#Kannada Poems

[sourabha]

Three poems

Three poems:One dedicated to granny who lived much of her life trying to make ends meet and still managed to raise her grandchildren to be the first graduates in the family; one on the idea of ‘God’; one on writing.

[ilhoonftw]

swifties ruined the 'can song lyrics be considered poetry' discourse

[blahblahblaw18]

Saving our sarva janaangada shaantiya thoTa

sarva janaangada shaantiya toTa

rasikara kangaLa seLeyuva noTa

hindu kraistha mussalmaana

paarasika jainar udyana

(A tranquil garden belonging to all communities

Forever enticing the epicurean's eyes

Hindu, Christian, Muslim

Parsi, and Jain- a park where truly everyone prospers)

"With our heads held high and Shoulders straight, lets us all stand up and sing the state anthem" the comperer would announce and all of us, on cue, would stand in our school assembly, reciting these very same lines threaded together by the Raashtrakavi, in the same tune, with the same intonation, every Saturday, for years on end without ever bothering about what they meant.

It never really occurred to us to ask the meaning of these complex words because we never felt the need to do so. We knew what the naadageethe signified and what values it stood for. We knew what legacy the Rashtrakavi was entreating upon us to cherish and carry forward and we knew that we didn’t have to know the meaning of these lines to be able to understand and imbibe in ourselves the principles that we wanted our state to reflect.

But today... today we are standing at another time, called upon to gather at another assembly under the school of our state's destiny- and now it is more important than ever for us to once again recite these lines, renew our vows and ask ourselves- What does Karnataka mean to us? What were the ideals that we were guided by when we all chose to unite under the colours of red and yellow, where have we reached and What plans, thoughts and ideas do we have for the future of our beloved Karunaadu?

Growing up as tiny tots running around and chasing butterfly dreams in this garden of secularity, the one thought that all our minds were imbued and indoctrinated with was – Indina Makkale Naalina Prajegalu. Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens. We would be told, in classrooms and lecture halls and seminars by teachers, leaders and elders that the destiny of our state was a gift that would be bequeathed to us at the opportune time.

And that time has now arrived. Tomorrow, for the very first time in our lives, we will be called upon to decide for ourselves what Karnataka we wish to live grow and prosper in. A weighted responsibility no doubt. And tomorrow, when we once again, filter into long queues and assemble outside government schools to exercise our franchise and decide the destiny of our state, we should take a moment and ponder upon whether the Karnataka that has been thrust upon us, a Karnataka which has been cast under the shadow of communalism, which sits and shivers under the Damocles sword of corruption and which fears the erasure of it’s language culture and community, is truly the same Karnataka singing about whose glory our hearts would swell in pride.

We were taught to embrace everyone with open arms, and today we are being made to turn against our own sisters and brothers. We were told to be honest, upright and law-abiding citizens, but today we are being made to hang our heads in shame to offer under the table commissions. We grew up being nourished by the milk of the matronly Nandini and today she faces the threat of our infidelity.

Along with all these changes, there has also been another monumental change. Nenneya makkaLu have today become naadina prajegaLu. The Karnataka of today may be a vastly different place than the Karnataka of our childhood but now we have been entrusted with the responsibility of and vested with the power to develop, design and reimagine this garden of ours. It is now in our hands to decide which seeds to sow and which weeds to plough.

[burlveneer-music]

MD Pallavi & Andi Otto - Songs for Broken Ships - India/Germany collaboration that is also a contender for world fusion album of the year

MD Pallavi & Andi Otto first crossed paths on a theatre stage in India ten years ago. They started collaborating instantly and in 2016 MD Pallavi's mesmerizing vocals for the downtempo raga Bangalore Whispers warmed hearts and ears. Their musical relationship flourished with artistic residencies in Bangalore and Hamburg, their respective hometowns, and a concert tour in Japan. The album presents an interwoven pop-aesthetic vision of the two artists with their contrasting musical backgrounds. It ranges from organically woven folktronica to cut-up disco tracks and acoustic ballads. MD Pallavi is a singer, actress, filmmaker and performer from Bangalore, South-India, where she trained in Hindustani music and poetry since childhood. On Songs for Broken Ships, poems in her native tongue Kannada*, one of India's many languages, are performed over Andi’s alluring production, translating the stories into musical narratives. The poems address topics that are as timeless as the music itself. Social equality is touched upon in Bayalu (written by Bontadevi in the 12th century). Artistic struggles - communicated on An Unwritten Word (Gangadhar Chittala, 1865) - are almost prophetic and the surreal, dreamlike scenario of Clockshop (KS Narasimhaswamy,1958) brings you further inside the sonic journey. Andi Otto is a composer, cellist and DJ based in Hamburg, Germany, He is known for his idiosyncratic and unconventional dance music productions on labels such as Multi Culti, Shika Shika and Pingipung (which he co-runs and curates). For this collaborative experience his dubbed out basslines gently interlock with the 7/4 and 5/4 beats to create a backbone for the instrumentation and expressive vocal timbres of MD Pallavi. His sound design combines graceful acoustic recordings, juxtaposed against modern drum machines, computer generated noise and vintage synthesizers. All songs written and composed by MD Pallavi and Andi Otto in Bangalore and Hamburg, 2018-2023 MD Pallavi: Vocals, percussion Andi Otto: Electronics, cello, table harp, pipe organ, percussion, steeldrum, PPG 1020 Additional percussion on “An Unwritten Word”, “Prayer to the Cloud” and “Look Again” (digital bonus) by Manuel Chittka Ambient sound design on “An Unwritten Word” by Leo Hofmann Cover photo: Port of Nouadhibou, Mauritania by Kevin McElvaney

[hrk4]

The year that was...

“Slippery slope. I carry a spare shirt, pretty soon I’m carrying spare pants. Then I’d need a suitcase. Next thing I know, I’ve got a house and a car and a savings plan and I’m filling out all kinds of forms.” —Jack Reacher (in Lee Child’s 2007 novel Bad Luck and Trouble)

For close to a year, I have been fortunate to be part of the Saturday morning conversazione that takes place in the office of Dr. S R Ramaswamy (SRR), who is more than a mentor to me. In one of the early meetings of 2023, SRR gave me his personal copies of two Jack Reacher novels (by James Dover Grant, who writes under the pseudonym Lee Child) and added with a smile, "I must warn you, these are addictive!"

A few days after that, I was going to be on a long train to Pune and had taken the novel with me. Even before we crossed the Karnataka border, I had finished reading the novel and cursed myself for not having brought the other one too (which was a result of my underestimation of my own reading speed). As soon as I came back to Bangalore, I raced through the other novel. When I returned the two novels to SRR, he gave me more. It had been years since I had read fiction and given that my day job involves reading, writing, design, and publication, I had forgotten the art of reading for pleasure. This gesture on SRR's part rekindled that spark. The flipside was that I started finding films and web series tiresome!

I mostly read Jack Reacher novels this year and what fascinated me the most (besides the intricate plots, value conflicts, and the edge-of-the-seat twists and turns) was the universal appeal of a character like Reacher who lives like a monk and fights like a tiger; even in the materialistic West the allure of a man who is detached and driven by a strong sense of dharma is irresistible. And that gives me hope.

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Soon I will hit forty. Probably my best years are behind me but I like to believe that they are yet to come. To augment this belief, I lay out my plans for 2024 before getting into my recollections of 2023.

I have three short-term goals, which I wish to complete in the next six months: i. Organise my library ii. Simplify my wardrobe iii. Consolidate my finances and four lifestyle goals that I wish to continue through the year: 1. Exercise daily 2. Read more, and more varied books 3. Play the violin more 4. Avoid sugar and fried foods at all costs

Some of the books in the pipeline for this year are: A R Krishnasastri’s Kathāmṛta, a new edition of Bhāsa’s Svapna-vāsavadatta, D V Gundappa’s Jīvana-dharma-yoga translated by Raghavendra Hebbalalu and Sreelalitha Rupanagudi, Volumes VII and VIII of DVG’s Art Gallery of Memories, S R Ramaswamy’s Silhouettes of Excellence, Sripriya Srinivasan’s book on Pallava history for high school students, minor poems of Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita, and Jayadeva’s Gīta-govindam, among others.

I'm also working on a few exciting projects with cousin Dr. Chandra Shekhar (a short stories anthology), my college classmate Sudarshan K A (on financial wisdom), and with my friends Ganesh Bhat Koppalatota and Neelakanth Kulkarni (curating the best of Kannada literature), and I hope that at least a few of these see completion by end of the year.

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I was lucky to have a front row seat as the following books unfolded through the course of the year: Three volumes of DVG's Kannada writings in translation (Contemporaries of Vidyaranya, his writings on the two epics of India, and an anthology of his essays on poetics), Vols. V and VI of the Art Gallery of Memories by DVG, Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh's Kṣāttra: The Tradition of Valour in India, and Dr. L Subramaniam's Festival Beyond Borders, among others.

I was able to facilitate the publication of three books by family members: my mother's booklet of life-lessons titled Song of my Soul, my father's monograph on The Amazing Human Mind, and my great-uncle (Late) Sri S Rangarajan's mammoth 648-page memoirs titled It Happens as Ordained.

The highlight, however, was a little book that I co-wrote with Dr. Ganesh titled The Essential Sanatana Dharma.

In addition to working on a few books in 2023, I was also invited to give lectures on a variety of topics, some of which were at the insistence of Dr. Arathi V B who has often magnanimously offered me opportunities that are far beyond my ken. If my calculations are right, I must have given no less than eighteen lectures this year. Friends like Madhulika Srivatsa, Sagar Mehta, and Vani Anur invited me to their homes to give lectures to their family and friends, which were highly rewarding.

I had the singular fortune of addressing a large number of school children, teachers, young parents, devout Hindus, et al. on topics as varied as life skills to the essentials of Sanātana-dharma; from the importance of history and heritage to world musical genres (at an elders' enrichment centre); from Indian Knowledge Systems to the Art Gallery of Memories (series of lectures at the Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs); and on the Artha-śāstra, Mahābhārata, Bhagavad-gītā, and Śrīkṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta.

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For more than two decades I have been attending the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival (LGMF) organised by my guru Dr. L Subramaniam (along with his wife, Smt. Kavita Krishnamurti, who is the director of the festival); for some years, I was also active in the organising committee of the festival. Each edition of the LGMF has been a historic event and 2023 was no different. The upcoming tour is no less exciting with a remarkable orchestra from Kazakhstan visiting India.

Some of the other memorable events that I attended in 2023 include the third edition of Madanotsava organised by my good friends Nirupama and Rajendra, the eightieth birthday celebrations of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam organised by Drishti Arts Centre, the fifth World Coffee Conference (thanks to my friend Ananth Bhatt), and a lovely eighty-fifth birthday celebration of my great-uncle Sri R Vasudevan that included a superb concert by the musician-surgeon of our family, Dr. Mukund Jagannathan.

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Despite some challenges, the home situation was stable. My mother and my grandmother moved to an apartment next to my place and my father and brother regularly visit. I became one of the Trustees of our family trust and that means greater opportunity to help the community. I have also been involved in some consolidation of my finances so that I won't have to worry about money after 2024. I echo the sentiments of Jack Reacher in Gone Tomorrow (2009) — “I'm a rich man. To have everything you need is the definition of affluence.”

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There are times when our family and friends perform an unexpected act of kindness that leaves us fumbling for words. My grandmother's younger sister, Smt. Shanti Rangarajan, aged 89, made a trip all the way from Chennai to Bangalore (with her daughter Deepta) to spend time with my mother on her 66th birthday, given that she was just recovering from her surgery and was home-bound.

When I was in Mumbai earlier this year, I happened to ping my BMS College classmate Anshuman Borah, who emigrated to UK some years ago. He immediately wrote back saying that he was in Pune to sell his flat. I had been in Pune that very morning; distraught at having missed catching up with him, I called him up to berate him for not telling me earlier. He immediately said, "I'll come to Mumbai tomorrow. Just send me your location and I'll be there to pick you up." Sure enough, the next morning he took a taxi from Pune all the way to Mumbai just to meet me. We had a nice lunch and spent five or six hours before he took a taxi back to Pune. (And there were times in college when we have shared a jhal mudi costing Rs. 10 because we had run out of cash!)

Anu and Chandra (technically my mother's generation but more like friends/cousins to me) generously offered me a carte blanche to pursue whatever projects I wish to, without fretting about the monetary implications. Their gesture has inspired me to work even more towards a larger cause, especially in the fields of culture, literature, music, and education, which are of common interest to us.

Prof. L V Shanthakumari has been a mentor-guru-adopted grandmother to me and many other friends. Earlier this year, she was visiting her younger son Sri Niranjana who lives across the town from her, in faraway Marathahalli. Our ancestral house in Halasuru is almost the mid-point between her house and her son's house, so I requested LVS madam to consider visiting us for lunch. She graciously agreed and visited us with Niranjana, who incidentally lived in the same neighbourhood many years earlier! My family and I were thrilled to host LVS madam and we spent a lovely afternoon together.

My cousin Arun was slated to visit India in August along with my aunt and uncle. I was planning to borrow my father's car so that I could take Arun around. Right at that time, my good friend Chandrashekhar told me, "I just bought a new car and there's the old one languishing in my place. Just take it and use it for as long as you want." Thanks to Chandru, I was able to drive around Arun and later had reliable transportation for myself, especially during some of the busy months of the year. After relying on public transport for more than a year, this came as a real boon.

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My good friend Arjun Bharadwaj always teases me of excessively indulging in what he playfully dubs "Eating-Outing-Meeting." While I am an introvert by temperament, I often step out for these E-O-Ms for a dose of enrichment. Outside of my books and my music, I find nothing more enjoyable than a meaningful conversation with friends and savants.

It has been my great fortune to have come in contact with so many greats of our time—and in some cases, even dine with them and travel with them.

One of our Saturday morning meet-ups took place on Church Street with SRR taking us (Vighneshwar Bhat, Sandeep Balakrishna, Arjun Bharadwaj, and me) to Select Book Shop, which was started by a friend of his. Later he took us out to lunch and simply refused to let any of us pay.

Ambi (my uncle, Dr. Koti Sreekrishna) visited India earlier this year and even stayed with me for a few days. I had a great time with him, discussing everything from the ridiculous to the sublime—often through the course of a meal in a nearby restaurant. I also had the chance to drag two of my friends (Arjun and GS) to meet Ambi and his elder brother Kanna (my uncle, Sri K Srinivas) at their ancestral house. The conversations, mostly revolving around the the great epics of India, were memorable (with some of it secretly captured on video and clandestinely posted on Facebook by Ambi).

My cousin Arun visited India in August and stayed with me. It had been years since we had met and there was so much to talk about. It was really inspiring to see his focus and his ability to grasp new ideas. I introduced him to a bunch of my friends and we all had a memorable time. Cousin Anita could not visit and was sorely missed, but she had just had a baby (my second nephew, Jayanth).

Arjun and I visited Mysore to meet Dr. S L Bhyrappa, who graciously invited us to lunch with him. Following that, we proceeded to Pandavapura to meet Mr. Anke Gowda, who has the largest personal collection of books that I have seen (over 1 million books). We were thrilled to visit his library as he enthusiastically showed us around. He has been collecting books for some seven decades with his meagre salary, driven by intense passion and devotion to literature.

Through the course of the year, in addition to the regular meet-ups with my friends, gurus, and family, I had the opportunity to meet a host of interesting people: Sri Prafulla Ketkar (Chief Editor, Organiser), Sri Shivaswami (Bhagavad-gītā scholar), Dr. Manohar Shinde (Founder, Dharma Civilization Foundation), Dr. Shekhar Borgaonkar (my father's college classmate and old friend), Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran (musician-composer-educator), and the dedicated people who run Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra at Hagaribommanahalli, among others.

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It is a co-incidence that the year began with a trip to Ellora and just as 2023 came to an end, during the course of our Madhya Pradesh road-trip, the first destination was Ellora. It was wonderful to visit that puṇya-kṣetra twice in a calendar year.

In addition to visiting Solapur, Sambhajinagar, Pune, Mumbai, Karwar, and Chennai, I went to Valparai (Tamil Nadu) for our annual boys' trip, with more friends joining the fray:

I spent the last days of the year on the road: traversing 3,800+ kilometres (Bangalore-Ellora-Maheshwar-Indore-Ujjain-Vidisha/Sanchi-Udayapur-Khajuraho-Bedaghat-Bangalore) in nine days with five of my friends and a shoe-string budget.

Among the many highlights of the trip was visiting Ahalyabai Holkar Smarak at Maheshwar.

To see her humble dwelling and to contrast that with her unparalleled achievements was an inspiration. These are the real heroes of our land and it is a sin to forget them.

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Sri C R Sathya, the grandson of Prof. A R Krishnasastri and a remarkable space scientist (and writer) in his own right died earlier this year. He had been a great support during the time I co-translated The Essential Mahabharata. Not many people know that the gentleman on the right side of this iconic photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson is C R Sathya:

A few other greats who breathed their last in 2023 include Sri Siddeshwar Swamiji; the great gamaki Sri Chandrashekar Kedilaya; Wayne Shorter, the legendary jazz saxophonist; Sri B K S Varma, the painter par excellence; and iconic filmmaker Sri K Viswanath. I had the great fortune of meeting and interacting with both B K S Varma and K Viswanath some years ago.

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The changes around us end up affecting us in some way, directly or indirectly, unless of course we are really cut off and have isolated ourselves from society. In this vein, it might be instructive to broadly look at some of the events from 2023.

India has marched forward under the visionary leadership of Sri Narendra Modi, who has never failed to impress with his tireless striving for a better future.

India is now the most populous country with a host of internal problems, largely fuelled by predatory ideologies, be it the clashes between the Kuki and the Meitei or the Nuh violence or even the denigration of Sanātana-dharma, which is the most inclusive religio-philosophical system in the world. Despite this and some of the self-inflicted wounds to the economy, the country witnessed the manner in which challenges were masterfully met, be it the organisation of the spectacular G20 or the rescue of 41 miners trapped in the Uttarakashi tunnel, be it seamlessly shifting to the new parliament building or sending Chandrayaan III to the moon.

After the demonic attack that took place on October 7th, 2023, the world is slowly realising the danger of the bloodthirsty death cult masquerading as a religion. More and more countries are rejecting the pseudo-liberal ideologies of the left and are instead moving far right, which is also dangerous in its own way. Coupled with this, we are unsure of the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the future of humans. And somewhere amidst all this chaos, unknown men are quietly doing their work. And that brings me a great deal of peace.

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Thanks for reading this far, and with this I wish you and your family a wonderful new year! I hope it will be filled with joy, good health, prosperity, and moments to cherish. May your dreams come true!

— Appendix

I wish to share some of the fantastic accomplishments of a few people in my circle. It is, as always, an ad hoc list that I have prepared on the spur of the moment. I might have missed out some but those that I have listed are certainly notable:

Brahmin Genocide is an important topic researched by Sri Balaji Mahalingam (who writes under the pseudonym Asi) that brings to the fore an injustice that has pervaded our society in the last couple of centuries and must be immediately rectified if Hinduism is to survive. The first edition of the book was sold out in just a few months and he is now working on the second edition.

The seventh century CE Sanskrit play Bhagavad-ajjukam was documented by Nirupama and Rajendra with support from Sudha Murty, Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh, Praveen D Rao, Arjun Bharadwaj, et al.—see the Introduction and the complete play (with subtitles).

Bhāratīya Kṣāttra Paramparā (Hindi translation by Prof. Dharmaraj Singh Vaghela) Earlier this year, when the book Kṣāttra was released, I gave a copy of the book to my uncle Prof. Vaghela. The very next day, he called me and said that it is an important book which must reach the Hindi heartland and offered to translate it into Hindi. Dr. Ganesh immediately gave his consent. In a matter of months, he finished the translation, which is now appearing on www.prekshaa.in as a series and will soon be published in book form.

My good friend and former colleague Arjun Bharadwaj has come out with two remarkable books this year: the first, titled Nayana-Savana (co-written with Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh), which is a creative appreciation of some of the major productions of the legendary Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam and the second, titled Indian Perspective of Truth and Beauty in Homer’s Epics, which is worthy of a D.Litt. no less.

S R Ramaswamy's latest work titled Sāhitya Sānnihitya is an anthology of book reviews and writings on literature.

Saṃskṛti is a reprint of a charming little book on culture with essays by littérateurs including Devudu Narasimha Shastri, A N Murthy Rao, A N Krishna Rao, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, and C K Venkataramayya.

Prekshaa Pratishtana has brought out a lovely introductory video that summarises its vision and objectives. They continue to publish many books every year and maintain an ad-free online journal (www.prekshaa.in) with authentic content on Indian heritage for one and all.

My cousin Arun Prasad continues to do remarkable work with Ambuda, the online digital library for Sanskrit.

The best of Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh's writings in Kannada have been compiled in two volumes with the title Rāga-bhāratī.

Dr. G Sudesh Kumar, a close family friend, recently authored a coffee-table book titled History of Sri Parakala Mutt.

[fiercynn]

queer short film: "the kinnaras of the dark world"

queer short cuts is a biweekly newsletter where i share queer & trans short film recommendations. i’m featuring some of my favorite films on tumblr because why not

india | 5 minutes | 2018 | experimental film/visual poetry/dance film

audio in kannada; english subtitles embedded

the kinnaras of the dark world is a beautiful visual poem and dance video by trans performer, poet, journalist, radio jockey, and activist shilok mukkati. the poem depicts the harm and ostracization shilok has faced for being transfeminine and kinnar, a self-adopted term for third gender folks in certain parts of india; the name kinnara comes from a mythological creature in hinduism and buddhism that is strongly associated with music and love. but despite the pain of enduring oppression, being kinnar is also freedom for shilok, helping her rise and claim her own power. - deepa's full review, including content notes at the end

watch on vimeo, and find creator shilok mukkati on instagram!

[upsquareschools]

Best Preschool in Electronic City

UP Square International Preschool

www.upsquareschools.in

contact@upsquareschools.in

Subject – Kanakadasa Jayanthi

Kanakadasa Jayanthi is celebrated on 18th November this year. Kanakadasa was a renowned composer of Carnatic music, poet, philosopher and musician. He is known for his keertanas (Hymns) and ugabhoga (physiological ideas) compositions in kannada language.

One of his famous poem is " Kula Kulakulavenduhodedhadadiri" meaning asks human not to segregate themselves from one another, because every human is born the same way, everyone eats the same food and drinks same water hence none is superior or inferior to one another.

Apart from making a remarkable contribution to Kannada literature, Kanakadasa initiated the process of social philosophy to spread a message of equality in language which was accessible to all.

With Best Regards,

UP Square.

#KanakadasaJayanthi

#BestPreSchool

#UpSquareSchool

[kannadamovieblog]

Kannada Kavana Love SMS: Expressing Your Heartfelt Emotions

Love is an exciting journey, and what better way to express it than through kannada kavana love SMS? These poignant texts capture the essence of romantic affection with sweet nothings to deep sentiments; from sweet nothings to deep sentiments – love kavanagalu can express all shades of affection perfectly. Whether looking for kannada love poems or romantic kavithe in kannada this collection will…

[theindiandanceclass]

The Connection Between Bharatanatyam and Other Art Forms

Bharatanatyam, one of the oldest and most revered classical dance forms of India, is not just an art of movement; it is a confluence of various artistic expressions. This dance form, which originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu, embodies a rich tapestry of music, literature, theater, and visual art. Let's explore the intricate connections between Bharatanatyam classes near me and other art forms, showcasing how they enhance and complement each other.

1. Music

Carnatic Music:

Bharatanatyam is deeply intertwined with Carnatic music, the classical music tradition of South India. The rhythm (tala) and melody (raga) of Carnatic music form the backbone of Bharatanatyam performances.

Tala System: The complex rhythmic patterns in Bharatanatyam are derived from the tala system of Carnatic music. indian classical dance classes near me Dancers must master these rhythms to synchronize their footwork with the beats.

Ragas: Different ragas evoke various emotions and moods, influencing the dancer's expressions (abhinaya). For example, a raga like Shankarabharanam might be used for joyous themes, while Bhairavi is often chosen for devotional pieces.

Vocal and Instrumental Music:

The lyrics of the songs, whether in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, or Kannada, guide the narrative of the dance. Instruments like the mridangam, veena, flute, and violin accompany the performance, creating a rich auditory experience that complements the visual beauty of the dance.

2. Literature

Epics and Mythology:

bharatnatyam classes draws heavily from Indian epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as from Puranic texts. The stories of gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, form the basis of many dance compositions.

Sanskrit and Tamil Poetry: The works of poets like Kalidasa, Jayadeva, and Tamil saints like Alwars and Nayanmars provide a treasure trove of narratives for Bharatanatyam. The poems are often set to music and enacted through dance.

Bhakti Literature:

Devotional literature, particularly the Bhakti movement poetry, plays a significant role in classical indian dance classes near me. The compositions of saints like Meerabai, Surdas, and Andal are frequently performed, reflecting themes of devotion and surrender.

3. Theater

Natya Shastra:

Bharatanatyam is fundamentally connected to the ancient treatise Natya Shastra, attributed to Sage Bharata. This comprehensive work on dramaturgy lays down the principles of dance, drama, and music, forming the theoretical foundation of Bharatanatyam.

Rasa and Bhava: The concepts of rasa (emotional flavor) and bhava (expression) from Natya Shastra are central to Bharatanatyam. The indian dance class uses facial expressions, hand gestures (mudras), and body movements to evoke different rasas in the audience.

Kathakali and Kuchipudi:

Bharatanatyam shares similarities with other Indian classical dance forms like Kathakali and Kuchipudi, which also integrate dance and drama. The storytelling techniques, use of elaborate costumes, and expressive makeup in these forms influence Bharatanatyam performances.

4. Visual Arts

Sculpture and Architecture:

The poses and postures in Bharatanatyam often resemble the intricate carvings found in Indian temple architecture, particularly in South Indian temples.

Nataraja: The iconic depiction of Lord Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, is a profound influence. The graceful posture, balanced on one leg with the other leg lifted, and the dynamic use of hands and expressions in bharatanatyam dance classes near me are inspired by this sculpture.

Painting and Costumes:

Traditional Indian paintings, such as Tanjore and Mysore paintings, depict scenes from mythology and classical dance. The elaborate costumes and jewelry worn by Bharatanatyam dancers are often inspired by the attire seen in these paintings.

5. Modern Collaborations

Contemporary Dance:

Modern Bharatanatyam practitioners often collaborate with contemporary dance forms, creating fusion performances that bring together the classical and the modern. This blend introduces new themes and innovative choreography while retaining the essence of Bharatanatyam.

International Art Forms:

Bharatanatyam has also found resonance with global art forms like ballet and modern dance. International collaborations have led to unique productions that explore universal themes through a cross-cultural lens.

Conclusion

The connection between online bharatanatyam classes and other art forms is a testament to its richness and versatility. By weaving together music, literature, theater, and visual arts, Bharatanatyam creates a holistic and immersive artistic experience. This interconnectedness not only enhances the dance form but also ensures its relevance and adaptability in a rapidly changing world.

[sassysuitdonut]

Department of Languages: Conversation with Department Head, Dr.Trapthy Sharma

Language has always been a medium to convey messages or emotions in a way that makes it easy for others to understand what a person might be feeling or thinking. The best poems and greatest stories remain unknown, hidden within famous yet unread course books.The appreciation for language appears to have declined over the years, leading to a decrease in the prominence of language departments in degree colleges.

We sat down with Dr.Trapthy Sharma, the head of the Language Department here at ST PAULS COLLEGE, Bangalore. Ma’am has been a part of the ST PAULS family since the institution’s beginning phase.

From faculty member to department head, her journey has involved many hellos and goodbyes from countless students. She has always felt proud of the students who learned a language under her care and guidance. She has consistently strived to bring out the best of their potential.

The Language Department fosters a symbiotic relationship with its students. The college offers more than 12 languages, including Hindi (taught by Ma’am herself), English, Kannada, Malayalam, and Urdu.

During our conversation, Dr.Trapthy mentioned that a lot has changed since her time as a student. Students today have a much heavier workload than she did. There has been a shift towards extracurricular activities in recent years. Students are exposed to many responsibilities beyond their coursework, and this has demonstrably brought a positive change. They act more maturely and handle pressure better.

While discussing extracurricular activities, we asked Ma’am about the fests organized by the Language Department. Dr.Trapthy has taken many initiatives to ensure students experience different cultures and languages through these college fests. The primary purpose of these events is to introduce students to new cultures and languages. Secondly, they provide a platform for students to showcase not only their talents but also their roots and traditions in a fun and educational way. The well-planned events help students get familiar with their peers and faculty members.

Ma’am also emphasized the importance of understanding language concepts. She stressed that without a good grasp of language, we are incapable of accurately conveying our feelings, which can hinder our long-term goals. According to her, the first step towards growth comes from knowing the language of the place you live. This understanding is essential for comprehending the important aspects of the culture. It fosters empathy and creates a special bond built on respect for each other’s efforts.

During the conversation, she also made a very relevant point for the current times: the value of a language degree. People often view language as a side subject or an additional course, which undermines its importance in any field of work. Media, Law, Advertising, Psychology, IT, Corporate – regardless of the field, language can be a significant barrier. Studying a language course equips one with a strong grasp of the subject itself. It provides the crucial ability to articulate thoughts clearly under any circumstance.

As per Dr.Trapthy’s view, language is not only important for initiating a conversation but also for keeping it going. This applies to conveying news, knowledge, stories, or speeches. Fluency and a strong command of language boost confidence and bring greater attention to your work.

As our session concluded, we asked Ma’am to leave a message for students pursuing their dreams to become professionals or are about to enter that phase of their life. Here’s what Dr.Trapthy said: “Students are like statues made out of a lot of love and care. But a plain statue wouldn’t hold someone’s attention for long. The need to decorate a statue comes from the desire to be seen and noticed. The same applies to students. As language and grammar are the basic foundation of our society, it’s important for students to adorn themselves with as much knowledge and as many languages as they can. When they go out into the world, people will be instantly drawn to them. The more they learn, the more they’ll grow.”

That’s all from us. This is the ST PAULS Team, signing off until next time. Stay safe, keep achieving, and keep dreaming.

Learn more about BA courses and specializationsat ST PAULS COLLEGE, Bengaluru.

[sifil-blog]

Sanskrit's Influence on the Hindi Language

Sanskrit is often considered the oldest language in the world. Sanskrit has survived for 5000 years in both oral and written form. It comes under the Indo-European family of languages. Interestingly, Sanskrit has given rise to many modern Indian languages. Hindi and other regional languages find their origins in this ancient tongue. It is interesting to explore the relationship between modern Hindi and ancient Sanskrit. 

Historical Context

Sanskrit’s first written record dates back to 1500 BC. According to oral traditions, the language can be as old as 5000 years. On the other hand, Hindi is only 200 years old. Hindi was developed as an official common language by Bharatendu Harishchandra during the British Raj. Indians wanted an official language of correspondence without the Persian influence of Urdu. Thus, Hindi was created from the classical Hindustani after subtracting major Persian words. 

Linguistic Influence

Any Sanskrit language course will tell you about its linguistic influence on languages like Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati, and Awadhi. Such languages have many words whose roots are Sanskrit words. The same is the case for Hindi. For example, the Sanskrit word ‘nidra’ is the root of the Hindi word ‘nind’. Similarly, we have root words for brother, mother, tree, fig, lion, etc. in Sanskrit. You will find thousands of such words in a Sanskrit dictionary. 

Cultural Impact

Sanskrit has also influenced Indian culture a lot. Many Bollywood songs and theatre plays have their origin in Sanskrit literature. Bollywood movies also have references to Sanskrit epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Hindi philosophers also use these references in their debates. You will come across many Hindi poems and prose that refer to these characters to add context in the situation. 

Modern Relevance

Sanskrit still commands great respect in literary circles. Although an extinct language, there have been attempts to revive it. The language continues to influence Hindi literature and vocabulary even today. Hindi language courses will teach you to coin new words to keep up with scientific inventions. Such words always use Sanskrit roots. ‘Antariksh yatri’ is Hindi for astronaut. It has Sanskrit roots. 

Sanskrit's enduring influence on Hindi is undeniable. It enriches its vocabulary, grammar, and cultural context. Sanskrit continues to shape modern Hindi despite being an ancient language. It is demonstrating the timelessness and adaptability of its linguistic legacy. The relationship between the two languages remains a fascinating area of study and appreciation.

[sourabha]

166th Kannada poem filmed at Altare della Patria (Vittoriano) in Roma, Italia

Always fun to take Kannada poetry beyond the borders of Karnataka! This poem is about a horse, by S. Manjunath, a man who died young, a man through whom a lot more poetry would have happened to us were he alive for a few more years. His free verse is so magnificent that in its depth and wonder that it can move purists of poetry who rant about strict metres, to silence. Our small tribute to a…

[onemanschoolochestra]

One man school orchestra presented by the emperor of educational arts Ashuhosadurgasadhaniya Mariyammanjanadi Mangalore (D.K):- This is the only school program known as the first entertainment to follow the school curriculum. This one man school orchestra, in this program, one artist, from 1st standard to 10th standard (SSLC,PUC,BA, Art's) STAT, CBSC ,ICSC, Syllabus, Ka Maggi will be sung in English and Kannada, entertaining song style, and also, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Marathi, Punjabi, others. Folk, devotional song, emotional song, DJ music, movie karaoke song, composition, poems will be sung, and magic show, revealed and explained. This is a perfect school entertainment program without fail, conduct this one man school orchestra (teachers/school administration board president, members For more information:- Call mobile number 93431-93431, Thank you. According to the number of students, Sounds 100 Whats for 100 students, 250 Whats for students, 300 Whats for students, 500 Whats for students, 1000 Whats for students, 1000 Whats for students will be sent without fail, more students participate in the program and less whats sounds will not listen to the program. It is hereby informed that more attention should be paid in this matter.

[sigappurojakal]

Story of mother Seeta in Kannada: Kannada story symbol of love, courage and loyalty!Mother Seeta has the most important divinity in Hindu mythology. His role in Ramayana is important privately.Mother Seetamatha was the daughter of Mithila king and Sunaina Devi. She is called Janaki.According to Ramayana, Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, got married as Seetamata's husband, and then she got married as a result of drinking Shiva's divine bow and fighting.When they went to help Rama in exile, the devil king named Ravana took her away, which started the fight between Rama and Ravana.During Ravana's invasion, she became famous for her love and trust between Mother Seeta and Rama. She refused to marry against Ravana's attack.She was tested fire to authenticate her purity. There she came out of nothing, her purity was certified by this incident.It has been found that the inhumane person seen to Rama is an important person due to the love of Mother Seeta.Seetamata is very loved by various poems in Kannada imagination.Kannada films, dramas, serials and films are good examples for Seetamata's story list.Introduction of Seetamata is described in different Kannada literature works.Her portrait is famous in many forms in Kannada literature.She has guided devotees through religion, compassion, and selfless devotion.The worship of Mother Sita is a proud moment for child's happiness, wealth, and the response of Durga culprits.Pictures of Ram and Seetamata are worshipped during the important worship of Mother Seetamata.The one who sees Sakshat Narayana in the role of Sita Mata is proudly considered to the devotees.Seetamata's story is described in several poems in various Kannada literary forms.Kannadigas show adoration to the extraordinary love and trust of Mother Seeta.The story of mother Sitamata is the reason to form the rules and guidance of society.Her constant sincerity in her lyrics are shown by the signatures that presented.Seetamata's exile along with Rama and Lakshmana describes the suffering and courage of exile.Mother Sita's capability in times of crisis gives people courage.The illegal path of her opponent Ravana describes the message of religion.Although the story of Ramayana is famous through many films, Kannada movies have shown it well.The story of mother Sita is a story of devotion, faith and courage.

[skyinnovation]

Madhuri Kulkarni is a teacher by profession and an author by passion. She is from Bangalore, the Silicon city of India. Her writing journey started in 1981 when she was in 8th grade. She writes in Kannada as well as English languages. She confesses she not a systematic writer and writes what pleases her.. Her book MUSINGS OF MY SOUL published by KASHMIRA PURAVASINI PUBLICATIONS was recently launched.

Talkative by nature, she wishes to spread love and positivity....

She has co-authored ten international anthologies and few Kannada anthologies as well. She is a regular writer for International magazine Poetry Planet, Philippines. Her Kannada poems have been translated into Spanish language and one English poem into Sinhalese language.

She loves writing, reading, travelling and gardening. Making best out of waste is her favourite hobby.

MUSINGS OF MY SOUL

(Author: Madhuri Kulkarni

Publisher: Kashmira Puravasini Publications)

The book Musings of my Soul is written by Madhuri

Kulkarni and published by Kashmira Puravasini Publications.

It is a book written under different sections..like My Musings, Favourites, Relationships and Introspection..In My Musings we see that the poet sees the butterfly and talks to her, or the lone bench/creaky old gate and how it shares it's experiences..In the Relationships section we can see the chemistry with the parents, siblings, friends, the thoughts,actions and affection they share...in the favourites section we can find poems about what the poet loves to write about.. be it Krishna, Tea, Radha. as so on.In the Introspection section.. the poems are based on the inner feelings, turmoil which a person undergoes...Overall.the book gives the pleasure of being yourself while reading it.

[dogsandcatsandmiscellaneousstuff]

Watching as the world burns, I often find myself guilty while thinking of the love and appreciation that I still have for people and the world. Today, I was fortunate to be able to hear the words of the Kannada poet Manjula Hulikunte, whose poem I am sharing here, I am in awe of how much it spoke to me.

Love in the times of Nationalism

Manjula Hulikunte

I write poems of love while the nation is burning. This might anger a lot many��� What is wrong? I write poems about spreading light amidst people who set fire. The day love flowers in every heart I will certainly write about the nation. Until then let my words be reserved for poems on love and separation. May I not be filled with the maddening nationalism that takes wings only before the corpses. Let my words not be at the service of a nationalism that is valued more than the blood of a poor man a nationalism that feeds itself by humiliating humans. I dream and speak only of a country whose heart is filled with love.