By: Anand. J (Cinema Correspondent for Monsoon Journal)
Guru
A Mani Ratnam film is special. So what if he hasn’t tasted box office success in Hindi films so far, his work has always been par excellence, whether it is ‘Dil Se’ or ‘Yuva’. With ‘Guru’, he embarks into narrating an epic tale that is supposed to be based on none other than Dhirubhai Ambani. Coming together of Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Mithun Chakravorty, Madhavan and Vidya Balan along with A.R. Rehman and Gulzar handling the music department is a good enough reason to check out the film. Want to see this tale unfold on the big screen? Then wait for next year to begin as the film releases all over on 12th January, 2007
Baabul
B R Films have been associated with making socially relevant films for half a century now. Last film coming from their stable was ‘Baghban’ which turned out to be a phenomenal success when released. Film’s success was special because it came at a time when the trend of making money in the first couple of weeks was just about catching up in India whereas ‘Baghban’ didn’t really set the cash registers ringing in the first few days. Later, it was due to audience’s nod of approval that the film rose from strength to strength and word of mouth ensured that ‘Baghban’ continues to be one of the most talked family films even today. This time around director Ravi Chopra picks up the issue of widow-remarriage and creates a film with his ‘Baghban’ cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini and Salman Khan. A soul stirring drama that promises to raise a lot of questions and act as an eye opener for the society we live in, ‘Baabul’ also stars Aman Verma, Parmeet Sethi, Rajpal Yadav, Smita Jaykar, Avtar Gill, Gargi Patel, Sharat Saxena and Vaishnavi with music by Aadesh Shrivastav. The film releases all over on December 8th.
Salaam-E-Ishq
Come 2007 and the year begins on a blockbuster note with ‘Salaam-E-Ishq’ that is destined to be an ideal follow-up to an eventful and highly successful 2006. Directed by Nikhil Advani who made his directorial debut with ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’, ‘Salaam-E-Ishq’ is in one word - HUGE. With half a dozen stories running in parallel and then coming to a common conclusion in the end, this certainly is going to be one cinematic experience of its kind.6 different couples 12 different lives. 6 different worlds. One common problem – LOVE. That’s the essence of this film which goes by the name of ‘Salaam-E-Ishq’ which narrates the tale of 6 couples who are not related to each other by any means but are eventually brought together by one destiny. For knowing more await the release of the film which happens all over on January 24th next year.
Provoked
What happens when a woman is pushed to the hilt? What happens when her suffering becomes unimaginable? What happens when the only way to escape is death - either yours or your tormentor’s? What happens when the tormentor is none other than your husband? That’s the essence of Jagmohan Mundhra’s ‘Provoked’ that is slated to release early next year. Starring Aishwarya Rai in the lead, it is based on a story about a woman who was based in London.
Kabul Express
What happens when India’s biggest and highly successful movie making house ‘Yash Chopra’ moves away from the formula to make a film that has world audience as a target and a subject that is its most unconventional and challenging ever? ‘Kabul Express’ is born! A film for which the shooting was completed last year followed by an extensive post production and rounds of various film festivals, ‘Kabul Express’ marks the debut of director Kabir Khan who takes you to a journey of war-torn Afghanistan and tells a tale through his own experiences in the country, The story revolves around 5 different individuals – 2 Indians, 1 Afghan, 1 Pakistani and 1 American. The movie stars John Abraham, Arshad Warsi and Salman Shahid in the lead roles and is slated for release on December 15 all over.
Bhagam Bhag
What happens when Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal come together? Probability of a riotous hungama becomes close to 100%. Now add on Govinda to the enterprise. Well, there is no way that the product won’t be superlative! Now how about pushing in some thriller and mystery element to the comic genre of the film. Irresistible would be the term that would be left to describe the kind of film that goes by the name of ‘Bhagam Bhag’. The movie has an impressive starcast with Akshay Kumar and Govinda in the lead roles supported by Paresh Rawal, Jackie Shroff, Lara Dutta, Tanushree Dutta, Rajpal Yadav and Arbaaz Khan. Produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd and Popkorn Motion Pictures Private Limited, ‘Bhagam Bhag’ is now THE most waited film of the year before 2006 comes to a close. It releases all over this Christmas i.e. on December 22nd.
Bollywood Marriages
December is the month of marriages and this year is no exception. On December 9, actress Perizaad Zorabian, who won acclaim for her performances in JOGGERS PARK and EK AJNABEE, will marry Boman Irani. Wait, Perizaad’s prospective husband is not the famous actor Boman Irani [KHOSLA KA GHOSLA, MUNNABHAI series], but he’s into the construction business, heading the leading Keystone Group. Will Perizaad continue to work in movies, post marriage? “Of course, I will. 140%. I have three films lined up for release — HIGHWAY 2003 [with Kay Kay Menon], KABHI UP KABHI DOWN [with Sanjay Suri] and P.N.C.-Meghna Gulzar’s JUST MARRIED. Plus, there are a couple of offers in the pipeline,” Perizaad truly sounds excited. Is Boman cool with the idea of an actress-wife? “Of course! He respects me and my thoughts. He’s a sweet guy,” she adds. A few days later, on 14th December, Emraan Hashmi will wed his sweetheart Parveen at an elaborate ceremony. At the launch of AWARAPAN a few days ago, when this writer quizzed Emraan whether he’d continue ‘kissing’ his co-stars in movies, post marriage, the actor had remarked, “I think the media took the issue too far, going to the extent of stating that kissing in movies ensures success. I don’t believe in it,” he smiled. Okay, we got the answer!
Bollywood-Clooney
George Clooney is quite impressed with Hindi film music and is considering signing up for a Bollywood movie to improve the status of Indian cinema in the US. Clooney praises the recent advances in the genre and says he would love to broaden his acting horizons by appearing in a high-profile musical set in India, reports hollywood.com. He says: “I’d love to. There are some filmmakers whose films when you see (them) you say, ‘That could be an interesting story to tell.’ I was watching a film the other day and the music was just amazing. It’s become such a huge industry.” “There is a small market in the States as of now, but it will be fun if it catches on because it is such a positive way of looking at filmmaking and I really love that. I truly think it’s fun,” Clooney added.
Hrithik-Abishek
Hrithik Roshan is elated at the world over praise for his performance as the suave Aryan in Dhoom 2. “The thing is, I’ve never played someone as cool as Aryan before. That’s what people like so much, I guess. It’s too early to gauge the film’s impact. The one thing that Hrithik is gung-ho about is actor Abhishek Bachchan. “I’m not saying this for effect. But Abhishek really inspires me. He has the potential to be one of our truly great actors. In fact we’ve made a pact. Abhishek and I will do one film together every two years. You’ve no idea how much fun Abhishek, Uday and I had doing Dhoom 2. There was never any one upmanship between Abhishek and me. We were constantly giving each other inputs to better our scenes together,” said the actor. And now Hrithik is looking forward to the world tour with the two Bachchans in mid-2007. For now, Hrithik seems to be looking at Dhoom 2 as the present tense and Jodha-Akbar… as the future perfect. “I never knew a costume drama could be so tiring! We’ve shot a battle sequence and I’ve been oblivious to the current world. Now I feel I’m back into the land of the living. Doing Jodha-Akbar… is like entering a totally different world. I feel I’m getting to know things about myself as an actor that I hadn’t known before,” said Hrithik.
Comments and suggestions to:cine@monsoonjournal.com
By: Anand. J (Cinema Correspondent for monsoonjournal)
Vadivelu
After Imsai Arasan Pulikesi Vadivelu remains as the number one comedian. He features in atleast two out of every 3 movies released. Vadivelu’s speciality is that he doesn’t depend on any heroes. He has costarred from Super Star, Super Actor to Small stars. Many Directors and Producers have approached him to continue doing Heroic roles but the intelligent comedian has refused all such offers. He wants to continue doing good roles and in the meanwhile if he gets a subject that is as captivating and interesting as ‘Imsai Arasan’, he will not think twice to act as a hero in that movie. Super Star Rajinikanth recently praised actor/comedian Vadivelu saying that but for his color, Vadivelu would have stood number one among other heroes.
Vivek
SOLLI ADIPPEN is Vivek’s first film as Hero. He was able to bring his mentor Director K.Balachandar, his Sivaji film hero Rajini and also Director Shankar for the Audio Release of his movie ‘Solli Adippen’. Rajini praised Viveks intelligence and his interest in various subjects. As we all know, amongst all the comedians available now, Vivek is the only comedian who always delievers thought provoking social messages through his comedy script. He is eagerly awaiting the release of ‘Solli Adippen’ after which he will decide whether to continue doing heroic movies or just remain a comedian forever. All said and done he only has a couple of movies in hand unlike his arch rival Vadivelu.
Karunaas
He is a well known comedian and has now turned to film distribution as well. He was introduced by Director Bala in the Vikram & Soorya starrer ‘Pitha Magan’. He consulted with his advisors and took up the distribution rights for movies ‘Tirunelveli’ and ‘E’. He did earn good profits through the movie ‘E’ and now he is looking forward to taking up the distribution rights of another big movie. This will be his third movie as a film distributor. Kudos to Karunaas as he has established himself as a good comedian, a talented singer and now a profitable film distributor.
Madhavan
He is number four in getting overseas fans as his new film Irandu has proven. The film’s collection overseas is more or less comparable to Ilaya Thalapathi Vijay’s film collection overseas who stands number 3 after Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan. He has been pet named as Maddy by his lady fans. This pet name of his is a rare distinction to an actor since no other actor in the tamil film industry has earned this distinction. He started his career as a model and then turned to television comperer and finally found his star status after his movies ‘Alai Payuthey’ and ‘Minnale’. Director Maniratnam is impressed by actor Madhavan and he has starred him in many of his movies including his latest magnum opus ‘Guru.
Bharath
Suddenly became a second hero in Director Shankar’s film Veyyil. Bharath became a successful hero after his two back to back hits ‘Kadhal’ and ‘Pattiyal’. According to the Producers Guild Association, no two movies of the same hero can be released on the same day. But Director Shankar and Director Vikraman decided to release their movies ‘Veyyil’ and ‘Chennai Kadhal’ on the same day and both the movies starred Bharath in the lead role. When the producers association raised a ruckus about this, Director Shankar stated that Bharath is only a second hero in his movie ‘Veyyil’ and the actual hero of the movie is Actor Pasupathi. Although it was not convincing to the producers they accepted the argument and decided to release both the movies on the same day. Hopefully the luck holds good for Bharath and both his movies turn successful.
Sathyaraj
Is Actor Satyaraj following the foot steps of the great comedian/villain actor M R Radha. He is currently busy shooting for his dream movie ‘Periyar’ in which he stars as the stalwart politician E.V.R Periyar himself. Apparently he is acting in this movie without even getting paid since it was one of his ambitions to act as the famous political leader.
Satyaraj has openly admitted that he would like to feature himself in the remake of ‘Ratha Kanner’ which was immortalized by M R Radha. In this remake world, remaking Ratha Kanner might soon turn to be a reality and it may well be Satyaraj’s turn to prove that his version of the movie is better than the original. Satyaraj also stars in another untitled movie as ‘Election Commissioner’ which no other actor has acted so far.
Jeeva
Son of ace producer R B Chowdhry, actor Jeeva is flying high after the release of his movie ‘E’. He has won critical acclaim for his role in the movie and the movie is a commercial success too. All of Jeeva’s movies has had a decent run at the box office which includes Aasai Aasaiyai, Ram and Aran. He is currently working on a movie named ‘Tamizh M A’. His movie ‘Aran’ where he costarred with Malayalam Super Star Mohanlal was released in Kerala (dubbed in Malayalam) as ‘Keerti Chakra’ and has won lots of accolades. Jeeva might soon turn to acting in Malayalam movies as well since he has got a huge fan following after Keerti Chakra’s release.
Sibiraj
Son of actor Sathyaraj is onle of the unlucky heroes since he doesn’t have even a single hit to his credit. He has mostly costarred with his father Sathyaraj and that has not run into Sibiraj’s favour. Sibiraj has decided to go all alone this time with his latest movie ‘Lee’ which is produced by his father/actor Satyaraj. Hopefully this time luck will favour Sibiraj and may bring more offers to him. Sibiraj opines that he is shy to act with heroine actresses whom his father has acted with. The latest in the list being the notorious Namitha. Sibiraj was not comfortable doing the intimate scenes with his screen lover Namitha and apparently Satyaraj had to convince his son to act boldly with his co-actresses.
Prithvi
After making his debut in his father’s direction, Prithvi (son of Pandiarajan) has commenced his next film. His next movie has been titled Machchan and it features a newcomer opposite him. Being directed by Gemini Raghava, the movie went to floors recently. Prithvi is thrilled to act in outsider’s direction. ‘Doing a movie for my father gave me enough liberties. At the same time, helped me to learn a lot about acting. Now, I am confident and brimming with joy to be part of Machchan’, says Prithvi. According to Gemini Raghava, ‘Plans are on to complete the movie in single schedule and release it at the earliest’.
Comments and suggestions to:cine@monsoonjournal.com
By S.Raymond Rajabalan
For unto you are born this day in the city of David a saviour, who is Christ the Lord
And this shall be sign unto you .Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger
- LUKE 2: 11-12
We are in the midst of Christmas, a festive period concerning the birth of a child that altered the courses of history of mankind, the arrival of angels, three wise men –Gasper, Melchior and Balthazar- who came from the east to Jerusalem and the star of Bethlehem that guided them to the place of birth of Jesus, the son of God. No other holiday boast of such a wealth of traditions and customs.
Christmas, the most widely celebrated festival in the world brings joy, hope and light to mankind in the darkest month of the year. The season is marked by an outpouring of good will on the path of making peace and this is also a time of sharing and generosity.
A collection of interesting information relating this global festival that binds a variety of religions and beliefs across the continents is listed below.
1. Origin of the word “Christmas”:
The word Christmas arose from the old English word Christes Masses
2. Christmas Star: It is generally accepted that Christ was born during B.C 5-7
• It is believed that during this period the planets Jupiter and Saturn were on the same orbit and the galaxy of Pisces approached these planets resulting in a blinding light that shone for a brief period .This could have been the Christmas Star (Star of Bethlehem) that guided to the manger where Jesus was born. It was at this time an angel appeared in front of the Shepherds who were guarding their sheep. It was also at this time the first carol was sung by a chorus of angels” Glory to be god in the highest and peace to his people on Earth”
• Another view is that this bright star would have been the comet named Hailley that appeared during B.C 11-12 providing a bright glow.
Generally, stars had an important place in the history of Jewish people
• Jesus was often referred to as the descendant of Abraham.The birth of Abraham is indicated by a rising star.
• According to Old Testament, the galaxy of Pisces, Jupiter and Saturn were associated with the life of prophet Moses
3. Why is Christmas celebrated on Dec 25Th?
The year and date of birth of Christ are uncertain and even the place of birth is open to dispute.
According to the Gospel of Mathew, it is stated that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, during the reign of Emperor Herod, who died in year B.C 4. Based on this and various other information, it is believed that Christ was born in the period B.C 4-5
However, until the 4th century, there was some dispute regarding the actual date of birth of Christ. To settle this conflict, an appeal was made to Pope John 1 by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem in 4th century A.D and as a result it was decided that effective A.D 354 Christmas should be celebrated on Dec 25th.
4 Significance of the colours Red, White and Green
Red: Indicates Charity, Blood and Faith .Out of these three, Blood signifies that throughout the world, mankind is the same.
White: Refers to Purity, Light and Happiness
Green: Symbolizes New Life, Hope and Nature
5. Santa Claus: In 1809 an American writer Washington Irving wrote in an article titled ‘A History of New York ‘describing Saint Nicholas, a fourth century Bishop as a chubby and jovial person who used to travel by a sledge pulled by a herd of rein deer.During his life time Saint Nicholas was said to have performed numerous miraculous deeds and brought gifts to countless needy people.
Based on the description of Washington Irving, in 1822 , Dr.Clement Moore, a professor of Hebrew and Literature at the University of New York wrote a poetry “The night before Christmas “ and read it to his children. In the following year this poem was published in a local magazine Tory Sentinel (New York) on Christmas Day.
In 1863, Thomas Nast , a famous political cartoonist drew a rotund elf dressed in a furry suit and jaunty cap decorated with holly sprigs in a periodical named “Harper’s Weekly”and named the picture as Santa Claus.This picture soon became famous across the continents and today Santa in red robes is one of the most recognizable figures in the world. Santa now colours the language and customs of people every where and wherever he appears he radiates the warmth and good cheer that is Christmas.
6. Origin of the name Santa Claus:
The geographical region presently referred to as Turkey was referred to as Asia Minor in the 4th Century .Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra (a city of Demre located on the south coast of Turkey) lived during this period and because of his helping the needy people, his fame spread northwards towards medieval Europe.
In Holland (present day Netherlands), the name of Saint Nicholas was referred to as “Sinterklass” and in this country Dec 6th is celebrated as a special day of St.Nicholas, the children’s saint.
When a few people from Holland (present day Netherlands) arrived on Christmas day in Manhattan in United States, these Dutch settlers named Saint Nicholas as their patron saint and the first church built by them was dedicated after the saint. As more colonists from Holland began to arrive, they brought their Christmas customs along with them. When British forces gained control of New York in the 17th century, the name Santerklass was anglicized into Santa Claus.
7 .How did Christmas tree became part of Christmas celebrations?
Egyptians celebrated mid winter using palm trees having twelve shoots. The number of shoots indicated the number of the year.
Meanwhile many centuries ago, Romans used to have a lavish mid winter festival called Saturnalia which was held to honour God Saturn, the god of peace and abundance. During this feast held during January, they lighted pine trees with candles. This festival could have been prelude to Christmas trees.
The first Christmas trees were used in Germany in the town of Alsac, then a region of West Germany. Decorating evergreen trees was begun in 1950.When Martin Luther, a religious leader in Germany tied candles to the branches of fir tree. He wanted the children to watch the candles shining through the dark to remind them of the stable in Bethelehem .In Germany Christmas trees were then called Christbaum.
In 1940 , the German born Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria introduced Christmas tree to Britain .Tinsels , garlands, candles and lights were added to these trees as Christmas decorations.In1894 , the prince arranged to have a beautifully decorated tree at Windsor Castle.Since them the Royal family began the practice of taking photographs around the tree each Christmas.A number of people in the country rushed to follow the example set by royals and as a result , the popularity of Christmas trees began to spread throughout the world.
8. Christmas Cards
‘Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.Millions of people around the world across express this familiar sentiment using a variety of Christmas cards of every imaginable size , shape and colour.Like gifts, these greeting cards are also a token of
friendship and good will. They help to convey the feelings that sometimes are difficult to express.
It is generally believed that the first Christmas Cards were produced by an English businessman Sir Henry Cole.They were designed by Cole’s fiend, an artist named John Calcott Horsley .In 1843 Cole printed 1000 Cards and by 1870 they became popular and now they have become a pleasant part of Christmas festivities.
The central theme of Christmas is: Peace on Earth, Good Will towards men as proclaimed by the angels who announced the birth of infant Jesus on the first Christmas. [www.monsoonjournal.com]
By Chelvi
[www.monsoonjournal.com] Before I begin to share my views of the program conducted by “Isaiyarangam” On the 19th of November, should you know that the purpose of the musical concerts “Isaikkethu ellai” is to bring the “rasikas” closer to the classical world of music by presenting more of simplified songs, in understandable language, Tamil, with as much classical touch as possible. The past fourteen “Isaikkethu ellai” programs have proven that “Isaiyarangam” is gradually achieving its goal.
For the very first time, the musical show “Isaikkethu ellai” was staged by a South Indian artist, “Kalaimamani” O.S.Arun. O.S.Arun is one of the foremost vocalists in South India. Coming from a famous musical heritage, O.S.Arun has blossomed into a mature artist whose very own style of blending the Carnatic and Hindustani music, would bound to pull the attention of any audience.
Since Arun has released a Tamil Gazal album “Muthal Paarvaiyil”, with the well-known musician P.B.Srinivas, “Isaikkethu ellai”’s concept was not very new for Arun. He started the show with the theme of “Isaikkethu ellai” and it was enough for the audience to get into the mode for the evening. The first song was “Nilavum Vanum” of raga Hindolam. Hindolam is one of my favorites and Arun brought out the full beauty of Hindolam with his singing. Every single song he performed that evening was full of life and gave the utmost enjoyment to the audience. Whether it is the beautifully written lyrics or the perfectly composed music, it is undeniable that Arun’s performance brought it out to its best.
Arun took Kalyani as the main raga for the evening and the subtleties and nuances of the raga was brought about with dexterity. Every song was dipped in beauty and draped in sophistication while maintaining elegant simplicity. His ornamentations were not overdone. He proved himself as an elegant singer with delicate touch. Arun was clever in not only bringing out the beauty of the songs but also in making the audience enjoy the beauty as well. I am sure that audience not only admired his singing but also his mannerisms. He was very happy to be performing and made it clear many times through out the performance that how inspired he was not just to sing but sing happily. I think Mr.Sornalingam’s ambition for starting such a program, to explain carnatic music in an easy and friendly manner had been fulfilled by Arun’s audience-friendly performance. It is one of the most important aspects that should be adopted by the artists who perform at “Isaikkethu ellai”. Arun has set a very good example for the young, upcoming singers. Those who were present that evening, are very fortunate.
A singer’s performance cannot be successful without the suitable accompaniments. In Arun’s show it was explicit. Violin “Melakkaviri” K.Thyagarajan’s performance left no doubt to the audience of his in-depth knowledge of the art. Mridangam A.V.Manikandan was soft when required and forceful when showcasing his talent. Tabla A.Kirankumar proved his expertise in various ways. The chemistry between the Tablist and Mridangist was obvious and their performance was a delightful treat to the audience. Surendar Chandralingam on Morsing is a young talent and seems to be well on his way to establishing a name for himself. Octopad Raghavan also did a wonderful job. The session between the percussionists, was very interesting. As the pace kept increasing listeners were enthralled and hypnotized by the unique experience. Iyan Collins on Bass guitar did a good job on his part. Even though Raju Raghavan on Sitar played excellently, the microphone did not carry the sound well enough. Last but not least, Fayaz Zavahir on Keyboard did an amazing job. He once again has proven his immense talent.
On the whole, O.S.Arun’s show is a beautiful example of how music would draw the audience closer to the artist when the performance is enjoyed by the artist himself. He has much to give to himself, to music and to the world. We have tasted only a minute portion of his immense talent and still are eagerly awaiting for the full flavor!!!
By Kumar Punithavel
[www.monsoonjournal.com] Thiruvembavai is a festival celebrated by unmarried females to invoke the blessings of Lord Shiva. The festival is said to procure good partners for the unmarried women and also prosperity to their country. This festival is also known as “Pavai Nonpu” meaning penance of damsels.
Thiruvembavai is a liturgy of twenty verses composed by a canonized saint of the Saiva religion- Manickavasagar. During the Lunar month of Markali (December/ January) in all parts of the country where Tamils live, every devout Hindu, man and women, young and old will group themselves and go to the nearest temple in the village or town to offer prayers and sing the song Thiruvembavai. When the verses are sung in the temple, other devotees join in the singing of the hymns in soft and subdued voices. Every verse is followed by short ritual to the chiming of bells, beating of drums, the blowing of conch shells, and cries of “Arohara!” The word ‘Aro’ is the shortened version of the word ‘arogam’ which means blissful and ‘Hara’ is another name for Lord Siva Hence ‘Arohara’ means ‘blissful Siva’. The language and music of the songs fills one’s soul and mind with awe and religious emotion. The existence of the physical body is entirely forgotten for the moment and one is conscious only of the existence of the mind and soul.
“Thiruvembavai” is said to be composed by St. Manickavasagar to be sung by young damsels during the early mornings while going to the temple of Lord Shiva in Annamalai - a holy place of worship from ancient times. This penance as mentioned earlier is called “Pavai Nonpu”. This festival is performed in honor of Lord Shiva and his consort the Goddess Shakthi in the Tamil month of Markali between the second half of December and the first half of January. The verses are in the form of an address by one lady to her companion and vice versa. Traditionally the ladies of the village irrespective of age and caste rise before dawn and walk through streets rousing their friends from door to door to proceed to bathe in the holy tank in the temple. This is done for ten continuous days.
It is believed that a year on earth is equivalent to one day among the celestials! The month of Markali thus becomes the awakening of the celestial world from long a slumber. It is the dawn of a new way of life. A revolution of our hearts and minds towards a better way of life, in which religious and noble ideals play a prominent part in the triumph of mind over matter or good over evil. It is the dawn of a new creation and of secular evolution. Now this creation is the work of Sakthi, the manifested energy of Shiva, the consort of Shiva, who is the author, not of life indeed, but of the whole phenomenal system in which and by which life exerts its energies and achieves its destinies.
The hymns themselves depicting the scenes where ladies go from door to door in their neighborhood speak of the great gift and command of the Tamil Language possessed by the saint. It would be appropriate to quote one or two lines of the hymns as samples. Some maidens upon getting up from their beds before dawn go to their friends’ houses in the neighborhood, find their friends still asleep and thus exhort them as follows;
“Oh Lady of the large bright eye!-is thine ear dull
That it perceives not sound of praise that hails
The great God’s cinctured feet?”….
Seeing the dame in slumber the hymn continues
“She hears the strain resound
Through all the street, yet in forgetful sleep
On her flower-couch she muttering turns!-
See, here she nothing noting lies! Why thus why thus?
Doth this our friend beseem? – our ladies fair arise!”
Half way though the song the saint mentions how one by singing these hymns on could see the one who cannot be seen by even Mal and Ayan,
“The ‘Mount” that Mal knew not, and Ayan saw not, - we
Can know; so Thou dost utter falsities,
Oh guileful one, whose moat with milk and honey flows,
Open thy door!
The saint implores the mighty God for not waking up in the following words,
“Like wax before the fire
Melting- ‘my own, my king, Ambrosia,’ we all
Have sung! Hear thou! Apart from us yet thou sleep?
Dost thou yet speechless lie, like the hard hearted silly ones?
What grace in thy sleep?
A very solemn atmosphere is created by the solemnity of the songs and rituals, time stands still and one feels the presence of the deity himself. The devotees pay homage by lighting camphor and joss sticks.
The language used in the songs by the poet is so majestic that one becomes aware of the existence of one’s soul and the eternity of it. He feels the evanescence and vanity of mundane existence with its moods and changes. As a result he longs for higher and better existence. Perhaps every year you all can wake up early in the morning and sing these songs with your children. This year the Thiruvembavai festival will be celebrated starting from the twenty fifth of December the Christmas day and will last for ten days as usual.
Stephane Dion, the new Liberal Leader is here
[www.monsoonjournal.com] Congratulations Hon. Stephane Dion, on being elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party.
The talk of the town in our communities when December rolled in was the Liberal leadership race in Montreal. At the helm now is Stephane Dion as the new federal Liberal leader.
Many in our communities actively participated in the process. And are now eagerly awaiting to see the newly elected leader contributing decisively to the pressing issues on the radar.
Many Tamils in our communities sincerely hope that the new leader, praised by many analysts as “a mild and humble intellectual” will make pointed contributions as Liberal Leader, Leader of the Opposition and as well as if and when elected as Prime Minister, to the betterment of the lives of their brethren in Sri Lanka.
Two years ago just about this time of the year, Canadians contributed generously in the aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami. Prime Minster Paul Martin visited Eastern Sri Lanka and several Liberal MPs have visited Northern parts as well.
Today in Sri Lanka, the political and civic climate has deteriorated completely to the devastation of particularly the Tamils of North East. Kidnappings are rampant with the latest high profile disappearance being that of Vice Chancellor Professor S. Raveendranath of the Eastern University.
Decisive actions by Canada in the international arena will compel the Government of Sri lanka to respect human rights. Already the much praiseworthy mission of ex-Liberal minister Allan Rock is being heavily criticized by Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, clarion voice of Canada on the international stage has shed light on the plight of children at the hands of Government of Sri Lanka armed forces.
The new leader is being elected at a time when Tamil Canadians are increasingly concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka and wanting Canada, their new home now - to do more for their families left behind. Mr. Dion is in a position to start new, with matters concerning Sri Lanka and Tamil Canadians.
The new Liberal leader has said he doesn’t want an early election but also added recently that he has no intentions to be caught off guard and is preparing for one just in case.
Dion came from third place at the leadership convention in Montreal to dramatically reach the crown to be at the helm of the Liberal Party. Dion did it despite being dismissed early on by the national media — and most Liberals — as a smart but boring policy wonk with no charisma, who was unsaleable in a big part of Canada.
In Dion, Canadians now have an Opposition leader and potential Prime Minister.
Just like the “surprise” come from behind victory the new leader and the Liberal Party are back in full swing to fully debate, engage and contribute profoundly to the pressing issues.
The Monsoon Journal trusts that these pressing issues will include matters involving the situation in Sri Lanka as well.
The new Liberal leader should keep foremost in mind, particularly the Tamil Canadian voters’ anticipation of a more quickly responsive international community with regards to the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. And many believe that Canada could play that all important lead role in the West in bringing a negotiated settlement in the island.
By: Tony Seed *
[www.monsoonjournal.com] Veerasingam Dhuruvasangary, B.Sc, M.Sc, M.Phil, Ph.D(Candidate) was a scientist, an inventor, a writer, an artist, an internationalist and above all, a beloved friend; we called this modest, unassuming man Dhuruva or, more often than not, Inventor.
Dhuruva was the last of 12 children. His parents named him Dhuruvasangary after a poor child who was transformed by the Hindu Lord Siva into the pole star “Dhuruvan Natchathra”, a star that has helped fishers, traders and seafarers for thousands of years to navigate the oceans. - From Robin Oakley’s Eulogy, Toronto, Ontario, 10 December 2006
WE RECEIVED the news of Inventor’s passing away early Sunday morning with shock and profound sadness. We had no idea Dhuruva was in ill health. We had so much work and projects on the horizon to tackle and finish that I never once thought of him not being available. Indeed when I thought of him it was always of this modest and humble hard-working man with his warm smile, lively mind, pure heart, and his steadfast defiance and challenging of imperialist science, dogma and prejudice. Like so many of the Tamil people I have come to know, Dhuruva represented the finest convictions and emotions humankind has given rise to. I send my most sincere condolences to his beloved family, friends, colleagues and comrades.
I would like to express briefly my own appreciation for the life and work of our dear departed friend, and recall several moments in our collaboration. These projects included the publication by our New Media Publications Inc. of the English translation of his The Story of My Language. We esteemed this work highly as an important contribution not only to the defence of the four-thousand-years-old Tamil language, a patrimony of humanity, but for all those striving to preserve, renew and strengthen their languages and their right-to-be before the imperialist onslaught on the cultures, history, memory and intelligence of the oppressed peoples and nations throughout the world under the pseudonym of the “war on terror.”
We worked on and off for some five weeks together in Halifax in the summer of 2005 on this project. Dhuruva was kind enough to comment that he had never before worked in such a collegial atmosphere. Our work was intense but in an ambiance of camaraderie; a disciplined man, he walked forty-five minutes in to work early every morning, leaving late, forever turning down the offer of a ride home, without ever making any demand beyond a small space for his portable computer.
This son of the historic fishing town of Point Pedro, Jaffna on the Indian Ocean expressed an abiding interest in the trials and tribulations of the small and poor fishermen of the Maritimes, Canada and the grave problems posed by the degradation of the marine environment. Sadly, we will not see Dhuruva’s return to Halifax to take up work with our Shunpiking magazine as a science editor and columnist, a collaboration we both looked forward to with great anticipation. Of writing and analyses expressing the reality and solutions, the dreams and hopes of the coastal sectors of both our Lankan and Canadian peoples astride two oceans, marginalized until now.
Like Dhuruva, we too had been transfixed by the Tsunami of 26 December 2004. Some 40,000 of his countrymen perished (of whom 7,500 were fishermen), another 90,000 displaced, and the blue became one of the most cursed of colours. We knew something of the lively fishing communities, historic towns and refugee camps along the eastern coasts in Jaffna, Trincomalee and Amparai devastated by that enormous tidal wave, the ensuing flooding, and the grim anarchy and exploitation of state and imperialist relief. His empathy for his people, for all peoples of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean, led him, from afar, to invent simple technological solutions with the aim of preventing the reoccurrence of such a disaster. Indeed, anyone who knew this man was astonished at the innovative inventions and achievements our dear friend made. Though characterized by common sense, unfortunately, few were turned into reality, due to the block people and science face from monopoly capital.
Dhuruva was generous enough to promise unsolicited his expert scientific consultation on research I had started on the self-serving role of the Canadian neo-liberal and “humanitarian aid” in hydro-electric “development” in Sri Lanka since the Colombo Plan, e.g. the Mahaweli Ganga project, the Gal Oya dam, the Allai-Kantali project, etc. What was the outcome of this “aid”? The Government of Canada, CIDA and different multinationals have “aided” the spreading desertification of once fertile Sri Lanka with its 103 rivers, of which Dhuruva had intimate technical knowledge from his own first hand field research as an agronomist for the Ministry of Agriculture in the early 1980s. These “development” projects had another insidious feature and aim; as the violent programs of a neocolonial state to forcibly dispossess the indigenous Tamil people from their ancestral homeland and farmlands, an ethnic cleansing and colonization worthy of Zionist Israel and apartheid South Africa. Together, these contributed to the miserable conditions in which the courageous Tamil people, in refugee camps and fishing villages metres from the ocean’s edge, were exposed to and perished from that destructive Tsunami without any defence. Dhuruva’s own scientific researches reaffirm the truth bitterly confirmed by reality; the decisiveness of the human factor/social consciousness. Man’s vulnerability to such extreme but inevitable natural events has as much to do with those few men who hold in their hands the power of life and death, as with the violence and destruction of nature.
Dhuruva barely reached the age of 56, but such a productive life and glorious internationalist spirit of uniting with all, no matter what their differences in terms of way of life or benefits, led him irresistibly to become an integral part of our collective being and struggle. He had many friends because to struggle for truth, for science, for knowledge and enlightenment, for a people’s history, language and culture, and for a just world is to struggle for the hope of life for all peoples.
The life and work of Dhuruva and the transcendent ideals he represented are a pole star for the new generations to navigate the roiling seas engulfing the world and the new disasters being created for our peoples and homelands.
Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, to all his many friends, relatives and our Tamil and Canadian communities who together have conceived and worked to turn his grievous passing from us into such a noble tribute organized out of friendship, admiration and respect, on which occasion we are congregating in Toronto. Without you and everything you stand for, Dhuruva’s work would not have been possible.
We all are standing together in this moment, treasuring Dhuruva’s life and work, and unified by his memory, his vision, his spirit and his internationalist ideals.
Let us then collectively carry his memory and our unity forward for the rest of our lives as our radiant beacon in the struggles unfolding before us.
All honour to Veerasingam Dhuruvasangary!
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
7 December 2006
*Tony Seed is editor and publisher of Shunpiking, Nova Scotia’s Discovery Magazine (www.shunpiking.com) and of the Dossier on Palestine, and the recipient of the 2006 National Media Award of Excellence from the Canadian Islamic Conference. He visited Sri Lanka in 1999.
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