Looking at my young days through the eyes of my seven year old.granddaughter

Going back to the place where I have learnt my first steps, where I picked up my first friend (who is still my best friend after about 6 decades!), where I experienced the joys, hopes, dreams, disappointments of being a young girl - always brings a nervous excitement in the pit of my stomach. Sure, you must be feeling such emotions when you visit your town/city, right?

Normally I prefer to walk the streets of the main city alone, while scenes of the past would be flashing on the mental screen - the busy school days, going to different book shops for buying the text books, just running out of the house to hop on to city bus;no 1 (bus stop was just bang outside our house, you know?) to go to college, the evening meeting with my best friend to discuss all world issues(!!), the summer holidays and rushing to watch the procession of the temple festival, the jasmine blossoms all around - in the vendors' baskets, adorning the hair of young girls and women of all ages, on the decoration of the God and goddess, Cows with their calves running along narrow lanes, milkmen milking the cows in a street corner,
 graceful women with skin glowing like polished ebony with chunk of gold on the big holes on their ear lobes (the jewellery is known as 'Pampadam in Tamizh.swinging in tune with their swaying hips and oh! the unique sing-song sound and accent of the Madurai Tamizh - would carry me effortlessly through the winding lanes.

Now, in response to a long time urge, I travelled to my native place, in the exclusive company of my granddaughter(Kailu) who is going to be eight in a few months. The road trip  from Tiruvannamalai crosses at  least 4 districts, moves across Kollidam, Mani muthar and Vaigai rivers (only in name!) Stories from the past about the rivers in spate, the coconut groves along the banks flowed forth;all around  on the highway, the distant mountains and the chipped off rocky hillocks were telling the sad story of human greed and indifference to all other beings in nature.
I pointed out many things along the way to Kailu which she would have seen from an earlier trip. The cab driver caught on the mood of story time and listened to many of them and contributed his share even. 

All the new highways usually go round cities and towns avoiding the busy city centre. So ring roads and bypasses, it is! We certainly miss out on the characteristic sounds, smells and the people of these towns and cities but gain in comfortable travel. However, as we bypass a city, on the far left or right, we see the life from the city spilling out in so many ways. There are tall buildings, mountains or temples, that mark the towns, visible on the highway. "Here we are!, I excitedly pointed out to Rockfort and Srirangam as the typical identities of Trichy to Kailu. 

Hey, it is story time once again! The rockfort structure with cave temples at some height has a Ganesha temple perched on top. We can see the steps leading to the temple and the temple on top from afar driving down the highway. There is a Shiva temple at the base of this structure which has lot of interesting stories associated with it but one that I love is the one that describes the God as   Mathrubhootheswarar/'Thayumanavar' meaning 'Being mother as well'. 
Then like a slide show, the old route between Trichy and Madurai flashed in my mind - the huge banyan and tamarind trees on both sides of the road, the town or village square with people moving about their chores, the early morning breeze, an occasional  small tea shop with thatched roof on the side of the road and the excitement of the beginning of a term break and spending the days with my parents. 
Mid route stops (towns)like Kottampatti and Viralimalai now are far to the right of highway. it was like an exercise of comparison -  'This place, that day'. 

Remember, the driver was an active participant in the story telling exercise! So, he too shared his experience of driving on the highway or the temples he had visited as part of his driving job. Kailu with her incessant curiosity was lapping it all up with one expert grown up comment, " I was so sleepy that my eyes could not remain open; but the conversation was so interesting that it kept me wide awake."

Every stone on the way, each distinct plant, tree, small village that lie on the way has a great social, historical cultural story cached deep within, waiting for the right person to tap open the doors to that wonderful world - be it the glorious and prosperous days of Pandiya rule or the turbulent time of power rivalries, marching of the Turkish army and attack on temples or the heroism shown by ordinary people in saving the cultural, religious and artistic legacy from the onslaught or the time of Nayak rule when there was a beautiful blend of Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions of worship. 
By the time we shared some stories, we had come to the  bridge over Vaigai river and there! the noises, dust and the smells of whole sale fruit market swamped our senses. I could even show her the house where I had spent my first 22 years of life  (Sad, the house had been demolished and boarded up)
Kailu is open to experience new places with her own perception and over the two days stay, she has concluded that she likes the place! I tried to draw her attention to the way Tamizh is spoken there - she couldn't pick out the nuances but could sense the difference. 
She was a trooper to walk some distance and stand for an hour and more for Darshan of Goddess Meenakshi. We stayed in a simple Yatri Nivas (a Marvadi boarding house run as a charity). There will be at least 50 to 60 travellers from northern parts of the country daily, on a pilgrimage in groups. So it is a simple boarding house with a courtyard in the centre. No, nothing exotic or 'branded as typically Rajasthani or from a Tamil village, you see. A simple one but serves the purpose of that open space.
Once you step inside the building, all the hustle bustle of the city outside magically disappears. 
I wanted to show her the Thirumalai Nayak Mahal (palace), (was constructed as a residence for the king in 1636 CE) but, she got tired and it was getting late; so had to leave it for some future trip.  I know, the palace would look familiar to many of you if you are an avid movie watcher. Keep guessing, friends, it is very easy!



She lapped up the sights and sounds around the temple and My God! her excitement was so endearing when she ran around the shops selling craft items, accessories for stitching and bangles and bindi shops in Pudhumandapam! Items of similar type heaped in one place is such a delight for a shopping venture. However, I can't help thinking about the beautiful carvings and fine architecture that are hidden and taken a backseat to commercial interests. Then, there is the other side, isn't there? Small entrepreneurs, crafts persons, petty shop owners and many others are to be given an alternate and suitable space to move their ware from this Mandapam and it is a tough job, no doubt. 
Ah... I am meandering, again! This is about the past meeting the future and letting fresh air and light into that old room with layers of depth and character, right? 
She was contemplating, experiencing every moment with a 'here and now' approach. In my enthusiasm, if I start on my story telling spree (Should I say, non stop lecture??), she very clearly would stop me. That girl, she knows her mind and she sets the pace. Fair enough, won't you say? She needs time to work through each of the stories, sights and my feelings associated to them, so she indicated, it is one after the other! 
But I had kind of transmitted to her, the happiness, being surrounded by love and affection and the quest for finding the story behind every thing - at least it looked to me like that.  I showed her my school, the road I used to walk to go to school and the shops where we would crowd in the beginning of academic year to get our text books. Such an uncanny insight she has of the human emotions that she had caught the underlying motif woven into the story of that young girl, 50 years ago  - one of a care free life with lot of friends and a warm household where'things were happening' all the time. 

How do I know that? She started sharing about her friends, her happy moments, adventures and trips with occasional appreciative comments about the city, people and friends there. She wondered, whether I keep in touch with any of my college friends. I told her that I was able to meet only one friend who has a granddaughter like her. She nodded her head with a thoughtful expression. I know all these small details are to get a complete picture of the time/life that she has put in corner of her fertile imaginative mind. 

Those grandparents out there must feel the way I feel, I think. I felt like a young girl revisiting those days with this young one who is such an old soul. Some moments were beyond words but etched deep within my heart. I know, Kailu too had her special moments. With another promise to myself that there will be another exclusive trip for the two of us, we started our journey back.

The irony of my greatest passion going hand in hand with that big aversion of mine!

It is the strange association of music with the modern technology in my life for about the last eight years. In silent and subtle ways, technology has crept into the most joyful moments of my life - listening to music. In the rustle of petals, the whoosh of the wind, the rush of the waves breaking on the shore, chirping of the birds, drip drip of water from the taps, the sing song call of vegetable and fruit vendors and even the sounds of cooking I enjoy music. (Aren't there some daily sounds music to your ears? I know you have a list. Pause and enjoy them, friends.)

The story, however is not about waxing poetic!! As a very natural development in this part of the country (Tamil Nadu), I was initiated into Carnatic music from a very early age. Sing? Yes, I can and love giving solitary performances, unhindered by any one within the house, of course. More than that, I love listening to concerts, attending live performances when I can. So there is that constant thirst to listen more and learn more about the techniques and nuances of the Ragas, swaras, Alap and compositions. It is very common in many households to see all the family members listening together. Yes, it is a great bonding caused by music.

I had such great moments of sharing with my parents, particularly my father and my grand uncle. With gentle breeze of early summer nights, sitting in the veranda with a transistor playing the music (live and recorded broadcasts from AIR), life seemed one total bliss. Even as the artist hums a light outline of the raga, Appa would recognise the raga and would also guess what composition would follow. And when the artist would start singing the composition(most of the times it would be what my father had guessed), there would be a child like smile lighting his face that had been so clearly etched in my memory.
"So what is this story about the 'dreaded technology' ?"- I can sense your impatience! Coming to that in a moment.
Those were the days when I was trying to befriend technology; making an effort to be self sufficient with certain basic skills needed for daily dealings and my 'love - hate relationship with technology began. I ventured out into social media with lot of caution clicking something, exploring a new site and slowly learnt about groups. I  clicked to join a media group meant exclusively for Carnatic music and felt thrilled when I was accepted. I was proud and humbled as well to be part of learned discussion about carnatic music, its nuances and techniques.

There is a weekly concert streamed through their radio and on special occasions, thematic concerts will be webcast. I have been enjoying good music along with enhancing my knowledge about the compositions, their meanings, the distinct feature of each raga, other technical and theoretical aspects of Carnatic music. 
Shruti and laya, I know. But then, I get to learn about briga, gamaka, jeeva swara and nyasa swara, kaarvai and many others during the course of their conversation while listening to the concerts. That is the 'icing on the cake', don't you think?
(Kaarvai is holding onto a particular swara for a longer interval of time;
Jeevaswaras are the quintessential swaras which lend life to a particular raga;
Gamaka is the shake, grace, embellishment given to particular swaras(instead of plain notes) to add to the beauty;
Briga is a speedy rendition of a particular phrase of a raga;
Alaap or alaapana is the abstract essaying of a raga - elaborating the raga;)

I am still faced with many challenges in my relation with technology; it is moody with sudden non responsiveness and closing off during an important task. But to give credit where it is due, I have moved on from being an unwilling partner to being a close acquaintance with technology. 
When I got an opportunity to listen to Thanjavur S. Kalyanaraman's concert in Radio web Carnatic with all the expert comments from group members, I remembered the association between technology and music and no other moment can be more apt!
He observed the sounds with an analytical approach and loved to experiment with swaras, ragas or the way the musical sounds originate. AS his sister mentioned, he tried "to identify the originating position of the seven swaras in the human body."
What more? He adopted a scientific method to teach his students singing pitch perfect ragas and music.  He was way ahead of his times. With his melodious voice, in depth knowledge of the classical music, passion for experimenting and perfection, his music was just magic! 

This evening's concert was equally a gem and the ragas  - surutti, Kanada, Thodi and Shanmukapriya - glided with a gentle sway here and an energetic sweep there; teasing me flirtatiously sometime or engulfing me in their warm folds!
Don't worry, folks. I am not going into too much technical or theoretical aspect of the music. Anyhow, that is for a critical analysis and I simply want to enjoy good music and share it with you people. 

Good music in any form appeals to me and I think it does to all of you guys. I do visualise the music and it will be like scenes of a movie running one after another -  tall distant azure mountains, a vast blue sky with puffy white clouds, gurgling water of a clear cold stream, the distant coconut palms gently swaying in early summer breeze... there are more. Care to join me, next time?







Do you have any questions?

  प्रश्नः,  प्रश्न , 'கேள்வி ,  ചോദ്യം (chodyam), 'Prashna' - ప్రశ్న, প্রশ্ন, प्रश्नः,  प्रश्न , ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ( Praśne ), પ્રશ્ન, سوا...