Hilarity in kutcheris

Miscellaneous topics on Carnatic music
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arasi
Posts: 16872
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by arasi »

aravarasE,
niramba nATkaLAyina, indap pakkam vandu.

SollilE viLaiyADik kaLittu, emmaiyum kaLippuRach cheyyum
um jokes-ukkuL oLindirukkum poruLukkellAm Sila nEram
viLakkamum vENDiyirukkiRadu--
uDan purivadillaiyE, en wooden maNDaikku--
aduvum inda mudirnda wooden maNDaikku ;)

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

arasi wrote:aravarasE,
niramba nATkaLAyina, indap pakkam vandu.

uDan purivadillaiyE, en wooden maNDaikku--
aduvum inda mudirnda wooden maNDaikku ;)
vAsthavam, nirambinAl thAnE pagirndhukoLLa.

wooden maNdai varavERkaththakkadhu (adikkiRa veyilil ellAmE vErkka thakkadhu eninum).
maramum maNNum iyarkai sArndhavai. enavE, die-yum varai, dye-yalAm, maNdai azhaguRa!! :)

vazhukkaith thalaiyai the bald and the beautiful enRu solvadhu kooda, karumai enum darkness-ai meeRi, jnAna oLi miLirvadhAlO!!

I feel, my status message(1-30 AM) in Facebook yesterday was also connected to this.

"System shut down. All lights switched off. Eye lids closed. Nevertheless, mind has an in built drive towards elimination of darkness". :-)
Last edited by erode14 on 05 May 2011, 21:09, edited 1 time in total.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

aravarasan pEcchu aRiv(arasi)kkut thAnE theriyum :D
(pAmbin kaal pAmbaRiyuM :D
1. pAmbu = snake
2. pAmbu = pA (music/poem) + ambu (cloud) = one who showers kavithai like a shower..

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

:) :)

kAlaRindhu iruppadhanAl pAmbu!
moochchu-therindhu / kAl vettappattu / missed leg! :) :)

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

kAlaRanda pAmbirkku SiRakugaL uLavE!

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Sruti adjustment in Ghata

Ghatam is an instrument which is 'made to order' for various pitches. in other words, you get '5 kattai ghatam' or '1 kattai ghatam' etc and the performers get ready with the instrument of required pitch after discussing with the main artist in advance. They even carry more than one instrument.

I have however have gathered from a few Ghatam vidwans that some basic techniques are available for minor sruti adjustments including sort of 'waxing' , 'wetting the pot' etc. to lower the pitch. But it is difficult if the difference in pitch is more than 'one swara'. The only remedy in such situations is 'adakki vaasiththal' or the 'safe mode' wherein you just 'maintain the strokes' without allowing the sruti to manifest in the playing!.

It is almost impossible if one has to increase the pitch of a Ghata though cases are reported where the instrument's pitch raises in highly illuminated platforms due to the heat emanating from flash lights!

And this hilarious incident happened several years ago at a temple festival concert near Kottarakara in Kerala where I gave a vocal concert. The Ghatam artist who arrived at the venue just before the start of the programme found to his horror that he had brought the wrong pot (of a higher pitch of 2.5 attai). Me and the violinist agreed to compromise on our sruti (1.5 kattai)- and the menu as well- to accommodate the ghatam either at Panchama or Suddha madhyama swara, but that won't work still. The organisers were getting impatient as the concert was to be followed by a Kathaaprasangam by Kollam V Sambasivan - an icon of an entertainer those times noted for presentation of world classics and socio-political themes (and in fact for whom most of the audience was waiting!).

‘First aid attempts’ failing, the 'Ghatamist' finally sought to borrow a portion of the rava mix from the mridangist to plaster the pot in an effort to bring down the sruti. Unwilling to bear any more, one among the impatient organisers cried out: "Puli mathiyo? ippo tharaam"( Will tamarind be OK? I will fetch enough in no time!). (Even now, tamarind is stored in earthen pots in villages!). The young ghatamist demonstrated his 'protest' to all these mishaps by adichchu vaasiththal ('too loud' strokes) instead of adakki vaasiththal to prove that both serve the same purpose- zero pitch output!!

-S Sivaramakrishnan

bala747
Posts: 314
Joined: 20 Mar 2006, 12:56

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by bala747 »

My grandfather used to tell me about how in one concert, GNB was asked by a female rasika to sing 'Himagiri Thanaye' or some such piece that he had popularised. Now apparently GNB did not like to repeat pieces in concerts, so he politely declined. The lady then got up and started to leave in a huff.

GNB immediately took up 'Nalla sagunam nokki selladi' in Sanmukhapriya. I don't know how true this tale is but I found it hilarious.

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10958
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Funny ;)

Back in the late seventies, Ayodhya Mandapam, 11: 30 P.M. Maharajapuram Santhanam: viLayADa idu nErama, Shanmukhapriya, much to the chuckle from the audience!

gobilalitha
Posts: 2056
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:12

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by gobilalitha »

vilaiyadum neram than

mridhangam
Posts: 980
Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by mridhangam »

vasanthakokilam wrote:Funny ;)

Back in the late seventies, Ayodhya Mandapam, 11: 30 P.M. Maharajapuram Santhanam: viLayADa idu nErama, Shanmukhapriya, much to the chuckle from the audience!
Not only in late seventies .. in many concerts after that he used to see the watch and sing that song ... i have seen the same trick at many a concerts .. hahahah ...

mridhangam
Posts: 980
Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by mridhangam »

thathwamasi wrote:Hello All

After a long long time, I got the time to catch up with Rasikas.org and found this thread. Very interesting and one of my favourite topics too. So I thought I will make my first of many (hopefully) contributions. If the anecdotes I share is a repeat (since I havent read all 48 pages) please do let me know. :)

Once Palghat Raghu Mama returned from a concert and got down at the Central Station. As he came out, a lot of Auto drivers gathered around him and shouted "enga sir poreenga" "enga sir poreenga" (meaning where are you going?). Raghu Mama ignored and moved on. The guys didnt leave him. They did it again. Raghu mama ignored again. The third time, Raghu Mama lost his patience. He stopped and looked at an auto driver into his eye and said "Chethu poren. Variya kooda?" (I am going to die. Care to accompany me?) ...hahaha.... The auto guys would have been shocked I am sure. Raghu mama and his spontanity.

Regards
T
The same type of incident happened with T K Murthy sir also . when the auto fellows thronged sir to enquire where he was going Murthy mama asked one auto driver where he wanted to go .. it seems that auto man told Murthy sir that he was going to K K Nagar. The murthy mama said "I am not going there"!!! Moreover once murthy mama was accosted by an autodriver and also said he will travel by meter. Murthy mama got into the auto and travelled till tiruvanmiyur and paid the autofare by meter. The driver asked "sir meterukku mela pottu kudungo sir". Murthy mama quipped "Naane meterukku mela illai unakkedukku meterukku mela kudukkanum"!!!

Mannarkoil J Balaji

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Balaji: Nice TKM joke--another one. TKM accosts a Auto driver in Mylapore Tank--it was slightly drizzling-TKM asks the fare for Adyar--the driver quotes Rs. 60. TKM says Rs50 is the nominal fare for Adyar why do you ask for Rs. 60. Driver says "It's raining--hence the extra Rs.10. TKM gets into the Auto and just when the driver is about to start, TKM says stop!! Let it stop raining,then go!!

TKM is a treasure trove of jokes gathered over 7 decades of association with CM artistes--men and women.Would strongly suggest the forum invite him for one of our meets in Chennai--he is simply hilarious!!!

mridhangam
Posts: 980
Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by mridhangam »

A few years back Nirmala Sundararajan along with Smt.Kalyani Shankar and myself had a concert. After the concert Nirmala maami told to Kalyani Shankar " Kalyani, Nanna vasiche". I was nearby and i said "Enna mami neenga Bhairavi super a paadinel Kalyani shankar kitta Kalyani nanna vasiche nnu solrel ?" ...Immediately every one burst into laughter.

J Balaji

mridhangam
Posts: 980
Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by mridhangam »

It is almost impossible if one has to increase the pitch of a Ghata though cases are reported where the instrument's pitch raises in highly illuminated platforms due to the heat emanating from flash lights!
This really happened in hyderabad when a ghatam artiste took the sunday hindu papers and set the ghatam on fire much to the amusement of all the co-artistes ...After the exercise i dont know whether the ghatam pitch raised or not the hotel management's pitch (voice) raised considerably asking him to stop it immediately. Later the main artiste gracefully accepted to sing for the sruthi of ghatam which was about 1/4 surthi lower than tha actual pitch. I couldnt forget the incident where i was able to see a sudden fire in the room of the ghatam artiste with all the embers of paper strewn all around. Me and the violin artiste had a gala time during the return journey.

J Balaji

mridhangam
Posts: 980
Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by mridhangam »

One day i was in a very witty mood and one of my friends called at that time and i was cracking lots of jokes with him on that day. He asked me suddenly how come i m in such a fantastic mood and so witty. I said (Erode sir mannichudungo for embarking on your tamil monopoly) ....

Naan aWITta nakshatram
thaWITtu paanai yellam WIT
WIT nanna irunda theWITtada inbam kidaikkum
WIT nanna illainna WITta porumnu ellarum odiduva

Annaikku flow la innum nirayya vandudu but while writing i seem to miss out somethings. If i remember i shall complete this later. Otherwise our monopolist will finish it .. i am sure...

J Balaji

ganeshkant
Posts: 963
Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 11:59

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by ganeshkant »

This happened during a TMK concert in last navarAtri.After tani a man from the crowd gave a chit to TMK and upon reading it TMK announced that either he should approach BMK or the late SirgAzhi GovindarAjan.I met this man when I came out and jut asked him about the songs and he very innocently replied,"oru naal pOdhumA from ThiruvilayAdal....".I didn't wait to hear the other song.I sped away.See the plight of our musicians!

gobilalitha
Posts: 2056
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:12

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by gobilalitha »

Probably he thought that TMK would oblige like SURYAPRAKASH who has carved a niche in the hearts of hundreds of cm lovers by singing MKT Bghavatar's songs. in fact there are several requests from members to him to sing those .His voice has a remarkable similarity to MKT'S .

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

Don't you think MKT is more appropriate for TMK except for a shuffle of the letters :D

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

Sishya: Sir, you have academy class today? If not, shall I come for class?
Me: No, but I have some other work. you come at 5pm tomorrow.
Suddenly, I thought if I were in IT or Banking, the weekends are mine. :) Then the mind spun (mind's pun) around that for a few seconds, and I got this.

Girl: innikku unakku bank irukku? Shall we go to a movie?
Boy: innikku leave dhAn. But... I won't entertain you.
Girl: darling... why daa...
Boy: you just reminded me to ban kirukku.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

Teacher (to rumbunctious Sishya): vaaDaa, kIZhE ukkaaru..
Sishya: vENDAm enakku knee problem..
Teacher: enakkum nee thaan problem...

arasi
Posts: 16872
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by arasi »

:)
nI (knee) tAnE? nAn (aham) problem illaiyE?
guruvAnAlum, kavlich cherukku vENDAmE, enRu tAn...

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

sari innikku mOhanam, AbhOgi ellaam pAdu pORum :)

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

muthalil mukhaariyil plaakkaNam kaRRut thaarum!
vashathiyaaga irukkum :D

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

ha haa.. we are well aware about the palA ganam :)

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

plaakkaNam = plaa gAnam (plaa = chakkai = jack fruit)
chakkai pODu pODu rAjA
un k/pATTilE mazhai pozhiyum :D

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

'nAgarAj... neenga free-yaa... oct 2nd and oct 5th... konjam pArungaLEn'

'oh.. i have accepted concerts on these days, next time for sure.. ok?'

'its alright, let us meet in a different day.. appuRam... busyaa pORadhaa, it seems you are playing a gandhi jayanthi concert'

'not just one, many' :)

'many!! how come?'

'though it is navarAthri, oct 2nd can be considered gandhi jayanthi concert; the rest of the dates i am engaged are also the same!'

'.....?!?'

that is ganhdi jayanthi and other dates are 'gone, the jayanthi'.

'neenga irukkELE... :lol:

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

You are looking dull... why?

vratham today, thats why...

vratham! you need to play a concert illiyO? kachEri irukkumbOdhu you can take leave :)

no way... if I miss vratham and all, enga spiritual guru, '............dhacharya' kOchuppaa...

what's the big deal... AchAryAnnAlE coach thAnE, varuththappadAdhE. :)

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

one mami: ippa ellaam pommanaatti neRaya pEr mrudhangam drums ellAm vAsikkarA... then she went.

a singer(in a lowered voice): AmAm, idhu oru word! i hate this word pommanaatti. No one says Amnaatti.

me: solluvALE

she: !! where?

me: enga oorla, mAriamman kOvil festivalla, naiyANdi mELam vAsippA. adhu arm-naughty dhAna :P

ungaLa.. irungO.... :lol:

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

Erode kaanthi jayam (the)!
...of course always!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

navarathrilE pomma nATTi thaanE kolu vaikkaNam?
...Am nATTi thaan kolu vaikkaNam... :D

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

<( :) )>
..//\ \..

gobilalitha
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:12

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by gobilalitha »

Hilarity back again on my b'day entering 81 .best wishes GOBILALITHA

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

Happy birthday dear GBL!
Many happy returns of the day..

arasi
Posts: 16872
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by arasi »

GBL,
A healthy, happy year to you!

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

GBL,Many,Many Happy returns of the day!!

thanjavooran
Posts: 3033
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by thanjavooran »

Shri Gobilalitha Avl,
While wishing you very many more happy returns, seek your blessings too.
Thanjavooran 05 10 2011

gobilalitha
Posts: 2056
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:12

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by gobilalitha »

Thanks to well wishers.May God bless you all with perfect health,peace of mind to continue your invaluable contribution to carnatic music

PUNARVASU
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Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 05:42

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by PUNARVASU »

Shri.GBL, Wishing you a very happy birthday and seeking your blessings.

gobilalitha
Posts: 2056
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:12

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by gobilalitha »

Many thanks Punarvasu, my wife and myself wish you and your family members good health, peace of mind and many more years of happy life. May God bless you all.

S.NAGESWARAN
Posts: 1076
Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 08:54

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by S.NAGESWARAN »

Dear Sri Gopilalitha,

Many many happy returns of the day.

S.NAGESWARAN.
05.10.2011.

smala
Posts: 3223
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:55

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by smala »

Namaskaaram and best wishes, Sri GBL.

gobilalitha
Posts: 2056
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:12

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by gobilalitha »

our thanks to sri Nageswaran and Smala for their greetings , our best wishes to them.May God bless them with a happy , healthy long life

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

I composed a kOrvai, mailed it to a set of sishyAs and only after sending, I realised that I had only written the details and forgot to send the recording. I sent the recording with these lines...

Hi,

Sorry, Though I am not a spiritual guru, I had sent the previous mail without 'attachment' :)
This is what happens when R&D vanishes :D

E_O_E Nagaraj.

errors and omission errors!


Sub: new kOrvai (with very much attachment)

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

Sir.. neenga 29th free-yaa? oru chamber music. thOdi pallaviyum uNdu..

'adadaa, no thOdi that day because, vAchaspathi'

'......??'

'i have a concert on that day for SVBC's nAdha neerAjanam. So, watch-us-(thiru)pathi :)

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

There was this mAmA, seated in the seat next to me in today’s nAma pravAham. He kept on asking questions about the singers, right from the beginning.

‘idhula rithviknu pOtrukkE, enga?’
‘adhO stage-la pArungO.. Sivaraman sir pakkaththula’

Few minutes later…
‘Raghavendra yaar puLLa?’
‘Raja Rao mAmAvOda son’
‘Oh…’

‘indha, baarath sundhar enga?’
‘adhO… nadoola pArungO’

Like this he kept ROCKING! Few minutes later… The artistes were singing sarvam brahma mayam.

‘baarath sundhar yArOda puLLa?’

Before, I could answer, a man from the row behind, poked his head between us and in a bit louder voice, said ‘sadhAsiva brahmEndhrar’ :D

#pAvam back-row-man, romba nEramA sangeethaththula doubt kEttuNdE irukkAr, avarOda oru kELvikkAvadhu nAma badhil sollaNumnu thudichchAr pOlirukku.

ganeshkant
Posts: 963
Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 11:59

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by ganeshkant »

Heard this in radio today.This is not a hilarity but some thing to do with a man famous for it - N.S.Krishnan.Once as a chief guest he requested the organizers to get a bigger KuthuviLakku for the ghatam artist while all oher artists received normal size ones.The reason he gave was " Ghatam is the toughest instrument to carry while traveling and more often the artist will not sleep peacefully and that is a real sacrifice which should be suitably rewarded".Indeed he is called 'KalaivAnar' who can empathize with the fellow artists.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

..and also because they are unjustly bandied as 'kadangkaaran' :D
here is a humorous query about NSK:
'avarukku tea piDikkumA, illai coffeeA?

PUNARVASU
Posts: 2498
Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 05:42

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by PUNARVASU »

T(ea) (ye)A Maduram!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by cmlover »

Well done :D
Ok!
Namma erode En car vacchukkalai?

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Re: Hilarity in kutcheris

Post by erode14 »

just to prevent people saying, 'this is nagaraj's car' :)

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