YEH RAATEIN ,YEH MAUSAM, NADI KA KINARA
Some time in the 1960’s a distant relative of mine from New Delhi visited me at my home in Chennai[then Madras]. This guy was born and brought up in Delhi and was, at the age of about 25, visiting my city for the first time .Once he had settled down at my home in Nandanam he expressed a desire to visit the Marina beach. ‘I have never seen a beach’ he said to my astonishment .We forthwith boarded a bus to Triplicane and thence walked to the Marina. It was dusk by the time we reached the beach. As soon as his eyes set on the blue waters he exulted ‘This is divine’. We sat on the sands and I switched on my transistor and what song should we hear but that Kishore and Asha Bhonsle perennially alluring romantic song, YEH RAATEIN YE MAUSAM NADI KA KINARA.
As the sound of the winds meshed with the dulcet voices of the master singers , and as the gentle lyrics wafted into the air, my relative closed his eyes for several moments even after I had switched off the radio. As a few tears trickled down his eyes I asked him how he felt . Slowly as if returning from a state of coma he said
‘If there is any proof needed at all that love is the greatest emotion known at all living creatures this song is the proof. If there is anything more beautiful than the sea, I am yet to experience it. I am shifting for good to Madras’.
He lived up to his words and even to this day at past the age of 60 he is a familiar sight at the Marina on most evenings romancing the sea.
These thoughts raced through my mind last evening when I attended another excellent concert conducted by SATRANGIMUSIC Chennai, headed by Pramod Nair and accompanied by singers Usha and Jaya.
Jaya and Pramod sang that Ye raatein melody from DILLI KA THUG [By the way why does ‘Dilli’ alone attracts that pejorative word ‘thug’?} almost to perfection. Jaya has a comely sensous voice that resembles Asha Bhonsle’s.
The evening began with a song from HOWRAH BRIDGE –after all it was a concert to pay tribute to Madhubala and Nutan . Jaya began with that all time great club song AAYIYE MAHERBAN number from that movie composed by O.P Nayyar. She captured that come hither spirit of the song.
The first high point of the concert was then to arrive as Usha rendered that song that takes me back to my childhood when the moon was the object of much poetic description—a tradition that has been sadly lost. Any poet who refers to the moon these days may be accused of being just that—a lunatic ! Usha sang CHAND PHIR NIKLA that lyrical statement of love ad longing from PAYING GUEST . Usha has a touch of Lata and has a comely personality to boot—not the ‘come- on- dance- with- me’ look that is in fashion these days. Her joy at the very idea of singing is something to behold. An MA in music she is grooming her daughter Kamalaji to sing. The smile that she has at the end of her song sends your heart into a silent contemplation of the beauty of her voice and the musical quality of the songs she chooses..
Usha and Pramod joined voices to sing that peppy title song from TERE GHAR KE SAMNE that had the audience tapping their feet. Only to be entranced next by Jaya with KAALI GHATA CHHAI MORE from SUJATA .The song CHOD DO AANCHAL that Pramod and Jaya sang next from the film PAYING GUEST reminded us of gentler times when zamana frowned on undue physical expression of love .These days …. Oh let us leave it at that !
Compere beyond compare Lakshmi told the audience that the song that followed was the one that first established Lata as a musical marvel. Just as Lakshmi finished her brief interlude came the gentle voice of Usha with that evocative song AAYEGA AAYEGA AAYEGA AANE WALA, AAYEGEGA from MAHAL .My heart skipped a few beats. Lakshmi had asked who the composer was and promptly came the answer from an obvious lover of hindi film melodies . Khemchand Prakash whom the iconic Naushsd described as My Musical Guru!
Usha’s rendition was a highlight that evening and this song brought out how a song ought to be sung—the listener must unconsciously feel the emotions of the song. I for one truly felt a longing for what I can not fathom….that was the depth of emotion Usha and the song stirred in me.
Interspersed with songs from Sarawati Chandra, Phagun,Kalapani, came the one with Hemant Kumar singing LEHRON PE LEHER from CHABILI with music by Snehal Bhatkar.This sentimental hit was followed by that cute melody from Bandini MORA GORA ANG LAI LO . MOHE SHAAM ANG DAI DE .Lakshmi told us that this was written by Gulzar !Trust that poet to overturn current obsession for fair skin!Shah Rukh Khan ought to listen to this song and stop endorsing fairness cream!
Usha then sang another show stealer from Khandaan TUMHI MERI MANZIL TUMHI MERI POOJA— a song never to be forgotten. A couple of songs later Usha again rose to the pinnacle of the evening PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA, that classic Madhubala enacted Naushad masterpiece from MUGHAL- E- AZAM . I switched on my mobile and let a lover of this song sitting in a distant part of the city listen to this gem !!
Two songs later came the denoument – ZINDAGI BHAR NAHI BHOOLEGI WOH BARSAAT KI RAAT.
There is something about nature that inspires the best prose, poetry and art in general. If the nadi stirred me earlier in the concert it was barsaat ki raat that dipped into the deep recesses of my heart .Pramod and Usha sang in unison with the soft drizzle in Chennai on a night said to be colder than any other over many years. Unbelievable that Chennaites were actually seen in shawls. But then many things are unusual about the city—love of the golden era of Hindi film music is one such.
K.R.RAVI
For details of the next concert visit www.satrangimusic.com
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
A R REHMAN SACHIN ETC
A.R.REHMAN TENDULKAR BRADMAN
Cricket legend Brian Lara was asked how he would compare Sachin Tendulkar with Bradman. As India waited with bated breath for the answer that might have led to the declaration of another national holiday, came the excellent reply ‘We cannot compare great cricketers of different eras.’ He added helpfully that Sachin was the Bradman of this era.
Something similar may be said of film music. Many including yours truly have held that the period 1950 to 1970 may be called the Golden era of Hindi film music. the era when Melody was Queen . With astonishment we heard the immortal melodies of Naushad, S.D.Burman, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas., O.P Nayyar. Roshan, Shanker Jaikishan, Ravi. Jaidev and many others. Using the awesome talents of Rafi,Kishore Mukesh , Manan Dey , Lata, Geeta, Asha etc these musicians produced the kind of songs that will forever remained etched in the hearts of listeners like me. Bliss is it to have been born in that era.
I am sure lovers of music in other languages will have similar views about their music . But I ask a simple question—Are we committing the common error of reconstructing history in a distorted way? Are we overdoing things and saying that there was no bad music in that era .?Are we saying that audiences then loved melody?
I am provoked to ask this question in the light of this comment made many years ago by O.P.Nayyar ‘ I was king when I composed trash. I strove for musical quality only to crash’.
Even granting that a man whose career was coming to an end may be excused for being bitter how does one account for R D Burman’s lament that the market wanted only dhing -chak music while he yearned to give melody of the kind he gave in Amar Prem and Aandhi?. Would you believe that RDB rated Hemant Kumar as the most accomplished singer of the golden era and regretted that he never composed to Hemantda? Would the audience of even that era accept RDB-Hementda combo? Or would they have preferred ‘Mehmbooba mehmooba?
. I believe A .R.Rehman is in a situation familiar to our Prime Minister ,Manmohan Singh who when accused of being week and a doormat mumbles of the ‘ compulsions of coalition politics’. Rehman may also mumble- Compulsions of market realities—which is what O.P.Nayyar talked about.
Rehman has composed immortal melodies like
KAANU KU MAI AZHAGU
Netri ilada matram
Uyirum neeye
Yennavale
Irumugamaye
Then there the lilting melodies from Thiruda Thiruda including Chandralekha that are on par with R.D.Burman’s Chura liya hai .
These will stand testimony to my assertion that if only the market permits him he can do to Tamil film songs what C. Ramachandra and Naushad did up north.
But there is the market that constrains any creative person .Look at Chetan Bhagat. His articles in some papers on sensitive topics reflect his serious thinking on those subjects. But his books which are aimed at the ‘time pass’ adolescents and young adults refect his sensitivity to market forces. His books are quite puerile as are Shoba De’s writings that are aimed at the vacuous page 3 reader
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
Cricket legend Brian Lara was asked how he would compare Sachin Tendulkar with Bradman. As India waited with bated breath for the answer that might have led to the declaration of another national holiday, came the excellent reply ‘We cannot compare great cricketers of different eras.’ He added helpfully that Sachin was the Bradman of this era.
Something similar may be said of film music. Many including yours truly have held that the period 1950 to 1970 may be called the Golden era of Hindi film music. the era when Melody was Queen . With astonishment we heard the immortal melodies of Naushad, S.D.Burman, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas., O.P Nayyar. Roshan, Shanker Jaikishan, Ravi. Jaidev and many others. Using the awesome talents of Rafi,Kishore Mukesh , Manan Dey , Lata, Geeta, Asha etc these musicians produced the kind of songs that will forever remained etched in the hearts of listeners like me. Bliss is it to have been born in that era.
I am sure lovers of music in other languages will have similar views about their music . But I ask a simple question—Are we committing the common error of reconstructing history in a distorted way? Are we overdoing things and saying that there was no bad music in that era .?Are we saying that audiences then loved melody?
I am provoked to ask this question in the light of this comment made many years ago by O.P.Nayyar ‘ I was king when I composed trash. I strove for musical quality only to crash’.
Even granting that a man whose career was coming to an end may be excused for being bitter how does one account for R D Burman’s lament that the market wanted only dhing -chak music while he yearned to give melody of the kind he gave in Amar Prem and Aandhi?. Would you believe that RDB rated Hemant Kumar as the most accomplished singer of the golden era and regretted that he never composed to Hemantda? Would the audience of even that era accept RDB-Hementda combo? Or would they have preferred ‘Mehmbooba mehmooba?
. I believe A .R.Rehman is in a situation familiar to our Prime Minister ,Manmohan Singh who when accused of being week and a doormat mumbles of the ‘ compulsions of coalition politics’. Rehman may also mumble- Compulsions of market realities—which is what O.P.Nayyar talked about.
Rehman has composed immortal melodies like
KAANU KU MAI AZHAGU
Netri ilada matram
Uyirum neeye
Yennavale
Irumugamaye
Then there the lilting melodies from Thiruda Thiruda including Chandralekha that are on par with R.D.Burman’s Chura liya hai .
These will stand testimony to my assertion that if only the market permits him he can do to Tamil film songs what C. Ramachandra and Naushad did up north.
But there is the market that constrains any creative person .Look at Chetan Bhagat. His articles in some papers on sensitive topics reflect his serious thinking on those subjects. But his books which are aimed at the ‘time pass’ adolescents and young adults refect his sensitivity to market forces. His books are quite puerile as are Shoba De’s writings that are aimed at the vacuous page 3 reader
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
I GET HATE MAILS
WHY WE SEND HATE MAILS?
If a shopkeeper tells you that he does not have the thing you are looking for but will make it available to you in a few hours what he means is that you may try after 2 days. If he tells you that he will get it in two days it means you ought to revisit his shop after two weeks. If he tells you that the goods will arrive ‘definitely’ after 15 days it means he has no plans to get it for you.
I leave it to you to try and figure out who said this about our way of dealing with requests. But suffice it to say that this is an aspect of not just Indian but even Asian behaviour. We find it difficult to be straightforward in replying to others for fear that we may be seen as rude.
What’s wrong with this? some may argue .True we ought not to be rude but look at this way. Are we not misleading the other guy by not being honest with him regarding our inability to deliver what he is seeking? Do we not believe in honesty in our dealings? Is it not possible to be honest AND polite?
The argument about not being rude is really not convincing since we do not consistently exhibit that trait in our other dealings where politeness is required.
I have written many articles on a range of subjects some of which may be unpalatable to many .That to my mind is exactly what we need –the vibrant market place of ideas, the clash of alternative viewpoints .Did I say ‘clash”? Maybe that’s where I err .It is the responses from some people to my articles that leads me to believe that Indians of the sort who reply to me are also strong believers in clash but sadly of a different sort. They have a right –indeed a duty--- to highlight where I may be wrong, but do the replies have to take a near sinister personal turn?
Here is one response to my article
.
He seems to be an immatured guy and probably
writes at the instance of some body.
One may rate himself as an intellect,but should not think that others are fools…. is good enough to tighten him
I almost sought police protection against this letter –so underworld- ish it sounds. Read the lines’ Good enough to tighten him’! How more personal can you get.
On the same topic another reader said I was ‘bigoted’ and called me names .
Then came a response from someone in New Delhi who wanted to know if I were a ‘circus clown’. An Indian from Texas wrote that I was suffering from a disability considering what I wrote n my piece about suicides in south India. Of course this guy is probably influenced by Bollywood movies where making fun of disabilities is a form of comedy never mind the total contempt it shows to the less fortunate among us. A reader from Coimbatore told me to restrict myself to articles in my area of specialisation-lateral thinking. I told him not to read articles in areas other than HIS area of specialisation! I was kidding.
The list is long but you get the point.
My question is this—Is it not possible to express disagreement with style and respect? Is it not possible to segregate a person’s views from his larger persona? If I disagree with you does it necessarily mean that I consider you to be a total fool? Can we not disagree and yet be friends? Can we not confine our responses to facts and opinions on specific points rather than launch a general tirade on the person who has written something?
What is in evidence in such instances is possibly the play of what can be called the ego. Somewhere my articles inadvertently hurt some people’s ego or sense of self worth . We are an ultra sensitive people and take to heart any comment that is not in sync with our views. What is worse we rush to convert any comment into a generalised attack on our identity –not just our individual identity but on our race, community, state or language group. I have been assaulted by a barrage of harsh comments for my article on why India shining is a myth that the middle class is nourishing at the cost of over 700 million Indians who live on less than Rs 20 a day .It’s been months since I expressed these views and I am still getting hate mail
I have been airing my hypotheses about this in the past. It goes like this. A nation starts by feeling inferior about itself—that was India’s plight not so long ago when we were victims of socialism .Then a country becomes touchy about any criticism of itself. India—a now developing India—is now in that stage, We are touchy about any negative report . We were touchy about toilets at the Commonwealth Games village being sub-standard. The middle class India which strives to impress white nations was up in arms against this dirty toilet report. This class would have not risen in revolt if the games were Indo-African games!! Finally a nation reaches a stage where it cares little for what others think. China is such a nation. Then there are nations that are self confident and go about their business quietly far from international media glare.
That will happen to India—this quiet self confidence—but we have to MAKE it happen. One way of doing that is to be restrict emotionality and allow rationality a greater play even when I write articles that do not meet universal approval!! COOL.!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
If a shopkeeper tells you that he does not have the thing you are looking for but will make it available to you in a few hours what he means is that you may try after 2 days. If he tells you that he will get it in two days it means you ought to revisit his shop after two weeks. If he tells you that the goods will arrive ‘definitely’ after 15 days it means he has no plans to get it for you.
I leave it to you to try and figure out who said this about our way of dealing with requests. But suffice it to say that this is an aspect of not just Indian but even Asian behaviour. We find it difficult to be straightforward in replying to others for fear that we may be seen as rude.
What’s wrong with this? some may argue .True we ought not to be rude but look at this way. Are we not misleading the other guy by not being honest with him regarding our inability to deliver what he is seeking? Do we not believe in honesty in our dealings? Is it not possible to be honest AND polite?
The argument about not being rude is really not convincing since we do not consistently exhibit that trait in our other dealings where politeness is required.
I have written many articles on a range of subjects some of which may be unpalatable to many .That to my mind is exactly what we need –the vibrant market place of ideas, the clash of alternative viewpoints .Did I say ‘clash”? Maybe that’s where I err .It is the responses from some people to my articles that leads me to believe that Indians of the sort who reply to me are also strong believers in clash but sadly of a different sort. They have a right –indeed a duty--- to highlight where I may be wrong, but do the replies have to take a near sinister personal turn?
Here is one response to my article
.
He seems to be an immatured guy and probably
writes at the instance of some body.
One may rate himself as an intellect,but should not think that others are fools…. is good enough to tighten him
I almost sought police protection against this letter –so underworld- ish it sounds. Read the lines’ Good enough to tighten him’! How more personal can you get.
On the same topic another reader said I was ‘bigoted’ and called me names .
Then came a response from someone in New Delhi who wanted to know if I were a ‘circus clown’. An Indian from Texas wrote that I was suffering from a disability considering what I wrote n my piece about suicides in south India. Of course this guy is probably influenced by Bollywood movies where making fun of disabilities is a form of comedy never mind the total contempt it shows to the less fortunate among us. A reader from Coimbatore told me to restrict myself to articles in my area of specialisation-lateral thinking. I told him not to read articles in areas other than HIS area of specialisation! I was kidding.
The list is long but you get the point.
My question is this—Is it not possible to express disagreement with style and respect? Is it not possible to segregate a person’s views from his larger persona? If I disagree with you does it necessarily mean that I consider you to be a total fool? Can we not disagree and yet be friends? Can we not confine our responses to facts and opinions on specific points rather than launch a general tirade on the person who has written something?
What is in evidence in such instances is possibly the play of what can be called the ego. Somewhere my articles inadvertently hurt some people’s ego or sense of self worth . We are an ultra sensitive people and take to heart any comment that is not in sync with our views. What is worse we rush to convert any comment into a generalised attack on our identity –not just our individual identity but on our race, community, state or language group. I have been assaulted by a barrage of harsh comments for my article on why India shining is a myth that the middle class is nourishing at the cost of over 700 million Indians who live on less than Rs 20 a day .It’s been months since I expressed these views and I am still getting hate mail
I have been airing my hypotheses about this in the past. It goes like this. A nation starts by feeling inferior about itself—that was India’s plight not so long ago when we were victims of socialism .Then a country becomes touchy about any criticism of itself. India—a now developing India—is now in that stage, We are touchy about any negative report . We were touchy about toilets at the Commonwealth Games village being sub-standard. The middle class India which strives to impress white nations was up in arms against this dirty toilet report. This class would have not risen in revolt if the games were Indo-African games!! Finally a nation reaches a stage where it cares little for what others think. China is such a nation. Then there are nations that are self confident and go about their business quietly far from international media glare.
That will happen to India—this quiet self confidence—but we have to MAKE it happen. One way of doing that is to be restrict emotionality and allow rationality a greater play even when I write articles that do not meet universal approval!! COOL.!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD
RAVI ,THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT EXPERT!!!
While on a tour of the Harvard campus I chanced to be invited to attend a free seminar by Philip Kotter the change management guru. I developed a passion for the subject after listening to the master .Thereafter I read all his books. When I returned to India I decided to bring about some change in my surroundings. Settled for some months in Chennai I once called people of my locality—R. K Salai—to a meeting to discuss how we could solve some civic problems that affected all of us. I found them cynical since all their earlier efforts had failed. But I resolved to work single-handedly.
· My first port of call was a street adjacent to where I live. This was a one- way street but few vehicle drivers bothered to follow the rule. Quite a few accidents had taken place injuring innocent people who did not expect a fast moving vehicle coming form the wrong direction. I spoke to the policemen standing thereabouts but they pleaded helplessness.
‘Who listens to us ?” they said despondently. But I had learnt that change is possible if you are persistent in your efforts. I did what no one had done earlier—I stood right in the disallowed entrance to that street for hours at a stretch and obstructed anyone from entering the wrong way. Some brushed past me, some abused me, some asked me if I had nothing else to do. I nevertheless stood my ground.
THEN CHANGE HAPPENED.
Motorists started driving into the wrong end of the street in reverse gear!! The policeman grinned at me.
· The second experience was when I noticed my locality was affected by frequent power outages. Repeated representations had no effect. My neighbours had even stopped worrying about this and had also forgotten the helpline number, I feretted out the number and pestered the clerk at the other end till he stopped answering the phone and even kept it off the hook. Then on one occasion I located the telephone number of the Electricity board chief. I started pestering him every time the power went off. It usually took me a dozen reminders to this august official before power was restored One night the power outage lasted seven hours during which time I rang him up twenty times till—I later gathered—the Chief had to himself stir out of his bed and supervise the repair operations. But the next time the light went off I saw something interesting
THEN CHANGE HAPPENED.
The Board Chief changed his mobile number!!
· I had made it my mission to change the dressing habits of an esteemed cousin of mine. I used to invite him to a café where I sang on the karaoke and was appreciated by the teenage crowd .The only eyesore was my cousin who used to show up clad in a veshti—that attire that I have an allergy to if worn outside one’s home. Repeated entreaties to him to show up at least in hep places in modern dress fell on deaf ears. I saw a golden opportunity for change when he was invited to the U.S for a 6 month sojourn by his sister. ‘At least after visiting the US I hope you will learn to dress smart’ I chided him.
‘Let’s see I may even set a new fashion trend in the US’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’ I enquired.
‘I may even walk down Broadway in a veshti and Hawaii chappal and set a new trend in fashion wear. If you are as smart as you think you are ,you can set up business as an exporter of veshtis to Victoria’s Secret and other hi- fashion stores.’
I almost gave up trying to change him
Six months later he returned to Chennai and rang me up excitedly about his adventures in the US.
‘Come to Geoffrey’s bar this evening’ I told him ‘I am singing to a group of Bollywood celebs. Who knows I may introduce you to SRK’
I settled before the microphone at the bar and was belting out a number when in walked my now modern cousin.
CHANGE HAPPENED.
He was dressed in a denim veshti!!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
While on a tour of the Harvard campus I chanced to be invited to attend a free seminar by Philip Kotter the change management guru. I developed a passion for the subject after listening to the master .Thereafter I read all his books. When I returned to India I decided to bring about some change in my surroundings. Settled for some months in Chennai I once called people of my locality—R. K Salai—to a meeting to discuss how we could solve some civic problems that affected all of us. I found them cynical since all their earlier efforts had failed. But I resolved to work single-handedly.
· My first port of call was a street adjacent to where I live. This was a one- way street but few vehicle drivers bothered to follow the rule. Quite a few accidents had taken place injuring innocent people who did not expect a fast moving vehicle coming form the wrong direction. I spoke to the policemen standing thereabouts but they pleaded helplessness.
‘Who listens to us ?” they said despondently. But I had learnt that change is possible if you are persistent in your efforts. I did what no one had done earlier—I stood right in the disallowed entrance to that street for hours at a stretch and obstructed anyone from entering the wrong way. Some brushed past me, some abused me, some asked me if I had nothing else to do. I nevertheless stood my ground.
THEN CHANGE HAPPENED.
Motorists started driving into the wrong end of the street in reverse gear!! The policeman grinned at me.
· The second experience was when I noticed my locality was affected by frequent power outages. Repeated representations had no effect. My neighbours had even stopped worrying about this and had also forgotten the helpline number, I feretted out the number and pestered the clerk at the other end till he stopped answering the phone and even kept it off the hook. Then on one occasion I located the telephone number of the Electricity board chief. I started pestering him every time the power went off. It usually took me a dozen reminders to this august official before power was restored One night the power outage lasted seven hours during which time I rang him up twenty times till—I later gathered—the Chief had to himself stir out of his bed and supervise the repair operations. But the next time the light went off I saw something interesting
THEN CHANGE HAPPENED.
The Board Chief changed his mobile number!!
· I had made it my mission to change the dressing habits of an esteemed cousin of mine. I used to invite him to a café where I sang on the karaoke and was appreciated by the teenage crowd .The only eyesore was my cousin who used to show up clad in a veshti—that attire that I have an allergy to if worn outside one’s home. Repeated entreaties to him to show up at least in hep places in modern dress fell on deaf ears. I saw a golden opportunity for change when he was invited to the U.S for a 6 month sojourn by his sister. ‘At least after visiting the US I hope you will learn to dress smart’ I chided him.
‘Let’s see I may even set a new fashion trend in the US’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’ I enquired.
‘I may even walk down Broadway in a veshti and Hawaii chappal and set a new trend in fashion wear. If you are as smart as you think you are ,you can set up business as an exporter of veshtis to Victoria’s Secret and other hi- fashion stores.’
I almost gave up trying to change him
Six months later he returned to Chennai and rang me up excitedly about his adventures in the US.
‘Come to Geoffrey’s bar this evening’ I told him ‘I am singing to a group of Bollywood celebs. Who knows I may introduce you to SRK’
I settled before the microphone at the bar and was belting out a number when in walked my now modern cousin.
CHANGE HAPPENED.
He was dressed in a denim veshti!!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
Sunday, November 28, 2010
TAMIL MUSIC HINDI MUSIC
WILL I SURVIVE THIS MUSICAL ASSAULT?
In the mid sixties my Tamilian parents decided they had enough of Bombay[now Mumbai] and took a shift to Madras[now Chennai] A month after we shifted here I was taken to a wedding of a close relative. As a13 year old I was intrigued at the proceedings .The ceremonies got over and the bride and groom were on their way out of the hall to a waiting rickety car to take them to their new home .I was eating an ice cream when all of a sudden I heard a very loud cry, enough to send anybody’s spine tingling in fear. I along with my parents ran towards the source of the sound and what should we see? The bride’s brother rolling on the floor, looking up and beating his breasts and crying loudly .‘Why are you leaving me my dearest sister?Why oh why’ he added, beating his breasts with redoubled vigour lest anyone miss his protestations of enduring love. I ,an innocent kid ,burst out into loud laughter only to be chided by my mother . ‘You Bombay wallas do not know what love means, what affection involves’ she scolded me in full view of the guests. To add insult to injury she sobbed and added ‘I am sure you will not weep when I die’. That was too much even by my infantile standards and I retreated to a far corner licking not only my bruised ego but also licking my ice cream!
· Film buffs will recall that iconic scene in the film
‘Nayakan’[DAYAVAN’in Hindi’] in which Kamalahasan ,now old and feeble comes down a staircase to see the badly mauled dead body of his son .A moment of silence later he erupts into a volcano of emotions that can be heartrending to some . This scene has been discussed at length in many film circles .There are two major schools of thought about this scene. One school—the Tamil school of film making—headed by Kamalahasan himself—feels that this scene was suited to the Tamil ethos .Kamal himself remarked that Tamilians are by nature loud in their demonstrations of emotion and he enacted that scene exactly the way a Tamilian would behave in real life .The other school—the North of the Vindhya school—felt that the scene was one of gross exaggeration , sheer melodrama.
I have been doing some research into this aspect of Tamil behaviour and have tentatively concluded that tamilians more than other communities—but not exclusively—tend to be loud even in casual conversation and tend to be far above national average in being demonstrative in their emotions .The manner in which several tamilians commit self immolation on the death of a political or cinematic leader speaks volumes. In cinema halls, bus stops and other public places one gets the impression that tamilians do not know how to talk in whispers. I doubt if tamil language has a word for ‘ whisper’. Indians as a race are noisy compared to many other nations and Tamilians are far above Indian average in decibel levels in any situation. I have coined a term for this tamilian loudness and high decibel expression of emotion .I call it the Shivaji Ganesan syndrome. I refer to the ‘ great’ actor on whom Kamalahasan has modeled himself whose ability to raise both his eyebrows and speak on a thunderous note for even the most casual of dialogues have few parallels in Indian cinema . While Dilip Kumar could send everyone’s heart fluttering merely by tracing a feather over Madhubala’s face Shivaji would launch into such an elaborate alliterative monologue on his intense love that the heroine would be left with no option but to concede defeat to the hero and agree to marry him if only to silence him! ‘Hoga Hoga Hoga’ she would say in Tamil to the utter delight of Shivaji the hero and his fans and utter relief to me as a viewer.
I recalled these ideas when I attended last night a musical evening titled BLACK AND WHITE at an auditorium in Chennai. The organizers promised melody of Tamil and Hindi film songs .Sad to say the old tamil instincts were on full display. Tamil movie goers and music show lovers tend to think that in order to produce stereophonic effects all that the sound engineer has to do is to spike the volume to as high as the system would allow. That was what happened .Added to this was a 24 piece orchestra and you had not melody but cacophony. The selection of tamil songs was hardly my idea of melody accompanied as the songs were with loud music.
Chandanda ,the Md. Rafi of Chennai was a welcome relief with his melodious rendering of KHOYA KHOYA CHAND,JO VAADA KIYA HO,of the melody genre and RAMAYA VASTAVAIYAand AAJA AAJA as a concession to the rhythm sections of the audience.
I asked myself a question –Is there something in the tamil psyche that prevents us from being soft and producing soft melodious music of the type that Naushad, Madan Mohan, S.D.Burman ,Shanker Jaikishen, Khayyam Roshan et all produced ?
What is it that prevented the likes of T.M.Sounderrajan , P.Suseela ,M.S.Vishvanathan from singing and producing all time great melodies like Suhani raat dhal chuki Tum na jane jis jahan mein, Waqt ne kiya , Yehi who jaga hai, Na tum hume jaae etc?
To be sure there are tamil songs that have been as good as the same songs tuned in hindi. Thus TMS’s ORU AAYIRUN PAAVAYILE is a good as Rafi’s SAU BAAR JANAM LENGE but these are rare.
Is there something about the harshness of the climate in Tamilnadu with its searing heat, intolerable humidity in addition to the spicy food that makes us specially emotional at least in its display? Someone suggested that one of the reasons why Telugu rural people smoke cigars with the burning side inside the mouth is this—they have become immune to the effects of smoking due to consumption of the Guntur chillies, one of the hottest in the world .Therefore unless they smoke cigars with the wrong side in ,they can hardly get a kick!
Is something like this working to make Tamilians get far more emotional than their compatriots thanks to the year long intense summer? Are we so emotional that we are unable to express our feelings tenderly and in an understated fashion which is what can make music melodious?
Is the lack of diversity in the tamil film industry also responsible for its limited creativity. Bollwood had the benefit of a diverse set of talented people in music alone. Naushad brought Hindustani classical music to Hindi film music. Madan Mohan brought the ghazal, O.P Nayyar brought earthy Punjabi music, Hemant Kumar and S.D Burman brought Bengali sounds R,D Burman brought techo music and so on. We have not had this burst of creativity in Tamil film music so far.
Here is a challenge. How many people in Tamil Nadu will commit self immolation if one of their superstars decides to make his tryst with his ultimate [not film] maker?
I have asked for Z category protection in Chennai after the publication of this article!!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
In the mid sixties my Tamilian parents decided they had enough of Bombay[now Mumbai] and took a shift to Madras[now Chennai] A month after we shifted here I was taken to a wedding of a close relative. As a13 year old I was intrigued at the proceedings .The ceremonies got over and the bride and groom were on their way out of the hall to a waiting rickety car to take them to their new home .I was eating an ice cream when all of a sudden I heard a very loud cry, enough to send anybody’s spine tingling in fear. I along with my parents ran towards the source of the sound and what should we see? The bride’s brother rolling on the floor, looking up and beating his breasts and crying loudly .‘Why are you leaving me my dearest sister?Why oh why’ he added, beating his breasts with redoubled vigour lest anyone miss his protestations of enduring love. I ,an innocent kid ,burst out into loud laughter only to be chided by my mother . ‘You Bombay wallas do not know what love means, what affection involves’ she scolded me in full view of the guests. To add insult to injury she sobbed and added ‘I am sure you will not weep when I die’. That was too much even by my infantile standards and I retreated to a far corner licking not only my bruised ego but also licking my ice cream!
· Film buffs will recall that iconic scene in the film
‘Nayakan’[DAYAVAN’in Hindi’] in which Kamalahasan ,now old and feeble comes down a staircase to see the badly mauled dead body of his son .A moment of silence later he erupts into a volcano of emotions that can be heartrending to some . This scene has been discussed at length in many film circles .There are two major schools of thought about this scene. One school—the Tamil school of film making—headed by Kamalahasan himself—feels that this scene was suited to the Tamil ethos .Kamal himself remarked that Tamilians are by nature loud in their demonstrations of emotion and he enacted that scene exactly the way a Tamilian would behave in real life .The other school—the North of the Vindhya school—felt that the scene was one of gross exaggeration , sheer melodrama.
I have been doing some research into this aspect of Tamil behaviour and have tentatively concluded that tamilians more than other communities—but not exclusively—tend to be loud even in casual conversation and tend to be far above national average in being demonstrative in their emotions .The manner in which several tamilians commit self immolation on the death of a political or cinematic leader speaks volumes. In cinema halls, bus stops and other public places one gets the impression that tamilians do not know how to talk in whispers. I doubt if tamil language has a word for ‘ whisper’. Indians as a race are noisy compared to many other nations and Tamilians are far above Indian average in decibel levels in any situation. I have coined a term for this tamilian loudness and high decibel expression of emotion .I call it the Shivaji Ganesan syndrome. I refer to the ‘ great’ actor on whom Kamalahasan has modeled himself whose ability to raise both his eyebrows and speak on a thunderous note for even the most casual of dialogues have few parallels in Indian cinema . While Dilip Kumar could send everyone’s heart fluttering merely by tracing a feather over Madhubala’s face Shivaji would launch into such an elaborate alliterative monologue on his intense love that the heroine would be left with no option but to concede defeat to the hero and agree to marry him if only to silence him! ‘Hoga Hoga Hoga’ she would say in Tamil to the utter delight of Shivaji the hero and his fans and utter relief to me as a viewer.
I recalled these ideas when I attended last night a musical evening titled BLACK AND WHITE at an auditorium in Chennai. The organizers promised melody of Tamil and Hindi film songs .Sad to say the old tamil instincts were on full display. Tamil movie goers and music show lovers tend to think that in order to produce stereophonic effects all that the sound engineer has to do is to spike the volume to as high as the system would allow. That was what happened .Added to this was a 24 piece orchestra and you had not melody but cacophony. The selection of tamil songs was hardly my idea of melody accompanied as the songs were with loud music.
Chandanda ,the Md. Rafi of Chennai was a welcome relief with his melodious rendering of KHOYA KHOYA CHAND,JO VAADA KIYA HO,of the melody genre and RAMAYA VASTAVAIYAand AAJA AAJA as a concession to the rhythm sections of the audience.
I asked myself a question –Is there something in the tamil psyche that prevents us from being soft and producing soft melodious music of the type that Naushad, Madan Mohan, S.D.Burman ,Shanker Jaikishen, Khayyam Roshan et all produced ?
What is it that prevented the likes of T.M.Sounderrajan , P.Suseela ,M.S.Vishvanathan from singing and producing all time great melodies like Suhani raat dhal chuki Tum na jane jis jahan mein, Waqt ne kiya , Yehi who jaga hai, Na tum hume jaae etc?
To be sure there are tamil songs that have been as good as the same songs tuned in hindi. Thus TMS’s ORU AAYIRUN PAAVAYILE is a good as Rafi’s SAU BAAR JANAM LENGE but these are rare.
Is there something about the harshness of the climate in Tamilnadu with its searing heat, intolerable humidity in addition to the spicy food that makes us specially emotional at least in its display? Someone suggested that one of the reasons why Telugu rural people smoke cigars with the burning side inside the mouth is this—they have become immune to the effects of smoking due to consumption of the Guntur chillies, one of the hottest in the world .Therefore unless they smoke cigars with the wrong side in ,they can hardly get a kick!
Is something like this working to make Tamilians get far more emotional than their compatriots thanks to the year long intense summer? Are we so emotional that we are unable to express our feelings tenderly and in an understated fashion which is what can make music melodious?
Is the lack of diversity in the tamil film industry also responsible for its limited creativity. Bollwood had the benefit of a diverse set of talented people in music alone. Naushad brought Hindustani classical music to Hindi film music. Madan Mohan brought the ghazal, O.P Nayyar brought earthy Punjabi music, Hemant Kumar and S.D Burman brought Bengali sounds R,D Burman brought techo music and so on. We have not had this burst of creativity in Tamil film music so far.
Here is a challenge. How many people in Tamil Nadu will commit self immolation if one of their superstars decides to make his tryst with his ultimate [not film] maker?
I have asked for Z category protection in Chennai after the publication of this article!!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
Saturday, November 27, 2010
ARE SOUTH INDIANS SUICIDE PRONE?
ARE SOUTH INDIANS PRONE TO SUICIDE?
I find this unbelievable. Two of my young relatives both highly qualified and doing very well in their professions are deeply religious[read ritualistic] at home and even in office One of them will not drink a drop of water or eat even a morsel of food that has not been made at home .On one occasion this guy was stranded for about 3 days at various locations in Mumbai when that city was flooded on a scale not since seen, about 4 years ago He walked in fits and starts and finally reached his home in the distant suburbs a full 3 days later .Shockingly he refused food and water during this ‘ voyage’ He had sworn to himself to lead a ‘ ‘pure life’ and battled hunger and thirst..
I understand both these guys who are not even 30 will in due course become religious leaders and will forsake their hard won material and career success.
These guys came to my mind when I read an article ‘Perils and pressures of wonderland’ by Dilip Bobb in SUNDAY EXPRESS dated 28th November.
This article aroused deep interest in me also due to some of my personal experiences in Chennai a city I once lived in but left for pastures elsewhere including in the USA.
In the last one year that I have been in Chennai I have tried to make friends in the Trainers’ community but have failed abjectly. Both ladies and gents have spurned my attempts to reach out to them . Some of them would speak to me on phone ,agree to meet me at a coffee house but fail to turn up. The women would bluntly tell me that they do not believe in befriending strangers. I am yet to figure out how on can be a friend straightaway without being a stranger!
One lady however was frank enough to tell me that she would rather exchange emails with me and size me up before meeting me..I told her that I invited her to a crowded coffee house in a bustling mall and hence my credentials ought not to be under a scanner. But she said that the world has deteriorated. I agreed with her on that score at least partially.
The Sunday Express article discusses how the rapid economic evolution that is making India the envy of the world is also sadly spurring social tension and tragedy The author refers to increasing cases of suicides by young girls unable to handle the dilemmas brought about by their conservative background, juxtaposed against the social mores they encounter in cities.
What struck me was the study quoted by Bobb .It was carried out by Christian Medical College Vellore that showed that WOMEN IN SOUTH INDIA SHOW THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE IN THE WORLD. It is fairly certain that the clash between a hugely conservative society with strong traditional values and the changes consequent to India’s economic and social transition may explain this tragic occurrence of suicides, The study adds that stress factors such as academic failures and unfulfilled romantic ideals were among the issues that contributed to high teenage suicides. Access to what India is proud of—the mobile phone --is a factor too. Small wonder that leaders of some communities including Khalp panchayats have banned the use of the mobile phone by their kids The easy communication with the other sex is said to lead to delinquent behaviour. The internet too—increasingly India’s pride what with 3 G – with easy access to intimate talk and porn sites is also said to be a culprit.
It is all disturbing. Till these issues are understood and managed I will try NOT to expect to make friends in CHENNAI!!! Mumbai here I come mid December. Hope things are better there.
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
I find this unbelievable. Two of my young relatives both highly qualified and doing very well in their professions are deeply religious[read ritualistic] at home and even in office One of them will not drink a drop of water or eat even a morsel of food that has not been made at home .On one occasion this guy was stranded for about 3 days at various locations in Mumbai when that city was flooded on a scale not since seen, about 4 years ago He walked in fits and starts and finally reached his home in the distant suburbs a full 3 days later .Shockingly he refused food and water during this ‘ voyage’ He had sworn to himself to lead a ‘ ‘pure life’ and battled hunger and thirst..
I understand both these guys who are not even 30 will in due course become religious leaders and will forsake their hard won material and career success.
These guys came to my mind when I read an article ‘Perils and pressures of wonderland’ by Dilip Bobb in SUNDAY EXPRESS dated 28th November.
This article aroused deep interest in me also due to some of my personal experiences in Chennai a city I once lived in but left for pastures elsewhere including in the USA.
In the last one year that I have been in Chennai I have tried to make friends in the Trainers’ community but have failed abjectly. Both ladies and gents have spurned my attempts to reach out to them . Some of them would speak to me on phone ,agree to meet me at a coffee house but fail to turn up. The women would bluntly tell me that they do not believe in befriending strangers. I am yet to figure out how on can be a friend straightaway without being a stranger!
One lady however was frank enough to tell me that she would rather exchange emails with me and size me up before meeting me..I told her that I invited her to a crowded coffee house in a bustling mall and hence my credentials ought not to be under a scanner. But she said that the world has deteriorated. I agreed with her on that score at least partially.
The Sunday Express article discusses how the rapid economic evolution that is making India the envy of the world is also sadly spurring social tension and tragedy The author refers to increasing cases of suicides by young girls unable to handle the dilemmas brought about by their conservative background, juxtaposed against the social mores they encounter in cities.
What struck me was the study quoted by Bobb .It was carried out by Christian Medical College Vellore that showed that WOMEN IN SOUTH INDIA SHOW THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE IN THE WORLD. It is fairly certain that the clash between a hugely conservative society with strong traditional values and the changes consequent to India’s economic and social transition may explain this tragic occurrence of suicides, The study adds that stress factors such as academic failures and unfulfilled romantic ideals were among the issues that contributed to high teenage suicides. Access to what India is proud of—the mobile phone --is a factor too. Small wonder that leaders of some communities including Khalp panchayats have banned the use of the mobile phone by their kids The easy communication with the other sex is said to lead to delinquent behaviour. The internet too—increasingly India’s pride what with 3 G – with easy access to intimate talk and porn sites is also said to be a culprit.
It is all disturbing. Till these issues are understood and managed I will try NOT to expect to make friends in CHENNAI!!! Mumbai here I come mid December. Hope things are better there.
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
Friday, November 26, 2010
SRIDEVI, SNAKES GHOSTS SPOONS ETC
OF SRIDEVI ,SNAKES , GHOSTS,SPOONS ETC
Not surprisingly my article on YOU CAN BE A RAJA OF SPECTRUM OF THINKING elicited more than the usual share of brickbats. I am however happy that many organisations are inviting me to conduct workshops on CRITICAL THINKING .I accept the invitations with humility.
One statement by a reader who happens to be a 4 th year student in an IIT stumped me. The IIT student had taken to heart my statement that one should look for credible evidence before believing anything at all. He went on to add that in his village he had seen village ‘ doctors’ doing some magic and driving ‘ghosts’ out of the body of villagers. His contention was that since he had with his own eyes seen such acts can he rely on the ‘ evidence’ and consider himself a skeptical thinker? On the contrary this youngster maybe a gullible guy.
The details can be too long for this piece but I shall do no better than to list out CARL SAGTAN’S BALONEY DETECTION KIT .This gives a few tips on how to sift bull from genuine facts.
• Wherever possible there must be independent confirmation of the facts
o Encourage substantive debate on the evidence by knowledgeable proponents of all points of view.
o Arguments from authority carry little weight (in science there are no "authorities").
o Spin more than one hypothesis - don't simply run with the first idea that caught your fancy.
o Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it's yours.
o Quantify, wherever possible.
o If there is a chain of argument every link in the chain must work.
o "Occam's razor" - if there are two hypothesis that explain the data equally well choose the simpler.
o Ask whether the hypothesis can, at least in principle, be falsified (shown to be false by some unambiguous test). In other words, it is testable? Can others duplicate the experiment and get the same result?
Additional issues are
o Conduct control experiments - especially "double blind" experiments where the person taking measurements is not aware of the test and control subjects.
o Check for confounding factors - separate the variables.
I suggest to those who come across such acts involving magical ,Extra sensory powers etc to let a team of experts witness the performance in controlled conditions . In fact such claims have been tested and proven to be hoaxes .The classic case of Yuri Geller is one such. This man made a fortune by demonstrating his Extra sensory powers to bend a steel spoon. He became an international celebrity and was invited to many TV demonstrations . He made millions before some scientists decided to ask him to demonstrate his prowess in a lab. Geller failed and admitted that he was a hoax.Many such claims have been debunked
The materializing of vibhut,pendants, and gold chains by assorted godmen have also been proven to be hoaxes. Curiously many such god men claim that their acts are beyond science ! To my mind anybody who makes such a claim of being beyond science may in fact be a hoax. Matter cannot be created out of thin air no matter what realm you are in!.
In my article I had requested readers to solve a puzzle .To recap—a friend of yours tells you that if ever someone known to you is bit by a snake all you have to do to save his life is to call up or send an email to a certain guruji who will do some poojas and save your friend’s life .
Some readers wrote back giving a reference to a station master who did such superhuman feats. I am also aware of someone in Puri who is said to have ‘saved’ many lives. Well I have one explanation for this ‘ godly’ act. As is usually the case it is to the laws of probability that we turn for a scientific explanation. The fact is that very few snakes in India are poisonous .Often the victim may die or suffer seriously purely due to fear and shock---most people assume that ALL snakes are poisonous and therefore your friend has been bitten by a dangerous snake. It is entirely probable that the snake was in fact a benign one –however much he may hiss and appear slimy and dangerous. The telecall or email to the ‘ guru’ serves the purpose of shoring up the confidence of the snake bite victim and it is this that saves him. No magic no godly powers are involved! One can bet a hundred million that if ever the godman’s kin is bit by a cobra the man will rush to the nearest hospital.He will hardly send an email to himself!
Meanwhile stop seeing sundry bollywood movies that ascribe magical powers to snakes! Even if Sridevi is the heroine.
K.R.RAVI
WWW .KRRAVI.COM
Not surprisingly my article on YOU CAN BE A RAJA OF SPECTRUM OF THINKING elicited more than the usual share of brickbats. I am however happy that many organisations are inviting me to conduct workshops on CRITICAL THINKING .I accept the invitations with humility.
One statement by a reader who happens to be a 4 th year student in an IIT stumped me. The IIT student had taken to heart my statement that one should look for credible evidence before believing anything at all. He went on to add that in his village he had seen village ‘ doctors’ doing some magic and driving ‘ghosts’ out of the body of villagers. His contention was that since he had with his own eyes seen such acts can he rely on the ‘ evidence’ and consider himself a skeptical thinker? On the contrary this youngster maybe a gullible guy.
The details can be too long for this piece but I shall do no better than to list out CARL SAGTAN’S BALONEY DETECTION KIT .This gives a few tips on how to sift bull from genuine facts.
• Wherever possible there must be independent confirmation of the facts
o Encourage substantive debate on the evidence by knowledgeable proponents of all points of view.
o Arguments from authority carry little weight (in science there are no "authorities").
o Spin more than one hypothesis - don't simply run with the first idea that caught your fancy.
o Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it's yours.
o Quantify, wherever possible.
o If there is a chain of argument every link in the chain must work.
o "Occam's razor" - if there are two hypothesis that explain the data equally well choose the simpler.
o Ask whether the hypothesis can, at least in principle, be falsified (shown to be false by some unambiguous test). In other words, it is testable? Can others duplicate the experiment and get the same result?
Additional issues are
o Conduct control experiments - especially "double blind" experiments where the person taking measurements is not aware of the test and control subjects.
o Check for confounding factors - separate the variables.
I suggest to those who come across such acts involving magical ,Extra sensory powers etc to let a team of experts witness the performance in controlled conditions . In fact such claims have been tested and proven to be hoaxes .The classic case of Yuri Geller is one such. This man made a fortune by demonstrating his Extra sensory powers to bend a steel spoon. He became an international celebrity and was invited to many TV demonstrations . He made millions before some scientists decided to ask him to demonstrate his prowess in a lab. Geller failed and admitted that he was a hoax.Many such claims have been debunked
The materializing of vibhut,pendants, and gold chains by assorted godmen have also been proven to be hoaxes. Curiously many such god men claim that their acts are beyond science ! To my mind anybody who makes such a claim of being beyond science may in fact be a hoax. Matter cannot be created out of thin air no matter what realm you are in!.
In my article I had requested readers to solve a puzzle .To recap—a friend of yours tells you that if ever someone known to you is bit by a snake all you have to do to save his life is to call up or send an email to a certain guruji who will do some poojas and save your friend’s life .
Some readers wrote back giving a reference to a station master who did such superhuman feats. I am also aware of someone in Puri who is said to have ‘saved’ many lives. Well I have one explanation for this ‘ godly’ act. As is usually the case it is to the laws of probability that we turn for a scientific explanation. The fact is that very few snakes in India are poisonous .Often the victim may die or suffer seriously purely due to fear and shock---most people assume that ALL snakes are poisonous and therefore your friend has been bitten by a dangerous snake. It is entirely probable that the snake was in fact a benign one –however much he may hiss and appear slimy and dangerous. The telecall or email to the ‘ guru’ serves the purpose of shoring up the confidence of the snake bite victim and it is this that saves him. No magic no godly powers are involved! One can bet a hundred million that if ever the godman’s kin is bit by a cobra the man will rush to the nearest hospital.He will hardly send an email to himself!
Meanwhile stop seeing sundry bollywood movies that ascribe magical powers to snakes! Even if Sridevi is the heroine.
K.R.RAVI
WWW .KRRAVI.COM
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