Do we really need women's empowerment?

[harimau]

My ardent fans on this board -- of which there seems to be at least one, though she may desert me by the time she finishes reading this post -- may be wondering why I haven't posted anything since more than a year, my last substantial observations on the Social Scene being from Bhakti Sangeet Utsav of 2012.

As you recall, that experience left me in a state of shock as I came to the realization that the Gates of Heaven are permanently closed to me though I take insurance in the form of going through the Swarga Vaasal at the local Perumal temple on Vaikunta Ekadasi. That the prasadam on that day is sarkarai pongal is an added inducement for me to brave the crowds, despite the fact that the lines for the prasadam are longer since the swarga vaasal is pretty much 12 persons wide (and in the rush to Heaven 20 persons can squeeze themselves through the doors) but one must stand in line to receive the prasadam.

I had sunk into a state of deep depression and monumental melancholy for me to want to attend various Social Scenes to train my observant eyes on the sheeple. Also, the months July thru October have been pretty dry musically in Chennai. Most artists, even those who are wet behind the ears, find some sponsors in far-flung countries and jet off to entertain sheeple in their native grazing grounds. Chennai is bereft of good music....er, that is not the way I want to phrase it; Chennai is bereft of music of any kind is what I meant. Good music is hard to come by in Chennai year-round.

However, that coincides with summer holidays in the US and the NRIs descend on Chennai not for enjoying music but to use music as a camouflage in events that threaten the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of male members of the human species.

What I mean to say is that many families arrive in Chennai to celebrate the weddings of their marriage-age sons and daughters. The men who are bridegrooms have no understanding of what exactly is in store for them. They are beguiled by the names of the brides and assume that they will be marrying demure young women who have been trained in domestic duties and will carry them out docilely. The shock comes within weeks of the wedding.

You may ask how women's names play any role in this. That is exactly the point of my writing.

A couple of generations ago, girls were given names like Meenakshi, Kamakshi, Visalakshi, etc. As the priest at the Neelayathakshi Amman temple in Nagappattinam explained it, though the names may be referring to the eyes of the goddesses, it also is true that in these temples the goddesses take precedence over Lord Siva and the ladies reign (in Tamil, aatchi purigiraargal). This opened my eyes to the subtle power names exert on humans.

The next generation of girls about 50 years ago were being given names like Kamala, Vimala, Lalitha, Padma, etc. These names essentially camouflage women's power as there is no outward indications at all of their significance.

Then came the names Vidya, Nithya, Priya, Divya, Dhanya, Vinaya, Lasya, LaVanya, etc. As I listen to these names, I hark back to American war movies and TV serials where the German soldiers, upon receiving orders from their superior officers, smartly click their heels and say "Ja, mein Fuehrer" and march off to carry out the orders in the face of death or bodily dismemberment.

My own personal experience is that this type of name is highly deceptive. The Lioness at Home, far from being accepting of kindly-worded requests, readily counters with a stentorian Nyet. I have the feeling that she has wasted the last 18 years of her life with me whereas her true calling would have been as the Permanent Representative of the USSR at the United Nations, where her stern visage and resoluteness in bellowing out Nyets at every resolution would have earned the admiration of the Second and Third Worlds and struck terror in the hearts of the leaders of the First World. What with the resurgence of Russia, I feel that the Lioness at Home still has a vital role to play in world affairs but if I should suggest it, I fear I may encounter yet another Nyet, for she feels content with playing the Cold Warrior at home.

Now look at a name like Bhavya. You can be pretty sure that such a girl has no intention of being docile though her name implies otherwise. Take Ramya for instance
(spelt Remya if the girl is of Malayalee origin, Rumya if the father has a well-stocked liquor cabinet). Don't expect anything other than a long lecture should you ask her
to bring you a Cuba Libre.

Yet the Gauthams, Karthiks, Arjuns, Vikrams, Sid Hearths and others living in the US, UK or Oz believe that these girls with names ending in -ya will be obedient wives and marry them.

These were the thoughts that were running through my mind as I attended weddings where the LaVanyas were marrying the Sid Hearths. Also, it is a known fact that people attempt to overcome their depression by eating and what better place to ease my depression than at the wedding dinner buffet?

I realize that there a couple of names where the true nature of women come out. The first of these is Bhavana, which translates to Drama Queen. Then there is Soundarya which reminds me of the long-standing puzzlement of why, if evolution is true, there is no volume control knob on women. The third, and one that is quite common nowadays, is Ice Warrior. The superstar of Tamil films, Rajanikanth, has thoughtfully named his two daughters Soundarya and Ice Warrior. If he had another daughter, I am sure he would have named her Bhavana!

At this point, somebody is likely to point out that names like Jaya and Vijaya were given to girls. I would like to point out that the dwarapalakas at any Perumal Temple are named Jaya and Vijaya and any regular temple-goer like me, even if it is only for the prasadam, is fully aware of the four extra-large canine teeth on these persons and take care to avoid women with such names.

It is in this context that the use of nagaswaram in weddings was described by Kalki Krishnamurthy. As the mangalyam is tied around the bride's neck, the getti melam (extra-loud blowing of the nagaswaram and beating of the tavil), the sound they make, if vocalized in Tamil, would sound like agappattu kondan, agappattu kondan (meaning, he got caught, he got caught).

This view of Kalki on weddings was brought out by Sita Ravi, the editor of Kalki the magazine when theannual Kalki Memorial award was presented to nagaswaram vidwan Vyasarpadi G. Kothandaraman.

The award function lasted 45 minutes and included a speech by Sid Hearth Varadarajan, then editor of "The Hindu" who spoke in English as he couldn't speak in Tamil.

The award was followed by a concert of about 100 minutes duration where Sri Kothandaraman and his team presented the following krithis.

Venue: Raga Sudha Hall
Date: Sep 9, 2013

1. Gana Nathane - Saranga
2. Kaappathuve - Ananda Bhairavi
3. Thaye Thripurasundari - Suddha Saveri
4. Un Arul Illaamal - Vijayanagari
5. Vandaadum Solaithanile - Harikambhodi
6. Katrinile VarumGeetham
7. Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai - Sindhu Bhairavi
8. Vaazhiya Senthamizh

As Kalki was a proponent of Tamil Isai, all krithis presented were in the Tamil language though the nagaswaram couldn't have cared less about the language.

The concert showcased the capabilities of Sri Kothandaraman who is an outstanding nagaswaram artist. He was a bit unnerved when asked to speak and he spoke for less than 3 minutes, preferring to let his nagaswaram speak, which was as it should be.

The venue was crowded and several of the previous recipients of the Kalki Award as well as other musicians had shown up to congratulate this year's recipient. I could see Vijay Siva, T M Krishna and quite a few younger artists in the audience.

As I said earlier, good music has no takers in Chennai. The December Season Guide does not list a single concert for Sri Vyasarpadi Kothandaraman.

Hopefully, the Nagaswara Isai Vizha in early January will fix that oversight.

PS. Today's Hindu on Page 2 has a story on the digital restoration of the film Aayirathil Oruvan. The accompanying photo shows the MGR-Jayalalitha duo from a song-and-dance sequence in the film. MGR is seen holding what I have been looking for since Bhakti Sangeet Utsav 2012, namely a harp! Not one of those floor-standing models you see in hotels in the US but of the size of the harps people carry around in Heaven according to comic strips. It is clear MGR is in heaven entertaining other residents with songs such as "Moondrezhuthil En Moochirukkum" on the harp.

Now I know where to get my harp: from the Prop Department of the movie studios!

[arasi]

Humor, I mean, Harimau,

When it comes to humor, you have more than one female fan on the forum, and you know that. You even have your own animated, cute little carnivore with which rsachi addresses you with sometimes, and we know you have fans among the male of the species too. Oh, and look at all the 'likes' you have earned! Can't make fun of them anymore!

The title of the thread ruffled me at first. That sweeping statement was threatening to this fluttering female heart (of course age-related, as if I have to tell you).

On reading it, I have to say,'thank you for this season special' Delightful reading. I have to point out that the old names didn't fit too, at times: a cross-eyed woman by any goddess's name, a Shantha anything but that, and so on.

Self-appointed sociologist that you are, you will show up at the Rasikas gathering to 'observe', I hope. Several of your fans there will be delighted. You may have to stay away from Cienu and others who have lovingly chosen their daughters' name with hopes of their children being rich in endowments of fine qualities and in fine arts

[VK RAMAN]

Riyaa, Laya, Maya, Mishi for females and Rohan, Rahul, Rohit, Rithik for male for Generation Z. Less number of alphabets, the better for foreigners to call ones name

[vs_manjunath]

harimau-Thoroughly enjoyed reading !

[cmlover]

What is in a name after all, a lioness by any other name is still one!
For example look at Indira, Jaya, Mamta, Mayavati or Sonia....

[venkatakailasam]

They are already wielding political power..and in music also ..so far there are no matches for a MSS or Lata..Pattamma or MLV..In economics there are women who hold highest position in Banks or Public ltd companies..A Sunitha williams in space is unmatched..Whether we need it or not..They are already there..The question itself is irrelevant.

[cmlover]

...and as Goddess they dominate the divine area and our human life...
(only Hinduism has that advantage (or bane?)