Paintings

Usually we find only males as famous painters.

Smt Damerla Satyavani wife of Sri Rama Rao was an accomplished artist.

Here is another lady, Smt Kowtha Swarajya Lakshmi who made her mark as a painter.

Kolanu Vaddaku

Pada Dhwani

Kamalalu by Mokkapati Krishna Murthy

(These images are from Rasamayi magazine)

Let us enjoy good works of art!!

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Features on Music

Radio features are very educative!
When it comes to subjects like music, print medium is a no-no!
However much you write is not enough!

Radio has brought Indian classical music to the man on the street.
It is always interesting to listen to some of these features.

I have put up a collection of features here for those who have missed them.
Please listen to them not withstanding the langauge barriers.
Since you are interested in music, you will sure understand these ideas.
Music has a universal language.
That is what is made out in these features.

01) Raganubhavam - Telugu

This is about the common factors in various styles of muisc.
It also speaks about enjoying the classical muisc as it is!

02) Samvadi - Telugu

This feature talks about Harmonics and the principle of Vadi and Samvadi in Carnatic music.
It was much appreciated in teh music circles.

03) Music appreciation - English

This featue talks about the introductory aspects of Carnatic Music.
It was meant for youngsters who wanted to learn baout CM.
It also was appreciated a lot at that time.

04) Invisible Vision - Telugu Version

An award winning feature which talks about teh unique nature of Radio medium.
It explains the place of musical effects and real sounds in visualisng the scenes heard on the radio.
A Master piece!

Here are two more classics from AIR's archives.

01) Shiva Kshetra Yatra

A musical feature on the Saivaite places of pilgrimage in Andhra Pradesh.
Very popular songs of yester years were basically part of this feature.
Siva Siva Siva Yanarada, Endukaya Samba Siva, Harahara are some of them.

02) Kaliyuga Vaikuntham

A Vintage feature on describing the trek to Tirumala and teh contemporary details.
Compare Tirumala of teh present days, and you will be surprised to core.
This is a must liten feature for all.

Link to the folder:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=10f3f26dc390f408ab1eab3e9fa335cad0c645331ac4e45a

Let us enjoy good music and musical ideas!
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Who is Jane Goodall?

జేన్ గుడాల్ ఎవరు?

టార్జాన్ అనే అడివి మనిషి గురించి కథల పుస్తకాలు సినిమాలు వచ్చాయి. టార్జాన్ కథానాయకుడయితే, కథానాయకురాలి పేరు జేన్. కథ అక్కడి వరకే. ఆమె పేరు జేన్ గుడాల్ కాదు. ఆ పేరుగలావిడ నిజంగా ఉన్నారు. ఆమె ప్రపంచం పట్టకుండా, ఆఫ్రికాలోను టాంగన్యీకా సరస్సు ప్రాంతంలో గోంబీ అనే చోట, చింపాంజీలను గురించి పరిశోధనలు చేస్తూ అడవుల్లో కాలం గడుపుతున్నారు.


ఈ ప్రపంచంలో రకరకాల జంతువులను గురించి రకరకాల పరిశోధనలు చేస్తున్నవారు లెక్కలేనంతమంది ఉన్నారు. కానీ అందరిలోకీ ఈ జేన్ ఎంతోప్రత్యేకత గల వ్యక్తి.


మానవుల పరిణామం, చరిత్ర గురించి పరిశోధనలు జరిపిన ఎస్. బీ. లీకీ గారి బృందంలో జేన్ గుడాల్ కూడా చేరారు. ఈ రంగంవారికి ఆఫ్రికా అంటే స్వంత పరిశోధనశాల లాంటిది గనుక, గురువుగారితోబాటు ఆమెకూడా అక్కడికి వెళ్లారు. గురువుగారు, “నువ్వు ఇక్కడే ఉండి చింపాంజీల ప్రవర్తన, సమస్యల గురించి, పరిశోధన చేయవచ్చుగదా!’ అన్నారు. జేన్ “సరే”నన్నారు. అదెప్పుడో తెలుసా 1960 సంవత్సరంలో. ఆనాటినుంచి నేటి వరకు, జేన్ ఆ అడవులలోనే గడుపుతున్నారు. అదీ పట్టుదలంటే.


పదేళ్లపాటు ఆవిడ, చింపాజీల ప్రవర్తనను గురించి పరిశీలిస్తూ గడిపారు. పుట్టలోనుంచి చీమలను తీయడానికి చింపాంజీలు పుల్లలను వాడుకుంటాయని మొట్టమొదట ఆమే గమనించారు. ఆ చింపాంజీల మాంసాహారం, కుటుంబ వ్యవస్థ లాంటి మరెన్నో ఆసక్తికరమయిన అంశాలను గమనించి, పుస్తకాలుగా, పరిశోధన పత్రాలుగా ప్రకటించారు.


జేన్ గుడాల్ ప్రపంచ ప్రసిద్ధ పరిశోధకురాలు అని పేరు సంపాదించుకున్నారు. అక్కడే అడవిలోనే, తమ స్వంత పరిశోధన సంస్థను ప్రారంభించారు. అడవినే తమ ఇంటిగా గుర్తించుకున్నారు. ప్రజలకు చింపాంజీల రక్షణ అవసరం గురించి తెలియజేయాలని, ఆమె అమెరికా, బ్రిటన్, కెనడా దేశాల్లో తమ పరిశోధన సంస్థ శాఖలను ఏర్పాటు చేసి, ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నారు. “చింపాంజీలు చాలా మటుకు మనలాంటివే. మనుషులకూ ఇతర జంతుజాతులకూ మధ్య వారధిలాంటివి!” అని అంటారు జేన్.


ఇంకా పెద్ద వయసు రాని ఒక మగ చింపాంజీ, దిక్కులేని ఒక పిల్ల చింపాంజీని తెచ్చుకుని పెంచుకున్న తీరు, వాటి స్వభావానికి గుర్తింపుగా జేన్ గుడాల్ పరిశోధనల్లో తెలిసింది.


ఒక విషయానికి జీవితం అంకితం చేసిన వ్యక్తుల గురించి చెప్పడానికి జేన్ చక్కని ఉదాహరణ.

Who is Jane Goodall?

There are books and films about a character by name Tarzan. He lives in jungles. If the hero of the stories is Tarzan, heroine is Jane! The story ends there. This Jane is not a Goodall! There exists a lady with the name Jane Goodall in this world right now. Unmindful of the world, she lives in the Gombi forests in the Tanganyika area of Arica. She spends her time there researching Chimpanzees. There are many researchers researching many animals in this world. But, Jane is an exceptional researcher.


Jane joined the group of scientists under the leadership of S B Leaky, who studied human evolution and history extensively. Since Africa happens to be a place like the own laboratory for people in this line Jane also went there along the leader. The leader asked her to stay there and research the life of Chimpanzees. Jane accepted. Do you have any idea when all this happened? It was 1960. Till date Jane is still there in those forests. That is real dedication.


For ten years, Jane researched the behavioral patterns of chimps. She was the oen to notice for the first time that chimps use tools like a twig to pull out ants from a anthill. She also found out the meat eating chimps and the family hierarchy in the species and many more things. She published many such results as books and research papers.


Jane Goodall is now known as a reputed researcher. She has established her own research organization in the same forest. She chose the place as her home. With a view of educating the populace on the need of conservation of the chimps she has established branches of her institute in America, Canada and Britain and is working extensively. She says that Chimps are after all like us and they are the links between humans and the other animal races.


Jane noticed that an old chimpanzee taking a young orphan into its fold and rearing it jealously. She says that this is the identity of the race.

Science and life spent in science are always interesting!!
>>>>>>>>>

Silence!! - A Poem

I am Kamehameha of column five

Counting on the strings on your Lyre

That gave up much before the performance

Corridors of the Auditorium were stirringly slippery

The music slipped from the windows onto the

Slouching shoulders of the sulking old woman under the banyan tree

Tears roll down the grass and create Tsunamis in the hinterland

Sh… Shh….. Shhh….

Silence is much better than

The silken darks of Sanity!!

Music unheard is much forceful than the heard

Intentions are counter

Many years ago man waded in the mire of my thoughts

Do you?

Call back home and find out if cassava is growing well?

Tender man!

It is not your fault

Sun shone like this for eons on this greener land

Swords made it musty

Can’t take you further into the folds of sulcii and gyrii

Blood curdling bandit song it was!!

Forget it old man!

Go ahead with your performance even if the hall is overflowing!

I did that and I am here!!

Dr. N Ramani - Flute

Nadaswaram and Flute had been my choice instruments for ever.
Ramani Sir has always been brnging the best out of the flute.
Here is an old LP album of Sri Natesan Ramani!!
This is a favourite album with the class expressed as briefly as it could be.
I had this album with me for decades.
Good things are meant to be shared!
Here it is!

A write up:

Padmashri Nadesan Ramani (also known as Flute Ramani, b. 1934) is a renowned Indian Carnatic flautist from Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu. He is a disciple of the legendary T. R. Mahalingam, known more commonly as "Mali," who first popularised the Carnatic flute in Indian music. The birthplace of Ramani is symbolic in that Carnatic musicians consider Tiruvarur the sacred sanctuary of Carnatic music, being the birthplace of the "trinity" of Carnatic composers, Saint Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Shastri who laid the foundation for the tradition. Aside from the influence of his place of birth, Ramani was born into a musical family. Ramani's grandfather, Sri Aazhiyur Narayanaswami Iyer, was his first guru and was a well known flute artist and singer himself. Aware of young Ramani's keen interest in the Carnatic flute, Ramani's initiation to Carnatic music began at the age of five. Although Palladam Sanjeeva Rao was Sharaba Shastri's successor, it was "Mali" and N. Ramani, who brought international attention to the Carnatic flute both in their own distinct flute playing techniques, with the latter improving on the former's methods. The "Mali" bani encompassed facial expressions such as slight tilting of the head, varied movement of the lips which produced the vocal effect in the Carnatic never explored before by Sharaba Shastri or Palladam Sanjeeva Rao. Bringing out more of the tradition Mali introduced in the playing of the Carnatic flute, Ramani's distinctive style is the transformation of the Carnatic flute into the voice of a proficient Carnatic vocalist. Stressing such importance on the emphasis of vocal style of playing, he displayed characteristics of the human voice in his concerts often observed in his fast paced yet melodious performances. According to Ramani, "Mali's teaching methods were worth emulating. A good teacher should be open to learning from his students too. Mali learnt Aahiri raga from me, which I had learnt from T. Vishwanathan, Balasaraswathi's brother". In 1996, he gained the most prestigious title/award in Carnatic music, Sangeetha Kalanidhi. N. Ramani's performances in All India Radio (AIR) have received numerous praises from renonwned Hindustani and Carnatic musicians alike and his performances overseas had been recognised with numerous awards. Some of the highlights include the Sangeetha Kalanidhi, awarded by the Music Academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, the Sangeetha Acharya award from Wasser College, U.S., the honorary citizenship status in Maryland, Ohio, U.S., and the Padma Shri Award from the President of India. He holds an honorary Cultural Doctorate from The World University of Arizona.

List:

01-Idi_Nyayama-Malavi.mp3
02-Govardhana_Gireesam-Hindolam.mp3
03-Smarasada-Bilahari.mp3
04-Muralidhara-Behag.mp3

Link:
 
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=10f3f26dc390f408ab1eab3e9fa335ca912fc26eca449ca3
 
Let us enjoy good music!!
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Vijaya Siva - Vocal

Sri Vijaya Siva is the torch bearer of the DK school of music.
You can always look for the same novelty and class in his performances.
I am amazed at the family that has a full compliment of artists for a concerts.
Blessed are the parents who groomed the children so well.

A write up on Vijaya Siva with an interview!

N.Vijay Siva has evolved himself as a musician with pure values. His music makes a clear statement of his forthrightness and self-confidence. The message is even clearer when you notice the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Tilak, Gokhale, V. O. Chidamabaram, Rajaji and Sardar Vallabhai Patel adorning the walls of his drawing room, Despite the busy December season, he settles down for an exchange…



My paternal grandmother, Meenakshi Ammal, first cousin of S. Balachander, was very mush into Fine Arts. She inspired me a lot. Good at vocal and veena, my father A.N.Siva, was also an amateur actor with the Sangeethanjali troupe.


‘Manthralaya Mahan’ is one of their famous plays. My mother is a gold medallist (1965) from Music College, Adyar, and had learnt music under stalwarts there. My uncle A.S.Siva was good at composing songs in classical music, and in staging plays.


My parents wanted us to be trained in music, though they did not intend making us professionals in the field. Yet my sister Poorna Vaidyanthan, brother Manoj and I are into music, full time. It’s His will. I firmly believe that more than the genes, it is the atmosphere you grow in that shapes you. To cite a couple of examples, D.K.Pattammal is the first musician in her family and so is P.Unnikrishnan.


I feel blessed to have been a student of PSBB School. The teachers, under the dynamic leadership of Mrs.YGP, have the acumen to identify the inherent talent in each student. In fact, it is their forte. They create an atmosphere where the student is allowed to open up. His strength is assessed and nurtured to blossom further.

Till date I receive the blessings of my teachers who keep tabs on my career and correct me when I am wrong. G.J.R. Krishnan, R.K.Sriramkumar, Mullaivasal Chandramouli and Anuradha Sriram were all my school mates. A similar atmosphere continued in Vivekananda College too, where I did my B.Com.


I was exposed to music from childhood because of my environment. Our family has always had an ear for good music. It was not a formal training under my mother, but a natural exposure, while she was teaching or practising.


I came under the tutelage of D.K. Jayaraman in 1977, and after his demise it has been under his sister D. K. Pattammal. My mother was his student. Since my talent was spotted at a very early age, to shape it up well, I was made his student. The Vedas speak of three types of Gurus. DKJ is my Uttama Guru. He was like Sage Narada, knowing every minute detail about his disciples and giving them what they needed. He would go out of the way to teach kritis.


So it is with DKP. Once, knowing that I was going to sing on Shyama Sastri Day, she summoned me over phone to come and learn the rare ‘Mangalam’ composed by him! Until then I never knew of its existence! DKP amma keeps track of my development. As she is aging there are no regular classes now, but it is Divine guidance I get from her.

You’d be surprised to know that I was trained by Kumbakonam Rajappaier in playing the mridangam. I even reached a performing level in it.

It is an eternal search. Through music you reach God. We are told that it has to go on and on till we realise it.

Earlier the country and God were seen as one. For Bharatiyar, Parasakti and Bharat Matha were the same. The freedom fighters underwent untold suffering to gain Independence for us.

Desa bhakti is very important. Sacrifice begins at home and slowly permeates into society. Sardar Vallabhai Patel was a great administrator and We are yet to see a person like him. Dr.Rajendra Pasad had great respect for ancient arts. A lot of fillip was given to cultural development and music during his tenure. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam largely emulated him.

At home we never allow ourselves to forget those who toiled for the country. That should explain the presence of pictures of great leaders in our house.


I take each concert as an experience and not a test. I enjoy the camaraderie with my colleagues in the profession. We share a good rapport. The large-heartedness of the seniors who are now past their fifties is a lesson for us youngsters to imbibe. Why should there be room for politics when there is space for every one? The talented and the industrious will win recognition, sooner or later. No one can come between the performer and the rasika. Our seniors have paved the way, let’s follow them.

Here is a gem of an album by Sri Vijaya Siva.
Sri R K Sriram Kumar on Violin and Sri Mnaoj Siva on Mridangam.

List: 

01-Saketanagaranatha-Harikambhoji.mp
02-Kausaleya-Gowrimanohari.mp3
03-Raghupate_Rama-Shahana.mp3
04-Devadevam_Bhaje-Dhanyasi.mp3
05-Kalyanarama-Hamsanadam.mp3
06-Mamava_Pattabhirama-Manirangu.mp3

Link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=10f3f26dc390f408ab1eab3e9fa335ca9c1c45ad527946b1

Let us enjoy good music!!
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Rajamahendri Kshetra Patalu - A Book on Paintings

This is an interesting book.
I stumbled on it because I was asked to review it.
That was long ago.

The review is available on my site also.

రాజమహేంద్రి క్షేత్రపటాలు, సాదృశ్య పరిశీలన

దృశ్య కళా దీపిక - విశాఖపట్నం.

సుమారు రెండు వందల యాభయి సంవత్సరాల క్రితం రాజమహేంద్రి వాస్తవ్యులయిన నందిగం నాగేశం, కొమరౌతు వెంకటేశం అనే చిత్రకారులు వివిధ దేవతల చిత్రాలను రాశారు. వీటిలో 33 చిత్రాలు దేశంలో ఉన్న క్షేత్రాలకు సంబంధించినవి. మిగతావి రామాయణం బొమ్మలు. పటాలలోని విగ్రహాల గురించిన వివరణను కొలపల్లి బుచ్ని (బుచ్చి అయ్యుండాలి) రాశారు. మరో గుర్తు తెలియని వ్యక్తి పారశీకంలో వివరణ రాశాడు. ఈ చిత్రాలన్నీ జర్మనీ లోని హాంబుర్గ్ పట్టణ ప్రదర్శన శాలకు చేరుకున్నాయి.

స్వయంగా కళాకారుడు, కళాచరిత్ర పరిశోధకుడు శ్రీనివాస్‌ ఈ చిత్రాల గురించి తెలిసిన నాటి నుంచి లెక్కలేని కృషి చేసి ఇదుగో ఈ పుస్తకాన్ని తయారు చేసి మన ముందుంచారు. పుస్తకం పేరు, తీరు చూస్తే మనకవసరం లేదనిపిస్తుందేమో గానీ, అందరూ చదవదగిన గొప్ప పరిశోధన గ్రంధమిది. కళ గురించి, కళల చరిత్ర, తత్వం గురించి ఏ కొంచెమయినా ఆసక్తి ఉన్న వారయితే ఈ పుస్తకాన్ని తలకెత్తుకుంటారు.

శ్రీనివాస్‌ చిత్రప్రతి యొక్క ఫోటోగ్రాఫ్‌‌లను సంపాయించారు. వాటిలోని వివరాలు, వాటి వెనుకనుండే విశేషాల గురించి మంచి వివరాలు సేకరించారు. వాటన్నింటినీ ముందుగా సా`దృశ్య' పరిశీలన అనే పేరుతో వ్యాసాలుగా అందించారు. చిత్రాలలోని వివరాలను వాటి పూర్వాపరాలను విమర్శ చేసిన తీరు చాలా బాగుంది. ప్రతి పుటలోనూ ఆసక్తికరమయిన సంగతులు ఎన్నో మనముందుకు వచ్చి నిలబడతాయి.

రంగనాధుని బొమ్మను రంగనాయకి, గోదాదేవిలతో గాక బీబీనాంచారమ్మతో రాయడంలో విశేషం ఏమిటన్న ప్రశ్న, దానికి జవాబు అవుననిపించేవిగా ఉన్నాయి. అసలు చిత్రాలు రాయడమేమిటనే వివరణకూడా ఒక చోట ఇచ్చారు. కుంభకోణంలోని ఇతర దేవుళ్ళను వదిలి చక్రపాణిని బొమ్మగీయడం, అది అసలు మూర్తిలా లేకుండడం మొదలయిన అంశాలు గమనించదగినవి. ప్రతి వ్యాసం చివర ఇచ్చిన పాద సూచికలు (ఫుట్ నోట్స్) పరిశోధకుని పట్టుదల గురించి చెప్పక చెపుతాయి.

చిత్రపటాలను, విచిత్రమయిన భాషలో కొనసాగిన వివరణలను యధాతధంగా ఒక విధంగా ముద్రించారు. ఈభాష, చిత్రకారులు, వివరణ రాసిన వారి పేర్లు తీరు చూస్తుంటే వీరెక్కడి వారయి ఉంటారని అనుమానం కలుగుతుంది. శ్రీనివాస్‌ ఈ విషయం గురించి, భాషాపరమయిన అంశాలను గురించి పారశీకం గురించి కూడా మరింత చర్చించినట్లయితే ఇంకా బాగుండేది.

చిత్రాలలోని తత్వాలకు సంబంధించిన విషయాలను మరికొన్ని వ్యాసాలుగా చివరగా అందించారు. కళ గురించి పట్టించుకోని వారు గూడా ఈరచన చదివితే, ఇక మీద అటువేపు ఆసక్తి చూపుతారనవచ్చు.

శ్రీనివాస్‌ ఈ కృషిని ఇంతటితో ఆపకుండా, ఈ కళాఖండాలను గురించి, మరెన్నింటినో గురించి రచనలు చేయాలి. ఈ రచనలు ఇంగ్లీషులో వస్తే మరింత బాగుంటుంది. పుస్తకం ధర మూడొందలకు అయిదు తక్కువ! అయినా తక్కువే!

Around 250 years ago Nagesham and Venkatesham (Very unlikely names for people from the area?) of Rajamundry made paintings of Gods and Goddesses. 33 of them are about various Gods and the rest are about Ramayanam. A person by name Buchni (Buchi as in my original name?) wrote legends for the paintings. The paintings now, are lodged in the Hamburg Museum in Germany.

Mr Srinivas, a researcher, collected the pictures and other details of these masterpieces. This book, a result of his efforts, is a collection of his writings and the visuals.

One may feel disinterested at the first glance at the book. Open the pages and read on! You perhaps cannot put it down.

All those interested in art, history and related things should be redaing this book.

I wish this was available in English!

A couple of sample illustrations and the notes for your pleasure!

This , the legend says, is a painting of Venkataeswara of Tirupati. Even people trekking the hills are depicted and written about here.

This is a painting of Mallikarjuna at Srisailam.

The book contains a lot of detail and related visuals about the paintings of the series.

It is really interesting for everyone!!

Let us enjoy good works of art!!

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