Maladi Bros :)

ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE!!
Got to spend time with musicians whom I adore so much, for most part of the day, I felt as though I was in a dream.. :D

Plus a truly magical evening followed, on attending their concert with a wonderful friend.
Artists:
Vocal: Malladi Sri Sreeramprasad, Malladi Sri Ravikumar
Violin: Sri M A Sundareswaran
Mridangam: Sri MLN Raju
Ghatam: Sri M A Krishnamurthy
 
1) Varnam - Sami Daya Juda - Kedaragaula - Adi (R,S at Nee Saati)
Was an apt beginning to the conc, with the exception of the faulty mike system, to which the organisers apologised later.
2) Sri Maha Ganapatim Bhajeham - Athana - Adi (R,S)
Sreeramprasad presented a sweet and a concise alapana of Athana (shloka Gajananam Bhuta Ganaadi Sevitam), but his mike had umpteen problems again, due to which Ravikumar continued.
But the mike system actually tested the artistes (??) and the audiences patience; Once, everything was set, I personally loved the way Sreeramprasad emphasised the line "Shrita Jana Sevitam - Vighna Naashakam" in the anupallavi of the Kriti
3) Mama Hridaye - Reetigowla - Khanda Triputa (R)
Another beautiful Reetigowla by Sreeramprasad, and surprisingly, there was no N or S for this kriti, instead they chose to end this by singing Mama Hridaye Vihara Dayalo thrice.
4) Nada Loludai - Kalyana Vasanta - Rupaka (R, S at Nadaloludai)
A moving KalyanaVasanta by Ravikumar and an apt return by Sundaresan too!
No words can suffice to disturb this piece, simply MIND-BLOWING.
5) Meenakshi Me Mudam Dehi - Poorvi Kalyani - Adi (R,N,S,T)
The Alapane was done vocally by SreeRamprasad, which was divine, bringing out the entire Ragam as beautiful as it should be. (Curse the mike again!)
I was thinking it could be Ninnu Vina which was coming up, however Meenakshi was another surprise
Tani was also brisk but it would've been great if it had lasted longer..
6) Sarasa Sama Daana - Kaapi Narayani - Adi
A filler indicating that an RTP would surely follow
Some sangatis of charana were superrb
7) RTP - Sarasangi - Khandi Jaati Rupaka - Khanda Nade
Ravikumar and Sundaresan were brilliant with the Sarasangi, but the Tanam and the Pallavi seemed a bit hurried, maybe time was a factor here(??)
Pallavi Line: Nee Padamule Gatiyani Nammiti Sri Raja Rajeshwari
A Ragamalika swara prasatara followed - Mohana, Sriranjani, Jana Ranjani, Hamir Kalyani, Kapi
This was short, sweet and crisp, but as the human mind always craves, a longer version would have been more soothing! (IMHO)
8) Emitiki Daya Radu - Ananda Bhairavi - Adi
9) A Narayana Teertha Tarangam - pAhi pAhi mAm parama kripAlu - JhOnpuri
10) Nandakadhara nandana -rAgEshri
11) Mangalam

Barring the sound system and the restlesness caused by it, it was a fabulous evening!
A very nice concert by the Brothers and the team!
And a truly enriching, fulfilling and memorable Sunday (wish it never ended)!! Shall remember this day till the last breath of my life!

Happy Dasara!

The Goddess is the power expressed through all the Gods
They are united in her, who shines with consciousness
Her presence is all-pervading; She supports all of creation
She is the source of righteousness and the revealer of truth
She is the source of all worlds; She shines transcendent beyond them!

Happy Sharannavaratri! :)

IT COULDN'T HURT

A poem I wish I had written...

Random Acts of Kindness--huh! -- It couldn't hurt.

I told my husband I love him. -- It couldn't hurt.

I packed a note in my son's lunch box telling him how special he is. -- It couldn't hurt.


I opened the door for a lady in a wheelchair at Walgreens. -- It couldn't hurt.


I left a box of cookies for the mailman. -- It couldn't hurt.


I let someone go in front of me in the grocery line. -- It didn't hurt.


I called my brother to tell him I miss him. -- He misses me too!

I sent the Mayor a note saying what a good job he is doing. -- It couldn't hurt.

I took flowers to the nursing home. -- It couldn't hurt.

I cooked some chicken soup for a friend who is sick. -- It couldn't hurt.

I played Candy Land with my daughter. -- It was fun.

I thanked the person who bagged my groceries. -- He beamed.

I gave my assistant the day off with pay. -- It only hurt a little.

I played ball with my dog. -- It felt good.

I invited a woman who doesn't drive to lunch and to a movie. - I enjoyed myself.

I got a massage for me. -- It felt marvelous.

Random Acts of Kindness--hmmm, maybe I'll live this way all year. - It couldn't hurt.


by Sandy Ezrine

Ganesha Banda!

gajAnanam bhUta gaNAdi sEvitam kapittha jambuphala chAru bhakshitam |

umA Sutam shOka vinAsha kAraNam namAmi vighnEshvara pAda pankajam ||

vakratunDa mahAkAya sUrya-koTi samaprabha |

nirvighnam kuru mE dEva sarva-kAryEshu sarvadA ||

ದೀಪವು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಗಾಳಿಯು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಆರದಿರಲಿ ಬೆಳಕು...

Strange is the way of the world!

A beautiful song that haunts me from a couple of days is this mesmerising song from Mysoora Mallige, a composition of KS Na... 

ದೀಪವು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಗಾಳಿಯು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಆರದಿರಲಿ ಬೆಳಕು
ಕಡಲು ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಹಡಗು ನಿನ್ನದೆ, ಮುಳುಗದಿರಲಿ ಬದುಕು ||

ಬೆಟ್ಟವು ನಿನ್ನದೆ, ಬಯಲು ನಿನ್ನದೆ, ಹಬ್ಬಿ ನಗಲಿ ಪ್ರೀತಿ
ನೆಳಲೋ ಬಿಸಿಲೋ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ನಿನ್ನದೆ ಇರಲಿ ಏಕರೀತಿ ||

ಆಗೂಂದು ಸಿಡಿಲು, ಈಗೊಂದು ಮುಗಿಲು ನಿನಗೆ ಅಲಂಕಾರ
ಅಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಹಕ್ಕಿ, ಇಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಮುಗುಳು, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ||

ಅಲ್ಲಿ ರಣದುಂದುಭಿ, ಇಲ್ಲೊಂದು ವೀಣೆ, ನಿನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಧ್ವನಿ
ಆ ಮಹಾಕಾವ್ಯ, ಈ ಭಾವಗೀತೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಪದಧ್ವನಿ ||

You can watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iczBtt1f0Q

Life.. When Mr. Murphy's friend comes in...

The Professor of Philosophy opens his lecture filling a big jar with golf balls. 

"Is the jar full?" - surprises the audience.
"Yes" - comes the reply.
He fills the empty space with stones - including diamonds - of the size of peas and asks again: "Is the jar full?"
The students agree again.
The professor pours sand on top of the existing mixture filling the jar completely. "Is it full?"
"Yes, OK!" - reply some of the students with doubt in their voice.
"Fine, what all this means?" - turns the professor to his listeners again.
Silence.
"You should understand that this is a model of philosophy of life...

....The golf balls represent important phenomena of life, like family, love, health, job, children, golf. If you lose everything else, these are the things you grasp to.
The stones represent phenomena that still count, like accommodation, car, wealth.
Sand is the rest, unimportant, small matters.
If you start filling your life with sand, you lose the opportunity to deal with important phenomena. First concentrate on golf balls and stones. The rest is only sand."
One of the students jumps to his feet, opens a bottle of beer, pours the beer on top of everything that the jar contains. The beer is completely swallowed by sand.
"What do you want to say?" - asks him the professor with a stare of astonishment.
My lesson is simple: "Whatever way you handle your life, not depending, how much is it filled, there is always space for a mug of beer."

ಯುಗಾದಿ 2011 ...

"ಯುಗ ಯುಗಗಳು ಕಳೆದರೂ, ಯುಗಾದಿ ಮರಳಿ ಬರುತಿದೆ
ಹೊಸ ವರುಷಕೆ ಹೊಸ ಹರುಷವ ಹೊಸತು ಹೊಸತು ತರುತಿದೆ ...
ಹೊಂಗೆ ಹೂವ ತೊಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಭೃಂಗದ ಸಂಗೀತ ಕೇಳಿ ಮತ್ತೆ ಕೇಳ ಬರುತಿದೆ
ಬೇವಿನ ಕಹಿ ಬಾಳಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೂವಿನ ನಸುಗಂಪು ಸೂಸಿ ಜೀವ ಕಳೆಯ ತರುತಿದೆ ..."

A stylish way to  step into the "Khara Samvatsara" - Thanks to the awesome win gained by the Indian Cricket team!!!!

Hope this year brings lot more cheer and happiness into our lives!

Miss you dear Caez.. :(

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies..."

Caez.. (CAESAR) was the cuddly cute little pup my friend had (more like her baby).
All that he had towards us from the day she brought him home till he left us was love, true, unselfish LOVE... Such a simple attitude, which most of us, the ever intelligent human beings forget to do usually..

"...He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion......"

Although it was a short time, the memories we have are plenty. A true hero who touched and coloured our lives in an unforgettable way is gone now..
I still can't believe he is no more!

Stay happy wherever you are Caez...
Miss you truly....

Margazhi/Markali Masam... The month of music and bhakthi!

"brihat-sama tatha samnam
gayatri chandasam aham
masanam marga-sirso ’ham

rtunam kusumakarah"

- Sri Krsna in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 10, Verse 35) 

Margazhi/Markali/Dhanur masa is the eight month in a traditional Hindu - Souramana Calendar, which usually begins in mid December and ends mid Jan.

The beauty, greatness and significance of this immensely spiritul month can be ascertained from the above shloka, wherein the Lord asserts, "Amongst all seasons, I am margasheersha..."

The onset of this month brings joy, excitement of a different nature! Thanks to me being a hard core Kannadiga who has her granny's place at Srirangam, Trichy, I have some insight about the seasonal fervour at both of these places.

In TN, Margazhi is very famous for kolams/rangolis. A Rangoli represents Auspiciousness, Beauty, Creativity, Geometry, Symmetry, Lakshya(objectivity) and Lakshana. This is also a tribute to Bhoomi Devi.

(Not very long ago!...) We can(could) find creative colourful Rangolis - Creative in terms of using a variety of flowers (Pumpkin flowers were very common), and other decorative items like deepa, salt, colourful stones. And all this was done before dawn... You should see the competition among neighbours as to who has the beautiful rangoli at their doorstep.. I haven't seen this trend at too many places in KA, although I wait for this month every year.. Love the insights mom gives every single day every year, (also pulling her leg as to who puts the bigger design and what should it be :D)! By this, I remember that I have to upload the pics of mom's rangolis and scan her rangoli book! Should probably do this n some time.

Coming back to Margazhi, Temples are opened in the early morning and special pujas are performed, people wake up early in the day, brave the biting cold (some enjoy too!) and rush to temples. As the Brahma muhurta (4 30 to 6) is considered the ideal time for performing pooje. And it is believed, any day which is begun on such an auspicious note will definitely turn out to be an auspicious day!

Some people might wonder about the fuzz about doing everything so early! In answer, I can probably summarize a story which my granny used to tell us when I was young.. For the devas, 1 human year ( 365 days ) is equal to a single day. So the Dhanur masa symbolizes resting period for the devas. Hence, everything is done early and we let the devas be in peace!

In addition there are scores of other festivals, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Arudra Darshanam, Hanumad Jayanti, Andal Thirukalyanam - to name a few, conducted during this period...

Andal.. How can one not mention her during Margazhi... For many the month itself is a synonym for Andal and her supreme Bhakti towards the lord. On all the thirty days of this month, Tiruppavai Pasurams will be rendered in the early morning in all temples and houses. And the birth place of this divine sanit-poetess Srivilliputtur will have an added charm during this month. (why not? She was ANDAL afterall :D)

For music lovers, (CM) the entire month offers all that a rasika can ask for (and more!?) Every sabha is lined up with performances by artists (young old - acomplished amateur), enabling a visual (and/or aural) treat for music rasikas.
Remember the song Chakkani Raja Margamu Yundaga.... (Meaning)
Chk this for one review durng this year's lecdem

But I honestly feel all these are ADD-ONS alone to the naturally beautiful and ever enticing margazhi month! Who would not love the nature in December-January. The thought of snowfall, cool breeze, the lovely sunrise-sunset, the dew drops, birds, the christmas cake(:O :D), santa claus, the auspicious new year coming in... Hmmmm.. Words dont suffice to explain nature's beauty...

Conclusion.... (After way too much piteelu)
"....You have good emotions and good feelings. You know when they come because they make you feel good. Excitement, joy, gratitude, love. imagine if we could feel that way everyday. when you celebrate good feelings , you'll draw to you more good feelings, and things that make you feel good..."

A New Year Dawns...

"Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow;

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light:

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more;

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife,

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweet manners, and purer laws.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be!" - Alfred Lord Tennyson

Time flies fast ( So fast that you hardly realise! ) .... 2011 is here, very hard to believe that a decade of the new century is over so soon (here comes that word again!)
A New Year with it brings so many fond memories, new wishes, new hopes, new joy, and new excitement!
Wish all these come true with the new year and always! :)

P.S: I have restarted blogging this decade! Hope to be successful this time!