Death and birth

Confronting death with art is truly an art. Talking of birth in the same vein as that of death and rendered as a story through dance and music is art on a different plain altogether.

As we were walking the ulsava parambu (ground of festivities - loosely translated in English), these lines being sung about death and birth brought my legs to a standstill and made me sit down, even postponing my visiting inside the temple of the Bhagavan whose ulsavam is being celebrated. The Ernakulam Shivan temple ulsavam is underway. As a part of it, we have several art-forms lined up for Mahadevan… After all, He is the Ultimate Bhagavan of Dance - Nataraja…and an ardent music lover.

The sheer profoundness of Sanathana Dharma is seen vividly expressed quite spiritual in context and embellished through art. The story of Ernakulathappan - that of Mahadevan and Parvathi in the form a hunter and huntress was being unfolded and rendered through the Ottam Thullal art-form.

The jewellery worn by the Ottam Thullal artist was also suggestive of this: with the way he wore the crescent moon of Ernakulathappan as an accessory. 

With death almost often perceived as the most fearsome of the lot, it is handled with such unassuming ease: reinforcing the fact that it is imminent for all, someday after all!

The gross body is broken down and rendered by its biological function: biological facts are 

sung in artistic candor: the stomach and below is reduced to a vessel for collection of faecal and urinal matter. 

Stripping facts apart even further, a woman’s body is sung with chaste beauty, with every stage of the breasts described in a voluptuously sagging way… contraries depicted candidly, breaking down the ego into fragmented bits, clearly sending home the larger message home of Bhakthi reigning Supreme over any worldly, materialistic matter. Rightly so, when the artist sings the portion of finding a Shiva Linga amidst the forest, and needing to conduct due diligence by offering daily poojas to the lost and found idol of Shiva, the temple bells of Shiva temple rang in alignment, quite an acknowledgement of having truly received the art form in good conviction. The impermanence of the gross body depicted in quite a bold fashion. After all, Shiva is Mrityunjaya… beyond Death! The Winner over it… 

All this, right amidst the temple premises, occupying center stage, with the artist playing the Ottam Thullal representing everything through his benign eyes and voice, and expressive gestures.

Multi-tasking at its artistic depth and the best. 

Shambo Mahadeva… it ended… applause…

My first ever experience of watching an Ottam Thullal performance in full… magnetically drawn to it through the rawness of facts, stated artistically, very well executed by the crew: the 3 accompanists who sang along, and the main person who sang and enacted… almost like a one-act-play.

Rawness and finesse in one go… amidst festivities… the cultural variety in Sanathana Dharma… Om Namah Shivaya! 

Athithi Devo Bhava

Visits to Chennai have increased over the last 1 year, given the business needs at workplace. Each time I visit, it’s not always feasible to pay a visit to relatives’; for reasons that are obvious – time restrictions, distance, traffic, etc., 

However, this time around, things fell in place for me to pay a visit to Sundar Chitappa’s – my only surviving “creative” bloodline, who is proof enough for having heriditarily endowed the skill of creativity on to me.

Stepping into a hotel room vs. stepping into a home makes a difference of sea and earth. 

This time, I could shed the plastic welcome note and was received with a warm “Suprabhatham,” by Chitappa. 

An entire room was kept ready for me to freshen up at my own convenience, albeit I had time constraints to get to office as early as possible ; I hardly had time at my disposal. 

Sense of time is essential for both the provider and the receiver. You shouldn’t have to feel pressured to talk a lot, for the sake of formality: we are after all related - and don’t need intros or small talks as soon as you step into the house. How hard is it to quietly allow the guest to let them first be, and then engage in a conversation? This is a knack that not many can neither acquire, nor master.

He went on to do his daily morning chores as usual, and I went on to freshen up for work, with just a total of 1 hr left in the transaction. Before we could claim each other’s time to exchange talks, we ensured that our routine wasn’t impacted. This way, I could spend quality time, without having to look at the clock or phone for the number of pending minutes. 

What would otherwise be a lonesome morning for Chittappa, was brightened by my arrival: with meaning added to the context, I thought. He chanted some slokas that I’ve been used to, since childhood, and I was able to chant along, with the reverence still in tact. I offered prayers, put some Vibhuti on my forehead as part of my daily morning ritual, prostrated in front of the camphor he showed, felt the heat of the camphor amidst the December chill, and my sinus-filled nose and aching body. What a blessing, it was fresh, helping me relive a portion of my childhood, albeit short-lived. 

Followed by book talks and short stories from Puranas in Sanathana Dharma, we ate a sumptuous breakfast that Chitappa had carefully prepared, in light of my visit. I had the joy of serving him food on his plate, which he would otherwise do it all by himself, each day. As we spoke over breakfast, we stumped upon a conversation about unnecessary fear… in general terms. I carefully listened to him talk fully, letting him complete: he is adept at talking and has a great sense of humour, which is often laced in his day to day conversations. Once done, with whatever little I know, I said a line from Vishnu Sahasranama: “Bhaya Krith Bhaya Naashanaha.” The line appears in the 89th verse: Amoorthi Ranakho Chinthyo Bhaya Krith Bhaya Naashanaha.” Creation and Destruction of fear is both within, and is authored by Bhagavan Himself. Bhagavan is the One creating fear in the wicked ones and He Himself is the destroyer of that very fear, in devotees. 

Boom! Sundarji paused for a minute, and was appreciative. 

It was time for me to bid adieu and leave for work. I prostrated at his feet to get his blessings quickly … Until next time… What a fulfilling, visit to my Chittappa’s - totalling to about 1.5 hrs by the watch. Time had stopped, the office meeting calendar took a back seat, it was pure involvement in the very little time I had: the takeaway? A bag full of happy thoughts and memories, and a refresher to my tired body and mind!

Compare this with a quick photo you click for mapping your visit to a place, the number of times you pick up the phone to document the visit, and then answer other pings along the way. Your phone would programatically throw a memory when it’s 1 year later…it’s only following the algorithm after all. And you? What are you left with? A virtual memory or a human connection? I am not against taking pics, but uninterrupted, device-free conversations take precedence!

Well, Athithi Devo Bhava…Chittappa is a believer of this concept, and does well each time!