Bed time routine

 My little fellow loves music – music that is soft and soothing . He loves Carnatic music(thanks to amma) and I feel he has a good taste (just seeing his liking for certain songs and musicians).

My maternal family members say NR  looks like my appupa(maternal grandfather) and loves Carnatic music just like him. I sing “Omana thingal Kidavoo” (famous Malayalam lullaby) and Harivarasnam to NR everyday before his bed or nap time since his birth. Just these two songs soothe him well when he cries . My family recommended“Vatsalyam” CD by Bombay Jayashree   when he was born .He loves every song from that CD.

 We have this daily bed time routine at our home every night. After dinner, we spread NR’s favorite “Cars” blanket in our family room and sleep together for half an hour,  listening to vatsalyam CD . If  I am busy doing some chores upstairs, he will wait near the staircase waiting for me .  He runs around and goes near the CD player waiting for the new song to begin and runs back to the blanket to sleep between us. I have a good collection of  Bombay Jayashree CD's at home, so we listen to her songs throughout the day. He likes her voice and listens to all traditional Carnatic renditions by Jayashree.

Every year Bombay Jayashree and other famous Carnatic singers performs for Portland Carnatic music associations . I am a regular for all the carnatic concerts. Last June we had Jayashree’s concert and it was a pure bliss for three hours. She entertains the audience with variety of ragas and good choice of tamil and telugu keerthanams unlike others. I was able to speak to her last time and told her that she has an ardent two-year old fan at home. I couldn’t wait for NR to grow up and give me company during those music concerts.  I couldn’t wait for him to start speaking to share his feelings about the music he loves and enjoys with me. I am waiting, hoping and praying for that moment.

My best discoveries for year 2010

Embar Kannan – I discovered this young talented artist when I attended Unni Krishnan’s carnatic concert last summer in Portland. I loved his rendition and enjoyed every minute of it.

 His violin guru is smt. Kanyakumari. Kanyamukari aunty played violin for  my periyammas Nagercoil sisters Leela and Saroja before she was well known.

Emila Yousuf: I found the Malaysian illustrator Emila Yusof’s blog last year. I love her illustration. It transports me to my childhood memories and the books I had in my collection as a kid. I ordered few of her prints from her original illustration and she was kind enough to send me few more free goodies. For the first time I entered for a giveaway on her site and won it too.  

I am still fond of my childhood story books mostly in Tamil . I remember a couple of titles like Pappu paravaikalai peedipathillai en?(why isn’t pappu catching the birds? Pappu name of the cat), Masha en uranga villai (why isn’t masha sleeping?). I vividly remember all the illustrations from those two books .Emila’s drawing takes me to that time.

My mom forced me to donate entire collection of my story books including all my Muthu comics to “Nehru Bal Bhavan” when I was in 5^th or 6^th grade.  I was sad, annoyed and bit angry with my mom. Our city's Bal Bhavan location was so remote. It was located on the top floor of the stadium in my town which was not accessible by bus in those days. Only government functions and inter state sports meet were held in that stadium.

On our  trip back home  in an auto, I  questioned my mother if kids would go there to read my books. My mother tried to convince me it will be really used by kids and they would be thankful to us. But till date I doubt if any kids really used/read my precious books. I bought around ten titles from my childhood book collection in 1999 for my niece.

Harpsichord: I discovered this music instrument Harpsichord .  My fav TV station OPB’s Art Beat program featured the local artist Byron Wil who makes Harpsichord here in Oregon. You can check out his website for more info on harpsichord. I envy such talented artists, who makes a living doing the things that they love.

I was familiar with few western classical composers like Beethoven and Mozart when I was in India.  My curiosity led to the discovery of lot of new composers (new for me) and my favorite one is  Johann Sebastian Bach.  And thanks to our local western classical radio station 89.9 KBPS , I was able to listen to many composition of Johann Sebastian Bach. Before the MP3 era, this was my constant source of music at work.  If you are western classical fan, they are available 7/24 on the internet. Check it out.

My interest in western classical led me to Andre Rieu , the best entertainer ever. Oh, I love his music. His orchestra, Johann Strauss Orchestra plays in Portland during holidays season .

I watched this video in 2005. This little maestro is a blessed soul to play along with Andre Rieu. Can you believe Akim Camara  is just a three-year old baby during this performance? . NR’s first  concert was Andre Rieu’s . I was 12 weeks pregnant with NR. I am secretly hoping , wishing and praying that NR will choose music as his profession.

God sends every kid with skills needed for their survival.  It's up to the parents to nurture it , admire it and respect it without worrying about other's POV. And when the kids put their mind to it they will shine and nothing can stop them. And this little guy is just an inspiration for my thoughts and beliefs. Check out his amazing performance of  Dances of the Fairies.

Andre Rieu’s orchestra presents classical music in more lively form. You will come back feeling rejuvenated after his concert. We were planning to attend his concert in Europe especially at Schönbrunn Palace.  Life changed, I got pregnant and with that came all the responsibilities, concerns and worries of motherhood. I hope god will grant my wish of attending his concert as a family with NR.

Lastly, I had a friendly office mate (we shared office) Johnny (tech writer)who shared the same interest in classical music like mine. He would play music in his computer,  so we both can hear it. Those are the good old days of working, enjoying and getting fat pay check by the end of the month. A part of me definitely misses the days of happy work life.

All time Fav Tamil Movie songs – List 2

1. Yamunai Yatriley

    

2. Enthil Nenjil Neengatha (Film : Kalaiijan)

    

3. Ennavale Ennavale (Film: Kadhalan)

    

4. Malargaley Malargaley (Film: Love Birds)

   

5.  Netru Illatha Matram (Film: Pudhiya Mugam)

      

6. Varam thantha samikku (Sippikul muthu)

   

7. Malaare Mounama (Film: Karna)

   

8. Valayosai (Film: Sathya)

    

9. Ilaiya Neela (Film: ) Lovely lyrics

   

10. Anthi Mazhai (Film : Raja Parvai)

      

All time Fav Tamil Movie songs - List 1

List of my fav tamil movie songs in no particular order except for the first two.

1. En Iniya Pon Nilavey (Film: Moodupani)



2. Ninaivoo oru paravai (Seegappu Rojakkal)



3. Katrin Enthan Geetham (Film: Johnny)

   

4.  Kanne kalaimaane (Film:Moondraam pirai - Kanne kalaimaane)

     

5. Deiveegaragam (Film:Ullasa Paravaigal)

   

6. Mounamana Neram - Salangai Oli

  

7. Parathavizhi(Film: guna)

    

8. Kathalin Deepam Onru (Film:)

    

9. Nilaave Vaa (Film:Mouna Ragam) This is CB's fav song too

     

10. Thalaalaattuthe Vaanam (Film: Kadal Meengal)

       

Divya menon - I love her voice

When my pregnancy was confirmed I took 3 months leave . I fully utilised my time-off , by listening to music and cooking my favourite food. Music  filled my heart and my house every minute of the day. I found Divya menon's blog thru another music blog.  I became an ardent music fan.

It's been long time since somebody's voice has such immense effect on me. She has a good future in the music industry. I had requested her to post full version of "omana thingal kidavoo" for NR. She was kind enough to post another tharattu song for NR. NR loves this song. You will too if you hear this song .

Love for music runs in the family

My extended family (maternal side) members are great music lovers thanks to my ammuma (grandma) and appupa (grandpa) for instilling great interest in  music. My grandparents listened to lot of Hindi, Malayalam, carnatic and tamil songs in their gramophone. They loved a Ustad Alla Rakha and Mukeshji.

My grandparents had 6 girls and two boys. My mother’s eldest sisters were well known professional carnatic singers. And each and everyone one in the family learnt traditional carnatic music vocal/instrument. My grandpa dreamt of having a carnatic music troupe, each one of his children specializing in carnatic instrument/vocal. His dream never came true and only two of his daughters became professional carnatic singers. But others in the family has good knowledge of carnatic music.

My mother took violin lesson during her elementary school days. My mother had a good taste for music but she was too lazy or not interested to follow traditional music lesson which reduced her idling/play time. When she came home after her music class, she would start playing her favorite film songs on violin. Her family knew at that time that she would not  advance in her music career :). And it came true, when she broke her violin and that brought an end to her violin lessons.

During our family gatherings, there will be a group singing or my periyammas will sing our favorite carnatic numbers accompanied by periyappa on mridangam (my eldest periyamma’s husband is a professional Mridangam artist ). They used  Tambura instead of the music box. They taught me to play Tambura . I used to get a rare opportunity to play Tambura when they practiced at home or duing marghali masam(Marghali month) recitals at home.

The sound of Tambura is so magical and divine. Tambura's natham (sound) made me to choose “Veenai. I took Veenai lessons for couple of years at college. I fondly remember those times. I had to relocate to Chennai for higher studies and I stopped learning Veenai.

I stayed in my eldest periyamma’s house in Chennai during my Anna university days  and took up vocal lesson from my periyamma who took music classes for children and adults.  Somehow I never had opportunity to continue my Veenai practice after school due to my career. My Veenai still lies in the same spot in my bed room at my parent’s house. During my upcoming India trip, I need to repair it and donate the Veenai to some deserving student.

I used to( before NR's arrival) listen to songs from the time I wake up till I go to sleep. Listening to carnatic/tamil songs in my car made my daily drive to work a breeze. CB likes good music but  listens only to english songs. He listens to few tamil movie songs which are evergreen melodies like “Nilavey vaa” , “kadalin deepam onru (old rajni hit). I wonder how he got influenced by western music than his native language songs .I think his school, his Anglo Indian friends and his RC Christian background and the church choir might have influenced him more than the language he spoke fluently at home.

When I was pregnant with NR I listened to carnatic/devotional songs, tamil/malayalam film song non stop . When he was in my womb, NR played soccer  (my guess : ) ) with his non stop pointed kicks. Listening to Harivarasanam calmed him. After birth he goes to sleep when he listens to Harivarasanam , Omana thingal kidavoo . During bed time CB plays Baby Love – quiet time  lullaby CD for NR.

Even as a 3 weeks old baby NR needed constant entertainment.  So I sang a lot of nursery songs to him.  That became our daily routine and he listens to songs for an hour in the morning after his breakfast. NR has his own preference in listening to songs. If he doesn’t like the songs he will let you know by raising his voice or crying. All I have to do was to play his fave no, he will immediately  give big wide smile and start kicking his legs out of joy. My new job is being a personal DJ for my six month old. He prefers female singers with the exception of KJ Yesudoss and Bala murali Krishna.

As a six months old baby, NR can track the moving objects . He has started showing interest in watching the videos of  his favorite nursery songs from you tube. When my niece visited us from India, she introduced him to couple of song which has become his favourite like BalGanesh - Naache Dhin Dhin Dhintak, Varam Varam poochandi (tamil folk song), Nakka mukka (tamil movie song).