"கரீமே...உன்னையும் என்னையும் நமக்கு முன் தோன்றியும்மறைந்துமிருந்தவர்களையும் இந்த இரவு அறிந்திருக்கிறது. இரவெனும் ரகசியநதி எப்போதுமே நம்மை சுற்றியோடிகொண்டிருக்கிறது. அதன் மிருதுவும்பரிமளமும் நாம் அறிந்திருகிறோமேயன்றி அதன் விகாசம் கண்டதில்லை"
இவ்வாறாய் ஆரம்பிக்கிறது 'யாமம்'. எஸ். ராமகிருஷ்ணனின் அறிமுகம் 'தேசாந்திரி' மூலமே கிடைத்தது. பெரிதாய் தாக்கம் இல்லை எனினும் மேலும்தேட வைத்தது. 'உப பாண்டவம்' துரியன் கூத்தில் ஆரம்பித்து இரவின் ஊடேபயணிக்கும் கதை. இரவின் வழியே செல்லும் அதுவும், வெயிலின் கடுமையாய் உறைத்த 'நெடுங்குருதி'யும் மேலும் தேட வைத்தது.
'யாமம்', அதன் பெயரை போல், இன்னுமொரு இரவின் வழி ஊடாடி செல்லும்கதை. கரீம், கிருஷ்ணப்ப கரையாளர், பத்ரகிரி, சதாசிவ பண்டாரம் ஆகியோரின் கதையாக சென்னை பட்டினத்தின் ஆரம்ப காலங்களில் தொடங்கி 18 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் இறுதியில் முடிகிறது. காலம் ஒரு அளவீடாக இல்லாமல்இரவின் வழியே பாய்ந்து செல்லும் நதியாய் இருக்கிறது.
'யாமம்' என்ற அத்தர் காம கடும் புனலாய் கதையின் எல்லா பாத்திரங்களின்வாழ்விலும் செல்கிறது. கரீம் அதனை உருவாக்கினாலும் அதன் பலன் இன்றிதன் ரோஜா தோட்டத்தை பாழியாக்கிவிட்டு காணமல் போகிறார். கிருஷ்ணப்பகரையாளர் மலை காடுகளின் நடுவே ஞானம் வந்தவராய் சொத்துகளை பங்காளிக்கு விட்டு குடுத்து தன் சந்தோசத்தை அடைகிறார்.
பத்ரகிரியின் கதை கொஞ்சம் சிக்கலானது. லண்டனில் உள்ள தம்பியின் மனைவியிடம் காமம் கொண்டு வாழ்வை இழக்கிறான். உறவுகளின் குழப்பத்தில்வாழ்வின் விழுமியங்கள் தடம் மாறுகின்றன. காமம் ஓங்கி அடங்கியவுடன் குற்றஉணர்வின் குழப்பத்தில் தடுமாறுகிறான். தம்பி திரும்பி வந்து அண்ணன்குழந்தையை வளர்க்க ஆரம்பிப்பதுடன் முடிகிறது.
சதாசிவ பண்டாரம் கதையின் எல்லோரையும் ஒரு வகையில் காட்டுகிறார். நீலகண்டம் என்ற நாயை தொடரும் பரதேசியான அவரின் கதையே ஒருவகையில் கதையின் எல்லோரின் கதை ஆகிறது. ஒவ்வொருவரும் ஒரு நாயை பின்தொடர்கிறார்கள் எந்த காரணமும் இன்றி.
யாமமும், இரவும் கதை முழுவதும் வியாபித்திருகிறது. கதை மாந்தர்கள்எல்லோரும் ஒரு நிலையில் அதன் மயக்கத்தில் விழுகிறார்கள். பின்எழுகிறார்கள்.
'நெடுங்குருதி'யில் தாங்க முடியாத வெயிலை காட்டிய ஆசிரியர், 'யாம'தில்இரவின் நதியை காட்டுகிறார். வெயில் கண்ணை கூசியது என்றால் இதில்எல்லோரும் இரவின் கருமையில் தடுமாறுகிறார்கள்.
'யாமம்' முழுவதும் இரவு நீண்டு கொண்டே இருக்கிறது. வாழ்வு கடந்துகொண்டே இருக்கிறது. இரவின் நீட்சியாய் காமம் கசிந்து கொண்டே இருக்கிறது.
எஸ். ராமகிருஷ்ணனின் முக்கியமான படைப்பாக நான் இதை கருதுகிறேன். எனக்கும் வெயிலைவிட இரவே பிடிக்கிறது.
(தொடரும்)
Krishna - The playful divine
Yesterday was 'Krishna Jayanthi' celebrations in Sibi/Vanathy's school. So all the kids were dressed up and all. Though Vanathy did not had a Radha's outfit, two of the Krishna's in her class told her that her dress is good (kids, these days!). And so with all that overdosing of Krishna yesterday, she was playing with a small portrait of butter-eating Krishna she bought last week in Sri Rangam. While on the bed, she was a bit worried as to what happens if Krishna eats butter all night. So I told her to put Krishna to sleep so that He can wake up in the morning and eat the butter. After whispering all that into Krishna's ear, she also made sure in the morning that He is up and eating butter well.
So a couple of months back, I was walking through that aisle and after spending what seemed to be a lot of time, was able to locate a book 'Krishna - The playful divine' by Pavan.K.Varma. A yellowish looking book with a bit torn front, it looked like an absolute steal when I bought it.
In the pantheon of gods that we have, Krishna and Muruga display a human quality which helps one to easily identify with them. They seem to be having had some smaller origins before being absorbed into the mainstream Hindu consciousness. Of course, one was primarily an Aryan god and another a Dravidian one. There are quite a bit of interesting tangle of stories associated with both of them.
But being what we are, we rely on people from western countries to do this job for us. Kamil Zvelebil did this for Muruga and Krishna has been explored, debated and a lot of books have been written based on the myth that is associated and the man that is Krishna.
Pavan K. Varma, author of this book 'Krishna - the playful divine', treats his Subject without much sentimentality or getting affected by the divinity of Krishna. The book is a fantastic research work which explore Krishna's evolution, from the man to the myth to being one of the most revered God of modern India.
The book traces Krishna's birth till his deification and tries to explain the miracles associated with Him. But it does it with a cold rationality which showcases the extensive literature that is available on the subject and the author's familiarization with most of it.
Reading the book, after having known most of the story of Krishna, the book still surprises with its interpretation of events and the different regional specializations that goes into the making of Krishna. It starts with Krishna's birth and childhood and goes on to discuss the various incidents associated with Him as the absorption of the worship of various little Gods like Indra, Varuna etc to the growing cult of Krishna. The 'Kaliya Vadam' becomes the symbol of the defeat of the Naga tribe in the forest.
This is followed by a chapter titled 'Lover', which by the way is the most discussed aspect of Krishna. Quoting from Harivamsa to Nammalwar, the love He had for the gopis and most of all, Radha is explored. The svakiya (that Radha is Krishna's wife) or Parakiya(that she was another man's wife or unmarried) debate is explained and we are told that it was settled only in 1717 through a council in Bengal and decided, perhaps unthinkable today, that it was parakiya. And goes on to discuss the virtues of such a relationship.
Given the Victorian morality norms that have crept into our lives in the past 200 years, it is a bit difficult to place this in context with our thought process of today.The arrival of Christian missionaries in the 18th and 19th century basically changed this tradition as the attacks on Hinduism during this period was based on the 'moral depravity' of the 'natives' with their 'unparalleled sexual degradation'. It is this that drives the way we look into things even today. Pavan Sharma calls this a betrayal of the worship of Krishna as lover (in celebrating Rasaleela or even discussing it) and squarely puts the blame on the Evangelicals and the Hindu revivalist movements who just ran along with the narrative put forwarded by them.
The chapter ends with the discussion of Krishna's departure from Brindavanand the fact that he never returns to it in his later life.
The next three chapters (Warrior, savior, God) deal with how the Krishna myth evolved into a worship and the philosophy as given in Gita. The philosophy of Gita is juxtaposed with the various thought schools of the western world and discussed.
The individuals pursuit of a meaning for the life herein and the uncertainty of the life hereafter forms the basis of this discussion. Having read Gita a few times, it basically is a blueprint to live life as it should be lived and the fact that Gita allows interpretation at different levels is very essential in understanding the relevance of the same.
What I found missing was a discussion of Krishna's relationship with Draupadi (also known as Krishnai due to her Krishna-bhakthi). This is important as Draupadi's hands were first offered to Krishna and only after his rejection (citing that He treats her as a sister), did she gets to go for the swayamvara. Though the story is cited in context with the Mahabharatha war, there is no in-depth discussion as in the case of the Radha-Krishna relationship.
-----------------
It was during one of the visits to Mylapore Kabaleeshwarar temple that I found about the 'Giri traders'. Its a big store which sells a lot of uninteresting articles but they have a book shop in 3rd floor which basically is strewn with books in every language (of India, of course) and as I've been finding it often now, the place has a lot of rare books or old editions of rare books (which are considerably cheap!) and a group of staff who can locate the books in that organized mess. So a couple of months back, I was walking through that aisle and after spending what seemed to be a lot of time, was able to locate a book 'Krishna - The playful divine' by Pavan.K.Varma. A yellowish looking book with a bit torn front, it looked like an absolute steal when I bought it.
In the pantheon of gods that we have, Krishna and Muruga display a human quality which helps one to easily identify with them. They seem to be having had some smaller origins before being absorbed into the mainstream Hindu consciousness. Of course, one was primarily an Aryan god and another a Dravidian one. There are quite a bit of interesting tangle of stories associated with both of them.
But being what we are, we rely on people from western countries to do this job for us. Kamil Zvelebil did this for Muruga and Krishna has been explored, debated and a lot of books have been written based on the myth that is associated and the man that is Krishna.
Pavan K. Varma, author of this book 'Krishna - the playful divine', treats his Subject without much sentimentality or getting affected by the divinity of Krishna. The book is a fantastic research work which explore Krishna's evolution, from the man to the myth to being one of the most revered God of modern India.
The book traces Krishna's birth till his deification and tries to explain the miracles associated with Him. But it does it with a cold rationality which showcases the extensive literature that is available on the subject and the author's familiarization with most of it.
Reading the book, after having known most of the story of Krishna, the book still surprises with its interpretation of events and the different regional specializations that goes into the making of Krishna. It starts with Krishna's birth and childhood and goes on to discuss the various incidents associated with Him as the absorption of the worship of various little Gods like Indra, Varuna etc to the growing cult of Krishna. The 'Kaliya Vadam' becomes the symbol of the defeat of the Naga tribe in the forest.
This is followed by a chapter titled 'Lover', which by the way is the most discussed aspect of Krishna. Quoting from Harivamsa to Nammalwar, the love He had for the gopis and most of all, Radha is explored. The svakiya (that Radha is Krishna's wife) or Parakiya(that she was another man's wife or unmarried) debate is explained and we are told that it was settled only in 1717 through a council in Bengal and decided, perhaps unthinkable today, that it was parakiya. And goes on to discuss the virtues of such a relationship.
Given the Victorian morality norms that have crept into our lives in the past 200 years, it is a bit difficult to place this in context with our thought process of today.The arrival of Christian missionaries in the 18th and 19th century basically changed this tradition as the attacks on Hinduism during this period was based on the 'moral depravity' of the 'natives' with their 'unparalleled sexual degradation'. It is this that drives the way we look into things even today. Pavan Sharma calls this a betrayal of the worship of Krishna as lover (in celebrating Rasaleela or even discussing it) and squarely puts the blame on the Evangelicals and the Hindu revivalist movements who just ran along with the narrative put forwarded by them.
The chapter ends with the discussion of Krishna's departure from Brindavanand the fact that he never returns to it in his later life.
The next three chapters (Warrior, savior, God) deal with how the Krishna myth evolved into a worship and the philosophy as given in Gita. The philosophy of Gita is juxtaposed with the various thought schools of the western world and discussed.
The individuals pursuit of a meaning for the life herein and the uncertainty of the life hereafter forms the basis of this discussion. Having read Gita a few times, it basically is a blueprint to live life as it should be lived and the fact that Gita allows interpretation at different levels is very essential in understanding the relevance of the same.
What I found missing was a discussion of Krishna's relationship with Draupadi (also known as Krishnai due to her Krishna-bhakthi). This is important as Draupadi's hands were first offered to Krishna and only after his rejection (citing that He treats her as a sister), did she gets to go for the swayamvara. Though the story is cited in context with the Mahabharatha war, there is no in-depth discussion as in the case of the Radha-Krishna relationship.
Bedtime Stories
After running through a lot of stories on Anjaneya (this is the name Vanathy prefers) and Muruga, I was trying to find some other stories to tell the kids during bed time. So now we are going through the explorers of the world.
So far, we've covered Columbus, Cook, Amerigo vespucci, Vasco da Gama and Ernest Shackleton. And we finished the Lewis and Clark expedition yesterday. It is turning out to be a very good exercise so far and the kids are liking it so far. We also did some discussions based on the maps and the globe to see the routes they've taken and Sibi is absolutely fascinated by the stories.
Apart from what I've read, I am using the extensive Wikipedia entries on each of these voyages to tell the stories and also ask questions everyday to make sure they really understand. Of course, for Vanathy, only the adventure part registers while Sibi is making the connection with history as well.
So yesterday, J asked Sibi to tell her the story on Lewis and Clark expedition. It was an amazing story which Sibi came up with. He remembered most of the story but embellished it with his thoughts wherever he forgot something. I tried correcting him but then let him run through it as he wished. Now we've agreed to watch the PBS program on 'Lewis and Clark expedition' on the weekend (I've the DVD).
While he was telling the story, I was thinking of the future when Sibi standing on a cliff and watching the mighty Missippi flowing, will remember his father telling the story of the expedition long ago as a bedtime story. It was mushy but worth it.
The kids ask interesting questions while the story goes on. A sample.
Sibi - Appa, how come Columbus is lost? don't they have maps?
Me - Yesda, they dont have complete maps back in the fifteenth century and they were still exploring.
Vanathy - Appa, he could've asked Dora, she has a map.
Some of the discussion yesterday was about Jefferson and I was thinking of coming up with a condensed version of '1776' for the kids and J asked about the 'Civil war'. I am not so sure as Sibi may not be able to comprehend the actual issue of why the war was fought. So that have to wait.
Oftentimes I think I have taken Vanathy's growing up as more matter-of-fact than Sibi's. I think that goes for all second child's. Vanathy is hyperactive when compared to Sibi and has been since she started walking. I am thinking of the number of times we have to take her to the ER in the Apollo children's hospital and it is absolutely nerve-racking bringing her up. She is also more authoritative but loves her brother very much and demands things that she has to have. Now she has drawn up a big list for her birthday and we are trying to figure how to handle that.
So far, we've covered Columbus, Cook, Amerigo vespucci, Vasco da Gama and Ernest Shackleton. And we finished the Lewis and Clark expedition yesterday. It is turning out to be a very good exercise so far and the kids are liking it so far. We also did some discussions based on the maps and the globe to see the routes they've taken and Sibi is absolutely fascinated by the stories.
Apart from what I've read, I am using the extensive Wikipedia entries on each of these voyages to tell the stories and also ask questions everyday to make sure they really understand. Of course, for Vanathy, only the adventure part registers while Sibi is making the connection with history as well.
So yesterday, J asked Sibi to tell her the story on Lewis and Clark expedition. It was an amazing story which Sibi came up with. He remembered most of the story but embellished it with his thoughts wherever he forgot something. I tried correcting him but then let him run through it as he wished. Now we've agreed to watch the PBS program on 'Lewis and Clark expedition' on the weekend (I've the DVD).
While he was telling the story, I was thinking of the future when Sibi standing on a cliff and watching the mighty Missippi flowing, will remember his father telling the story of the expedition long ago as a bedtime story. It was mushy but worth it.
The kids ask interesting questions while the story goes on. A sample.
Sibi - Appa, how come Columbus is lost? don't they have maps?
Me - Yesda, they dont have complete maps back in the fifteenth century and they were still exploring.
Vanathy - Appa, he could've asked Dora, she has a map.
Some of the discussion yesterday was about Jefferson and I was thinking of coming up with a condensed version of '1776' for the kids and J asked about the 'Civil war'. I am not so sure as Sibi may not be able to comprehend the actual issue of why the war was fought. So that have to wait.
Oftentimes I think I have taken Vanathy's growing up as more matter-of-fact than Sibi's. I think that goes for all second child's. Vanathy is hyperactive when compared to Sibi and has been since she started walking. I am thinking of the number of times we have to take her to the ER in the Apollo children's hospital and it is absolutely nerve-racking bringing her up. She is also more authoritative but loves her brother very much and demands things that she has to have. Now she has drawn up a big list for her birthday and we are trying to figure how to handle that.
நட்சத்திரம்
அதிகாலை.
வீட்டு பால்கனியில் நின்று அண்ணாந்து பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறேன். கைக்கு எட்டும் தூரத்தில் சூரியன். தாங்க முடியாத வெப்பம்.
சேவல் கொண்டை சிவப்பில் நெருப்பு எரிவது அருகில் தெரிகிறது.
நில நடுக்கம் போல் ஒரு அதிர்ச்சி. நான் என் மனைவியை கூப்பிடுகிறேன். 'வேகமாய் வா'.
வெளியில் வருகிறாள். இருவரும் பார்க்கும் பொழுதே சூரியனில் இருந்து வேகமாய் நெருப்பு துண்டுகள் கீழே விழுகின்றன.
ஒரு சிறு ஓட்டை விழுகிறது. அதில் இருந்து இன்னும் பெரிய துண்டுகள். சிறு ஓட்டை பெரிதாகிறது. இப்பொழுது நிறைய சிறு ஓட்டைகள். வெப்பம் வேகமாய் குறைகிறது. சிறு ஓட்டைகள் எல்லாம் பெரிதாகின்றன.
கண் முன் சூரியன் துண்டு துண்டாய் சிதறி சட்டென்று மறைகிறது.
இருள். குளிர். மெல்லிய நீலமாய் வானம். எதுவுமற்ற பெருவெளியில் எல்லையில்லா வானம்.
வெப்பம் தணிந்ததில் அது வரை அடைந்து கிடந்த மனித கூட்டம் இப்போது தெருவில். எதற்கென்று தெரியாது ஒரு கொண்டாட்டம்.
கட்டறுத்த மகிழ்வில் சுழற்றி விட்ட பம்பரம் போல் பறக்கும் பூமி. சட்டென ஒரு தூரத்து நட்சத்திரத்தின் இழுப்பில் ஒரு தள்ளாட்டம். வெகு தூரத்தில் தெரியும் புதிய சூரியனை பார்த்து உற்சாக ஒலி எழுப்பும் கூட்டம்.
நானும் என் மனைவியும் ஒரு மரத்தின் கீழ்.
'என்ன ஆகும் இனி?'
'ஒளி இல்லை. மரங்கள் முதலில் செத்து மடியும். மரங்கள் இல்லை கரியமிலம் குடிக்க. பூமியின் வெப்பம் உயரும். ஆக்சிஜென் குறையும். தூரத்து சூரியனை பார்த்துக் கொண்டே நாமும் செத்து மடிவோம்'
விழுந்த இலை நீல நிறத்தில்.
வீட்டு பால்கனியில் நின்று அண்ணாந்து பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறேன். கைக்கு எட்டும் தூரத்தில் சூரியன். தாங்க முடியாத வெப்பம்.
சேவல் கொண்டை சிவப்பில் நெருப்பு எரிவது அருகில் தெரிகிறது.
நில நடுக்கம் போல் ஒரு அதிர்ச்சி. நான் என் மனைவியை கூப்பிடுகிறேன். 'வேகமாய் வா'.
வெளியில் வருகிறாள். இருவரும் பார்க்கும் பொழுதே சூரியனில் இருந்து வேகமாய் நெருப்பு துண்டுகள் கீழே விழுகின்றன.
ஒரு சிறு ஓட்டை விழுகிறது. அதில் இருந்து இன்னும் பெரிய துண்டுகள். சிறு ஓட்டை பெரிதாகிறது. இப்பொழுது நிறைய சிறு ஓட்டைகள். வெப்பம் வேகமாய் குறைகிறது. சிறு ஓட்டைகள் எல்லாம் பெரிதாகின்றன.
கண் முன் சூரியன் துண்டு துண்டாய் சிதறி சட்டென்று மறைகிறது.
இருள். குளிர். மெல்லிய நீலமாய் வானம். எதுவுமற்ற பெருவெளியில் எல்லையில்லா வானம்.
வெப்பம் தணிந்ததில் அது வரை அடைந்து கிடந்த மனித கூட்டம் இப்போது தெருவில். எதற்கென்று தெரியாது ஒரு கொண்டாட்டம்.
கட்டறுத்த மகிழ்வில் சுழற்றி விட்ட பம்பரம் போல் பறக்கும் பூமி. சட்டென ஒரு தூரத்து நட்சத்திரத்தின் இழுப்பில் ஒரு தள்ளாட்டம். வெகு தூரத்தில் தெரியும் புதிய சூரியனை பார்த்து உற்சாக ஒலி எழுப்பும் கூட்டம்.
நானும் என் மனைவியும் ஒரு மரத்தின் கீழ்.
'என்ன ஆகும் இனி?'
'ஒளி இல்லை. மரங்கள் முதலில் செத்து மடியும். மரங்கள் இல்லை கரியமிலம் குடிக்க. பூமியின் வெப்பம் உயரும். ஆக்சிஜென் குறையும். தூரத்து சூரியனை பார்த்துக் கொண்டே நாமும் செத்து மடிவோம்'
விழுந்த இலை நீல நிறத்தில்.
சிபி
Sibi was badgering me with questions on Mughals yesternight. So I decided to counter him with some questions on my own and get some pause.
me - OK, tell me who Alam Gir 2 is.
Sibi - he is a great-great Grandson of Shah Jahan
me - (thinking so there is an idiot with that name) no, அவன் ஷாஜஹான் சித்தப்பாபையன்
Sibi - தப்பு, தப்பு
me - (thinking I've trapped him) huh, ஷாஜஹான் சித்தப்பா யாரு சொல்லு?
Sibi - ஷாஹ்ஜஹன்னுக்கு 3 சித்தப்பா. 2 அத்தை. (recites the names of the offspring of Jehangir)
me - (going blank) எங்கடா இதை எல்லாம் படிக்கிறே?
Sibi - Wikipedia, dad...
Another day...
நான் - Level 2 exam எப்படி எழுதினே?
சிபி - நல்லா பண்ணினேன். only 3 wrongs.
நான் - out of?
சிபி - 60. 57 correct.
நான் - ஆட்டத்த குறைக்கணும். ஆடாம practice பண்ணினா 60/60 வாங்கிஇருக்கலாம்.
சிபி - அப்படி இல்லப்பா. இவ்ளோ ஆட்டத்துக்கே 57 marks வாங்கிட்டேன். இன்னும் பயங்கரமா (?) ஆடுனா full marks வாங்கிடலாம்.
me - OK, tell me who Alam Gir 2 is.
Sibi - he is a great-great Grandson of Shah Jahan
me - (thinking so there is an idiot with that name) no, அவன் ஷாஜஹான் சித்தப்பாபையன்
Sibi - தப்பு, தப்பு
me - (thinking I've trapped him) huh, ஷாஜஹான் சித்தப்பா யாரு சொல்லு?
Sibi - ஷாஹ்ஜஹன்னுக்கு 3 சித்தப்பா. 2 அத்தை. (recites the names of the offspring of Jehangir)
me - (going blank) எங்கடா இதை எல்லாம் படிக்கிறே?
Sibi - Wikipedia, dad...
------------
Another day...
நான் - Level 2 exam எப்படி எழுதினே?
சிபி - நல்லா பண்ணினேன். only 3 wrongs.
நான் - out of?
சிபி - 60. 57 correct.
நான் - ஆட்டத்த குறைக்கணும். ஆடாம practice பண்ணினா 60/60 வாங்கிஇருக்கலாம்.
சிபி - அப்படி இல்லப்பா. இவ்ளோ ஆட்டத்துக்கே 57 marks வாங்கிட்டேன். இன்னும் பயங்கரமா (?) ஆடுனா full marks வாங்கிடலாம்.
------------
Adi Kesava Perumal temple
Happen to be in Sriperumbudur couple of days back and having to made to wait for couple of hours, spent the time visiting the Adi Kesava perumal temple or the Bashyakara temple. There are almost no one in the temple except me, a couple of priests, and a bunch of women police, I think, were on duty nearby.
Though it was a small temple (compared to, say, Thiruvidanthai), it was an interesting one. I think it must be about 700-800 years old. Definitely built after Ramanujar's period, it wore a deserted look on that particularly hot day.
Sri Perumbudur is the birth place of Ramanujar and there is a sannidhi near Perumal himself for him.
All pillars had the riding horseman in it. Oddly, half of them looked Caucasian for whatever reason.
The thulasi maadam looks oddly out of place. Must be a recent addition.
The karbhagriha walls are lined with the history of Ramajujar.
There are some recent murals on the outer praharam walls. This is a beautiful rendering of Perumal with Andal.
The Gopuram.
The mandabam.
The praharam.
Oddly, I couldn't find Andal's sannidhi in this temple. May be I missed (though I was there for 1-1.5 hours).
Nothing gives the odd peace of mind than an empty temple...
Though it was a small temple (compared to, say, Thiruvidanthai), it was an interesting one. I think it must be about 700-800 years old. Definitely built after Ramanujar's period, it wore a deserted look on that particularly hot day.
Sri Perumbudur is the birth place of Ramanujar and there is a sannidhi near Perumal himself for him.
All pillars had the riding horseman in it. Oddly, half of them looked Caucasian for whatever reason.
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M.S: A life in music
After a lot of thought on writing about this book, decided to give it a shot. The book is 'M.S: A life in music' by T.J.S.George.
I came to know about this book through a old entry in writer Jeyamohan's blog. Read about it and didn't think much about it at that time. About a month back, when I was browsing the shelves in 'Odyssey', stumbled on a copy of it. Thumbing through it to see the pictures, first thing that I came across was a picture of MS looking at herself in a pool of water from the old movie 'Sakunthalai'. It was such a beautiful picture and I bought the book on an impulse.
I like biographies. I love Gore Vidal for just having written 'Burr'. For me, a good biography before everything else, sets the context and interweaves the story of the subject within that context. This is one of the reasons why I was not so happy with the biographies I read. They are either a sycophantic take on the subject itself or just a bunch of anecdotes segregated into chapters.
T.J.S.George starts the book with a leisurely history of the Carnatic music and the socio-economic conditions of the early 20th century, when MS was born. I never could appreciate the nuances of Carnatic music but the first 100 pages of the book clearly sets the tone for the rest of the book.
The focus then moves to the first 24 years of MS's life, which were the formative years. Choosing between films and concerts, running away from Madurai to avoid the fate of her sister, it is the period which determines how MS's life is going to be for the next 60 years. The period ends when she marries T.Sadasivam in Thiruneermalai.
Like many a households in the 1980's, 'Kalki' was a regular in our house and that's where I came across this couple, always written with gushing admiration. Never figured who they were and why such admiration in glowing terms.
The next 60 years of is dealt in about 60 pages with a list of honors, awards, world leaders she met etc. There is not much of a story here except the period when they move away from 'Kalki gardens' and the relationship with Rajaji.
George goes into lots of discussion about the way MSS, who was born in a Devadasi family, transforms herself into a perfect 'smartha iyer' wife. There is a discussion on the 'sanscritization' as a means to move upwards (in this case from a devadasi into a 'smartha iyer').
One of the successes of the book is the kind of walking-on-the-blade attitude when all these are discussed. Very easily a discussion like this can turn into just a gossip-mill yellow hournalism. George avoids to titillate by focusing on the music and the social factors that helped MSS in this factor.
In a larger sense, I think this kind of conformism is not just true for MS in 1940, it is equally true for the women of 2010 as well. Born in a absolutely male chauvinistic society such as ours (where the movies still portray heroes lecturing the girls on our culture!), it is a constant struggle for me to keep avoiding to fall into the pit. Women in our society, irrespective of the caste they were born into, are expected to conform into the wishes of the male directly or indirectly. Girls always resign their jobs and move to the place where the guy is working. Girls always chose to give up their jobs to travel with the guy when he travels abroad. The list is long and most of it is subtle coercion. And most of the girls I talked to never even realize the violence such an act represents.
So it is perfectly easy to understand the predicament of MS in 1940 to chose and become a submissive wife and allow her career to be molded by Sadasivam.
It is in the brief interlude on her romance with GNB, MS ,finally and probably for the last time in her life, acts like a woman who lets her heart pouring out in the letters that George came across. Jeyamohan discusses in detail on the need for the such pleadings in the society of that time. On top of being born in a devadasi family, MS was also a film star, when her romance with GNB started. This puts her on the defensive in terms of explaining herself and surrendering herself completely to GNB. I was thinking of Mohana in 'Thillana Mohanambal'. I read that novel anticipating her to blast Shanmugasundaram for always keeping her on the toes. It never happens.
MS marries Sadasivam in the end and I could understand the exact predicament she must've gone through to take such a decision. But in a way, she chose well and achieved fame and what not. All I could think was, whether she ever thought of the 'what if' of it.
Overall, a good book and good read.
PS. I am also half way through with Guha's book on Indian history and Pavan Varma's book on the divinity of 'Krishna'.
I came to know about this book through a old entry in writer Jeyamohan's blog. Read about it and didn't think much about it at that time. About a month back, when I was browsing the shelves in 'Odyssey', stumbled on a copy of it. Thumbing through it to see the pictures, first thing that I came across was a picture of MS looking at herself in a pool of water from the old movie 'Sakunthalai'. It was such a beautiful picture and I bought the book on an impulse.
I like biographies. I love Gore Vidal for just having written 'Burr'. For me, a good biography before everything else, sets the context and interweaves the story of the subject within that context. This is one of the reasons why I was not so happy with the biographies I read. They are either a sycophantic take on the subject itself or just a bunch of anecdotes segregated into chapters.
T.J.S.George starts the book with a leisurely history of the Carnatic music and the socio-economic conditions of the early 20th century, when MS was born. I never could appreciate the nuances of Carnatic music but the first 100 pages of the book clearly sets the tone for the rest of the book.
The focus then moves to the first 24 years of MS's life, which were the formative years. Choosing between films and concerts, running away from Madurai to avoid the fate of her sister, it is the period which determines how MS's life is going to be for the next 60 years. The period ends when she marries T.Sadasivam in Thiruneermalai.
Like many a households in the 1980's, 'Kalki' was a regular in our house and that's where I came across this couple, always written with gushing admiration. Never figured who they were and why such admiration in glowing terms.
The next 60 years of is dealt in about 60 pages with a list of honors, awards, world leaders she met etc. There is not much of a story here except the period when they move away from 'Kalki gardens' and the relationship with Rajaji.
George goes into lots of discussion about the way MSS, who was born in a Devadasi family, transforms herself into a perfect 'smartha iyer' wife. There is a discussion on the 'sanscritization' as a means to move upwards (in this case from a devadasi into a 'smartha iyer').
One of the successes of the book is the kind of walking-on-the-blade attitude when all these are discussed. Very easily a discussion like this can turn into just a gossip-mill yellow hournalism. George avoids to titillate by focusing on the music and the social factors that helped MSS in this factor.
In a larger sense, I think this kind of conformism is not just true for MS in 1940, it is equally true for the women of 2010 as well. Born in a absolutely male chauvinistic society such as ours (where the movies still portray heroes lecturing the girls on our culture!), it is a constant struggle for me to keep avoiding to fall into the pit. Women in our society, irrespective of the caste they were born into, are expected to conform into the wishes of the male directly or indirectly. Girls always resign their jobs and move to the place where the guy is working. Girls always chose to give up their jobs to travel with the guy when he travels abroad. The list is long and most of it is subtle coercion. And most of the girls I talked to never even realize the violence such an act represents.
So it is perfectly easy to understand the predicament of MS in 1940 to chose and become a submissive wife and allow her career to be molded by Sadasivam.
It is in the brief interlude on her romance with GNB, MS ,finally and probably for the last time in her life, acts like a woman who lets her heart pouring out in the letters that George came across. Jeyamohan discusses in detail on the need for the such pleadings in the society of that time. On top of being born in a devadasi family, MS was also a film star, when her romance with GNB started. This puts her on the defensive in terms of explaining herself and surrendering herself completely to GNB. I was thinking of Mohana in 'Thillana Mohanambal'. I read that novel anticipating her to blast Shanmugasundaram for always keeping her on the toes. It never happens.
MS marries Sadasivam in the end and I could understand the exact predicament she must've gone through to take such a decision. But in a way, she chose well and achieved fame and what not. All I could think was, whether she ever thought of the 'what if' of it.
Overall, a good book and good read.
PS. I am also half way through with Guha's book on Indian history and Pavan Varma's book on the divinity of 'Krishna'.
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