The Season

The only sad note I have while talking about my city is its weather. With a round the year minimum of 20 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius the only seasons that we experience are hot, hotter and hottest. But then I am not an Englishman and hence the topic of the weather is not the uppermost in my mind. Invariably the Chennai weather and its lack of Geographical seasons (read winter) is what holds many outsiders including multi nationals from making Chennai their home. There has been a change to this in the last couple of decades as Chennai has begun experiencing a wonderful Season even without bringing about any change in its weather. This is a Season so unique to Chennai and of which no other city or country in the world can ever boast off. A Season which came into being as a result of the ingenuity of the Chennaiite, a Season so totally man made. Yes it is the Music and Dance Season that I am talking about. Being just around the corner, I thought it only right to pay my obsequious to this grand celebration.
This Music Season which was restricted to the month of Margazhi in the Tamil Almanac (December 15th to January 14th) has slowly but surely spread and now includes Karthikai (November 15th to December 14th) and Thai (January 15th to February 14th). As one is well aware, Chennai/Tamilnadu is the home to the much acclaimed Carnatic music which has its origin during the Vedic period and has evolved ever since and of the much acclaimed and revered and the oldest of Indian traditional dance forms namely the Bharatanatyam. With this high intensity of performing arts prevalent in one place and all of which proclaim obeisance to the Almighty, it was inevitable that it became an establishment or to put it otherwise Chennai had to become the Mecca for these two outstanding art forms and the pilgrimage by the followers was bound to happen. The time chosen for this pilgrimage is again perfect for it coincides with that period when the weather is pleasant and experiences some coolness in the air. The time is also perfect for the ladies to display their gorgeous Kanchivarams and showcase their finest Jewellery. It is indeed a joy to be at any of the kutcheries (musical recitals) for apart from enjoying the performance, the well turned out ladies are indeed a wonderful treat to the eyes.
I was trying to recollect the Margazhi of my childhood/youth and this is what I could remember. Having lived in a Brahmin neighbourhood, the arrival of Margazhi never went unnoticed. The kollams (rice flour designs) that decorated the threshold of homes were wonderfully elaborate and there would always be music in the air. The Thiruppavai (hymns written by Alwar (saint) Andal in praise of Lord Krishna) was rendered by groups of ladies/girls as was done during Andal’s time. The local Vaishnavite temples would be buzzing with activity all revolved around Andal. If there was no deity Andal, then a photo would take its place and this would be adorned with garlands and jewellery. It was even customary for young girls to have the Andal hairstyle and to dress in their Sunday’s best. There was festivity in the air; however the visibility was very low. Andal, Thiruppavai and the elaborate kollams did not make its mark on the masses as the awareness of marketing was virtually absent. The Sabhas were only a handful and during Margazhi held kutcheries where in all the stalwarts and the other upcoming artists participated.
That the festival has taken a humungous form is indeed a fact. Not able to contain it within the 30 days of Margazhi, it has spread in both directions. Every body who has it in them to host a festival, conducts one and the artists who take part come from all corners of the country and the world. The pre and post Margazhi festivals are not just restricted to Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam for they include other forms belonging to these two genres. Thus the highly informed enthusiasts of Chennai are exposed to all of the best in music and dance that the world can offer. The performers consider it a privilege to be part of The Season and hence never miss an opportunity. Only a wizard/genius can make it to the top slot in the first season itself. The slot system thus becomes an unofficial marker as far as the popularity/recognition of an artist is concerned. It goes without saying that the top artists are in great demand and during a Season most of them perform every other day. It is also a God sent opportunity for the female artistes to showcase their saris and jewellery and indirectly or is it directly become the brand ambassadors for the leading retail sari showrooms.
The Season has also become a platform for corporates to proclaim their cultural awareness for attached to each of the Sabhas is a host of wealthy sponsors. With the visibility increasing, The Season has burgeoned and with it, its economics too. The Season has become the focal point for those in the Indian Diaspora with an interest in Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam to plan their trip to Chennai. With most of the artists having performed abroad, they have among their followers loads of foreigners too. I was surprised when I heard a foreigner say that she was in India to trail artist “X” through her various performances during The Season. This heavy influx is an excellent source of income to the hospitality industry and to all the varied retail businesses in the city. Another business that runs well in the Sabhas is the canteen. It is considered a fashion to eat the mouth drooling snacks and Tiffin offered in the canteens and to top the fares with the much acclaimed filter coffee.
Here is a Novel Season of which we can truly be proud off. The Season is a perfect example of how the blend of private enterprise (The Sabhas) and the Government can bring about a success story. The Government conducts the Dance Festival at Mahabalipuram a venue so revered. The open air concerts with the 11th century rock carvings of “Arjuna’s Penance” as a backdrop is indeed very popular. In the last two years the city has been witness to yet another initiative of the Government and this is the Chennai Sangamam where the various folk dances and music are performed on the streets. This truly gives the feel of a mela, a mela (fair) in which the whole city is involved. An added incentive to the Sangamam is the availability of traditional Tamizh food prepared by Five Star Chefs and served at various localities. The Season is on its way and in the next three months one would be enveloped by Music and Dance. The goodness about The Season is that Chennaiites have the prerogative of ending the current year on a high note only to welcome the New Year on a higher one.
P.S. The Temple Tower on the Tamil Nadu Government Emblem is of the temple in Srivilliputtur, a temple devoted to Alwar Andal. Thus it was only a matter of time before The Season was established.

A Dream

I dreamt of “The Beast” parked in front of my house on Sivaganga Road. I guess that it is a far fetched dream but then dreams are just meant to be far fetched and with the current happenings, it is something that can definitely turn into reality. What prompted this dream could well be the just concluded trip of the Obamas to India and all the hype and fervor that went with it. Ever since the highest office in the world was open to an African American, I have been day dreaming of situations when the above could happen.
I have, by virtue of the curriculum in my school, been fed with American History from the young age of 13 and hence can proudly say that I know pretty well of the early happenings in that country. Right from the Pilgrim Fathers to the Thirteen Colonies to the War of Independence including the Boston Tea Party, to the Three Westward Expansions including the California Gold Rush to the Louisiana Purchase to the Civil War to the abolition of slavery to the modern day America, every wee bit is imprinted in my mind. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and much later Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and of course John Fitzgerald Kennedy were the towering personalities of that history and their achievements were studied and recorded in my memory. The names of the latter year Presidents too have been etched in my mind, for how can any citizen of the world not know the name of the President of the USA? Whether these said humans had a direct impact on one’s life or not, they had to be known, for to put it simply, their position made them the most powerful human being in the world.
It goes without saying that the Presidency of the United States of America is the most coveted post and it really did not matter if the incumbent belonged either to the Republican or Democratic Party. Thus this is a position that any American with good leadership quality would like to hold and can aspire for. The official written eligibility to become the President of the United States is just three and these are: 1. Be a natural born citizen of the United States, 2. Be at least thirty five years old and 3. Should have been a permanent resident of the United States for at least fourteen years. As can be seen the clauses are simple and one by which any citizen can aspire for the post, provided he or she gets elected to the same. However the unwritten rules are far too many for in the 233 years that the USA has been an independent country, 43 of the 44 Presidents have all belonged to one particular race. The first and only exception is the present incumbent. With the US being called the land of the immigrants, what is it that makes the race of the 43 Presidents superior to the scores of other races which too have a significant presence in the country? It is said that there are more Jews in New York than the whole of the State of Israel and the same holds true for many other sects of the world. However none of the people from these innumerable races or religious groups have been able to break the barrier until the 4th of November 2008 when Barack Obama with his grit and determination and plenty of charisma and oratorical skills broke the shackles and moved ahead.
Does this mean that the era of the WASPS has ended? I am not sure as to how many of you know what the acronym WASP stands for. WASP means WHITE ANGLO SAXON PROTESTANT. In the history of the USA, 43 Presidents have ruled the country for 231 years and all of them were WASPS with the exception of Kennedy who was a White Anglo Saxon but instead of being a Protestant was a Catholic. So powerful has been the domination of WASPS that breaking their impregnable barrier was nothing less than a miracle. It is a fact that the WASPS were the first settlers in the New Land and that it was them who gave the Thirteen Colonies its due importance. This to an extent made them the natural rulers in the early days. The WASPS brought with them their knowledge and know how and thus gained supremacy over the Native Americans who were the original inhabitants. It was this supremacy that they held on to very tightly and never wanted to relinquish. It seemed as if there was an unwritten pact among them that whichever party they belonged, they will keep the power to themselves. What boggles me is the fact that the other races who are present in very large numbers and who could have tilted the electoral balance, just did not even consider putting up a fight. President Barack Obama by his winning has definitely opened new vistas to the multitudes of youngsters from the other races, who can now dream of becoming the most powerful man in the world provided they meet up with the three written criteria.
Here is where my personal interests come to the fore. I have two nieces and one nephew living in the US. Two of them are teenagers and the third is just nine years of age. The two teenagers are showing wonderful leadership qualities and it seems as if nothing can stop them from achieving their goals. The oldest is my niece Preetha and she has done us proud by gaining admission to Harvard where she will be taking up her under graduation in Anthropology. Although she is planning to become a doctor like her parents, I have told her that having got into the Hallowed Institution that is Harvard, she has to think beyond medicine and look at all the doors that would open for her in the corridors of power. The Oval Office will be beyond her reach for among the three clauses, she does not fulfill the first one for she was born in Manchester, United Kingdom. The next in line is my nephew Krishnan; he is extremely intelligent with the best academic records. His interests and involvement in all extra curricular activities is immense and his leanings to philanthropy are way beyond his age. Being his aunt, I may sound biased but believe me when I say that he has all the qualities of an intelligent and capable leader. By virtue of being born in the USA he would qualify in the next 20 years when he will turn 35, the prerequisite age to stand for the office of the President.
I see nothing wrong in dreaming of my Krishnan in the Oval Office. The next time when I meet him, I will have to find out if he too is dreaming the same dream. And if he is, translating the same to reality would definitely be a Herculean task, but knowing Krishnan, I am sure with his meticulous planning and execution, he can achieve the same. By becoming the President of USA, what President Barack Obama has done apart from laying bare the three clauses was to open the flood gates for the thousands of aspirants who are not WASPS.
Will November 4th 2032 turn out to be the GOLDEN LETTERED DAY for the family!!

The Nail

Yesterday there was a murder in my immediate neighbourhood. It was a daylight murder at its gruesome best and well witnessed by few hundreds. I don’t even want to mention that I could sense glee in some of those faces. Then there were others who either turned their heads away or tried to circumnavigate the concerned area. The victim must have been around 35 years age and well in her prime. The cruelty shown by the murderer was heart breaking, but then I guess the murderers were only doing their job. They were paid to do it and the term used for the same in the Mumbai underworld would be “a supari”. Sitting in the comfort of my car, I did give the victim’s life more than a thought. I visualized her standing tall and stoic and remembered the comfort people took under her out stretched arms. She will truly be missed for ever since I moved into the locality she has been there to greet me on my various trips to and fro. In fact every time I saw her it gave me a sense of relief (especially when I am behind the wheel) for it meant that I have reached my “pettai” and thus nothing could go wrong.
The lady in question was a wonderful Butea Monosperma also known as the Flame of the Forest. The reason for her murder was yet another conversion of an independent house into an apartment block. The glee on the face of the onlookers (builders) could well have been the few extra square feet available to make their concrete jungles. Every square feet of land in this area is worth its weight in gold for coming up just across this plot is Chennai’s most expensive apartment building priced at Rs. 8 crore per apartment which when roughly calculated works out to Rs. 30,000/- per square foot.
Being a witness to this murder was not easy; I knew there was hardly anything I could do as the concerned person would surely have got permission from the authorities before going ahead with the hacking. My knowledge is that permission is definitely needed before doing away with the flora of the city. With the green cover being so poor, every sapling deserves to be looked after like an offspring and here was this beauty well in her prime and towering so tall and having years of service left in her being just done with as if what mattered was the couple of lakhs she would bring from the real estate that her base provides. The thought of the green cover over my city and my country was a matter which cannot be contained in the few hundreds of words that constitute my article; however I was reminded of the nursery rhyme which went thus, “Little drops of water make the mighty ocean, Little grains of sand and the pleasant land.” Thus doesn’t my Flame of the Forest have a role in the mighty green cover that we so dearly need?
They say that the next war that would be fought among nations or in the case of our country among states would be for that precious commodity which covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and constitutes more than 50% of the human body and is also known as the “universal solvent” thanks to its properties. Well you guessed it right; the war would be over that never much given thought and as of now freely available substance WATER. We have already reached that phase as our state is at dogger heads with its neighbours be it on the Cauvery issue or the Mullaiperiyar Dam. Why are we fighting over water that is so freely available? The reason is simple; most water found in nature is not suitable for human consumption thanks to its solvent properties. The water required by mankind is the rainwater or that water which is formed when our glaciers (again formed when rain water condenses in the colder regions and at high altitudes) melts and comes down the rivers. When there is a lack of green cover, the carbon dioxide emitted by cars and factories reach the upper atmosphere and helps trap heat around the Earth’s surface. This in turn brings about global warming as well as a change in the weather resulting in the lack of rain. Trees are thus considered nature’s most efficient “carbon sinks.”
The greed and the crass attitude of man are the only reason for this beautiful green cover to be depleting. Little are we realizing as to what would be the result of this action on our planet in the years to come. Much is being spoken about global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer and the green house effect. It is as informed citizens of this world our duty to protect our environment and leave behind something to cherish and hold for the generations that follow. In India we have started experiencing the fall out of our callous attitude with people in cities have to pay a ransom for water that until thirty years ago was so freely available. When bottled water was first introduced in India, I thought it a joke. It amused me that people would pay whatever they did for a one litre bottle when the same money would fetch something more precious. Living in a coastal city, it seemed ridiculous in having to pay for water. Well that was almost 25 years ago and from then to now, I have come a long way. From the water tankers, to the bubble top to the packaged bottle water it seems that we spend a fortune on water alone. (During my recent travel I had to spend almost Rs. 200/- for a normal 500ml of water, and then I thought to myself what the cost of Perrier or any other branded fancy water would be. I have kept the empty bottle as a souvenir.) In Chennai, the water tanker is the king on the road, thanks to commodity that they carry. The other motorists and pedestrians dread the blue vehicles for apart from the license to drive; they also seem to be in league with the fictional James Bond for they carry with them the License to Kill.
I mourn the death of my Butea Monosperma for apart from her beauty and the shade that she provided, her red carpet was truly welcoming. Somehow when I think of her decimation, I am only able to equate her with the quintessential Nail, for the want of which the battle was lost.
I am aware that there are other Nails that are dearly required if this Battle is to be truly won and may be as a start, I would decide to walk more and use the car less. This would definitely result in a 0.0000000000001% better environment and a 100% healthier me.