Ilaiyaraja inspired a Paavani RTP

Bombay Jayashri, in an interview, has said that Ilaiyaraja's composition paartha vizhi, from the movie Guna, was the inspiration for her Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in the raga Paavani. The full article is available here.

In her words:

... And so I (the author) remind her (Bombay Jayashri) of an instance during a December season concert where she did stress her listeners out a bit, performing a ragam-thanam-pallavi in the unusual raga Paavani — the only reference point for which appears to be a film song, Ilayaraja’s Paartha vizhi from Guna. I wonder why she didn’t pick a Todi or a Sankarabharanam for the exercise — instead of making her audience work hard with her in trying to appreciate (leave alone enjoy) a familiar form with such unfamiliar content — and she says, “I’m a huge Ilayaraja fan. Paartha vizhi has been running in the back of my mind since I saw Guna. At the December concert, I am bored of constantly singing Todi or Sankarabharanam. I imagined the audience would be bored too. So I tried to do a pallavi with the word Paavani.”

Manu mulls ...

On Little Prince by Manu

“Little Prince” – by Saint Exupery, one of my all-time favourite books…..one that, I believe, is seemingly addressed to children, but reaches out to anybody who seeks in it.

My favorite episode in the book is when the Prince meets the Fox, and gets enlightened about the only phenomenon that is worth knowing, love or “tame” as he calls it here.

Some of my favourite bits of their conversation:

1. Fox explaining the meaning of “TAME” to the Prince: “To me, you are nothing more than a little boy, who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you TAME me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world.”
2. On the significance of taming: One ONLY understands the things that one tames.
3. Fox tells the Prince how he could be tamed: “First you will sit down at a little distance from me. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. But you will sit a little closer to me everyday”.
4. On the limitations of words: Words are the source of misunderstandings.
5. Fox’s parting gift, his secret, to the Prince: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye.

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In a way, this is Manu's second post in this blog. The first one, a poem, is referred in an earlier post.

- Shencottah

This-or-that meets Pepo

Pepo wore a long white dress, looks more like a drape than a dress. But he is very influential and claims to be a representative of some species. He is known for his innovative dialogue-initiations. Just to illustrate his approaches and its effects:

Once This-or-that met Pepo along with two warring groups - let us say Group-1 and Group-2. Pepo told Group-1 that they were humans. Group-1 was insulted. Group-2 was very happy. Group-1 leader questioned the wisdom of Pepo. Pepo maintained that he was initiating the dialogue by insulting. He maintained further that negotiation-after-insulting is an accepted norm of dialogue in the present millennium. The two groups fought relentlessly and killed each other merrily. Pepo escaped and claimed he had solved the problem. This-or-that later told me the first group was actually a group of dogs.

I asked, "What about the second group?"

He said, "Another set of powerful dogs."

When I asked about the nature of Pepo, This-or-that smiled meaningfully as if he could unearth a cup of red river.

Other This-or-That features:

1. This or that? - 1

2. Colors speak -- This or that? - 2

Rainy Day

It is raining outside. Leaves are Green. Fresh Green. Flowers are looking at themselves. Looking at their fresh and joyful faces. Rain is a river. Earth rejoices as the river flows down from Heavens.

I remember the words of Manu.

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Rainy Day

I'd await the times,

Though it may never be.

When your heart beats aloud

To a forgotten melody;

And beckon with the smile, I once knew

To relive my spring with you.

The blushing earth,

Embraced so tight.

Its joys smell so sweet;

The grasses gasp

The undying kiss.

Its heart's forgotten beat;

The joys we've known, are all I can hold

If tomorrow brings on tales untold.

Will memories awaken a promise once said?

Will we walk the same road ahead?

Looking on and on - Lost in rain,

I wish I too could feel the way they do.

- Manu

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Thanks to Manu who sent this poem to me few days ago.