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Hyperbole and a Half

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LOOK AT MY BOOK. LOOK AT IT. IT IS VERY NICE. I AM VERY IMPORTANT. 15 July 2013 at 07:30 I have been told that I need to promote my book so that people will know it exists and maybe some of them will pre-order it.   My first inclination was to accomplish this by sitting in my house and wishing really hard, but I'm almost positive that wishing isn't an effective promotional technique. Unfortunately, neither is "pretending I didn't write a book so that I don't have to promote it," "hoping for the best," and "waiting for everyone to accidentally discover my book on their own."   So here we are. With a beginning like this, how could I not read further? http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/ … [Read more...]

Krishna and Radha

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We had practised, of course we had practised. With our guru, how could we not? Radha and Krishna were to sit together exploring their love during Jayadeva's Ashtapadi Kisalaya. Krishna was to take Radha's hand and press it against his chest. He was to put his arm around Radha's shoulders and draw her close to him. Unfortunately, that was not what happened on stage. Krishna and Radha were not seated comfortably on the floor or on a wooden stool. Krishna tried to move close enough to Radha to put his arm around her, and the plastic stool on which he was seated shook dangerously. He held her hand instead. Radha and Krishna sat far away from each other, each balanced precariously on a shaky stool, too afraid to move one toe out of line. Somehow, the piece got over without the stools breaking or moving further apart. … [Read more...]

Back from Indore

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A magnificent wooden stage - 50 feet long, 30 feet wide ... Infrastructure that allowed us to use lights in a way that we have never done before ... Guru Mythili Raghavan, determined to give her best to Kasturitilakam ... Eleven dancers - all excited, all nervous, all thrilled at the opportunity ... Of course things went wrong, but things went wonderfully right too. We performed at IIM, Indore, and delighted our audience. Photos and stories will come soon! But meanwhile, a view of the campus ... The lapwing is not a chance visitor. We saw it (and its friends/ enemies) everyday and everywhere. The campus is truly inspiring! … [Read more...]

Main Nahin Makhan Khayo

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One of the highlights of this evening's performance: The gopis carried tales to Yashoda, complaining time and again about how Krishna stole butter from them. But naughty little Krishna convinced his mother not to believe any of the complaints the other gopis made about him. When Krishna stole butter in his own house, however, things changed – because Yashoda herself saw him. Yashoda wanted to catch her little boy out and asked him, out of the blue, “Kanhaiya, did you eat butter?” Taken aback, the words escaped from Krishna’s mouth, “Main nahin maakhan khayo – I did not eat butter! Ma, how did you think I had eaten the butter? I don’t even have the time to eat it! All day, I herd the cows. From dawn to dusk, I’m out grazing the cattle. When could I possibly eat butter?” The argument did not work. So, Krishna thought of another justification. “Maiya mori, mother mine, I’m such a … [Read more...]

Kasturitilakam

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Timeless, beautiful, expressive. Dance is all three, and much more. Classical dance in India is a language. With its ancient origins, it is a medium of communicating knowledge, expressing emotions and creating aesthetic pleasure. Kasturitilakam – conceived and choreographed by Guru Mythili Raghavan – explores each of these dimensions. Lord Krishna, playing his divine, melodious flute, has touched the hearts of millions. Stories of this beloved god find their way into languages, music and culture all over India. His naughty pranks as a child, his strength and bravery as a young man, his divine love for Radha and the other gopis, his accompaniment of the Pandavas during their exile, and ultimately, the Bhagvad Gita, the immortal treatise delivered to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra – these stories strike a chord in hearts everywhere. Guru Mythili Raghavan’s Kasturitilakam will … [Read more...]

Performing at Indore

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The Academy of Indian Dances will be presenting Kasturitilakam - episodes from the life of Lord Krishna - everyone is welcome! Venue: IIM, Indore Date: 6th July, 2013 Time: 18:30 Credits: Choreography: Guru Mythili Raghavan Make-up: Shri Mohan and Smt Lakshmi Music compilation: Friends Studio, Pune Dancers: Ashwini Sashital, Charulatha Ramesha, Dhwani Lalai, Nisha Seshan, Pooja Shetty, Rashmi Shetty, Resham Abdagiri, Riddhi Joshi, Tejashree Natu, Suguna Nair and Varsha Seshan … [Read more...]

On Being Modern

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With older relatives, I often get high praise for my ability to use technology efficiently. With great pride, my grandparents and great-aunts and great-uncles, sing praises of my abilities. Some of my abilities that my family advertises: Varsha can fix the speakers! (I put the cable into the socket) Varsha can fix the camera! (I uploaded photographs) Perhaps I could add to my resume - I can find 'Contact Us' on a website. I can change a printer cartridge. I can download and use Skype. I can burn a CD (and a DVD). I can use a pen drive to carry files from the computer to the laptop. I can send music via email. I can use a DVD player. I can attach speakers to a music system. I am, apparently, the source of knowledge and information about everything technological, including how to use Bluetooth, 'Download App', touch-screen, wireless internet . . . What an interesting resume that would … [Read more...]

Performing in Renage

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A very dear friend of my sister's organised a performance for us at a chapel in Renage. That was when we learned what effective publicity is. Michèle, who, I should mention, is in her seventies, did absolutely everything to make people come for our performance. She, helped by two friends, went (literally) from pillar to post putting up posters. She made signs to direct people to the chapel, and went and put them up on lamp-posts. When we drove towards the chapel, we saw our own faces everywhere. Every wall, every lamp-post, every pillar had a poster of our performance thanks to this formidable lady. She sat and folded the programmes for the performance - easily a hundred or more - insisting that she had nothing else to do, while we, the dancers, ought to rest. She went individually to each neighbour and convinced all her friends that they would not get the opportunity to watch a … [Read more...]