Ilayaraja.. anyone better??

More than 800 movies... and countless songs.. (and for records, thats more than any of the other music directors added together).. and the songs speak for themselves.. Obviously he doesnt need any introduction..

My appreciation for Illayarajas music started long back.. and hit the peak when I heard songs from "Guna", starring Kamal hassan (we can have a blog on that movie alone.. but some other time)..

Guna is an unusually good movie.. that keeps you wondering for days and nights.. about the movies ending.. and ths songs keep you haunting always (which Illayaraja ends up doing with all his songs )

Song 1 : Appanendrum ammaiendrum.. sung by Illayaraja is brilliant in composition.. his voice adds the exact emotion.. the prelog to the song is absolutly outstanding. the lyrics are good and looks at Gunas life as viewed by another patient in the asylum.

Song 2: Unnai Naan ariven.. again.. brilliant.. but the outstanding thing about this song is how the music changes from soft melody.. to telugu beats.. ending with Hindustani classical.. a delight for those who understand music

Song 3 : Paartha vizhi.. the best of the lot.. the best among compositions.. Yesudas is classical.. the setting starts with Bells ringing, and temple hymns.. and Yesudas voice takes you to the next level.. you must hear this.. if you want to understand what brilliance is..

Song 4 : Kanmane, anbodu kaadal kadidam.. dialogue associated with a song made out of the dialogue.. neat.. Kamal Hassan seems to have this classic tinge in his voice. which adds to the music..

Overall, anyone who loves music.. and appreciates them.. should listen to the songs in this movie (http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/movie/T0000287.html should be a starter)

First job

What is it, that people are so very attached to their first job and their first company?? Is it that very financial freedom brought about by this job?? Or the social acceptance ?? the first mutual respect?? the first appreciation by others?? All the reasons are true to some extent. While as students/unemployed, the dependency on others might not make look us worthy enough. Or society, which never does anything constructive, looks down upon any unemployed with contempt.. or more so, that the fact that they think us as a burden..

So, in every case, the even single thought of seperation is eluded, more so confounds us. Not anything wrong. But with the current Information based world, where challenges are aplenty, past memories only should add to our experience pool and emotions should be shunned away.

Sounds simple, doesnt it?? Well not really. The thought of a point existing outside the circle that we have drawn around us really scares the hell out of us.

So here are few pointers that everyone can follow, some borrowed out of my own experience

• Dont leak a single word of quitting, unless you are 100% sure.
• There is always a reason for you to quit, strong or weak.
• And dont make up reasons, as an excuse.
• Think for a zillion times, before you set the ball rolling. Remember, it gains a lot of mass, before halting
• Keep options wide open, this knife is sharp at both the ends.
• Even the slightest doubt, keep shut
• Discuss issues before you put down the paper. There are always room for improvement.
• And most important, the decision should be yours and not something tweaked around by others.

The first job, while it may present an happy view, remember, the world is too big to conquer in a single life time.

Road to Salvation.

Come the month of December, and you can see men dressed in dark blue or black overalls, and chatting "Swamy Saramam Ayyappa" all along. "Swamy Saranam Ayyappa" in itself means, "we surrender ourselves to you, O Lord". Ayyappa cult is not new to South Indians and wonder why the cult has not caught up with the people the other side of Vindhyas. And as someone who is following the cult all my conscious years, I if not plead but ask for other men to follow the cult.

And what is in this cult, that other Gods of Hinduism does not offer. Is it that missing charm, or the inherent divinity that is missing ? Of many other reasons, one reason stands out in Bold. The ability to suppress the superiority in a Man. And man alone and not Women. What with the 24X7 use of alcohol, the constant images of S** on his mind, the greed for more money. All these are nullified in the duration that he takes "dheeksha" or "vratham" during this period.

So what are the expectations of this cult. Does it involve uncalled for sacrifice?? No. Or for ornamental display of faith?? No. The rules are simple

• No non vegetarian foods during the entire duration
• No alcohol or Drugs
• Should follow strict "Brahmacharya" or continence
  
• Need to think only about the God except while working.
• Should not hurt others, physically or Verbally.
• And of the many others, he should live a simple life.

Well, at the end of the day, if this does not put a brake to Man's dominance, nothing well. And if numbers are to be believed, millions of pilgrims come to Sabarimala every year as part of the cult.

A genuine request to one and all. Life has lots of things to offer. This is one way we can offer back to life by staying simple. Think again.

Swamy Saraman Ayyappa.

India - a post independence doom

Only a few years ago, was the phrase, "India shining" put in bold and displayed all over. "India shining", true, but the shining metals are all with the wrong men. And I am talking about the richness only distributed with the super rich and the ugly bureaucrats. And I am now referring to the "Lok Ayukta" report on the recent raids on the babus (read government officials with the official task of collecting bribes) on November 3, 2007.

And as an Indian, who wishes against all wishes that right things will fall back in place, I might only be dreaming. With such a star cast in Indian politics and government, still wondering who is shining, India or the bank accounts of all these tainted children of India.