Yakshagana

The pictures above are depictions of Yakshagana play.

Okay.. Let me honest..

Those pictures are of my maternal grandfather, Alike Ramayya Rai who was a very famous yakshagana artist, in a Yakshagana play. Those who can read kannada, here is a link on him.

But this link is not about him( Ya.. Ya.. I am saying this, after I have bragged about him, :P) This link is about the art itself.

Yakshagana literally means the song of ‘yakshas’. Yaksha is the name of certain celestial demigods in Hindu mythology.

Yakshagana is a traditional dance drama Indian art originated from Canara region in Karnataka . It is first mentioned in 1105. It picked up momentum in the 15th century and is the product of the Bhakthi movement in South India.

In essence, it is a form of folk art. It has borrowed some elements from the classical forms of drama and dance of South India. In the ancient time Yakshagana would be performed to the music played at the courts of feudal lords.

Most of the times, Yakshagana is performed only by men. The performance of Yakshagana is conducted in the orchestra, consisting of drums, stringed instruments and cymbals. One of the most interesting aspects of Yakshagana is its elaborate make-up code and large costumes.

The performances of Yakshagana generally depict scenes from South Indian epics and Indian epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata). There are two styles of performance in Yakshagana. That is Northern Yakshagana and Southern Yakshagana.

Video below is a yakshagana performance of "Kamsavadhanam"( Killing of Kamsa - a story in the Mahabharata ). Kamsavadham, a tale which depicts the killing of Kamsa, the evil uncle of Lord Krishna is a dance form in Yakshagana. This video shows parts of the complete Kamsavadhanam performance.



You can read more about Yakshagana in the wiki over here.
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Wish you all a very happy, successful 2012... May all your dreams come true...May you get all you ever wished for...

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Mother

This week's post is very special to me since it has been written by my mother in law. She lost her 87 year old mother a few days back and she wrote this post as a tribute to her. My mother in law has studied in the marathi medium school and has studied till the 10th standard. Whatever knowledge she has today( including this writing in english) is what she has learnt out of her own interest and quest for learning.

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Have you seen the picture "Mother India"? Every mother treats her children like that mother. These days children have no patience and don’t understand their Janamdata( the person who has given birth to them). They especially don’t understand their mother's feelings.

My beloved mother is no more. She expired on the 18th of December 2011. She loved us a lot.

My mother ! Oh ! My mother ! She was love and happiness itself. She was a teacher but she loved her children like their mother.

I was in the second standard and my class teacher was my Aai( I used to call my mother as Aai, which stands for mother in Marathi ). Those days annual examination was held by AEO( Assistant Education Officer ). That year, I got the first rank. My mother told the headmistress that "Good that my daughter got first rank in an examination conducted by the AEO. If I had conducted the exam and my daughter would have got first rank, people would have teased me." This incident taught me that I should not make a difference between my own people and others.

She had gone through many difficulties in life but she never grumbled. She never complained.

Those days most women had a lot of gold jewellery. My mother too had more than 5000 grams of gold ornaments. She lost all the jewellery to handle family problems. But she never uttered a word about it. She lived her life like any other person. What a wonderful personality my mom was! I have always been very impressed by this character of my mother. From this I learned that we should not be attached to material things.

I was in my fifth standard. I wanted to participate in the Nishani drill in which I was supposed to be holding a small national flag. I needed to wear a white dress while doing the drill. My Aai did not have enough money to buy me a white frock but my little mind could not understand her problems. I would cling on to her pallu and be after her about wanting the dress. She would always provide me for my needs, even though she would later struggle to manage the household expenditure.

She studied in the teachers training college in 1950s. There in one of the functions she sung a song in Marathi

Mana mi Kiti tuz shikavoo re

Ram smarawa ghadi ghadiss Ram smarava re

Mana mi kiti tuz shivavoo re

Saandooni Sukh he smaran hariche

Fukat kal ka davadi re

Mana mi…

Durlabha nar tan jaayeel jevha

Kay karil dhan raashi re..

Mana mi…

Patit pavan prabhoo hari smarata

Jashil moksha padhala re..

Mana mi…

( Oh! Mind! How many times should I guide you?

Remember Ram moment to moment.. .

Oh! Mind! How many times should I guide you?

You lose the happiness of remember God

By wasting your time in useless activities

Oh! Mind!…

The human body that you value so much, will be soon gone,

What will you do of your wealth then,

Oh! Mind!...

All your sins will be washed away if you remember God

You will attain moksha(salvation),

Oh! Mind!...)

She lived like this song. With this writing, I am doing a "Aakhri Salam" to my mother.

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Twilight years...

“Come here.. ! Wipe the kitchen... then clean the utensils... !” She calls the maid as she is cooking the morning breakfast.

“Lakshmi... where are you... I need you to chop a few vegetables...” Priya can hear her Ma in law calling out the maid.

Priya was watching the interaction as she sat sipping the morning tea, “Why is she monitoring the maid so much. The maid can take a decision. The job that she calling for is her routine one”

“I don’t believe in over monitoring…” thinks Priya.

“Lakshmi... the baby is crying...” Priya can here the voice again...

“Priya...you need to watch over the maids...they have become very lazy...”

“Hmm… Hmm...” Priya mutters. Her expressions clearly show that she doesn’t agree with it. Before she can reply back, she hears,“You need to keep the baby’s utensils clean. And you should drink a lot of water…”

Priya frowns at that. “I know that. I can think for myself. Does she think I can’t take the right decisions? Why does she have to advise me so much? Why doesn’t she let me be?”

“Can you tell Lakshmi that she needs to work for an extra half day tomorrow? We need her help to clean up the house. She will listen to you – she tends to ignore me.” Ma tells Priya, with a voice really soft. Priya can see the silent request in her voice.

Priya’s face is curious. “Wonder why does she think the maids will listen to me better? She is the older one. They will definitely listen to her.”

Ma then sits to work on her crosswords. “Which is the only animal that lays eggs? Is it the Platypus?”

Priya goes blank in ignorance. And then Priya’s face lights up in admiration. Ma's intelligence still surprises her. Priya mumbles an “I dont know...”

And then, Priya looks a little closely. She sees a bright face. Ma’s and Pa’s had been a love marriage. She can see why. “Ma’s beauty can still flutter a few hearts,” she thinks with a smile.

She notices the prominent grey veins in Ma's hand. She remembers the umpteen stories of gratitude told to her by the relatives of how Ma in her younger days, had been host to multiple family functions. People in the family, still like to call her whenever there is a marriage or a pooja in their house. After all she knows all the rituals of the house by heart.

She has brought up her two children to become an engineer and a doctor. She has lived through life and yet managed to retain the life in her.

She is now staying with Priya and her husband, who is one of her sons. There isn’t much work to do. There is a cook and a maid. Priya takes care of the baby and of course there is Lakshmi to help. Much as she tries to help around, there is not much to do. There is nobody to guide – What with, internet taking the place that traditionally belonged to the wise and the elder.

Sudoko and Crosswords don’t occupy her completely. Priya can see her Ma in law now. She sees a lady, who is missing being in action, who is missing being the center of the universe of her family.

Priya turns back to look at the dosa batter that she is pouring in to the dosa-pan. In childish desperation and with a childlike curiosity, she asks Ma with a smile... “Damn.. ! my dosas always stick on the pan... What can I do about it...?”

Ma’s face brightens up. The gleam in her eyes is visible. “Oh! That's easy... sprinkle a little water on the pan... and then pour the batter. There you are! all set! Crisp thin dosas... !”

Priya sneaks a glance at Ma. She sees happiness written all over her face.

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The lilliput world....

Ting Tong , ting tong ... rang the door bell.

A trifle irritated at the loud ringing, my annoyance turned into a smile when I saw the playful, cute five year old boy dressed in a parrot green shirt and beige colored pant waiting patiently.

The next door boy Sunny was at the door with a green sling bag on his back.

He returned my welcoming smile. Acknowledging my raised eyebrow at the sling bag, he said, “Oh .. ! I got toys to play with Nishka... !” His eyes searched behind my back, trying to find my seven month old daughter.

He spotted her cooing to herself on the mat in our drawing hall and he rushed past me and settled himself down on the mat besides her. Before she had a chance, all the toys in his bag were out. He showed her the new red colour bike, and the green colour drum. But the toy that was his favorite very obviously was the big yellow color bus. It had a honk and a smartly dressed driver.

The bus fascinated Nishka too and he watched intently she took bus from his grasp and admired the it holding it with both her hands. She looked at the front of the bus, and turned it and looked at the back. And she turned it again to see the front. All the while Sunny silently watched her.

A minute or so later, he turned to me and with innocent eyes, a voice full of concern said, “Aunty, can you ask Nishka to be careful… !”

I was mighty pleased at the chivalry and the concern. Feeling all good, I told him lovingly, “ You only tell her na… She will listen to you…”

I continued to watch him to see how he would convey himself.

He turned back to the little one, and with a face all serious said, “Nishka, please be careful….. "

And then he bent a little over the little one and with a face little more grim said, "Please be careful Nishka....... else the bus will breeeaaaak… !”

I quickly turned back to my book to hide the amusement on my face !

The 12 year old brother and the five year old sister were fighting for the possession of a calculator. Both of them wanted to hold it and play with it.

After a ten minute unsuccessful cajoling, requesting, threatening the twelve year old looked like he had given up as he left his sister alone and sat on the window, watching the bikes go by on the road below.

I was watching the light bantering between the children of a dear friend as I lazed on my easy chair reading a book.

I thought the argument was over and turned my mind back to my book.

A little while later, I saw the brother leaving the window and going back to his sister.

With twinkle in his eyes and a mischief all written on his face, he told his little sister, "Look I am going to type '5 * 5'… If the display shows 25… the calculator is mine… If it shows any other no it is yours… !"

I did not need to hear more.

Just two minutes later, I could hear the little girl complain to her mother, "Ma… Brother is doing some cheating…. For some reason when he types 5 * 5.. only 25 comes… !!"

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