Saturday, December 29, 2012

Artistic Destruction - Blast Photography!

Can you believe!
Destruction can be artistic!
If only you have the eye to see it!
Here is an example.


(Click on the image and text to see them bigger)

Sunday, December 23, 2012

K V Krishnan - Hemavathi

Collecting old music cassettes and converting into digital formats is an interesting work.
At times it throws some interesting bits at you.
At the end of one radio concert, I found this incomplete recording.
Sri K V Krishnan sings an excellent swaraprastaram after a Hemavati item.
There is also a Tiruppugazh that follows.
In view of the fact that not many recordings of this great singer are available, here I present this piece to you!




Even such pieces are interesting.
Sometimes more than the full items or concerts!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Masnavi - Stories that make you think!

Here is story!
Or is it?

Read and meditate on it!
You will understand!


THE STORY OF THE PARROT AND THE SHOPKEEPER

A certain shopkeeper kept a parrot as a pet. The parrot was green in color and had a very melodious voice. The shopkeeper had a great love for the parrot. The parrot used to speak a lot and entertain the clients in the shop. One day the shopkeeper had gone out. It so happened that a cat was trying to catch a mouse. The parrot got the impression that the cat was trying to attack him and thus fled to one side, to avoid being caught. As it did so, a bottle of almond oil which was placed there fell down and the oil spilled over. When the shopkeeper came back, he noticed the oiliness of the floor mat and immediately realized that the almond oil had been spilled. He became so angry that he struck the parrot on its head a number of times. This action of his caused the parrot's head to become bald. The parrot became so displeased with the shopkeeper that from that day onward it stopped talking.

The parrot's silence caused the shopkeeper great anguish. He was very sorry and
wondered what to do in order to make the parrot speak again, as its speech had provided him with great pleasure up to then. For many days he tried to please the parrot through flattery, but the parrot remained silent. He fed the parrot with various kinds of fruit in order to make him happy, but still the parrot would not speak. Even the clients who came to the shop, were surprised at the parrot's silence and were sorry at this state of affairs.

One day a beggar, covered in a blanket and having a bald head went past the shop. On
seeing the bald headed beggar the parrot spoke in a loud voice: "O bald-headed one, how did you become bald? You must have also caused a bottle of oil to spill over".

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Think - A Cartoon!

I don't think, I think!

I don't think!

Why think?



Think!

Vemana on tools


మాటలాడవచ్చు మనసు నిల్పగలేడు
తెలుపవచ్చు దన్ను తెలియలేడు
సురియ బట్టవచ్చు శూరుడు కాలేడు
విశ్వదాభిరామ వినురవేమ.


mATalADaga vaccu manasu nilpagalEDu

telupavaccu dannu teliyalEDu

suriya baTTavaccu SUruDu kAlEDu

viSwadAbhirAma vinura vEma


mATalADaga vaccu = May be able to speak
manasu nilpagalEDu = cannot hold the mind
telupavaccu = may be able to inform, explain
dannu teliyalEDu = cannot fathom the self
suriya baTTavaccu = may hold a weapon
SUruDu kAlEDu = cannot be a valiant one

Vemana talks about the two faces of human nature.
One may be eloquent and fluent with words. The same person cannot contain own mind. In that case all the verbal skills would only be useless. It is not enough if one is capable of speaking. One must speak with balance.

Similarly one can be a teacher and giver of wisdom.
But, if such person has not realized own strengths and weaknesses his teachings would turn empty words. Only when knows himself and the others, can be a good teacher. One should know what the others know, and know more than what the others know. Then only one can make the others know!

Vemana always gives a principle and makes one understand it with a simple example.
To illustrate the capabilities and their relation to the application, here he takes the example of one holding a weapon and being a courageous person. Mere presence of a weapon in hands cannot make one brave. One must know about own capabilities and about the tools available. Then there would be chance for right application of the tools.

Words, wisdom or a weapon are only tools. Their application for best results depends on the individual’s capabilities. 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Chembai - Nadamadi

Here is another version of the song "Nadamadi"

Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar - A Vintage recording



For the V V Sadagopan version check the recent posts in the blog.

Kerry Darlington - Paintings

Here is a contemporary artist with a fresh outlook.
Her works are amazing.

(Open the pictures in another widow to see them bigger) 

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Hot days ahead!

We all say that the summers are becoming hotter every year!
Scientists are telling that the world is growing hotter!
What exactly is happening?
Do you know that precipitation means rain?
I wish everyone understands this matter!
Read on and you will realise how true all this is!

(Click on the image to see it bigger and read)

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Is it a joke?

I read this in an international magazine.
I thought I shall share it here.



Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Semmangudi - Aravindapadamalar

Here is a composition of Smt Ambujam Krishna



Semmangudi sings Aravainda Padamalar - Kapi


Enjoy!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Oriental Sensibilities!

People are people anywhere.
They have their beliefs and customs in all the lands.
some have meaning and some don't!
Think of all the things each ethnic group does!
Japanese are not really strange!

In almost all the Indian languages we also add a suffix to names and pronouns referring to people.
Some other cultures add a prefix for the purpose!
I found some of the information below interesting!


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Bindumalini in detail!

Yes, Bindumalini detailed.

Entamuddo of Tyagaraja


pallavi
enta muddO enta sogasO
evari valla varNimpa tagunE

anupallavi
enta vAral(ai)na kAni kAma
cint(A)krAntul(ai)nAru (enta)

caraNam
atta mIda kanul(A)saku dAsulai
satta bhagavata vEsulairi
dutta pAla ruci teliyu sAmyamE
dhurINuDau tyAgarAja nutuDu (enta)

ప. ఎంత ముద్దో ఎంత సొగసో
ఎవరి వల్ల వర్ణింప తగునే

అ. ఎంత వారలైన కాని కామ
చింతాక్రాంతులైనారు (ఎ)

చ. అత్త మీద కనులాసకు దాసులై
సత్త భాగవత వేసులైరి
దుత్త పాల రుచి తెలియు సామ్యమే
ధురీణుడౌ త్యాగరాజ నుతుడు 

ப. எந்த முத்தோ எந்த ஸொகஸோ
எவரி வல்ல வர்ணிம்ப தகுனே

அ. எந்த வாரலைன கானி காம
சிந்(தா)க்ராந்து(லை)னாரு (எ)

ச. அத்த மீத கனு(லா)ஸகு தாஸுலை
ஸத்த பாகவத வேஸுலைரி
து3த்த பால ருசி தெலியு ஸாம்யமே
துரீணுடௌ த்யாகராஜ நுதுடு (எ)

Laxma Goud - Paintings



Artist K. Laxma Goud is determined to never let anything come between his canvas and the connoisseurviewer.
K. Laxma Goud isn’t only skilled at portraying the navrasas in his visual masterpieces, the artist brings out these emotions vividly even otherwise. One moment, if he is a little disappointed at often being asked about the aroused goat and the naked woman then the other, he is joyous and makes a small sketch for you. In a free-wheeling chat, the senior artist, who is showcasing in Delhi after a long gap, Goud talks about his motivation, ideas and influences. His ongoing exhibition, “I want to seduce them with my line” at Art Alive Gallery, showcasing 75 art works were produced over five decades. ‘The Art of K. Laxma Goud’ by Susan S. Bean, curator of South Asian Art at The Peabody Essex Museum, U.S. was also released on the inaugural day.
Rural life that thrives in my art
I am rooted not uprooted. I have internalized that life because I live it. I am what I am. A lot of people ask me why do you paint rural life but it’s not foreign to me. A visitor asked why do you paint goats and why this element of eroticism…I say there can be a flower or any other object instead…goats, rural life, erotica…that’s the viewers pre-occupation not mine. Why aren’t people bothered about the economy of lines, how I manipulate my pictorial space and negotiate the pictorial devices in it. Look at the austerity and the sereneness in it. My art is very simple, down-to-earth and there is no myth involved. People who see only elements of it and not view it wholly I believe are looking at everything very superficially.
Traversing various mediums
As an artist, I am more fascinated by the use of material, the process involved and what’s happening in the world in the new movement of art. For several years, I kept on drawing and then I found printmaking and etching. I was a non-collegiate student at M. S. University in Baroda and there K.G. Subramanyan suggested that I try out printmaking. I also learnt mural painting and sandcasting. I realised that artists practicing art forms which are very indigenous in their character have their social functions and an economic angle to it as well. He wanted me to question art and intellect in today’s context. This is how I have grown. So, I am finding my own way. I worked with paper and I still do. I still make prints and I still work with ink, colour pencils, watercolours. Around five-six years ago, I began working with terracotta because I found the clay very fascinating. I use handmade rice paper and use a traditional method of pasting it. It has always attracted me to look back.
The journey
We talk of Van Gogh. Do you think we could sell in the 60s? I used to give my works to people for free and even then they wouldn’t take it. Now, people look for my prints but they aren’t available easily. To have a meal, we would walk for hours. Painting didn’t get you money those days but I somehow got a job with Doordarshan as graphics designer.
An intimate space
I try to create an intimate atmosphere for the viewer which is why I work in miniature format and do so many small works. The revivalist group of Bengal decided to give up easel and I really like it. When you see folk artists working in such indigenous manner, bent over their drawing, it’s different dynamics at play. It’s like a virgin space.
(Click on the images to see them bigger)
(Thanks to the sources for the material)
(There is no intention of impinging any copyrights in this post.
The effort is only to celebrate the art)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Hari Narayana Yanare - Balamurali

Old classic from AIR Bhaktiranjani.


Hari Narayana Yanare by Sri Balamurali and Group.




Thanks to Sri Jayram Sataluri for the recording.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Axe Falls - Story from Argentina


ముసలి మొరెట్టి ముందర నరకవలసిన కట్టెలు చాలనే ఉన్నయిఅతని వేళ్లుమాత్రం అప్పటికే కొంకర్లు పోతున్నయికాలి వేళ్ల గురించి చెప్పనవసరమేలేదుఅవి ఉన్నయో లేవో తెలియడము లేదుఇంకో పక్క ముక్కుమరగకాచిన నీటిలో ముంచినట్టు మండుతున్నదిమెడ చుట్టు మేక వెంట్రుకల మఫ్లర్ ఉంది. నెత్తికి ఒక గుడ్డ చుట్టి ఉంది. దాని మీదినించి ఒక వెడల్పు అంచు ఉన్న షాంబర్గో టోపీ పెట్టుకున్నడు.

(Mathias Nespolo)

గంటసేపటినుంచి ఆయన ఆగకుండ కట్టెలు కొడుతున్నడు. అలిసి పోయినడు. వయసు పైనబడిందాయె. ఎంతకూ తెగని ఒక ముక్కను ఆయన తిడుతున్నడు. ఇంక ఓపిక నశించింది. మొరెట్టీకి కాలయాపన చేసే ఆలోచన లేదు. బాగా ఊపిరి పీల్చి గట్టి దెబ్బ ఏసినడు. సూటిగ. పడవలసిన చోట. ఎదలోనుంచి ఒక్క మూలుగు వచ్చింది. కట్టె మూడు తునుకలయ్యింది. కాని, గొడ్డలి ఆయన చేతినించి జారి పోయింది. అది మంచులో నాటుకున్నది. ఆయన కాలి బూటు పక్కననే.

మొరెట్టికి సంగతి తెలిసేందుకు కొంచెం సేపు పట్టింది. చలిగాలిలో ఆయన ఊపిరి కనబడుతున్నది. గొడ్డలిని తీసుకునేందుకు వంగినడు. అది బాగా బలంగ నాటుకుని ఉంది. కామ మంచుకన్న చల్లగ ఉంది. ఇప్పటి వరకు అది తన చేతిలోనే ఉంది. మరి అంత ఎట్ల చల్లగయ్యింది.

దాన్ని అట్లనే ఇడిచి పోదమా అనుకున్నడు. ఇంకొన్ని కట్టెపుల్లల కొరకు, మంచులో గడ్డగట్టుకపోతే అర్థం లేదు. వాతావరణం బాగయిన తరువాత పని మళ్ల మొదలు పెట్టవచ్చు. ప్రస్తుతానికి రాత్రి మంటకు సరిపోను కట్టెలున్నయి. రేపు ఆదివారం. కొడుకు సెర్జియో ఒస్తడు. వాడు పట్నములో గొంగళ్ల సంగెములో పనిజేస్తడు. పిల్లగాడే. కాని కనీసము సెక్రటేరీ అన్న అయ్యి ఉంటడని ముసలాయన నమ్మకము. మొరెట్టీకి కొడుకు గురించి గర్వంగ ఉంటుంది. వాడు వచ్చినంక కట్టెలుగొట్టి కొట్టము నింపమని సాయం అడుగవచ్చు. ఇంక ఎండకాలము దనుక ఏ ఆలోచన ఉండదు. వాడు ఎట్లనన్న రెండు వారాలు ఉంటననే అన్నడు మరి. వానికి గూడ పని నించి తెరిపి గావాలే. అప్పటికల్ల చెట్లు పడగొట్టి పెడితే రెండు మూడు వారాలల్ల పని అయితది. పొయ్యిల పట్టెటంత తునుకలు జేస్తే చాలుRead on

Monday, November 19, 2012

V V Sadagopan - Nadamadi

Shravanam!

Sriman V V Sadagopan sings Nadamadi




naTam ADit-tirinda. rAgA: kAmbhOji. jhampa tALA. Composer: Papanasha Mudaliar.

P: naTamADit-tirinda umadiDadu kAl udavAmal mUDhamAnadEnenru sholvIraiyyA 

A: dhiDamEvum tillai nagar maruvum pErAnandat-tANDavarE nidamum enadANDavarE sabhaiyariya

C1: tirunIrai shumandIrO neruppAna mEni tanil shItattinAl mighunda vAta guNamO 
orumaiyuDan mArkkaNDarkku taviyAi marali vizha udaikka shuLukkEriyuNDa bhEda guNamO 
paravaitanin teruvAsarp-paDiyiDariTrO endan pApamO en shivanE mUvarkkum mudalvarenru

2. dhananjaya mahipanuDan samaril aDi paTTu vizha candilE muDipisagi nondaduvO
hInam puriyum dArukA vanamengum tirindadil muLLEruNDadO sollum murindaduvO
kanakasabhai tanil naTanam kaNDOrgaL atisayikka kaNNEruNDadO sollum viNNavarkkum mudalvarenru 

3: bhakti sheyyum periyOrgaL pApanAshamAghum parama padamiduvenru tUkki ninradaduvO 
shakti shivakAma valli tan bhAgam nOghumenrE taraiyil aDi vaikka tayangi ninraduvO 
satya lOkAdhipati tALattirkkErppa naTam tAngiyE oru kAlait-tUkki ninraduvO


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Physalis - A Winner

Here is a painting that won the "Painter of the Year" Award.
Read the small write up along for details.

(Click on the image to see it bigger)



Monday, November 12, 2012

Dikshitar - Hiranmayeem - Lalita

Salutations to the unparalleled musical genius Sri Muttuswamy Dikshitar!

Let us listen to his composition Hiranmayeem in Lalita on this Deepavali day!





pallavi

hiraNmayIM lakshmIM sadA bhajAmi
hIna mAnavASrayaM tyajAmi

anupallavi

cira-tara sampatpradAM 
kshIrAmbudhi tanayAM
hari vakshaHsthalAlayAM 
hariNIM caraNa kisalayAM
kara kamala dhRta kuvalayAM 
marakata maNi-maya valayAm

caraNam

SvEta dvIpa vAsinIM 
SrI kamalAmbikAM parAM
bhUta bhavya vilAsinIM 
bhU-sura pUjitAM varAm
mAtaraM abja mAlinIM 
mANikyAbharaNa dharAM
gIta vAdya vinOdinIM 
girijAM tAM indirAm
SIta kiraNa nibha vadanAM 
Srita cintAmaNi sadanAM
pIta vasanAM guru guha - 
mAtula kAntAM lalitAm



ஹிரண்மயீம் லக்ஷ்மீம் - ராகம் லலிதா - தாளம் ரூபகம்

பல்லவி

ஹிரண்மயீம் லக்ஷ்மீம் ஸதா3 ப4ஜாமி
ஹீன மானவாஸ்1ரயம் த்யஜாமி

அனுபல்லவி

சிர-தர ஸம்பத்ப்ரதா3ம் 
க்ஷீராம்பு3தி4 தனயாம்
ஹரி வக்ஷ:ஸ்த2லாலயாம் 
ஹரிணீம் சரண கிஸலயாம்
கர கமல த்4ரு2த குவலயாம் 
மரகத மணி-மய வலயாம்

சரணம்

ஸ்1வேத த்3வீப வாஸினீம் 
ஸ்ரீ கமலாம்பி3காம் பராம்
பூ4த ப4வ்ய விலாஸினீம் 
பூ4-ஸுர பூஜிதாம் வராம்
மாதரம் அப்3ஜ மாலினீம் 
மாணிக்யாப4ரண த4ராம்
கீ3த வாத்3ய வினோதி3னீம் 
கி3ரிஜாம் தாம் இந்தி3ராம்
ஸீ1த கிரண நிப4 வத3னாம் 
ஸ்1ரித சிந்தாமணி ஸத3னாம்
பீத வஸனாம் கு3ரு கு3ஹ - 
மாதுல காந்தாம் லலிதாம்




హిరణ్మయీం లక్ష్మీమ్ - రాగం లలితా - తాళం రూపకమ్

పల్లవి

హిరణ్మయీం లక్ష్మీం సదా భజామి
హీన మానవాశ్రయం త్యజామి

అనుపల్లవి

చిర-తర సంపత్ప్రదాం 
క్షీరాంబుధి తనయాం
హరి వక్షఃస్థలాలయాం 
హరిణీం చరణ కిసలయాం
కర కమల ధృత కువలయాం 
మరకత మణి-మయ వలయామ్

చరణమ్

శ్వేత ద్వీప వాసినీం 
శ్రీ కమలాంబికాం పరాం
భూత భవ్య విలాసినీం 
భూ-సుర పూజితాం వరామ్
మాతరం అబ్జ మాలినీం 
మాణిక్యాభరణ ధరాం
గీత వాద్య వినోదినీం 
గిరిజాం తాం ఇందిరామ్
శీత కిరణ నిభ వదనాం 
శ్రిత చింతామణి సదనాం
పీత వసనాం గురు గుహ - 
మాతుల కాంతాం లలితామ్

TNRajarathnam - Upacharamu - Bhairavi

Dear Freinds,

Happy Deepavali to all!


Let us celebrate the festival with a song in 
Bhairavi by 
Sri T N Rajarathnam Pillai on 
Nadaswaram




Thursday, November 8, 2012

Haider Raza - Inner View Paintings

Sayed Haider Raza,  is an artist who does not paint what he sees, but gives his own inner vision to the memories of the perceptible and the imperceptible.


 Born in 1922 in Babaria in Madhya Pradesh, Raza lived his first impressionable 13 years in the forest ranges of Narsimhapur and Mandal districts where his father was posted as a forest officer. In his early childhood, therefore, his environment was formed of the Narmada river surrounded by the Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges, dense forests, birds, animals, tribal life, symbols and mythology. With these beautiful natural surroundings forming the basis of his visual archive of memories, Raza developed his intuitive proclivity.
  Raza studied painting in the Nagpur School of Art and the J. J. School of Art, Bombay. He owes his elementary values of art to Bapurao Athawale, his teacher at Nagpur. In Bombay he realized the seriousness of art expression, with the artistic experimentations introduced to him by Walter Langhammer of Vienna Academy on the one hand, and the richness of Indian philosophy and culture unvieled to him by Shri Ahiwasi of Benares. When still a young painter, Raza saw an atmosphere of artistic renaissance building up in Bengal. The art-scene was dominated by the artists like Abanindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, Jamini Roy and Asit Haldar. Young Raza searched for an expression between the Indian working concepts of these artists and the Victorian realistic norms being taught in most art schools of India at that time. This yearning was shared by some other young artists in Bombay, in their early twenties and from different parts of the country. They were confident and determined to take their destinies in their own hands. Along with Francis Newton Souza, M.F.Hussain, K.H. Ara and Bakre, Raza became a founding member of the Progressive Artists Group, with a view to bring about a resurgence in the Indian Art Scene. 

Paris became the Mecca for the young “Progressive Artists”, with it’s pulsating modern art movements and trends, and Raza too, after tasting the success of several exhibitions in India, was drawn towards this fascinating city to view the works of his favourite artists live. He moved to France on a French government scholarship, for studying painting at the Ecole Nationale Superior de Beaux-Arts, in Paris from 1950 to 1953. Alone and unbiased by any guide he exposed himself to the works of the European Impressionist masters and drew his inspirations. In 1956, he won the much coveted Prix de la Critique conferred on him by 14 Parisian art critics. 

Yet he was not satisfied with his expression. Raza decided to rediscover his country and the values of an immense civilization. He had had numerous individual exhibitions of his paintings and has participated in group-shows and salons, including the International Biennales at Venice, Sao Paolo and Menton, and in the Triennale at New Delhi. In 1959 he married the French artist Janine Mongillat. He visited the University of California at Berkeley as a visiting lecturer in the art department three years later, in 1962. He revisited India several times between 1959 and 1985. He held an important exhibition in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh in 1978, on invitation of the government of the state. It was in his home region only that he realized his true style. As a child once, he was made to stand in his primary school verandah and stare at a “bindu” or dot on the wall for four successive days after classes to help anchor his wandering mind. It was in this bindu that Raza discovered his true destiny. For years after its rediscovery, he researched its primordial significance in the visual arts of India. From painting street and city life of India and France, he made a switch to the intuitive knowledge and spirituality of his new style. For him the bindu became the magic image from which all his work has emerged. The point, the bindu, symbolizes for him the seed, the precursor to all life, or the epicentre of rythmic reverbrations. To express this concept, Raza has integrated a basic sense of geometry into his canvas after years of hard work. He compares the intuitive knowledge of his work with the abstraction achieved by a musician while performing when rhyme and verse give way to pure perception of the subject. 



He was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India in 1981, and was elected a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1983. Since then he has received the Kalidas Samman from the government of Madhya Pradesh and a retrospective of his paintings has been presented at the Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal. Raza now lives and works in Paris and Gorbio, in Southern France. 
(Thanks to the net source for the write up)

Sunday, October 28, 2012

African Vector Illustartion

Long back, I read an article about patterns in African paintings.
One of them attracted me a lot.
It was more like a mathematical drawing than a artifact.
I gave it to my wife.
She used that pattern in the Sankranti Rangoli competition and won the best prize.

Now, I have seen another pattern.
It is neither a modern work, nor mathematical.
It is traditional African pattern I am told!
Patterns evolving and expanding mathematically are common in our Muggu, Kolam and Rangoli tradition too!

Do we find anything similar from our country?
Help me in location them please!



Sunday, October 21, 2012

Children are Children! - A Cartoon

When we were children, elders felt, Children 'these days' are different and difficult!
Now we are saying the same about our children.
Would the grand children be really different and difficult too for our children?

Did people change so much?

Here is an excellent Cartoon!
I wish people comment and discuss this subject.



You must have noticed that I have gone slow on making blog posts.
I am not exactly in love with myself to put all my germs here!

This blog will continue only when there are people interested in the topics.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Friday, August 24, 2012

Arise - Story


This is an old story by Dr Bharadwaja.
I have tried to translate it!


Arise

Vamana Rao opened the window. Rangaiah’s building was visible there.  Already Rangaiah was having tea standing in the balcony. Radio was telling the news. A car was waiting for him in the front yard. “Luck!” thought Vamana Rao. Immediately his house, poverty, the daily troubles he faces came to mind. “My fate” thought Vamana Rao.

It is a fact after all. The work he does is of a school teacher. This job is not allowing him to die. Leave that alone, he cannot even live comfortably. Vamana Rao many times thought of quitting this job. And then? About starting some small business, looking for another better job, taking to to ascetism and turn into a Bairagi, many such good thoughts came to him. But, Vamana Rao did not put any of them to practice. By the way, Vamana Rao is a married man. He even has two kids.

During the time of this our story, Vamana Rao was deep in troubles. Wife read out the list of requirements and went out. He simply made some sound. Not knowing what to do, he opened the window. There was Rangaiah’s building in front.

Rangaiah was not much educated. So what? He has a dirty lot of money. He continues to earn. He has a lot of popularity around. Any officer, who comes here, has to see Rangaiah as the first act. Many people are afraid of him. Vamana Rao is very agnostic to all such things. No one cares for him. None takes pity when he is struggling for food. It is all his fate.

“Money. Money is needed. It is enough if that is there. The monkey from the mountain top would come down. All the comforts could be enjoyed.  All the qualifications would come about all by themselves” thought Vamana Rao. Vamana Rao felt that there is nothing more that is needed to be achieved.


The enclosure was full with people. Elders were sitting in the front rows. Rangaiah was gaping at the person delivering the lecture. Vamana Rao asked the next man to know who he is. He was wonder struck. He is well aware of Prabhakar’s name. Vamana Rao  read a lot of his works. He could not understand them. But, it left a feeling that the writer is a great man. Prabhakar was quoting from Bharatam, Kalidas and sundry others and was talking eloquently. People were listening in silence. Vamana Rao looked at people around. An idea occurred to him.

“Money! Damned money! What if one has a lot of it? With how much money, this respect would come? What people like Rangaiah, the baron cannot achieve, this Prabhakar can! Rangaiah is respected in this place. But Prabhakar is respected all over the country. Money is just not important for a man. Education! Education is needed” thought Vamana Rao.

The lecture went on till 8’O clock. Then the president rose and announced that the meeting is over and the scientific session would begin at ten in the night.

***

Vamana Rao ate a little food in haste and came out. By then the enclosure was filled with people. Anxiety was writ on every face. Vamana Rao looked for the reason. None heeded him. He came near the dais slowly. People were sitting on mats. Rangaiah and Prabhakar were talking something. Vamana Rao could not understand self. He wanted to think of something. There was excitement in the crowd. He looked on to the stage. Kumari Vasanti was sitting there with all style.

Vasanti acted in 25 hit pictures. All her films made money. People fall for her dance. She is not married yet.
Vasanti got up. People went bonkers. After the president asked them to be calm, she spoke for half an hour about films and acting. There were demands that she should sing a few songs from her films. She tried to evade, but in vain. At last she sang two songs. People clapped and whistled. Some threw flowers and some others money on to her. One or two people even threw cigarette butts. There was confusion around.
A new truth dawned upon Vamana Rao.

“Even education is not important. One should act in films. The respect lacking for the great scholar Prabhakar is there with Vasanti. As many people who know her, even one tenth of it would not know who Prabhakar is. There are millions who adore her. What about Prabhakar? When he was speaking earlier there was not even one, who said, go, read one of his articles. If Vasanti is patient enough, people are ready to listen to her songs for even three days. That is life. All the rest is rust” thought Vamana Rao. 

Thus thinking he was coming home. Someone was following him. Vamana Rao noticed him after a while.
‘What?’ asked Vamana Rao. That man poured out his owes. Looks studied up to inter. Could not find a job anywhere. He has tried enough. But, no use. He had no food for the last two days. Not even coffee since morning. Vamana Rao took out an Anna coin from the pocket and gave him.

“I thought something. Looking by this count, what I am facing is no troubles at all. I am a mere school final fellow. It is great if I am earning a few chips per month. I looked at the people and thought something. But, there are people who look at me too---“

Vamana Rao could see that his life is full of joy. He started walking briskly towards home.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Kapu Rajaiah - A Tribute

My blog had more than a thousand page hits today!
The reason is the sad demise of Sri Rajaiah garu.

As I said in another posting on him, I met him only once.
Even before that I admired his works.
Some people do not know that they are great!
Rajaiah garu was one among them.

I feel sad that people searched for him on the net only after his end!

I had written about Sri Kondapalli Seshagiri Rao.
I also wrote about Sri Samala Sadasiva!

All these three great souls departed recently!
Pity is my blog was the source for information about them!

Rajaiah garu gave me his portfolio long back.
It is there with me even today!
There is a frame hanging in my little hall and is reserved for him.
I keep changing the paintings in it frequently!

I don't want to say anything more today!!




Thursday, August 16, 2012

Enta Nerchina - Abdul Karim Khan

Shravanam of a rare piece!

Abdul Karim Khan sings Enta Nerchina Saphalamemi





Biography: Abdul Karim Khan

by Mohan Nadkarni

First Published in: The Economic Times, Bombay, October 24, 1982

Abdul Karim Khan strode the musical realm like a colossus for well over a generation in the early decades of this century. He not only gave a new elan to the history of Hindustani music, but also set a novel trend in classicism by making a fundamental departure from the several contemporary styles of traditional singing. In fact, the aesthetic virtues that marked his vocalism were all his own, not visualized or projected before. His music was sweet, soothing and serene. It was also sensuous and naturally avoided dramatic contrasts and tensions. Nor did it have a sense of massiveness and dignity. But such shortcomings, if they could be so-called, were more than overcome by an intensely emotional approach.

Two more and equally trend-setting departures from convention are the Ustad's innovation of a style of thumri which was again radically different from the orthodox, time-honored Purab ang; and his adaptation of Carnatic ragas to the Hindustani way. In the Ustad's voice, the Purab-ang thumri shed its erotic motivations and instead, acquired the character of a sad, pensive and devout supplication. The Carnatic adaptations, on the other hand, emerged with a new color and sparkle in the Hindustani garb. It was the kind of musical fusion, a genius like him alone could conceive, achieve and also popularize.

Predictably, the exuberance and freedom of Abdul Karim Khan's gayaki created an unprecedented stir among the orthodox milieu of the time. It brought him as many critics as votaries. To quote the late professor D.P.Mukherji, an eminent author, connoisseur and critic from = Bengal: ``Abdul Karim Khan would invite us to enter into the sanctum sanctorum of music where he was the high-priest. He was not an orthodox singer, He would not even sing a composition through. Hisasthayi was not always true to form. He would make unexpected permutations and combinations.... But who cared when Abdul Karim Khan was on the dais? This unorthodox man was a genius.... Some of the finest exponents of khayal today are either his pupils or his pupils' pupils''.

The validity of Dr.Mukherji's observations is resoundingly brought home by the brilliant array of his parampara. The list is rather too long to permit individual mention. Today, we have the fourth-generation exponents of his gayaki, who can be trusted, given certain conditions, to enrich and foster the parampara.
Born at Kirana, a village in the Kurukshetra region, now in Haryana, in 1872, Abdul Karim Khan migrated to south-west Maharashtra along with his brother, Abdul Huq, while he was still in his twenties. His new style grew in tremendous popularity despite the controversy that dogged him throughout his life. He received patronage from princely courts of Mysore and Baroda even while he moved from place to place in the course of his concert tours. It was during such concert tours that he attracted and groomed a large number of shagirds.

It is undeniable that the Kirana gharana, as we know it today, is the brain-child of Abdul Karim Khan. Precious little is, however, known about his forbears or their contribution. That is what makes him not only the pioneer but also the founder of the contemporary Kirana gayaki.

It is on record that the Ustad was not only a benevolent teacher but also a man of many parts a skilled shikari, a sensitive photographer and a top-notch exponent of the veena and the sarangi.

I was not lucky to hear the Ustad in flesh and blood. He has fortunately left behind numerous commercial discs which, according to old-timers who had heard him, do little justice. They remember him as a pilgrim of melody engaged in his eternal quest of swara one who did not create music but just flowered into it. As for me, I never tire of hearing his records even today.


(Thanks to the sources)