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.