The Readers of a Wrong Language

Just a few minutes back I visited www.outlookindia.com in hope of something interesting, and I found this - the cover page of the latest issue of Outlook, of both English and Hindi editions.

Have a look at the English edition first.










Now compare that with this - the cover page of Hindi edition. I am led to believe that the news varies with language.



This is what the editor says - "We are neither arrogant nor stupid enough to assume that the concerns, preoccupations and aspirations of our Hindi readers are identical to those of our English readers. In some areas they could overlap, but Outlook Saptahik begins life on the assumption that we need to service our Hindi clientele keeping their unique perspective in view."

Let's have a careful look at the unique perspective of those who read Hindi, vis-a-vis that of those who prefer English. To what extent does this claim - difference of perspectives - hold ground? And what if this claim doesn't hold enough ground to stand steadily? In that case, how does Outlook propose to restore the dignity of people who they have offended publically by such vile insinuations? How are they, as responsible media(!), encouraging people to read in their mother tongue, and encourage their children to do the same? Finally, how would this discrimination, this choice of cover pages, based on distorted assumptions, help the purpose of promoting the language in which India interacts?

- What claim are you talking about? They didn't say anything!

No. They did. They couldn't have said this louder and clearer. Visual language pervades deeper into our consciousness and stays longer, often permanently, in our mind. We associate words with picture, right from our infancy. A picture is a concept encapsulated. That is an epistemological fact. You can not question that. It is stupid to doubt the efficacy of visual Lnguage. Only a hardened fool will offer an argument against that.

So, English -> Intellectual, Refined, and used by intelligent and refined people

& Hindi -> Everything else :D

People read magazines at home, in trains, and in places where they are read by others, including women and children. Such type of covers can only act as potent deterrent to the readers of Hindi, as they will run a risk of being seen as cheap consumers of sleaze. They will be considered inferior just because they read in a particular language, which happens to be their national language. Anything that contributes to establish this absurd equation is positively criminal, and should be treated likewise. Think about the humiliation of those poor folks who have no training in English. What have they done, as a community, to deserve the stigma - consumers of sleaze? Outlook have insulted not only a language, its history and literature, but millions of those who speak and read in that language. Also, such acts only serve to perpetuate the urban myth that little worthwhile has been documented in Hindi and other vernacular languages.

No Mr Editor, you have been not only arrogant and stupid but also a bastard offspring of your bastard father - Macaulay, to comfortably assume that the concerns, preoccupations and aspirations of the Hindi readers are NOT identical to those of the English readers. They are exactly the same since concern is not a linguistic construct. Had it been so, the concerns and aspirations of Indians would change after every 100 kms. English is not a language of elite anymore, and dear sir, Outlook is not Business Line. Wake up Mr Editor, wash your face with cold water and read the cover story of your English edition, and then see for yourself. If I were you, I'd be ashamed of myself for saying things like that. You owe serious introspection and a sincere apology to all your readers.

As for us, the people, such type of insinuations must not be condoned in the name of easy phrases like "Freedom of Expression" or "Rights of Press". Words like these make no sense in isolation, and rights should be awarded only to those who understand their responsibilities. Such type of marketing must be strongly condemned by every thinking individual, no matter what language he/she speaks.

Rage of Mars*

The sheer white madness of cumulonimbus cloud,
Charging with infernal wrath, 'nd roaring 'loud.
Quaking in terror, Terra, trampled by boots of thunder;
Ev'ry Jesus seized, lanced 'nd torn asunder.

The tides of venom soared; torrid, dark and dense,
And leapt on to deluge, fiery, out of sense.
His Steel shivers naked in frenzied rage of cold,
Jus' sight of blood soothes, else nothing'd hold.


Mars* - God of War in Roman Mythology

Ilaiyaraaja - Musical Mission

The following FRONTLINE interview, which lasted five hours and spanned two sessions, took place at his composing room at Prasad Studios and his newly constructed, aesthetically sensitive house at T.Nagar, Madras.

Some excerpts...

Frontline : Why do you avoid journalists and critics?
Ilaiyaraaja : Why should I meet journalists and critics? First if the critics assume that they know music, they can straight evaluate my music and write about it, no one is going to prevent it. If they don't know music, I have nothing to talk to them about. I am not avoiding out of any fear of controversy or anything of that sort. All these critics approach me with a hell of preconceived notions. They literally use me as a mouthpiece to voice their notions about music. Why should I give room for this?

Frontline : What is your view about music?
Ilaiyaraaja : To me, music is nothing but fraud. The moment you play all the seven notes, music is completed. Then going on repeating it - in different permutations and combinations - is nothing short of cheating. The person who successfully cheats a large audience for an extended period is called the "big" composer. Genuine music, to me, is the one which has no purpose. It should be as natural and as purposeless as the flow of the river. I have a purpose in creating my music. The purpose is business. Saint Thyagaraja sang songs to attain God. So even he had a purpose for his music. At least, he never sold his music. But take a farmer for instance. While ploughing, he spurts into a crescendo of music with no purpose. That is true music.

Frontline : Will the vidwans and musicologists agree with your view about music?
Ilaiyaraaja : Please tell me, who are the vidwans and musicologists? Saint Thyagaraaja, who spent his whole life as a wandering singer, sang his heart and soul out. The people who learn 15 krithis of that saintand practise them for their lifetime call themselves vidwans and musicologists. I have listened to all these living vidwans. There is always a tone of arrogance mightiness ringing in their voice and style of singing. I am very sure that Thyagaraja swamigal wouldn't have sung in this manner. His approach must have been the most simple, the most lucid and the most spontaneous. That is missing in the concerts. (Ilaiyaraaja sings akrithi to explain his contention). Therefore, there is no need for me to convince them.

Frontline : Then how do you define music?
Ilaiyaraaja : Music is nothing but sound. There is music in the bark of the dog. There is music in the walk of every human being. Music is not a subject to be discussed. It has to be experienced. The universe is one which has its own rhythm pattern, and it goes on in a cyclic fashion without losing its equilibrium. Similarly, sound is ultimately a solitary note. It is not ascending. It is not descending. It is not vertical. Nor is it sinusoidal. It is dynamic. Yet this dynamism defies our general perception. We human beings have lots of limitations. We are able to perceive only the sounds within the audible frequency. There are notes above and below that. We forget them. Man has fragmented this solitary note into seven notes of the octave. Listen to the howl of the dog. Doesn't it have a swara prashta? Sa Re Ga.(Ilaiyaraaja sings and shows the similarity).

Frontline : There are various systems in music - like Carnatic, Hindustani,Western, tribal and folk. And every system has its own schools. Which system do you think is the most well developed one?
Ilaiyaraaja : I do not like to make these types of value judgements. The person who assumes the role of a judge should be extremely well versed in the various systems of music which he compares. A person who compares and rates Carnatic music higher than light music should know both the systems. But people who dismiss light music here do not know both the systems. Saying Hindustani is superior is superior to Carnatic, and even in Hindustani, Drupad is superior to Thumri or Khayal, opera is superior to symphony, sounds utter nonsense. No one knows all the systems of music thoroughly and hence no one is qualified to be a judge. But every one of passes value judgements about one music or the other. Further, to me, at a different level, all these systems and schools appear imaginary.

Frontline : Your notion about music is reflected in your work. The list is endless. Do the producers and directors immediately accept your experimentations?
Ilaiyaraaja : Now I am a saleable commodity. Above that, I have a reputation on which the producers and directors have faith. My commercial viability, coupled with my reputation, gives me enough freedom to assert my right as a composer. They have confidence that if I do something, it would somehow reach the wider public. But I have the responsibility of proper films for experimentation. I cannot just throw away my labour in a gutter. So selecting producers and directors is my own prerogative.

Frontline : Are you prepared to support new directors who want to make experimental films?
Ilaiyaraaja : Definitely, yes. But before that, what is experiment? I don't understand. Most of the experiments never take people into consideration. There cannot be an experiment without people. It is indulgence. I don't subscribe to it. People who have listened to my music and studied it will notice that I have popularised the various elements of Indian and Western classical music by slightly diluting them. A rich harmony is taken to a rickshaw-puller by adding a folk element to it. 'Marimari Ninne' and 'Maha Ganapathim' are popular among the villagers not because of any vidwans. They are popular because I have used them in a proper manner. To me, experiment means taking things on a high pedestal to the masses in such a way that they will accept them. Other than this, all experiments are a process of fooling oneself and the general public.

Frontline : Who is the composer you like most?
Ilaiyaraaja : Bach. The reason is that he composed music in the formative days of Western classical music. There are three different types of counterpoint among which writing invertible counterpoints is the most difficult one. His compositions are so complete with every note falling in the right place with amazing mathematical precision. That is his greatness.

Frontline : Do you think you have the right recognition? Are you happy with your two (now three) national awards?
Ilaiyaraaja : I have not been recognised by this Government to which I pay my tax happily. The national awards don't mean much. It made no difference to me. The only recognition I have is that South Indians throughout the world listen to my music. But this doesn't help me even buy a train ticket on the emergency quota! I don't have any good quality instruments to record my music. I cannot even get the basic requirements to function as a musician. This is the recognition I get in my own country.

source: The Frontline (1989)

mirror mirror on the wall

Read this. They are all praise for some South Indian movie - "Kannathil Muthamittal". South Indian eh!

Rob Chester says, "Shame on India for not sending this movie as their official Oscar entry. I have seen this movie and it has clearly revealed to me the maturity Tamil cinema has in its screenplay and narrative which bollywood better catch up with. By the way to all we westerners, Tamil Cinema is more qualitative and very different from Bollywood which is all about good looks, glamour and promotion."

Looks, glamour and promotion! That's all isn't? Mr Rob, do you have any idea how deeply John Abraham is rooted to his middle-class background? If you don't, please shut up. You know nothing about Bollywood. Go see his girl-friend and you'll know that - how deeply he is rooted to his middle-class background. Now leave us alone. We have enough problems to deal with.

For all of us Bollywood lovers, watching Bachchan Jr. and family at Cannes was a tragi-c**** experience. We were so sorry to see the newly-wed star couple being ignored by the very people they so eagerly wanted to talk to, and pose with.

Ignored! How rude of you! When you come to us, we pose with you. But when we came to you, you ignored us! How unfair! Were you being funny? Let me tell you that it was not funny. Didn't you know how much effort and headache had gone into all that - selection of costume designers, press release etc etc. Didn't you know how excited he was - Beta B? He was playing more pranks than he ever did, so happy he was all the time. "Marriage is a sacred institution" he said to us, and the twinkle in his eyes whispered, "especially when it gives you a passport to Riviera." Oh who could have expected such an anti-climax! If only Papa B would be there! But he couldn't go as the organisers wouldn't permit Amar Uncle for some crazy reason.

But what the hell was our media doing then? Why did they leave Beta B alone in an alien land, amid hostile people? How could media allow Beta and Bahu B to be snubbed by all those inward-looking racists? Why didnt they rush and tell others how adorable a son Beta B is, who always makes shooting such a cool fun! The whole unit feel like a family, more than usual, when he is around! Especially in movies like Umraojaan and Guru. Never heard of them!! Jhoom Barabar Jhoom? No? His old classics? No! Never mind. It doesnt matter. We bollywood lovers don't care for your opinion. Why should we?

At last, after the damage was done, media approached Papa B to know his reaction. But he avoided the question with his characteristic humility and said, "I feel fortunate to work with actors like Himesh Reshamiya and Mallika Sheravat." After we pressed him to corner, he only said that he was just an ordinary farmer and what could he say about these matters.

sunrise game

Yesterday's game was fabulous. We played with another team, which was better than us in all aspects thinkable. They were seasoned players, and their superb coordination made them simply too much for us to handle. All tired and sweaty, I was filled with admiration for my rivals who were still kicking. They were all in their 40s, except for one who was of about my age. She was not exactly bending like Beckham but she managed to keep me turned-on for the whole day.

True spirit, in all its forms, is sexy!

Or was it something else? Whatever, I can't wait for the next game.

Amar, Akbar, Anthony

Amar: The idea of Development at first sprouted in his mind by the ubiquitous pictures of the developed world - the West. In movies, in news, even in books he saw those mighty skyscrapers, soaring proudly in the sky as if challenging every possible limitation. He was told, in different languages, "Look, this is how development looks like."

Amazed and awed by the magnificence of those buildings, and by the tales of prosperity, he felt in his heart the need to rise, to run, and to become like them. The march of man towards a world free of misery thrilled him. He forgot to look carefully at them who walked in the corridors of those buildings. Early in his childhood, he was exposed to the vision of a Modern India. Years passed by and he grew up into an adult, self-absorbed and confident, and those pictures of development always lingered before his eyes. He still feels that New Delhi is nothing but a poor parody of New York. He has miles to go.

Akbar: Meanwhile, the great-grandfathers gave up their old devotion for Arabic and Persian and made sure that the little ones do well in English and Mathematics. Some of them, including Akbar, were captivated by the charm of oil-lamps. He slammed the windows to keep out the winds (from West). With a pride akin to a loyal subject who gives shelter to a dethroned king, he kept on fighting for the lost cause. Hde idn't allow kids to keep dogs in house and made them watch the Mushayara channel. To others, his tenacity was futile and pitiable, like that of an animal which was being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

Anthony: Standing in front of the memorial, he sighed. They made it to last, those Portugese, he wondered. And now, all he can see is*...

*this post is incomplete.