True to the name Svanubhava, it is indeed an experience.
I missed out on programs of Svanubhava over the last years. Thanks to Sri TMK’s mail on the program and schedule. Big thanks to their use of Technology, they created virtual reality.
A podium where one could see tradition and technology, both together and to their core-Svanubhava. Tradition was preserved in every event... I feel small to talk about the depth of convention and custom, be it in Vidushi N Rajam's performance and her explanation of Carnatic and Hindustani concepts, Shashank’s venugaanam or Malavika’s graceful natyam. Never to forget the “Sriram” duo. There is an inherent tradition - musicians shouldn’t be sent empty handed and this was by and large followed, by rewarding even the school kids who sang some 2 or 3 compositions, as a token of appreciation.
To the technology part now...amazing streaming and buffering. Despite TMK's email, I had missed the first few days of this music fest, "music feast" would be a better expression. This morning (Aug 6th) I tried linking to the program online and faced some problem with streaming...All I had to do was send a mail to TMK and it worked amazingly fast, I do not know if it was a coincidence or he really got it to work after my mail. Then was an issue with buffering and a mail yet again fixed it. TMK and his technology crew are just remarkable. I fall short on words. Do I appreciate music or technology? Each is better than the other. What an event and immense organizing; I just could watch rest of the program since then from office, home from anywhere and everywhere. I could remain connected till the end. My personal take away from the day’s program was more from the last event –“Vid. Sriram Parashuram and Vid. Anooradha Sriram on their Guru Dr. T Viswanathan”. One could see obedience and reverence in the two stalwarts’ eyes when they were talking about their Guru – Towering examples of Guru bhakthi! Just loved Sriram’s elucidation of jaru and kampitha gamaka paddathis. Anooradha’s exhibition of the use of single swaram as sounding different(based on its orientation with the adjacent swara)was one of its only kind.
Few points that reached me deeply were:
-Empowering a composition by adding beauty to the words that make up the musical piece.
-Importance to aesthetics while singing, every line to be sung with grace.
-Knowing the syntax of the language while singing non-tongue compositions
-Importance of learning an instrument for a vocalist - imposing the facets of violin, flute -and other instruments in the vocal instrument
-Singing based on the essence of the kriti and not just on raga...2 songs of same raga would carry different personality depending on their context.
That was quite an invigorating session.
(Added on 7th aug)
It was a feast to see Vid. Soumya and Vid. Nityashree together on stage. The debate session on “Gender bias in music and dance art forms” was thought-provoking with an entertaining moderation by Sri R K Sriramkumar followed by the on-going(3:52 pm now on aug 7th) Varakari Sampradaya by Tukaram Ganapathi Maharaj. The single stage embraced ample of varieties.
Many audiences including me would have thought that there wouldn't be enough time for such many special sessions over a span of 6 days, 9 am – 4 pm each day. The program proved me wrong. I followed only 2 days of the 6-day festival and Svanubhava has been so informative and revealing that I have piled up bits and pieces for later digestion. If one thought Carnatic music and programs of Svanubhava kind are confined only to Chennai, NO, TMK, Bombay Jayashree and their crew streamed music to every house, every part of the world.
I shall not get into deeper musical details of the program for I write about music in almost every other post. I would like to retain this blog post to appreciate the whole team of Svanubhava for such an event. Am sure the once termed “struggling-to-exist” classical art forms will flourish with efforts of this kind. This is an interesting event to prove technology can positively contribute to not just keeping alive of tradition but promote it. As TMK rightly says Svanubhava is not a corporate event with advertisements and banners. Its an event purely driven by passionate people. Using technology rethinking on tradition is the way I would term this!!!
Kudos! Its difficult to wait for a year for similar soul-stirring experience!Special thanks to Sri TMK.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
This isnt my kind of post. I would generally not prefer showing my frustration on paper and let readers carry. But if this blog post could help me get away with my disturbance and share my feelings/thoughts with people who land on my blog, I can’t be more happy.
My ears tuned to the news of a college kid's suicide this morning, a boy who had grown up in front of my eyes. Such incidents have become so familiar these days that many of us have lost our senses and emotions to news of this kind. Finding it difficult to gulp the news and the several odd reasons I could trace behind it, I decided to scribe it down here.
There is this boy who has the reputation that goes behind any good student. Circumstances or fate prevails over letting the boy not score as much as he had marked for himself. Is this a reason to end life? Tell me, is this why we educate kids? Even when he fell short of his expectations, he wasn’t the kind to be termed “not up to snuff” . All that his home now houses is his traumatized parents lamenting to figure out the boy’s depression behind this sudden decision.
A kid who cannot face his marks/friends/parents/society gets guts to face death? Call it immaturity or mellowness? Are the movies and media to be blamed, which portray suicide as an easy solution to many problems and death being embraced as an easy friend. My hand trembles when I type the very word suicide, how can a little boy cuddle it?
We all agree that kids of these days are more intelligent, more rationale and have all that is good for the several neurons officing in the brain. Aren’t we seeing these most intelligent brains searching for rapid escape from life backing on some trivial competition factor?
If I sit back and think,
1- It is the feeling of worthlessness that leads to depression and depression to such scary end. Teach the child to seek help when he is not feeling good emotionally. Diminishing into depression could have various reasons, but the child isn’t to be blamed. It is the mental frame at that particular hour and the child must be given hope that he isn’t at slip and that things would get better.
2- Teach kids the art of socializing for it is more likely that a child opens up and shares its apprehensions when he moves with people.
3- Schools that implant the concept of competition should infuse in kids a mind to accept failure too.
4- Parents should give time to the little brains to digest knowledge. Not all brains are manufactured in the same machine.
5- Satisfying the society shouldn’t be the thing topping the list, one should know to LIVE for SELF with his knowledge/capabilities and talent and not get hassled.
6- Schools must impart philosophical training on the significance of life.
7- Parents must teach kids to love life and not adore competition.
8- Be a friend to your kid when you think he needs one and when he is low. Be around with him. Take him out, shower more love.
9- Give spiritual education. Spirituality is not about running around temples and seeking God. It is about knowing life, its value and to live one.
It doesn’t make me feel good to bullet down points when a family is under such suffering and dismay. I started keying in only because I, a stranger couldn’t admit the fright. All I wish to share with the readers who hit this post is "Death is not a way to escape from the confusion of life. Everyone has a right to life, but not to end it. Taking life away could give one relief, but he will remain a hitch to each one of his people for their entirety. Running away is never an escape. It’s a bigger trap. Let the end product of academic competition not be adolescent suicide"
Discussions on this should lead to light and not churn up heat. Hope this post lets me and the readers extract some virtue however trivial it is.
My ears tuned to the news of a college kid's suicide this morning, a boy who had grown up in front of my eyes. Such incidents have become so familiar these days that many of us have lost our senses and emotions to news of this kind. Finding it difficult to gulp the news and the several odd reasons I could trace behind it, I decided to scribe it down here.
There is this boy who has the reputation that goes behind any good student. Circumstances or fate prevails over letting the boy not score as much as he had marked for himself. Is this a reason to end life? Tell me, is this why we educate kids? Even when he fell short of his expectations, he wasn’t the kind to be termed “not up to snuff” . All that his home now houses is his traumatized parents lamenting to figure out the boy’s depression behind this sudden decision.
A kid who cannot face his marks/friends/parents/society gets guts to face death? Call it immaturity or mellowness? Are the movies and media to be blamed, which portray suicide as an easy solution to many problems and death being embraced as an easy friend. My hand trembles when I type the very word suicide, how can a little boy cuddle it?
We all agree that kids of these days are more intelligent, more rationale and have all that is good for the several neurons officing in the brain. Aren’t we seeing these most intelligent brains searching for rapid escape from life backing on some trivial competition factor?
If I sit back and think,
1- It is the feeling of worthlessness that leads to depression and depression to such scary end. Teach the child to seek help when he is not feeling good emotionally. Diminishing into depression could have various reasons, but the child isn’t to be blamed. It is the mental frame at that particular hour and the child must be given hope that he isn’t at slip and that things would get better.
2- Teach kids the art of socializing for it is more likely that a child opens up and shares its apprehensions when he moves with people.
3- Schools that implant the concept of competition should infuse in kids a mind to accept failure too.
4- Parents should give time to the little brains to digest knowledge. Not all brains are manufactured in the same machine.
5- Satisfying the society shouldn’t be the thing topping the list, one should know to LIVE for SELF with his knowledge/capabilities and talent and not get hassled.
6- Schools must impart philosophical training on the significance of life.
7- Parents must teach kids to love life and not adore competition.
8- Be a friend to your kid when you think he needs one and when he is low. Be around with him. Take him out, shower more love.
9- Give spiritual education. Spirituality is not about running around temples and seeking God. It is about knowing life, its value and to live one.
It doesn’t make me feel good to bullet down points when a family is under such suffering and dismay. I started keying in only because I, a stranger couldn’t admit the fright. All I wish to share with the readers who hit this post is "Death is not a way to escape from the confusion of life. Everyone has a right to life, but not to end it. Taking life away could give one relief, but he will remain a hitch to each one of his people for their entirety. Running away is never an escape. It’s a bigger trap. Let the end product of academic competition not be adolescent suicide"
Discussions on this should lead to light and not churn up heat. Hope this post lets me and the readers extract some virtue however trivial it is.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Dependency
“Hey did u file the IT returns of your daughter” asked my father’s friend. His son is on a long term onsite and the father is left behind to fill the application, collect Form 16, forge the signature and all that’s expected from the candidate. After this call ended, a sequel started and picked up, hooked on to an argument at home between my father and his brother.
Why should the kids be dependent on parents even at their age of financial independence? Was my Uncle’s argument and my father took a different stand saying, a kid remains a kid as long as either of them stay alive.
The argument left me pondering. As a kid, all of us grow up with instructions from parents - brush your teeth, pick your bag, tie your lace, this course suits you, go for it; buy the gladiator bike, though it isn’t with the trend, it gives you more mileage – yes all of us would have got showers of these and oodles more. Do we call this enslavement or codependency to keep an order in relationship?
A child is forced to comply by the decisions and instructions of its parents. Our parents literally carry us to the kindergarten. While in the middle school, they take us by hand, in high school and pre-college, they decide the academic course suitable for us. At every stage, there is a reliance of the kids on parents. These subtle responsibilities and order-obedience mode is necessary to bind the two in this relationship. But this gradually fades away as we grow up into an adult and pose self-reliant.
As grown-ups too we can be dependent on parents on many matters - What it wrong? Personally, my father handles my finance and tax details. It isn’t a big burden nor am I lazy to do it myself. I enjoy this dependency, so does my father. There are various other ways for us kids to return back our parents’ due. How much ever we do, we will be indebted to them for our entire life!!
While breaking free the chains of dependency is a good thing, maintaining a delicate dependency on parents, even as a grown-up is an essential aspect to fasten this child-parent bond.
"Dad, why don’t you help me verify the BDA site’s documents" – do you think you are taxing him? Absolutely Not – he will be happy that you are using his experience and maturity in handling things.
"Dad, I’ll get a printout of both our IT forms, lets sit and fill them together."
"Mom, please select me a saree for my friend’s marriage"
Man! I tell you, they never consider this a saddle. Instead they will be happy that even as a grown-up you value them. This is exactly what is needed in this relationship.
Quoting the well acknowledged,
"If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people."
- There is dependency whether we like and acknowledge or not! Why shy away from exhibiting :)
Why should the kids be dependent on parents even at their age of financial independence? Was my Uncle’s argument and my father took a different stand saying, a kid remains a kid as long as either of them stay alive.
The argument left me pondering. As a kid, all of us grow up with instructions from parents - brush your teeth, pick your bag, tie your lace, this course suits you, go for it; buy the gladiator bike, though it isn’t with the trend, it gives you more mileage – yes all of us would have got showers of these and oodles more. Do we call this enslavement or codependency to keep an order in relationship?
A child is forced to comply by the decisions and instructions of its parents. Our parents literally carry us to the kindergarten. While in the middle school, they take us by hand, in high school and pre-college, they decide the academic course suitable for us. At every stage, there is a reliance of the kids on parents. These subtle responsibilities and order-obedience mode is necessary to bind the two in this relationship. But this gradually fades away as we grow up into an adult and pose self-reliant.
As grown-ups too we can be dependent on parents on many matters - What it wrong? Personally, my father handles my finance and tax details. It isn’t a big burden nor am I lazy to do it myself. I enjoy this dependency, so does my father. There are various other ways for us kids to return back our parents’ due. How much ever we do, we will be indebted to them for our entire life!!
While breaking free the chains of dependency is a good thing, maintaining a delicate dependency on parents, even as a grown-up is an essential aspect to fasten this child-parent bond.
"Dad, why don’t you help me verify the BDA site’s documents" – do you think you are taxing him? Absolutely Not – he will be happy that you are using his experience and maturity in handling things.
"Dad, I’ll get a printout of both our IT forms, lets sit and fill them together."
"Mom, please select me a saree for my friend’s marriage"
Man! I tell you, they never consider this a saddle. Instead they will be happy that even as a grown-up you value them. This is exactly what is needed in this relationship.
Quoting the well acknowledged,
"If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people."
- There is dependency whether we like and acknowledge or not! Why shy away from exhibiting :)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Awesome Bangalore weather
As I sit there warm inside
Gazing through the window wide
Drops roll down from cherub's pouches
Unwinding happiness from her lashes
The chitter chatter of the placid shower
Crafts every heart a rover
She dances to my rhythm
I sing to her romance
Through the window pane
My eyes capture the extent
Through the rain drops
I feel to my heart’s content
-Revathi
Gazing through the window wide
Drops roll down from cherub's pouches
Unwinding happiness from her lashes
The chitter chatter of the placid shower
Crafts every heart a rover
She dances to my rhythm
I sing to her romance
Through the window pane
My eyes capture the extent
Through the rain drops
I feel to my heart’s content
-Revathi
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The voice within
How far in, do I come?
To hear you, O my voice
To tune to your hum
To heed to your whisper amidst the minds noise
How far in, do I come?
The yawning grotto was lit, I thought
I traveled...I reached not thee…you stilled mum
The cavernous chaotic thoughts fought
How far in, do I come?
Hiding behind, you nose into my hurried life
You bully me, the zillion things in my mind loom
Can I ignore you? Footing on the edge of the knife
How far in, do I come?
Lend me a hand, aid me to comprehend
Cannot get so deep that I go beyond myself
How far in, do I come??
-Revathi
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Trnnnn Trnnnn…
“Morning” I called as I walked past tapping my rommie still on bed. “Sun is on head” I continued as I headed to the kitchen.
After popping a couple of sugar cubes into the mug, I dug the trays to get out makings for tea, a pleasant combination of cardamom and ginger tea bags. A custom-made tea with tea-leaves, milk and sugar would be any day heaven than these off-the-rack tea bags. Hot tea flanking with a couple of cookies, diced apples, a cup of cereals and 10 soaked almonds with Monday magazine – could I only reverie now. I did have this luxury till a year back when my genie used to cosset me with servings on bed.
---
“Mom, I am 27 and I understand what I am doing, don’t treat me a kid”. I tried reasoning with her, persuading her to see me off to the University of Rochester for a Post Grad. degree in Imaging. Nothing seemed to work. She needed to understand that I could take my own decisions now that I am a grown-up girl. “Yes dear, you are a big girl now. It’s time for you settle in life and focus on your family ladder.” – She retorted. Least I wished then was to get into wedlock. I had no lavishing bank balance to pay for my studies at New York too to catch up with my dream. I wanted my mother to liquidify her bank balance and use it on my education than on marriage. I resisted! There was friction. The only instant decision I could make to prove self-determining then was to move away from home and live independently. I walked out of home to live close to my office. The Paying Guest accommodation housed working women from different companies from a nearby Tech Park.
After popping a couple of sugar cubes into the mug, I dug the trays to get out makings for tea, a pleasant combination of cardamom and ginger tea bags. A custom-made tea with tea-leaves, milk and sugar would be any day heaven than these off-the-rack tea bags. Hot tea flanking with a couple of cookies, diced apples, a cup of cereals and 10 soaked almonds with Monday magazine – could I only reverie now. I did have this luxury till a year back when my genie used to cosset me with servings on bed.
---
“Mom, I am 27 and I understand what I am doing, don’t treat me a kid”. I tried reasoning with her, persuading her to see me off to the University of Rochester for a Post Grad. degree in Imaging. Nothing seemed to work. She needed to understand that I could take my own decisions now that I am a grown-up girl. “Yes dear, you are a big girl now. It’s time for you settle in life and focus on your family ladder.” – She retorted. Least I wished then was to get into wedlock. I had no lavishing bank balance to pay for my studies at New York too to catch up with my dream. I wanted my mother to liquidify her bank balance and use it on my education than on marriage. I resisted! There was friction. The only instant decision I could make to prove self-determining then was to move away from home and live independently. I walked out of home to live close to my office. The Paying Guest accommodation housed working women from different companies from a nearby Tech Park.
Life was on wheels, no stillness…Running with the world had become the mantra. A year had gone past my shoulder and I did manage to live a life away from my people which I had once found hard to even imagine.
---
“Hey, You still on bed? Up and scuttle. Weekend is long gone. Catch you in the evening” – I saw my sleeping friend off. It was Aug 11th, indeed a day imperative in my life; the day I opened my eyes to this compelling world. I hardly remembered the date; neither was I interested in keeping track of each day of my life. Where do we have the tear-away calendars in a PG that typical SouthIndian homes preserve! Novels scattered over tiny shabby beds, mobile phone chargers hanging loose from the switch board, dresses helter-skelter, a TV cum showcase hosting pens, invitation cards, gifts from boyfriends, cinema/concert tickets is a scene typical of any PG accommodation. The only nice thing about this housing was it was close to my office. So close that I could walk down with my sleepy eyes…it doesn’t take me big roads to negotiate traffic, heavy vehicles’ horns to keep my ears open to. The time I realize I am out of PG, I would be in my seat.
---
“Where did you pick my name from? I say, delete the entry right now and don’t bother to disturb me on a Monday morning again”. I knew it dint sound polite. Far from it! I was but helpless. I work for an MNC with encumbered schedules and unplanned meetings all day. Agreed! The call from ICICI would have been purely a business call offering some value added service. But, it was not in my interest. Such calls had become more a nuisance of late. I was pondering if I could file a case on ICICI for a million rupees. That could atleast help chase my Rochester dream.
I headed back to prepare for the presentation I had in little time.
“There is little literature work on recognition algorithms in past 2 decades, Mr. Kim. The available open source is licensed under GPL and could only help us get hands dirty.” Trnnnn Trnnnn…– “Excuse me please!” I paused my presentation and headed to pick the call on my mobile. “Good morning ma’am. This is a call from ICICI….” I bluntly cut the call keeping myself composed amidst a managing team of 10 at the project proposal meeting. “That’s all I had from this presentation. To conclude, this technology survey serves as a gateway for timbre recognition to our novel researchers.” The presentation was well received and I sighed big thanking my weekend’s slog.
Back at desk I looked for my mobile service provider’s Customer Care number to wedge ICICI marketing calls. To add to my irksome mood the call to customer care dint get across. I moaned. I realized I was loud when my nosy cube-mate leaned over to me.
Mondays have never been mine. I guess I take effort to shape my mood bad. It is generally easy for anybody to get on my nerves and Mondays could mean a feast for such folks.
I firmed to get productive for the second half of the day, clear mails and sign off early from work. Trnnnn Trnnnn… “Good afternoon ma’am. This is a call from ICICI….” To be precise, it was 3:23 pm and I hadn’t made through half my work for the day. “I am not interested in any of the value added services you are offering me. Please stop reaching me” - I thought I should say this. So much courtesy should be extended to a fellow corporate working for a company like mine having his own targets. “One more call from you, I shall lodge a complaint with the police” – I heard myself saying. No calls thereafter. That made me comprehend, my only phone friends were the ICICI officials.
Day seemed to end much better than it began. Done with evening chores - I was getting to bed. The mobile phone called one last time for the day. The syrupy ring tone seemed screaming. With a laid-back attitude I picked the call. That was mom! “Happy Birthday sweety! Your absence is very loud, please get back home dear. Hope you liked your Birthday gift. And I hope the amount I transferred to your ICICI account will make up for your Post Grad. Studies you long wished. I requested a representative to convey this surprise gift to you. I give you your due, my dear.”
“A little patience can make life better!”
Friday, June 4, 2010
No Name
I wish I could go back in time when the biggest change round the corner was getting up at 5:30 am to keep on time to the bus. Life has pampered me more than it should have. I am a creature who finds comfort in the enduring phases of life though they might not be as fascinating to the rest. I don’t believe in skating all thro’ the year; I love to pause-by and enjoy every split second of this beautiful life. Simple pleasures like playing with a balloon, sipping a cup of tea sitting on the stairs outdoor, watching the color of a growing leaf turn deeper by days, a board of carom with grandpa, lazy evening walk with mamma, a cuddled sleep with my teddy and heaps more fill my kitty than a giant certificate.
This time around - deep within, there is a resistance for change, tats been the case with me always though - "fear of unknown" or "fear of stepping out of the comfort zone". I do not know! But then thats life all about...Changes come every few years. While some go unnoticed letting us adapt seamlessly, some need towers, tall enough for a seamless transition. After all mind is a petty one and I fully comprehend if it can’t figure the cargo.
The post would be incomplete if I don’t script this one from Jiddu K... He has bemused me many a times, all the same, has lit the path to inward journey... (Not sure which station I am in now:))...Each line of his gets me thinking. I seem to stop reading and start thinking –meaning I ideally haven’t taken off on my expedition yet :)
Here it goes:
"It seems to me that the real problem is the mind itself and not the problem which the mind has created and tries to solve. If the mind is petty, small, narrow, limited, however great and complex the problem may be, the mind approaches that problem in terms of its own pettiness...Though it has extraordinary capacities and is capable of invention, of subtle, cunning thought, the mind is still petty. It may be able to quote Marx, or the Gita, or some other religious book, but it is still a small mind, and a small mind confronted with a complex problem can only translate that problem in terms of itself, and therefore the problem, the misery increases. So the question is: Can the mind that is small, petty, be transformed into something which is not bound by its own limitations?"
Having said that, I know life s beautiful and am sure its gonna get better with time :)
This time around - deep within, there is a resistance for change, tats been the case with me always though - "fear of unknown" or "fear of stepping out of the comfort zone". I do not know! But then thats life all about...Changes come every few years. While some go unnoticed letting us adapt seamlessly, some need towers, tall enough for a seamless transition. After all mind is a petty one and I fully comprehend if it can’t figure the cargo.
The post would be incomplete if I don’t script this one from Jiddu K... He has bemused me many a times, all the same, has lit the path to inward journey... (Not sure which station I am in now:))...Each line of his gets me thinking. I seem to stop reading and start thinking –meaning I ideally haven’t taken off on my expedition yet :)
Here it goes:
"It seems to me that the real problem is the mind itself and not the problem which the mind has created and tries to solve. If the mind is petty, small, narrow, limited, however great and complex the problem may be, the mind approaches that problem in terms of its own pettiness...Though it has extraordinary capacities and is capable of invention, of subtle, cunning thought, the mind is still petty. It may be able to quote Marx, or the Gita, or some other religious book, but it is still a small mind, and a small mind confronted with a complex problem can only translate that problem in terms of itself, and therefore the problem, the misery increases. So the question is: Can the mind that is small, petty, be transformed into something which is not bound by its own limitations?"
Having said that, I know life s beautiful and am sure its gonna get better with time :)
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