safety-instructions kick off a few more butterflies in the belly! The seat has to be upright, the waist-belt fastened and the mobile switched off.　The cabin lights have to be dimmed and windows open in full. It's as if...if we got even one of these things wrong, the plane wouldn't take-off....or worse...leave it!　It needs just one non-compliant person to forget to switch off his mobile- it could completely upset this delicate apple-cart!


If we watch the safety drill, it's as if anything and everything　could happen. Forewarned is forearmed one might say....but the safety-information lets our imagination run riot!　Oxygen masks could rain down, the plane could land in water, you may have to bob around in the middle of the ocean on a　floatation-device (which is of course placed under the seat)..... and sometimes, use an enormous slide to slip out of the plane in a tearing hurry!
"Sir, are you ok sitting at the emergency-exit seat?" asks a polite airhostess. Ruffled as we already are, it's tough to give a cogent answer. Our gut-reaction is often, "Madam, am I at a greater risk　in sitting here?　Would I need to hold the door-shut if it were to accidentally open in mid-air? Is there any such possibility...and if there is, I am out of here...for sure!" Unfortunately, there is no exit-strategy, strapped as we are, to our safety-belt. We mumble a　quick yes...and resign ourselves to fate and a few prayers!


But once you are 20000 feet in the air, you're not edgy anymore. The jangled nerves relax, the seat-belt sign is off and　life is balmy once more! The dazzle of the sunshine, the ink-blue sky...and occasional wispy, cotton-like clouds floating by- air-travel has its unique window-shows!
You've eaten the choicest of chocolates of the world. It doesn't matter. When the airhostess gets the tray with the toffees.... all nicely arranged....and lights up the display with a brilliant smile, it's a different feeling altogether. It's suddenly tough to make a selection of one or two. There is an irresistible urge to reach for the candies by the fistful...or taking possession of the entire tray!
You hear the swish of the coke-cans　being opened, the orange-juice poured out, the aroma of fresh coffee and an occasional "Tomato-Juice, no ice please!"


The background sound fades away　to the　crisp voice of the pilot from the cockpit. "We've begun our descent...." He ends　his short speech with elan.　"As part of the crew, we thank you for flying our airlines. We wish you the very best in　your journey ahead!" Such elegance, such poise! Surely, train-travel cannot match this sophistication by a distance!


As the plane prepares for the final-landing, I can see my neighbor scrutinizing my features- my knuckles going white, my clenched jaw. "Relax...relax!! I told you　Air Travel is the safest means of transport! Haven't you seen the numbers? Getting knocked down when you are walking on the footpath has a higher probability!" The argument is compelling. I relaxed till he threw in the rider. "But yes, I do agree. It's a boolean!"　 "What do you mean...it is a boolean?" I shot back. "Well....it means the answer is 1...and sometimes, a 0...but never in-between!" he trailed away...before breaking into a fit of wicked laughter!

Ganpati Bappa Morya!

In the making....

This year's Ganesha....seated gingerly over mooshik!

Weekend doodle: Ganesha at Meenakshi Temple, B'ghatta Rd

Ganesha- Pencil-color sketch... Saturday morn..done on location!

Weekend breezy sketch - ink and pencil-color

View from Narasimha Temple, Bannerghatta Rd



Last month's sketch- At sister's place, Detroit!

Of bags and baggage!

The baggage-claim area is a great leveler. Prince or pauper, business-class pampered mogul or the economy-class huddled software engineer, regardless of your tag, you have to jump through the same hoops when it comes to picking your baggage. It is inescapable.


If you land in India, the great Indian mela starts right here, at the baggage-claim area. It's a lot like our traffic, never a dull moment. Carousels, running conveyor belts, suddenly-stopped-running belts, baggage on the belt, baggage outside the belt, baggage-about-to-tip-over from the belt, travelers, attendants, side-kicks, everything choc-a-bloc...you name it! It isn't easy for the flight-weary or the faint-hearted. Regardless of how we are built, our baggage for sure, is made of sterner stuff.


They say that a home-raised village-cow is equipped with its own biological Google-map!  Even if you were to abandon it miles away, it will make its way back to the owner with unerring accuracy. 
Our baggage does even better. We are challenged when it comes to our multi-leg international flights-  to find the correct flight, the correct gate and wade through miles of airport-terminals, corridors and security-scanners. Surprisingly, the baggage manages to do all this, that too unaccompanied with effortless ease! It's baffling. Little wonder, we question and repeatedly, "Does the baggage go all the way to San Francisco or do I pick it up at Dubai?". "No sir! It is checked all the way to San Francisco!" We are forced to confirm one more time. "You mean I pick it up....er...er....at San Francisco directly?" "Yes sir", comes the blunt reply.
And sure enough, it's there for you at the carousel at San Francisco- blinking with the same beady eyes, just the way you left it at Bangalore! It's simply unbelievable!


If ever our baggage had a catwalk of their own, their two minutes of fame, where a hundred eyes stayed glued to them, it has to be at the conveyor belt. Unlike a regular catwalk, you don't have to be an eye-candy to be a head-turner here. In fact, the more unconventional your looks, the more points you get. Just think about it- all your branded suitcases file past...prim and proper. And suddenly, out of the blue, stumbles along.....this box of Alphonso mangoes! Just a simple cardboard box, wriggling its way, with a vernacular script scrawled all over, from some nondescript place on this planet. It has no zips, no handles, no bells or whistles! If you have to lift it, it is by the scruff of the neck- by the coir-rope which keeps the box together. As make-shift and raw as that, but it invites all attention! And as it floats by, through the crack in the cardboard lid, you spot the little yellow of the ripening Alphonso mango! You break into a smile, run your tongue over your lips- it's so overly inviting, standing right there at the carousel! The Alphonso mango gets more shutter-bugs than anyone out there!


A 14-hour flight is grueling. It's hard on the body for sure, but it takes a greater toll on the mind, reducing you to an absolute zombie. Suddenly, you can't recall anything about how your luggage looked! It's a state of total blankness. You can't recall if it was black or navy-blue or red, rectangular or triangular. As the pieces of luggage float past, your sleepy brain gives you opposite messages. Either it urges you to reach out for every piece out there because they all look familiar or it tells you to stay aloof because none of them seem vaguely related. You kick yourself. At least, you could have spent that one minute to tie a friendship-band of sorts, some terribly ugly ribbon which would have made life simple. Now, it's a lost cause. You drift off and think about Rama. The other day, he would have felt just as helpless, reduced to a mute spectator, watching Vali and Sugriva clawing at each other! They both looked alike, much like these suitcases so that he couldn't tell one from the other.  The solution was simple. Sugriva wore a garland the next day and now, Rama could unerringly aim his arrow at Vali. It was a simple and effective plan.
I took a leaf out of this episode.  On my way back, I tied this most eye-piercing green, fluorescent ribbon at the handle of the black suitcase. But life isn't as easy as the Ramayana narrative. To my utmost surprise, at the Bangalore airport, a dozen black suitcases all landed up, with the same ribbon at the handle! Imagine what Rama would have done had Vali also turned up with a garland the next day? For sure, he would have broken his Kodanda bow in two, and moved on... to other vocations in life!!!


Sometimes, an enormous waiting game gets played out. The last few get to play this game, and yes, you are one of them! Suddenly, no one wants to pick up suitcases from the ring any more. The suitcases keep spinning and spinning for eternity. Each time, you look at it expectantly, only to realize that it's the same one which picked your curiosity the last time too! "Why are they even there in the first place...if no one wants them!" you feel like yelling. The problem is- all the players out there... are equally affected by a sudden bout of amnesia. No one remembers his suitcase anymore. Each one is waiting for the other to blink first, take his suitcase and move, so that the last man standing can take the left-over and leave!! This war of attrition can be terribly draining, and played out at a point when you can barely stand.


Suitcases are like us. Each one has a distinct personality. I believe, we deserve the suitcase we get! There are party-animals out there, who have hit it off with other suitcases, in the course of their journey. It is evident that they have had a great time- they come bunched up, all heady and excited, tumbling down.....almost falling over each other...and off the conveyor belt!! And then, there is the loner. The rest of humanity has walked away with its bags and you stand alone at the carousel. It is terribly lonely out there.....with carousels stretching till the horizon and not a soul in sight. (This is of course the US). You feel you could get mugged. That's when the loner ambles along, shuffling his feet, on the conveyor belt, with not a care in the world! You have half a mind to give him a nice kick in the back. He richly deserves it, but you restrain yourself. At least, he showed up. Otherwise, you would have had to file a missing claim, which would be another headache!


Gently, I open suitcase flap and peer into the contents for confirmation. There is an overwhelming sense of relief- to spot a bright-red jockey brief! It is surely mine! I yank out a trolley, stack-up the suitcase, wheel it past the sliding door......and melt into the sunshine! I have just one thought running in my mind. The next time, I am going to play it real safe. My suitcase will be easiest to spot. He's going to be dressed like Superman, with my red-jockey on the outside! Surely, no one would have thought of that!!




San Francisco Airport- Sketch done on location! (Air Alaska in foreground)

The magic of Munnar

Every place has a story- not one, but several. Without them, it is just another place, another clutter of trees and hills, and nameless hamlets. It is the stories which breathe life to the place and give it that special character.


Munnar has its stories- we've heard many over the last couple of days. Sitting on these clump of rocks, we silently ponder over them. The setting makes these stories more engaging.


Behind us, looms the Aanamudi Peak which overlooks the entire Munnar valley. It is the highest speak in South India, taller than even the Doddabhetta, the more well known peak in the Nilgiris.
The Aanamudi Peak- majestic and stately, lives up to its name (aana - elephant, mudi- head). It looks like a colossal elephant- complete with the gentle slope of the back, the dome-shaped head and the curve of the trunk. It is pure rock- shaved off all vegetation. A damp-streak here, a dried trickle there.....breaks the monotony of the rock façade. Perhaps, it is juice from the elephant in "musth", perhaps, dried tears of a bygone tale. We would never know.


The story of Munnar is the story of tea. The earliest inhabitants of Munnar were the "Mudhuvans", the adivasis, who made these hills their own. They were driven out of the plains and climbed these hills. A sturdy tribe, they brought all their possessions strapped to their backs. Hence, the name "mudhuvans", the "back-people".  The tribe can still be seen in pockets, just as they were...eons ago.


As per a popular story, 150 years ago, an Englishman scoured this part of the country. Tired and exhausted, he flopped down at a Mudhuvan home. The Mudhuvan family nursed him with a concoction which gave him instant energy.  The drink was tea! The rest, as they say, is history. We do not know whether the world-wide fascination for tea had its origin in China or at this Mudhuvan home. For Munnar, this chance episode would change its future. Around 1880, the British Officer Munroe, purchased the land around Munnar from the chieftain Kannan Devan.
Soon, the slopes were cleared and tea was grown. Thus was born the Kannan Devan brand of tea. The tea estates would change a number of hands in the next 100 years- the Finley Group followed by Tata. Now, KDHP (Kannan Devan Hills Plantation) is a co-operative enterprise, where every employee on these tea estates, shapes the future.


Tea is everywhere. It has literally taken over these hills. The dazzling green of tea, with its characteristic crisscrossed, block-shaped contours, meets the eye on every turn. It's as if these hills were covered with a full coat of fluorescent-green icing....and then chopped up into chunks of cake. Above the tea-line, the hills are bordered with the Eucalyptus.


The eucalyptus was not native to Munnar at all. It has its own story. The seeds were smuggled from Australia, in a pair of socks! Now, it competes with tea as the most recognizable feature on these hills.


Our musings are interrupted as the wind picks up at Aanamudi Peak. Ahead, the hills are stacked row upon row, right up to the horizon. Clouds float like wisps of cotton on the distant hills. Beyond those distant hills is Kochi, some 125 km away. That's how we got to Munnar- a 3 hour drive from Kochi airport. The drive took us through Kaladi, the birthplace of the saint Adi Shankara and we crossed the Purna River. The route was scenic and characteristic of Kerala- an unbroken row of houses on either side of the road. 1.5 hours of winding road eventually got us to Munnar.


Munnar gets its name from "moonu-aaru"- confluence of three ("moonu") rivers ("aaru"). The rivers are Kanniaar, Nalla Thanniaar and Paarvati-poothanaar". They join at Munnar and the combined flow speeds to the West and empties itself in the Arabian Sea.
There is little water in the river this time of the year. You have to visit the place in August, after the rains. That's when the rivers come to life- fed by the running water from these hills.


At the confluence of the three rivers, we see a confluence of the three great religions. On one side, is the ancient Subramanya Temple, on the other is a Masjid and the Carmel Church occupies the third side.
About 200 years ago, a Sufi saint, Pir Mohammad walked on these hills. His dargah at Pallivaasal is revered by all devotees.


Munnar is known for its spices. Our trip to Spice Garden was informative. These are the spices which brought the Europeans to the Malabar 500 years ago- nutmeg, vanilla, betel and cardamom, the king of spices.


Whether it is Ooty, Kodai or Munnar, their story is inextricably linked to the British. As the tea estates mushroomed, you required transport. The British built a mono-rail, a regular-rail and even a ropeway. All this happened at the turn of the 20th century. A flash flood in 1924 wiped off Munnar and with it, the rail too. The train would never run again. Today, the tourist gets a chance to visit "Top Station", which was the last station for the rail in those days. Presently, there is no train, no station. A viewpoint is all that greets us. A sudden fog robbed us of the view too. On a bright day, the viewpoint overlooks Theni and the plains of Tamil Nadu. Before we hit "Top Station", we went over the Maattupatti Dam over the Paarvati-Poothanaar River. On one side, is the expansive lake, with tourists making a beeline for the boats.


The story of Munnar...is eventually nature's story- of rolling hills and picturesque valleys, of tea-meadows and dense jungle, of cloud-kissed mountain peaks and deep ravines, of mountain streams and dried waterfalls, of sudden fog and incessant drizzle, of the "neelakurinji" flower and the Nilgiri Tahr, of misty mornings....and the nightly chorus of the Cricket.....


Aanamudi Peak gets darker by the minute.  The wind is stiff. The wisps of cotton suddenly take a turn from the distant hills and collide with us....face on! You can feel the moisture and the sudden dip in temperature. I thought I felt a touch upon my shoulder. I turn around. There's no one. The clouds let out a deep sigh...There is surely some presence on this Peak. Is it the presence of that English lady, fresh from England, who was so enchanted by these hills upon arrival, that she said....she wanted to be forever in this place? How portentous those words were. Two days later, she died of Cholera. She lies buried in these hills. That cloudlet, that cotton-wisp, is that perhaps her white skirt fluttering in the wind......and that sigh, perhaps her trailing voice......and that touch upon my shoulder, perhaps....perhaps....


Quickening our pace, we bolt for the bus.
Munnar has secrets, which will be hers......forever!






Ink and watercolor- done on location at the "Fog", Munnar

At the "Aveda", Kumarakom- watercolor on a rainy day!

Quick sketch...just before leaving Kumarakom- Vembanad Lake view.

An essay on Papanasam Sivan

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to listen to a lec-dem by Gayatri Girish and Dr Radha Bhaskar. The topic was Papanasam Sivan's compositions. It was an eye-opener and in two hours, we got a peek into Sivan's greatness. I jotted down a few points during the program. This is a breezy essay based on what I recall. Errors if any....are entirely mine!

 

Sivan- Tamil Tyagayya:

 

The Trinity occupy a pride of place in Karnatic Music. Their contribution is so immense, that every composer is classified as either belonging to the "pre-Trinity era" or the "post-Trinity era". Amongst the post Trinity composers, Papanasam Sivan reigns as one of the most prolific composers.

 

Fondly, he is called "Tamil Tyagayya". It's as if Tyagaraja was reborn to compose....this time in Tamil. We have about 500-odd compositions of Papanasam Sivan. Of these, about 50 are in Sanskrit and some in "mani-pravaalam" (combination of languages) and the rest, entirely in Tamil.

 

Papanasam Sivan modeled himself after Tyagaraja. Like Tyagaraja, most of the compositions are in "madhyama kaala" (middle-tempo in terms of speed). The kritis are brisk and energetic- a technique which Tyagaraja perfected to ensure that the listener's attention doesn't waver.

 

Like Tyagaraja, most of the kritis are personal in nature. It's as if his personal outpourings in a variety of moods, took the shape of these songs. The colloquial, conversational style of language also stands out in his compositions, much like Tyagaraja.

 

Sivan deviated from Tyagaraja on one point. In Tyagaraja's compositions, we often see a repetition in tune- the tune which he uses in the anu-pallavi is borrowed in the charanam. We don't see this in Sivan's compositions. Here, he seems to have followed Dikshitar, where every stanza has an entirely original score.

 

Sivan used the mudra "raama-daasan". But we find the mudra used sparingly- unlike Tyagaraja.

 

Tyagaraja's isha-devata was Lord Rama. Sivan's isha-devatas were Kapaaleeshvara and Karpagaambaal (Shiva-Parvati) at the Mylapore Temple in Chennai. Many of his compositions are addressed to these two deities.

 

Range of compositions:

 

Sivan's compositions range from "pada-varnas" to keertanas to thillanas. He has explored every genre. The program (by Gayatri Girish and Dr Radha) opened with the rendition of "shri vaataapi ganapatiye" in praise of Lord Ganesha in the raga Sahana.
Next, the pada-varnam in the raga Dhanyasi was presented. In pada-varnams, we find the nice crisscross of swara-sahitya for every line. This is unlike regular varnams, where we may not find sahitya for every line sung with swaras.
Sivan has composed similar pada-varnams in ragas like Sriranjani, Mayamalavagaula and Natakurunji to name a few.

 

In keertanas, we find songs with a single charanam  (ending-stanza) as well as with multiple charanams. If there are multiple charanams, we find examples where they have a single tune and others, where each stanza is individually developed.

 

The beautiful keertana "thiruparankundra vela" in the raga Hindolam was rendered as an example where the multiple charanas maintain the same tune.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM412sBxvpQ

 

A contrasting example was presented as the well known piece"ka va va" in the raga Varali. Here, the charanas are not repeated.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCCdH5kusH0

 

 

Variety of bhavas:

 

We see a gamut of emotion splattered over Sivan's many compositions. Some examples quoted were the following:

 

• nayaka-nayaki bhava: where the Lord is addressed...as if by the beloved. We see this in Natakurinji pada-varnam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asipFmKxdF4 

 

•  thaai-sey bhava (mother-child relationship):  We see this in the famous Shanmukhapriya kriti "parvati naayakaney sharanam". Here, we have the line that a child may forget its mother due to indifference, but the mother can never commit that mistake. So too...should the Lord protect Sivan (and thereby us too!).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHqNPqcSnLY

 

•  Another example is "karunanidhiye thaaye" in the morning-raga Bowli. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWAHVNuX5eg

 

•  Self-deprecation: "Hey Shambho, why did you create...this despicable me?" Sivan asks in this poignant kriti in the raga Mayamalavagaula. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9zIWJgGnAk

 

•  "Enough! O Lord! No more births please!" We see this emotion in kritis like "piravaa-varam thaarum" in the raga Lathangi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_ztdFchdc

 

•  "Lord, May I always be in your smaranam": We see this bhava in the kriti "Venkataramana" in the raga Lathangi again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ZlTT6b_NI

 

• "Lord, may I always worship your feet": (paada-sevanam). An example is the kriti "tava charanau mama sharanam" in the raga Thodi. (Can't find an audio track).

 

• nindaa-stuti: "Using sarcasm to take a dig at the Lord (and indirectly praise him)". Lord Shiva has Kubera, the deity of wealth at arms length! Still, he goes around begging for alms. "This duplicity....does it befit you, my Lord!?" questions Sivan. We see this in the composition set to the raga Surati called "pichchaikku vandeero". Interestingly, there is reference to Shiva as a "gudu gudu paandi"- the one who dresses up oddly and wildly!

 

Range of ragas:

 

Like the Trinity, most of Sivan's compositions are in the "rakti-ragas"- the time-tested ragas which give "instant relish". These are ragas like Thodi, Kalyani, Kambhoji, Shankarabharanam, Kharaharapriya, Bhairavi etc.

 

Sivan believed in delineating the raga's svaroopa in the first stroke in his songs; leaving no ambiguity at all. Sangatis (different nuances in which a particular phrase/line in sung) are built like a gopuram- from the simple to the most ornate...successively. An example is the kriti "kundram kudi konda velava" (raga Thodi). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgVqoJwuPYg In keeping with the lyrics, the sangatis are also stacked like a mountain (kundram) (adukku-adukka)!

 

One of Tygaraja's priya-ragas, is Kharaharapriya. Tyagaraja has composed around 20 kritis in this raga. So too, Sivan has composed around the same number- each time delving into a totally new facet of the raga. An example is "jaanaki pathey", exploring the raga in an altogether different way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blq-y8gpWJM

 

Sivan's other well-known compositions in Kharaharapriya are "senthil andavan" and "srinivasa thava charanam" and "daya villaya".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZbW5ZQW8eQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_F0YFmImkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-O-BppE3VQ
Interestingly, both Shyama Sastri and Dikshitar don't appear to have composed any song in this raga. It is odd. This raga is entirely Tyagu's bastion and after him, this Tamil Tyagayya's!

 

 

In the well known kriti "aadum deivam", he starts with an unusual opening for raga Kambhoji- "ni dha pa"...but quickly follows it up with "ma ga pa dha sa" leaving no doubt whatsoever. This kriti is also a lovely example where the words and the sangatis are so apt. We see the "oscillation, the dance of notes" in the way the phrase"aadum" is sung.....just the way Lord Shiva would dance...as the kriti describes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-JEKADz9N8

 

In the kriti "malarinai thunaye", raga Ritigaula is presented with no ambiguity from the start. There is no confusion with the related raga Anandabhairavi at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWKNOlwEO7M

 

Foray into "lighter" ragas:

 

In addition to rakti ragas, unlike the Trinity, Papanasam Sivan has a number of compositions in the so called "lighter" ragas which are very popular.

 

In the raga Valaji, we have "paadamey thunai".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9XwHoo2N2s

 

In the raga Shivaranjani, we have "tarunam idhu" in praise of Lord Ganesha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbgHU5IfEc8

 

In the raga Tilang, we have "shri ganesha charanam".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoMXjplFXFU

 

In the raga Bhimplas, we have "kannan madhura" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emYKUmsIINU

In this kriti, Sivan identifies with a flute and how it has the fortune to stay pressed to Lord Krishna's lips!

 

How can we miss Sivan's most elegant kriti in the raga Behag?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhPRBRGZx1Y

 

Sivan had a particular fascination for the raga Hindolam. We will see in the next section how he has treated the raga in different ways.

 

Variety of themes:

 

While devotion is the bed-rock in Sivan's compositions, we find other ideas too.

 

During the atheistic movement in Tamil Nadu, Sivan composed "deivam illai endru sol vendaam" again in the raga Kharaharapriya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzq3LtWq8gg
The song says- "That God doesn't exist...may we never make that statement!"

 

Sivan has composed a kriti in Hari Kambhoji on the poet Subramanya Bharati "paamaalai".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-O-BppE3VQ

 

He has composed kritis on nature, on Tamil language and songs imbued with patriotic fervor.

 

Interesting aspects in Sivan's compositions:

 

The use of swarakshara- (the opening letter of a word and the swara in which it is sung...perfectly match)

• sa-ma-ga-nalolaney sa-dashiva - Hindolam

 

• parvati nayakaney sharanam.... - Shanmukhapriya

       saarvabhaumaney - (same song)
       nee marava....(same song)

 

• maa-ramanan - Hindolam
• paarkadal..... - the kriti "Mahalakshmi" (Shankarabharanam) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5FG5NGK644

 Madhyamakaala sangati: Swift, double phrasing as seen in Dikshitar's compositions. We see this in Sivan's Madhyamavati kriti "karpagamey". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcSSV-rihXQ

Hindolam in 3 speeds:

He has composed kritis in Hindolam in all 3 speeds. It is interesting to see how the gamakas are handled differently in each case.

• maa-ramanan - vilamba kaalam (slow tempo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eds5YA_LzO0
• Saamagaana lolaney -madhyama kaalam (medium tempo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgm7tkSWLh8
• nambi kettavar evarayya - durita kaalam (fast tempo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV0JLe1nwfc

Use of rhyme (praasa):


We see the usage of rhyme in many compositions. An example is the Bhairavi kriti "shri vishwanatham bhaje".
The lines end (antya-praasam) with rhyming words...."deeksham", "kataaksham"..."mahoksham" etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0JM6JJD8ps
There are compositions where we see "diviteeya praasam". Here, the second letter rhymes in each line.


 Composition with no base "sa":


A raga is recognized in terms of the arrangement of other notes with respect to the base-note, the aadhaara, the shadja, the "sa". Sivan's "Devi neeye thunai" stands out as a composition where he has cleverly suppressed the lower "sa" and still brings out the flavor of Keeravani.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkNujASrFpM

 Tala:

An entire section in the program was devoted to enumerating the different talas used by Sivan in his compositions.

A musician apparently dismissed Tyagaraja's compositions as ordinary because he employed no complex talas. Tyagaraja composed "chede buddhi maanura" as a rebuttal of sorts. In this composition, he began the kriti before the "samam", creating a novel tala pattern. Sivan has used the same approach in one of his compositions.

 The conclusion:

A fleeting mention was made about "enathu manam", (my absolute favorite!) in the raga Hari Kambhoji https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfFNQOwSvHI

This kriti is in Tamil. It was used as an example to contrast it from other kritis which follow the "manipravala" format. In manipravala compositions, Sanskrit and Tamil are intertwined. It looks as if the kriti is in Sanskrit, till we find the usage of usage of Tamil also. 

Breaking the norm, Sivan composed a mangalam in praise of Lord Ganesha. Normally, we begin anything with an invocation to Ganesha. That the end and the beginning are the same....or perhaps to convey that there is no beginning and no end...as in a circle, Sivan employs this technique.

The concluding remarks were wonderful. Ragas are like uncharted territory. It is only through the compositions of these masters that we can hope to give them a swaroopa, an unmistakable structure. Hence, the importance of looking into these compositions with a keen eye. Though manodharma sangeetam is an important part of Karnatic music, where the artist explores a fresh facet of the raga each time, these keertanas have to serve as the guide, as the flag-post. Each raga is a journey into a mirage.....We feel we have arrested it completely, till we find there's something more...and more! It is an endless journey....and an enjoyable one!

And finally, no artist is bigger than the art. In our own small way....we take the cup of our hand....to gather a few droplets...a little trickle....from the ocean of music!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts on the musical play "Tyagaraja"

Watched the musical play "Tyagaraja" yesterday. It has the actor-dramatist TV Varadarajan in the lead role and music by Bombay Jayashree.
It was thoroughly enjoyable. It is evident that a lot of effort has gone into its production. The scene-settings are not overly elaborate, but adequate. There are a couple of street-scenes of Tiruvaiyyaru, there's King Sarabhoja's durbar hall and some settings with the Kaveri River in the distance. The décor essentially revolves around Tyagaraja's home- the central sannidhi with the idols of Lord Rama and retinue....and a window which lets the sun in...each day. Minimal props.....
The artist Keshav's drawings....which are projected on the screen from time to time...offer a peek into the life and times of Tyagaraja. What sets this play apart is the music, the acting and the screen-play.


A lot of research has gone into the song selection. The pieces are carefully picked to tie up the incidents in Tyagaraja's life with the actual song. The next time we hear these songs, we will know the context. It will add a new dimension to appreciate these kritis better.


I took down some notes in darkness of the hall. I am relying on those notes and my memory...both equally illegible! If there are any errors, they are mine. If this musical-play comes to your city, it is not to be missed!
The music enthusiast will simply love it.


Now that I have picked your curiosity, the play unfolded as follows....


The opening:


The drama opens with a scene where Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman in Vaikunta are engaged in an animated conversation with Narada. Narada talks about the ill-effects of Kali-yuga in the world.
Lord Rama assures him that Tyagaraja, born as Valmiki’s avatara, will usher an age of bhakti in the world through his keertanas. At that time, Sita hears the strains of  “namo namo raghavaya” (in the raga deshya-thodi) sung by a young Tyagaraja. This is the first keertana composed by Tyagaraja.


Tyagu’s home:


The scene moves to Tyagaraja’s home, to the Rama sannidhi- how each day, he sings before the deity. It moves on to show Tyagaraja going around the streets of Tiruvaiyyaru as part of this daily “uncha vrtti”. As he sings, people come out of their home, fill his bowl with food, and he moves on to the next home.
Tyagaraja is portrayed as an affectionate father and husband. He has a lively discussion with his daughter Seetamma and wife Kamalam. Seetamma questions him why he hadn’t sung keertanas specifically on Seeta. Tyagu immediately composes  the kriti “ma jaanaki” (Kambhoji raga) and teaches the kriti to his daughter.


Japyesha, Tyagu’s brother:


Japyesha, Tyagu’s elder brother (who is an astrologer) is introduced.
Though supposedly the villain in Tyagu’s life, he is depicted in grey overtones, and not entirely dark.
He struggles to convince Tyagu that he needn’t go on an uncha-vrtti at all. They were reasonably well-off and Tyagu needn’t do this and bring disrepute to the family. As tempers flare up, Tyagu renders “shaantamu leka saukhyamu” (Raga Sama).


Meeting Narada:


A man steps into Tyagu’s home and leaves a bag for safe keeping. It is Dwadashi day and he tells Tyagu that he will go to the Kaveri and be back after a bath.
He never comes back, leaving Tyagu both anxious and hungry! At the end of the day, Tyagu gets a divine message from Narada to open the bag. It has the musical treatise Swaraarnava. Tyagaraja composes the kriti "narada muni" in Pantuvarali raga.

Meeting Gopalakrishna Bharati at home:


In the next scene, Tyagaraja sings an alapana in Abhogi raga. It fascinates a gentleman from the street. He enters Tyagu’s home and is simply delighted to meet Tyagaraja. He tells Tyagu that he is from Mayavaram.
Tyagu asks him "Oh Mayavaram! I have heard so much about one musician called Gopalakrishna Bharati”.
The man says that he is Gopalakrishna Bharati! Tyagu is very happy and asks him to compose a song for him in Abhogi raga. Bharati says he is not too familiar with Abhogi. Tyagu is a tad disappointed and steps out of home to attend to an errand.


When he comes back, he finds Gopalakrishna Bharati has composed an entire song in Abhogi raga. He is ecstatic as Gopalakrishna Bharati sings “Sabhapatikku vera deivam samaanam aaguma?” ("Is there any equal to Sabhapati- Lord Shiva")
After Bharati leaves, Tyagu talks to Lord Rama and says "Sabhapati (Shiva) himself has recognized Rama as his ishta-devata..isn’t it?"
Immediately, as a rebuttal of sorts, Tyagu sings “raama nee samaanam evaru” (is there any equal to you...O Rama) (kharaharapriya raga).


King Sarabhoja of Thanjavur:


King Sarabhoja of Thanjavur was a patron of arts. His Asthana vidvan was “Sonti Venkataramanaiyya” who was Tyagaraja’s guru. A Hindustani musician arrives at the King’s court and sings raga Darbari. He sings the raga so well that the king is captivated. The musician is arrogant and questions if anyone in the kingdom could sing better than him.
Sonti asks for Tyagaraja.


Tyagaraja arrives at the palace. He is all humility and begins with a thanam in Bilahari raga. He follows it up with the kriti “na jeevadhaara” set to Bilahari. The musician is so overawed by Tyagu’s divine music that he accepts defeat. The king is pleased with Tyagaraja.


He sends gifts to Tyagaraja and wishes Tyagaraja to move to Thanjavur and be a musician in this court.
Japyesha and his wife are ecstatic with this shower of sudden bounty!
The king’s minister requests Tyagaraja to compose one song in praise of the king. Tyagu flatly refuses and says he respects the king as a praja should. But he cannot compose on the king or move to the king’s palace.
He sings the well known kriti “nidhichala sukhama” set to Kalyani raga at this time. Tyagaraja questions in this kriti- What gives greater happiness (sukham)? Is it nidhi (material prosperity) or the happiness derived from service at Rama's sannidhi (raamuni sannidhi seva sukhama) ?



Japyesha is upset and so is the king. The king issues an order preventing the practice of uncha vrtti. He gives Tyagu two days to change his mind. Suddenly, the king is seized with a stomach ache. Nothing works and he is in real pain.
Soon, he realizes his mistake. In denying Tyagu food for his stomach, he had invited this stomach ache. He sends word to Tyagu to pray for the king's wellbeing. Tyagu sings “kshira saagara vihara” in Ananda Bhairavi raga. The king is cured and very happy.


Japyesha orders Tyagu to leave the home:


Japyesha cannot get along with Tyagu and orders him out of home. Tyagu has only one request. He wants to take the idols of Pattabhi-rama with him. Japyesha accedes to this request and Tyagu moves out with his wife and daughter.

At this point, it is depicted as if Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman stay with Tyagu (and Japyesha) as visitors from the North.
It’s as if Rama personally watches Tyagu’s daily routine- how he sings for Rama and even lulls Rama to sleep with “jo jo..”.


Seetamma's wedding:


Tyagu’s daughter Seetamma is about to be married. Tyagu has no money but is sure Rama will help him. And lo and behold, King Sarabhoja himself comes to Tyagu’s home and tells him that Rama asked him to organize Seetamma’s wedding.

At the wedding, Walajapet Venkatarama bhagavathar arrives with a painting of Lord Rama. Tyagu sings the kriti “nannu palimpa” in Mohana raga on this occasion.


Japyesha steals the Rama idols and throws it into the Kaveri:


Lord Rama (staying as a guest with Tyagu) wants to hear Tyagu’s songs with a different emotion. He is eager to hear how Tyagu would sing when filled with sadness. Rama feels that the outburst of songs in this plaintive mood would further enhance Tyagu’s contribution to music.

Lord Rama provokes Japyesha (through Jayesha’s wife) to steal the idols of Rama and throw it into the River Kaveri. The evil deed is done.


Tyagu is filled with immense grief. He sings “ennaalo” in shubha pantuvarali raga on this occasion. The dialogues are brilliant at this point. Tyagu is filled with sadness and anger too! He questions Rama whether he was bored with his songs...and had decided to leave his home.


Tyagara takes a decision to wander as a vagabond. Kamalam and Seetamma are distraught. He asks them to hold fort at home just as Bharata did in Rama’s absence. He assures them that he will bring back the idol of Lord Rama.


Tyagaraja’s travels:


Tyagaraja travels all over. He goes to Srirangam and sings “O rangashayi” in kambhoji raga. He visits Lalgudi and sings “lalitey”in Bhairavi raga.
Next, he visits Kanchipuram. At the Varadaraja Perumal sannidhi, he sings “varadaraja ninnu” in swarabhushani raga. Tyagu leaves for Tirupati. At the shrine of Lord Venkateshwara, the “tirai” (screen) is pulled and the darshanam is denied. Tyagu says that his own kama-krodha is acting as a Tirai. He sings the kriti “tera teeyagaraada” in gauli pantu raga.
The screen falls away and Tyagaraja has the darshanam that he longs for.


The episode with the way-side robbers:


On the way back from Tirupati, Tyagu is attacked by robbers. Tyagu tells his disciple that they needn’t fear since they have nothing.
His disciple confesses that he is carrying money for Lord Rama’s kainkaryam from one Sundaresha Mudaliar, who is a great patron of the arts.
Tyagaraja says..it is then Rama’s duty to protect the money. The robbers pelt Tyagaraja with stones. Soon, it’s the robbers who are on the run.
They are showered with arrows from two youths-Rama and Lakshmana. The robbers can see them, but Tyagu cannot. Tyagaraja is saddened. However, he hears an ashariri-vaak. It tells him to go to the Kaveri and claim the lost Rama idols.


Tyagaraja is able to retrieve his beloved idols from the river! He sings the kriti “kanukontini” in Bilahari raga on this occasion.


The end:


The idols are installed back in Tyagu’s home. Everyone is happy. Almost immediately, Tyagu’s wife Kamalam collapses and passes away.
Tyagaraja is plunged in grief. Japyesha and his wife turn a new leaf and feel sorry and sad for Tyagu.


Tyagaraja is now an old man...over 80 years old. He has difficulty to even walk to the sannidhi at his home. One of the last songs he composes is the kriti “paramarthmudu” in Vagadheeshwari raga. Rama appears before him and says that he will take Tyagu with him in 10 days.

Tyagaraja is old…and cannot see Rama’s face clearly. That’s when he sings the famous “Nagumomu ganaleni naajaali thelisi” in Abheri raga.


Tyagu calls for all his disciples to come and visit him. He takes sanyasa by the Kaveri river to the chants of Shankara’s Bhaja Govindam.
Soon…a light (jyoti)..is shown as rising from Tyagu and merging with Lord Rama.


The kriti “endaro mahanubhavulu” is sung. The chief disciple…places the tambura beside Tyagu’s mortal frame. Even as Tyagu’s body is seated, he places the cymbals in Tyagu’s left hand. And a turban on the head…. 
And Tyagu’s last image…is arrested….for the ages!!!

The last day of school!

Sridhar followed the same ritual for the last ten days. He closed his eyes and knitted his eyebrow. With quivering lips, he chanted all the shlokas he knew. Gently, he tolled the temple bell and took "udhi" from the priest. Generously, he smeared it across his entire forehead till he appeared straight out of a cement-factory! He clasped his palms, walked around the temple three times till he was finally satisfied. He cast one last...longing glance at the deity, kissed his thumb and raised it to his eyes!
A sudden surge of religiosity engulfed Sridhar for the last ten days. The last time he followed the same temple-drill...was exactly a year ago...when the previous Annual Exam was underway. But he knew God was kind and merciful...and would forgive him for being irreverent for an entire year. Sridhar was not alone. All the boys at Don Bosco were swept with the same religious fever. They made a dash to the temple...across the road....just before the final bell rang. After all, divine help was crucial at the examination hall- every student relied on it to somehow compensate and fill-up for the yawning gaps in preparation!


It was not yet another examination day. Today was entirely different....the day you wrote the last exam and catapulted your way to freedom! It was a feeling like no other....the sheer anticipation...the nervous excitement!
Only a man consigned to prison for twenty years...and on the verge of being finally released would understand this feeling!
As you sat in the examination hall, you knew the flight to freedom was just three hours away. Three hours....and we would be finally done!
It was tough to grip the pen that day. The palms oozed with sweat, the hand had a tremor and the face had a smile which just wouldn't subside! Sridhar looked around...and met the equally beaming faces of other students....who went through the same welter of emotion!
Mrs Clare didn't betray any emotion though. She distributed the answer booklets one more time....and the question papers- all laid face down. The students got busy. They wrote the roll numbers...got the ruler out, drew a left margin here....and a right margin there....till there was hardly any central space to write on!


The electric bell rent the air with its shrill ring. From now on...it was all muscle reflex- there was no thinking required during the exam.
You answered what you knew...and took the best shot for questions which didn't make any sense.
The whirr of the fan, the occasional cough of the student, the clamor for new answer-supplements, the pens at feverish work...the furtive eyes trying to steal a glance from the adjoining paper....all juxtaposed with each other...forming a compelling collage. Time trickled away...like sand in an hour glass.




"Pens down!" Mrs Clare hollered. "If anyone writes....as much as one word, I will tear up the answer booklet!" With Mrs Clare, it was risky to take a chance. She might actually execute the threat!


The moment....the moment...everyone waited for! It was tough to believe...that the interminable exams were finally over...and we were.....actually free! At times, we feared this nightmare would never end. The bell rang one more time...and brought the day to a formal close.
The students bolted out of the door with a ferocity which couldn't be matched. They ran down the corridor....and hurtled down the stairs three at a time. Anxious parents stood at the base of the stairs...and got out of harm's way...just in time! Like a raging water-fall...a juggernaut of sorts...the boys swept aside everything on their way! They got out their ink-pens...and squirted ink on each other...till the shirt was more blue than white! It was a ritual followed every year and despite the warning of "stern action will be taken on the offenders", it continued unabated! Innovative methods were introduced each year- with a potato sliced and doused in ink...and slapped against the back of the student! No one was spared- not the teacher, not the parent, not the school attendant. "Father" Lionel's white gown had a streak of blue all across his back. He thought he had caught the offender...only to find him slip and melt away into the crowd. It was a helpless feeling. A swarm of students made a dash to the Principal's office and the staff room and shouted in a frenzy "We want holiday! We want holiday!"
None of us knew why we shouted. After all, the holidays were upon us! None of them knew how to respond. They simply ignored us...like one would ignore the rant of a madman! The more sportive teachers...shouted back "Happy Holidays"!


The April sun was merciless and at noon, it was at the peak of its powers. We crossed the road and stood outside "Rasna Punjab" restaurant in groups. The dazzle of the sun reduced the stately buildings of Don Bosco and its famed church to a blur. Each one had a plan for the vacation....a different plan. David planned to join the "Abbas Circulating Library" and would devour all the books he could find. Mulraj would leave for his "native" that very night from VT by some "Mail Train". Some made grandiose plans to wake up early each morning to play shuttle-cork. The plans were simple. No one went on exotic trips to Alaska in those days. We only knew Alaska to be a place where Eskimos crawled in and out of igloos and the prospect of vacationing with them was simply absurd. Boys went to exotic places like Madras or Maniachi or at the most to Chinchpokli. There was no holiday homework. It was an oxymoron...only morons did work during the holidays!


I stayed with Sridhar that afternoon. We took a bus to Shivaji Park, had lunch at his place, loitered aimlessly by the sea and bought tickets at the Plaza for the 3-6 show. May be, we watched Amitabh Bachchan in "Naseeb" or in "Ram Balram". Each year...it was different. Each year...the feeling was the same: of euphoria, of unalloyed happiness.


"Ye daulat bhi ley lo....
 ye shaurat bhi ley lo....
bhale chheen lo mujhse meri javani....
magar lauta do mujhko...
bachpan ka who saavan...
woh kaagaz ki kashti...woh baarish ka paani
woh kaagaz kim kashti...woh baarish ka paani"


(Take away this wealth...if you must...
 Take away this pomp and fame...if you must...
 Take away even this youth...if you must....
 But....give me back...if you can....
 those childhood days...spent in the sweeping rains....
 those childhood days...spent with a paper boat in the running waters..
 those childhood days...spent with a paper boat in the running waters...)

P.S: Today is the last day of exams for the kids. I was reminded of my own!