This is a collection of leave letters and applications written by various employees of different organaisations.
TAKE IT IN LIGHTWAY. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFEND ANYBODY OR ORGANAISATION
1. An employee applied for leave as follows: since I have to go to my village to sell my land alongwith my wife,plese sanction me one week leave
2. This is from an employee who was performing the "mundan" ceremony of his 10 year old son: "as I want to shave my son's head, please leave me for two days.."
3. Another gem Leave-letter from an employee who was performing his daughter's wedding: "as i am marrying my daughter, please grant a week's leave
4. From Administration dept: "As my mother-in-law has expired and I am only one responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave."
5. Another employee applied for half day leave as follows: "Since I've to go to the cremation ground at 10 o-clock and I may not return, please grant me half day casual leave"
6. An incident of a leave letter "I am suffering from fever, please declare one day holiday."
7. A leave letter to the headmaster: "As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today"
8. Another leave letter written to the headmaster: "As my headache is paining, please grant me leave for the day."
9. Covering note: "I am enclosed herewith..."
10. Another one: "Dear Sir: with reference to the above, please refer to my below..."
11. Actual letter written for application of leave: "My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home I may be granted leave".
12. Letter writing: - "I am in well here and hope you are also in the same well."
13. A candidate's job application: "This has reference to your advertisement calling for a ' Typist and an Accountant - Male or Female'...As I am both(!! )for the past several years and I can handle both with good experience, I am applying for the post.
சொற்களும் அறியேன் சொற்களின் பொருளும் அறியேன். கவிதையும் அறியேன் உரை நடையும் அறியேன் ஆறுமுகங்களுடைய முருகன் ஒளிவெள்ளமாக என் இதயத்தில் புகுந்து நிலையாக அங்கேயே இருப்பதால் சொல்லும் பொருளும் அவனருளல் தானாகவே வெளிப்படுகிறது தானம்செய்தும் அறிகிலேன் தவங்கள்செய்தும் அறிகிலேன் ஆனவன்பரான பேர்க்கு அன்னமிட்டும் அறிகிலேன் தேனமர்துழாய்கொண்டு உன்னைச் சிந்தைசெய்தும் அறிகிலேன் நானறிந்ததொன்றுமில்லை ராமராமராமனே!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
கிறுக்குத்தனம்
ஒன்றா இரண்டா கிறுக்குத்தனம் எடுத்தச் சொல்ல இருந்தாலும் வல்லியம்மாவின் விருப்பத்துக்கிணங்க இதோ ஆறு விஷயங்கள்
1) விளையாட்டுத்தனம்
எல்லா விஷயத்திலும்தான். அலுவலகம் ஆகட்டும் வீடு ஆகட்டும் எல்லாமே தமாஷ்தான்.2002வில் ஒருநாள் இரவு மணி ஒரு மணிக்கு ஆபீஸ்லிருந்து ஸ்கூட்டரில் வீடு திரும்பும்போது பீச் ரோடில் ஒரு லாரி மோதி தலை கை கால் எல்லாம் அடிபட்டு ரோடிலேயே மயங்கிக் கிடந்தேன். ஒரு போலீஸ்காரர் பார்த்து ஆஸ்பிடலில் சேர்த்தார். நடுவில் ஒரு ஐந்து நிமிடம் நினைவு வந்த்தது. மருத்துவர் கேட்டார் யாருக்காவது சொல்லவேண்டுமா என்று. அந்த நிலையிலும் நான் சொன்னேன்."கொஞ்சம் நேரம் பாருங்கள் பிழைக்கும் என்றால் என்னுடைய வைத்தியருக்குச் சொல்லுங்கள் இல்லயென்றால் வாத்தியாருக்கு(சாஸ்திரிகளுக்கு)ச் சொல்லுங்கள் என்றேன்.
2) தள்ளிப்போடுதல்
எல்லா விஷயங்களையும் தள்ளிப்போடுதல்.( ஆமாம் நான் எழுதச்சொன்னதையே தள்ளிப்போட்டு இப்பொதுதானே போடுகிறீர்கள் என்று வல்லியம்மா சொல்வது காதில் விழுகிறது)வங்கியிலிருந்து விடுதலை பெற்று கிட்ட தட்ட ஒரு வருடம் ஆகி விட்டது. இன்னும் அங்கேயிருந்து கொண்டு வந்த பெட்டிகளை காலி செய்யாமல் ஹாலிலேயே கிடக்கிறது என்று தங்கமணிகிட்டே இருந்து தினமும் பூஜை.ஆனால் அப்படி கடைசி நிமிடத்தில் செய்யும் காரியங்கள் எல்லாம் மிகவும் சரியகஇருக்கும். திட்டமிட்டு செய்யும் காரியங்கள்சிலசமயம்தப்பாகப் போய்விடும் என் விஷயத்தில்
3) சங்கீதம்
சிறுவயது முதலே இந்தக் கிறுக்குத்தனம்தான் அதிகம். பி.காம் அகௌண்ட்ஸ் பரிக்ஷையின் போது முதல் நாள் மதுரை மணி ஐய்யரின் கச்சேரியைக் கேட்டுவிட்டுப் போய் எழுதினதில் 100 மார்க். வீட்டில் திட்டியதால் பலமாகப் படித்து எழுதிய ஆடிட்ங்கிங்ல் 58 மார்க். ஒருதரம் டி'நகரிலிருந்து நடந்தே போய் பெரம்பூரில் கச்சேரிகேட்ட கிறுக்குத்தனமும் உண்டு.ஆனால் அதுதான் இப்போது கவலைகளை மறக்க உதவுகிறது.
4) நடை பயிற்சி
2003 இதயத்தில் பிரச்சினை வந்து மருத்துவர் ஆலோசனையின் படி தினமும் 1 மணி நேரமாவது நடக்க வேண்டும் என்று சொன்னார். ஆனால் இது வரை ஒரு 30 நாட்கள்தான் நடந்து இருப்பேன் அவ்வளவு சோம்பேறி.. ,இரவு 12 மணிவரை முழித்து பிளாக் போடமுடியும் ஆனால் காத்தாலே எழுந்து வாக் போகமுடியாதா என்ற தங்கமணியின் புலம்பல் ஞாயமானதுதான்.
5)சக்திக்கு மீறி உதவுவது.
யாராவது உதவி என்று கேட்டு வந்து விட்டால் நம்மால் முடியுமா என்று பார்க்காமல் கண்ணைமூடிக்கொண்டு வாக்குக் கொடுத்துவிட்டு கஷ்டப்படும் கிறுக்குத்தனமும் உண்டு.இதனால் பண நஷ்டமும் உண்டு. நண்பர் ஒருவருக்கு சீட்டு எடுக்க கையெழுத்துப் போட்டுவிட்டு அவர் ஏமாற்றிவிட்டு ஊரைவிட்டு ஓடிப் போக கையைவிட்டு பணம் கட்டிய வேளையும் உண்டு.
6) மறதி
மறதி அதிகம். அதுவும் கண்ணாடியைத் தேடுவது தினசரி வேலை. அதில் என்னகிறுக்குத்தனம்என்கிறீர்களா. பாதி நாட்கள் கண்ணில் கண்ணாடியைப் போட்டுக் கொண்டு தேடுவதுதான்.அதைவிடுங்கள் ஒருதடைவை தங்கமணியுடன் ஆபீஸிலிருந்து ஸ்கூட்டரில் திரும்பும்போது சிக்னலில் தங்கமணி சரியாக உட்கார்வதற்காக இறங்கிவிட,அதைக் கவனிக்காமல் நான் ஸ்கூட்டரை கிளப்பி வழியெல்லாம் அவள் இருப்பதாக நினைத்துக்கொண்டு பேசிக்கொண்டே வீடுவரை வந்து திரும்பிப் பார்த்து த்ங்கமணியைக் காணாமல் அதிர்ச்சியடைந்ததும் உண்டு.அப்பறம் தங்கமணி ஆட்டோவில் வந்து இறங்கின பிறகு லக்ஷார்ச்சனை தான்
வல்லியம்மா உங்கள் விருப்பத்தை நிறைவேற்றிவிட்டேன்
Sunday, April 15, 2007
அழகு.....(2)
அடுத்த அழகு குழந்தை. அதுவும் ஒருவயதுக்கு உட்பட்ட குழந்தையானால் கேட்கவே வேண்டாம். மூன்று அல்லது நான்கு மாதக் குழந்தையை குளிப்பாட்டி, ஜான்சன் பௌடர் போட்டு,கண்ணுக்கு மையிட்டு,ஒரு திருஷ்டிப்பொட்டும் வைத்து கீழே படுக்கவைத்த பின்னர் அதைப் பாருங்கள்.அது கையையும் காலையும் ஆட்டிக்கொண்டு,முகத்தில் எல்லா உணர்ச்சிகளையும் காட்டிக்கொண்டு,அவ்வப்போது பொக்கைவாயால் சிரித்துகொண்டு ஊ... ஆ.. ம்ம்... என்று பேசும்முயற்சியில் ஈடுபடும்போது அதைப் பார்க்கவேண்டுமே. அதுதானய்யா அழகு...! அதுதானய்யா....பூலோக சொர்க்கம். அலுப்புத்தட்டாத அழகு. அதுதானய்யா வாழ்க்கை.. எனக்கு ஒரு எண்ணம் நாம் எல்லோரும் வாழ்க்கையைத் தொலைத்துவிட்டு காசைதேடிச் செல்லுகிறோமோ என்று. நாம் என்றுதான் காசைத்தேடுவதை கொஞ்சம் குறைத்துக்கொண்டு வாழ்க்கையைத் தேடப்போகிறோமோ? அப்படி நாம் தேடும்போது வாழ்க்கை இருக்கும் என்பது என்ன நிச்சியம்?
அடுத்த அழகு முழுநிலா.முழுநிலா முழு அழகு. கண்ணதாசன் சொல்லியது போல்"சித்திரைமாதம் முத்துரதங்கள் ஊர்வலம் போகும்" அந்த மாதத்தில் வரும் சித்ராபௌர்ணமியன்று கடற்கரைக்குச் சென்று இரவு பத்து மணிக்குமேல் உதிக்கும் முழுநிலவை பார்த்துரசிக்கும்போது அந்த அழகை சொல்லில் சொல்லிமாளாது.எங்கள் குடும்பத்தில் ஒரு வழக்கம். அனைத்து உறவினர்களும்அன்று மெரினா கடற்கரையில் கூடுவோம்.ஒவ்வொருவரும் தங்கள் வீட்டிலிருந்து
செய்து கொண்டுவந்த சித்ராஅன்னங்களைப் பகிர்ந்துஉண்டு மகிழ்ந்து நிலாவை ரசிப்போம்.
பெரியவர்கள் முதல் குழந்தைகள் வரை அனைவரும் பங்கு கொள்ளும் நிகழ்ச்சி. வீடு திரும்ப இரவு ஒரு மணி ஆகிவிடும்.இதனால் உறவினர்களை பார்த்து கலந்து உறவாடும்,உணவைப் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும்,மற்றும் இயற்கையை ரசிக்கும் நல்ல எண்ணங்கள் வளரும்.
களங்கமில்லாத முழுச் சந்திரன் அழகுதான். இருந்தாலும் களங்கமுடைய மூன்றாம்பிறைச் சந்திரனை தன் தலையில் அணிந்துகொண்ட சிவபெருமானாகிய சந்திரசேகரனும் அழகுதனே!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
அழகு
அம்பிக்கு அன்னபூரணியான திருமதி.சுதா அவர்கள் என்னை ஆறு அழகைப் பற்றி எழுத தன் பதிவில் இழுத்து விட்டு இருந்தார்.விதி யாரை விட்டது? பாவம் அவர்கள்.
அழகு என்ற சொல்லுக்கு ஏகபோக உரிமையாளன் போகரின் முருகன்தான்.அழகென்ற சொல்லுக்கு முருகா. அழகன் முருகனிடம் ஆசை வைத்தேன் போன்ற பாடல்களே சாட்சி.மலை மீது நின்றாலும் அழகு மயில் மீது நின்றாலும் ஆழகு.ஆண்டி அல்ங்காரமும் அழகு அரசன் அலங்காரமும் அழகு.முருகன் கை வேலும் அழகு கைச் சேவலும் அழகு.முருகனுடைய திருப்பாதமும் அழகு அவனைப் பற்றிய கீதமும் அழகு.இத்தகைய ஆறுமுகம் என்னிடம் மட்டும் மாறுமுகமாக இருப்பதுதான் அழகல்ல.
அழகு என்பது என்ன? எத்தனை தடவை பார்த்தாலும் அலுக்காதது அழகு(என் முகத்தை எத்தனை தரம் கண்ணாடியில் அலுக்காமால் பார்த்துக்கொள்கிறேன் அதனால் நான் அழகென்று சொல்ல முடியுமா?) பல ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் ஒரு முறை திருப்பதி சென்று பாலாஜியைப் தரிசனம்செய்துவிட்டு காஞ்சி மஹா பெரியவரை சந்தித்தேன்.அவர் சொன்ன அலுக்காத ஐந்து அழகுகள் இவைதான்.
வெங்கடசலபதியை நம்மில் எத்தனைபேர் பார்த்திருக்கிறோம் யாருக்காவது பார்த்ததுபோதும் திரும்பிவிடலாம் என்று தோன்றியிருக்கிறதா? சருகண்டி,சருகண்டி என்று தள்ளி விட்டாலும் தள்ளி நின்று பார்ப்போம்.திரும்பும்போதும் பின்பக்கமாக நடந்துகொண்டே பார்ப்போம் அலுக்காத அந்த அழகை. சார் நாளைக்கு காரில் திருப்பதி போகிறோம் இடம் இருக்கு வருகிறீர்களா என்று யாராவது கேட்டால் இல்லையப்பா ஏற்கனவே நான் பார்த்துவிட்டேன் வேறு ஏதாவது கோயிலுக்கு போனால் வருகிறேன் என்று சொல்வோமா? அதுதானய்யா பாலாஜியின் அலுக்காத ஆகர்ஷ்ண அழகு.
அடுத்தது அழகு யானை . சிறுவயது முதல் யானையை எத்தனையோ தடவை பார்த்திருக்கிறேன்.அலுத்ததே கிடையாது. அத்தனை அழகு. அது தலையை ஆட்டுவது,காதை ஆட்டுவது,
காலைத்தூக்கி பாகனை மேலே ஏற்றிகொள்வது,கம்பீரமாக நடந்து வருவது,
குருவாயூரில் தன்மேல்அந்தக் கண்ணனைத் தூக்கிக்கொண்டு சீவேலி சுத்திவருவது,அவன் முன்பு பிளிறி
நமஸ்காரம்பண்ணுவதுஇப்படி யானையைப் பற்றி அழகான விஷயங்களைப் பற்றிச் சொல்லிகொண்டே போகலாம்
அழகு என்ற சொல்லுக்கு ஏகபோக உரிமையாளன் போகரின் முருகன்தான்.அழகென்ற சொல்லுக்கு முருகா. அழகன் முருகனிடம் ஆசை வைத்தேன் போன்ற பாடல்களே சாட்சி.மலை மீது நின்றாலும் அழகு மயில் மீது நின்றாலும் ஆழகு.ஆண்டி அல்ங்காரமும் அழகு அரசன் அலங்காரமும் அழகு.முருகன் கை வேலும் அழகு கைச் சேவலும் அழகு.முருகனுடைய திருப்பாதமும் அழகு அவனைப் பற்றிய கீதமும் அழகு.இத்தகைய ஆறுமுகம் என்னிடம் மட்டும் மாறுமுகமாக இருப்பதுதான் அழகல்ல.
அழகு என்பது என்ன? எத்தனை தடவை பார்த்தாலும் அலுக்காதது அழகு(என் முகத்தை எத்தனை தரம் கண்ணாடியில் அலுக்காமால் பார்த்துக்கொள்கிறேன் அதனால் நான் அழகென்று சொல்ல முடியுமா?) பல ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் ஒரு முறை திருப்பதி சென்று பாலாஜியைப் தரிசனம்செய்துவிட்டு காஞ்சி மஹா பெரியவரை சந்தித்தேன்.அவர் சொன்ன அலுக்காத ஐந்து அழகுகள் இவைதான்.வெங்கடசலபதியை நம்மில் எத்தனைபேர் பார்த்திருக்கிறோம் யாருக்காவது பார்த்ததுபோதும் திரும்பிவிடலாம் என்று தோன்றியிருக்கிறதா? சருகண்டி,சருகண்டி என்று தள்ளி விட்டாலும் தள்ளி நின்று பார்ப்போம்.திரும்பும்போதும் பின்பக்கமாக நடந்துகொண்டே பார்ப்போம் அலுக்காத அந்த அழகை. சார் நாளைக்கு காரில் திருப்பதி போகிறோம் இடம் இருக்கு வருகிறீர்களா என்று யாராவது கேட்டால் இல்லையப்பா ஏற்கனவே நான் பார்த்துவிட்டேன் வேறு ஏதாவது கோயிலுக்கு போனால் வருகிறேன் என்று சொல்வோமா? அதுதானய்யா பாலாஜியின் அலுக்காத ஆகர்ஷ்ண அழகு.
அடுத்தது அழகு யானை . சிறுவயது முதல் யானையை எத்தனையோ தடவை பார்த்திருக்கிறேன்.அலுத்ததே கிடையாது. அத்தனை அழகு. அது தலையை ஆட்டுவது,காதை ஆட்டுவது,காலைத்தூக்கி பாகனை மேலே ஏற்றிகொள்வது,கம்பீரமாக நடந்து வருவது,
குருவாயூரில் தன்மேல்அந்தக் கண்ணனைத் தூக்கிக்கொண்டு சீவேலி சுத்திவருவது,அவன் முன்பு பிளிறி
நமஸ்காரம்பண்ணுவதுஇப்படி யானையைப் பற்றி அழகான விஷயங்களைப் பற்றிச் சொல்லிகொண்டே போகலாம்
அலை அழகு. பலமுறை கடற்கரைக்கு சென்று கரையோரம் அமர்ந்து அலைகளின் அணிவகுப்பின் அழகை அனுபவித்திருக்கிறேன்.பெரிய அலை வரும் பின்னாலேயே அதைத்தொடர்ந்து வரும் சின்ன அலை.இப்படி தொடர்ந்துவரும் அலைகளின் வரிசை பார்க்க பார்க்க அலுக்காத அழகு.. கடலில் இறங்கிவிட்டால் கேட்கவே வேண்டாம் அலைகள் வரும் தண்ணீரை விட்டு காலை எடுக்க மனமே வராது.இருண்ட பிறகு ஒருவித பயத்துடன் அலைகளின் ஆர்பாட்டமும் அழகுதான்.அது சுனாமியாக சீறும்போதும் அழகுதான்.அதையும் அன்று கடலூரில் இருந்தபோது பார்த்தேன்,
மற்ற இரண்டு அழகுகளை அடுத்த பதிவில் பார்ப்போமா!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
A TRIBUTE TO SRI SUBBUDU
SUBBUDU: A TRIBUTE
(Talk delivered at the 85th Birthday Celebrations of Subbudu on 07.04.2002, Chennai)
N. Vittal, Central Vigilance Commissioner
There are some people who bring excitement and electricity wherever they go.
Such people add spice to our life. Otherwise our life will be dull. Subbudu is eminently
one of those rare persons who add spice to our lives. It is indeed remarkable that at the
age of 85 he has retained his full mental vigour and sense of humour. We pray that God
must bless him with a long life and he must complete a century! Shatam jiva Sharadah!
We can also say: “Jiyo tum hazar baras. Har baras ke din ho pachas hazar!”
2 Subbudu is a very unique type of critic especially in music and particularly South
Indian Carnatic music. I think what has enabled Subbudu to survive is his sense of
humour. I recall a few months ago on 13th October 2001, I was asked to honour Subbudu
by presenting him a bracelet by the Karnataka Sangeetha Sabha at Delhi. As I applied
the bracelet to his wrist, Subbudu said: “Oh God! The Central Vigilance Commissioner is
arresting me!” Such spontaneous sense of humour is perhaps the most remarkable
feature for Subbudu.
3 It was Edward Debono who pointed out how humour makes the truth stand on his
head. It is humour that makes us accept realities which we normally won’t accept. “A
spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” as Mary Poppins would say. The role of
court jesters like Tenaliraman in Krishnadeva Raya’s court or Birbal in Akbar’s court
was to point out to the all powerful kings that things could be wrong and present the truth
in such a way that does not result in disaster, firstly to themselves and then to the king
and the country.
4 It is the heavy dose of humour which underlines the speeches and writings of
Subbudu which has made him a remarkable music critic. Subbudu is unique in the field
of arts, especially Carnatic classical music and dance. He has carried on the tradition of
Kalki, the many splendoured genius of Tamil who was a trail blazer in many areas, be it
historical novels, musical criticism, appreciation of art or political analysis. In fact the
very emergence of Subbudu as a critic of music in the Tamil cultural scene goes to back
to his piece on the artist Sattur Subramaniam. Subbudu wrote, “When Sattur sings Tamil
songs, he should give importance to the lyrics. There should also be emotion. In
Papanasam Sivan’s Athana Kirthana Ni iranga enil when Sattur sang it appeared as if
somebody was threatening a person who had got on to a tree to the effect that if you do
not get down, I will break your leg.” Subbudu added a tail piece to his comment saying
that he was completing his loud mouth exercise in verbal excess with that comment.
Kalki not only published Subbudu’s criticism but also added a word of praise that the
“loud mouth” was very good. Adhikaprasangam bale joraiyya! This excited Subbudu
and he launched on to his career and a very effective career as a critic. As he himself
says, his writings had very interesting results. “Controversies were started. He received
lawyer notices. He was beaten up in Tiruvvaiyyaru. There were announcements that
dogs and Subbudu were not allowed etc. From all this he realised that the criticism was
really effective”.
5 The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The proof of a critic’s competence is
the impact he is able to create. If we measure Subbudu’s contribution on this scale, we
will find that he had had a tremendous impact, perhaps next only to Kalki. While Kalki
as a genius covered not only music criticism but other aspects of literature and politics,
Subbudu has specialized in the area of music and dance criticism. I am saying this with
an advance apology to him because I do not know what are his other achievements. But
about one fact I am absolutely certain. As a music critic I think he has carved for himself
a special niche. He will be the Dhruvatara or the Pole Star for the art of music criticism.
6 The reason I say this is because he represents in the best sense the basic function
of an objective critic. Tiruvalluvar has already given the definition of objectivity. Just as
the weighing scales do not tilt in any direction and give the objective weight, a critic also
must be able to have objectivity. Saman seithu seer tukum kol pol amainthu oru pal
kodamai sandrorkani. His analytical skill is what makes his writings elegant. It is an
example of what Tiruvalluvar said. Nun maan nuzhaipulam illan, ezil nalam man maan
punai pavai attru. The appearance of a person externally who does not have the capacity
for analysis is like a well-decorated mud doll. The way in which Subbudu chooses his
words in his criticism again is an example of what Tiruvalluvar meant. Solluga sollai
pirithuor sol achhollai vellum sol inmai arinthyu. You must say the words in such a
way that there is no other word that can conquer it.
7 Subbudu also stands for the spirit of independent and objective inquiry. Again if
we take the definition of Tiruvalluvar who said that whatever one may hear, one should
analyze the truth. Epporul yar yar vai ketpinum approrul meipporul kanbathu arivu.
His bold comments about the contributions of Muthuswami Dikshitar when the
bicentenary of Dikshitar was observed brought out the many sterling qualities of
Subbudu. The first is his capacity to take on the so-called saints, the Trimurthi’s of
Carnatic music. His criticism was based on an objective analysis on the path indicated by
Valluvar. It led to controversy. But when one follows the give and take in the whole
debate, we find finally Subbudu comes out trumps. He also personifies in our times the
spirit of Nakkeeran who had the courage to point out to the Lord Shiva himself that he
could be wrong. He showed a rare courage when Lord Shiva opened his third eye “Netri
kan kattinalum kutram kutrame”, said Nakkeeran.
8 Some aspects of Subbudu’s writings are worth noting at this stage. As he himself
says in his writing there is karam (hot taste) but no krodham (anger). Mischievously he
also traces his character to astrology. His lagna is Vrischika and his star is Rohini.
Vrischika is scorpion and Rohini is the star of Krishna Paramatma. So he would always
be stinging like the scorpion or also creating waves like Lord Krishna. (page 19 Isai
Tukada)
9 In fact his association with Nakkeeran comes out in his final comments on the
debate about Muthuswami Dikshitar as Nakkeeran said. “Even if you show the third eye,
a mistake is still a mistake” At the same time he is humble enough to accept when he
makes a mistake. In the same article he says that for the Gamanashrama raga, he wrongly
identified Nishagam (page 94, Isai Natya Vimarsanam)
10 Subbudu carries on the Kalki’s tradition of intelligent, constructive and fair
criticism of music and art. In the process, criticism itself becomes an art. It was Ananda
Coomaraswamy in his classic book, “The Dance of Siva” who pointed out how art is
created. The artisan or the craftsman creates the object but when the viewer appreciates
it, that object becomes a piece of art. Every discipline of arts, be it music, painting or
dance has its own grammar. There could be a dispute about whether grammar precedes
art or vice versa. Naturally it is art that is produced first and grammar follows. Subbudu
himself has pointed out how some professor has even written a book separately for
Shakespearean grammar. Shri Karunanidhi while presiding over one of the music festival
programmes had gone into the issue of music and language. He has pointed out how
“music was an art for enjoyment for which there can be no limit. We can appreciate
music in the movement of the breeze, we can hear it the procession of the bees, there is
music in the waterfall, there is music in the river, in the waves of the sea, in the boat
rocked by the waves, there is music in the voice of the koel, there is music in the lisping
of the child, there is music in war, there is music in the competitive ground, there is
music when one lives, music when one dies, where is the place where there is no music?
Which is the object in which there is no music?”
11 There has always been a controversy of about the language of lyrics for music.
For a long time Carnatic music was dominated by lyrics in Telugu and Sanskrit. The need
for significantly including Tamil lyrics was highlighted by the Tamil music movement
led by Kalki. Subbudu has always supported this development. He has also played a part
in making people realize how some of the most erotic poems like the Jayadeva’s Gita
Govindam and Astapadi in particular were being sung as devotional music whereas if the
true meaning of those verses were known, perhaps many would have either avoided them
as not suitable for classical music concerts or would have treated them only as a piece of
literature.
12 What is role played by the critic in art? His role is very significant. Ultimately it
is the critic who helps us to develop a sense of appreciation of the art. The best art by
itself will influence every person by its own magnetism. Nevertheless, when we
understand the nuances and the implications and if the critic is available with us to show
us the way, then our appreciation gets an added dimension and ideas for appreciating the
art from different angles. It was Edward De Bono who said that ideas are the spectacles
with which we looked at facts. It is the critic who provides us with the spectacles with
which we can appreciate art. Of course, one can object that the spectacles we get are
those, which were preferred by the critic, and to that extent the critic may influence us
and transfer his bias to us. But that is probably part of the bargain. The same critic can
also help us to develop our own faculties because once we have started appreciating the
art from one angle and if we have the artistic sentiment in our own turn, we will develop
our sensibilities. This will be obvious how we look at the dynamics of art and follow it
develops. The raga is the same but its rendering depends upon the imagination and skill
of different artists. The same colours are available for every painter but each one paints
in a different way. The same notes are available for every musician but each one plays
them in his own way. Even the same raga, subject to the overall broad grammar of the
music can provide excellent opportunities for the display of artistic imagination of the
different artists. It is here I think a competent or inspired musical genius plays his part.
What Subbudu has done is to make us appreciate both these aspects normally the
grammar of music and beauty of music as an art. The special feature of Subbudu, which
he has inherited from Kalki, is his sense of humour. A little bit of sugar makes the
medicine goes down, said Mary Poppins. Probably a little bit of humour makes the
criticism stick. Unfortunately while the humour can add the requisite dose of pungency
to the criticism and make the point tellingly, those who are at the receiving end are likely
to bristle at the sting of humour.
13 The role played by the critic in increasing the appreciation of art can also be
recalled in connection with what Paluskar is supposed to have said in a different context.
He said: “I might not have produced a lot of Tansens but I have produced a lot of
Kansens”. In other words, Paluskar pointed that he might not have produced great
musicians but had produced a lot of people who can appreciate music. Kansens are the
rasikas, the fans of music. In this context the interesting story of Ariyakkudi Ramanuja
Iyengar mentioned by Subbudu is worth recalling. (Page 39-40, Isai Tukada).
14 In Kanadu Kathan when Ariyakkudi performed a concert, the patron who had
arranged the programme not only gave him a lot of money but also complimented
Ariyakkudi stating that compared to his earlier concerned four years ago, the current
performance was much better and he wished that Ariyakkudi would continue to improve.
Ariyakkudi had the last word. He said: “I have been singing in the same fashion. Perhaps
the capacity and knowledge on the part of the patron might have improved!”
15 Another interesting aspect of Subbudu is his willingness to say the truth
irrespective of whether the society is willing to listen or not. Many a time his comments
may be ahead of time. He had made some critical comments against one of the greatest
musicians Madurai Mani Iyer and his negative comments were seen as an attempt at over
reaching by some people. Subbudu describes himself in this context as the Cho of music.
Cho Ramaswamy through his Tuglak has been very open and effective in political
criticism, thanks to his excellence sense of humour. The same is true of Subbudu. As he
says, his job is to blow the horn. En kadamai uthukira sanghai uthuvathu. There is a
Tamil proverb that says let us blow the horn; that is our duty. Let the sun rise whenever it
wants.
16 Subbudu also points out humorously in many cases where the artists try to indulge
in excesses of their art and in the process ultimately destroying the whole effect. Talking
about emotion in music, during a concert, he says that there is a limit to emotions. But
one cannot by emotion make a musical concert into a bharatanatyam dance performance.
In the context of MD Ramanathan’s performance, he drew attention to such excesses
(page 114, Isai Tukada)
17 When we look at the performance of Subbudu as a critic, we realize the truth of
what Dr Chandrasekhar observed in his memorable piece Truth and Beauty. In that book
he said that when you compare scientific genius with artistic genius, there is a major
difference. Artistic genius flourishes through out life. He cites Beethoven and
Shakespeare in support. On the other hand scientific genius flowers best before the age of
30 and he gives Newton as an example. In the field of art therefore no wonder Subbudu
was continuously shining and improving with age giving one more example of the truth
behind Dr Chandrasekhar.
18 We are seeing the impact of Kalki on Subbudu both in the style of criticism and
the mischievous humour which makes it all the more effective and memorable. He pays a
tribute rightly to Kalki. Tamil music today is the result of the campaign of Kalki and the
result of the power of his pen. I wonder as suggested by him whether any book has been
published about Kalki’s campaign for Tamil music. (page 116, Isai Tukada)
19 Another positive aspect of Subbudu has been his consistent effort at encouraging
young artists. In many places we find that Subbudu’s word of encouragement has had
tremendous impact on the growth and flowering of the talent of artists. These artists I
hope will remember about what Tiruvalluvar says: kalathinal saita nanri sirutheninum
njalathinum manapiravu.
20 While he has encouraged the young artists he has also simultaneously taken the
initiative to see that senior artists who have contributed significantly to music were
honoured. His campaign for Sangeeta Kalanidhi for MLV and the honouring of
Papanasam Sivan the lyricist are examples of this side of Subbudu’s personality.
21 Subbudu also provides a well-needed corrective to some of the attitudes, which
have grown over the years. He quotes someone saying, “a Madrasi is the best second rate
brain in the world”. He says this in the context of how the South Indians are honouring
even second rate artists from the North and at the same time South Indian music is not
appreciated in the North. He says “I am also listening Hindustani music from my birth. I
am also commenting upon them in Delhi papers. I am writing without being afraid of
any one. In fact, there is nothing great in Hindustani music apart from the purity of the
shruti. It is because of the lack of purity of shruti that South Indian music is not perhaps
appreciated in the North. Further in Hindustani music, every artist specializes in specific
aspect – khayal, dhrupad, thapa, thumri etc. So far as rhythm (tala) is concerned, they
are still at an elementary level. (page 153, Isai Tukada)
22 Observations by Subbudu of this type help one to appreciate the relative merits
and weaknesses of the two major styles of Indian classical music. He has been trying to
educate people through his writings about the fact that effective criticism itself is an art.
He said that whatever he writes, people think that Subbudu was making negative
comments and observations for their own sake. As he points out this perception prevails
because this art of music criticism is new to India (page 141, Isai Tukada)
23 He goes on to point out how Bernard Shaw while reviewing a violin performance
spent 2-3 paragraphs on the description of the hall and the stage arrangements and then
merely said that in such a place that the artist played his violin. If the violinist had
chosen carpentry as a profession, he would have performed better. This was the
conclusion one can draw from the way he handled his violin.
24 There has also been criticism that Subbudu had focused on the grammar of the art
rather than the performance of the art. One critic Shri T S Padmanabhan from Calcutta
writing on the controversy relating to Dikshitar says that Subbudu instead of appreciating
the beauty of the painting is going into the analysis of the colour combination, the metal
content of the paint etc. I am not a musicologist but I am sure that while we appreciate
overall impact music has on us at the emotional level and the level of sensuousness,
going back to the distinction made by Coomaraswamy between the artisan and the person
who appreciates art, any music critic will have to take into account not only the overall
impact but also the grammar of music. As I am not a musicologist, I cannot say whether
what Subbudu says is true all the time. He himself can make a mistake as he has
confessed in the issue relating to Dikshitar’s Gamanasrama Raga.
25 In his introduction to the book Isai Tukada, Subbudu says that he never realised
that the white ants had so much interest in music. He came to this conclusion when he
discovered that nearly 75% of his collection of the comments and reviews of musical
performances which he had been doing for the last 50-60 years and which was kept in a
loft was damaged by the white ants.
26 The Tamil word for white ant is Karayan. With a little twist of the word karayan
by replacing the small ‘Ra’ in Tamil with the big ‘Ra’ one can say that Subbudu himself
is a Karayan because he has mastered the whole art of music and dance from the point of
view of a critic. In Tamil, the proof of having mastered anything is to have dissolved it
and drunk it – karaithu kudithal. He can also be said to have crossed the limits of the
ocean of knowledge in music and art. In other words, he has seen the karai or banks of
ocean of music. He can also be called a karayan because he takes a lot of akkarai
(interest) in music. Of course, the people who are the unfortunate victims of the
comments of Subbudu perpetually carry the karai (stigma). We can also see that
Subbudu has dissolved himself in music. So long as Carnatic music and Bharatnatyam
flourish, the name of Subbudu as an intelligent, vigorous, bold, humorous, objective and
effective critic with an enormous influence will remain immortal.
******
(Talk delivered at the 85th Birthday Celebrations of Subbudu on 07.04.2002, Chennai)
N. Vittal, Central Vigilance Commissioner
There are some people who bring excitement and electricity wherever they go.
Such people add spice to our life. Otherwise our life will be dull. Subbudu is eminently
one of those rare persons who add spice to our lives. It is indeed remarkable that at the
age of 85 he has retained his full mental vigour and sense of humour. We pray that God
must bless him with a long life and he must complete a century! Shatam jiva Sharadah!
We can also say: “Jiyo tum hazar baras. Har baras ke din ho pachas hazar!”
2 Subbudu is a very unique type of critic especially in music and particularly South
Indian Carnatic music. I think what has enabled Subbudu to survive is his sense of
humour. I recall a few months ago on 13th October 2001, I was asked to honour Subbudu
by presenting him a bracelet by the Karnataka Sangeetha Sabha at Delhi. As I applied
the bracelet to his wrist, Subbudu said: “Oh God! The Central Vigilance Commissioner is
arresting me!” Such spontaneous sense of humour is perhaps the most remarkable
feature for Subbudu.
3 It was Edward Debono who pointed out how humour makes the truth stand on his
head. It is humour that makes us accept realities which we normally won’t accept. “A
spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” as Mary Poppins would say. The role of
court jesters like Tenaliraman in Krishnadeva Raya’s court or Birbal in Akbar’s court
was to point out to the all powerful kings that things could be wrong and present the truth
in such a way that does not result in disaster, firstly to themselves and then to the king
and the country.
4 It is the heavy dose of humour which underlines the speeches and writings of
Subbudu which has made him a remarkable music critic. Subbudu is unique in the field
of arts, especially Carnatic classical music and dance. He has carried on the tradition of
Kalki, the many splendoured genius of Tamil who was a trail blazer in many areas, be it
historical novels, musical criticism, appreciation of art or political analysis. In fact the
very emergence of Subbudu as a critic of music in the Tamil cultural scene goes to back
to his piece on the artist Sattur Subramaniam. Subbudu wrote, “When Sattur sings Tamil
songs, he should give importance to the lyrics. There should also be emotion. In
Papanasam Sivan’s Athana Kirthana Ni iranga enil when Sattur sang it appeared as if
somebody was threatening a person who had got on to a tree to the effect that if you do
not get down, I will break your leg.” Subbudu added a tail piece to his comment saying
that he was completing his loud mouth exercise in verbal excess with that comment.
Kalki not only published Subbudu’s criticism but also added a word of praise that the
“loud mouth” was very good. Adhikaprasangam bale joraiyya! This excited Subbudu
and he launched on to his career and a very effective career as a critic. As he himself
says, his writings had very interesting results. “Controversies were started. He received
lawyer notices. He was beaten up in Tiruvvaiyyaru. There were announcements that
dogs and Subbudu were not allowed etc. From all this he realised that the criticism was
really effective”.
5 The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The proof of a critic’s competence is
the impact he is able to create. If we measure Subbudu’s contribution on this scale, we
will find that he had had a tremendous impact, perhaps next only to Kalki. While Kalki
as a genius covered not only music criticism but other aspects of literature and politics,
Subbudu has specialized in the area of music and dance criticism. I am saying this with
an advance apology to him because I do not know what are his other achievements. But
about one fact I am absolutely certain. As a music critic I think he has carved for himself
a special niche. He will be the Dhruvatara or the Pole Star for the art of music criticism.
6 The reason I say this is because he represents in the best sense the basic function
of an objective critic. Tiruvalluvar has already given the definition of objectivity. Just as
the weighing scales do not tilt in any direction and give the objective weight, a critic also
must be able to have objectivity. Saman seithu seer tukum kol pol amainthu oru pal
kodamai sandrorkani. His analytical skill is what makes his writings elegant. It is an
example of what Tiruvalluvar said. Nun maan nuzhaipulam illan, ezil nalam man maan
punai pavai attru. The appearance of a person externally who does not have the capacity
for analysis is like a well-decorated mud doll. The way in which Subbudu chooses his
words in his criticism again is an example of what Tiruvalluvar meant. Solluga sollai
pirithuor sol achhollai vellum sol inmai arinthyu. You must say the words in such a
way that there is no other word that can conquer it.
7 Subbudu also stands for the spirit of independent and objective inquiry. Again if
we take the definition of Tiruvalluvar who said that whatever one may hear, one should
analyze the truth. Epporul yar yar vai ketpinum approrul meipporul kanbathu arivu.
His bold comments about the contributions of Muthuswami Dikshitar when the
bicentenary of Dikshitar was observed brought out the many sterling qualities of
Subbudu. The first is his capacity to take on the so-called saints, the Trimurthi’s of
Carnatic music. His criticism was based on an objective analysis on the path indicated by
Valluvar. It led to controversy. But when one follows the give and take in the whole
debate, we find finally Subbudu comes out trumps. He also personifies in our times the
spirit of Nakkeeran who had the courage to point out to the Lord Shiva himself that he
could be wrong. He showed a rare courage when Lord Shiva opened his third eye “Netri
kan kattinalum kutram kutrame”, said Nakkeeran.
8 Some aspects of Subbudu’s writings are worth noting at this stage. As he himself
says in his writing there is karam (hot taste) but no krodham (anger). Mischievously he
also traces his character to astrology. His lagna is Vrischika and his star is Rohini.
Vrischika is scorpion and Rohini is the star of Krishna Paramatma. So he would always
be stinging like the scorpion or also creating waves like Lord Krishna. (page 19 Isai
Tukada)
9 In fact his association with Nakkeeran comes out in his final comments on the
debate about Muthuswami Dikshitar as Nakkeeran said. “Even if you show the third eye,
a mistake is still a mistake” At the same time he is humble enough to accept when he
makes a mistake. In the same article he says that for the Gamanashrama raga, he wrongly
identified Nishagam (page 94, Isai Natya Vimarsanam)
10 Subbudu carries on the Kalki’s tradition of intelligent, constructive and fair
criticism of music and art. In the process, criticism itself becomes an art. It was Ananda
Coomaraswamy in his classic book, “The Dance of Siva” who pointed out how art is
created. The artisan or the craftsman creates the object but when the viewer appreciates
it, that object becomes a piece of art. Every discipline of arts, be it music, painting or
dance has its own grammar. There could be a dispute about whether grammar precedes
art or vice versa. Naturally it is art that is produced first and grammar follows. Subbudu
himself has pointed out how some professor has even written a book separately for
Shakespearean grammar. Shri Karunanidhi while presiding over one of the music festival
programmes had gone into the issue of music and language. He has pointed out how
“music was an art for enjoyment for which there can be no limit. We can appreciate
music in the movement of the breeze, we can hear it the procession of the bees, there is
music in the waterfall, there is music in the river, in the waves of the sea, in the boat
rocked by the waves, there is music in the voice of the koel, there is music in the lisping
of the child, there is music in war, there is music in the competitive ground, there is
music when one lives, music when one dies, where is the place where there is no music?
Which is the object in which there is no music?”
11 There has always been a controversy of about the language of lyrics for music.
For a long time Carnatic music was dominated by lyrics in Telugu and Sanskrit. The need
for significantly including Tamil lyrics was highlighted by the Tamil music movement
led by Kalki. Subbudu has always supported this development. He has also played a part
in making people realize how some of the most erotic poems like the Jayadeva’s Gita
Govindam and Astapadi in particular were being sung as devotional music whereas if the
true meaning of those verses were known, perhaps many would have either avoided them
as not suitable for classical music concerts or would have treated them only as a piece of
literature.
12 What is role played by the critic in art? His role is very significant. Ultimately it
is the critic who helps us to develop a sense of appreciation of the art. The best art by
itself will influence every person by its own magnetism. Nevertheless, when we
understand the nuances and the implications and if the critic is available with us to show
us the way, then our appreciation gets an added dimension and ideas for appreciating the
art from different angles. It was Edward De Bono who said that ideas are the spectacles
with which we looked at facts. It is the critic who provides us with the spectacles with
which we can appreciate art. Of course, one can object that the spectacles we get are
those, which were preferred by the critic, and to that extent the critic may influence us
and transfer his bias to us. But that is probably part of the bargain. The same critic can
also help us to develop our own faculties because once we have started appreciating the
art from one angle and if we have the artistic sentiment in our own turn, we will develop
our sensibilities. This will be obvious how we look at the dynamics of art and follow it
develops. The raga is the same but its rendering depends upon the imagination and skill
of different artists. The same colours are available for every painter but each one paints
in a different way. The same notes are available for every musician but each one plays
them in his own way. Even the same raga, subject to the overall broad grammar of the
music can provide excellent opportunities for the display of artistic imagination of the
different artists. It is here I think a competent or inspired musical genius plays his part.
What Subbudu has done is to make us appreciate both these aspects normally the
grammar of music and beauty of music as an art. The special feature of Subbudu, which
he has inherited from Kalki, is his sense of humour. A little bit of sugar makes the
medicine goes down, said Mary Poppins. Probably a little bit of humour makes the
criticism stick. Unfortunately while the humour can add the requisite dose of pungency
to the criticism and make the point tellingly, those who are at the receiving end are likely
to bristle at the sting of humour.
13 The role played by the critic in increasing the appreciation of art can also be
recalled in connection with what Paluskar is supposed to have said in a different context.
He said: “I might not have produced a lot of Tansens but I have produced a lot of
Kansens”. In other words, Paluskar pointed that he might not have produced great
musicians but had produced a lot of people who can appreciate music. Kansens are the
rasikas, the fans of music. In this context the interesting story of Ariyakkudi Ramanuja
Iyengar mentioned by Subbudu is worth recalling. (Page 39-40, Isai Tukada).
14 In Kanadu Kathan when Ariyakkudi performed a concert, the patron who had
arranged the programme not only gave him a lot of money but also complimented
Ariyakkudi stating that compared to his earlier concerned four years ago, the current
performance was much better and he wished that Ariyakkudi would continue to improve.
Ariyakkudi had the last word. He said: “I have been singing in the same fashion. Perhaps
the capacity and knowledge on the part of the patron might have improved!”
15 Another interesting aspect of Subbudu is his willingness to say the truth
irrespective of whether the society is willing to listen or not. Many a time his comments
may be ahead of time. He had made some critical comments against one of the greatest
musicians Madurai Mani Iyer and his negative comments were seen as an attempt at over
reaching by some people. Subbudu describes himself in this context as the Cho of music.
Cho Ramaswamy through his Tuglak has been very open and effective in political
criticism, thanks to his excellence sense of humour. The same is true of Subbudu. As he
says, his job is to blow the horn. En kadamai uthukira sanghai uthuvathu. There is a
Tamil proverb that says let us blow the horn; that is our duty. Let the sun rise whenever it
wants.
16 Subbudu also points out humorously in many cases where the artists try to indulge
in excesses of their art and in the process ultimately destroying the whole effect. Talking
about emotion in music, during a concert, he says that there is a limit to emotions. But
one cannot by emotion make a musical concert into a bharatanatyam dance performance.
In the context of MD Ramanathan’s performance, he drew attention to such excesses
(page 114, Isai Tukada)
17 When we look at the performance of Subbudu as a critic, we realize the truth of
what Dr Chandrasekhar observed in his memorable piece Truth and Beauty. In that book
he said that when you compare scientific genius with artistic genius, there is a major
difference. Artistic genius flourishes through out life. He cites Beethoven and
Shakespeare in support. On the other hand scientific genius flowers best before the age of
30 and he gives Newton as an example. In the field of art therefore no wonder Subbudu
was continuously shining and improving with age giving one more example of the truth
behind Dr Chandrasekhar.
18 We are seeing the impact of Kalki on Subbudu both in the style of criticism and
the mischievous humour which makes it all the more effective and memorable. He pays a
tribute rightly to Kalki. Tamil music today is the result of the campaign of Kalki and the
result of the power of his pen. I wonder as suggested by him whether any book has been
published about Kalki’s campaign for Tamil music. (page 116, Isai Tukada)
19 Another positive aspect of Subbudu has been his consistent effort at encouraging
young artists. In many places we find that Subbudu’s word of encouragement has had
tremendous impact on the growth and flowering of the talent of artists. These artists I
hope will remember about what Tiruvalluvar says: kalathinal saita nanri sirutheninum
njalathinum manapiravu.
20 While he has encouraged the young artists he has also simultaneously taken the
initiative to see that senior artists who have contributed significantly to music were
honoured. His campaign for Sangeeta Kalanidhi for MLV and the honouring of
Papanasam Sivan the lyricist are examples of this side of Subbudu’s personality.
21 Subbudu also provides a well-needed corrective to some of the attitudes, which
have grown over the years. He quotes someone saying, “a Madrasi is the best second rate
brain in the world”. He says this in the context of how the South Indians are honouring
even second rate artists from the North and at the same time South Indian music is not
appreciated in the North. He says “I am also listening Hindustani music from my birth. I
am also commenting upon them in Delhi papers. I am writing without being afraid of
any one. In fact, there is nothing great in Hindustani music apart from the purity of the
shruti. It is because of the lack of purity of shruti that South Indian music is not perhaps
appreciated in the North. Further in Hindustani music, every artist specializes in specific
aspect – khayal, dhrupad, thapa, thumri etc. So far as rhythm (tala) is concerned, they
are still at an elementary level. (page 153, Isai Tukada)
22 Observations by Subbudu of this type help one to appreciate the relative merits
and weaknesses of the two major styles of Indian classical music. He has been trying to
educate people through his writings about the fact that effective criticism itself is an art.
He said that whatever he writes, people think that Subbudu was making negative
comments and observations for their own sake. As he points out this perception prevails
because this art of music criticism is new to India (page 141, Isai Tukada)
23 He goes on to point out how Bernard Shaw while reviewing a violin performance
spent 2-3 paragraphs on the description of the hall and the stage arrangements and then
merely said that in such a place that the artist played his violin. If the violinist had
chosen carpentry as a profession, he would have performed better. This was the
conclusion one can draw from the way he handled his violin.
24 There has also been criticism that Subbudu had focused on the grammar of the art
rather than the performance of the art. One critic Shri T S Padmanabhan from Calcutta
writing on the controversy relating to Dikshitar says that Subbudu instead of appreciating
the beauty of the painting is going into the analysis of the colour combination, the metal
content of the paint etc. I am not a musicologist but I am sure that while we appreciate
overall impact music has on us at the emotional level and the level of sensuousness,
going back to the distinction made by Coomaraswamy between the artisan and the person
who appreciates art, any music critic will have to take into account not only the overall
impact but also the grammar of music. As I am not a musicologist, I cannot say whether
what Subbudu says is true all the time. He himself can make a mistake as he has
confessed in the issue relating to Dikshitar’s Gamanasrama Raga.
25 In his introduction to the book Isai Tukada, Subbudu says that he never realised
that the white ants had so much interest in music. He came to this conclusion when he
discovered that nearly 75% of his collection of the comments and reviews of musical
performances which he had been doing for the last 50-60 years and which was kept in a
loft was damaged by the white ants.
26 The Tamil word for white ant is Karayan. With a little twist of the word karayan
by replacing the small ‘Ra’ in Tamil with the big ‘Ra’ one can say that Subbudu himself
is a Karayan because he has mastered the whole art of music and dance from the point of
view of a critic. In Tamil, the proof of having mastered anything is to have dissolved it
and drunk it – karaithu kudithal. He can also be said to have crossed the limits of the
ocean of knowledge in music and art. In other words, he has seen the karai or banks of
ocean of music. He can also be called a karayan because he takes a lot of akkarai
(interest) in music. Of course, the people who are the unfortunate victims of the
comments of Subbudu perpetually carry the karai (stigma). We can also see that
Subbudu has dissolved himself in music. So long as Carnatic music and Bharatnatyam
flourish, the name of Subbudu as an intelligent, vigorous, bold, humorous, objective and
effective critic with an enormous influence will remain immortal.
******
Sunday, April 01, 2007
குருவே சரணம்
எனக்கு ஒரு சிறிய அளவிற்கு சங்கீதத்தைப் பற்றியும், அதைப் பற்றி எழுத்தில் வடிப்பதற்கும் அறிவை ஊட்டியவரும், பல பெரிய சங்கீத வித்வான்களிடமும் அறிமுகமும் செய்வித்தவரும் எனது குருநாதருமான திரு. பி.வி.சுப்ரமணியம் என்கிற அனைவருக்கும் தெரிந்த "சுப்புடு" அவர்கள் 29/03/2007 டெல்லியில்தனது 91ஆம்வயதில் இயற்கை எய்தினார் என்ற செய்தி மிகுந்த மன வருத்தைத் தருகிறது. அவரது பெருமையைப் பற்றி நான் ஒன்றும் பெரிதாகச் சொல்லவேணடாம் மேதகு இந்தியாவின் ஜனாதிபதி திரு. அப்துல்கலாம் அவர்களே நேரில் சென்று மலர் வளையம் வைத்து மரியாதை செலுத்தினார் என்றால் பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். பல வித்வான்கள் தவறாகப் பாடும் போது குட்டி சுட்டிக் காட்டிய அவரின் பேனா பல இளம் கலைஞ்ர்களை ஊக்குவித்து உலகிற்கு சுட்டிக் காட்டியதற்கும் உதவியது.கீழே 1970 களில் அவருக்கு நான் உதவியாளனாக இருந்தபோது எடுத்தப் படம் அவருக்குப் பின்னால் அமர்ந்திருக்கும் பாக்கியம் கிடைத்தது.
அன்னாரின் ஆத்மா சாந்தி அடைக.
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