ABACUS PROGRAM

SEPTEMBER 2012

It was the first program organized for UCMAS Abacus classes began in July 2012. After three months of weekly classes for nine children, they have successfully completed their first level. A function was planned in the spacious car garage of BIRTHI MANE, at Bengaluru on Saturday 29th September 2012.
Mr Ramananda Rao, Marketing Manager, Regional Office, UCMAS INDIA, Bengaluru, was invited as the Chief Guest and was requested to distribute the certificates to First level graduates.

Parents were also invited. About 50 chairs was rented, screen at the backdrop and the garage looked like a auditorium. Chief guest, parents and children all arrived and the program began at 5.30pm.
Mrs Nalini Somayaji, Course Instructor was the compere, invited the chief guest to dias along with the franchisee B Jayarama Somayaji.  Sanjana, a sixth grader, sang a melodious bhajan as invocation.
Mr Somayaji welcomed the chief guest, parents and all children in his usual style and briefly spoke about the eight level Abacus mental arithmetic program, which will improve their arithmetic skills, concentration, memory, speed. Few children spoke about their experiences of learning abacus. Mrs. Somayaji, who has been trained as Course Instructor, also shared her experiences. Though she was apprehensive in the beginning, she felt it was really good and children enjoyed learning abacus.

Certificates were given to the franchisee, course instructor and the students who successfully completed their first level course.
Chief guest in his address, spoke about the UCMAS ABACUS, right-left brain development and the other benefits to the children while learning abacus.
Sanjana rendered another melodious song to entertain the audience. After the vote of thanks by Mrs Somayaji, program concluded with light refreshments.
Everyone appreciated the well organized, short and crisp program,
Saturday, 29th September 2012

M D PALLAVI'S LIVE CONCERT

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012
ACHARYA PATHASHALA, BASAVANAGUDI, BENGALURU

It's Bengaluru Ganesh Utsav 2012 at Basavanagudi, Acharya Pathashala Grounds...... Huge ground which can acomodate 20000 people, even more, standing.  It's festival atmosphere...... there is verity of food, vegetarians from different stalls from ADIGAS..... other stalls, real estate promotion, vodafone, and many more.
Saturday, 22nd September, live music concert from Kannada singing fame M D Pallavi...... accompanied by more than 50 musicians......... keyboards, percussionists, guitarists, drummers, and Pallavi was at the centre stage with harmonium...... her heavy metallic voice, clear and perfect,  as beaming out through the large audio systems, audible very clearly through out the area, and huge LCD monitors giving out her close-ups......
She started with devotional Ganesha stuthi...... and then was on to "Bhavageethe"..... all in Kannada.....
It was a superb singing...... and the musicians too...........

M. D Pallavi also known as Pallavi Arun, is a singer from Karnataka, India. She is a Kannada Sugama Sangeetha Singer, playback Singer, actor and TV Anchor. She is married Arun, a musician and music director. She won the Karnataka State Film Awards for Best playback singer in 2006-07 for her song Nodayya Kwate Lingave sung in the 2007 film Duniya.

MUSIC Initial training- Started training in Hindustani classical music under Pt. Ram Rao Naik of Kirana Gharana.

Later years- Continued Hindustani classical training in Bangalore under Pt.Rajbhau Sontakke- disciple of revered musicologist Pt. Omkarnath Thakur of the Gwalior Gharana. Learnt Sugama Sangeeth under Late Mysore Ananthaswamy and later under Sri Raju Ananthaswamy.

Work- Has shared the stage with acclaimed musicians like Late.MysoreAnanthaswamy, S.P.Balasubramanyam, Jesudas, C.Ashwath, Amith Heri, Ranjit Barot, Kieth Peters, Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma, Taufiq Quereshi, , Vikram Ghosh, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangaash and Rajesh Vaidya.

Has given solo Hindustani performances and also has participated in jugalbandhi and dual recitals along with Vidushi Kanchana Sriranjini, most recently in Mysore and Tanjavore.

Has given voice to projects of illustrious music directors such as Late. Vijay Bhaskar, Hamsalekha, Manohar, Mysore Ananthaswamy, and C.Ashwath.

Has been giving concerts in Sugama Sangeeth for the past 10 year

Teaches music at ‘Bimba’ a Saturday cultural school for children.

Saturday 22nd September 2012

GOING ABROAD

At Udupi, on the way to airport, Oct 1971

It was October 1971, after a long wait was able to secure visa for African country, Sierra Leone, to teaching appointment at Methodist Girls High School, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
It was a big news in the village, Jayarama is going to Africa....... The whole family was ready to send me off to Mangalore airport. The ambassodor car, which my brother B P Somayaji acquired recently all set to carry us to the airport.
Though some more relations wanted to come to airport, the car could not take anymore people. Finally, Father,Venkatramana Somayaji,(no more) elder brother Seetharama Somayaji, another brother Padmanabha Somayaji,(no more) who was Development Officer, LIC of India at that time, his wife Leela Somayaji, son Srikanth Somayaji (no more), daughter Shobha (who is now Principal, CEO Hongirana School of Excellence, Sagar) and sister's son Suresh Kumar (who is now CEO, Antares Systems, Bangalore) accompanied to airport.
After visiting Kateel temple on the way to Bajpe airport, reached airport and waited in the lounge. The photo was taken at Gurukrupa Studio at Udupi.
In the airport lounge, ordered for coffee, costing Rs 25/- at that time. My father, old timer, could not gulp it as he did not drink any coffee costing more that Rs2/-
However, after some time, Indian Airlines flight to Bombay arrived and I had to leave all those who accompanied and said bye-bye....... boarded the plane to go to foreign destination........
It's almost 41 years since I left for a foreign land....... and now back at Bangalore..... Life moves on......
Saturday, 22nd September 2012

CREATIVITY IN FESTIVALS

SEPTEMBER 2012

SAND GANESHA

It's Ganesha Festival time...... In Bengaluru, many streets install Ganesha idols in various sizes and perform pooja, cultural program and other related activities. It's more of social gathering and the ambiance of festival.
You would see many streets are blocked with shamiyana for Ganesha idols and streets decorated with flickering lights, loud music and other programs.
One such venue was Basavanagudi, where there is already a Dodda Ganesha, where thousands of people lined up for Ganesha darshan and nearby Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, a huge Ganesha idol made from sand on the ground is attracting lot of people. Also in the same pendal, a huge, 6000Kg laddu is made from the normal ingradients, is kept for display. It's no doubt one of a creative ideas and attracting lot of people and with of course, sponsors and donation.

ENJOYING DELICACIES

Nearby Acharya Pathashala Playground, it's really festival atmosphere. Huge stage for performing artists, well decorated and lighted Ganesha idol, many sponsors promoting their goods including Vodafone, Real estate people and silk sarees. main attraction was ADIGAS eating outlets with all kinds of cuisines, juices, tea and coffee etc......

LIGHTING LAMP ON THE ROADSIDE

The place is real JAATRE (festival) in the sense, and a leading vocalist K J Yesudas was to perform later in the evening, for which crowds beginning to appear.



We left ahead of the program and it is really master arrangements of the organizers.

Bengaluru, Wednesday 19 Sept 2012

GANESHA CHATURTHI

Ganesha idols for sale on the roadside in Bengaluru

Religion  in India is still a living force and Indians appreciate and cultivate the festival spirit even in this age of industrialization and political upheavals. Ganesh Festivals bring people together and make the nation move forward and grow. Ganesh Festival is very popular in our country.
The birth of Lord Ganesh is on the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapad Shukla (August/September). This festival is celebrated and everyone loves this deity with his curving trunk, potbelly and big flat ears. He is the benevolent protector of the innocent, yet the ruthless destroyer of evil. His mount is a rat.

Paayasa. avalakki, laddu, chakkuli..

In several states of India, clay idols of Ganesh in varying sizes are made and sold. The idols are purchased and brought home the day previous to Ganesh Chaturthi, Lord Ganesh is very fond of sweets and hence kheer, panchamrit, fruits and sweets and specially modaks are placed before him as "Naivedya" or "Bhog". After the ritual worship this "Bhog" is distributed as "Prasad".

POOJA AT "BIRTHI MANE"

The main sweet dish during the festival is the modaka  A modaka is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karjikai which is similar to the modak in composition and taste but has a semicircular shape.
Many interesting legends about the birth and the greatness of Lord Ganesh are found in old ancient religious texts. He is considered to be the god of wisdom, prudence and prosperity. The worship of this god is coming down to us right from the Vedic times. Every religious ceremony is completed even today with invoking his blessings at the very beginning with the solemn recitation of "Om Ganeshaya Namaha" (I bow to Thee Lord Ganesh). 

HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY 2012

5th September 2012,

Suma Public School, Kempapura, Bengaluru.

Mr C A Ramesh, Principal of Suma Public School, Kempapura, not so big and not in a good building became a friend. He invited me for taking classes to board examinations students sometime back and he was happy. I didn't take any remunerations for the classes taken.
Last week suddenly appeared at BirthiMane with some students and invited me to the School function and said I can talk about our ABACUS classes.
The next day morning, when I was there in the school, it was a big surprise for me, as I was one of dignitary   for the function, which included Teachers' day celebration, Inauguration of Educomp Smart Board inauguration and Parents Meeting etc etc......

There was formal welcome, lighting of lamp, students speeches and speeches from most of the people sitting on the dias. However, I also had speak wishing the very best for new facilities installed and everyone to make the best use of it.
There were others who spoke on various issues including, ragging, good behaviour, and respect teachers and elders.
However, I failed to make an impact for the publicity of ABACUS CENTRE.
Anyway, it was good public, local recognition.
Saturday, September 2012 

KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI

Krishna Janmashtami  also known as Krishnashtami,  Gokulashtami, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree  or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is an annual commemoration of the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatarof Vishnu.

The festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shrāvaṇa (August-September).  of Krishna's youthful days, the Vitla Pindi celebrate God's playful and mischievous side, where teams of young men form human pyramids to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it. This tradition, also  is a major event in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on Gokulashtami.

Hindus celebrate Janmashtami by fasting and staying up until midnight, the time when Krishna is believed to have been born. Images of Krishna's infancy are placed in swings and cradles in temples and homes. At midnight devotees gather around for devotional songs, Some temples also conduct reading of the Hindu religious scripture 

Among the brahmins residing in these two states, Smarthas and Madhvas make elaborate preparations for the festival. The idol of Lord Krishna is placed in a decorated mantapa.Bhakshanam, that are specially prepared for the festival, are offered to Lord Krishna along with fruits and are considered to be his favourites. In some parts of Karnataka, chakkuli, avalakki Laddu bellada panaka are prepared especially for the festival. Hand made avalakki is prepared in memory of Krishna's friend Sudhama. Legend has it that Sudhama had once offered avalakki to Krishna, as it was considered to be one of his favourite snacks. 

When we were young, we used to wait for the day as various eats like, chakkuli, laddu, paayasa are prepared and we were not allowed to touch or taste until the whole things were offered to Lord Krishna. For that we have to wait for my father to finish pooja, invariably till midnight, the time when Lord Krishna was born. However, after lot of impatience, when the time to eat the eats....... it was used be sooper.....

Mom had prepared chakkuli, laddu, avalakki and paayasa......could taste only after the offerings to Lord Krishna.

HAPPY KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI.......

September 8, 2012 

YAKSHAGANA AT RANAGAMANDIRA

SEPTEMBER 2012
ADA KALAMANDIRA, BENGALURU

It was an occasion to pay tribute to Late Parampalli Sridhar Hande (YAJAMAANRU). The program was organized at ADA Rangamandira, Bengaluru on 2nd September 2012, by Kalkura Prathistana, Mangalore and Karnataka Yakshadhama.

The program started at 2.30pm with  Bhishma-Parashurama story performed by Sudhindra Holla and Sujayeendra Hande and the performance was superb. The costume, dance and the dialogue were excellent. It was for an hour and a half and then the story of Ugrasena-Ruchimathi enacted by celebrated 77 year old artist,

Padmashri Chittani Ramachandra Heggade, as Ugrasena. He is known for his powerful acting and dance presentation.
Then came a short one hour presentation of Shrigara Ravana, from Ramayana acted by Kondadakuli and it was a good presentation.

There was also stage program for honouring dignitaries, including Chittani Ramachandra Heggade and Kannada Sahitya Parishat President, Pundalika Halambi.
The compering by Madhuri was excellent with clear script and very good presentation.
We left by 8.30pm in spite of having another yakshagana presentation of Draupadi Pratapa.
Wednesday, 5th September 2012