Performances at Chennai Sangamam

Karakattam demonstrates the balancing skills of a dancer. This group from Nagerkoil (?) performed for almost 30min without any issues for some lovely folk tunes. The dance movements look simple but the level of concentration for a longer period keeps us wondering !

Kovai Mohan is a Kalaimamani award winner for Kaavadi Aattam. He is almost 52 years old but his control, concentration, skill, balancing act is absolutely wonderful. His team mate has got 18 years of experience in this aattam and his skill is equally appreciable. They were remarkable and the crowd went berseck when Mr Mohan picked needles in his eyes through dance.

Imagine performing even little bit of dancing with 5 feet kaavadi on your head and look at the photo ! Nothing more to say J

The group from Vijayawada proved to be damn good to believe. They played good music, danced a bit but did some wonderful team act ! Most of the crowd enjoyed it very well with very little understanding or meaning of their song !

In and around of Natesan Park was fully lit and decorated for Chennai sangamam. The night out street festival on 13^th Jan, 2009 was a massive hit. Shops were set up on the platforms and dancers were performing on the road. Crowd mingled with them and took videos, photos etc and rediscovered their kiddish days !

Pudukottai Pugazhendi's program is called "Aagada Vikatam"; Kind of villu patty with talk show; they were amazingly humorous and took the control of the crowd in ease and made jokes on every topic. Damn good program !

Sanjay Subramaniam's performance at Nageswara Park, Mylapore was excellent as usual !

One could have enjoyed bravery arts at Lady Wellington school ground. The Silambattam, Judo fights were the best. Unfortunately, I could not take good pictures because of lighting issues.

I have not done justice to 4500 performances, so do participate next item.... You are sinning if you live in chennai and doesnt care about this !

Here is the weblink for photos / pictures. Download videos (real player compatible) of performances at Chennai Sangamam 2009 !

http://picasaweb.google.com/svijayganesh/ChennaiSangamam2009Performances#

Enjoy !

Rahman Wins Golden Globe for Slum Dog

Rahman wins best original score for Slum Dog at Golden Globe awards. This is generally perceived as a prelude to Oscars !

This is a great moment for Indian movie fans especially music fans as we soak ourselves in music based movies for decades.

Proud to note the Chennai living A R Rahman's career which is reaching new heights year after year... Hats of to his hard work, creativity and his humility.

Info on Chennai Sangamam

One can enjoy the programs of Chennai Sangamam (between Jan 10 to 15, 2009) at the following places:

1. Chennai Corporation Ground, Kodambakkam Trustpuram
2. TVK Nagar School ground, TVK Nagar
3. Lady Wellington College Grounds, Marina Beach Drive
4. Nageswara Roa Park Luz Church Road, Mylapore
5. Natesan Park Venkat Narayana Road, T. Nagar
6. Tower Park, Anna Nagar
7. Sivan Park, P.T. Rajan Salai, K.K. Nagar
8. Thanthai Periyar Ground, Valasaravakkam
9. Ashok Nagar Park – Ashok Nagar
10. Elliots Beach – Besant Nagar
11. Anna Park – Royapuram
12. Independence Day Park – Nungambakkam
13. Island Ground
14. Thiru.Vi. Ka Park -- Shenoy Nagar
15. ECR Road – Palkalai Nagar Palavakkam
16. Contonement School Ground, GST Road, Pallavaram

Some of the special programs include:

1. Sangita Sangamam – Umayalpuram Sivaraman and ensemble (classical and folk)
2. Arichandra, Valli Tirumanam, Pavalakodi – special drama
3. Salsa Dance set to Tamil Music
4. Therkathi Vasam, folk orchestra co-ordinated by Paul Jacob
5. Thithikum Tamil Panpadu – medley of folk, Carnatic, western & film music co-ordinated by K.N.Sashikiran
6. Sufi Music
7. Aran Adal – dance drama by Kala Diksha
8. Valai Osai – Girls’ Orchestra

Special food festival is also organised at the all parks at reasonable rates.

Pls lend your support and enjoy the different cultural programs of our own !!!

Musical Titbits

Musical Titbis....

I was very busy in listening to concerts for 17 full days and I had to catch up with mass music from 3rd to 7th Jan. Here I go with my music review of Villu, Naan Kadavul, Slum Dog & Mahaleela ....

On Villu Music:

Villu music is a very good time pass. It is peppy, racy and goes easy on listening. Jalsa (reproduced track from pawan kumar - jalsa) is addictive. I also liked dheemthanakka and nee kovapattal (watch out for the success of this track post the release of the movie) tracks. Daady mummy sounds like a good item number whereas vaada mapley is a welcome baila tune. I felt very bad when vijay antony killed surangani in pandhayam movie and i felt DSP did justice and produced one good baila. I am not generally comfortable with Vijay's intro song - same this time too with hey rama rama track. Over all, Villu is a good commercial music - remove your thinking cap and tap your foot all the way !!!

On Naan Kadavul Music:

Naan Kadavul music is totally of different genre. Serious, spiritual, thought provoking music. Music arrangement has plenty of shades of maestro's 80s style. But it comes in different package hence, sounds much better. Om Shanti Om is full of slogams but has robust beat around it. Oru Kaatril and Kannil paarvai has same tune but both sounds good and has some director's cue in music. Amma un Pillai is soothing and thought provoking. Pichai paathiram is so beautiful and gives a heavenly feel. Overall, the popular combo of Maestro & Bala strikes back successfully at traditional music lovers.

Whoever have has given the idea of re-using haunting old song Maadha un kovilil deserves special greetings from me. It is one amazing tune in sindhu bairavi raaga sung beautifully by Janaki. kannadasan had written simple thought provoking 3 liners in that song. Thank you for revisiting this beautiful song.

On Rahman's Slum Dog Millionaire Music:

By the time I listened to this music, it was nominated for Golden Globe. But I managed to listen to this music without any expectation. Damn good album it turned out to be. I loved Gangsta Blues, ringa ringa, Jai Ho, Dreams on Fire - they demonstrate the creative side of musician. O Saya is so nice and robust and challenge the ears of mtv genre very well. Singing pattern in paper planes is catchy. Riots, Mausam and Escape fizzles out after promising start.

I was pleasantly surprised that Rahman composed this album in 3 weeks. I am looking forward to indian release of this movie. As a Rahman fan, i will celebrate with One KG of Krishna's Mysore Pa if thalaivar rahman wins Oscar. But as a musical fan, i doubt whether that would happen when i consider the fate of the catchy and quality music of Juno. It is always difficult to predict Oscar winning list - Let us hope for the best.

Sivamani's Mahaleela:

Sivamani brushes shoulders with greats of music everyday - like Rahman, Ilayaraja, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Trilok, Louis Banks etc... His debut album arrives finally !!! Let us see how it goes... 12 tracks of all - has pop, techno, percussion, drumming, fusion, spirituality - but caters to niche audience;

I loved Mother's land track, Infinity, Vasi Vasi, Basin Bridge. Kriya took me to a different mood altogether. Track on his father SM Anandhan is beat oriented whereas Adhaar is the most friendliest track on the list. Jam packed is a typical fusion track in which Hariharan freaks out !

Overall a catchy, engaging and creative effort. Tired of meaningless word filled lyrics - try it !

Zero sum game

In game theory and economic theory, zero-sum describes a situation in which a participant's gain or loss is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of the other participant(s). If the total gains of the participants are added up, and the total losses are subtracted, they will sum to zero.

Zero-sum can be thought of more generally as constant sum where the benefits and losses to all players sum to the same value of money and pride and dignity.

This is the moral of the story learnt from satyam's fraud.

Test Cricket must not die

Test Cricket must not die

Lot of experts are predicting the death of test cricket over a period and expect Twenty20 to take center stage.

I sincerely hope and pray that their expectation turns out to be a cropper. Test cricket offers class, grace, test of fitness, mind control, patience, perseverance and endurance on the field to strive for victory. Two innings over five days offers both teams to make strong come back. Take the historic chennai chase (tendulkar/yuvaraj) or south africa's score performance over Australia (Duminy / Steyn) proves test match's beauty.

Yes, it is difficult to watch it live over 5 days when compared to 3.5 hours of T20. But, i dont think that matters for for a serious cricket enthusiast.

Night cricket and toning down number of matches must be tried before writing off the test cricket !

Lyrics of Dheem thanakka thillana from Villu

Lyrics of Dheem thanakka thillana from Villu

Chorus: Dheem thanakka thillana
Check it out check it out check check it out
Get up get up oh lets get it up
chor machake na na na na jo ah ( 2 )

lets go

m: dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee therikkum villan naan thaane

f: dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee pudicha nila naan thaane

m: naan otha kiss-u thaaren un ratha force’a paaren
nooru kudhira vegathoda potti podume

f: naan otha hug thaaren kick yerum paaren
madham pudicha yaanai pola maaruve

m: eh kannan naan kannanukku annan ada leelaigalin mannan
andha manmadhanin maaman naan thaane

f: athai naan menagai’kku athai naan kathu tharen vithai
andha vithai’kku ellam boss naan thaane

m: dheemthanakka thillana
dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee therikkum villan naan thaane

Charanam 1

m: vetti vacha apple pola un kannam iruppadhale
paarthale naakkellam echil oori pogudhe
pooti vacha pudhayal pole un udambu iruppadhale
thirudathaan en nenju thittam theeti paakkudhe

f: hey kathi kathi kathi un kannu rendum kathi
neram kaalam parkaama varudhe ennai suthi
vetti vetti vetti un vekkatha nee vetti
vega vaikka kekkuriye thee petti

m: eh kannan naan kannanukku annan ada leelaigalin mannan
andha manmadhanin maaman naan thaane

f: athai naan menagai’kku athai naan kathu tharen vithai
andha vithai’kku ellam boss naan thaane

m: dheemthanakka thillana
dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee therikkum villan naan thaane

f: dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee pudicha nila naan thaane

Charanam 2

f: sahara’vil yelaneer pola chirapunji thee’yai pola
engeyum eppodhum un dhaagam theerpaene

m: floag-aagum market pola ennado nenjukkulle
yaarukkum theriyamal olinjirukka nee dhaane

f: ra ra ra ra ra ra nee en angam nokki ra ra
inbamaana imsai pannu rathiri nee raa

m: vaadi vaadi vaadi nee meesai illa kedi
okka saree sorgathai nee paaradi

m: eh kannan naan kannanukku annan
ada leelaigalin mannan
andha manmadhanin maaman naan thaane

f: athai naan menagai’kku athai
naan kathu tharen vithai
andha vithai’kku ellam boss naan thaane

m: dheemthanakka thillana
dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee therikkum villan naan thaane

f: dheemthanakka thillana dheemthanakka thillana
thee pudicha nila naan thaane