Music Video of my song ' Blame Thy Momus' from the album Simple Truth (2000), released today.
Anuj Nair - Music Videos
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© 2019 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
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www.anujnair.co
________________________________________________
© 2019 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
All images are the property of Anuj Nair. Using these images without permission is in violation of international copyright laws (633/41 DPR19/78-Disg 154/97-L.248/2000).All materials may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed,posted or transmitted in any forms or by any means,including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording without written permission of Anuj Nair. Every violation will be pursued penally.
Tags: ©Anuj Nair www.anujnair.co www.anujnair.photos
© All Rights Reserved
Consonance and dissonance.
I the body would be sharing certain events cached in its data files.
I shall remove the text if anybody feels hurt, offended or humiliated by its contents.
Did you ever see a laddie go this way and that? :
The child gradually grew disconcerted with his experiences at the 'nursery'. He was annoyed and often shocked by the world that unwrapped and what that he deciphered in the fourth year of his life.
Other than Sister Atlee, there's a teacher and a nursemaid in the nursery. Sister Atlee makes an occasional visit, and though she appears aloof and austere, the child liked her because he recognized that she is loving and harmless. So is Maggie, the nursemaid, who is probably a teenage orphan living in the convent. She wears floral frocks and has bobbed hair. Maggie serves the kids with the milk and cookies brought from their homes and cleaned the rooms. The teachers in the school have to be unmarried, and if they marry, they have to leave their job. In that case, the teacher in the nursery is a young lady.
The children are assigned 'homework', and every morning they are supposed to place the homework book, one on top of the other, on the teacher's table. Most kids didn't know the purpose of the ritual. As a routine, they often place the book on the table, even if they have not done their 'homework'. The teacher goes through each book, and the kids have to go and get their book when she calls their name. She called "Anuj", and the kid gleefully approached her. He was startled that unexpectedly she threw the book at his face and yelled, "Why you didn't do your homework?". The book came flying with its pages spread and hit him right at his face. It didn't scare him, but he walked back with a heavy heart as the brown paper covering of the book got unwrapped, and he remembered how attentively his dad encased it late at night. While he sat appalled and downhearted, he could hear her calling the names of other kids in the class. He soon saw her throw the book at the face of another boy and saw the poor child pee right where he stood.
The kid was puzzled why he is continually getting instilled with sad and obnoxious negative notions. He wondered what's funny if "Jack fell down and broke his head, and if Jill came tumbling after", and what's joyful about Humpty Dumpty's great fall. He felt sad for Little Red Riding Hood's poor grandma, who the wolf ate. He wondered why he's taught that Golliwog doesn't bathe or brush his teeth and is ugly; and portrayed as black, with big eyes, thick lips and curly hair.
The kid didn't understand why Vikraman while playing in the sandbox, hit the back of his right hand with the pail when he approached him with a smile. It hurt him badly, and he withdrew, perplexed by the unexplained motivation for such behaviour.
The kid didn't understand why and how could Deepti, who accosted him crying for help, romp away tittering with the same child who hurt her while the teacher was terrorizing her saviour for helping her. Sobbing, she approached him as her best friend and neighbour Pravin threw out her umbrella through the window. He consoled her and assured her that he would get it for her and instantly dashed back with the umbrella, flashing a victorious smile. As he gladly handed it over to her, the fuming teacher who appeared from nowhere asked, "You two went out?". Pointing at him, Deepti replied, "No, I didn't. It's him", and joyously left, giggling along with Pravin, holding his hand. While fiercely reprimanded by the teacher for venturing out, he could see her blissfully playing in the sandbox with her best friend.
The kid didn't understand why the cutely chubby Daffene was cruelly jeered at by most kids when she accidentally lost her bowel control and defecated in the class. While he sat beside her to console her, bewildered, he watched the dramatically cheerful commotion with the kids running around helter-skelter, covering their noses, bawling "Chakka thoori"(Jackfruit defecated). Chakka is Jackfruit, and plump people often get taunted with that term. Though poor Daffene put up a brave face, he knew she would burst out crying any moment.
He realized that traits are just inherent, and it has nothing to do with upbringing. He didn't believe that the parents of those kids taught them to behave that way. He felt that his world of ladybirds, butterflies, bugs and beetles is a far better place. He never felt hurt by an ant bite or a bee sting, but though he's known at his home and the whole neighbourhood as 'the child who never cries', all the incidents left scars in his heart.
Anyway, with all the bitter experiences, he slowly developed a dislike for the place. Finally, he told his mom that he no longer wish to go to that place. She informed dad, and they both came to his bed at night. Lifting the mosquito net, they both sat on the bed, and mindful of a child's apprehensions and worries, they asked," Is there anything that troubles you in the class?". The kid couldn't provide an immediate explanation, so he just repeated that he doesn't like the place. Desperate to solve the issue, they dissected and particularized the question. "Is someone troubling or misbehaving with you? ". The answer, "Yes", led to the questions, "Who?, How?". The kid couldn't find any immediate answer, so he lied, " The teacher called me a pig". "WHAT?! How dare she?!". Dad sprung up, fuming. He assured him he'll take care of the issue and asked the child not to worry before they tucked the net inside the mattress and left. The child remained sleepless for a while as the teacher never called him any such names, and he lied to his parents. His innocent intention was the simple expectation that his parents would stop sending him to such a nasty place.
The following day he was taken to the nursery, and Sister Atlee was ready to teach a new song. The girls held either side of the bottom edge of their half skirts and swayed their hips left and right to sing:
"Did you ever see a lassie, a lassie, a lassie? ,
Did you ever see a lassie Go this way and that?
Go this way and that way, go this way and that way,
Did you ever see a lassie Go this way and that? "
The boys held either side of the bottom edge of their shorts and, swaying the same way sang,
"Did you ever see a laddie, a laddie, a laddie? ,
Did you ever see a laddie Go this way and that?
Go this way and that way, go this way and that way,
Did you ever see a laddie Go this way and that? "
Abruptly, the swaying laddie felt a lightning bolt through his heart when he saw his dad at the door with a group of nuns and the teacher. After talking to him, the teacher came running towards the kids with an alarmed face. He wished he could go this way or that way as the teacher took him to his dad. On the verge of tears, she asked, "Anuj, did I call you a pig?". The kid replied, " Er, ahem, well ...No". "My child won't lie. Maybe someone else", said his dad. "Then, who? Is it Maggie?" asked the teacher. The kid looked around, and he didn't find Maggie anywhere nearby. His head bent downwards, he nodded and thought the issue is solved, and the matter would be closed. Oh no! There comes Maggie! Another face on the verge of tears, the same question and a lengthy " Yo, um, uh, er, ahem, well..No" as the answer. Thankfully, his dad thought of leaving it there, and he left after advising the teacher to be more careful with kids.
Though the kid regretted having lied, he was glad that the teacher became more amicable and mature than the kids after that incident.
Along with 'education' and experiences, though all kids slowly get acclimatized and move along with the flow, some kids merely grow up, some kids learn and remain immature, some kids mature but never learn, and the story goes on.
Did You Ever See a Laddie? : Did You Ever See a Laddie?
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© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
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www.anujnair.net
Anuj Nair's Official Blog
________________________________________________
© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
All images are the property of Anuj Nair. Using these images without permission is in violation of international copyright laws (633/41 DPR19/78-Disg 154/97-L.248/2000).All materials may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed,posted or transmitted in any forms or by any means,including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording without written permission of Anuj Nair. Every violation will be pursued penally.
Tags: ©Anuj Nair Pages from a music score of silent melodies - 11 Pages from a music score of silent melodies Consonance and dissonance Did you ever see a laddie go this way and that? www.anujnair.co www.anujnair.photos
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Consonance and dissonance.
I the body would be sharing certain events cached in its data files.
I shall remove the text if anybody feels hurt, offended or humiliated by its contents.
When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi:
There are several entertainers that I have met or rather seen in the early stages of my life. As a household with numerous servants and helpers, there was one character even to chase away stray cats. His name is Bhaskaran, but he is called Pakkaran. With his threadlike moustache, whiskers and hairy pinnae, the child viewed him as a tomcat. Pakkaran himself took over the mentioned task, probably because of boredom or out of ailurophobia. In the late evening, he used to roam around the property to hit the poor cats that are peacefully napping. One day he took the child along to demonstrate his prowess, and the child didn't find it amusing.
Yet, the child noticed and admired the talent possessed by some of those servants and helpers. A boy named Prabhakaran was a good singer and an instant poet who created and recited limericks at ease.
In earlier days, there was a character called 'Hanuman Pandaram'. Dressed as a monkey, he once a while visits the palace and some significant households. Have heard that he visits shouting, "Are there any kids who do not listen to parents?", "Are there any kids who do not behave?". If children misbehave, parents threaten that they would call Hanuman Pandaram and hand them over to him. When the child was about two years old, he once saw a big monkey tail protruding out from a nearby gate while he was taken back home from somewhere. Those days, the servants, aides and the workers who serve the household used to address the child with a respectful title "Kochangunnu". On that occasion, he heard one of them shout, "Hide fast, Kochangunnu is coming", and glimpsed a figure with a big tail sneak inside the nearby gate. After a few years, once the child asked his mom about that big-tailed monkey, she wondered how he remembered something that happened when he was too young to memorise. I was not fortunate to see them again as that 'species' later went extinct.
I have watched lots of Kathakali performances, and the child loathed it. Often, he's taken to the periodic performance at Victoria Jubilee Town Hall, probably because he didn't reveal his disinterest. He would be carried on the shoulder by one of those aides to return home, as his dad is keen to watch the whole episode, and the child would be dozy by the time the show gets over.
There were some unique, entertaining visitors whom the child eagerly awaited. One of them is 'Bhagavathar', an entertainer who sings and dances. He acts as a jester too. He entertains the kids in the palace and visits us about once a month. His costume is a mix of traditional and Western. A khaki suit jacket above a white shirt on top and a white dhoti (thar mundu / anthareeyam) below had a tonsured head with a long tuft of hair left on top, folded and tied. He sang songs without any significant meaning and danced in a circular motion, as the kid watch, amused, with a smile. I only remember the line "Manjulangi kunjulangi" of the lyrics. After his performance, he's served lunch, the same food that we have at home. Following the lunch, like a vote of thanks speech, he showers praises on mom and equates her to Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth and Beauty).
The other favourite visitor is an old lady. Probably an octogenarian; she's very fair and has snow-white hair. She was the music teacher at Satelmond Palace. I still don't know her real name as I called her 'Gunavati'. Gunavati means a lady with all goodness. Whenever she visits us, as a ritual before leaving, she too spends some time praising mom, and the child usually hears her repeatedly say 'Gunavati'. Initially, he assumed she's calling her Ganapati, the elephant-headed Hindu God. He thought, like Bhagavathar calling her Lakshmi, she's calling her Ganapati until it was cleared and explained by his mom. Gunavati used to cuddle the kid and sing songs meant for girls, so it's evident that her students in Satelmond were girls.
When he was two or three, he was taken to the movie theatres to watch rereleased great old classic movies like 'The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Samson and Delilah, and African Safari'. That duty assigned to one of his uncles, who was then in his teens. The very next day after watching 'The Sound of Music' for the first time (I have watched it three more times later), as the child was sitting under a table at home humming 'Do-Re-Mi ', he saw his dad with an amused smile, gesturing to mom to listen.
Once in a while, dad takes the child to the British Library. The child loved the smell of those new books and calmly watched his dad choose the right books, like Super Duck, Plastic Man and Pinocchio. Later, the stories are read aloud by his dad, and the child eagerly peeks at the illustrations in the book and pictures them in his imagination.
There's a large wooden chest at home to store rice and provisions, which also acts as a seat and platform. When the child was four years old, he was made to stand on it one day and dressed in new outfits. Then, both parents happily announced that it would be his first day at school.
At the nursery of Holy Angels Convent, the child found the liveliness interesting but got irritated with those weeping and wailing kids around. The doors, windows and the lower half of the white-washed walls were painted in deep green enamel. The place had a mingled smell of milk, plastic, lacquer and fresh paint. There were brightly coloured cubes and cones, colourfully lacquered rings of different diameters, rocking toy horses and duck boxes, a sandbox with small red pails and spades, and many other toys. Everything fascinated the child, but like at home, he found a window at a corner as his favourite place. It faced a granite wall a few feet away, with a view of some greenery of moss and weeds. More than the toys, he was more interested in watching the ladybirds in the moss-laden wall and the bugs, beetles and butterflies in the plants below. After tasting a strip of peeled green paint from the window, the child was busy till noon, observing the 'wildlife' outside.
He was taken home at lunch break. As in the morning, his beaming parents lifted him to stand on the storage chest and asked him whether he liked the place and want to go there again. He said "Yes" and saw them elated at the reply. But, for the poor kid, his experience at the place was utterly disappointing in the afternoon. All the kids were made to lie down on the floor, on straw mats, and compelled to sleep. Sister Atlee was in charge, and she held a wooden ruler in her hand with which she would tap if anybody raises their head. Sister Atlee looks very much like Oliver Hardy in nun's attire. From the ground zero perspective, the child could see her towering figure holding the ruler in her right hand, like a music conductor with a baton, waving both hands and loudly singing, "Rain, rain go away, little Johnny wants to play".
Exasperated, the child slept quietly in soliloquy singing, Sister Atlee go away; this little kid doesn't want to kip.
The Sound of Music : Do-Re-Mi
Now, please don't miss this: The Sound of a Pandemic .
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© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------
www.anujnair.net
Anuj Nair's Official Blog
________________________________________________
© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
All images are the property of Anuj Nair. Using these images without permission is in violation of international copyright laws (633/41 DPR19/78-Disg 154/97-L.248/2000).All materials may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed,posted or transmitted in any forms or by any means,including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording without written permission of Anuj Nair. Every violation will be pursued penally.
Tags: ©Anuj Nair Everes lacturnus syntala Dakhan Cupid-Male Dakhan Cupid Pages from a music score of silent melodies - 10 Consonance and dissonance When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi www.anujnair.co www.anujnair.photos
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Consonance and dissonance.
I the body would be sharing certain events cached in its data files.
I shall remove the text if anybody feels hurt, offended or humiliated by its contents.
Suresh Pattali:
Suresh Pattali, a film and theatre activist, or as Paul Zacharia, the Editor of Economic Times and his former colleague rightly stated," a film buff and libertarian"; worked as a producer in Asianet when I met him.
Suresh assisted the renowned Indian filmmaker Muzaffar Ali in making classic movies like 'Gaman' and 'Umrao Jaan' and has worked with noted singer Kishore Kumar and Popular music director Salil Choudhury. He was too humble a human being to read one's character and get close within no time.
I met him first, in 2000, at his office in the Asianet Studio complex at Puliyarakonam in Trivandrum. He was very eager to listen to my album 'Simple Truth' and knew it was in the final stage of completion. He was too busy in the studio that I waited from 4 pm to about 6 pm as he occasionally makes an appearance and apologizes for making me wait and leaves after making sure that I am comfortable. Someone would want him when he joins me, and as I was not in any hurry, I asked him to take his time. When he hastily joined me at about 6 pm, I told him that I have a rough copy of 'Simple Truth' in my car. The moment he heard that he just walked out of the studio with his hand on my shoulder. He sat beside me in the car, we closed the doors, and I played the tape.
Before the music started, he asked, "What about a ride?". I nodded, and we drove out to the nearly desolate roads in the suburbs of Trivandrum. When the music started, I noticed that he is gazing at my face. With a smile, when I turned and looked at him, he asked," You did this ?". I said "Yes", and his astonished expression is the first and best compliment I ever received. I drove aimlessly while he keenly and mutely listened to all the 12 songs in the album. Later I dropped him at his house, which is just about a kilometre away from his workplace.
The very next day, I received a call from him inviting me to his house, and I visited him sometime in the afternoon. His interest in music and his memory amazed me as he started describing how he visualized one of the songs that he heard the previous day. It was late afternoon, and he was yet to have his lunch. I understood he's drunk, but he appeared perfect and very much in his senses. I told him that I would wait until he has his lunch. Within a few minutes, he returned with an egg omelette for me. I didn't refuse as I knew he prepared it just for me. It was too salty to consume, and when I was struggling with it, he joined me munching his omelette and said, "Too much salt, right? I don't have any more eggs left, else I would have made fresh ones". After spending some time discussing the script, I left following his assurance to contact me soon. The next day he called me for further talks, and we fixed a local club for the next meeting the same evening.
He ordered a few drinks and narrated his Mumbai cinema experiences. The modesty of the Popular singer Kishore Kumar, the friendliness of the great musician Salil Chowdhury, and the simplicity of the renowned actress Smita Patil. The humbleness of Kishore Kumar during recordings and the prowess of Salil Chowdhury to compose 'boatman' songs.
He respected and appreciated me for being a teetotaller, and never did he behave drunk with me. I reminded him that it's getting too late and offered to drop him at his house. On the way back, he asked, "Anuj, which is your most favourite song? ". I replied that it's a tough question as I have so many favourites." My favourite English song is, 'Still I'm Sad' by Boney M", he said. After a pause, he continued, "Do you know ' Chingari Koi Bhadke '?". I said, "Yes, I love that song." He asked, "Can you sing it ? "and I replied, " Sorry, I have never tried it". Again after a pause, he said, "Please hum it ". I hummed the tune in its original pitch, and he started singing along in a feeble voice. I drove listening to his rendition, which was indeed beautiful. He remained quiet after that, and I dropped him home at about midnight.
Within a few days, he invited me to judge a talent search programme conducted by Asianet for college students, named 'Talent Scan 2000'. I accepted the request and appeared for the programme at Victoria Jubilee Town Hall on the stipulated date and time. He introduced me to the crew, and my role was to judge Western Music. After the programme, he thanked me and promised to be in touch.
He called me after a few days and asked me whether we shall meet sometime in the evening. I agreed, and he said he would call later to fix the venue and time. He called again in the evening to tell me that he's having one of his old friends along with him and asked whether it's fine with me. I said it's all right, and I invited him to one of the most prestigious clubs in town, where I have a membership. I booked a table on the lawn and waited for him.
He had few drinks like earlier, but his friend started gulping like a thirsty cow, loudly declared that he's a Maoist, and proudly started to swank his profanity proficiency. While Suresh commanded him to behave, in an attempt to move his chair backwards, the dhoti-clad Maoist fell aback bare, along with his chair. The waiters on duty are used to such displays, but they appeared shocked as they never expected such guests with me. I asked Suresh whether we shall leave. I have never seen him angry, and he didn't lose his cool even when his friend irritated him. He said we would move, but his friend refused to come. I thought of seeking help from the waiters and security to carry him to the car.
Finally, he agreed to move when Suresh 'promised' to take him to some distinct wine bar.
I was a bit apprehensive whether he would attempt to jump out of the moving car as we proceeded towards the hotel where he stays. Once we reached the hotel, he refused to get off the car. Suresh somehow managed to pull him out, and on the street, he loudly started to demonstrate his imprecation skills. I saw Suresh with a grim face for the first time, but still, he didn't lose his cool. Swiftly, he hopped into the car and signalled me to accelerate fast. I did that, and his friend was staggering from behind, trying to chase us as we sped away. Suresh didn't utter a word after that. I dropped him home, and though he didn't apologize, I could see that apologetic look in his weary eyes when he bid me goodbye.
I phoned him early in the morning to check whether his friend is all right. He told me that his friend was nabbed by the police the previous night, and he has to get him released.
I asked him to relax and promised to call him in the evening.
I called him in the evening, and an unfamiliar voice picked up the call.
I asked, " Suresh, Is that you? ".
The stranger from the other end replied, " Suresh passed away. He vomited blood, and we took him to the hospital but couldn't save him".
"माझी जो नाव डुबोए
उसे कौन बचाये"
("If the boatman drowns the boat, who can save it ?")
Chingari Koi Bhadke: Chingari Koi Bhadke
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© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------
Anuj Nair's Official Blog
www.anujnair.net
________________________________________________
© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
All images are the property of Anuj Nair. Using these images without permission is in violation of international copyright laws (633/41 DPR19/78-Disg 154/97-L.248/2000).All materials may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed,posted or transmitted in any forms or by any means,including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording without written permission of Anuj Nair. Every violation will be pursued penally.
Tags: ©Anuj Nair Pages from a music score of silent melodies - 6 Consonance and dissonance Suresh Pattali Eranthemum capense var. concanense Eranthemum capense www.anujnair.co www.anujnair.photos
© All Rights Reserved
Consonance and dissonance.
I the body would be sharing certain events cached in its data files.
I shall remove the text if anybody feels hurt, offended or humiliated by its contents.
Vincent Gomez :
I admired the singing and voice of Vincent Gomez, who was a choir singer in a local church. Those days, every singer dreamt of becoming a playback singer, and Vincent did accomplish that at a young age. In my childhood, I used to see him ply through the city roads riding a Vijay scooter, wearing a cap with its side flaps let loose that they look like drooping puppy ears.
In my teenage, I was active as a singer and also as a photographer. Photography with film being an expensive hobby, I was eager to contribute my service for free if someone solicits my help to cover events and rituals. While they pay for the film roll, developing and printing, I found out that I can experiment and learn, as well as help them. Hence, I have covered many weddings, baptisms and funerals at the local church where he sings the choir. As I viewed him in recognition of his outstanding achievement as a playback singer, we exchanged greetings when we meet as he knows me as a singer.
He would be at the choir-aisle with methodical movements as required in a choir. Though busy, he often acknowledges my presence with a slight bow of his head. We seldom got the time or chance to talk. His voice is very familiar to me that I can hear him sing right when I remember him.
He looked handsome, but he never cared for his looks. Many singers of those days were envious of him, and some of them mistook his staid attitude as arrogance and ego.
Vincent was busy with choirs and devotional songs when he received the breakthrough in 1988. He got the chance to succeed as a playback singer with a song written and composed by the legends in the Malayalam filmdom. The song 'Number Lesham', written by P. Bhaskaran, had music composed by G. Devarajan for the movie 'Athirukal'. The song situation being comical; the music director wanted him to sing it with apt expression and feeling. He did his job pretty well, but unfortunately, both songs in the movie flopped, including the other one sung by the great K.J. Yesudas. The green-eyed lot who earlier lost their sleep at his accomplishment gleefully celebrated the failure. They jibed that the lyrics of the song has come true. The verse "Entey jeevitham naaya nakki" many times repeated in the song, roughly translated, means, "My life is licked by a dog", else "My life has gone to waste". I am unsure whether he took the mocking and teasing seriously, but I heard that he subsequently led a disquieted life though he remained busy with choirs.
Many years later, when his son, a Popular cricket player, proudly and joyfully called home to share the greatest achievement of his life, Vincent was found dead hanging himself.
Aazhathil Ninnu : Aazhathil Ninnu
"Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord. Let your ears be attentive to my mind's wail."
------------------------------------------------------
© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------
Anuj Nair's Official Blog
www.anujnair.net
________________________________________________
© 2020 Anuj Nair. All rights reserved.
All images are the property of Anuj Nair. Using these images without permission is in violation of international copyright laws (633/41 DPR19/78-Disg 154/97-L.248/2000).All materials may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed,posted or transmitted in any forms or by any means,including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording without written permission of Anuj Nair. Every violation will be pursued penally.
Tags: ©Anuj Nair Pages from a music score of silent melodies-4 Consonance and dissonance Vincent Gomez www.anujnair.co www.anujnair.photos
© All Rights Reserved