Justice Sharvananda – Sri Lanka’s First Tamil Chief Justice passes away in Australia
[monsoonJournal.com] Justice Sharvananda,who was the first Sri Lankan Tamil to adorn the prestigious position of a Chief Justice, passed away in Australia last month. Justice Sharvananda was living in retirement in Australia after emigrating there.
Justice Sharvananda,who was born in Kayts, had his primary education at St. Anthony’s College-Kayts and later at Jaffna Hindu College. He obtained his bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Law from the University of London. After passing out as a lawyer, he worked in the chambers of legal luminaries like Mr.H.V. Perera, Mr.H.W. Thambiah and K.C. Nadarajah.
Mr. Sharvananda enjoyed a large and lucrative practice on the civil appellate. He was called to serve on the bench in 1974 and was appointed as Chief Justice in October 1974. He represented Sri Lanka at the conference of Chief Justices in Malaysia in 1985.He was the ex- officio Chairman of the Board of Judges Institute of Sri Lanka.
Following is a message of condolence by Mr. Kandiah Neelakandan –Secretary of the Hindu Educational Society, Sri Lanka.
Message of Condolence
We were grieved to hear of the demise of former Chief Justice S. Sharvananda in Australia.
Chief Justice Sharvananda was a member of the Hindu Educational Society for many years and he has also held the office of the President of Hindu Educational Society during the year 1994.
Justice Sharvananda was an outstanding legal luminary and he was the first Tamil to adorn the office of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, and the only Hindu who had the honour of holding that office in Sri Lanka.
Justice Sharvananda took an active interest in Hindu religious affairs and he has also contributed valuable articles on religious subjects. His article on Saiva Siddantha to a World Hindu Conference was commended by everyone.
The loss of Justice Sharvananda is an irreparable loss to the Hindus.
We convey our deepest sympathies to Mrs. Sharvananda and the other family members of Justice Sharvananda.
Kandiah Neelakandan
Secretary, HES-Shar (Hindu)
Anand. J (Cinema Correspondent)
A look at leading character actors
PRAKASHRAJ
[monsoonjournal.com] Tipped to be the number one villain and character artist of the modern age, Prakashraj received a shocking news and a very good news at the same time recently. The shocking news was the lackluster performance of his production house movie ‘POI’ directed by his mentor K Balachander. One of ambitious K Balachander’s project POI did not even run for two successful weeks in theatres. This bad run of POI was more shocking to Prakashraj than K Balachander himself since Prakashraj had invested a lot in the movie. On the flip side, Prakashraj has been selected for the role of RAVANA in the 100 crore Hindi film project ‘RAMAYANA’. He will be sharing the screen space with Ajay Devgan and Kajol who don the roles of Rama and Sita respectively. There were rumours that the role of RAVANA was originally offered to Superstar Rajinikanth and he politely refused it. The role of Ravana for Prakashraj will suit him like a tee and it’s a great honour for the tamil actor. Kudos to Prakashraj.
NASSER
Peculiar nosed Nasser is famous for his character roles in Nayagan, Bombay and Thevar Magan. He has from time to time acted in varied roles ranging from character roles to villain roles to comedy roles. Nasser gave a terrific comedy performance alongside Kamal Hassan in the movie ‘Avvai Shanmughi’ which won him lots of accolades. Basically Nasser is a stage actor and he has brought lot of his stage co-actors to filmdom notably Balasingh. Nasser is a favorite among top directors like Maniratnam and Shankar. He is a close friend of actor Kamal Hassan. Nasser’s ambition is to play a part in the film version of the famous novel ‘Ponniyin Selvan’. According to informed sources, Nasser is currently busy penning a story for his home productions which is supposedly a story about 5 villains. Efforts are on to bring Prakashraj, Raghuvaran, Sathyaraj and Pasupathi to play the main characters along with Nasser himself. Watch this space for more updates on this project.
SUMAN
Long forgotten Suman is staging a comeback in Tamil films after nearly 20 years. He was last seen pitted against the one and only Superstar Rajinikanth in the movie ‘Thee’. Suman played the role of a good cop warring against the gangster Rajinikanth. The movie was a remake of Super hit Hindi film Deewar in which Amithab Bachchan played the role of a gangster. Although Suman earned good reviews for the movie, he was not flooded with offers. He turned his attention towards Telugu films and slowly made a place for himself in the Telugu film industry. He is now a renowned god role actor in Telugu films where he has played lots of god roles like Rama and Krishna in various God based movies. His comeback into Tamil films is marked by a gargantuan villain role pitted against none other than the same Rajinikanth in the movie ‘Sivaji – The Boss’. Its ironical that actor Suman gets to play a reversal of roles in his re-entry into Tamil films. Expectations are sky high for this movie Sivaji and let us hope Suman gets to make his own mark and enthrall viewers.
RAGHUVARAN
The tall lanky actor Raghuvaran is known for his menacing acting style and has done memorable roles in movies like Anjali, Baasha, Puriyadha Pudhir and Mudhalvan. He started his career with ‘Ezhavadhu Manithan’ and has grown into a well deserved character artist. He has had a turbulent career over the last 20 years with his own highs and lows but has now grown into a much more dependable character artist. All the young actors like Vijay, Ajith, Vishal, Surya, Simbhu and Dhanush wants to cast Raghuvaran as their screen dad since he performs well in that role. He is believed to be a friendly advisor for all his young co stars. Surya had a face make over upon Raghuvaran’s advice since Raghuvaran felt that Surya’s face had more resemblance to his father actor Sivakumar. Actor Vishal opines that it was Raghuvaran who suggested and advised him to do more action roles since it suits Vishal the best. According go Vijay it is Raghuvaran who is his favorite screen dad. Actor Ajith says that he has learnt a lot of acting tips from Raghuvaran during the filming of ‘Amarkalam’ which later turned out to be one of his career best. Rumour mills has it that Raghuvaran is playing the coveted role in the magnum opus ‘Sivaji – The Boss’ which was earlier offered to Big B.
MANIVANNAN
Actor Manivannan started his career as Assistant director to Ace director Bharathiraja. He then grew to become a director and later turned himself into acting. He was offered the immemorable villain role by his mentor director Bharathiraja in the movie Kodi Parakkudhu opposite Superstar Rajinikanth. This role turned his career upside down when he started receiving offers upon offers for villain roles. Manivannan chose to act in movies rather than wield the megaphone himself. Manivannan also played an important role in making actor Sathyaraj a huge success through his movie ‘Amaidhi Padai’. Manivannan is one actor who acts in all his movies sans make-up and with his favorite ‘Dhaadi’ (Beard). According to his close associates, he is secretly planning on a magnum opus big budget movie by bringing the great stalwarts Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan together.
VIJAYAKUMAR
Actor Vijayakumar was once a contender for the Superstar throne along with Rajinikanth, Kamal Hassan and Jai Shankar. The Superstar throne which is elusive to many eluded actor Vijayakumar as well. Vijayakumar was one of the highest paid actors at a time when Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan were struggling to make a mark in their initial stages of their career. With the time tides, Vijayakumar lost his stranglehold and was reduced to a character artist. Thanks to Director Maniratnam for reinventing actor Vijayakumar through a powerful portrayal of a father caught in between two warring sons in the mega movie ‘Agni Natchathiram’. Director Bharathiraja gave Vijayakumar his lifetime role of an emotional brother in ‘Kizhakku Cheemaiyile’ which won lot of awards and accolades. He followed it up with good performances in ‘Seran Pandian’ and ‘Nattamai’ both with Sarath Kumar. Vijayakumar is happily married to yester year dream girl Manjula and has three daughters and one son. It is sad to note that neither his daughters nor his son has been able to make their mark in the Silver screen although they have had a long career.
PRABHU
Star son of Thespian actor Sivaji Ganesan, Prabhu struggled in his initial stages of his career to earn good name. He had to take support of his father actor Sivaji Ganesan to get a market of his own. Prabhu started his career playing a supportive role in the movie ‘Sangili’ alongside his real life dad Sivaji Ganesan. Later he grew into a actor of substance and stepped away from his father’s shadow. Prabhu had an intense competition from actor Kartik whom he considered his best friend. They both acted together in Maniratnam directed ‘Agni Natchathiram’ and later grew into big stars on their own. Prabhu has tried his hand in comedy and then later turned to character roles. His supporting role in the movie ‘Chinna Poove Mella Pesu’ is still being rated as one of his best especially for his act in the song ‘A pulla karuppayi’. Prabhu has the rare distinction of acting with both stalwarts Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan. His comic timing with Rajinikanth in the movie ‘Guru Sishyan’ was appreciated by one and all. Prabhu has turned his attention towards character roles recently with good performances in the movies ‘Something Something Unakkum Enakkum’ and ‘Thamirabharani’.
BHAGYARAJ
Actor turned Director turned Actor Bhagyaraj is still considered to be one of the best screen play writers in the Indian film industry. He has mesmerized audiences with his powerful screenplay in the movies like ‘Andha Ezhu Naatkal’, ‘Enga Chinna Raasa’, ‘Idhu Namma Aalu’ and Hindi Blockbuster ‘Ek Hi Raasta’. Apparantly Big B was so impressed with Bhagyaraj’s screenplay, he requested Bhagyaraj to write stories for him to suit his image. But Bhagyaraj being Bhagyaraj wanted his foot only in Tamil filmdom and stuck to it. He tried his hand in politics but it never worked for him. He returned to what he knows best and came out with an absolute winner in the form of ‘Parijatham’, a creative movie of his own. He introduced his daughter Saranya and extracted good performances from his lead actors. Bhagyaraj recently took to supportive roles and played a cameo in the movie ‘Something Something Unakkum Enakkum’. He supposedly has an author backed role in the movie ‘Parattai engira Azhagu Sundaram’ alongside Dhanush. To be in the know of Kollywood, watch this space regularly.
**suggestions or comments by e-mail to: cine@monsoonjournal.com
By: Anand. J (Cinema Correspondent)
GURU
[monsoonjournal.com] Director Maniratnam, one of the best directors of India has mostly made films in tamil including the famous Nayagan, Dhalapathi, Roja and Bombay. He did not taste success in Bollywood inspite of making quality films like Bombay, Roja and Dil Se. Being a master craftsmen, he has chosen a subject and packaged ‘Guru’ well that it will appeal more to International and bollywood audience than just the regional south. Everyone by now knows that the story is loosely based on the life of Indian Industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani but the treatment of the subject is unseen so far.
Mani Ratnam’s Guru is undoubtedly a gutsy and outstanding film. He may have denied it before the release of the film but Guru is definitely a bio-pic on Dhirubhai Ambani, the Reliance industry founder. It is all about Ambani’s rags-to-riches story from early 50’s to mid 80’s. Mani tells us about the life and times of a man who became a messiah for the middle class in the country. Mani’s Gurukanth Desai brilliantly portrayed by Abhishek Bachchan dares to dream big. To realize his dreams he crosses many hurdles, often cutting corners and is accused of making the system corrupt by using morally questionable means to achieve his goals. Lets face it. Dhirubhai, like our protagonist Gurukanth Desai was a real hero for millions of Indians as he believed in sharing his wealth with the very same people who contributed to his company initially. Mani has used this larger-than-life figure of Guru to not only glorify him but also make us feel for him when he lands in conflict with the government and its agencies along with rivals who are out to crush his spirit and company.
The film works in a similar pattern to the way that superheroes in a mass masala film beats up more than a dozen guys and wins against all odds. The tagline of the film clearly conveys the story of Guru - Villager, Visionary, Winner! And Mani sir the king of romance has weaved a beautiful love story with several magical moments, like the bedroom scene where the couple playfully smack each other, the scene when he presents her a swing as Guru tells her his future dreams or the kitchen scene when he hugs her while she cooks- all stay in your mind.
Aishwarya Rai has given one of her best performances on Silver screen. If Gurunath’s chase of fantasy (to make it as a businessman) puts him and those who reposed faith in him on the path of riches, then Mani’s own cinematic odyssey into the pioneering story of modern-Indian business world rewards us with an unforgettable experience of artistic entertainment. A business missionary and a visionary, is what Gurunath is. For him, no rule or norm is an impediment to the path of progress that he has charted for him, his company, which for him is also the metaphor for the newly emergent India.
Mani’s genius lies in incorporating a cute and impish love into the broader ambit of an emotionless world of shares and supplies. Mani’s other great success is in getting the best out of his team. It is Abhishek Bachchan who leads the pack with a show that is surely the best of his career so far. In a de-glamourised ‘bania’ look, Abhishek packs all the right punches in a character that is far more complex than the dandified exterior would otherwise lead us to believe. The Abhiwarya (the newly mingled couple) on screen chemistry is superb and its once again to Director’s credit that he has handled his lead actors perfectly. The sub-text of the duo’s romance to the larger theme of a man with a mission keeps the film from slipping into the slipshod stream of stereotyped consciousness.
Musical Wizard A R Rahman captivates you with lilting and lingering numbers and he is always magical whenever he combines with Maniratnam. The picturisation of the songs needs special mention. Rajeev Menon has the true ‘eye’ of Mani, bringing into images the ideas in the director’s mind.
Director Maniratnam who has a penchant for Hi-tech item songs (remember the popular Chaiyya Chaiyya of ‘Dil Se’) comes with ‘Maiyya Maiyya’ this time superbly executed on none other than Mallika Sherawat. On the flip side, the film is too lengthy and some of the characters are not well etched out like the Aishwarya’s brother character. Some of the songs mar narration but kudos to Mani for presenting a film sans gory violence.On the whole the film has classy touch with massy appeal.
Guru is a must watch for all film buffs and critics.
VEYYIL
Veyyil the last hit film of year 2006 and third consecutive successful movie from Director Shankar’s S pictures has been directed by Shankar’s assistant Vasantha Balan. Incidentally this movie released along with Director Vikraman’s Chennai Kadhal on the same day and Veyyil emerged as a winner in Box office. The movie gives actor Pasupathi a life time role and he has essayed his character loyally.
Director Shankar well known for encouraging young creative minds had earlier produced super hit Kadhal followed by historical satire Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi. With Veyyil he delivers a hattrick and continues his successful production run. In Vasanthabalan, he has found a formidable director who is ready to push the envelop far and firm. In an era of ‘punch dialogues’ and massy adventures, Vasanthabalan has chosen to tell a tale of human foils, frailties and faithfulness. Tale of heart is the background of Veyyil and it definitely makes a satisfactory viewing.
Vasanthabalan’s cast has given a bravura performance. Bharath is self-contained and understanding. Bhavana is petite and polished. Shriya Reddy is supportive. Pasupathy is the nerve centre of the film. In a delightful role that is at once real and reflective, Pasupathy is spot on. No emotion is beyond his gritty face. Radiating the essence of the character, Pasupathy’s eyes tell the story like no screenplay can ever narrate. Those windows to the soul carry the myriad human experience with dignity and decency.
Beware Big Production houses, here comes Director Shankar’s ‘S Pictures’ that has consolidated its reputation as the best production house in Tamil cinema. They make commercially viable quality films. Once again Shankar has introduced Vasantha Balan a director who understands the nuances of making a realistic film with well-etched out characters and strong screenplay.
Welcome back to real, solid film making in an era of shallow, fraudulent larger-than-life movies, here is the definitive movie with a moral framework. This one works and keeps you riveted.
Veyyil is one straight from the heart. The story is told through the protagonist Murukesan (Pasupathy) who recalls his childhood in a village near Virudhanagar. His father is a butcher who works hard to bring up his four children two boys and two girls and has a happy family.
Murukesan dotes on his younger brother Kathir and his weakness, like any other adolescent is love for movies (especially MGR films) that are screened in a local theatre. But one day life changes for him when his father catches him red-handed from the theatre after he bunks school. The child is severely punished and he runs away from home after taking money and jewels. His journey is quiet exciting with its share of happiness and sorrows. He is taken under the wings of a theatre projectionist in a nearby town and slowly the theatre becomes his home. He falls in love with Thankam (Malavika, a TV actress from Malayalam) a beautiful girl who lives opposite the theatre but their love story does not have a happy ending. Murukesan is dejected after Thankam’s death and the theatre is demolished. He decides to return home after 20 years. The rest of the film is all about Murukesan’s mental turmoil’s as he is caught between the deep love showered by his younger brother Kathir (Bharath) who runs a successful advertising agency and his guilt of not being a responsible son or elder brother.
There is parallel love story between Meenakshi (Bhavana), an innocent girl and Kathir. Then there is Pandi (Shreya Reddy) who is Murukesan’s childhood sweetheart. It is actually in dealing with Murukesan’s character especially his relationship with his father where Vasantha Balan’s brilliant touch comes to the fore. One of the best scenes in the film is when Murukesan comes home after 20 years and his father’s reaction to the situation. Hats off to all the actors- The father, mother and of course Pasapathy who performed with subtle emotions that will stay with you for long.
Quite naturally, it is Pasupathy who presides over the show magestically. His composure, dead pan expressions, happiness and tears are tangible, real and touching. Bharath as Kathir has given a knockout performance as the aggressive and responsible guy. Bhavana, Shreya and the new girl Malavika are all apt in their roles. Newcomers like the father, mother, sisters, friends are all life-like.
The music of G V Prakash is another rose in this fragrant bouquet. He has understood the situation and has come out with songs and background score with finesse. Its hard to believe that this is the same kid who sang ‘Chikku Bukku Rayilu’ and he is only 17 years old. Muthukumar’s lyrics get an extra coat of emotion in Prakash’s hands. Madhi and Azhagappan have captured the village side of Virudhunagar in their lens that specks out vital and variegated details. Vasanthabalan has not let cinematic consideration come in the way of telling a story like it is. In a sense, he has just held a mirror to the lives of Murugesan and his family.
The film’s weakness lies in few bloody gory sequences and a spate of highly emotional depressing scenes. Director has tried to be too realistic and in the end it turns out to be an emotional tear jerker and becomes depressing at times.
Veyyil – Sudavillai!!!
POKKIRI
Ilaya Thalapathi Vijay’s Pongal release Pokkiri has proved all his detractors wrong who wrote him off when his previous film Aadhi turned out to be a dud in the box office. The Pokkiri team of Vijay and Director Prabhu Deva has given a masala entertainer which is watchable and enjoyable. This film is a remake of Telugu Super Hit Pokkiri which released last year and was a huge success. Inspite of a thin story line, the presentation and the packaging of the film makes it more racy and entertaining.
The wafer thin story starts with Attractive heroine Asin typically falling in love with a macho man. She gets opportunity to shake her legs with Vijay for 5 songs. Though she looks naïve in few scenes, she is also charming and bubbly and has done her role with ease. What stands out, probably, is her ease at dancing, considering that the steps are not usual or simple. Both Vijay and Asin share terrific on-screen chemistry. Prakash Raj as the notorious Don Alibhai does an excellent job. His mannerisms and body language would surely win applause from the film-buffs. Napoleon plays an honest police commissioner in the hunt of criminals. Hats off to him for playing the role with utmost grace. The dialogues during the press meet deserve kudos and Napoleon has delivered them well. Vadivelu evokes laughter with his comedy donning the role of a Kung-fu instructor. Tamizh (Vijay) is a hardcore criminal, who can do anything for money and also change loyalties for currency. He meets Sruthi (Asin) and it is love at first sight between the two. The sequences that follow are interesting and arouse curiosity, as Asin is a simple woman with conventional expectations from her man whereas Vijay is a ruffian who can do anything for money. A villainous cop attracted by Sruthi threatens her mother to send her daughter with him. Enters Tamizh as a savior for Sruthi and her family. Tamizh, who works for an underworld gang soon rises in life, owing to his bravery and never-say-die attitude.
The sequences that throw light on the hooligan attitude and ‘can’t-care-any-less’ stance of Tamizh offer a lavish treat for Vijay’s fans. This attitude, however, comes as a rude shock for Sruthi and this results in a conflict. Despite this hardcore criminal attitude of Tamizh, Sruthi cannot help falling head over heels in love with him. Tamizh’s boss and an international don Alibhai (Prakash Raj) arrives from abroad and thereafter, the story takes an unexpected turn with twists, suspense and surprises, all neatly packaged and presented as an engrossing narrative.Don’t expect any surprises in the plot or treatment. It is a faithful remake of Puri Jagannath’s Telugu Pokiri for which the plot was borrowed from Hollywood gangster thriller Dannie Brasco (1997) featuring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino.
What makes Pokkiri tick is that the story uses all the characters as restless, unbelievable pawns in a do-or-die chess game. To Prabhu Deva’ credit, he keeps the tempo running besides making use of Vijay’s immense screen presence and comedy timing. Watch Vadivelu mimicking Surya for the song ‘Sutrum Vizhi Sudare’ and shaking legs with Asin. Vijay carries the entire movie on his shoulder with aplomb and delivers punch dialogues with his usual ease.
Music Director Mani Sharma who did the music for Telugu Pokkiri has rendered the same tunes and songs in Tamil too. The opening song ‘Aadungada Enna Suthi’ and ‘Dole dole than’ are hummable. Other songs are just average. Re-recording is jarring at times but on the whole the background music suits Vijay’s image.
On the negative side, there are a lot of violent and gory sequences that could have been lessened or avoided. Especially when Vijay has lot of young followers and fans, bloodshed and violence is one that needs to be avoided. It’s a Vijay movie all the way and Director Prabhu Deva can take credit for that.
Pokkiri- Pongal Jangiri!
**Comments or suggestions by e-mail to: cine@monsoonjournal.com
By: Anand. J (Cinema Correspondent)
Bachchans Vs Roshans
[monsoonjournal.com]The Bachchans are pumping big money into Abhishek’s superhero flick ’Drona’, although they aren’t the official producers. Is it an answer to Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish? If sources are to be believed, Big B is investing a whopping amount in beta Abhishek’s forthcoming film Drona. After Abhishek delivered a knock out performance in Mani Ratnam’s Guru, Amitabh Bachchan obviously wants to keep no stones unturned in establishing his son as the next big superhero in Bollywood. Apart from mobilising finances, Sr. Bachchan has been taking a keen interest in the look of the film, not to mention the dexterously executed special effects. The content of the film may have been kept under wraps but those in the know reveal that it’s an out-and-out superhero flick and all efforts are being made to outdo Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish. A source close to the Bachchans says, “Drona is their answer to Krrish. The budget of Krrish was approximately Rs 45 crores and Drona will be somewhere close to Rs 60 crores.
The Bachchans along with director Goldie Behl are making all efforts to overshadow Krrish’s superpowers.” Not long ago, the Bachchans weren’t overly pleased with the buzz doing the rounds that Hrithik’s portrayal in the film ‘Dhoom II’ was far better than Abhishek’s. Taking a leaf from that experience the Bachchans are now going all out in their pet project Drona. A unit member informs, “The clash is evident. It’s all about ‘Who is a better superhero?’ Let me tell you, Krrish has a tough contender in Drona. The first schedule of the film was shot in Prague and we had the full liberty of shooting at any place we wanted. Needless to say there have been no limitations as far as the budget is concerned.
In fact, one can easily say that the Bachchans are making the film. Director Goldie and producer Shrishti are family friends of the Bachchans, and they’re working closely as a team. If Krrish had an aggressive marketing strategy, Drona will have a better one.” The film will see Jaya Bachchan and Abhishek teaming up as a mother- son duo. The look of the characters is being closely guarded from the media glare. Stringent security measures have been taken on the sets of the film erected in Kuchaman City, a former fort of the Rajputs on a rock cliff in Nagaur. We hear that Abhishek has been practising pulsating stunts for the film. He dons a European look in the film with long locks et al. All those months when Abhishek was moving around town sporting a hair band was just an attempt to grow his mane. When quizzed about the Drona look, stylist Anaita Shroff (she has previously styled the cast members of Dhoom 2) refused to divulge too many details. She says, “I have not drawn any inspiration from any superhero for that matter. It’s an original vision that I had for Abhishek and Priyanka in the film. All that I can say is that Goldie’s treatment of the film is completely novel and we’ve given the actors the best possible look. Looks like ‘Drona’ is a film to watch out for this year.
Saif Ali Khan
Guess who is the star attraction of the two biggest releases in the coming months? None other than Saif Ali Khan! After making headlines with his lean mean act in ‘Omkara’, Saif would be seen in two back to back high profile projects - ‘Eklavya - The Royal Guard’ and ‘Tara Rum Pum’. Though former is a multistarrer with Big B, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Shergill and Boman Irani filling in for the men power, with TRP Saif goes solo in a project that is produced by none other than Yash Raj Films.Between ‘Eklavya - The Royal Guard’ [February 16] and ‘Tara Rum Pum’ [April 27], there are a dozen odd other films lined up for release but none match to their scales when it comes to budget and grandeur. In between the two movies, there is also a probability of Saif’s ‘Nehle Pe Dehla’ arriving on March 02 though one awaits an official confirmation.
KBC Shah Rukh Khan
Amitabh Bachchan says he hasn’t seen Shah Rukh Khan on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) yet, and if the Television Audience Measurement (TAM) ratings were anything to go by, then it looks like a lot of people haven’t either.”I haven’t seen it as yet, my apologies. But I will and I am sure Shah Rukh is doing a good job of it,” says actor Amitabh Bachchan. The TAM ratings show a decline in viewership of the latest edition of the popular quiz show meaning that Shah Rukh Khan may not exactly be doing a good job on KBC 3. A comparison of television viewership ratings (TVR) of Amitabh Bachchan’s second stab at the show and SRK’s debut as a quiz show host show a dip in eyeballs lately. While Bachchan debuted with a TVR of 19.75 in August 2005, Shah Rukh could only manage a rating of 12.33. While the Big B fell to 15 on day two, it was 10 for SRK. And Day three saw a low of 10.33 for Amitabh Bachchan while Shah Rukh’s KBC dipped to 7.36. “The two ratings are actually not comparable. TAM now compares a larger geography than it covered before and therefore the footprint or the actual number of consumers who are covered by the TAM are much higher than those covered by the previous ones,” reasons President of Star India (Ad Sales and Distribution) Paritosh Joshi. Shah Rukh, on his part, feels fairly pleased on his small-screen performance. “I think I am doing good and the reason I know that I am doing good is because I get to hear it from a lot of people. Though reports show that KBC3 has boosted the channel’s viewership in the 9-10 pm slot, undoubtedly, the initial interest in the show has dimmed down.
**Comments or suggestions by e-mail to: cine@monsoonjournal.com
By: Ashley Grant
Manager of Fundraising & Corporate Relations
MukiBaum Treatment Centres
[monssonJournal.com] Everybody dreams. Some of us dream about owning a big house, driving a luxury car, having a family, and simply “living the life.” People with Autism may just want to smell a beautiful flower and understand what it is, listen to a conversation and comprehend what was said or hear a sound and not feel the need to cover their ears. Dreams come in all shapes and sizes; providing hope to everyone regardless of ability and physical well-being. For over 28 years, MukiBaum Treatment Centres have been striving to make dreams come true for the people we serve.
Founded in 1979 by Dr. Nehama Baum, MukiBaum Treatment Centres provides children and adults who have complex disabilities with innovative treatment and a nurturing environment to discover their talents and abilities, actualize their potential and become a contributing member of society. Over 50% of the people we serve have Autistic Spectrum Disorders; all of whom are dually diagnosed with developmental and or emotional psychiatric disabilities.
As a parent of a son, Muki, who has Cerebral Palsy and is also deaf, as well as an adopted son with Down Syndrome, Dr. Baum is very aware of the hardships that families go through to provide the best quality of life for their children. Recognizing the need for support and education in the field of disabilities, she committed her life’s work to helping others. Dr. Baum developed the Multi-Focal Approach which is implemented in all of MukiBaum’s programs. It is a person-centred, unique holistic approach that focuses on the person within on an emotional level enabling inner mobility, change and self-actualization. As a result, the people we serve are able to find fulfillment, feel accepted, loved and valued.
MukiBaum prides itself on finding out what the people we serve are passionate about and then providing the tools to ignite that passion. For example, one young man with severe autism and who is completely non-verbal came to us once many years ago. His family was aware of the fact that he had an incredible talent with paper cutting. However, before coming to MukiBaum, the people who worked with him considered it to be an obsession and therefore did not provide access to scissors. When he came to us, MukiBaum staff allowed him to explore this talent and we quickly realized that this young man had incredible abilities not only for scissor art, but painting, needle pointing and countless other crafts. Art is his passion, and more importantly, is the most valuable form of communication and expression available to him. The arts always have been and continue to be a very important form of therapy and artistic expression for the people we serve.
About a year ago, Srimathi Geetha Yogendran, who founded Narthanalaya, The Canadian Centre for South Asian Dances in 1985, approached me. There is no question that she is passionate about dance, but her true passion lies in helping children in need. She explained that many parents in the South Asian Community who have children with disabilities, tend to shy away from allowing their children to integrate into the community due to the fact that they are having a hard time dealing with the reality of their situation. Geetha said that many times over the years, parents have asked if their child, who happens to have a disability, can come and dance when no one else is around! She tried to explain to them that there is nothing to be ashamed of and that all the children, regardless of ability, should dance together. The mere thought of the isolation was heartbreaking to her.
MukiBaum and Narthanalaya decided that there is an overwhelming need for awareness within the community; awareness that help does exists, families are not alone and places like MukiBaum are here to make sure support, education and treatment are available. In late November, many of the dancers came to MukiBaum’s Toronto Children’s Program to give a workshop to twenty of our students who have various disabilities. In the beginning, some of the children were hesitant, since the dancers were dressed in traditional clothing and the music was different from what they were used to. However, as soon as they began to teach the children how move graciously like a deer, form a beautiful flower with their hands and flutter around brilliantly like a butterfly, the smiles on their faces were magic. Not only were they exposed to a new form of dance, they learned about the South Asian culture, were introduced to the scents and traditions of India and danced one on one with “new friends.” The overwhelming positive response from the children as well as the staff clearly meant that this will be the first of many workshops to come. Soon after this workshop, MukiBaum and Narthanalaya gave one to parents from the South Asian Community and we intend on hosting many more.
We have been working with Narthanalaya for over a year to organize a large fundraiser called Tree of Dreams, Branches of Hope. It is a theatrical dance production featuring the classical dances of South India; Bharatha Natyam and Kuchipudi. It is taking place on the Main Stage at The Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge Street) on Saturday, February, 24th, 2007 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm.
Written, choreograph by Geetha Yogendran and performed by Narthanalaya, Tree of Dreams, Branches of Hope is a dance that follows the trials and tribulations of two twins whose lives are characterized by the typical stages of life. It illustrates the hopes and dreams of the twins, who suffer hardships of separation as they reach adolescence. It is not until adulthood that the twins’ paths cross again, when the actions composing their individual lives lead them home to each other.
All proceeds from Tree of Dreams, Branches of Hope will go towards MukiBaum establishing a permanent dance program within its treatment centres. Dance and movement play a fundamental role in everyone’s life. It has an especially valuable role in sensory therapy for people with complex disabilities. It provides the people we serve with a crucial vehicle through which they can express their emotions, create awareness of their bodies in space, and learn to relate to themselves and to others. The rhythms, patterns and coordination help improve focus and develop a sense of structure when everything else in their lives seems chaotic and overwhelming. Thanks to dance, the people we serve are able to improve their self-esteem, confidence and truly learn the meaning of having “fun.”
We sincerely hope that the community will come out and support this crucial cause. Tickets are available for $30.00, $50.00 and $100.00. We are also looking for sponsors, donors and volunteers to come on board. Should you be interested, please contact Ashley at 416-630-2222 ext 228. Together we can make dreams come true!
To find out more about the programs and services offered by MukiBaum Treatment Centres, visit www.mukibaum.com. To find out more about Narthanalaya call Geetha at 416-824-8847 or visit www.narthanalaya.com.
Tickets are on SALE NOW at www.ticketmaster.ca, by calling 416-872-1111 or at the Toronto Centre for the Arts Box Office located at 5040 Yonge Street, Toronto.
BY: Kumar Punithavel
[monsoonjournal.com] This year the Maha Sivarathiri festival falls on the 15th of February. The Hindu belief is that when the creation was completed, Lord Siva and Parvathi Devi went to live on summit of Mount Kailas. Parvathi Devi asked, “Oh venerable Lord! Which of the many rituals observed in thy honor pleases you most?”
The Lord replied, “The 14th night of the new moon, in the dark fortnight during the month of Masi, is my favorite day. It is known as Sivarathiri. My devotees give me more happiness by mere fasting and observing vigil than by ceremonial baths and offerings of flowers, sweets and incense.
“The devotee observes strict spiritual discipline in the day and worships me in four different forms during each of the four successive three-hour periods of the night. The offering of a few Beal leaves is more precious to me than the precious jewels and flowers. My devotee should bathe me in milk at the first period, in curd at the second, in Ghee at the third, and in honey at the forth and last. Next morning, the observer should feed the poor first and, after performing the prescribed ceremonies, can break the fast. Oh Devi! There is no ritual which can please me more than this simple routine of sanctity.”
Parvathi Devi was deeply moved by what the Great Lord said. She repeated it to her celestial friends who in their turn passed it on to the ruling princesses on earth. Thus was the sanctity of Sivarathiri broadcast all over the world.
[”Somaskanda Moortham”, means the Sivan family together: Thirukoneswaram - HA]
There are three natural gunas or characters in human being. They are Rajes (the quality of passionate activity to posses all) Thamas (that of inactivity), and the last is Sathviha (the quality of saintly activity of righteousness). When one guna dominates, the other two subsides. The Sivarathiri viratha aims to control the first two so that the last one will dominate. The entire day is spent at the feet of Lord Siva. Continuous worship of the lord necessitates the devotee’s presence in the place of worship. The passionate activity of the human nature is controlled by this. Evils like lust, anger, and jealousy, born out of Rajes guna are ignored and subdued. The devotee observes vigil throughout the night and thus conquers Thamas guna. Constant vigilance is imposed on the mind. Every three hours a round of worship of the Shiva Lingam is conducted. Sivarathiri is a perfect viratham (penance) where, mans in-born good nature, is brought to the surface.
The formal worship consists of bathing the lord. Lord Siva is considered to be of the form of Glow (which the Shiva Lingam represents). He is eternally glowing with the fire of austerity. He is therefore best propitiated with cool bathing. While bathing the lingam the devotee prays, “Oh Lord! I will bathe thee with water, milk, etc. Do thou kindly bathe me with the milk of wisdom, do thou kindly wash me of all my sins, so that the fire of worldliness which is scorching me may be put out once and for all, so that I may be one with thee- the one without a second. In the great legend Mahabaratha, Bhishma, while resting on the bed of arrows awaiting for the time of his demise, and conducting discourse on Dharma, refers to the observance of Maha Sivarathiri by King Chithirabanu.
This story is frequently explained mistakenly to mean that, even if some one unknowingly keeps vigil on Sivarathiri will be blessed by God. Nothing is further from truth and foolish to believe God bestows ignorance. The Hindu mythology has deep meaning and only a serious seeker of truth will find it unfolding. Let us see the story and its true meaning.
Once upon a time while King Chithirabanu was observing the Maha Sivarathiri penance with his wife, the Sage Ashtavakra came to visit the court of the king.
On arrival, the sage asked: “O King! Why are you observing a fast today?” The king who had the gift of remembering incidents from his previous births answered the sage.
In his past birth, the king said, he was born a hunter in Varnasi and his name was Saswara. His livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. One day he got lost in the forest and was overtaken by nightfall. Unable to return home, he climbed a tree for safety and shelter. This happened to be a Beal tree. Earlier he had shot a deer and he bundled the carcass and tied it to a branch far above the ground.
Since he was concerned that he may fall down, he kept himself awake the whole night. Whenever he thought of his wife and children going hungry that night, he shed profuse tears. In order to pass the night away, he engaged himself by plucking the Beal leaves and dropping them down.
When day dawned, on his way home he sold the deer and bought some food for the family and himself. But while he was about to break his fast, a stranger came begging for food. He served him first and then took his food.
At the time of his death in the past birth, he saw two messengers of Lord Siva who had come to take him to the abode of Lord Siva. It was then he learnt he had earned great merit by unconsciously worshiping Lord Siva on Sivarathiri, for there was a Siva Lingam buried at the foot of the tree.
The leaves he had dropped had fallen on the Lingam. The tears he shed out of pure sorrow for his family fell on the Lingam and had washed it. He had also on fast the whole day and night. Later, even before breaking his fast, he had fed a poor man. Thus he had unconsciously worshiped the Lord with all the required rules of rituals and thus gained merit. After living in the abode of the Lord for a very long time he was now born as King Chithrabanu.
This story may appear as a simple one. It says that even if one does the ritual of worship by accident, Lord Shiva will bless him. This story is a metaphor; it has deeper and profound meanings. It is an allegory, which is explained in the scriptures of the Hindu faith.
The wild animals the hunter fought and killed are conceived as evils like lust, anger, greed, jealousy and so forth. The jungle was nothing but his mind! It is in the mind these wild animals roam freely. A person pursuing a spiritual path must first destroy these evil tendencies.
The name of the hunter in this story was Suswara. The word itself means “melodious”. A person practicing the said path in spiritual life will develop certain external signs of a yogi. The first marks are lightness of the body, health, and clearness, of countenance and pleasant voice. This is clearly portrayed in the swetaswatara Upanishad book 2 verse 13.
Lightness, freedom from disease, steadiness,
Clarity of complexion, sweetness of voice,
A pleasant smell, little urine or excrement
Tell of the first arising of yoga
The hunter himself has practiced yoga for many years and had reached the first stage; thus the name Suswara is given to the hunter.
The point midway between the eyebrows is called Ajna charka by yogis. It is regarded as the meeting place of the three nerve currents {nadis}, namely the Ida, Pingala and Sushuma. An aspiring yogi is instructed to focus and concentrate on this point. This will help him to conquer his desires and evil qualities like anger and other shortcomings.
It is here that he will get a vision of the Divine Light within himself. The tree represents the spinal column of the yogi. The climbing of the tree is meant to represent the ascension of the Kundalini Shakti, the serpentine power from the lowest nerve centre called the Muladhara to Ajna Chakra; that is the goal of a Yogi.
By The reason to select a Beal tree has been clearly explained by the fact that the leaves of Beal tree are three folds. They represent the Ida, Pingala, and Sushuma nadis, which are the regions for the activity of the moon, the sun, and fire respectively, or which may be thought of as the three eyes of Lord Siva.
The Yogi was in the waking state when he began his meditation. He bundled up the birds and the animals he had slain and tied them on the branch of the tree before he rested. By this act, he had fully conquered his thoughts and rendered them inactive. He had gone through various steps and was practicing concentration and meditation. When he felt sleepy, it meant he was about to lose consciousness and go into deep sleep.
In this story, his wife and children is none other than the world. One who seeks the Grace of God must become an embodiment of love. He must have an all-embracing sympathy. His shedding of tears is symbolic of his universal love. In yoga also, one cannot have illumination without Divine Grace; without practicing universal love, one cannot obtain that Grace.
One must perceive one’s own self everywhere. The preliminary stage is to identify one’s own mind with the minds of all created beings after which, he should rise above the limitations of the mind and merge it in the Self. That happens only in the stage of Samadi, not earlier.
The dropping of the leaves from the tree shows that all his activities were confined to the three nadis. The leaves of the Beal tree, as explained earlier, represent the three nadis. The vigil he kept the whole night means he passed the deep Sleep State successfully.
The dawning of the day symbolizes the entrance into the state of super consciousness. When he came down and had a vision of Siva Lingam, he had reached the super consciousness stage. He had seen the Siva Lingam or the icon of Siva in the form of the inner lights. It was the vision of the Lord.
Stories of the Hindu faith have profound meanings. One should go deep and study to be exalted by them.
[monsoonJournal.com] Millions of people around the globe send Valentine’s Day cards to express their affection for someone special. But how did this holiday originate?
By: Raymond Rajabalan
When we think of Valentine’s Day, we call to mind hearts, chocolates, flowers and expressions of love. Yet before joining in the fun, wouldn’t it be interesting to know where this tradition comes from.
Origins of Valentine’s Day
Saint Valentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day falls on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine’s cards, candy, or donations to charities. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine’s Day. The holiday is named after three men, all Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages , when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
Roman Roots
The history of of valentine’s day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends.
Valentine’s Day began when the early Roman Catholic Church tried to Christianize an ancient pagan Roman holiday called Lupercalia, celebrated by shepherds on February 15. The word Lipercalia comes from lupus or wolf. That celebration was a licentious festival that honored Lupercus, the hero-hunter of wolves. This festival was so immensely popular among the Roman people that Pope Gelasius 1(492-496) recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, abolishing lupercalia and replacing it by St.Valentine’s day to be celebrated on February 14.
Valentines Galore
Which St. Valentine this early pope intended to honor remains a mystery: according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14.
Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavour of Roman emperor Claudius 11 around 270. At this stage, the factual ends and the mythic begins. According to one legend, Claudius II had prohibited marriage for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans and put to death. Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed “from your Valentine.”
Although all historical sources contain some of the same notions about how Valentine’s Day developed, each one highlights another facet of the story.
[”Love means hearts and eyes speak to each other” : At a Visual Arts Exhibition by Upali Ananda, in Colombo - HumanityAshore.org]
According to one of the sources, part of the ancient ceremony entailed putting girls’ names in a box and letting the boys draw them out. Couples would thus be paired off until the following year. The Church substituted saints’ names for girls’ names, in the hope that the participant would model his life after the saint whose name he drew. But by the 16th century, it was once again girls’ names that ended up in the box. Eventually the custom of sending anonymous cards or messages to those one admired became the accepted way of celebrating St. Valentine’s Day.
Over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine’s Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The tradition of Valentine’s cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until the 1850s, when Esther A. Howland, a Mount Holyoke graduate and native of Worcester, Mass., began mass-producing them. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success.