visakahari at veenus colony

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 06 Jul 2009, 08:42

There used to be a variation of panchakaccham called "cycle kuccham". Most of my brahmin high school teachers in the forties ( in fact, most teachers were brahmins in those days) used to come in cycle kaccham, where the border does not show vertically in the front as in panchakuccham. Madurai Somu used to come on stage in such a dress. This dress may still be prevalent under a different name ! Veena Chitti Babu used to come on stage mostly in white pajamas or whatever they call it, but his guru EmaNi shankara sAstri used something similar to cycle kuccham.

johnlovescm · Post by **johnlovescm** » 06 Jul 2009, 09:17

Sam Swaminathan wrote:Yes, CML....the move towards such degradation started way back in 1955 and reached its climax in 1967 when there was a switch in the government in Tamilnadu. It persists even to-day thanks to the ruling "pagutharivalargal".

Though from Page 2 of this thread nothing is related to music or the concert under review, I was kind of prompted to respond to your comment. My 2 cents. I am not trying to kindle a controversy here.
I beleive this was our own making. We deprived and ill treated the so called non-bhramins which resulted in a revolt. If you look at things dispassionaletley you will understand what I mean. This still exist and more prevalen if you go to villages. North India is even worse.
Has any one seen Cho's enge Bhramanan. It is worth seeing it. All of us will def wonder if at at all we are bhramins. Because none of the qualities that a Bhraman is supposed to possess, we possess now. It was extremely intriguing.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 06 Jul 2009, 14:59

John, I will not even try to dispute your statements. But what have I got to do with what some of our fore-fathers might have done? I do not want to sit in judgement on them. In the current day context I do know this. I know how my family has lived, what we did to our society and how we have tried to interact with other communities to the benefit of all. In that context, I abhor the current practices. My statement should be read in that context.

johnlovescm · Post by **johnlovescm** » 06 Jul 2009, 15:09

Sam, I fully agree with you on this. My statement was more a general statement than anything else. There are always exceptions and your fore-fathers would have been one of them.

vganesh · Post by **vganesh** » 06 Jul 2009, 15:12

I beg to differ with Mr.Johnlovescm. I feel all of these are state sponsored with ulterior motive. Suppressing a community. unleashing atrocities against them. Not the community making. Why sikhs were killed after Indira Gandhiji's murder. The issue is not only with Brahmins; It is with all people. Yes It is also more to do with we failed understanding what each of the anushtanams are meant for. If you have attended Sri Sri Ravishankars Art of Living part-1, it is nothing but a modifed form of Sandhayavandhanam. I read somewhere that till 1857 first mutiny muslims & hindus were friendly. It was a systematic effort by then rulers that divide & rule was established.
I am from a village back ground 100 %. Till I completed my graduation I was in a village. Not even one day I had a thinking of brahmins & non-brahmins. I still feel eating, drinking habits differentiate people than anything else. North India is again it is only politics. People's education level has not increased.
This can be discussed at length again and again but not in this forum.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 06 Jul 2009, 21:13

Coming back to Visaka Hari, I suppose a cross-section of communities are represented in her audience. Obviously, she speaks of values which appeal to them. Again, goes to prove that art can blur, even erase differences, however serious or trivial they are...

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 07 Jul 2009, 02:49

Yes, Madam Arasi...every time I read feelings like you have expressed, my mind goes back to Sri Balachander's movie, Aboorva ragangal, where in a scene, Sivakumar (acting as a musician) singing a song on the shores, keenly listened to by a fisherman. At the end of the song, he says "idhupola pattu kettu romba naalachu....neenga nalla irrukannum"...a touching, poignant scene, where differences between humans disappear in front of a mighty power,such as, music.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 07 Jul 2009, 04:04

A small correction, Sam. The movie you refer to is "Sindhu Bhairavi" and not Apoorva Ragangal, which featured Kamala Hasan, Major Sundararajan & MLV's daughetr Sri vidya.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 08 Jul 2009, 01:36

I stand corrected, Sundara Rajan..

sappri · Post by **sappri** » 09 Jul 2009, 09:25

Could not resist adding my 2 cents

well, Kerala - particularly music - transcends all religion, caste, creed, economic backgrounds etc - there is so much of Carnatic Music embedded across different communities / economic backgrounds it is truly encouraging.
I remember hearing one of TMK's lecdems where he had alluded to this temple concert of his in Kerala - where one of the 'rasikas' - clad in a reasonably soiled lungie and appearance quite unkempt remarked after his alapanai "super todi alapanai"

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Jul 2009, 10:23

Yes sappri, it is encouraging to hear what TMK said. I am wondering if it is to some extent due to the fact that kerala is (at least it used to be) the state which tops the list in education. Also, the communist rule there for many years. Indian communists were and are keen on reading. Kerala literature is rich and vibrant with new ideas. They are fine film makers too. Add to it the natural beauty of the landscape, the fish they eat (brain power!) et al. The two coastal regions in India--kerala and bengal where the arts flourish...

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 09 Jul 2009, 11:19

arasi wrote:The two coastal regions in India--kerala and bengal where the arts flourish...

You are right Arasi.

(Though Bengal after partition lost a lot of its coastline to Pakistan and subsequently Bangladesh, that today Kerala's coastline is more than twice of West Bengal's ! )

The 2 states have a lot in common

1) Rice and Fish is staple diet (though the cooking medium is Coconut Oil in Kerala and Mustard Oil in WB)
2) Jackfruit is used in a lot of dishes (in Bengal Jackfruit Jhol is extremely tasty)
3) Communism (though in Kerala this alternates every 5 years)
4) Labour unions (part of the packaged deal with communism)
5) Lack of industries (again read in conjunction with point 3)
6) Respect for women is very high in both states.
7) Respect for Arts & Artists.

gravikiran · Post by **gravikiran** » 09 Jul 2009, 12:13

Speaking of Kerala and Carnatic Music, one of my most memorable moments was when I sang a concert at Kaladi (the birthplace of Adi Shankara).
It was a new sabha which was started by Carnatic music loving people of Kaladi - and the president and secretary were Christians.
The chief guest that day was a Reverend!!!
And the audience comprised, apart from other rasikas, the local Christian Priest and also next to him was the head of the Adi Shankara temple!!!
Perfect case of communal harmony - all in the name of music!!!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 09 Jul 2009, 13:57

Cienu if the election results are any indication communism may have folded up in Bengal as well! But I agree that it remarkable how similar the 2 states are

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 09 Jul 2009, 18:52

gravikiran:

That is remarkable!
It goes to show a KJY could have come only from Kerala!

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 09 Jul 2009, 19:51

gravikiran: Kerala has much to be proud for its ability to cohabit various faiths and incorporate CM for praise of Lord and entertainment.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Jul 2009, 20:44

Cienu,
Yes, you said it all. And I did not mention the status of women in kerala!

So, it is nice to have another female 'gAnattuDan kadai Sollum peN' Vishaka Hari on stage!

gowri narayanan · Post by **gowri narayanan** » 10 Jul 2009, 17:42

Talking of Bengal & Kerala we can add:

Simple dressing habits

Football

Keeping domains separate ( for example a Mammootty or Mohanlal can never win an election in Kerala however much people may adore them for their acting skills while NT Rama Rao and MGR could win elections)

Expense on newspaper taking precedence over a cup of tea

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 10 Jul 2009, 20:37

It is quite a different world out there! It is also long and narrow and so probably North and South Kerala are quite different.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 11 Jul 2009, 05:16

Just recently I travelled widely in Kerala and in the last leg, travelled by road from TVM to K.Kumari. With out going into details, I knew exactly when I entered into TN by looking at the landscalpe, greenary, people's attire and cleanliness...world of difference indeed....VK !!

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 11 Jul 2009, 06:27

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 11 Jul 2009, 06:30

My experience in Kollam - One of the SBT branches with 40 employees, out of which 30 are christians and muslims, faced all kinds of work related problems and all the employees were under stress. They did not know how to solve it. One of the christians suggested that SBT employees should conduct gaNapati hOmam at the Bank to get relief from the problems and stresses. All the 40 employees agreed. They conducted gaNapathi hOmam with the help of a local purohitar at the SBT branch and all the 40 employees were present from 4.30 am to witness the hOmam.

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » 15 Jul 2009, 18:21

cmlover wrote:Every grahasta brahmin should wear panca kaccam. That is the reason for the 'double vEShTi'. The 'kaili' style wearing of dhoti is the muslim practice!

Isn't the style worn by brahmachArins and sanyAsins almost the 'kaili' fashion..?

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 15 Jul 2009, 20:28

The original brahmacArI cover-up used to be just a short plain cloth which just reaches up to the knees. The kaili is a full length dhoti and is usually checkered. Sanyasis invariably wear the saffron/orange-coloured cloth which also reaches upto the knees. The brahmacArI should also wear the 'mekhala' (G string) awarded to him at the upanayanam ceremony. That goes along with the 'gOpInam' which is a must!