Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks is dead. I read an article sometime ago about other people before her who had refused to give up their seats, though Mrs.Parks is the first name we remember.

Its often enough we find opponents hijacking just causes by making character asasinations, use some blemish in the protestor's past to muddle the issue, to wipe any sympathy. So then, it was obviously an intelligent decision to wait for someone like Mrs.Parks, a 42 year old respectable, tired seamstress who was arrested for not giving up her seat to a man, to stage a major protest. Sad that one has to consider such things too.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Sketches

Uploaded some of my pencil sketches.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Bach choir

Attended the Bach choir group Darmstadt's performance. I'd have never guessed Herr Gehann was that old. He looked so fantastically fit and young. Must be the music. The group performed well. There was one arrangement listed as Tamil(Piyak) Arr. Shanti Rasnayagam - Ever and always be praised. I can guess Arr stands for arranged. Could it be a traslation?

Hearing Ilayaraja's thiruvasagam composition now.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Violin strings

Attended a soiree Friday evening. Violin solo mostly except for a couple of pieces of violin-piano duo. Within ten minutes into the program, in the middle of the Saramanda by J.S.Bach, the string broke. The artist fixed it, got back, started playing, appearing unruffled. I would have completely lost it. Not that I have it in the first place.

The violinst mentioned in the baroque period, strings broke all the time. But with modern violins it doesnt/shouldnt. Google helped me find some interesting notes on strings.

When the violinist played one of his own compositions which involved a lot of funny sounds and gimmicks, a little girl behind me started laughing. She guffawed loudly despite her mom closing her mouth. Or perhaps because of it. This went on quite a few times and within minutes the whole row was dissolved into soundless laughter. I dont have a poker face, to put it mildly. My shoulders started shaking so much, and tears streaked while I tried hard to think of reasons why I should sober up immediately.

I am in the mood for classical now. Hearing Figaro.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Blogger

It was still drizzling. The old woman, one hand holding a bag and another hitching her wet saree, was struggling to cross the puddle, possibly hiding open manholes, when the bus glided splashing filthy water on her. She stood there cursing, her old - worn clothes and the curry leaves peeping out of the bag, dripping in water.

[He sighed and moved away from the window to his system. He must blog about this]

Monday, October 10, 2005

Gayathri

Gayathri Mantra - The holy chant where we meditate upon the supreme light to illuminate/inspire our physical, mental and spiritual worlds. Not supposed to be chanted by anyone other than twice-born men/boys. The new videocon ad is astounding in the delivery of the same Mantra. Forget the unimaginative copy. I loved the visual and the playback. A bunch of whites, asians, (was there a black person, I should check) chant or rather lipsync the mantra looking straight at you, then as mild drums pick up the chant is repeated once again, till it finishes with a young woman singing in an almost operatic high.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Chasing the Monsoon

Excellent book - Chasing the monsoon. I finished it in one go - considering its a long time since a book has earned that merit from me and considering this isn't a thriller or even fiction, it shows how much I enjoyed reading the book. The best kind of travelogues are the ones with a specific purpose like 'In Xanadu'. In this book, Alexander Frater uses rain as his theme. Indian monsoon to be more specific. Frater is witty - very difficult to achieve in a travelogue, realistic, not at all condescending towards the Indians he sees. His book is a celebration, yet not one of those romantic look at India without any depth. You feel the joy and sorrow rain brings to the people he meets. You are part of it.

I would recommend it strongly. It made me want to pack my bags immediately