மழையே யார் மீது காதல் இப்படி பொழிகிறாய்

[Translation: Hey rain, on whom you want to rain]

ஏ மைனா அந்த நொடி நீ நானென்றால் நான் ஜென்ம சாபல்யம் அடைந்திருப்பேன் 

Independence Day coming 

 அரந்த வாலுங்க

வயலினில் லயித்தேன்

[Translation: Got immersed in Violin]

Since July 2010 I was reading all newspaper regularly looking for the Parampara Festival 2010. Fortunately I saw the advertisement last Thursday (5-Aug-2010). Paramapara is a three day annual festival organised by Sri Raja Reddy and Srimati Radha Raja Reddy, and Srimati Kousalya Raja Reddy on behalf of Natya Tharagani (A school for Kuchipudi Dance). This year the premise of the festival was duet. On the second day of the series they had an Odissi dance performance by the students of Sri Guru Gangadar Pradhan followed by a Violin duet performance by Ganesh and Kumaresh (G&K). I went mainly for G&K. However the Odissi performance was also a highlight which I have discussed separately.

After a divine romantic performance by students of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, the stage was set aesthetically for G&K. Brothers started with a contemporary music (This piece was Ragha Prabhavam in Ragam Gambira Naatai in Adi Taalam) which is not a traditional Krithis, Varnams.  The performance was like a cut shot sixer  hit by Sehwag in the first over the match. After that they performed a Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Krithi,  an Alaapana, a Thyagaraja’s Krithis and Mangalam which had one of my favourite Harivarasanam (A song rendered while closing the Lord Ayyappa Temple @ Sabarimala). Their rendition of the Thyagaraja’s Kirthi showed their mastery. On the whole the Violin performance, which lasted for ninety minutes, had all ingredients of a fruit salad which everyone in the Kamani Auditorium enjoyed. For couple of minutes, audience praised  with a standing ovation.  Once the concert was over, I took the opportunity to get autographs from G&K as well as from Jayanthi Kumaresh (Venna Artist, her programme was scheduled for the next day). Here I got introduced to a friend Varun Koundinya from Hyderabad. We shared about our list of collections of G&K. We quickly shared a good wavelength. Varun happily accepted my request to take a photograph of G&K & I. Later I and Varun were discussing with G&K about their future albums. G said they are working on their new album in lines of CC. I am waiting for it …….. On the whole it was a unique unforgettable day for me.

About the relationship between RBA and G&K

In early 2007, I started learning Violin (Carnatic Classical Music). Around this time there was a hoarding, in Mount Road (aka/alias Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai] advertising the album ‘Carnatic Chills’(CC),  by Violin Duet Ganesh & Kumaresh (G&K), is released by AR Rehman. Only for the name AR Rehman I went exploring about Ganesh Kumaresh. But reading about G&K I was stunned by these child prodigies. In the subsequent week ‘The Hindu’ praised the album very highly.  Now I didn’t had a second thought to buy the album. I straight away went to Music World and purchased CC. It was the first CD album I have brought even though it was too costly for me at that time. But CC was worth buying it. Couple of the tracks [‘Dance like a Man’ and ‘Flights of Fantasy’] in the album are some of the best I have listened so far. This album is not regular classical stuff. It was neither a fusion nor Carnatic music with a western flavour. It was straight from heart to heart and it was fresh, scintillating. Since then I became a big fan of G&K. They have become an inspiration for me to learn Violin much better. While writing I guess in future I would try my hands on a duet performance. And would even try  a Jugal Bandhi with my friend Xavy playing Veena. It would happen one day

(RBA, Ganesh and Kumaresh)

(Varun, Ganesh, Jayanthi Kumaresh & Kumaresh)

மழலைப் பட்டாளம் - Kids Corner

[It is right to mention மழலை [Kids] as பட்டாளம் [Military] because, kids are like military people who corner you from all corners and keep you in arrest. We can't escape from them]

On one fine evening when I was in a park nearby my house in Delhi, I was tempted 1. to get married asap and have two three children, 2. to be as children itself throughout life because I can defer from board exams, marks, entrance exams, campus exams, project, deadlines, appraisals, love, marriage, responsibility, stress. Okay coming back to what made me tempted is the cheerful smiles, which is highly contagious, I found in children. These kids were/are always in a jubilant mood. I was interested in taking few candid shots, but in the dusk, I found it bit difficult to get some candid shots, especially when the kids are dynamic. And these kids somehow found me taking snaps and were much euphoric to give me the much required shots. And once I took few snaps there were some 20 kids buzzing like bees and the word they buzzed was UNCLE UNCLE UNCLE [Initially when I came to Delhi I hated this word UNCLE. I wished/loved them to call me Bhaiya [Elder Brother]. But I never succeeded even with my neighbor Behan [Younger Sister]]. It is a great feeling when those kids beam with complete joy in their eyes and looked at me and put their soft hands up and asked me take them some snaps, a honor, they gave me, which I didn't refuse. [Few things I found difficult, the ladies and grannies in the park were probing me with many questions such as are your reporter?, where are you from? why you are taking snaps? have u come for survey? Are you a journalist? Oh! ]. And it is really very happy when you are surrounded with kids, you forgot everything. I realized what one of my friends sister [a Teacher] said about the joy she gets from unconditional love she gets from her children/students. Be amidst children, Be amidst happiness. Have fun. Cheers!

இருள் சூழ்ந்தது - Dusk

மழையோடு நனைய குடையோடு சென்றேன்

[மழையோடு - In Rain நனைய - to get wet குடையோடு - with umbrella சென்றேன் - went]

[To get wet in rain, went with umbrella]

மாலை நேரம் மழை தூறும் காலம்

மாலை நேரம்
மழை தூறும் காலம்
என் ஜன்னல் ஓரம் அமர்கிறேன்
நீயும் நானும்
ஒரு வரிசையில்
சிறு மேகம் போலே மிதக்கிறோம்
ஓடும் பேருந்தில்
உடன் ஓடும் நினைவுகள் வழி மாறும் பயணங்கள்
தொடர்கிறதே
இது தான் வாழ்க்கையா
ஒரு துணை தான் தேவையா
மனம் ஏனோ என்னையே கேட்கிறதே


ஒ ஹோ காதல் இங்கே பிறந்தது
கவிதை ஒன்று முடிந்தது
தேடும் போதே தொலைந்ததே - அன்பே
இது சோகம் ஆனால் ஒரு சுகம்
நெஞ்சின் உள்ளே பரவிடும்
நாம் பழகிய காலம் பரவசம் - அன்பே
இதம் தருமே..


மூவர் இருக்கையில் அமர்கையில்
நினைவு ஓர் ஆயிரம்
இருவர் இருக்கையில் அமர்கையில்
நினைவு நூறாயிரம்
காதலில் விழுந்த இதயம்
மீட்க முடியாதது
கனவில் தொலைந்த நிஜங்கள்
மீண்டும் கிடைக்காதது
ஒரு காலையில் நீ இல்லை
தேடவும் மனம் வரவில்லை
பிரிந்ததும் புரிந்தது
நான் என்ன(என்னை) இழந்தேன் என


ஒரு முறை வாசலில்
நீயாய் வந்தால் என்ன?
நான் கேட்கவே துடித்திடும்
வார்த்தை சொன்னால் என்ன?
இரு மனம் சேர்கையில் பிழைகள்
பொறுத்து கொண்டால் என்ன?
இரு திசை பறவைகள் இணைந்து
விண்ணில் சென்றால் என்ன?
என் தேடல்கள் நீ இல்லை
உன் கனவுகள் நான் இல்லை
இரு விழி பார்வையில்
நாம் உருகி நின்றால் என்ன?