Ideas & Views

Have uploaded some more carnatic songs (apart from what is hosted here) for listening at esnips website. The links are below. Especially, check out V.S.Narasimhan's carnatic songs set to violin in western quartet. Bombay Jayashri: http://www.esnips.com/web/aarthisbombayjayashri RanjaniGayatri: http://www.esnips.com/web/aarthisranjanigayatri Others: http://www.esnips.com/web/OtherCarnatic

Initially, I was captivated by Smt. Aruna Sairam after hearing her Ksetra-Srirangam album. (one reason is that Srirangam is my native and am raised in srivaishnavite culture). Not totally, because her chanting of pasurams in that album was quite intimidating to my ears. She should have sung the pasurams instead of chanting pasurams like that. Pasurams are never chanted like that. Chathumurai solrathu is different. Pasurams could be chanted in what is called a Sandhai . But not like Odhuvar style as Aruna has done in Ksetra-Srirangam album. After listening to some other songs of hers in Youtube, esp her Vittala Vittala repetition in all her Abhangs, I lost some apetite for her music. I got the illusion that she attracts audiene by compromising standards. But, when I listened to this, I got stunned and stumped. The pasuram followed by Kurai Ondrum Illai touched me very emotionally. I donno if anyone has experienced this before. You are visiting the Temple after many years and perumal

Manickkam Katti Lullaby ------------------- ---------- Tears rolled down as I listened to this "Manickam Katti", totally giving in to my emotions shamelessly. My recent loss has to be cried over and over. I was too moved to control my tears. I needed to release my disappointment as tears, felt absolutely relieved after wiping them. No one can render a lullaby to this extent. How can whatever you felt be described. It can only be felt, allowing the emotions conveyed to be soaked in every nerve and vein. Divine tranquilizer and Goddess Jayashri ! Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA Tillana -------- It is as if her guru Lalgudi Sir composed it only for her to sing it. What a guru! Cudn't write anything. Just listen to this one in Raga Yamankalyani, composed by Sri. Lalgudi Jayaraman. Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA Kannamma ----------------- When I heard this new album 'Kannamma' of

A dying man's diary of childhood dreams and how to live. Read it again with no negative connotations. I read the column on Wall Street Journal (paper edition, not online) by the journalist who attended Randy's last lecture at Carnegie Mellon and who had co-authored this book with Randy's narration. That made me curious to want to read the book. Randy sounded very similar to my personality, a person with a balance of optimism and realism, focused and slightly geeky! (Pardon me if I sounded presumptuous, that's not the idea) Hence I could give it a normal reading, not allowing the words and incidences to move me. Except at one point , I did feel this. Life after having lost my father in my early twenties is tough enough. Growing up without even a concept of Father is going to be miserable for Randy's one year old daughter. My sincere prayers for the family of Randy. Not the kind that cud take too much preachy stuff, few pieces of advice that I wud definitely carry

Been listening to all of RG's albums released thru Rajalakshmi Audio recently. I almost nagged a friend of mine who visited India to buy their albums especially. I am using my accident and disability leave time to listen to them day and night. What can be said about this duo! On the first hearing, it made me drop things from my hand, stop from doing everything else, wide open my eyes towards my music system, and gape in awe. Their sweet honey dew melody and razor sharp synchronization were what struck me first. Then as I listened more and more, their care in planning the concert, their maintaining individual space and creativity during raga alapana and kalpanaswaras deserved notice and respect. How much ever synchronization is achieved in sangathis and mudivus , that much space is also present for each's display of vocal capabilities and imagination. Ranjani's sounded to be a base voice with the right amount of tonal variations and Gayatri's slightly shrille

Old man and his God & Wise and Otherwise: Sudha Murty, who is Mrs. Narayana Murty, is also the Chairman of Infosys Foundation, the charity wing of the mega software firm. The two books she has authored are a collection of narrations from real life experiences of Sudhaji. She comes across a wide spectrum of people during her numerous field trips. Field work refers to the trips she makes to remote rural villages including tribal regions deep inside Karnataka forests when she ventures to make sure the Foundation's funds reach the right person for the right reason. Her contemplations and reflections observed during these and other day-to-day social activities in Bangalore has turned into two touching volumes of valuable reading. Few of her encounters and lessons learned were very elevating to the mundane mind. Thanks to Sudhaji for taking time to write her invaluable experiences in a simple and lucid style.

Book Title: Argumentative Indian - Writings On Indian History, Culture and Identity by Professor Amartya Sen I have heard and read a lot about Prof Amartya Sen but have not read any works of him. This book was on my must-read list for some years now after I had read a review in The Hindu. The idea of a book on Indian history and social topics from an Economics Nobel Laureate intrigued me. When I found the book in our public library, I wanted to read at least few pages ,just to know the author. The book is actually a compendium of essays. For more details, please read here . One particular essay was more fulfilling read than others. This was the essay on 'Reason'. Every essay is rich not just with historical facts but the author's views and interpretations . I was simply humbled by how much he knew and how much time and effort he must have spent on learning about our country. My generation hardly does this. I felt a compulsion to study and derive lessons from our country

I have read quite a few books in the last quarter of 2007 but could not manage to write about them. So, here is a quick and short overview or rather just my views. Note: How do I choose the books that I read? I read reviews and also an excerpt of each book from popular websites like NDTV Books , NY Times and also from book sellers and library listings if time permits. Freakonomics : A light-hearted book from an economist and a journalist but with deep in-sights. This book was like Econ 101 for me, an electronics engineer. I started liking and appreciating economics and its effects on societal behavior (or is it the other way?). Crazily drawn discussion and analyzes from two enthusiastic guys. Informative and enlightening. Must read. Blink-The power of thinking without thinking : A much hyped and popular book. I read this because of the hype without reading any review or excerpt. Not a satisfying read for me. I tend to think differently when it comes to matters of Mind and how it