SquareShooter

  It is heartening to see so many posts today on Subramania Bharati.  It reminds me of my elementary school days. There was not an Independence Day or Republic Day that passed without singing Bharati’s songs. In that small school, the flagstaff was just outside the compound and we would stand there and sing “thaayin manikkodi paareer”. There would be singing and dancing to his “aaduvome pallu paaduvome”, “vetri ettu thikkum etta kottu murase” etc., Our headmaster at that time would teach all of us to sing Bharati’s songs. I got introduced to almost all the Deshbhakti songs of Bharati at that time. “paarukkulle nalla naadu”, “bharatha samudayam vaazhgave” and many others. We used to have a collection of his poems at home, printed in some poor, dull paper. I didn’t know music, I didn’t know the ragas that are printed alongside some of the poems. But I used to sit near the window, and keep humming something. I used to even try the “eesan vandhu siluvayil mandan” trying to imitate...

  I have been an intermittent blogger, and engage in social media platforms regularly. One of the topics on which I have been consistently posting has been on Indian textiles, especially sarees. Many a times friends ask me seriously, as well as sarcastically as to how many sarees I own. Hardly does anyone me ask how many books I own. I do post on books regularly, sharing reviews, books bought, read, books encountered at the library. While saree posts sometimes get a decent traction, book posts are generally overlooked. During Deepavali when my friend asked me about the Hindu festivals, economy and the interconnectedness, one book came to my mind. It is about food, the Indian concept of anna, donating food anna dana – Annam Bahu Kurvita by Jitendra Bajaj and M.D.Srinivas. It is not a book that I have read cover to cover, but read through pages, passages, shlokas and their meanings given there from time to time. It is a book that has had a deep impact on me. It is also a book which I...