HOLI -1

HAVE A NICE DAY!

 HAPPY HOLI 

     sri.s.v.varadarajan

                               HOLI FESTIVAL
                           saturday,19-03-2011


     We can get an idea of a country's culture and arts from the festivals observe by the people of that country.As we have already observed elsewhere, festivals are designed to develop friendship, affection,closeness and also cooperative spirit among people. Thia affords an opportunity for the people to come out of their routine  life and mingle with others in their neighbourhood irrespective of their status or other differences.


     Holi is a festival of this kind and is very popular event in the northern parts of India. It is celebrated by almost all the people just like 'Pongal' festival in south India. For the farmers  in North India, this is a harvest festival for the Rabi crops of wheat. This is the beginning of of a new year for them coming up in February-March each year. People forget their differences and enmity and try to become friends during this festival.People celebrate this by smearing the faces of each other with color powder and coloured water. Males,females,young and old, all enjoy this gaiety and humor. They sing and dance and make fun in groups. They go round the streets and greet their friends in their houses who also join the group. The visitors are offered sweets by the house mates and they all exchange greetings with great abndon and friendly feelings.People shout with joy "Holi hai".


To be continued 


   
















    




















  

Music and it's virtues -Part 2

HAVE A NICE DAY!

 sangeetha mummoorthigal

                       Music and it's virtues -Part 2
         sri.s.v.varadarajan
    Music emnates from various stringed and wind instruments like veena,violin,Guitar,flute,Nadhaswara and percussion items like Mridangam,Tabla etc and they form part of our musical system.Apart from this,we have music from natural sources like ocean waves,meandering rivers,pleasent breeze,sound made by birds etc. and they are sources of solace solace and happiness to our mind. Music apart from being a feast to the ears, help us to get releived from mental stress and tension feelings. Listening to music in the night helps us to have a sound sleep. People having to work in factory establishment and also farmers tilling the land, feel refreshed when they  listen to good music while they are at work.


    Karnatic music is an intersting and sacred genre in our ancient musical system and has many valuable attributes. It is said that different ragas have different effects on human mind and body.For instance, Nilambari raga induces sleep especially in children; Kanada and Nattai are assosiated with bakthi aspect, Atana with bravery and Mukari and subabanduvarali with sorrowful atmosphere. Karnatic music has its hoary past right from Sri Purandaradasa , acclaimed as father of Karnatic music, enlivening contributions by the Sangeetha Mummurthygal ,Sri Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshidar and Syama Sastri and refurbished by later composers like Papanasam Sivan,Gopalakrishna Bharati etc. Music attracts thousands of rasikas from all over the world during the December 'Music Season' at chennai. Rasikas get immersed in pleasent and scintillating music emnating from artists on the stage.Listening to the concerts enhances the spirit and uplifts our senses and rasikas feel relaxed and rejoiced with inward happiness.


         Let us cultivate and carry forward the valuable treasure we have inherited and reap the benifits for our physical and mental health.


                          SUBAM 


     
















   
















   

Music and its virtues

HAVE A NICE DAY!

 SANGEETHA MUMMOORTHIGAL

                              


       Music and it's virtues
         sri.s.v.varadarajan


    In our cultural heritage, Dance,drama and music have been the main attractive force and in fact they form part of the people's lives in India,Right from the ancient times ,music has been the mode of transmitting moral values and more commonly for providing entertainment to the people. Thus, music has a variety of valuable and useful qualities and power and it forms almost an integral part of human life.


  Music has a soul-stirring influence and it is commomnly said that 'Music is divine'. Through the medium of music,human beings make their offerings and prayer to the Almighty and it helps them to receive the divine blessings. Goddess Saraswati Devi holds a veena in Her hands and and saint Narada is seen holding the thampura whenever whenever he makes out his plans. Sri Thyagaraja, in his kirtana 'sangeetha gnanamu bhaktivina' says says music is the best way for attaining divine blessings. We should use the various forms of art for good purposes.Bharata Ratna  M.S.Subbulakshmi devoted her entire life for music. and enthralled her vast audience with her soulful music and she is even today remembered by the rasikas every where.


   Music attracts not merely the human beings ; even animals are endeared by the pleasing musical notes. The cattle were all attracted by the music emanating from Lord Krishna's flute in the forests and likewise a snake charmed by playing magudi song. Scientifically it has been found that plants have a better growth when exposed musical sound in the air. Music has the effect of upliftment of our senses and it is called 'Nadopasana' or 'Nada yoga' when practised for purification of our senses. Music has the supreme quality of soul-elevating experience. It brings rejoice to te person who sings and also to those who listen and enjoy music.   


To be continued