Untold Story

Ramesh * is an upcoming sports writer working in a major cricket based website as its Assistant Editor. He is an alumnus of The School- K.F.I where I studied from class 8 to 12.He passed out the year before I joined. His is a tale of hope with a fairytale ending to add the icing on the cake. Ramesh wrote poetry when he was in high school and had wanted to do his graduation in English. His parents forced him to prepare for IIT entrance exams.He was not remotely interested in any course which this institution had to offer. He flunked the entrances and won the immense displeasure of his parents. He was thrust into doing Bsc Physics at the Loyola College. He battled his way through depression and pangs of self-doubt through his years in college. He got hooked onto drugs and managed to write a few publishable poems. Somehow he also managed to get the gold medal for Bsc Physics. Thinking this would console his parents he told his father about the prize. His father merely told him not to sound as if he was an IIT gold medallist. Ramesh was shattered. He joined a new cricket portal 22yards.com* as a reporter. He covered both regional and international matches in the Indian subcontinent. Slowly he made his way up and shifted to the Bombay office of his website. About a year back he became Assitant Editor of his organization. In a recent talk show on NDTV he was one of the panalists. The underdog had arrived and I felt mighty happy for him. I don’t know Ramesh personally .He was the longhaired, pony tailed, hippie looking, ex-student whom I used to catch a glimpse of during alumni meetings. My knowledge of his life is solely from word of mouth tales I have heard from my seniors and mainly from our English teacher in school Sumitra Akka^. But I see in his story universal hope for all of us that success may not always come in the most obvious form. I wonder if there is a single person who can claim that his or her life has been a bed of roses with no disappointments. Acceptance of life comes with the acceptance that failures and disappointments are a part of it. There is a Ramesh inside all of us and as long as we remain honest and sincere in our endeavors we shall triumph in the final analysis however distant this may seem at present. * names changed ^ in the school where I studied we call our teachers akka and anna. title inspired by the name of a tamil film,solla marande kadai

Music review / Original Soundtrack of Pudupettai

Lyrics na.muthukumar Music Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja Recorded at Bangkok orchestra a selvaraghavan film

Trend breakers must be appreciated and the OST of Pudupettai is certainly one. It is out of the box and in tune literally with the gangster/underworld milieu the movie is set in. Yange area the rap song for instance captures the scorn of a typical lower middle class person for the upwardly mobile. Nerupu Vayinil sung by Kamalhassan in his trademark base voice is another track in which Yuvan Shankar Raja has done justice in creating music capturing the violent theme of the film.

However, tracks like, Survival of the fittest, the instrumental theme song of the film, for instance comes across as pretentious and I am sure have been generously inspired (plagiarised?) from Hollywood themes. While these instrumental pieces definitely sound good the listener is left wondering about how original they are. For the uninitiated nenjodu kalandire was partially lifted from a TheCorrs song called Runaway. Walking through the rainbow the theme song of …Rainbow Colony is supposed to be copied from none other than Ilayaraaja (Yuvan's father!!!)’s BGM for the film Johny. With this kind of history one tends to become a bit sceptical.

My favourite song in the album is oru naalil, which Yuvan has sung himself. It is fresh, melodious and stands out. Full of pathos this song offers na.muthukumar, the lyricist the scope to showcase his talents as a poet. Pul pesum, poo peesum is a gana pattu types, probably set in a similar situation to the sapno me milte hai song in Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya.Fast paced and peppy the song is sure to follow the success of thi pidika, an earlier Yuvan song in the same style.

The OST concept is new here and must be embraced . There is not a single song in the soundtrack, which can deteriorate into a duet on screen. I am pretty sure that only one or two of them will appear as full-fledged songs in the film. In the past Selvaraghavan has got Yuvan to give his best and with Pudupettai the tradition continues. The music promo’s claim to bring “world music at your doorsteps”. Regarding that I am afraid I have to disagree. I thought I would finish with these provocative lyrics from the yenga area song -

Hey Padicha Naaye Kitta Varathey

Enga Area Ulla Varaathey !!

A/C Potta Bathroomil Enna Varum Ponga

Thandavaalam Kitta Othunguvom Naanga

Nethu Vecha Meenkozhambu Kaathula Pesum

Malli Poovum Inga Pootha Meen Vaasam Veesum !!

lyrics source - lazygeek.net

My Rating of the soundtrack - * * * out of * * * * *

Splendor Of Our Boyhood

It finally happened at 4.45 last Saturday evening. The boy wonder who we all grew up idolizing reached the summit of the cricketing world by becoming the leading centurion in test cricket. The last couple of days have been full of how it shall be asked for eternity, where you were when Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the cricketing monarch of India, took another giant leap towards immortality. Well, I was at work and around five I got a call from my father who told me that Sachin had just scored the 35th ton. I found it hard to control the tears of joy, which were threatening to pour. Millions of fathers, sons, friends, and fans of Sachin must have rejoiced similarly as they shared the glad tiding of Sachin’s feat. The curly haired, chubby teenager, had just done what he was prophesied to do all those years ago. Is Sachin Tendulkar the greatest cricketer of his era? I guess Lara and Warne have a few inches lead over him in that race. Is he the greatest player India has ever produced? No, a certain Kapil Dev Nikhanj holds that honour. Then what exactly makes Sachin such a hero to so many of us? Putting it simply, for an entire generation of us who grew up in the 90's he was the splendor of our boyhoods. Is it possible to put a prize tag over the countless moments of joy that he gave us with the majesty of his batting? Even the most die-hard Tendulkar fan knows in his heart of hearts that Sachin is past his best days. I don’t see his career stretching much beyond the 2007 world cup. Cricket pundits are sitting and hairsplitting about how he was never a great match winner like the Viv Richards and Dennis Lilee’s of the game. I would like to point out to them that Sachin did not have the privilege of being in near invincible teams like those gentlemen. For most of his career he had to play under the atrocious captaincy of Azhar and with a bunch of uninspired teammates. Cricket is not the all-consuming passion it was to me till my late teens. My best of memories of the game are those of the little man from Bombay trashing the best bowling attacks in the world. In a country still resting on laurels from bygone eras, starved of real life hero’s in the present tense in the 90’s, Sachin gave us so much cheer. His appeal and impact is far beyond cricket. He is a national icon who whose worth can be summed up in one word. Priceless.

Tavamai Tavamirunde Cast – RajKiran, Saranya, Cheran Written & Directed by - Cheran Tavamai Tavamirunde is a flat out masterpiece. It is the story whose fulcrum is the relationship between a father and his two sons. Muthiah (Raj Kiran) runs a printing press in a small town. Despite several hardships he brings up his sons along with his wife (Saranya) without knowing the hardships of life. As the sons grow up various incidents lead them to drift away from their father. How their lives unfold and how their father reacts to the situations forms the crux of the tale. The thing about …. Tavamirunde is that every single scene and character is unforgettable. Whether it is the deaf helper who works in Muthiah's press or Muthaih himself, who is the pivot of the film, every character is sensitively etched. The authenticity with which the situations are portrayed is such that only one who knows the milieu can depict it as such. No one other than Barathiraja has managed to portray the Tamil heartland and its people with so much of love, sensitivity and realism as Cheran. Rajkiran comes up with a performance, which according to me is on par with Sivaji’s in Mudal Mariadai.His underplayed performance in some of the scenes, for instance the one in which he is informed by a police officer that his elder son was among those boys caught visiting prostitutes, is just right and never deteriorates to overacting. Some incidents in the second half could have been portrayed a trifle less melodramatically. The weakest link of the movie performance wise is Cheran himself who plays the role of Ramalingam, Muthaih’s younger son. His bursts into tears are sometimes unnecessary and it is obvious that acting is not his cup of tea. In the final analysis …Tavamirunde is without doubt one of the all time great Tamil films. It is a tearjerker, which will give you the proverbial goose bumps. Like good old Pasamalar, which my grandmother’s generation keeps raving about this film, will be eulogised for a long time to come. Like 16 Vayadinile and Arangetram …Tavamirunde is one of the defining films of Tamil cinema. It reaffirms my belief that Cheran is a potentially great filmmaker and the best thing to have happened to Tamil cinema in ages. My Rating of the film - * * * * * out of * * * * *

"The Raaja still reigns supreme" – The Hindu

Celebrating 30 Years Of Isaigyani Ilayaraaja Some days back this boy called Ajit mailed me the URL of his blog dedicated to music. He had said there were some pictures of, and write-ups on Raaja sir. Naturally I was excited and landed up there. The absolute euphoria I felt on reaching there can be compared to the paravasam of Guna in the song partha vizhi. His site is a virtual eulogy to our panaipurathu raja. The immediate Friday review following the October 16th concert of Raaja carried a review by Malathi Rangarajan called “The Raaja Still Reigns Supreme”. What touched me most about the review is that it was like one written by a fellow fanatic fan of Ilayaraaja.Very few articles by ‘professional’ writers escape the trappings of moribund, wannabe ‘objectivity’. This one was a rare exception. 2006 marks 30 years since The Anakili Revolution when Raaja first burst onto the scene and changed the landscape of Indian music for eternity. I was planning to start the fireworks a little later. After reading Ajit’s blog and The Hindu write up I have decided to declare the tiruvila open right here, right now! I have also decided that I will do a short 10 – 15 minutes documentary film on Raaja sir sometime in the course of the coming year. The other day I went to Besant Nagar beach. I was humming anda naal nyabagam,vandade kanmani, when I got on to an auto. The autokaran’s radio was tunned onto to an FM station ,and would you believe it, a few moments later the song was played! I felt like a little kid who had just got his favorite chocolate! There is this song from Forrest Gump called turn, turn, turn that basically talks of how there is a time for each and every thing. Well, now is the time to celebrate Raaja, the real Jonathan Livingston Seagull in our midst. May the festivities begin!

As Grey As It Gets

My Favorite Movie Psycho’s Robbin Williams(Above) in a still from One Hour Photo

Character - Norman Bates (Antony Perkins) Film – Psycho Director – Alfred Hitchcock The granddaddy of all psychos he became synonymous with the word psychopath. He is in my list because, the shower and the basement scenes aside, this mellow character is as much a victim of ‚ “mother’’ as the other victims. After hearing for years how scary this film was I finally caught up with Norman, along with Kanishkaa when I was in my 1st year of college. More than scared I was disturbed by Norman's character. But I must admit the scene in which, “mother’’ reveals herself in her entirety gave me cramps in my stomoch. Character - Forgot his name (Kamal Hassan) Film – Sigappu Rojakkal Director – Barathiraja This misogynist, who seduces and kills women, burying them in his garden,planting a rose plant above each victim, redefined how a mentally deranged person is portrayed in Tamil films. This seemingly sophisticated character unfolds as the movie proceeds and we see snippets of insanity. Especially the videos of him murdering women which he records for his godfather to see is spooky ( Barathiraja has used a technique for these short scenes, later used in Blair Witch Project ). We are given a wider look at this character’s psychological profile when Sridevi discovers a room in the outhouse whose walls are scribbled with his story. And the finale in which the movie ends with Kamal as a prison inmate staring at the camera (audience) with a blank, melancholic look on his face is sheer class. Character - Sy Parrish (Robin Williams) Film – One Hour Photo Director – Mark Romanek

This lonely photo developer working in a supermarket who stalks, and in his mind becomes a member of a family, is the dark horse on my list. This relatively lesser-known film has Robin Williams in a role totally opposite to his showman like persona in most films. The spookiest scene according to me was one in which Sy is watching TV in a room in his house and the camera slowly starts focusing on a wall – the wall is filled with pictures of the family of 3(husband, wife and son) he stalks. He considers himself as, “uncle Sy’’ to Jake, the couple’s son. Misguided and in a screwed up way, well meaning ,Sy Parrish is as gray as it gets. Character – Vinod (Dhanush) Film – Kadhal Konden Director – Selvaraghavan Vinod is what I would call a psycho by default. Scarred by abuse and pain from childhood Vinod grows up like Oliver Twist. Adam teased in his college and treated as an outcast he becomes over possessive about Divya the only friend he has had in years. Though one sees shades of imbalance in him it is only in the latter half does the director reveal that Vinod is mentally ill. There is a scene in which the police find the corpse of a bar dancer (a nymphomaniac who tries to seduce Vinod) in his room. The setting is shifted at this point to a hilly area ( we now realize he has kidnapped Divya ), where Vinod is dancing with tribals to the tune of the famous kadhal konden theme song. That totally takes you by surprise and hits you on the face. Innocent and yet dangerous, he is a bundle of, a plethora of emotions. I read somewhere that the Vinod character was inspired by a similar one in some German film called Klassenfahrt (The School trip). That was bit of a dampener though. Afterword – I have always preferred psycho’s like those above who are victims as much as victimisers. They are normal humans driven over the edge by circumstances. It is this that fascinates me about them. I frankly find Hannibal Lecter kind of characters who, “kill for pleasure’’ depraved and sadistic. They are evil by choice and meant to give you cheapkicks. None of my favorite psycho’s above fall into this genre.

Outrageous Hypocrites

"Our society should liberate itself from the ideas such as the one that women should have their virginity intact when getting married. No educated man will expect the woman he marries to be a virgin." – Kushboo 'Tamil Protection Movement' led by PMK seems convinced that we must become a Talibanesque society. The above statement is supposedly "against our culture” and some jobless idiots filed a defamation suit against Kushboo. Instead of poking fun at the petitioners the local court in Mettur issued a warrant against her and now she is out on bail. Atleast she did not commit a non-bailable crime! While it is obvious that the politicians are using the situation to gain mileage, I am shocked at how majority of people have responded. Especially the reaction of a section of the dalit womenfolk here is atrocious. Instead of celebrating Kushboo’s statement as a small step towards genuine emancipation for Tamil women we have women’s groups in Madurai holding public demonstrations against her! Even here in Madras a lot of supposedly forward thinking people seem to have taken offence to her remarks. I want to ask them – what is this great Indian culture you are trying to preserve? Did the sculptures in Kajuraho dating from a much earlier period rise from thin air? Where did this book called Kamasutra, which the west embraced, originate from? Who the hell are you to decide what other men and women should say and do? I hope they know this whole thing of moral policing of women came with the Mughal and British invasions of India. Do I need to even go into the lusty pursuits of household Indian mythological heroes? I know that what Kushboo said is representative of a substantial number of people, especially young women in our city. And if most men and some women in our state have a problem accepting this TOO BAD! When you see a matrimonial add where the groom in waiting seeks “a fair, homely, ________(the blank is filled with the caste name) girl, with an attractive slim body, who does not want to work" the word vulgar takes on a whole new meaning. These atrocious fools get away with BULL**** like that while Kushboo is being harassed for speaking out on behalf of urban Indian women. For the first time in my life I feel ashamed to say that I am a resident of Madras. A Madras where a woman cant speak her mind out. I support Kushboo in her hour of need and so must you.

The Rain and the Opposition

It has been a mad fortnight. Our house got flooded once and barely escaped a couple of days back. Last week when the water came in it got so bad that my sister floated paper boats across my room! I almost felt like Gabriel Oak of Far From The Madding Crowd!!! Man is a helpless bystander in the wake of nature’s fury. Literally. But over the last few days it is not the floods which has bothered me the most. The political opportunism of the main opposition party of this state has got me plain repulsed. I think the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu has dealt with the crisis affecting the state very appropriately and efficiently given the circumstance. Efforts are being made to provide adequate relief to those people most adversely affected by the flood. The electricity board in the city immediately cut power in all areas where chances of electrocution were high and yet ensured that safer areas had power supply. I am not very sure about other parts of the state, but at least here in Madras, victims mainly in northern parts, are being taken care of well. Instead of standing by the government in this time of crisis, the opposition party is busy making use of the situation to score brownie points and manipulate the public opinion especially through ‘news reports’ aired in its mouthpiece TV channel. Shame on you guys! You cannot sink lower! During any natural disaster fatalities are inevitable. Aparently the stampede in a relief camp on Sunday was in some absurd way the Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s fault! Anyone with a modicum of sense will know that when several people have been displaced and left without food and shelter they get desparate. In this case their desperation unfortunately led to the death of 6 women killed when several people scampered for rice and clothes, which were being distributed. I am by no means saying that the current state government is above censure. Its excesses especially during the current Chief Minister’s 1st term in office are public knowledge. But as far as the current crisis is concerned they have managed the situation very well. For some unfathomable reason Madras has always been a stronghold of the opposition party. I sincerely hope that the shameless way in which these guys have been spreading false rumors ensures that a few more people from our city vote against the rising sun during the assembly elections this year. My friend Punter(Shankar) has started a blog!Do visit it by clicking here! ---------- K.R.Narayanan(1920-2005) Former President of India May his soul rest in peace

Adhu Oru Kanakalam Starring – Dhanush,Delhi Ganesh,Priyamani,Talaivasal Vijay,Kalairani Music – Ilayaraaja Cinematography and Direction – Balu Mahendra People who have read my write up This Year’s That Movie will know just how much I was looking forward to watching Adhu Oru Kanakalam.Maybe because I expected too much I was a little disappointed by the film. It’s a good film no doubt, but it is not the masterpiece I expected. The film starts with a convict, Srinivasan (Dhanush), also called Chenu, escaping and hitchhiking upto Otty in a lorry. He narrates his story to the sympathetic lorry driver. Chenu is a middleclass boy who is unemployed after his graduation leading a carefree existence. He falls in love with his childhood friend Thulasi (Priyamani) who is the servant maid’s daughter, when his parents are not in town. Expectedly his father is averse to his having an affair with the girl. One day Cheenu and his friends who are drunk and driving crash into a police jeep and are arrested. A homosexual inmate harasses Chenu and the latter hits him and ends up accidentally killing him and is sentenced to 10 years in jail. While in jail he has to endure several hardships and his mother dies. Having promised Thulasi that he will marry her he escapes when he gets an opportunity. With the police hot on his heels what happens to Chenu? I found the climax and conclusion of the film uninspired and tame. Dhanush and Priyamani have emoted so well that they have lived as the characters. Dhanush’s eyes have this wonderful ability to express every kind of feeling and remind me of Sarita (you will know what I mean if you have seen Agnisakshi). Balu Mahendra scores in his cinematography especially in the scene in which Cheenu jumps from atop a cliff and he has captured the waterfalls beautifully. Ilayaraaja’s songs and BGM blend perfectly with the storyline as usual. Though Mahendra has made a film which is touching, pristine and simple, the viewer is left with a sense of deja vu. Its is also sad that the veteran director still feels it necessary to include an item number to pamper the frontbenchers. But that aside …Kanakalam is a very watchable film and better than any other Tamil film which has come out this year. My Rating – * * * out of * * * * * You can read Srivatsan's review by clicking here

Gay People And Us

Quentin Crisp (above) whom Sting immortalised in his song Englishman in Newyork

A few months back while watching a film at Satyam,I saw this guy carrying a handbag, wearing jeans,a girls shirt ,dupetta and glass bangles .Obviously he was gay and I was a little shocked and instinctively repulsed. I kept starring at him in curiosity. Later I realized it’s like treating him like a specimen in a lab and felt guilty about it. A lot of the other people around were staring at him as well and I don’t blame them. We are a conservative city and someone openly admitting without shame that they are gay, which is what this man had done by the way he had dressed, is something that scandalizes us. Whenever I have thought of this incident one thing that strikes me is the tremendous guts it must have taken to come out of the closet about something, which is still considered very unacceptable in our society. There is this song by Sting called Englishman in New York. It is about a gay Brit called Quentin Crisp who in England in the 1930s, which was still under a major Victorian hangover, was a self-confessed homosexual. After being treated as an outcast he moved to New York in the last years of his life, where he was much happier. The plight of gays in India is similar to what it would have been in England in the 1930s.On this reality chat show called Kadaialla Nijam, which used to come on Vijay TV sometime back, this person who was a gay and lesbian rights activist spoke about how there are a substantial number of these people in our city and how they face disapproval and scorn wherever they go. He was talking about how they have to hide what they are, fearing how people may react to them. I think we should all realize that how much ever absurd the idea of same sex couples and attractions might be to us it is something which seems natural to these people. While we have a right to say that we don’t want to have anything to do with them, we have no business passing value judgments on them. We have a right to keep away, but we are nobody to mock, scorn, and ridicule them or call them evil or perverted. The genaralisation that gays try and harass us is being unfair to them. Just like there are men who rape women there may be gay folk who might make a pass at and abuse others. Just like rapists such gays deserve no pity and must be made to pay for their crime. But ostracizing their whole community for this is barbarian.

The situation of the guy I saw at the cinema house is not dissimilar to that of the defiant British gentleman who lived his life without compromise. “It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile, Be yourself no matter what they say.’’-These lines from Sting’s song convey the amazing defiance amdist unthinkable adversity shown by Quentin Crisp, and all people like him who have choosen to live life the way they want to, despite of being thought of as abnormal and wierd . Of course it is not easy for us to accept these people.But lets us respect their way of life and try to be tolerant to them.

If You Witness An Accident

Accident Relief Force provides round the clock service for victims of accidents. If you happen to witness one please do take the effort and call 044-52077777, which is their help line. Due to some of the legal formalities involved we think twice before helping out those unfortunate to have met with an accident. ARF makes our job easier. All we need to do if we see an accident is call their help line and give the details like where it has taken place so that they can reach the scene and take charge of the situation. Once ARF arrives on the scene they take care of admitting the person/s to a hospital, informing their kin and registering the case with the cops. ARF does not take remuneration for these services. They also have an insurance scheme to which you can subscribe to by paying Rs.390 per annum. If you are in Madras make a note of this number.Bringing the situation to ARF’s notice if we see an accident is basic humaneness and something we owe our fellow citizens. Source - Prabu Karthik expertdabbler.blogspot.com

The King Performs

An instrumental version of paruvame was being played on the speakers as we entered the gates of the Nehru Indoor stadium. After taking our seats the wait for Raaja sir’s entry was really exciting. And then a door opened slowly on top of the stage and we got our first glimpse of Raaja surrounded by little kids. As he started coming down the steps crackers started flying and he started singing janane janane. The King had arrived and we his fans went berserk as Raaja bowed to us in acknowledgment of the applause. And thru the show Raaja was at his spectacular best. His own unique style of conducting the show like for instance, stopping in the middle of a song to correct his orchestra players, was fabulous, in its sheer novelty. The singing demonstration of different folks songs, handed over by word of mouth from generation to generation, was scintillating. The grandeur of the orchestration for songs like sundari kannal oru seidi really came thru listening to them live. While a lot of the singers like SPB,Hariharan,Chitra,Jayachandra or even Mano sang really well, listening to Sreya Ghosal singing live was a huge dampener. She totally spoilt songs like elangatru vesude by skipping whole lines and mispronouncing the rest, and left me feeling she does not deserve to be in the same stage as Isaignani Ilayaraaja.Some of the celebrities speaking between songs, especially Barathiraja, were really irritating. It would have been nice if Raaja had performed songs from Nothing but Wind or How to Name It. Certain joys in life cannot be put in words. The privilege of watching Raaja sir perform is one of them. What makes Ilayaraaja so special for so many of us? I have for a while been trying to figure out the answer to this. I think it lies in the fact that there are very few things and people in our lives, which are a constant and always there to comfort us. My immediate family, those precious people who are my close friends, and Raaja’s enduring music are those invaluable things in my life, which I would call permanent.

Jai Jawan

Major calamities have a way of bringing out the best in us. We have been hearing so many stories of despair after the earthquake that struck Pakistan and India last weekend. Amidst all this both the Pakistani and our jawans^, through some spontaneous gestures of compassion and kindness have put to shame the politicians of both our countries. On Tuesday some jawans near the LoC in Pakistan administered Kashmir had been trapped under debris when a bunker had collapsed. They called out to the Indian jawans just a few feet away, on our side, for help. Without sanction from the authorities our jawans crossed over to the Pakistani side and along with some of their jawans rescued the trapped jawans and returned. There was another incident which Barkha Dutt narrated, reporting from Uri in Indian administered Kashmir. Apparently a few of our jawans had accidentally crossed over to their side during a rescue operation. They were met with neither hostility nor arrest. The Pakistani’s promptly returned them in an unprecedented act of camaraderie. Through these moving gestures the humble jawans have proven once again that,we, the people of both our countries, think of each other as sisters and brothers. ^Jawan - foot soldier

Do visit this site set up to provide help to those affected by the earthquake

The Impact, Relevance And The Role Of The Left In The Age Of Neocolonialism

The defenders of capitalism speak of the fall of the Berlin wall as the symbolic fall of communism.15 years after the German reunification (before which the country had an unemployment % of just 5.1%^), the unemployment rate is 11.6%^. Even more alarming is the disparity between the western part of that country where the unemployment rate is 7.6%^ and the east where it is a staggering 17.7%^.I think it can be fairly said that 15 years is a substantial enough time to conclude that the fall of the wall has only increased the problems of the Germans. Had Germany not adopted socialistic policies subsequently and instead depended on the free market things would have been much bleaker. For the first time since independence the left in India is part of the ruling coalition and has over 60 Mp’s in the Lok Sabha.After the Manhohan Singh government voted to refer Iran to the security council in an act of shameless dancing to the whims of Bush and Co the left has lambasted the Congress. Going back to Europe both Chancellor Schröder of Germany and President Chirac of France were bitter critics and opponents to the U.S led illegal war in Iraq.True the leftist Social Democrats and The Greens may not be able to form a government of their own in Germany this time around. But they have ensured that the pro America, Christian Democrats will not be able to form a government without their support. Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela has been such a strong force against globalisation and American imperialism that right wingers in the U.S.A have been yelling for his assassination. Mr.Chavez has said about the damage capitalism has caused in his country ,“ An infernal machine that produces every minute an impressive amount of poor, 26 million poor in 10 years are 2.6 million per year of new poor, this is the road, well, the road to hell."Here in India Medha Patkar and the Narmada Bachao Andolan have been fighting against anti - people development projects such as the Sardar Sarovar dam.They may be fighting a losing battle.But they have exposed beyond doubt the dubious motives of vested interests at work. From Fidel Castro to Michael Moore to Arundathi Roy, there are leftists at different spheres and levels who are “ a collective pain in the ass^’’ of,the neoimperialists.Sure U.S.A’s diplomatic manipulations through sanctions through its mouthpieces like the WTO and IMF may have forced some leftists to relax their policies(like in West Bengal)to survive.Maybe losing the battle to win the war is not so bad.Like in any other system there are black sheeps, like China’s anti people dictators.But they are not the real lefties.They are evil people who justify their wrongs by claiming to subscribe to a system and ending up misrepresenting and disgracing it. Those who think the Left is dead are doing so at their own cost.It is very much alive,if not kicking.Yes we are certainly the underdogs in this David Vs Golaith kind of situation against the neocolonialist.But then again you know who won that battle.The road ahead is tough and curbing the imperialist forces is no mean task.But we have already taken big steps in the direction of not living as subjects of the American Empire.Like Arundathi Roy says," Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." Sources- ^1-Proffessor Fatemi www.fatemi.com ^2-Official German measure ^3 and ^4- Fedaral foreign office of Germany ^4-Arundathi Roy You can visit Christian's Blog by clicking here

Many Thanks To THE KING Of Song! Just back from Landmark where Vatsan and I bought tickets for the Ilayaraaja concert! Yes Ilayaraaja is actually doing a concert! It is a dream come true for me. How often is one lucky enough to be born in the same era as one of the all time great musical giants? And then to be able to watch him perform is a privilege not many have. It doesn’t get bigger than this! It really doesn’t! How many Beatles fans would have got too see John Lennon perform? How many lovers of western classical music would have wished they could have been alive when Mozart or Beethoven lived? On the 16th of this month the huge load of us who are going to be at the Nehru Stadium are going to have the rare privilege of watching one of the pillars of world music perform in front of us! The crowd is going to go absolutely wild! I can’t even comprehend how euphoric it is going to be when rakkamma kayatathe is on! Or the mesmeric spell we will be under if Raaja performs kadhal oviyum. When Sridhar and I went for the release of Tiruvasagam in Music Academy the sheer adulation and frenzy for Raaja was breathtaking. It was so packed that people were sitting on the wall outside!Raaja says that it is this response from us,his fans, which convinced him to do something which he has not done in over a decade - do a concert in Madras!Thank you Raaja!

Short Story/The Old Couple And The Touring Marriage Party

Installment 3 Apart from having to sleep on the floor Poniah and Susheela had to endure Baskar’s constant commentary on various subjects from what they would name Raju and Mini’s 1st born to why PMK leader Dr.Ramdass was unfit to be a politician. As the old couple tossed and turned trying to sleep, Baskar announced that he had fallen asleep through his loud snoring. They heaved a sigh of relief and eventually fell asleep. Morning came and both the bathrooms in the house were bombarded as each member of the touring party had their baths. It seemed that the sound of water coming out of the tap daba, daba, daba would never stop. Soon the guests started placing orders for breakfast. The bride’s nieces wanted puri masala and Lakshmi started fussing asking for cakara pongal*.Raju the groom speaking as a spokesman for all the adults said,"Perimma* you know I love masala dosai and since it is my wedding we are celebrating you can prepare it for all of us. Also don’t forget to cook meedu vadais”. Susheela was too stunned to even protest and went into the kitchen straight and started cutting potatoes. With a little help from Poniah and Nirmala(who was sent as the sole cooking representative of the guests)Susheela finished preparing this princely breakfast within two hours. Finishing breakfast Baskar announced,”We are leaving for Darmapuri now”, and Poniah heard himself whispering,"appadi*".Since they wanted to be at their destination by lunchtime they decided to leave immediately. The driver Parameshwaran took the luggage back to the mini bus. The youngsters, including the newly weds prostrated and took the blessings of Poniah and Susheela.After everyone except Baskar had got on to the van,he turned to the old couple and said,”Poniah and Sushi we are so sorry we could not stay longer.We would have loved to stay for a few days.We will try and come back while returning from Darmapuri.” *cakara pongal-south Indian sweet delicacy *Perimma-aunty *appadi-a sigh of relief THE END!!!

Reality Check.At Last!

Indian cricket needs a major overhaul. The popularity ratings of the game have started to dip and so have the corporate sponsorships. This is a direct reflection of the discontent of the cricketing fans. How long can our cricketers expect the same obscenely high remuneration if they don’t perform? I hope Sharad Pawar becomes the BCCI President. While another politician running Indian cricket is not the greatest thing to happen it is likely to end the monopoly of Jagmohan Dalmiya who has been running Indian cricket like a feudal lord. There are a few positives, which has emerged out of Ganguly Vs Chappell as well. For starters there is a huge pressure on the captain and coach to do something about the abysmal slump over the last 2 years. Chappell has a huge role to play in how the team approaches India’s campaign to win the World Cup in 2007.While it is high time that Sourav is eased out of the Test team he is very much a part of the scheme of things in the one day set up. Just have a look at his overall one-day record. Though I have to grudgingly admit that Indian cricket needs a tough professional like Chappell he needs to rethink his approach big time if he wants to win the players trust and confidence. Chappell’s e-mail claims that Ganguly is “ affecting the mental state of other members of the squad”. When he says this is he simply referring to Laxman, who is disenchanted for not being a permanent fixture in the one day set up? I hope Chappell knows that Laxman’s record in the shorter version of the game proves that he is a liability. Chappell also needs to realize that he is not going to win the respect and confidence of the team by reprimanding them to the Board every time he has a problem with one of them, like he had with the skipper. Sacking Chappell will be a big mistake and if it is a question of Sourav or Chappell I think we might have to sacrifice the Prince of Calcutta in the long-term interest of Indian cricket. I don’t like Greg Chapell as he approaches cricket like a business and I think he has scant respect for the spirit of the game. But when there is huge money involved an out and out professional coach is needed. I think the current crises –both who will control BCCI and the Ganguly Vs Chappell fallout augers well for Indian cricket. The most important people in Indian cricket-us, the fans are disillusioned with the way our players don’t show the same enthusiasm in playing for India as they do in their corporate promotional campaigns. It’s high time a major revamp in how the game is played and administered takes place. In that context it’s good that both the Board and the team is under the microscope. Its great that this reality check is taking place before we lose another truck load of one-day finals.

Short Story/The Old Couple And The Touring Marriage Party

Installment 2 ...And then he saw them and what he saw made him wonder if he needed to check his vision. A crowd certainly more than a dozen was standing outside his gate, in the middle of which stood the newly weds. Apart from Baskar’s son Raju and his wife Mini there were-1. The groom’s mother Nirmala(ok she was expected to be there!)2.Another couple in their late middle age (the bride’s parents) 3.The bride’s brother’s wife with her two teenaged kids(the bride’s brother had been unable to make it)4.Nirmalas’s cousin Venki and his wife and eight year old daughter. After Poniah exchanged pleasantries with those he knew, Baskar introduced him and Susheela, who had joined him by now, to the bride’s family members. Poniah hoping only his brother, his wife and the young couple were staying with them inquired where the rest were staying. To which Baskar replied," We thought of booking a lodge for the rest of the party, but then realized you might feel insulted. So all of us are staying with you for the night."Susheela and Poniah looked at each other and the former simply said," Come in." And they all trotted in making a lot of noise like a bunch of school children on an excursion. The house had a medium sized living room, a tiny kitchen, one bedroom, and a guest cum pooja room. The guests settled into the hall and the driver of the mini van Parameshwaran started bringing in the luggage. Since they were on a “statewide tour” they had packed heavy and the luggage took up a substantial part of the guest room. The groom's mother Nirmala said, “Sushi, just prepare tea for the grown ups and Boost or Horlicks for the kids.” Since the couple drank neither Boost nor Horlicks these items were not stocked and Susheela prepared milk for the children and tea for the elders.Venki's daughter Lakshmi started yawning which set off a chain reaction of sleepiness. Now the question of where everyone would sleep arose, as did the issue of lack of mattresses and pillows. Baskar started getting creative. He ordered his son and daughter-in-law to sleep in the bedroom with the three kids. Mini’s parents and her brother's wife would sleep in the guest cum pooja room along with Venki and his wife. Those rooms had one bed each where everyone assigned to the room could cram in. Where there were no pillows each others laps or one’s own hands-for those who didn’t like using others laps-could be used. And turning to Poniah he said, “ Nimmi, Sushi and we two can sleep on the floor in the hall.” to be continued and concluded in instalement 3...

3 Cases Of Evangelism

Helping Hands of India is a charitable organization funded by European Protestants. For more than 20 years this group has been adopting Hindu orphans who are either dalits or from a backward community and converting them into protestants. Some of those converted have been relocated in Europe and some have been helped to settle down in India. When they decide to marry or reach the age when they can be independent they are given a fat sum to settle down. The condition-they MUST marry only someone belonging to the Christian faith. My mother along with her friend has been fighting for a girl who decided to marry a Hindu. Somehow they convinced Helping Hands of India to give the girl the money, which was rightfully her due. My classmate Karthik informs me that there is a rich American couple that stays in the Besant Nagar area in Madras. Their mission in life is to convert as many people into Christians as possible. Apparently they go looking around for people in a dire financial crisis and promise to solve all their woes. The price-the beneficiaries must convert, of course. One of my paternal aunt’s relatives, a young Brahmin woman fell in love with a Christian, married, got converted and totally disassociated herself from her family.One would think that her husband married her all for love right? No, this is far more sinister. Apprently the Church, Parish or whatever the girl’s husband is associated with pays something to the tune of RS.150000 for every Hindu whom a devotee of that Church has managed to convert. They consider it the ultimate victory if you convert a Brahmin. Evangelism disguised as charity has been occurring wherever missionaries have set foot. Aren’t these cases of manipulated and forced conversion? Just how does someone become a Hindu fundamentalist by simply questioning these and several other dubious activities? Early this month the homes of about 25 dalit families were torched down in Maharastra.Does anybody know or remember this? But we all still remember the Graham Staines story. Maybe persons like Bal Thackeray are a necessary evil.

Short Story/The Old Couple And The Touring Marriage Party

Installment 1 Ponaih and Susheela lived peacefully in Shivapuram.Their children Raman, Srini and Maneka were all married, and after a few years of performing the duties of grand parenting, the old couple decided to spend their last days in this small town known for its Siva temple. They won the hearts of their neighbors soon after they moved into their house. Susheela started singing Sai bajans and soon their house turned into a mini mandir for the neighbors, who participated in her morning bajans and arati. The children loved the sweet boondi Susheela gave them after offering it to the deity. Their days were eventful and they had visitors like wandering sadhu’s for instance who came and chatted. Their evenings were reserved for watching Tamil serials like Selvi and Manaivi.Except on the days when they had to see their doctor for various ailments which the old suffer from, they did not have to leave Dr.Anbu road where they stayed. One night in the Tamil month of Aavani they were invaded. Poniah’s brother’s son Raju had got married nearly a month before the event I am about to narrate took place. Since they were semiritired from a worldly life(at least officially) the old couple had sent their blessings through a telegram and excused themselves from attending the ceremony. Baskar, Poniah’s brother had called them and informed them that after the marriage they (he did not specify the number of persons this referred to) were on a post marriage tour of the state and might visit Shivapuram.Delighted Poniah and Susheela said that they were welcome anytime. On a pornami* night after dinner the couple had just settled and started watching a serial. The doorbell rang most unexpectedly around 10 PM. Not used to visitors at this late hour Poniah opened the door tentatively. There stood Baskar grinning sheepishly. Poniah was most happy to see his brother, even though it was such an odd hour. He thought that they must have decided to come in the last minute and inquired where his wife Sasi and the newlyweds were. Baskar still smiling sheepishly said," They are all in the mini bus." Confused Poniah asked," A mini bus for just four people! You could have just taken a Taxi!"Saying this he looked over the gate to see where the bride and groom were. And then he saw them and what he saw made him wonder if he needed to check his vision. A crowd certainly more than a dozen was standing outside his gate, in the middle of which stood the newly weds... *full moon To be Continued..

Guest Article/Is There Any Hope For The U.N?

By Christian Hofmann Do we need the United Nations Organisation at all? The UNO was established 60 years ago and by now should have undergone fundamental reforms. But the reforms are failing to go thru, because there is a lack of unity among the nations – and especially there is the ignorance from its most powerful member-state, the USA. But don´t we need an international political instrument against injustice and a counterbalance against economic globalisation? Histororically, the career of the UN can´t be seen as a straight success-story. Certainly there have also been successes – as during the Cuba-crisis of 1962, when secretary general U Thang prevented the outbreak of an atomic third world war. But often enough, single nations have ignored UN-resolutions. As we all know, in 2003, the United States of America disregarded the UN-decisions and attacked Iraq. Isn´t this a step back undermining the development following 1945? The USA has always cultivated a love-hate-relationship towards the UN. Inspired by the ideas of the enlightenment era, US-president Woodrow Wilson was probably the keenest founder of the League of Nations in 1919/20. Nevertheless, the USA as a nation never participated in the League ..Although since the foundation of the UN in San Francisco 1945 the UN-headquarters had been located in New York, the love-hate-relationship continued. In the 1980s, President Reagan made sure that the USA left the UNESCO and that fees were not paid completely (one has to admit that the US paid a large share of the UN-household. But if not the most affluent nations – who else should finance supranational politics: Ethiopia or Cambodia?).And the current US-ambassador in the UN, John Bolton, is not more than a bad joke: aid for developing countries, fair trade conditions for the "Third World", protection of the environment, an international criminal court? Not with us! The hopes of the decolonised countries that had encouraged them to make the UN an arena for their fight for a new (economic) world order in the 1970s were not fulfilled. Now it seems that unilateralism has gained acceptance and that the ideas of the UN – multilateralism and democratic relationships among the nations – have faded away. So, is there any chance to reform the UN in such a way that it might become a democratic institution with a just balance of power among its member-states? The reform of the Security Council could be a beginning. Just as the League of Nations had been dominated by the winning nations of world war I, the UN is dominated by the winning coalition of world war II. The allies USA, Soviet Union,France and Britain united with China (until 1971 Taiwan)–to become the only permanent members of the Security Council.Today it is the object of the most controversial debates. I think, India should be a permanent member – the voices of 1 billion people must not be ignored by this institution. In the case of Germany, I´m not so sure. Why should there be a third European state? (It would be better to have just one permanent seat for the European Union). And what about Brazil, Japan – and when will the African States take a stronger position in world politics? Also since the brave ideas of Kofi Annan has not became a reality now (he did not get the support of the USA, because he dared to criticise the war in Iraq) one starts raising these questions.Is there any hope for the UN? And what should be done? Christian lives in Bohn,Germany and can be contacted at christiansitar@gmail.com

Ten Years Since Mockingbird

Ten years ago, I had just joined The School-K.F.I, the place that has made me what I am today. Being a new student I was desperately trying to fit in to the place where I would go on to meet some of the most important people in my life. It was also the time when I was 1st exposed to serious literature in the form of a book called To Kill A Mockingbird. We did it together in class with Jayshree Akka our English teacher. We would take turns and read the book and then discuss it. Mockingbird made us wake up to the society around us. It threw up questions for us about things we were unaware of, or had at best a vague and confused knowledge of. For those of you who don’t know the book is about growing up in America in the 30s when there was still open discrimination between blacks and whites. It is about a white lawyer who fights for an Afro-American wrongly accused of raping a white girl. But most unforgettably it is about those two kids-Jem & Scout, and Boo Radley. Boo is the most enigmatic and haunting character I have come across in literature. This character, not seen until the final pages of the book is made a monster of by the town because of certain rumours. And the way Harper Lee (the author) describes him from the point of view of those kids made us all shudder. There is an incident when the kids are playing and their ball falls into the neighboring Radley house. They are terrified to get the ball fearing that Boo (who incidentally never comes out) will do something awful to them. And Jayshree Akka never once told us until we came to the climax, so to speak, that Boo Radley was such a hero!

It was the way we all read this book together which also made it so special. 12-13 years old at that time things like racial discrimination (read caste, in our country’s context), rape, etc were stuff we were blissfully unaware of .Ok, we had seen a few crude rape scenes from a few crude movies, but it was something which we probably did not fully comprehend. But reading through the book and our teacher putting things in perspective, gave some of us our first true insight into the real world. Even a small character like the Finch housemaid was so poignant. And those unforgettable lines after Boo rescues the kids, which Scout narrates in retrospect-

“ Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad.”

They just make me cry & cry & cry & cry & cry.

Ten years have gone by since we did Mockingbird. Ten years of joy & sorrow; triumphs & disappointments; and inevitably- change. God only know what the next ten will bring. Some of us will be married and settled and all. But one thing I am a certain of –Mockingbird and so many other wonderful things that we shared and indeed still share will always give us comfort and reassurance. For some things are far more eternal than the ravages of time.

Idhu Oru Pon Maalaip Pozhudhu

By Vairamuthu This is the gold hued twilight time of late evening, The sky blushes as she changes her attire for the night ahead. A thousand colors weave their magic, Painting decorative designs at the doorstep of nighttime. As the sky builds a bridge to the night and the birds sing, The flower plants sway causing a gentle breeze, Oh! This lovely gold hued late evening! To me the sky seems like Buddha’s Bodhi tree*, Everyday she reassures me with glad tidings, That one-day we shall live in a fair world, And that day is not far away, Through my introspections and questioning, I do penance and wait for that day, On this lovely gold hued late evening, When the sky blushes as she, Changes her attire for the night ahead. *The Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya. This is my translation of a poem by the Tamil poet Vairamuthu.It is one of his earliest poems and appeared in the movie Nizhalgal(Shadows).

Lost in Translation?

My Views on the English Translation of Kalki's Magnum Opus- Ponniyin Selvan I am in the middle of Book-4 of Ponniyin Selvan.It has taken me more than a year to reach this far. So many people esp. from my mother’s generation have praised this work so much that, I must admit I am a little disappointed, when I find that it has not lived up to the kind of praise that has been showered on it. But that is because I am reading the translated version, since I don’t know to read Tamil. To be fair to the translator, C.V.Karthik Narayanan, he has done a decent job. But it is impossible as he himself acknowledges, to capture the grandeur of the original. So many people have described events in the story and how Kalki describes them, and since Tamil is my mother tongue, I can imagine how beautiful it must be to read this work in its original form. My classmate and friend, Shankar, has been reading the original, after he decided that the translation was not satisfactory. Though his fluency in reading the Tamil script is much lesser than that in reading English, he feels that the effort is worth it. Now I am cursing myself for having taken Hindi instead of Tamil as my second language in school. How captivating it would be to read Kalki’s description of Nandini? How great it would be to see Poonkuzhali, one of my favorite characters, through Kalki’s words? I am still going to complete reading the book in English. And if it weren’t for the translation I might have never read Ponniyin Selvan.But I feel sad that I cannot read one of the great literary works of the 20th Century in the splendor of its writer's words. It is such a shame that Kalki to this date remains unknown to most readers who are not Tamil. And no translation can ever overcome the language barrier and familiarize non-Tamil’s with Kalki’s books. Because it would make a great work like Ponnyin Selvan seem like a mediocre one. And that’s such a pity.

Some Of This Season's Best

This season, there are a lot of fresh and pleasant songs on offer, from various composers in the Tamil music scene. To start off, Rehman is back after almost a one-year hiatus. The song Mayilirage (from Anbey Aruyire) is soothing, pleasant and is ARR at his melodious best. Disappointingly none of the other songs in this soundtrack live up to the dizzying expectations, which this song raises. But this soundtrack is worth a buy just for Mayilirage, which is a song in the style of Kanaalane and Snehidane. But the real treats of the season are from Harris Jeyraj and Yuvan Shankar Raja. Harris’s best song is Suttum Vizhi(Ghajini),which I hear is a Baradiyar song. Sriram Parthasarathy and Bombay Jayashree have done a great job with this song, which has the feel of songs from the MSV era. Oru Maalai from the same film is a nice, almost pop songish typical Harris number, which is very humable. With Uyire, En Uyire and Yaridamum (Thoti Jaya) and a few more good numbers Harris’s music this season is sure to win him a lot of fans . Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music in Kanda Naal Mudhal is an Isai Malzai. Pani Thuli and Merke Merke are cool, pleasant ballads, which are bound to become huge hits. Vibrant, sensitive, and rich in flavor they are bound to mesmerize the listeners. Of his songs in the just released Oru Kaluriyin Kadai my favorites are Kadhal Yenbadhu and Dalapa Kathuda(the 2nd will appeal to esp fan’s of his father).The nice thing about Yuvan is that slowly he has been rising as a notable composer with an identity of his own,which is not easy considering he is the son of the greatest exponent of music in this country. Ps-The above songs are just my favorites from the wide variety of music on offer this season. Some other songs like Rahatulla(Gajini) or the title song of Kanda Naal.. may appeal more to others.I have also consciously excluded the works of Raaja Sir on offer, as I think we are all agreed that he is on a league of his own. Regards my opinion on his music this season,it is the same as what I think of his music from any season-Kana Muditu Poi Vangenge!!

Being an Agnostic, Hindu-Brahmin

I am an agnostic. I also consider myself a Hindu-Brahmin, which is my inheritance by birth. Other then The Ramanashram in Tiruvanamalai I do not visit or pray in temples or to any “God”-I don’t believe in idol worship. And yet I wear my Punal (sacred thread, which also inevitably reveals my father’s community), but I don’t remember ever having done the daily rituals I am supposed to do, having worn it! The above factors make me one hell of a confused young man right? To me wearing my Punal gives me a feeling of belonging and respecting my heritage. I eat meat, which is prohibited by my community and I honestly don’t see anything wrong in that. In fact I don’t think society or groups in it have any right in policing people’s personal choices. In that case why am I still holding on to the external and most obvious symbol of my community? I studied in a Hindu college in Mylapore.The administrators of this place are prohibited from having reservation quota for a particular religious group. But colleges run by minority communities take for granted their right to promote particular communities. These blatant double standards were one of the main reasons, which made me wake up, and consider my self a secular, Hindu-Brahmin, along with being an agnostic. When the pontiff of Kanchi, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested and subsequently harassed, I felt very angry like most of people from my community. I am not his devotee and nor do I subscribe to the obsolete views of the Kanchi Madam. But I respect him for what he represents to the majority. His judgment before conviction by our media and masses was outrageous. Would a Mullah or a Priest be treated the way the Kanchi pontiff was? I am glad that I don’t feel ashamed of being what I am and expressing what I feel about this. I have been debating this topic with Vatsan and others for a while. I almost felt guilty and somehow did not muster the courage to write about this until now, though I have been wanting to for some time. But heck, I would rather be a true secular, and admit that this is what I feel, than be a psudo secular. Times have been hard for Hindu Brahmins. And if you are an agnostic added to that, believe me,there are times when you feel confused and frustrated, as your stances are still evolving.

Nenjam Marapadilai

an ode to mouna raagam Having been an avid movie lover most of my life, I just realised, if I were to pick one film as my all time favorite,it will undoubtedly be Mouna Raagam(A Silent Symphony).If I were to guess the number of films I would have watched,I would say,maybe 1000.It is just that special something about this film, that makes it,so much more special, than any other movie I have seen.It touches the heart and moves you.And I have seen it about 20 times and everytime there is some emotional chord that it strikes. I love the early scenes showing Divya’s(Revathi) family. Divya catching her elder brother flirting with his wife,making fun of her father not knowing he is listening…I love the part when the heroine sings and dances in the rain,"Oh,Oh,Megam" and comes back home to find the husband-to-be,Mohan, waiting.I love the scene where Revathi explains to Mohan, taking great pains, why she is not the right girl for him, and Mohan telling her at the end,"Idu sonaduke aparam yanaku ona inuvum jastiyave pudichuduku".

There is no scene which is out of place or unneccessary .The initial scenes after the marriage takes place are so poignant. Revathi telling Mohan,"Nenga enna thota kambili pootchi todra mari iruku"-your heart just goes out for Mohan. His attempts at trying to get his wife to like him are so beautiful. Vairamuthu’s poetry in “Mandram Vandha Tendrlluku” is so lovely-“Tamarai mel neer thuli pol talaivanum,talaiviyum valvadena?”;"Nanbargal pole valvadheku,maalaiyum,melumum tevai enna?". Karthik’s role is like a fresh breeze, which cools you, and makes you want more of it. His character really haunts . His gunda intro;his winking at Revathi ,when he comes out of jail badly beaten up,and the latter is concerned about his wellness; the legendary "Mr.Chandramouli”scene…The scene in which he dies-what BGM from the Isaigyani, when Karthik runs off from the police van, and reaches the steps of the Registrar’s office,where he is shot dead-what music thru the movie period! I love the parts when Revathi starts to like Mohan(during the waiting period for the divorce). Who can forget Revathi teaching the gullible Sardar swear words in Tamil? Or Mohan taking her to the Taj?Or Revathi cooking something, which her husband will like, and him turning up late? Or Mohan being rude to his wife's parents, because he wants them to think,that he is the reason their marriage is falling apart? And that last scene! Revathi tearing the divorce sheets and getting on the train, Mohan valiantly catching the running train; his eyes meeting Revathi’s, their embrace ;Mohan pulling the chain and getting off with his wife ,and sweeping her literally off her feet and walking off? From start to finish what a wonderful film! Sure, even I who have romanticized this film so much, know that it is not the greatest movie ever made or anything. I am only saying that it is my all-time favorite film.Like love and friendship it is something I feel. For eternity Mani Rathnam will be remembered for this masterpiece.

Freedom of Expression

by P.N.Subramaniam Get out of your shackles And seek liberation and emancipation! Wake up now before it is too late! You and you alone should Should think and form an opinion If you miss the bus now, You can blame only yourself! Get out of your shackles And seek liberation and emancipation! Wake up now before it is too late! You and you alone can Lend expression to your thoughts now Whoever leaves it for tomorrow, Will see his thoughts vanish into thin air! Get out of your shackles And seek liberation and emancipation! Wake up now before it is too late! You and you alone can Fight for your rights tooth and nail Whoever lets it rest somewhere, Can rest assured for sure Everything is gone forever! Get out of your shackles And seek liberation and emancipation! Wake up now before it is too late! You and you alone must Put it across With the strength and conviction of your view If you fail to speak up for yourself now, You will have no audience And everything will fall into deaf ears! The writer,my father, can be contacked at mani.makham@gmail.com .

The Site That Started It All

Sometime in March this year, I first visited my friend Sridhar’s site. I started reading and within a few days I had finished reading almost everything he has written on it over the last 2 years! It is fair to say that my passion for writing started sometime when I was reading those posts. I mean he writes about stuff that fascinates him. The guy writes about anything from his experiences of living in various cities of southern India to his intense objection to piracy and plagiarism. His early posts have a very e-journalish and more emotional feel about them and to date remain my favorite among the stuff he has written. I especially remember a piece in which he so honestly and sensitively wrote about why listening to Mark Knopfler pains him. I don’t know if he realizes it, but it is this ability to make the reader feel along with him that makes his writing what it is. His writing made me discover my love for the art of putting things in words. I don’t agree with a some of his views. He has torn one of my favorite movies left, right and center. And yet there is a quality of genuineness about what he writes, which makes you, respect his views and not disregard them, whatever they are. He is also very candid in his views about minorities and what happens in the name of secularism. Some of the questions he raises have made me re-examine my opinion on these issues. Sridhar has been the single biggest inspiration for me to start writing. His writing makes me believe you don’t have to be some hotshot celebrity writer to be heard. It makes me value so-called amateur writing and value it as something, which escapes the trappings of professional writing. Most of all it makes me believe that for every 100 fakes that Generation X, Y or Z seems to produce in bulk there is at least one Sridhar Subramaniam.It is due to guys like him that I still have faith, that after all, there is still hope for our generation.

The World’s Youngest Political Prisoner

the only exsisting pic. of the world's youngest political prisoner,the 11 th Panchen Lama of Tibet The world’s youngest political prisoner, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, has been missing for 6 years. He is the current Panchen Lama, which is a title the Tibetans confer on their second most important leader, following the Dalai Lama. At the age of 10 China’s illegitimate government kidnapped him.After initially denying even knowledge of his whereabouts, China admitted that they were hiding the boy afraid that the Tibetans would kill him! Subsequently the Chinese dictatorship installed their own handpicked puppet Panchen Lama, proclaiming him to be the true one. The Panchen Lama has a huge say in determining the next Dalai Lama after the passing of the current one. So the objectives of the repressive regime of China cannot be clearer. By holding the 11th Panchen Lama China hopes to further weaken the Tibetan struggle for freedom or autonomy.The Tibetan Government, operating in exile from our country has no idea of the whereabouts or the conditions under which the Panchen Lama is being held. I cannot even begin to think what he would have had to endure at the hands of a government, which has one of the worst human rights track records in the world. On this our 58th Independence Day, apart from celebrating our freedom let us also spare a thought for this boy and pray for him.

Thus Spake Selva

People below are some quotes and trivia, of and about, one of my favorite directors Selva Raghavan.Enjoy! Trivia- Age-29 Academic Qualification-Mechanical Engineer Favorite Actors-Robert Deniro,Kamal Haasan Favorite directors-Francis Ford Coppola, Roman Polanski and Barathiraja Favorite Writer-Wilbur Smith Favorite Food-Chinese Place he wants to visit most-Venice Quotes- Selva on - his style of film making-"No messages only realism." how he sees himself-"I still dont see myself as a director.Trying to be one." his 1st film Thuluvadho Illamai being branded 'soft porn'-"The problem is, we live in a closed world. When a newcomer does something daring, people attack him but when established filmmakers do it, they accept. Even critics." best complements he received for Kadhal Konden-"Bharatiraja told me that after 'Nayakan' this film was the most emotional experience for him." why he made 7G,Rainbow Colony-" 7-G Rainbow Colony is the story of an average guy. I felt his story also needs to be told."

This Year’s That Movie

The wait will be over soon. After being under production for nearly two years, Adhu Oru Kanakalam is releasing this month. Other than Shankar’s Anniyan we have not seen a release from any of the big gun directors this year so naturally expectations are sky high for this Balu Mahendra film. This is what Mahendra has to say on the film," Each film of mine had some shortcoming but this time everything has come out the right way”. Details of the film's story are sketchy but it is said to be the story of an unemployed youth (Dhanush), whose life turns topsy-turvy due to a decision his father takes. Dhanush, who I believe is potentially the best among the young actors, is back with what could be a career-defining role, after a spate of forgettable roles. Says the director on his performance in the film, "Dhanush is an extraordinary actor and has given his best for the movie. I hope it would be a movie that would take him to a different league." The supporting cast includes Priya Mani, who plays the daughter of a maidservant, Delhi Ganesh and Thalai Vasal Vijay. Music by Isaigyani Ilayaraaja has been received well by the public and 'Anda Nal Gnyabagam’ and ‘Katuvazhi’ are potential classics. It is known that Mahendra has been ill for a while and so this may be his last film. This is also the first time that Dhanush is working with a senior filmmaker. It is exciting to think how a veteran would have handled this sensitive actor whose talent has remained untapped after Kadhal Konden.All the above factors have made Adhu Oru…the movie I am looking forward to most this year and I am willing to bet it will be the best Tamil film of the year. Overa buildup panerena?

It Is Not Them Versus Us!

I guess that some of my articles have created an impression of me being anti-west. This is certainly not the case. We live in an age where we are asked to take black and white, and often over simplistic stances. Objecting to lopsided globalization, gets you branded as a commie. The truth is I don’t see the west as our enemy. I love their books, watch their movies and appreciate the individualistic western mind. We wear their clothes and speak their language, and this cultural exchange between the west and the east are certainly healthy. We need to progress towards humanity as one. The citizens of some of the nations whose policy’s I oppose to are also victims of their government’s decisions . They are told half-truths and lies, by their ruling classes who do a excellent job of selling them the them vs us spiel. I cannot speak about eastern society as a whole, but certainly as far as urban India (which controls the rest of this country) is concerned opposing ‘liberalization’ makes you several things from a hypocrite to being anti progress! I honestly believe that, people who feel very comfortable in their little cozy zones and are in denial about anything existing outside it, are threatened by leftist thinking. Leftist. This is not equal to Communist or Stalinist or what ever else it is conveniently assumed to be. It is raising one's voice in protest against exploitation and vested interests in various forms and disguises. It is questioning mindless carnage, both ecological and human perpetrated in the name of development. I hope attempting to project a more real picture of what happens in the name of citizens, “for whom” their governments are working, does not make you bad! Stating that Bush and Hussein are both deranged despots is merely stating the truth and does not make you anti-American and “backward thinking”. We live in strange times. I am sure lots of you are jumping to point out the million contradictions and compromises in my life. Since when did one have to become an unworldly and renunciated soul to have a certain worldview? Acknowledging that one is used to a particular way of life, and yet believing that we must weed out the elements that need weeding out in the world, is far less pretentious. And for the nth time it is not them versus us! It is all of us, who believe in a fairer, more equal world versus the enemies of a civilized and equitable world.

Remember Kutraleswaran?

About 10 years back this guy was making waves and hitting the headlines for breaking one record after other in long distance swimming. Youngest to cross the Palk Strait and the English Channel, every paper, magazine and tabloid from Kumudam to India Today was full of this young prodigy. And then suddenly he quite literarily dropped off the radar. I have always wondered why this guy disappeared,though I kind of guessed. Metro Plus, published an interview with Kutral.He is 23 and doing his higher education abroad. He retired from swimming a few years back. He spoke of how inadequate sponsorship had forced him to qwit. I felt really sad when I read it. I mean this guy had what it takes to become the best in marathon swimming and in the 1500 m category in the Olympics. Though he said that he had no regrets I could sense his underlying hurt at being let down. Sportspersons are special people. They bring great honor and pride to a country. And countries like U.S.A and Australia take it up as a national duty to ensure that they have the facility and infrastructure to support their career. Even impoverished African nations somehow manage to give at least rudimentary backing to their sports stars. Apart from pampering our overrated and highly spoilt cricketers what has the Indian State done about backing our sporting hero’s? In fact the support has been almost nonexsistant, so much so that we don’t have any sporting hero’s any more! You might point out that Sania Mirza’s rise in tennis has been meteoric and I don’t want to undervalue her contribution to tennis in our country. But I can’t help but point out that she hails from an affluent family and had parents able and willing to finance her. If you happen to be a middleclass boy from Madras like Kutraleshwaran what do you do? Give up, hang your boots and seek another career. Which is exactly what he did. The government seems keen to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. I hope that we don’t get to host it. We will make colossal fools of ourselves if we do. I suggest that the state first starts providing the platform where sportspersons are nurtured, and not driven to retirement before their career has even begun, as happened with Kutral.

Freedom Of Thought

by P.N.Subramaniam I permit myself the liberty To form an view I make an honest effort To express my view I express my view in black and white It is there already But not entirely as it was In my Thought I permit myself the liberty To share my view With someone I find it difficult To risk and proceed further In order to really express myself The view I shared turns out to be Only half of what I really thought It is now no longer Entirely my view I permit myself the liberty To hide my view I conceal it In quiet silence Lies the real strength Of my view I stop thinking Now I have Neither a different view Nor the view of the other The writer,my father, is a retired German Professor.Poetry is one of his hobbies.The above is a translated version(translation done by him) of his german poem " Gedankenfreiheit".

“And If You Wrong Us Shall We not Revenge?”-Shylock

At least 3,767 civilians killed by Allied troops during the illegal air strikes on Afganistan(*1).Oh I am sorry its ‚“liberation’’.Over 9000 civilians killed in ‚“freeing’’ Iraq(*2).The world looks away(did it even happen?).50 mostly British people killed by ,“terrorists’’in London.How sad! The world mourns(it better!) for the loss of innocent bystanders killed by,“barbarian terrorists’’.The former is the price of freedom?The latter is terrorism?Who said so?CNN and BBC.Empire and its sidekick.USA and “Great’’Britian. Iraqi army ‚“slaughters’’ 100,000 Kurds.Empire murders 120,000(and about twice that many in time) innocents in Japan by a toy called the atomic bomb. Saddam Hussein is the perpetrator of a hideous genocide.What does that make Harry Truman who ordered the Japan bombings?Unlucky for not having won the Nobel Prize for peace probably!During the 1991 Gulf War around 22,000 Iraqis were killed by coalition forces(*3).Did the world weep in unison?I wonder! 2,752 1st World citizens blown away on 9/11 by Muslim ‚“fundementalists’’.This becomes the greatest tragedy in the history of humanity? Mr.Empire and Mr.Sidekick,like Arundathi Roy says,“Welcome to the real world!’’.You can plunder and invade any country you want?You can conjure from thin air non exsistant ‚“weapons of mass destruction’’,and use that as an excuse to illegally occupy nations? You can desimate entire civilian populations time and time again?You can abuse POW’s and violate the Geneva convention?You can,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc(add a million more etcs to that) and get away with it scot free?Like hell you can!Boss wake up! I do not support the Jihadi fundementalists.I just see them as reactive forces created by neoimperialism and state sponsored terrorism.Cause and effect.People worldwide are reacting to and fighting Empire and the evil it perpetrates.Those of us who are moderates believe in civil disobedience.Some more directly affected and scarred turn to violence.Their justification?Shylock’s justification in The Merchant Of Venice.Solution?Confront the source of the problem, and not the product of the source.Let us raise our voice together as one world against imperialism.And by one world i mean inclusive of the citizens in Empire and its chamcha nations,who are not to be blamed for the sins of their ruling classes. Sources- *1-Study done byMarc Herold,Economics professor, University of New Hampshire *2-Guardian Newspapers Limited *3-Wikipedia

A Breakthrough

(Above)Raaja in his heyday,at home,with his son Karthik and daughter Bavadarini . ‘Isaigyani’ Ilayaraaja’s Tiruvasagam in symphonic oratorio is a musical feast. It is the 1st oratorio by an Indian. Raaja has worked on the hymns of a 12th Century Tamil mystic, originally set in orthodox chanting style meter. He has composed and orchestrated it to be performed by a western classical orchestra and yet retained the inherent Indian ness of the hymns. What emerges is an absolute breakthrough album. Not just in terms of Indian music. But music itself. The album’s top song, is an approximately twenty minute long piece,Pollaa Vinayen. There are so many tune variations, shifts in melody and orchestral nuances in this piece. The blending of the English verses written by Steven Schwartz with the Tamil verses is so natural that two styles of music seem united. The choir and the chorus add to the serene feel of this song. Poovaar Senni Mannan ,which is the first song of the album is regal and warlike. The sound makes me imagine Tamil warriors of ancient days praying before embarking to vanquish the enemy. This song brings out Raaja’s musical grandeur at its grandest. Muthu Natramam has a less sober feel to it. Sung by Unnikrishnan ,Vijay Jesudas and others it sounds like simple peasant folk singing during a harvest. The instrumentation gives a slight fast pace to this song. Pooerukonum sung by Raaja along with his daughter is sweet. Bavadarini’s happy maiden like voice and Raaja’s more sober one act as perfect foil for one another. Umbakarasaey sounds melancholic and reminds one of a person’s search for something or someone. Or at least that is what I gather from my peripheral understanding of ‘ Ilakiya Tamil’ (literary Tamil) and the mood Raaja creates in this song haunts. My personal favorite in this album is the piece Puttril Vazh Aravum Anjen.Raaja begins this piece offering us a glimpse of his contemplations as he undertakes the daunting task of setting and composing ancient hymns in sync with a symphony orchestra. Like a little child he is excited at the prospect. I just love this song and that is about how well I can describe it! This is not a review. Because I don’t see myself in anyway being qualified to judge a work of this class. Raaja’s rendition of Tiruvasagam belongs to world music, by one of its masters. It is breathtaking and in my opinion one of the all time best albums by an Indian. In a recent event organized by Raaja for fellow Indian musicians, A.R.Rehman called him a Pokisham(an invaluable jewel).What more can I say about this King of Song or his work?

Death

To those of us who are young death seems like something which is disconnected with us. We feel immortal. Two events over the last week have shaken me up terribly. Two deaths. One of a middle aged gentleman I knew and the other of my uncle’s partner I didn’t know. It has left me feeling badly shaken. The first gentleman was a journalism classmate’s husband. I saw him on the last day of my course. He was happy and healthy. And now he is gone.He was killed in an accident while returning from Tirupathi. He was a soft-spoken man, not a friend but an acquaintance with whom Sridhar and I have shared a few drinks and a few interesting conversations. Now he is gone. Just a memory. The second guy, I have seen just a couple of times. I did not know much about him other than that he was an important guy in my uncle’s company. When my uncle told me today that he had died in an accident on his way back from a movie I was badly shaken. He was 29 and doing well in his career. Now he is gone. Just a memory. The first incident shook me up badly. The second one frightens me. After I heard about the second incident, the shock of both the incidents got to me. I also feel that if there is a God (about which I have serious doubts), she or he is unfair. When we hear about strangers who have died in an accident it does not have an impact on us emotionally. Its only when the person’s involved are someone we know or know of does the injustice hit home. After these two events I will never take my life for granted.

Humour/Jossie’s Vesthi

Our school took us on a field trip to Kolli Malai when we were in class nine. This region is one of the few left in Tamil Nadu where tribals still live without tampering from the outside world. So that we did not leave traces of urban life on this landscape our teachers decided that we must not take chemical soaps, plastic material, and ahem…toilet paper, among several other things. Now the only source of water was a river. And since we did not have plastic mugs to carry water,we had to use leaves,to clean up,after relieving ourselves . To say that this was awkward does not manage to convey the sheer horror of the situation. Neccesity being the mother of invention, I got innovative in this desperation. After the first relieving itself I decided leaves weren’t my cup of tea…well, mug of water! I discovered to my delight that our classmate Jossie(Joseph),had a vesthi(dhothi)tucked in with his luggage for the trip. I told him that since he was not using it, I would, and borrowed it from him. Now I had not told him in what way I would use his vesthi. For the rest of the trip I decided that my marked territory for crapping would be as far away from Jossie's as possible. As the trip was nearing its end, Jossie decided to relieve himself dangerously close to my territory. I had just finished the honours, when he caught sight of his beloved veshti, on a branch. He had been wondering why I had not worn it after borrowing it from him. After glimpsing at his veshti it all fitted in. I had been using his veshti as a toilet paper. His face betrayed a look of unsullied disgust, which soon turned into uncontrollable laughter. And oh I almost forgot to mention-cotton vesthi’s are biodegradable!!!

Such Moments

I played a fundamentalist who vandalized an art galary, in a stage play called Wood. There was this guy called Prasanna who acted as one of the visitors to the gallery in it. Since his was a minor, non-speaking role he had come only a couple of times for the rehearsal. We had exchanged just a few words on those occasions. During one of our shows I cut my right index finger. I had to carry a blade for the role, which required me to bring down paintings. That was the time I was getting fascinated by method acting. While ravaging the gallery, in a moment of intensity, I managed to let the blade cut me.Despite of the blade being relatively bland the cut was deep enough to cause substantial bleeding. I did not even notice how bad it was until I left the stage.Our director was playing the lead role and was caught up on stage. Most of the cast and crew were preoccupied with various work related to the play. I went to the washbasin in the backstage room, and let water fall on my finger, which was bleeding quite badly by now. Prasanna came up to me at this time. When he saw me in some pain and noticed that the bleeding had not stopped, he immediately insisted on taking me to a hospital. I felt awkward being helped by a relative stranger. I insisted that I would manage until one of my friends came. Ignoring my polite reply he short of dragged me to the hospital. He oversaw the first aid and bandaging done by the nurse and doctor. He paid the bill at the hospital, dropped me off at Alliance,where the play was being staged and left.The injury turned out to be superficial, not requiring any stitches. So the next day I was able to perform with a bandaged finger. When I saw Prasanna the first thing I did was thank him and pay him for the hospital expenditure. I was very embarrassed that he had left the previous day before I had payed him. Was I really able to pay him back for what he did for me? Is it possible to measure the value of someone’s spontaneous kindness to a virtual stranger? Any effort to put such moments of genuine compassion and concern for a fellow human being in words can only result in failure. I don’t know if I will ever meet this guy again. But one thing I know for certain. I received affirmation that day of something Nalasivam, played by Kamal Hassan says in Anbey Sivam.Which is“muna pina teriyada ore paiyanukaga kanner odara anda manase iruke…adan kadavul”.Roughly translated this means, the heart that cares and aches for a stranger’s suffering, that is the divine.

Celebrities and Social Consciousness (Part-2)

Let us take the extreme example of Amitabh Bachan, who has quite literally made a Faustian bargain. He has been going around signing adds left, right and center.I am sure he does not mind the smell of tainted money. For those of you who don’t know Eveready batteries, which the actor endorses, is a subsidiary of Union Carbide, of Bhopal Gas Tragedy infamy. I was disgusted to see him endorsing the product in two successive young world issues. He seems willing to stoop to any level to build his already overflowing wealth. Other celebrities I am not judgmental of. Infact some of my favorite film personalities and sportsmen endorse some products like Coke or Pepsi. I just feel some of them don’t know, given their busy schedules how serious the violations-both environmental and humanitarian-caused by these companies are. It is the role of the media, socially aware citizens and NGO’s to bring this to their notice. Some of you might have seen a recent coke add on tv, that seems to say that, in India we don’t have water. But don’t worry coke is there even in such a place. As an Indian I feel insulted by this add. I also remember our teacher, Arun Anna, telling us in environmental science class, something that the Indian CEO of one of the colas said. Basically it was something to the effect of how in India the giant colas are not competing with each other, but with the guys who sell fresh fruit juices. They want to capture (and have probably done so substantially)that market. Several of our celebrities claimed that they wont directly or indirectly endorse alcohol or cigarette products, as it is unethical to do us. I want to bring it to their notice that some of the products they currently endorse are so dubious, that it would be better to campaign for alcohol or cigarette companies. Somebody told me that Mr.Bachan may not be aware of what Eveready represents. I think that is a whole lot of B S.In this age of information explosion all someone needs to do is a google search to find out the track record of what they are considering endorsing.So an attitude of not knowing is willful negligence. Ps-Amitabh Bachan is an exception and as mentioned above an extreme example. I still have faith in our celebrities. I am nobody to judge them and some of them are very nice people. All of us take time to figure things out. I can only hope our stars do that, regarding what they promote, sooner than later. As I mentioned in the first part of this article some of them contribute to society in some way or other.