A nested treasure box - Balamuralikrishna's sri rama namam

I was searching for one of my favorite songs 'sree rama namam' from the movie 'Naaraayam' but hit another sri rama namam. The rhythm was so catchy that I was glad I hit the wrong one. The thaalam was so simple that even 'thaalam unaware' people like me can grasp! All words were right on the beat.
Heard 'speed kurayaruthu' in between and realized he is a malayalee. I read a few comments and saw the singer is Prince Rama Varma, a descendant of Swathi Thirunnal from Trivandrum. Remembered my paattu maami mentioning his name when she told about her 80 year old friend parasshaala ponnammaal - she was honored to be the first lady to sing in the Narathri Mandapam in Padmanabhaswamy temple.
It was like opening a nested treasure box ; as each box openend, there was an interesting fact unveiled. Went through a couple more comments and found that the music to this song was composed by Dr.Balamuralikrishna who most of us know only as a great singer and that Rama Varma is his favorite student.
Went through Rama Varma's article 'Murali and me' in here . Felt so excited to know so much more about Balamurali Krishna . Though I knew him as a very famous singer, I have heard him only through 'Bharatham' as the singer for Nedumudi venu and in Mile Sur Mera thumhara. Then I saw Ramavarma(musique4ever) has uploaded the same song sung by Dr.Balamurali Krishna himself. I immediately became a fan - such a bold voice with a nice smile all the time while singing.
In general, I can enjoy the swarams, the fast pieces in a carnatic kacheri but never the ragams etc. so much. But Prince Rama Varma's contribution is an inspiration to learn more carnatic or at least listen to more carnatic music so that I can appreciate the great art better.
Enjoy my attempt of 'Sri Rama Namam' presented in this you tube video.

Sri Rama Namam with Lyrics

p.s. Thanks to my Telugu friends for helping me with the meaning.

Gopinath's Neeya Naana

'Neeya Naana' - Vijay TV's talk show conducted by Gopinath is one of my favorite TV shows. Whatever program he does, he comes forth as a knowledgeable and sensible person. No sooner did I watch his episode with Balumahendra (fair vs dusky) and dream to particpate in this show some time than the call from a friend asking me if I wanted to participate in Neeya Naana conducted by the very same Gopinath here in NJ. A sweet coincidence. Thanks to NJ Tamil Sangam for having made this possible and make meeting Gopinath seem so easy - I am sure in India it would be more difficult.

So, yesterday was the show and the topic decided was 'Americaavil vaazhum tamizh makkal thangal ethir kaalam kurithu thelivaaga irukkiraargala illai kuzhappamaaga irukkiraargala' (Are Tamil people living in the US clear about their future ?). He started with a nice long introduction starting with the unexpected snow, then going over almost every point that anybody in either teams could possibly think about. He talked like a person who has lived here forever and it was indeed convincing. The part where he told that the person that says he/she would go back to India the loudest stays here the longest and forever was so witty and true to the word.

Coming to my personal experience as a participant in this show, it was great, I started off with the same point that helped me choose the 'thelivu' side without any hesitation. We are constantly trying to prolong our stay in the U.S. - come as h1 visa holders, apply for permanent residentship then for citizenship and so on. If anybody was unsure, how would these people on the other side ever decide to buy a house of course we know it is to build equity and with the hope that they would live here for 5-10 years. Unless there is a compelling reason to go back to India like taking care of parents or taking over a huge business, we all like to stay here. Sometimes when I see a pencil lying on the floor, I feel guilty that we have not taught the kids to understand the value of money. But then we are not going to help it just by moving to India. We nostalgically look back at our own childhood and want to give the same to our kids but that just is not possible even if we go to India - times have changed. At least here the kids belong to the middle class and study in public schools. If we move to India, we might probably be in the upper middle class and probably going to increase our affordability and so on....
Then came the bait and the hook :) as he does it very often...the opponent team talked about confusions in kids. And he insisted that I respond to it ( I wish he had not - saying less is better most of the times ) . I tried to explain to him by saying that I am a Tamilian but brought up in Kerala but had no confusion and I think to some other question I told we teach Tamil to kids to inculcate in them our roots and presenting them with choices. At this he outwitted me indicating that it was not a sign of clarity(thelivu)!
Was trying to ponder over why he could not agree with that and found three reasons-
One, of course, I was not aggressive enough to get my point across eventhough it was valid.
Two, he is a true professional, he has complete control over where he leads the discussion - it would be around what he could handle the best based on his preconceived ideas.
Three, the topic was already drifting to India vs America.

But personally and watching friends around, I feel most of us have made a decision to live in America as if that is the only choice to pursue our careers because here in the land of immigrants we have the freedom to live as an Indian, learn Tamil, Bharathanatyam, go to the temple name it. My husband says if only Re.1 was $45 all of us would be on the other side of the globe. There is a global culture here that does not make you feel isolated and people are so tolerant. At work, even the non-Indians are happy to celebrate Diwali with us. I feel thats a really nice gesture. Our social life is almost like in India now. It is not like how it was 35 years back. I know my own parents eventhough they enjoyed their life with us kids in the US went back after a few years because they felt lonely and cut off from their family and culture. We also definitely miss our family, more dearly so when we are sick but then there is a price to pay for every convenience that we get. Always, ikkaraikku akkarai pachai.
I meet more Tamilians here than in my childhood in Kerala. Most of our kids meet only Indians during the weekends. My son is able to talk English to me in an Indian accent like me and in an almost American accent at school. Global boundaries have become thinner and we do not feel the distance and separation so much anymore. If something changes in India that is going to affect the US and anything changes here in the US, that is going to affect India. There is no sacrifice of 'patriotism for India that bred us' - we are building the economy there as well as the economy here.
Choosing 'thelivu' did not mean any of these to me: I have to live here forever, I have to sign up to Americanize myself and my children forever or that we do not like to live in India, in fact our big decisions have always been quick - even if I regret, my husband never does. Honestly, the thought of settling down anywhere itself scares and depresses me ...

Back to the program, around the same time may be because he was obsessed with parents trying to teach their kids too may things that they personally want to, the topic further drifted to right parenting. It actually brought out some useful tips both from the speakers and Gopinath. It turned into a true workshop!
The best were
Teach your kids the art of independent thinking.
Be role models to your kids.
If mentored right, they can live here or India or anywhere in the world happily.
Show that you and your spouse are affectionate just like you fight/argue when they are around.

He concluded the discussion saying "There is a sukham in living our life with uncertainties while understanding the differences and the changes due to the influence of a different culture. He also picked the most impressive speaker for a prize from each side and kept the tradition of Neeya Naana.

I was amazed at the confidence with which Gopinath said "If you have the authority to say this sitting here and say this from what you have heard about India, I have the authority to say this living in India and watching everything happening around me . And a bit shocked by the authority with which he curtly deferred an objection raised by a lady doctor who had 35 years of experience. May be he thought it was rude of her to interrupt like that. That is why he has command in his job and he is where he is - not losing focus and not letting others lose his focus while delivering a free flow of convincing words and thoughts amidst all different ideas for two and half hours that too totally live for this show. He kept the audience engaged with anecdotes from his personal life and experience or probably the imagination from all the information he has gathered. Even his use of native slangs makes him relate to us better. He joked about the Rapidex English when I mentioned about people talking in English in Lifestyle even though we know neither the seller nor the buyer would be one who has learnt English through Rapidex English speaking course ! Things like these do add the much needed element of humor in any show.

Enjoyed reflecting more, collecting my thoughts and recording this fun experience in this blog.

Technology and me - A tribute to Steve Jobs

Although I am a software programmer by profession, technological gadgets and I are too far apart. My family and friends tease me that I am technologically backward. I could assemble a book shelf with all enthusiasm but if there happens to be an internet outage, I still wait for my husband to reconnect and reset everything back to work - I am in no hurry to check my emails or the web. I use the cell phone sparingly just to call when absolutely essential. I curse myself if someone calls me while I am driving (which is the only time I hear the cell phone ring). For work, I prefer 'logging in' to typing an email in the blackberry wherever possible. Even with the interest in music , downloading a song or burning a CD is too technical for me! My son tries his best to teach me Mario galaxy so that he has a company to play with. I tried my best but just cannot do it. Playing the wii or any video game for that matter is just not my cup of tea.

The MAC book pro that we got a couple of years back has got me closer to the computer as well as internet at home- may be because this is my first laptop (could also be because we now have more videos/movies online). I love it. Looks and feels solid. The quality of their screens are just unbeatable - so vivid. Its magically different from any other computer in the market - hats off to Apple's technology. The other important difference is that I do not have to fear that I will crash the system if I browsed. Initially and still some of their apps seem convoluted and the menu options not that intuitive. But then I realize it is only because we are so used to the 'Microsoft' methods that we have grown up with in the computer world.

Creating a simple movie using imovie is so easy and still has so much control - the best part is I could record in and import my songs directly from garage band. For now I can create a movie from start to finish in one go with one song, to be honest only in one go because I still have not figured out 'save as' or deleting portions of audio right in imovie! And today, for the first time downloaded an itune because I needed a background that sounded like 'celebrating Steve's Life' as Apple calls it.

Here is an imovie tribute to the greatest visionary and innovator of our time, the creative genius behind the technology which has made not just this video possible but has brought the present generation to greater and greater heights of technology limited only by imagination. To the innovator who has worked constantly  all his life to make his own products better and better.

Click here to play my video A tribute to Steve Jobs

p.s. Thanks to the web up loaders for all the wonderful fall photos and a friend who forwarded the 'Steve Jobs' quotes.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - what is religion to me?

Long time back, a neighbor in NH who did 'Lalitha Sahasranama' pooja regularly inviting friends asked me if I could write the 'lalitha sahasranamam' in Tamil (transliterated) for her so that her Tamil guests could read. I wanted to but it was not so quick to write, then we moved and the project never took off...but always in mind as a promise to God not fulfilled...

Now, about being religious...I have never been religious in following religion. Unfortunately, I get practical and flexible when it comes to rules (bhayamum bhathiyum manasaila iruntha pothumnu) ...But most of us have grown up quite religiously in India ; especially for me it was hard to ignore God; we were surrounded by 10 temples within a quarter km radius (yes km) - Ilangom Sreedevi temple, Kazhugu Maadan thampuraan, Ujjaini Maakaali amman, Mutharamman, D.B.st. Pillayaar, Krishnan kovil, Shivan kovil, Sharadaambika madam, the river bank Subramanya kshethram and Shaasthaankovil - actually 11 a resurrected small hanuman temple. Before any exam, Ilangon, maadan, ujjaini and mutharamma were all paid their due respect. I even used to follow the local custom of getting the pen blessed from Ilangathu (pena pujicchu kondu pogum) before the exam. And then there were visits to the native temples to fulfill any 'venduthals' and annual functions and religious commitments.

I feel religion must have started as a means to bring in justice - to instill the fear in people to do wrong....may be that is why people rely more on the'God fearing ' people! Even with all the scientific reasoning, religion inculcates several good habits in us - daily prayer which demands personal hygiene and cleanliness of the house; gets us organized and disciplined. Of course, the faith in something builds 'Hope & Confidence'. It comforts me when I feel desperate - makes me believe that God has a plan.

Okay that said about the background, let us come to my experience with Lalitha Sahasranamam. In Elangom Sreedevi temple, every Pournami evening a vilakku poojai used to be conducted in which the Lalitha sahasranamaavali was recited in the manthra form as an arachana. My mother and I used to get 'anjuroopaikku thaamara ilaiyil pothunju kettiya aralippovvu" each - now it is only carry bags (in fact they have switched from flower archana to Kungkuma archana for the vilakku pooja for convenience). So each 'naamaa' will be preceded by 'oam' and succeeded by namaha. For eg. sri maathaa becomes Oam sri maathre namaha. There used to be just around 10 - 15 people - started at 5 PM- the lead would start with some slokas ( most of the days either I would have delayed my mother or my mother would have delayed me and always reached only after that!). Initially, we used to repeat each naamam after the lead ...but later on, it was all together. The initial ones were the toughest to pronounce - I had a sigh of releief after those were done! The conductor asked us to just say 'devyai namaha' if we cannot pronounce something instead of saying it wrong. But I think if we do that we will never learn - Devi will pardon mistakes if we are actually trying to do it better. Eventually, it comes ...the easy ones are really easy. Because most 'Hindu' girl names come from here named after Devi!

But in the last 12 years, I have read only the stothram form that too once in a long time. Any recital/song is best pronounced of course in the language it was wrtitten in. But then if we cannot read a language, it is important that we have the right transcript.
It is a bit tricky to have a good transliteration for Lalitha Sahasranamam in Tamil. Unlike Malayalam/Telugu, we do not have all the sounds equivalent in Tamil or English. But then I personally feel it is easier to read a script in any language with words that we usually read in the language instead of using symbols/dashes/caps to indicate short and long vowels etc. especially because it becomes difficult to decipher while trying to read the already difficult words! Going by that, I have created a Tamil and an English tranliteration for the Lalitha Sahasranamam doing my best justificaton to pronunciation and easy reading ( it was really difficult to decide sometimes which letter to go with :)).

This is a dedication to my mother and other friends who find it easier to read in Tamil. Hoping they would find it useful, here are the links to the 'Recite alongs' I have created for the same and uploaded in Youtube.
Lalitha Sahasranamam with Tamil Lyrics - Part 1
Lalitha Sahasranamam with Tamil Lyrics -Part 2
Lalitha Sahasranamam with Tamil Lyrics -Part 3
This has taken more than a month starting over every time there was a mistake - too many dependencies - good health, right Tamil typing, right mixing and proper uploading ! Somehow completed finally. Enjoy reading and get the blessings of Devi.