Rajagopalan: Multifaceted personalities of the Rasikas forum

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 23 Feb 2012, 09:36

Ponbhairavi,
je suis ravi!
Vous etes formidable!

Thanks,Nadasudha!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 23 Feb 2012, 09:47

nadhasudha wrote:Until then I will be posting some of his articles for your reading - The one I will be posting today is a humorous one and was written in 2005 for Bhairavi Puducherry Souvenir. I am sure you will have a laugh on reading it.

Yes indeed it just really flowed .

Tx nadhasudha , I just thought in general when some one writes as a rebuttal , we are bit constrained on what the original writer has told , and something in me told that ponbhairavi can do much much much better when he writes a new leaf writeup. Thank you, this is exactly what I was expecting. Though there is a bit very slight tinge of sarcasm that may not go well with all musicians taste, but I guess every musician will have a hearty

(Is it not ErOde )

I donot know if Bhairavi sabha in Pondy really gives award , but musicians in future will be in a bit of dharmasangadam in getting any awards from bhairavi

.

smala · Post by **smala** » 23 Feb 2012, 12:48

Might be a tall order to request sridhar-rang to translate - looks like it will lose some of us with these posts in Tamil...

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 24 Feb 2012, 02:03

I am waiting for our asthAna kavis to come up with something about 'award illAda sabhaiyA' along the lines pani illAda mArgazhiyA in response to PonBhairavi's article!

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 24 Feb 2012, 16:54

Done Ravi. It is a silEDai (SlEsha / double entendre) that praises Ponbhairavi as well as you

Please check it out:

http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 16#p217416

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 24 Feb 2012, 20:15

sridhar_rang: very impressive! thoroughly enjoyed the double entendre.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 29 Feb 2012, 12:49

I am back in the pavilion and read the postings in this and TMK thread. While I am extremely grateful
to the members for their kind sentiments towards me,I feel very uncomfortable with a thread in my name. In all sincerity and humility I request you to please change the heading of the thread as : "multifaceted personalities of the Rasikas forum."please.
I am amazed by the skill of Sridhar_rangfor the sledai kavithai and the prestidigitation of cml who has with very little touches made it encompass three persons( Three in one !!!) This sledai kavidai is a speciality of tamil May be it is there in sanskrit but I wonder whether it exists in western literature. The skill of the poet is to link up மொட்டை தலை and முழங்கால். I remember partly a famous one which applies in toto to banana fruit and snake and I request our forum poets to complete it and share it with our members.

நஞ்சிருக்கும் தோலுரிக்கும் நாதர் முடி மேலிருக்கும்
வெஞ்சினத்தில் பல் பட்டால் மிளாதே

V.Mahalingam · Post by **V.Mahalingam** » 29 Feb 2012, 17:26

I am extremely happy that Rasikas.com honoured Sri Rajagopal by opening a separate thread for Sri. PonBhairavi-Rajagopal.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Feb 2012, 21:10

Ponbhairavi:
My humble effort..
நஞ்சிருக்கும் தோலுரிக்கும் நாதர் முடி மேலிருக்கும்
வெஞ்சினத்தில் பல் பட்டால் மிளாதே - அஞ்சியதை
ஓடி ஒளிப்பார்க்கு நலம் சேரும், பயம் தீரும்
தேடி அதை தீர்ப்பார் தமக்கு.

( Snake) Those who get scared (அஞ்சியதை) and hastily hide (ஓடி ஒளிப்பார்க்கு) will be comforted(நலம் சேரும்), (and) their fear will be over (பயம் தீரும்) if they find it(தேடி அதை) and kill it off(தீர்ப்பார்)!

(Banana)Those who hastily hide it (ஓடி ஒளிப்பார்க்கு) being scared (அஞ்சி) (from others who may steal it) will have (temporary) comfort(நலம் சேரும்); however the banana (பயம் colloquial for பழம்) will be exhausted(தீரும்) if others find it(தேடி அதை) and finish it off(தீர்ப்பார்)!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Feb 2012, 21:24

The title has beeen changed to accommodate the request by Sri Rajagopalan. Now Rasikas can add anecdotes about other interesting members of this Forum!
How about our Pratyaksham Bala (PB) who has been hiding for a while

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 29 Feb 2012, 22:10

நஞ்சிருக்கும் தோலுரிக்கும் நாதன் முடிமேலிருக்கும்
வெஞ்சினத்துப் பற்பட்டால் மீளாது - விஞ்சுமலர்த்
தேம்பாயுஞ் சோலைத் திருமலைராயன் வரையில்
பாம்பாகும் வாழைப்பழம்.
..............................................................................................................-- புலவர் காளமேகம்

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Feb 2012, 22:14

ThX PB!

smala · Post by **smala** » 29 Feb 2012, 22:19

CML you could have left this thread title remain as a tribute to Sri Ponbhairavi, there's one on Arasi, if I'm not mistaken. I echo the sentiments of V Mahalingam in post 33 in honoring Sri Ponbhairavi - Rajagopalan with a separate thread.

I see his discomfort with his name being the very humble person he is re. Title -- could have removed just the name and kept the title something like as MFP (Multi-faceted personality) : Translator of French Literature to Tamil.

Could always have a series thread - MFP - (with next name/attribute) - one for each member-person - that way the recognition and clear title separates the persons while browsing and reading instead of this generic lumping and having to go through posts to find a different person. Just a suggestion because this thread with other persons *will* get cluttered.

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 29 Feb 2012, 22:53

Here is my take on that kavi kALamegham veNbA:

http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 76#p217676

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 01 Mar 2012, 12:50

Cml; post 35- thank you very much . I am greatly relieved

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 01 Mar 2012, 13:00

Mille merci mme Arasi

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 01 Mar 2012, 13:05

Sridhar_rang( post 39)
I have suggested ' ,if you do not mind, a 2 word change for less ambiguity (or animosity or virulence) in the same thread

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 01 Mar 2012, 13:25

Agreed sir, thanks for pointing out, changing it.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 02 Mar 2012, 12:48

back again the first thing I should do is to express my gratitude to rajesh ( bhairavi does not confer any "birudu") MV,CRama ( am sorry to have missed you as I was out of town, my cell no 9443799572 may be useful the next time you pass by Puducherry), MKRamasubramanian, Punarvasu, Smala( the english translation would indeed loose many nuances especially with names,designations etc ( for example the word "theerthangudi" ) and the humour would disappear once I start explaining!!) Mahavishnu, Ranaganayaki , rshankar, cml, and the inexhaustible sridhar_rang who instead of a birudu adorned me with a sledai kavi.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 02 Mar 2012, 13:12

Now that we are among poets perhaps a comparison between Victor Hugo and Subramania Bharathi may be of interest
frenchliterature. angelfire.com--19th century-victor Hugo and scroll down to page 71-72.
The plight of the life of fishermen(even to-day ) is best brought out by his poemநடுக்கடலில்-நள்ளிரவில்- further down at pages 79-81
http://media.angelfire.lycos.com/2734881/1864967.pdf
P71-72 and page 79-81

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 04 Mar 2012, 22:26

I read the venba thread in leisure and I found Arasi's poem about me ( post 246).I cannot understand how I failed to see it on my return so far. My thanks and apologies to Arasi. Her few lines depict my nature perfectly
:" Guard your health and your words "
"adikkadi veen vambil mAttikoLvar ".
this clearly shows how keenly she has read all my posts and their fall- outs. If she comes to how about the Veen vambu and the hostilities I have faced when I started Bhairavi... Years have not made me wiser.
.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 04 Mar 2012, 23:56

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 05 Mar 2012, 00:02

cmlover wrote:

Dear cmlover,
Can you write me at vkv@juno.com your mailing address so I can send you the MMI 2 DVD set that is going to be distributed FREE to selected persons, organisations etc in Cleveland & later on in Chennai? VKV

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 05 Mar 2012, 00:15

Ponbhairavi,
You give me too much credit! Those words were meant for, ahem...!

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 05 Mar 2012, 08:30

Arasi,
The special feature of a perfect sledai kavithai is that it is applicable to both பாம்பு and வாழைப்பழம்
rajagopalan

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 06 Mar 2012, 12:50

My article on western music and indian music is enclosed

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwvhLR ... bWVUaXVTZw

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 27 Mar 2012, 20:18

something lighter

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwvhLRZ ... 3RfZw/edit

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 27 Mar 2012, 20:53

I get an error message when I try to access the document.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 28 Mar 2012, 15:33

i hope this time it may work. I suppose computer zeo is one of my multiface

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwvhLRZ ... 3RfZw/edit
rajagopalan

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2012, 19:53

Ponbhairavi,
Title-il Arambithu, apAram, pOm!
pirabala pathirigaigaL paDippavargaLukkuk koDuthu vaikkavillai, avvaLavudAn!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 28 Mar 2012, 21:05

PaditthEn rasitthEn Pon ezhutthukkaLai!

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 11 Apr 2012, 00:11

ஒரு NRI இன் குமுறல்

நானும் உன்னைப்போல் நாடு விட்டு வந்தவன்தான்!
ஆனாலும் இராமா உன் பாடு தேவலாம்

பத்து திக்கெங்கும் வெற்றியுடன் செல்லும்
உன் தந்தையின் ரதத்திற்கு, உன் சிற்றன்னை
அந்தப்புரத்தில் ஏனோ அச்சாணி முறிந்ததுவே
அந்தக் கூனியின் சூழ்ச்சியால் மகுடம் பறிக்கப்ட்டு
நீ காடேக நேர்ந்திட்ட போதினிலும் கூட
பிதுர் வாக்ய பரிபாலனம் எனும்
நற் பெயராவது கிடைத்தது

ஆனால் அரசியல் கூனிகள் கழகம்
ஒரு பட்டத்தை சூட்டி எமை
நாட்டை விட்டு துரத்தியது
“முன்னேறிய சமூகத்தவன்”
எனும் முள் கிரீடம் வைத்து .
கிரீடம் எனக்கு மட்டுமல்ல
வரப்போகும் என் சந்ததியினருக்கும் சேர்த்துதான்.
அதைச் சுமந்த எம் முகத்தில் வழிந்த
இரத்த காயங்களை விட உள்ளத்தில்
ஏற்பட்ட புண்கள் ஆறாது.
பிறப்பின் வழிவந்த பழி சுமந்த நாங்கள்
கர்ணனைப்போன்றவர்கள் .
பிறப்பை குறைசொல்லி எம்
ஆற்றலை புறக்கணித்தார்
எம் அறிவிற்கும் ஆற்றலுக்கும்
அங்கீகாரம் அளித்தவர்கள்
துரியோதனர்களாகவே இருந்தாலும்
எமக்கு ஒரு விலாசம் கொடுத்தவர்கள்.

ஆனாலும் இராமா உன் பாடு தேவலாம் !
உனக்கு இளவலும் மனைவியும்
கானகத்துக்கு உடன் வந்தனரே !
நான் வந்ததோ தனி மரமாய் !
இள மனைவியின் கண்ணீர் விழிகளை
நான் கண்டது கற்பனை கனவுகளில்தான்

இன்னும் சொல்லப் போனால் இராமா உன்
வன வாசம் அப்படி ஒன்றும் கொடியது இல்லைதான் !
நிழல் தரும் மரங்கள் குளிர் தரும் பொழில்கள்
ஆர்க்கும் புள்ளினம்.ஆடும மயிலினம்
உன் மனைவிக்கு துணையாய் மருள் விழி மானினம்
ஆதரிக்க அன்புமிகு முனிவர்கூட்டம்
முன் சென்று முட்பாதையை
செப்பனிட்டுச் சீர் செய்த தம்பி
பர்ண சாலையும் அமைத்து
அதற்கு காவலும் நின்றானே !
மூன்று மாமியார்களிடமிருந்து
தப்பிய உன் மனைவிக்கு
13 ஆண்டுகள் வாய்த்தது கணவனுடன்
தேனிலவும் தனிக்குடிதனமும்.!

எம்போன்று தனியாய் விரட்டப்
பட்டோற்கு உற்ற கதி இரண்டு வகை
சுட்டுபொசுக்கும் பாலைவனப் பொட்டை காட்டில்
வியர்வை துளிகள்கூட ஆவியாய் போக
16 மணி நேரம் உழைத்து களைத்து
உறங்கும் பொது கூடத்தில்
உற்றோரை பெற்றோரை காண்பது கனவில் தான்
பெட்டிக்குள் ஒளித்திருக்கும் பட
தெய்வத்தின் அருள் இருந்தால்.

வேறு ஒரு வகையார் கண்டது
வெட வெடக்கும் குளிர்
உடலும் உணர்வும் சில்லிட்டு மரத்துப்போக
உதறிய பஞ்சு மூட்டை யென
வான் பொழியும் பனிகட்டி மழை
பூமித்தாயை வெள்ளை போர்வையினால் போத்தி
மனத்தில் இனங்காணா சோகத்தை நிரப்பிவிடும் .

ஆனாலும் இராமா உன் பாடு தேவலாம்
தந்தை இறந்த தகவல் உன்னிடம்
வந்தடைநதது பல காலம் கடந்து
மனைவியை பிரிந்த பெருந்துயர் கடலில்
தந்தையை இழந்த துக்கத்தை கரைத்துவிட்டாய்

ஆனால் நாங்கள்
மனைவி பெற்றோர் நோயுற்ற தகவல்களை
அப்போதைகப்போதே அறிந்து பதைக்கின்றோம்
தூண்டிற் புழுவாய் துடிக்கின்றோம்.
பறவையாய் பறந்து கடல் தாண்டிச் சென்று
காணத் தவிக்கின்றோம்
பச்சை அட்டை கொடுமைகளும்
விசா சட்ட விபரீதங்களும்
எம் சிறகை ஒடித்து போட்டுவிடுகின்றனவே !
எங்கள் ஆற்றாமை துயரை யாரிடம் சொல்லி அழ ?

முதியோர் இல்லம் பற்றி வக்கணையாய் பேசி
சற்றே வசதிப்புகலிடம் கண்டவர்கள் மனத்தில்
ஆறி வரும் புண்ணில் சொல் வேல் பாய்ச்சி
கிளறிவிட்டு உணர்ச்சி வசப்பட்ட கண்ணீர் துளிகளை
காசாக்கும் வாய் வீச்சு வியாபாரிகளே!
உள்ளுரில் வாழும் நன்றி கெட்ட தனையர்களையும்
தொலைக் காட்சி தொடர்மூலம் கொடுமைகள்
பல கற்ற கல் நெஞ்சு நங்கைகளையும்
எங்களுடன் இணைத்துப் பேசுவதை விட்டு விடுங்கள்.
உங்களையும் விமானசெலவு தந்து அழைக்கின்றோம்
இசைக்கலைஞர்களைப்போல –நேரில் வந்து பார்த்து
இவ்வாழ்கையினால் நாங்கள் இழந்துவிட்டவற்றையும் இவ்வாழ்கைக்கு நாங்கள் கொடுத்த விலையினையும்
எங்கள் பன்முகத் தியாகத் தினையும்
புரிந்து கொள்ள முயலுங்கள்
நம் நாட்டுக்குத் திரும்பிச்சென்று
நீங்கள் ஆற்றும் உபன்யாசம் மாறுதலாக இருக்கட்டும்
வாடிடும் முதியோருக்கு ஆறுதலாக இருக்கட்டும் .
உண்மைக்கு புறம்பானதாக இல்லாமல் இருக்கட்டும்

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 11 Apr 2012, 19:17

உள்ளத்தை உருக்கும் உண்மைகள்!

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 12 Apr 2012, 02:26

Ponbhairavi............Amen!

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 04 May 2012, 18:13

About our T.V. serials.

பாராட்டு மடல்
சபையோர்களே ,
சின்னத் திரை தாரகை சுபமங்களாவிற்கு இந்த பாராட்டு வழங்குவதில் பெரு மகிழ்ச்சி கொள்கிறோம்
ஐயோ! என்ன அழுகை !, என்ன அழுகை !சாமானிய அழுகையா அது. கழுத்திலே 3 inch ஆழத்திற்கு குழி விழ உதடுகள் துடிக்க, கேவி கேவி இவர் அழுவது !அடாடா !!
நம் தமிழ் நாடு மிகவும் பாக்கியம் செய்திருக்கிறது . டஜன் கணக்கில் உள்ள எந்த தொலைக்காட்சி channel களை திருப்பினாலும் சரி வாரத்தில் எல்லா நாட்களிலும் குறிப்பாக வெள்ளி செவ்வாய் கிழமை தவறாமல் ,தினமும் மாலை 6 மணி முதல் 7 மணி வரை விளக்கு வைத்தவுடன் இவர் பிழிய பிழிய அழுவதைதான் வீடுதோறும் கண்டு களித்துக் கொண்டு இருக்கிறார்கள்.நம் இல்லத்தரசிகளும் சேர்ந்து போடும் அலறலில் அழும் குழந்தைகள் கப் சிப் என்று அடங்கிவிடும். சமீப காலத்தில் மூக்குத்தி திருகுகள் அதிக அளவில் காணாமல் போவதற்கு என்ன காரணம் என்று யாராவது ஆராய்ச்சி செய்திருக்கிறார்களா?
விவரம் புரியாத சிலர்வெள்ளி செவ்வாய்களில் திருமண விழாக்கள் வைத்து விடுகிறார்கள் ! வைக்கட்டுமே !reception க்கு வருவதற்கு முன்பாக ஒவ்வொரு பெண்ணும் (மணமகள் உள்பட) இரகசியமாக T.V இல் இவர் அழுவதை கண்டு தானும் "கண்ணார " ஒரு கோஸ் அழுதுவிட்டு தான் அறையை விட்டு வெளியே வருகிறார்கள் என்பதை யார் மறுக்க முடியும் ? வந்த சில கிழட்டு விருந்தினர்கள் மணமகளின் வெளிறிய முகத்தைகண்டு beautician மேல் குறை கூறுவது என்ன நியாயம் ?
தமிழ் நாட்டில் தண்ணீர் பஞ்சம் இருக்கலாம் அனால் கண்ணீர் பஞ்சமில்லை.Hollywood நடிகைகள் எத்தனையோ பேர் இருக்கலாம் . ஆஸ்கார் விருது பெற்றவர்கள் பலர் இருக்கலாம் . ஆனால் நம் சுபமங்களாவைப் போல் அவர்களால் மணிக்கணக்கில் அழமுடியுமா ? இவருடைய அழுகையை ஒளிப்பதிவு செய்து Hollywood நடிகைகளுக்கு பாடமாக வைக்கப்படும்வரை நமது தொலைக்காட்சிகளின் கலாச்சார சேவை தொடரவேண்டும்
தமிழ் கூறும் நல்லுலகெங்கிலும் கடந்த 5 ஆண்டுகளாக தொடர்ந்து ஒலித்
துகொண்டிருக்கும் இவருடைய அழுகுரல் உலகெலாம் ஓங்கி ஒலிக்கவேண்டும் அதற்கு நம் தொலைக்காட்சி அமைப்பாளர்கள் தம்மால் இயன்ற பணியை செய்யவேண்டும் அது வரை நம் சுப மங்களாவின் அழுகை ஓயக்கூடாது என்று வாழ்த்தி மகிழ்கிறோம்

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 04 May 2012, 18:37

Great!

kaDaisi line-il maTTum,
vAzhthi 'azhugiROm'--enRirukka vENDumO? Just kidding...

nalla vyangak kalavai--viLakku vaithadum inda azhugaik kaliyANam!

Oppanai viRpanaiyaich chERndadenRu ninaithEn--adu Subha muhUrthathukkum inRi amaiyadadAgiviTTadE?
kaliyANap peN kaNNil kaNNIr, innum ati visEsham!

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 07 May 2012, 12:59

.
ரசிகர் கூட்டம்

சின்னத் திரையில் சிணுங்கல் கண்டோம்!
கண்ணீர் கண்டோம்; கதறல் கேட்டோம்!
சாப்பாட்டு நேரத்தில் கூப்பாடு கேட்டோம்!
ஒப்பாரி கேட்டோம்! அருமையோ அருமை!

வேறொரு கூட்டம்

அழுகை கண்டோம், எழுந்து ஓடினோம்!
விசும்பல் கண்டோம், விழுந்து ஓடினோம்!
ஒப்பாரி கேட்டோம், அப்பாலே ஓடினோம்!
சிணுங்கள் இல்லாத சின்னத்திரை வேண்டும்!
.

sankark · Post by **sankark** » 07 May 2012, 17:22

pratyaksham bala - believe it would be சிணுங்கல்.

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 07 May 2012, 17:23

Yes. Thanks.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 12 May 2012, 16:56

Should have booked in advance.

-when did you book?
-to-day early morning.
-where is the ticket?
-here it is.
- oh… third class.that is gate B. Turn right and go behind.
-“maalai maatrinal kodai maalai maatrinal “ came blaring from the adjacent kalyana mandapam.
Two women were crying and sobbing desperately in a T.V. serial from the second floor. of another adjacent flat .
-some one from the house behind shouted;” dai… Out. da - cricket commentary
-We came to gate B. He asked" what about the materials and ancillary services.?
- I have brought the priest and the materials.
-incense smoke,heaps of flower garlands,boisterous band music and macabre dance.
-can we go in?
-no just wait. Your time is only 3 oclock.
-but it is already 3-30.
-the previous party has not vacated –a bulk booking-
-Pl sir everyone is waiting can you pl go in and ask them to expedite it is late by more than
one hour I begged.
-You have not paid the water charges extra Rs.575.
-I gave a thousand rupee note and did not expect any balance.
- He murmured : “ you should have booked in advance…” and went in.
_It was a long wait---punctuated by the strident ringing of the cell phone of our priest with its
characteristic dial tone of Nadaswaram music, every 15 minutes reminding him of his next engagement of nitchayadartham.
-when the gate keeper came back it was 6-30 pm.
The dead body was lying in the roadside for 4 hours.
City's cremation grounds too are very busy.
-What a civilization!Mother earth's bosom is getting narrowed down by flats. a multistoreyed cremation ground?.

nadhasudha · Post by **nadhasudha** » 16 May 2012, 02:03

Based on a request from a friend of mine, my father(Ponbhairavi) wrote the article below for a souvenir recently.

MUSIC AND PAINTING; ABSTRACT AND VISUAL ART FORMS

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:

Both are fine arts whose origin is lost in the earliest epochs of human civilization. Drawings in cave walls which sheltered prehistoric man from wild animals, and Egyptian hieroglyphics are testimony to human ingenuity and their urge to pass on the information of warning to their fellow beings. These visual signals remain etched on rocks. Unfortunately evidences of the earliest forms of vocal outputs have vanished in the atmospheric air. The fact that primitive savages could have used some form of vocal shouting or rhythmic thumping to forewarn of some impending danger could not be ruled out.

Two thousand years old tamil epic Silappadikaram speak of musicians, musical instruments the stage on which they performed in good detail. Sanskrit literature also talks much about music. Still earlier puranas attributing flute to Krishna and veena to Saraswathy reveal prevalence of pipe and string instruments. Ramayanam talks about expertise of Ravana in handling veena and his mastery over a certain raga (sankarabharanam). Naturally vocal music should have preceded this. Sama ganam is music to the ears even to-day. Our veda is anchored in four swarams (udattam, anudattam, swaritham and dhirka swaritham).

Paintings at Ajanta, Ellora, Sithannavasal, Tanjore Big temple and Thirupudaimarudur near Tirunelveli show an evolved form of painting as compared to the human figures found in Egyptian, Greek or Roman ruins of the corresponding era. Temples over 1200 years old have sculptures depicting musical instruments.

In Tamil Nadu over 1200 years back very advanced and codified form of singing known as pann was used to sing the thevaram hymns(over fourteen thousand verses by Gnana Sambandar alone). These panns were fortunately preserved intact by incessant oral transmission in temples by generations of oduvars. The vaishnavaite prabandams appear to have adopted a derivative of sama veda chanting. In the 16th century Arunagirinathar had composed thousands of lilting songs with remarkable chandam (alliteration and rhythm) set to very complex talas unsurpassed till date. Muthuthandavar (1560-1640), Papavinasa Mudaliar (1650-1725) in the seventeenth century, Oothukadu Venkatakavi (1700-1765), Arunachala Kavirayar (1712-1779) and Marimuthapillai (1712-1767) have handled with wonderful ease carnatic ragas and thalas which form a rich tamil corpus of our music system. It will be wrong to think that carnatic music came to Tamil Nadu only after the Trinity. In the 18th century, a wave of telugu songs came to be added to the repertoire with the advent of Thyagaraja (1767-1847), Shyama Sastry (1762-1827) and Muthusamy Dikshithar (1775-1835) known as Tiruvarur Trinity whose telugu and sanskrit compositions occupy the centre stage in carnatic music platforms to-day.

Indian paintings mostly depicting religious themes and portraits of illustrious kings are preserved in royal courts and temple vaults. In the west, paintings of the great masters like Da Vinci, David, etc from the 15th century onwards are meticulously preserved in Churches and museums .Western paintings mostly depict biblical legends and some immortalize great historical events of the past when photography was not invented.

ARTISTIC CREATION:

Both music and paintings are art forms which address the sense organs.
Paintings give pleasure to the eyes whereas music gives pleasure to the ears. Painting is a visual art form resulting from the combinations of seven colors. Music is an abstract art form which results from the combination of seven swaras.

Why should a poet compose a poem? Why should an artist paint a picture? Why should a vaggeyakara sing? Well they cannot refrain from doing that. Artists in general are endowed with a sensitive soul. A beautiful scenery impresses an artist. A deep emotion shakes the heart of a poet. A mystical experience of bliss of bhakthi urges the inner self of a vaggeyakara to sing. Then they give a form, an expression to that feeling and then they communicate their experience to others. Thus any work of Art has three stages- The individual experience which is the source, giving a shape to that experience which is the artistic production and an urge to communicate that feeling.

When a person reads a poem, the same feeling that the poet had at the time of composition is communicated to him. A painting similarly makes us share the impressions of the painter when he saw the scenery. The quality of the paper or canvas, the type of brush used the quality of the colors and their combinations are all factors which ensure the quality of communication. Music not being visual, aural factors come into play. In music even without any knowledge we are sometimes carried by a song and we enjoy listening and/or repeating it .The enjoyment is in the song and is communicated to us even when a child sings it; we enjoy our own singing (in the bathroom at least ) or in a group bhajan irrespective of the quality of reproduction. But if a person who has mastered all the grammar of proper musical reproduction sings, the enjoyment is sublime. Art is thus the tool which enables the conversion of the emotion into a form which can be communicated to others. In the case of poetry and painting, the art consists in converting the emotion into a visual form which enables instantaneous communication with those who see them. But music is not a visible form. Therefore art is needed first to transform the emotion into an abstract form and then the same art code is needed to reconvert this abstract form into an audible form (something like MP3 or conversion software)which enables reproduction and communication with others. In all cases “others” or an audience is sine qua non for any art as it is the receptor side and any art without an audience dies in course of time. (In the case of a lone vaggeyakara the producer is himself the receptor). The practicing musician is one who possesses that tool. Bharathanatyam goes one step further .It gives visual representation to music when the dancer transforms herself into a tool which provides straight visual communication with the audience:
- In poetry the poet uses words as tools to communicate with the reader.
- In painting the artist uses color combination as tools to convert his emotion into a visual form which reproduces the source of his emotion.
- Music being an abstract form, a technique, a software is needed to convert personal emotions into a communicable form which the same technique or software reconverts into the original source of emotion.
- In Bharathanatyam, the dancer transforms herself into the tool or software and recreates the source of emotion which created the musical form and communicates it to the audience

ART FOR ART’s SAKE:

In Indian context we say that bhakthi should be for the sake of bhakthi which means that we should not expect any reward or boon and the act of doing bhakthi itself provides the inner peace. A poet, an artist, a sculptor or a vaggeyakara certainly enjoys bliss during the process of creation .The first three can stop and quit after the process of creation as their creations are physical and they will provide joy to any spectator even centuries later. But if a vaggeyakara stops at the level of creation, his output cannot perform the essential function of art which is communication with others. In order to complete this act he has to provide written or oral (through disciples) tools or software indications of raga, thala, eduppu etc( the grammar) which would enable later generations to enjoy the same bliss by decoding with the same tools. Needless to say that the tools of grammar and the codes have to be meticulously preserved in purity avoiding any adulteration if the reproduction has to have the same effect after several centuries.

Let us see a little about the origin of this phrase. The expression of art for art’s sake first originated in French poetry of the later nineteenth century. The classical poetry (17th and 18th century) categorically forbade the poets from giving vent to their personal emotions (“the self is despicable” they would say) they were allowed only to express the emotions of their heroes, heroines or characters of the play. The 19th century romantic school relaxed this restriction. Soon the literature was flooded with millions of verses lamenting love, separation , sorrows etc. When it reached a super saturation level, the theory of art for art’s sake came into being. Poetry should not be sullied with the “transient emotions.” they said. The inflexible rules of versification should be used only to talk about Nature and neutral things (deserts, animals, fruits and flowers). Sentiments and emotions having been proscribed, only the skeleton was left and poems became mere descriptions which photography could do better. As could be expected it was very short lived and was replaced by symbolism which tried to perceive some hidden symbol in the material objects. Later this gave room to surrealism. This trend proclaimed that no reason or logic or meaning is necessary in works of art (cubism modern art). It produced meaningless poems and incomprehensible paintings (why should the nose of a girl be between the eyes? The surrealistic painter would place it on the shoulder or in the stomach, because he is bent on breaking away from the clutches of “reasoning” or logic” two words which they abhorred.). Surrealism which was prevalent in the beginning of the 20th century was an aberration due to extreme frustration. Humanity helplessly bore the absurdity of 2 world wars, nuclear holocaust, and concentration camps. “What then is the use of logic or rationalism or common sense?” They would say.

Our music system is not a mere combination of pleasant sounds to be heard in an entertainment program. It is a form of worship “Nadopasana” one of the 64 offerings (Upacharam) prescribed in a puja. It is given the status of Veda “Ghandharva Veda”. Maharishi Yagnyavalkiar who codified the Dharma sastra says that “one who is doing nadopasana need not do any dyanam, any yoga any thapas any puja. Nadopasana itself will lead him to Moksha”—Kanchi Paramacharya- translated from Deivathin kural Vol -1 p.435.
Our music sampradaya was born in the altar of bhakthi and God worship and grew up to the present stature in religious environment. 99 per cent of all our musical compositions have a content of intense love of God and religious allusions. Unfortunately some people even contend that personal conviction of theism is not necessary to give a carnatic music concert. The truth is that so much of concentrated bhakthi emotion is built in the compositions that even if the musician is a non believer some portion of bhava is transmitted PROVIDED the artist follows strictly the grammar of the art.. If the musician has devotion and conviction the communication of sukhanubhavam (inner peace) is increased multifold even if his knowledge of the grammar is deficient. This is what we observe in bhajanai sampradaya. This will continue to be the state of affairs until a new generation of atheist composers come forward and make compositions on secular themes such as for example a recipe on how to make cauliflower pizza in yadukulakamboji or secret tips on how to predict share market fluctuations in kiravani.

Therefore art for art’s sake is an oxymoron and has no raison d’etre in the domain of our music system as it is a tool for communication of bhakthi emotions and feelings. A telephone or a car which are 2 common communication/commuting tools of to-day cannot exist for their own sake. Talking for talking sake produces only gibberish. In the contemporary musical scenario, when we hear of art for art’s sake, let us assume that it means complete dedication to the art form and commitment to its purity and without any contamination by alien trends (hindusthani or western elements) which were not there at the time when the compositions were originally created. This would augur well for the future of carnatic music in modern times when we find its growth explosively exponential.

nadhasudha · Post by **nadhasudha** » 16 May 2012, 02:10

Weird - although my post is shown here, the topic page to this discussion thread does not show my entry and my userid as the last post on this thread. A glitch perhaps?

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 06 Jun 2012, 11:28

Old Age Home.

In the central hall of an old age home, the inmates were watching a bhakthi program in the T.V. The famous upanyasakar was discoursing eloquently cursing the people who go abroad leaving their parents in old age homes. This is the favorite topic much in vogue now.This program was recorded long time back but very often repeated because of its popularity. It never fails to flood many eyes with tears.
Meenakshi-Alamelu, do you know, this very same upanyasakar has now come to our home. I have just now seen him in the manager’s room. If you come we will go and see him before the crowd collects there...
Alamelu- I wonder why he should come to this home..
Meenakshi- may be to give some big donation, he is terribly rich now...
Some one came and announced: Janaki mami is wanted at the manager’s office.
A frail old lady hurried to the office
The manager told her: your son was here As usual he paid your one year's boarding charges and he gave this money for your pocket expenses.
The frail lady started to rush to the adjacent reception room very eager to see her son
The manager said: No No he is not there. He said he has no time as he is on his way to the air port to catch a plane for a trip abroad: a 4 months pravachanam tour. He requested me to hand over this money to you.
"4 months! That is 120 days!! That is quite far off" she mumbled, her fragile lungs coughing vigorously.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 06 Jun 2012, 15:50

Ha! Ha! This clearly explains the proverb ' Preaching is very easy '
Thanjavooran 06 06 2012

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 07 Jun 2012, 03:11

Probably everyone must have experienced how the siblings fight each other who will take care of the age old parents and the sibling who keeps them in their house take away the freedom, liberty and independence away from the parents and parents live like prisoners? - Is this a common phenomena in tamil brahmin families or such cases are isolated ones?
In Vijay TV they repeatedly broadcast a discourse on Taay and they focus the cameras on so many old men and women who shed tears listening to him.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 09 Sep 2012, 17:08

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 09 Sep 2012, 17:17

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 09 Sep 2012, 18:18

Ponbhairavi:

Excellent analytical presentation!

That someone has copied your writing proves how well you have written this article! Check this: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/m ... rbyCylgzQJ

Click the first post dated 10 December 2009 by Sh..... N, who has copied verbatim important portions, and sheepishly mentions: (ஓர் இலக்கியக் கூட்டத்தில் கேட்டபோது எடுத்த குறிப்பிலிருந்து...) !!
.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 09 Sep 2012, 19:33

PB
Are you sure ஷைலஜா was not the pen name of Ponbhairavi

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 09 Sep 2012, 19:48

surrealism = automatic writing—spontaneously writing without censoring their thoughts
I like your interpretation better.
மீநடப்பியல் - a nice rich addition to my vocabulary!
Did you coin that Tamil term ?
Your இலக்கிய நடை simply sparkles!
Thx