சீனிவாசநல்லூர் - குரங்கு நாதர் கோயில்

இடையில் கிடைத்த ஒரு நாளில் எங்கு செல்லலாம் என்று யோசித்து , சீனிவாசநல்லூர் குரங்குநாதர் கோயில் என்று முடிவு செய்தேன்.

சென்னையில் இருந்து திருச்சிக்கு நான் சென்ற தமிழ் நாடு அரசு பேருந்தின் பயணம் மட்டுமே ஒரு தனி கட்டுரைக்கு வேண்டிய அளவு சாகசங்கள் கொண்டது. இருந்தாலும், அதை ஒதுக்கி விட்டு , அங்கிருந்து சீனிவாசநல்லூர் சென்ற சாகசத்தை எழுத போகிறேன்.

சீனிவாசநல்லூர் திருச்சி அருகே முசிறியில் இருந்து ஒரு 10கி.மீ. தூரத்தில் இருக்கிறது. காலை திண்டுக்கல்லில் இருந்து வைகையில் திருச்சி வந்து , அங்கிருந்து குளித்தலை செல்லும் பேருந்தில் ஏறி பயணம் தொடங்கியது.

கடுமையான வெயிலைவிட அந்த வெயிலில் காய்ந்து கொண்டிருந்த காவேரி பரிதாபமாக இருந்தது. ஒரு புறம் ரயில் பாதை , மறுபுறம் காவேரி என்று ரம்யமாக இருக்க வேண்டிய பயணம், வெயிலின் கடுமையில் , பேருந்தில் இருந்த மக்களின் எரிச்சலில் வெளிப்பட்டு கொண்டிருந்தது.

குளித்தலை வந்தவுடன் அங்கிருந்த ஒரு பேருந்து ஓட்டுனரை விசாரித்த போது , முசிறி சென்று அங்கிருந்து மற்றுமொரு பேருந்து ஏறி செல்லுமாறு கூறினார்.

முசிறி பேருந்தில் ஒரு சிறு பெண் - அவளைவிட சிறு குழந்தை என்று அவர்களுக்கு அருகில் சென்று அமர்ந்தேன்.தீபிகா, அந்த பெண், அவளின் அத்தை பால்குடம் எடுப்பதை பார்க்க குளித்தலை வந்ததாக சொன்னாள். வெயிலில் பால் குடம் எடுத்து நடந்த களைப்பு முகத்தில் இருந்தாலும் நான் ஒரு பிஸ்கட் கேட்டவுடன், அதில் ஒரு சிறு துணுக்கு எடுத்து எனக்கு கொடுத்தாள்.

முசிறி வந்து காட்டு புதூர் பேருந்தில் ஏறி சீனிவாசநல்லூர் செல்லும் பயணம் தொடங்கியது. போகும் வழியில் திருஈங்கோய் மலை , சிறு வயதில், அதன் எல்லையில்லா படிக்கட்டுகளை கொதிக்கும் வெயிலில் ஏறியது ஞாபகம் வந்தது. அந்த நாள், காலையில், இரு கரையும் அணைத்து ஓடிய காவேரியில் பயந்து பயந்து குளித்ததும் ஞாபகம் வந்தது.

சீனிவாச நல்லூர் குரங்கு நாதர் கோயில் கி. பி.9ம் நூற்றாண்டில் பராந்தக சோழனால் கட்டப்பட்டது. முதல் முதலாய் சோழர்களால் கட்டப்பட்ட கோயில்களில் ஒன்று. இன்றும் ஓரளவு நல்ல முறையில் ASIஆல் பராமரிக்க பட்டு வருகிறது.

சிறு கோயில் என்றாலும் சுற்றி இருக்கும் சிற்பங்கள் சோழர்களின் கலை நுட்பத்தின் உதாரணமாக இருக்கின்றன. பல்லவ சிற்ப கலையின் பாதிப்பு தெரிந்தாலும் (பார்த்தவுடன் அர்ஜுனன் ரதம் நினைவுக்கு வந்தது). ஆனால் நிறைய வித்யாசங்கள். முக்கியமாக பல்லவர்களின் சிங்கங்கள் இல்லை.

 அதை விட முக்கியம் சோழர்களின் தக்ஷிணாமூர்த்தி , தெற்கு விமானத்தில். இப்படி ஒரு அழகான மூர்த்தி , இவ்வளவு முந்தைய காலகட்டத்தில் கண்டதில்லை. அதிலும் சுற்றியுள்ள கணங்களின் அம்சங்கள் பொறுமையாக பார்க்க வேண்டியவை.

 

 பிட்சாடனார் வடக்கு விமான சுவற்றில் கம்பீரமாக அமர்ந்திருக்கிறார்..

 

 

 துவாரபாலகர்கள் மற்றைய கோயில்களில் போல் அன்றி நேராக பாராது இருபுறமும் ஒரு புறமாக நின்று ஒரு கர்வத்துடன் பார்க்கிறார்கள்.

 சுற்று சுவற்றில் யாளி வரிசையும் ஒவ்வொரு மூலையிலும் மகர முகங்களும், அவற்றுக்கு கீழே சோழ கல்வெட்டுகளுமாக கோயில் முழுமை பெறுகிறது.

 கிழக்கு சுவற்றில் பராந்தகனின் நில நிவந்தகளின் கல்வெட்டு இருக்கிறது. பொறுமையாக எழுத்து கூட்டி வாசிக்கலாம் என்றால் வெயில் மண்டைய பிளந்தது.

இன்றும் சீனிவாசநல்லூர் மக்கள் வரும் ஒரு , இரு பேர்களையும் வரவேற்கிறார்கள். கோயில் விட்டு வந்ததும் அங்கு ஊர் கதை பேசிக் கொண்டிருந்த இரு பெண்கள் தண்ணீர் பிடித்து கொள்ள விட்டார்கள். பேருந்தும் சீனிவாசநல்லூரில் இறங்கிய பெண் திரும்ப நடந்து வரும் போது கோயில் பார்த்ததை விசாரித்து சென்றார். அங்கே நடந்து கொண்டிருந்த ஒருவர் , முன் ASI ஒரு காவலாளி போட்டு இருந்ததாகவும், இப்போது யாரும் வருவதில்லை என்றும் சொல்லி சென்றார்.

ஒரு பெட்டிக் கடையில் நன்றாக கெட்டியான மோர் குடித்து விட்டு திருச்சி பேருந்தில் ஏறினேன். ரெங்கமன்னார் அழைத்து கொண்டிருந்தார்.


1. கொடும்பாளூர் மூவர் கோயில் - http://sibipranav.blogspot.in/2011/01/blog-post.html

Jackie (2016)

'Jackie' is an intimate, rip-to-the-soul portrait of Jackie Kennedy in the days after the assassination of John F Kennedy. And it is incredibly sad in that portrait. It is narrated in the words of Jackie on what happens just after that assassination and the funeral and the aftermath.

The movie focuses on the three days after the assassination and the funeral thereafter. It tells in details the trails of Jackie and how she managed the kids in between - John Jr. happens to have a birthday the day after the assassination.

My introduction to John F Kennedy started with mom telling me about the days of his presidency and how everyone was glued to the radio following his assassination. John F Kennedy brought a whiff of fresh air and a level of optimism in the world which triggered a heavy backlash following his assassination.

Jackie as the first lady brought a level of finesse and fashion into the White house which again took a back seat with more traditional first ladies following her. There is a reference to the Kennedys being royalty and of course, they were royalty in that sense that they were the first family who were photogenic and who exploited the power of television.

When Jackie plans to have the funeral as a procession with a parade and with her in black leading the way in the full eyes of the world, she is doing exactly that. Build that mystic element around JFK and record his death for future history.

The incredible optimism of the JFK years ended with his death and the turbulent 60's began with Vietnam, the civil rights agitations, generally student unrests across the world and chaos. So it is proper that he died a such a violent death to herald the years of agitations and resistance movements that followed, which brought in more violence and deaths across.

The tragic legacy of that one family - in the deaths, the controversies and the mystery and excitement the Kennedy name evokes - remain today unchallenged by any other one group or people or family.

Natalie Portman brings in a deeply personal performance - in her struggle to handle the tragedy and the kids, fiercely fighting to define the legacy for her husband and in building that aura of charm around him quickly. She looks vulnerable at the moments of her grief and fiercely vocal in her planning for the funeral with Bobby and the Johnson administration.

When I read back, I realize that how this has become more about the Kennedys than the movie. I think it happens all the time for everyone who have studied or written about the Kennedy family. It is difficult not to be captivated by that.

Beauty and the Beast

'Beauty and the Beast' is not the movie that is going to change your world view. At best, it is a children movie some pretty good songs from the older one recycled. Emma Watson is looking good as Belle and turns in a decent performance. And the movie sustains interest through its run time and ends with a happily ever-after.

So why write a review? Because the movie also brings forth a few themes not commonly seen in movies and especially in Disney movies. Thats what makes this a much more interesting than the rest.

Belle is not the normal Disney heroine. In line with the empowered heroines of the modern Disney era (still with a few stereo types hanging on!), Belle is the girl who can read in the village and gets mocked for it by the villagers.

And the movie turns the theme of a 'damsel in distress' on its head and is actually about how Belle rescues the prince from his curse and basically brings redemption for him. This is at odds with the usual tale of the prince charming riding in to save the day for the princess.

Gaston, in a normal story, will be that prince charming. Dashing, witty and full of charm, he is portrayed instead as the brawny village idiot. In a way, instead of the prince charming, he  becomes the villain to the beast and Belle.

Of course, Belle is that intelligent heroine who rescues the Prince from his curse. We actually see her ride to rescue her father once and stand up to Gaston when he mobilizes the village. She is quite clever to understand the watch gear mechanism her father works with and hence is at once, beautiful and clever. And that is a recipe for ridicule among the villagers which she endures without batting the eye.

Life always teaches that the mother is always stronger than the father. It is always the witty, clever girl who comes out stronger in any relationship. Belle proves that by standing up to the Beast and transforming him without telling him.

However, I had some issues with this transforming business following the imprisoning sequence of Belle. Though it starts as an abusive relationship with the Beast imprisoning Belle, it transforms into love. This is a theme that could've been avoided as it conveys the wrong way of looking at a relationship. To me, advising anyone to find love in an abusive relationship is just cynical and regressive and just helps to keep the girl in the abusive relationship forever. That is so Tamil-cinema like and is completely at odds with how Belle has been portrayed through the movie.

If we can forgive that one part, the other theme the movie portrays a bit loudly is the redeeming power of love itself. The Beast gets cursed because he couldn't find love in his heart. Though they start at odds, Belle enchants him and lets him find love within him.

However, the Love here is not the love of the Beast. The Beast is shown sulking at the top of the tower of his castle when Belle leaves him. He does not become the savior of the day, but awaits his rescue at the hands of Belle. There is macho showing off of his love at any point. He pines, whines, cares, feels and does all the supposedly 'feminine' things about love. It is so refreshing to see that in the Beast.

The Rose whose petals fall off does not just represent the passage of time but the change in heart of the Beast. As always, love redeems the Beast and lifts the curse and they live happily forever.

If I can look beyond that one flaw, I would say the movie strikes the right chords and of course , the songs are absolutely fabulous and makes it the movie for the summer.

Reading Challenge Reviews by Vanathy

Vanathy participated in the 'Big Friendly Read" reading challenge conducted by the British Council Library. The challenge is to read at least 6 books and write reviews for all of them. She finished reading 7 and wrote reviews for 6 of them. The reviews were evaluated and her reviews got a perfect 30 out of 30 and the trainer wrote "Amazing writing! Loved it!". She has her own Goodreads account and regularly writes her reviews there. So, here are those 6 reviews she wrote for the challenge.

The Baking Life of Amelie Day by Vanessa Curtis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is about a girl who loves baking just like me.it was a really nice book but I felt sorry for Amelie. She was really lucky to have a chance to go to the quarter finals of the Britain’s best teen baker contest. The book had its ups and downs, but overall, it was a great book. When I got to the part where Amelie’s mom got the phone call from the judges of the Britain’s best teen baker contest saying that Amelie was qualified for the semifinals, I was happy that everything ended well for Amelie.

I really loved the book , cause it teaches people not to give up on your dreams. but I felt really sorry for Amelie when she lost her medical bag.

P.s: I think the recipes were a nice touch. They helped me bake new cupcakes and muffins.

Dream On, Amber by Emma Shevah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It taught me to stand up to bullies even when I knew she could squash me like a bug. I liked the part where Ambra (amber) won the art competition. I felt sad when she saw the little kid play with her father when she had no father to play with. I hoped in the end that amber’s father would come back and say he was sorry for leaving so unexpectedly, but it did end well even though what I thought didn’t happen. It felt heartwarming when amber’s teacher hugged her to congratulate her.

Dara Palmer's Major Drama by Emma Shevah
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I felt a bit sad when I got to the part where it said Dara was left on a temple step. I thought Dara palmer’s major drama was not a good book at all. After reading dream on, amber! , I thought Dara palmer’s major drama would be nice too. But it didn’t quiet live up to my expectations. I would not recommend this book to anyone. I felt that Dara was bragging when she said she was good at making faces, so when she didn’t get picked for the play, I thought that she deserved it.
P.s: I was glad that the book didn’t end like most books, where the lead actress can’t sing or dance at the day of the play or show, and they are replaced by the people we read about.


Elspeth Hart and the School for Show-Offs by Sarah Forbes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was the most disgusting book I have ever read. I mean, nose hairs in stews? Come on! I felt happy that in the end, Elspeth was reunited with her family. I was sad when I read the part where Elspeth had to sweep up rat accidents. I also felt sorry for the students who ate rat tails thinking they were mashed potatoes. But anyway, the book was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. All was not well but ended well for Elspeth hart.

The Parent Problem by Anna Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It showed me that boys can be all nice on the outside, but inside, they were monsters. I think that Skye’s life could not get any more mortifying. I think that the voldermont twins were bullying Skye way too much. I felt most sorry for her when her skirt fell down and somebody caught her on tape. I also found out it was Skye’s ‘best friend’ was the traitor who caught Skye falling into the toilet. But I was happy to find out that in the end everything was sorted out.

The Silly Book of Weird and Wacky Words by Andy Seed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It had many fascinating games and fantaboulous facts. Even though there were some jokes that I did not understand, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I told the jokes and games to my brother and he also agreed that they were awesome. The silly book of weird and wacky words was amazing and I expect to read more Andy seed books in the future.

View all my reviews

The Middle Finger

“An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so. Now the law of nonviolence says that violence should be resisted not by counter-violence but by nonviolence. This I do by breaking the law and by peacefully submitting to arrest and imprisonment.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

When I read about the 1965 protests and hear about it, I used to wonder why the current generation does not feel the need to rise up against the so many things that are happening around. Why is there no response to the injustices and where is the revolution, we were all waiting for?. After some time, I lost hope that the politicians and the movie stars have castrated the youth of this state enough to ensure that another uprising is not possible.

So, it was with a bit of negativity that I started looking at the Jallikattu protests when it started.

A bit of background here. I am from Madurai and have never seen a Jallikattu. I know that it is happening in the villages around, but never bothered to visit and see one. It is something the villagers do and I am not really interested. However, I've read enough of the Tamil history to know that it is an ancient tradition which has undergone significant changes in the past years and is now practiced as a marginal sport in a few villages. The ban on it when it happened also meant that the slowly dying tradition was given a quick blow.

The Protests

Siruseri SIPCOT entrance

So, it was with interest that I was watching the students standing in the service lanes of OMR with placards protesting. What do they know about Jallikattu anyway?. And almost every college in OMR was in the roads, but there is no disruption of traffic - it was congested but regulated by the students themselves, no violence, no dancing in the tops of the public transport or anything. It was  a bit refreshing.

By the end of the second day, the protests have spread to all the major cities in TN and all the students across the state were standing in the roads, shouting slogans, no violence - not even the stray ones, just protesting. It was transforming into a mass movement. The crowds in the Marina started swelling.

By the third day, it was huge. Now I started seeing more people on the roads standing and shouting slogans. The IT corridor is full of IT employees standing there after their shifts and protesting. It was just amazing.

That's when I realized that I am witnessing something historic.
These are the protests of my lifetime.

Marina in the Morning

Why?

“One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Why do we protest? I think Jallikattu only is the tipping point in a series of events that led to it. The evidence can be seen at the protests itself, where while Jallikattu remains the focus point, the speeches are about all the issues in the state.

The Cauvery water issue, the Tamaraparani water issue, the Tamil fishermen deaths, the farmer suicides, the demonetization disaster - everything gets a mention. There is a strong sense of being treated as a second class citizens within the Indian union - where our interests take a backseat to every other state/person's priority.

The ruling parties - both central and state - are seen as completely  incompetent and selfish, which I agree with. The leaders of these parties are the ones who get shouted against. I cannot think of any leaders before Modi and OPS, who were spoken in such derogatory manner by any one - let alone an entire state. And I believe, that was entirely justified.

Protest or Festivities?

Conforming to a national identity was never a part of the union. The National identity should be a confirmation of the existence of different cultures with different traditions and languages. Conforming to a Hindu ideal  or any other ideal , as defined by the rulers will only serve to lose our identity as a people and will help in ensuring that this 3000 year old state loses a reason for existence. This goes for every state which is there in the country. If we cannot be an union of federated states, the protest is the only solution. Of course, this pisses off the right-wing, as they see any protest - கலகம் - as a threat to their agenda. Herein lies the root cause of these protests.

Is it justified to have these grievances? I believe yes. The simmering of these sentiments over the past so many years has reached the boiling point now and just got released through the Jallikattu issue. The total insensitivity of the rulers to address any of the issues has forced the hands of the protesters.

Marina

“Amandla Awethu (Power to the people)”
- Nelson Mandela

I went to Marina twice in the past 2 days and came back satisfied that Civil Disobedience when practiced, can be the force to reckon with. There crowd has increased day by day and the volunteers are doing a great job keeping the place clean, regulate traffic and there is not one incident - however minor it may be.

We are what we define ourselves to be.

The environment is electric with people shouting slogans, food gets distributed at regular intervals, people come and drop off water bottles/packets in bundles without worrying about who it gets distributed to, women carrying large cans of juices, coffee and tea set up place and distribute. It is just amazing to see the spirit of people in ensuring that there is a constant flow of food and water, the mobile toilets are in place and everyone is taken care of.

The entire place feels like a big family picnic with street drams, performers, campfires going in the sandy beach, music bands, folk dancers and continuous speeches by ordinary people all the time. The protests are the chic place to be if you are in Chennai now.

முஷ்டியை உயர்த்து..

I was with my family in Marina till 11.30pm yesterday and can see a large number of people who have come with their families - small kids with placards, shouting 'தமிழன் என்று சொல்லடா, தலை நிமிர்ந்து நில்லடா', women forming their own groups and shouting slogans and at 11.30PM, I saw a total of 3 policemen controlling what seems to be about a 100,000 people in the beach and we felt absolutely safe.

This is an entire state showing a huge middle finger to the central and state governments and all the so-called leaders.

What I had witnessed is a Revolution.

What now?

“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

The governments are now acting. So I think Jallikattu will happen and the protests to a logical conclusion. But what has happened now will make the government to act on trying to ensure another protest does not happen. I think that will be futile.

The iconic mobile torch moment..

The people who were at the protests in the various parts of the state would feel a personal victory against the government and will get politicized in their views. That is a good thing. The kids who were at the protests will grow up with a memory of what happened and will not hesitate to repeat it when it is their turns to protest the injustices of their time.

I am incredibly happy that the youngsters of this state has ensured that the future will be much better than what it looks like today.

And once again, Civil disobedience or Satyagraha , as practiced by a much-vilified old man, has proven to be a mighty weapon against unjust rulers and laws. I bear witness to that.

And I am much privileged to be a minuscule part of a movement which demonstrated that.

Fidel and Che

Fidel Castro is dead.

As the champions of democracy celebrate and the advocates of freedom throw a party, let me try to figure why I feel sad at his passing.

I've always been a leftist liberal. So while I took in a lot of leftist romantic stories on revolutions and the notions of wealth in the erstwhile Soviet Russia and China, I was cured of those about 15-16 years back. I became a cog in the great Capitalist wheel, which churns to deliver freedom to the West and pretty much throws everyone else under the bus.

So, Fidel and Che, along with Lenin, Trotsky and the people of Soviet Russia used to be the biggest heroes of life. They are not just action heroes who helped establish the dictatorship of the proletariat, they also proved that Communist/socialist experiments are possible and the Marxist philosophy works.

The bigger question was, at what cost? The human cost of these Marxist experiments run into millions, dead, sent to labor camps, missing etc. And the experiment failed in the case of Soviet Russia. While Socialism survives as a piece of relic in Western democracies, Communism beat a hasty retreat and now is a almost fringe philosophy.

While all these are part of the history of the past 25 years, what does the passing of Fidel, the last revolutionary signify? Does it mark the end of the old Communist ideology or the beginning of the newer left rise?

I do believe the Capitalist system as it exist today is unsustainable. The exploitation of resources, the imperial needs to maintain control over vast swathes of land, the tyranny of the individual over the society - all will slowly move the world towards a dictatorship of the Right. And that is not a sustainable path for the 99% people of the world.

However, I do not think revolution will come through as well. The youth of this country and the developing/developed worlds were thoroughly castrated to even think on their own and the kind of things they believe makes any revolution, not just impossible, almost a joke. Wearing a beret and a Che t-shirt is a fashion statement today than an ideological belief.

So what is the path forward? I do believe there is a reason why Bernie Sanders did well. He lost but in the larger scheme of things, this points to the kind of Socialist path the world should work towards to achieve any sense of justice towards its people. I do believe that the right, conservative ideology will bring large scale destruction, like it has done multiple times in the past, across the world and the salvation lies in the center-left, socialist path.

Fidel may not have liked the center-left. But the world he inhabited has passed on and the Marxist ideology needs to re-invent itself for it to be successful. 

Arrival

'Arrival' starts off with a downbeat short film on the life of its protagonist , Louise, a linguistics professor. She is callled upon to interpret the language of the aliens who just arrived in the wide open spaces of Montana.

The movie has two important themes, language and time. In the first few minutes we are told that 'Language is a weapon' and a brief on the Sopir-Whorf hypothesis on how learning a language can re-wire the thinking process to affect the behavior modes and the underlying culture as well.

Thus, the first challenge of how to learn an alien language is set. I was thinking of how learning a language like English changes the perception of the world around oneself and the behavior modes of people. We see that all the time in Tamil cinema. The brother starts talking in English and the entire village is amazed. That is a little crude way of saying it but it also conveys the essential relation between the language and culture.

However, the process in the movie is set in a very personal mode. Louise takes it upon herself to identify mode of conveying what she thinks and getting a response and interpreting it. The tragedy in her life pops up all through the episode with no visible explanation on her mental state. However, there is this brilliant explanation of the construct of a simple question she uses to illustrate the complexity of the language we take for granted.

The movie does not goes into lengths in explaining the proceedings and most of the story has to be constructed in the back and forth of the movement.

That brings the other part of the equation - Time. Time plays a crucial role and there are hints dropped all along the movie in pieces to understand what is going on and the crisp little conversations in Louise life gives hints. The palindrome name of the daughter, the questioning about the father offer some helpful hints. But the unraveling at the end is quite fast to miss out on how it ends.

Non-linear time, in itself, offers possibilities which are just mind-boggling to think of. And being the center part of the gigantic Alien world, the clues of re-wiring the human civilization through the construct of the language offers other ways of looking at traveling through time.

The movie takes a more personal tone than a 'normal' Hollywood bombastic tone which adds to the involvement in the movie itself. There are scenes - the hepta-pods, the first sensory experience of an alien craft - are all taken very sensibly without resorting to heavy dose of science but relying on a child-like experience to bring home the point.

Overall, a brilliant movie crafted with layers of science and emotions built into it . Must-watch.