He Said - A Poem

He said:

Looking for the stone in the water

and looking for the water in the stone.

It is I, who is optimistic in the time of fall

It is I, who loves the wheat woman

and is not scared of the death of silence.

In the crowd I eat few words

and wink to the women passing by.

I see gazelles crying

and I see happiness committing suicide in the city plaza.

I remember, how my apple turned back, naked

before the moon, and how its fear stepped back

and begged for forgiveness.

Alphabet on the wall

asking the wall to turn into ash

and not reveal the buildings’ secrets.

The buildings say as they close their doors:

When the concept is clear, the police disappear

అతనన్నాడు

నీటిలో రాతికోసం వెతుకులాట

రాతిలో నీటి కోసం వెతుకులాట

పడిపోయే సమయంలోనూ ఆశాభావం కనబరచేది నేనే గదా

అందమయిన అమ్మాయిలను ఆనందంగా ప్రేమించేది నేనే గదా

నాకు నిశ్శబ్దమనే మరణం గురించి ఇసుమంతయినా చింత లేదు

గుంపులో నేను కొన్ని మాటలను మింగేస్తాను

పక్కగా వెళుతున్న అమ్మాయికి కన్ను గిలుకుతాను.

జింకలు ఏడుస్తుంటే చూస్తాను

నగరం నడిబొడ్డున సంతోషం తనను తాను చంపుకుంటుంటే చూస్తాను కూడా

నాకు, నా పండు, దిసమొలతో, వెనకతిరగడం గుర్తుంది.

అది చంద్రుని ముందర, దాని భయం వెనక్కు తగ్గి

క్షమించమని అడుక్కోవడమూ గుర్తుంది.

గోడ మీద అక్షరాలు

గోడను బూడిదగా మారమంటున్నాయి.

భవనం రహస్యాలను బట్టబయలు చేయవద్దంటున్నాయి.

భవనాలు తమ తలుపులను మూసుకుంటూ

విషయం అర్థమయితే పోలీసు వాళ్లు మాయమవుతారంటున్నాయి.

 
Let us enjoy good play with words!!
^^^^^^

S Ramanathan - Vidamuseyave - Kharaharapriya

Shravanam all the way!

Shravanam 28

Sri S Ramanathan - Vidamuseyave - Kharaharapriya

Let us enjoy Great Music!!
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S Balachander - Veena - Paraloka - Mandari

Shravanam continues!

Shravanam 27

Sri S Balachander-Veena - Paraloka - Mandari

Let us enjoy Great Music!

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi-Tilang-Thumri

Shravanam goes on!!

Shravanam 26

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi-Tilang-Thumri

Let us enjoy Great Music!!
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AKCNatarajan - Kambhoji - RTP

Shravanam today is Instrumental!!

Shravanam 25

Sri A K C Natarajan - RTP - Kambhoji

Let us enjoy great music!!
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Nedunuri Krishna Murthy - RTP - Simhendra_Madhyamam

Shravanam for listening pleasure!

Shravanam 24

Sri Nedunuri Krishna Murthy - RTP - Simhendra_Madhyamam

Let us enjoy great music!!
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Bahauddin Dagar - Rudraveena - Megh

Shravanam Continues!

Shravanam 23

Bahauddin Dagar - Rudraveena - Megh

Let us enjoy great music!!

NRamani and USrinivas - RTP - Kalyani

I never thought Shravanam will be so popular!!
Thanks to each of you!!
I will do my best to bring some great music to you!

Shravanam 22

Sri N Ramani and Sri U Srinivas - RTP - Kalyani

Let us enjoy great music!!

Laugh if you can!

A comment on a cartoon will be a joke!

&&&&&

M L Vasanta Kumari - RTP - Todi

Shravanam for today!

Shravanam 21

Smt M L Vasanta Kumari - RTP - Todi

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Earth - Circumference!

Big thinkers have known for thousands of years that the Earth is round, like a ball.


Just over 2000 years ago, a Greek scientist measured the circumference of the Earth, and got to within a few per cent of the actual value. And all that he used was a stick, a ruler and some simple geometry and mathematics.

Of course, the Earth is not a perfect ball. The Earth spins on its own north–south axis once every day.

This makes it bulge outwards a little at the equator. Measured at the equator, the average diameter of the Earth is about 12,756.2 kilometres. That's about 42.6 kilometres greater than the diameter measured across the poles.

As a result of this greater distance, as well as the spin, the 'suck' of gravity is slightly weaker at the equator than at the poles, but only by about five parts per thousand.

So if you weigh 50 kilograms at the South Pole, you weigh less at the equator: 250 grams less, or a quarter of a kilogram less.

The guy who used just a stick and some maths to measure the circumference of the Earth was Eratosthenes. He was a Greek who lived in Alexandria in the third century BC.

Eratosthenes spread himself over many fields. As well as being an astronomer, geographer and mathematician, he was also a poet and athlete.

Besides working out the circumference of the Earth, he also calculated the tilt of its spin axis. He also devised a system of latitude and longitude, and a calendar that included leap years.

His colleagues called him Beta (the second letter of the Greek alphabet) because they reckoned he was the second best in almost any field.

Now Eratosthenes had been told by travellers of something wonderful in the Egyptian town of Syene (Today known as Aswan, near the giant dam on the Nile).

This town was not on the Equator, but instead, was on the Tropic of Cancer. The story went that on just one day of the year, the summer solstice, the light of the Sun would reflect off the water in the bottom of a well.

This would happen for only a few moments around midday. That meant that on the summer solstice, the Sun was vertically overhead, and that Syene was on the Tropic of Cancer.

So on the day of the summer solstice (June 21), Eratosthenes set up an experiment in his home town of Alexandria.

He set up a stick to be perfectly vertical, and measured the smallest shadow that it threw around midday. This was easy to do, because the Greeks (and their friends in the Middle East) had been playing with geometry for a long, long time.

The shadow was about 7.2° away from the stick. Now 7.2° is about one-fiftieth of the 360° that make up a circle.

So that meant that the distance between Syene and Alexandria was one-fiftieth of the circle that makes up the Earth.

If you draw this out on paper, you can immediately see this is true, from simple geometry.

Eratosthenes needed just one more piece of information. He had to find the north-south distance between Syene and Alexandria. This came to about 5000 stades (one stadia is the length of the foot race in a stadium). Or as we now know it, about 800 kilometres.

If 5000 stades was one-fiftieth of the circumference of the Earth, then the full circumference was 250,000 stades.

But while the theory is lovely and simple, once you actually do the experiment, a few errors creep in.

First, Syene was not exactly at the Tropic of Cancer, it was slightly north of it. So the Sun was not exactly vertical on the day of summer solstice.

Second, Syene was not exactly south of Alexandria, but a little off to one side. So the measured north–south distance between them was a little wrong.

Third, the Sun is not a point infinitely far away, so its rays are not exactly parallel. Indeed, over the distance between the Earth and the Moon, they diverge by one-sixth of a degree.

Fourth, it's really difficult to keep your accuracy when you have to pace out a distance of 800 kilometres.

Fifth, how big was a stadia back then? How many ruined stadiums do you have to average?

The Greek historian, Herodotus (c. 484 BC – c. 425 BC) reckoned that one stadia was 600 feet. But how big is a foot?
Depending on the purpose of the measurement, and which culture measured it, a stadia could range between 157 metres and 209 metres.

Anyhow, depending on these and other factors, Eratosthenes got to within 0.5–17 per cent of the true value of the Earth's circumference. That's got to be some kind of a world record for using just a stick.

Is it not interesting?
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Balamurali - RTP - Rishabhapriya

Shravanam is going great guns!
Thanks for all the compliments!
I am blessed if people are happy!

Shravanam 20

Balamurali - RTP - Rishabhapriya

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Ronanki Appalaswamy - Memoirs

Prof. Appalaswamy garu was a great scholar.
He was a chain smoker.
It fell on me to tell him not to smoke in a particular place.
He took it so easy and said, "Then why not we go out and talk?"
As simple as that!
We went out and talked for long!

Meeting such people was always a pleasure.
I have many such incidences in my life.
I think these things make the life worth living.

Here are some pages where Ronanki wrote about himself.
Read on!



Let us enjoy some great writings!!
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Chembai - Chetulara Shringaramu - Bhairavi

Shravanam for listening pleasure!

Shravanam 19

Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar - Chetulara shringaramu - Bhairavi - 46 Mts

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Basvaraj Rajguru - Arabhi

Shravanam goes on!

Shravanam 18

Sri Basvaraj Rajguru - Arabhi

Let us enjoy good music!!
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A few photographs

My daughter Swathy made these photographs on her way up to Tirumala.
The scenery is heart warming.

Good visuals are always a treat!
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Ariyakkudi - Shankarabharanam - RTP

Shravanam here again!

Shravanam 17

Sri Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar - Shankarabharanam - RTP

Let us enjoy great muisc!!

Meghama! - Meghama!

An article of mine on rains and clouds!
I thought it is timely when the day is Durdinam (Overcast!)

(Click to see the image in larger size)

మేఘమా మేఘమా


ఆషాఢస్య ప్రథమ దివసే మేఘమాశ్లిష్ఠ సానుం

వప్రక్రీడా పరిణత గజ ప్రేక్షణీయం దదర్శ

కాళిదాస మహాకవి తన కావ్యాన్ని ఆషాఢమేఘం గురించిన వర్ణనతోనే మొదలు పెట్టాడు. మేఘమంటే మనవారికి ఎంతటి గౌరవం. ఎంతటి ఆప్యాయత. ప్రేమ సందేశాలందించే సంధానకర్తగా మేఘాన్ని చూడ గలిగిన ఘనత మనవారికే చెల్లు!

మేఘాలు, వర్షాలు! ఇవి రెండు లేనిదే భరతవర్షం మొత్తం మీద హర్షం లేదు. మనవారు, వానల్లు కురవాలి వానదేవుడా, వరిచేలు పండాలి వానదేవుడా అన్నారే గానీ ఎప్పుడూ రెయిన్ రెయిన్ గో ఎవే అనలేదుగదా! వర్షం తోడిదే జీవనం. జీవనం అనే మాటకు అందుకే నీరు అనే అర్థం కూడా ఇచ్చుకున్నారు. ఇంతకూ కాళిదాసు ఆషాఢమేఘాన్ని దర్శించాడు. అతను ఉజ్జయిని వాడుగదా అదే దక్షిణానయితే, బరువయిన వర్ష మేఘాలు జ్యేష్ఠంలోనే మొదలవుతాయి. ఋతుపవనాలు దక్షిణాన ముందు వస్తాయిగదా!

కావ్యం అన్న తర్వాత ఋతు వర్ణనం లేకుండా ఉండగూడదు. అందరికీ హర్షాన్ని పంచే వర్షాన్ని గురించి, కవులు మరింత ఆసక్తితో పద్యాలు రాసుకున్నారు. ఒక్క కావ్యాలలోనే కాదు, చేతనయిన ప్రతిచోటా మేఘాలను గురించి చెప్పుకున్నారు. కాళిదాసుకు వర్షమేఘాలతో కూడిన సానువులు ఏనుగుల వలె కనిపించాయి. ఇంకొకరికి ఇంకొక లాగ కనిపించాయి.

వరాహపురాణంలో ఒకచోట మేఘాల ప్రసక్తి ఉంది. శివకేశవుల అభేదం చూపించాలి. వారిరువురి మధ్యనగల మైత్రిని నిరూపించాలి. రుద్రుడు నారాయణున్ని నాకు వాహనంగా ఉండగూడదా అన్నాడట. సరేనని విష్ణువు మేఘాల తేజిగా మారాడట. ఆ వాహనం ఎట్లున్నది?

ఘనగర్జల్ సకిలింత లాశ్రిత బలాకాల్ తెల్ల జల్లుల్ సకం
పన శంపాలతికల్ పసిండి సగతుల్ మాహేంద్ర చాపంబు మో
హన రత్నంబుల వాగెత్రాడు వడగండ్లా స్వస్రవత్ఫేనమై
తనరం దజ్జలదంబు కైరడిగముల్ ధారావిహారంబులన్

మేఘమనే గుర్రానికి గర్జనలే సకిలింతలు, మెరుపులు ఇంద్రధనుస్సులు జీను, కళ్లెం. వడగళ్లు నోటిలోని నురుగట.

మేఘం కేవలం ప్రేమ సందేశాలకు, మంచి ఉపమానాలకు మాత్రమే కాదు, శక్తికి, బలానికి కూడా ప్రతీక.

ఒక సమయమందు ప్రబల సంయుక్తి నెనసి,
తీక్షణ శక్తులతో సముద్రిక్త విలయ
భీషణ శతఘ్నికా వినిర్ఘోష సదృశ
సింహనాదంబొనర్చుచు, స్థిర నిరంత
వారిధారల గురియించు వైభవంబు
నీ ప్రభావముగాదె, నీ నియతిగాదె
నీవు మహిత ప్రభా సమన్వితవు గాదె

ఈ కవనం ఎవరిదో కనుగొనగలరా? శ్రీరంగం శ్రీనివాసరావనే ‘శ్రీశ్రీ’ గారి పద్యాలివి.
భువనత్రయారాధ్యుడైన
భానునంతటి భాస్వత్ప్రభావయుతుని
మరుగు పరుతు వనాయాస కర నిరూఢి

అంటూ ఆయన మేఘాన్ని పొగిడారు.

చంచల మనస్కత బరిభ్రమించు నేను
నిన్ను బోలితి గాని యత్యున్నత ప్రభావ
సంపన్నరూఢ వైభవములందు
నిన్నుబోలిన ధన్యుండనే... అన్నారాయన.

మేఘం నుండి వర్షం. బయట చితచితగానున్నది, బయట లసలసగానున్నది అంటారు విశ్వనాథ సత్యనారాయణ గారు ఒకచోట. ఆ చితచిత వర్షాలెక్కడికి పోయినాయో తెలియదు. లేని చోట చుక్కకూడా లేదు. ఉన్న చోట వరదలు. ఎడతెరిపి లేకుండా పడే వానలెలాగుంటాయి?

మిగుల జగంబు బగ్గడిల మించె దదుద్ధత వృష్ఠి యద్భుతం
బగుచు ఘనాఘనౌఘ సమదగ్ర నిరర్గళ ఘర్ఘరార్భటీ
లగన ఘనోచ్ఛల జ్జల ఝళంఝళ నిర్జర జర్జరీ భవ
న్నగ విగలచ్ఛిలా ఘనఘనాఘన ఘోషణ భీషణంబుగన్

అర్థం మాట అటుంచి, ఈ పద్యం ఒక్క గుక్కలో చదివి పూర్తి చేస్తే, పెద్ద వర్షం కురిసి ఆగినట్టు లేదూ. వర్షం సన్నని తుంపరలతో మొదలవుతుంది. ఆ తరువాత మెరుపులు, ఉరుములు, జడివాన గగ్గోలయి, జగము బగ్గడిలుతుంది. ఏమయి పోయినాయీ వర్షాలు? ఎక్కడికి పోయినాయీ మేఘాలు? ఈ పద్యం వ్రాసిన ప్రాచీన కవి ఎవరో (నాకు) తెలియదు.

గొడుగు లేకుండా బయలుదేరితే, తడిసి మోపెడవుతుంది. పొరపాటున గొడుగు తీసుకెళితే, మోత బరువవుతుంది, కృష్ణదేవరాయలు ఆనాటి వర్షం వల్ల వంటకు కష్టపడే ఇల్లాలి గురించి ఎంత కమ్మని పద్యం రాశాడు?

ఇల్లిల్లు దిరిగ నొక్కింతబ్బు శిఖి, యబ్బెనేనింటిలో బూరియిడి విసరక
రాజదు, రాజిన రవులుకో ల్వాసాల గాని కల్గదు, మరిదాన గలిగె
నేని, గూడగుట మందైన బెన్పొప్ప సుఖభుక్తి సేకూరదా భుక్తి కిడన
బ్రాగ్భోక్తలకె తీరు, బహునాన్నము, దీరనారులకొదవు బునఃప్రయత్న
మాజ్యపట ముఖ్య లయమెన్న రాలయాంగదారులయమెన్న రంతిక కారజనిక
పచన నాంధో గృహిణి రామి బడుక మరుడు
వెడవెడనె యార్ప నొగిలి రజ్జడిని గృహులు


ఆ జడి (అజ్జడి) వాన మొదలయిందంటే, నిప్పులు దొరకవు. దొరికినా రాజుకోవు. రాజినా రగులుకునేవి ఆశలే గాని మంటలు కావు. వంటయినా సరే, పొగ వల్ల సుఖంగా భోంచేయడానికి ఉండదు. తిన్నా, ముందు తిన్నవారికే కూరలయి పోతాయి. ఇక ఆడవాళ్లు మరీ నూనెగుడ్డలు, ఇంటి వాసాలు పొయ్యిలో పెట్టి, నానా తంటాలు పడుతుంటే, తిని పడుకున్న గృహమేధి, ఇంకా రావేమిటంటాడు.


రాయలవారు రాజభవనంలో ఉండి రాసిన కవితలా ఇవి? పల్లెటూరి జనజీవితంలోకి ఎంతగా దూసుకుపోతే, ఈ సంగతులన్నీ తెలియాలి!


ఇప్పుడిలాగుంది కానీ, కొన్ని సంవత్సరాల క్రితం కూడా వాన పడిందంటే పల్లెలో, సంగతి అచ్చం రాయల వారి పద్యమే కదా!


మనది వర్షాధార ఆర్థిక వ్యవస్థ. అందుకే అలనాటి నుండి మనవారు వర్షాలను, మేఘాలను అంతగా ఆదరిస్తున్నారు. మధ్యలో ఏం లోపమయిందో గానీ, మేఘాలకు మాత్రం మనమీద కనికరం లేకుండా పోతున్నది.

The article ends with a poem by Sri Krishnadevaraya who is being feted now!!
Classical poetry is a treat if one has taste!
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R K Srikanthan - Gangadhara - Purvikalyani

Shravanam Continues!

Shravanam 16

Sri R K Srikanthan - Gangadhara - Purvikalyani

Let us enjoy listening good music!!
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The Bus Departed - A Story by Guduri Seetaram

When Sri Seetaram came home, I thought he is another old man in search of friends!
When I read his stories, I am thrilled to the core!
Why did he stop writing?
I should find him and talk to him!

The story here is an example of the art of writing prose!
I am sure you will agree!

Go ahead! Read and enjoy!



The bus went away!

The bus moved.

Stopped unable to move ten yards.
My mind also same. How the three days went may be not known to the clocks and time also.
I stopped the watch that showed ten in the night so early. I am a mad man. Can I stop the time? Friends are departing by that bus. I asked myself why they are leaving so early. Not me, I asked the friends in the bus who are there in my heart. What do they answer? A million reasons. He talks of the job. She tells exam are nearing. Damn the exams and damn the job, I raised upon. What use? Even I am in something like a job and writing something like exams and going on!

OK! Can we stay together forever? Most said, today and tomorrow.
That is the question that evades an answer.
I can say why they are going. But, I cannot see the matter that crops the day after tomorrow. I don’t even want to.

What is this after all? This is a senseless mindless question. Even then evades answer. The liking and friendship in him, the love like on a child on her, they together tied me up. Who would not be happy to look at the pearls cleaned by the stream of time? Who would sit in a corner avoiding loving people who open their hearts like jasmines and talk to you? I am not an inert. Some awakening is rubbing my eye lids.

They are married to each other. I cannot believe myself. But, it happened. All the friends who could not attend the marriage cursed us like the enraged serpent that relieves its venom with vengeance. Listening to sundry small talk, held the looks that were nodding approval.

With that there was this start for me losing faith in him.

Heart pined saying the camaraderie of the childhood has already given way. The trial to make the heart a stone became stones themselves.

I am loner till yesterday. She too. Till the last mid night there was a fear that the bridge on his head may collapse anytime.

Today it is not there. Thousands of vehicles, no even if the entire world walks on it together, it wouldn’t collapse.

She gave me that confidence to me. He lives like the stray flower in a park.

Not now anymore!

Now he has become a green flower with her.

I saw her for the first time.

It was mere musing. He and her together millions of times in my eyes, brain, soul, body, here, there, everywhere, appeared as if together since childhood.

I thought why even this can’t be musing?

She said no and slapped me hard on the cheek. Something rose from the heart and went round together for three days.

Is that all?

Yes!

Isn’t it not enough?

What else for this life sans a sense?

He was with me all through the education. Such a person never invited for the marriage.

She is educated without my knowledge. How can a bear? Fear that a pin would go into the gullet and I would die and timidity, bad memories, many things passed in a moment.

Her and him, no… her.. hmmm..hmmm… him, no no..when I looked at them together doubts and fears without a trace, like ether or some other way, flew away.

The moments full with ambrosia. What remained in thses moments is the memory of the taste. No, it is like all the suffering of the people of the world is injected into me.

She is looking without words. He was trying to say something. I was doing both the things that they were doing. Bus again tried to move.

A bomb exploded in the heart. Would the bus stop again? A hope.

Mad hope.

May be hope is like that.

No stopping. It moved. Now, that I should say a lot, run after that, blood forges.

Where is the strength?

Bade goodbye with pale smiles.

Bus moved out of sight.

That is why

I don’t believe comforts

But only on companionship.

To Kanaparthy – Anasuya who would give heart for companionship.
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Any Comments!
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Hirabai Barodekar - Bageshri

Shravanam goes on!

Shravanam 15

Smt Hirabai Barodekar - Bageshri

Let us enjoy listening great music!!
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First Crops - A Question

మనిషి మొదట్లో పంటలుగా పనికి వచ్చే రకాలను ఎట్లా గుర్తించాడు?


జంతువుల మాంసం విషమయ్యే అవకాశం లేకపోవడం నిజంగా విచిత్రం. కనుక సులభంగా దొరికే జంతువులను చంపి తినవచ్చు. ఇక జంతువులను మచ్చిక చేసుకుని ఉంచుకో దలుచుకుంటే, వాటి ఉపయోగం ఆధారంగా ఆ పని జరుగుతుంది. కానీ, ఒకరకం మొక్క ఆహారంగా పనికి వస్తుందని ఆలోచన రావడం, నిజంగా కష్టమే. కనిపించిన ప్రతి కాయ, ప్రతి గింజ కొరికి చూడడం మంచిది కాదని, ఆదిమానవునికి అనుభవంమీద సులభంగానే తెలిసి ఉంటుంది.

మనం పంటలుగా తింటున్న రకాలన్నీ ఒకప్పుడు అడవిరకాలే. వ్యవసాయం రాకముందు, ఈ రకాలను మనం పండించవచ్చునన్న ఆలోచన, ఆ తర్వాత ప్రయత్నం గురించి ఆలోచిస్తే, బుర్ర తిరిగిపోతుందని పరిశోధకులే అంటున్నారు. ఉదాహరణకు బాదంకాయలు మనిషికి మొదటినుంచీ తెలుసునట. కానీ అవి చాలా చేదుగా ఉండేవి. విషంగా కూడా ఉండేవి. ఏదో కారణంగా ఒక చెట్టు కాయల్లో ఆ లక్షణాలు పోయి, రుచి బాగా ఉండడం గుర్తించి, ఆ చెట్టునుంచి కాయలను తీసి పండించుకున్నారని సిద్ధాంతం. మొక్కజొన్న మొదట్లో ఉండిన తీరుకు ఇప్పటి తీరుకూ సంబంధం లేదని గుర్తించారు. అయినా ఈ రకాలు పెంచవచ్చునని చెప్పడానికి అంతకు ముందు వ్యవసాయమే లేదు. ఏదో రకాన్ని పెంచితే తిండి అవసరాలు తీరుతాయన్న నమ్మకం అంతకన్నా లేదు. అంతా ప్రయోగాలే.

పెంచుకోదలుచుకున్న పంట మొత్తంగా అనుకూలంగా ఉండనవసరం లేదు. బాదం విషయంగా చెప్పినట్టే, నచ్చిన రకం దొరికితే చాలు. అక్కడినుంచి మొదలు పెట్టి పంటను పెంచుతూ పోవడమే. ఈ నచ్చడానికి మనిషి మొక్కలలో కొన్ని లక్షణాలకోసం వెతికాడు. అందులో మొదటిది పండు లేదా గింజ సైజు. గంటలకొద్దీ వెతికి సేకరించినా కడుపు నిండకపోతే లాభం లేదు. మొక్కజొన్న, రకరకాల పండ్లు ఈ పద్ధతి కింద చెప్పుకోవచ్చు. ద్రాక్షలాంటివి తప్ప మనం తినే పండ్లన్నీ మంచి సైజులోఉండి కండగలిగి ఉంటాయి. అందులో చాలా పాతదయిన అరటిలో గింజలు కూడా ఉండవు. మొదట్లో అరటి కూడా తినడానికి అనువుగా ఉండేది కాదు. అందులోనూ ఏదో ఒక చెట్టు పనికి వచ్చేదిగా దొరికింది. దాన్ని పెంచారు.

ఇక రుచి గురించి వేరుగా చెప్పనవసరం లేదు. తిండికీ రుచికీ మొదటినుంచి లంకె ఉంది. ఒంటికి మంచిదయినా సరే, ఈ నాటికీ మనిషి రుచిలేని తిండి తినడు. చమురుకోసం కొన్ని రకాల పంటలను పెంచారు. నారకోసం, దుస్తులపేరున కొన్ని రకాలను పెంటారు.

ఇంతకూ ఈ ఎంపిక ఒకరోజున చటుక్కున జరిగింది కాదని గుర్తుంచుకోవాలి.

It is interesting to note that flesh never becomes poisonous to man. So, one can kill an animal that is easily available and eat. If one wants to domesticate an animal, it depends on the utility value of the type. It is hard to imagine that a particular plant will be of use as food. That it is not advisable to taste all the fruits and berries or grain was perhaps learnt by man easily on experience.


All the crops that we are eating now were once wild types. Scientists themselves say that it is mind boggling to imagine the process of identifying cultivable types and the efforts thereafter. It appears almonds were known to the early man. It is also known that they were not only bitter but also poisonous. For some reason the fruit of a particular tree lost those characteristics. That tree was identified seeds from it were collected and cultivated. Maize now and in early days are two different things scientists say. The process called cultivation itself was not there to identify the suitable types. The hope that a particular type would be helpful as a crop was also not there. It was all experimentation.


It is not necessary that the entire crop should be useful. Like with almonds, it is enough if the good type is found. It is enough to start from there and go on growing it. Man looked for certain traits in the crop before taking up for cultivation. The first of it is the size of the fruit or the seed. It would not be meaningful to spend time and collect something not enough to fill the belly. Maize and many kinds of fruits were identified with this view. Excepting grapes, most of the fruits that we eat are big in size and have enough flesh in them. In Banana, the oldest domesticated fruit, even seeds are absent. Taste is another important matter. There was always a link between the food and taste. Man would not eat anything unless tasty even if it is good for health. Certain crops were adopted for oils. Certain others were grown for the fibre in the name of clothing.


All said and done, this selection never happened overnight.

Certain questions really make us think!!
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M D Ramanathan - Giripai - Shahana

Shravanam Continues!

Shravanam 14

M D Ramanathan - Giripai - Shahana (38 Mts.)

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Paradise - A story by Sadi

Shaikh Sa’di Shirazi (about 1194-1292 CE), originally named Muslih-uddin, was born in Shiraz and studied at the Nizamiyya seat of learning in Baghdad. He remained there for about 30 years, where his fame as a great Persian poet and popular writer was established. He took the name Sa’di in honor of his patron Sa’d b. Zengi. Between 1226 and 1256 he traveled widely, visiting Europe, Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Armenia, Turkey, Arabia, Iran, and beyond the Indus to Hindustan. Sa'di had one son, whose early death caused him great grief and led to a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.


Sa'di spent some years at Damascus where he became known as an excellent pulpit orator. He then became a recluse wandering in the desert near Jerusalem until he was captured by Frankish soldiers and condemned to forced labor in the trenches of the fortress of Tripoli. He was ransomed by a rich friend from Aleppo who gave him his daughter in marriage. Her quarrelsomeness spurred him to leave her and continue his travels, finally returning to Shiraz in his seventies. He remained there until the end of his life, studying Sufic wisdom and writing poetry.

His travels and observations of the characters of the people he met, backed by his extensive learning, led him to compose two masterpieces—The Bustan [The Fragrant Place, i.e Flower Garden] and The Gulistan (The Flower Garden). The second, from which extracts are given here, is a prose work interspersed with verses that touches on practical wisdom and moral questions in an easy and entertaining style. In 'May and January' we can see a foreshadowing of Reading Lolita in Tehran. Much of the other material is autobiographical.

స్వర్గం అసహ్యం కాదా?


ఒక రాజుగారు పడవలో ప్రయాణం చేస్తున్నారు. అదే పడవలో ఒక పర్షియన్ బానిస కూడా ఉన్నాడు. ఆ పిల్లవాడు ఎన్నడూ సముద్ర ప్రయాణం చేసినవాడు కాదు. పడవ ప్రయాణంలోని చిక్కులతనికి తెలియవు. అందుకే వాడు ఏడుస్తూ ఉండిపోయాడు. అతని శరీరమంతా భయకంపితంగా ఉంది. ఎంత మంది ఎంత ఓదార్చినా వాడు మాత్రం ఊరుకోలేదు. రాజుగారి పరివారానికి అది చికాకుగా ఉంది. కానీ వాళ్లు పిల్లవానికి సహాయం చేసే ప్రయత్నం మాత్రం చేయలేదు. ఆ ఓడ మీద ఒక వైద్యుడు కూడా ఉన్నాడు. అతను రాజుగారితో “మీ ఆజ్ఞ గనుక అయితే, నేనతడిని ప్రశాంతపరచ గలను” అన్నాడు. “అయ్యో అది గొప్ప సహాయం గదా!” అన్నారు రాజుగారు.

వైద్యుడు ఆ పిల్లవాడిని సముద్రంలోకి పడవేయమన్నాడు. వాడొక రెండు మూడు మునకలు మునిగిన తర్వాత వాడి జుట్టు పట్టుకుని పడవ దగ్గరకు లాగారు. వాడు భయంతో దొరికిన అంచును పట్టుకుని, ఎలాగోలాగన పైకి ఎక్కాడు. ఒక మూలకు వెళ్లి నిశ్శబ్దంగా నక్కి కూర్చున్నాడు. రాజుగారికి అది ఆశ్చర్యకరంగా తోచింది. “ఇదేమి విచిత్రం?” అన్నాడాయన. “ముందు వాడికి మునిగి పోవడం అంటే ఏమిటనే ఆలోచన లేదు. అందుకే పడవలో ఉండడం భద్రమన్న సంగతి వానికి తోచలేదు. తన పరిస్థితిని వాడు తక్కువగా అంచనా వేసుకున్నాడు. ఒక మనిషి అనారోగ్యానికి గురయితే గాని ఆరోగ్యం సంగతి అర్థం కాకపోవడం లాంటిదే ఇది కూడా!” అన్నాడు వైద్యుడు.

మామూలు బార్లీ రొట్టె నీకు,

ఓ ఆహార ప్రియుడా, నోటికి రుచించదు.

అందుకే నా ఆడది నీ కంటికి అసహ్యంగా కనిపిస్తుంది.

దేవతలకూ అప్సరసలకూ

స్వర్గం అసహ్యంగా ఉంటుంది.

నరకంలో ఉండే వాళ్లను అడిగి చూడండి

స్వర్గం అసహ్యంగా ఉండదా అని

తన పడతిని తన చేతుల్లో

పొదవుకున్న మనిషికీ

కళ్లు కాయలు కాచేలా తన మనిషికోసం

తలుపు వేపే చూచే వానికీ

ఎంతో తేడా ఉంటుంది.

A king was embarked on board a ship, which also carried a Persian slave. The boy had never been at sea, nor experienced the inconvenience of a ship. He set up a weeping and wailing, and all his limbs were in a state of trepidation; and, however much they soothed him, he was not to be pacified. The king's pleasure party was disconcerted by him; but they offered no help. On board that ship there was a physician. He said to the king: “If you will order it, I can manage to silence him.” The king replied: “It will be an act of great favour.”

The physician directed that they throw the boy into the sea, and after he had plunged repeatedly, they seized him by the hair of the head and drew him close to the ship, where he grabbed the rudder with both hands and, scrambling up on to the deck, slunk into a corner and sat down quiet.

The king, pleased with what he saw, said: “What art is there in this?” The physician replied: “Originally he had not experienced the danger of being drowned, and undervalued the safety of being in a ship; just as a person is aware of the preciousness of health only when he is overtaken with the calamity of sickness.”


A barley loaf of bread has,

O epicure, no relish for you.

That is my mistress who appears so ugly to your eye.

To the houris, or nymphs of paradise,

Purgatory would be hell;

Ask the inmates of hell whether

Purgatory is not paradise.

There is a distinction between the man

Folding his mistress in his arms

And him whose two eyes are fixed

On the door expecting her.

Let us learn from classic wisdom!
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Bismillah Khan - Shehnai - Madhuvanti

Shravanam resumes!

Shravanam 13

Ustad Bismillah Khan - Shehnai - Madhuvanti

People are asking me for download links!
Here it is!

http://www.4shared.com/audio/IXjQty1_/13-BismillahKhan-Shehnai-Madhu.html

I thought Shravanam is about listening and not for downloading the track and forgetting it for ever!!
What is better?
I have uploaded many concerts in mediafire and Sangeethamshare.
Not many people download them.
I notice that when the tracks are given only for listening, there is more interest!

I want your views please!

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Rayaprolu Rajasekhar - The Poet

Not many these days know Sri Rayaprolu Rajasekhar.
Even I don't know him.
I only heard about him.
He was a very senior officer at All India Radio.
Recently when Sumanaspati came to record my interview for a National Programme about AIR Hyderabad, his name came up during discussion.
Rayaprolu Srinivas is known because there were some programmes about him at University of Hyderabad .

I am curious to learn about Sri Rajasekhar!

Here is a piece of his poetry I found in a book.

This poem is a tribute to Wales poet Dylan Thomas on his demise.
This shows that Sri Rajasekhar was keen on world poetry.

I dare not translate the poem, since the expression is so profound!
I only imagine what he would have written in English!!

 

Let us enjoy good poetry!!
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TVShankaranarayanan - RTP - Dwijavanti

Shravanam Today!

Shravanam 12

Sri T V Shankaranarayanan - RTP - Dwijavanti

Get this widget Track details eSnips Social DNA

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Chitti Babu - Veena - Simhendra Madhyamam

Shravanam Today

Shravanam 11

Sri Chitti Babu - Veena - Needu Charanamule

- Simhendra Madhyamam

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Dhammapadam - An extract

I found this in a book pf poetry by Vidwan Vishvam.
He religiously collected some words of extraordinary expression and put them in Telugu.
Not much is known about the classics of various faiths to us including our own!
To read such works is sometimes an eye opening kind of experience.

With bare waist and long tresses

If you move around on the zenith

With leaves and fibers

make your raiment

Ash, earth, dust on your body

if you smear,

On boulders and stones

sleep sans a pillow,

How does it help to cleanse the mind?

Without troubling the living beings,

Not pining to become the Lord of people,

When you deal with world

With compassion isn't it?

That your heart gets clean

and attains peace and tranquility!

Let us enjoy good words!!

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Interview with Mallik

Shravanam Today!!

Shravanam 10

An Interview with Sri Mallik - Famous singer!!

Let us enjoy all things musical!!
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Katti - Nammakam - A Story

Here is an interesting story that can be used in personality classes and such situations.
The story is very old!
The idea as fresh as it can be!!

Lalgudi and Son - Sukhi Evvaro

Today's Shravanam

Shravanam 9

Lalgudi and Son - Violin - Sukhi Evvaro - Kanada

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Children of Alchoholics - A Book

Avagahana is understanding.
This Telugu book sure gives an understanding of the plight of children brought up in families with alchoholics.
Smt Sridevi Muralidhar comes from an illustrious family and taken up social work and related research.
The dedication in bringing up this publication is worth not appreciation but emulation.
I wish literary books are brought out with such an attractive layout and cohesive content.

This book talks about the problem of alchoholism and its effect on children
All in an easy to read and understand style.
It makes you read and feel bad about the matter.
That is exactly what is needed.
With simple but elegant black and white illustrations by popular artist Bali, the narration has gained more acceptability.
It is not a big tome either.
The reading material is less than 60 pages.

Incidentally I had written a few lines as my impression about the book and the matter found place in the book.

Here is what I felt on reading the book!

Many books when read, forget about a benefit, there wouldn't be any loss if you don't read it. But I felt not reading this book would lead to loss.
Alcholism is all pervasive from the cream of the society to the underdogs.
Children in such families are the worst hit.
This book has a lot of information in this regard.
I felt like getting a lot of copies of the book made and distribute  them.
We should not leave the book just with reading.
We should make as many people as possible to read it.
After that, if there is something that can be done in this regard we should sure do it!!

Let us support good causes.
!!!!!

D K Jayaraman - Demo on Dikshitar

Shravanam Continues!!

Shravanam 8

Sri D K Jayaraman - Demo on Dikshitar

Friends,

I request you to either follow my blog or subscribe to the feed!
I cannot be announcing the items in the forum everyday!
I hope you will understand and come here everyday to enjoy music!!

Shravanam would sure continue!!


Let us enjoy good music!!

Paintings of Kondapalli Seshagiri Rao

We have, in an earlier post seen some great works of Sri Kondapalli.
Here are some more!!

(Shakuntala. I will try to restore and represent this work soon!)

(Click on the images to see them in bigger size)

(Shakuntala again!)

Let us enjoy good works of art!!
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Brijbhushan Kabra - Guitar - Khamaj

Shravanam Continues!!

Shravanam 7

Brijbhushan Kabra - Guitar - Khamaj

Friends,
I request you to either follow my blog or subscribe to the feed!
I cannot be announcing the items in the forum everyday!
I hope you will understand and come here everyday to enjoy music!!

Shravanam would sure continue!!

Let us enjoy good music!!
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L Shankar - RTP - Mohanam

Shravanam Continues!!

Shravanam 6

L Shankar - Violin - RTP - Mohanam

Let us enjoy good music!!
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M K Tyagaraja Bhagavatar Songs

M K Tyagaraja Bhagavatar was a legend in his own time.

There is a lot to read about this giant of a singer.
I am smitten by his ease and style!!

Though I cannot understand the meaning of the songs fully I like them immensley.
I am particularly drawn to the song "Jayakrishna Mukunda Murare"
There is a very popular song in the Telugu film Panduranga Mahatyam with the same starting words!
I am sure MKT's song preceds the latter!
Or am I wrong?

I bring here a set of songs for the pleasure of Rasikas!
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=10f3f26dc390f408ab1eab3e9fa335ca29e73264c05b8e36

01 Sopanavazhavil - Sivakavi 43.mp3
02 Krishna mukunda -Haridas 44.mp3
03 Manmatha leelayai - Haridas.mp3
04 Rajan Maharajan - Shyamala 52.mp3
05 Satvaguna Ashok kumar 41.mp3
06 Deenakarunakarane - Tiruneelakanthar 39.mp3
07 Unai Kandu - Ashok Kumar 41.mp3
08 Amba manam - Sivakavi 43.mp3
09-Maraivai - Tiruneelakanthar 39.mp3
10-Janakan ondru - Chintamani 37.mp3
11-Nattiyakalaiye - sivakavi.mp3
12-Oru naal - Tiruneelakanthar 39.mp3
13-Bhoomiyil - Ashok Kumar 41.mp3
13-Pavazha Maal - Tiruneelakanthar 39.mp3
15-Maname Nee - Sivakavi 37.mp3
16-Dhyaname Unadu.mp3
17-VallalaiPadu.mp3
18-Annayum - Haridas

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Shravanam - Ustad Amir Khan - Komal Rishabh Asaveri

Shravanam Continues!!

Shravanam 5

Ustad Amir Khan - Komal Rishabh Asaveri

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Cartoon

Laugh if you feel like!!

Shravanam - Mali - Flute - Shubhapantuvarali

Shravanam Continues

Shravanam 4

Sri T R Mahalingam - Flute - RTP - Shubhapantuvarali

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Shravanam 3 - Alattur Srinivasa Iyer - Pahi Jagajjanani

It is heartening to note that rasikas are enjoying music without downloading.
So, Sharavanam will continue!
Incidentally this is my 101st post on music in this blog!!

What can be more fitting than good music on the occassion?

Welcome to Sharavanam, the listening paltform!

Shravanam 3

Alattur Srinivasa Iyer - Vocal - Pahi Jagajjanani - Vachaspati

Let us enjoy good music!!

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Vipranarayana - Radio Drama

Thanks for the overwhelming response to the upload of songs from the drama.
Many friends have enquired if I have the recording of the entire drama.
I have been trying for it for long without results.
At present I have only a part of the Drama with me.
Even the part is eminently enchanting.

Here I bring it for you.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=10f3f26dc390f408ab1eab3e9fa335ca6b7057ffcc0ef1fc

Let us enjoy Good music and all things musical!!
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