October - 2012

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October 2012

Volume 2, Issue 35 Sponsored by:

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Cast in Bronze Plus: Dr. K . Mohanraj: Sculptor with a phd!

Madurai’s 112-year old Heritage house Arts Special!

Contents October 2012 | Issue No. 35

Editor Dr. Nandini Murali Copy Editor Bhuvana Venkatesh Project Coordinator

01 Spring Cleaning the Soul COVER STORY

02 The Iconic Bronzes of Swamimalai PROFILES

Archana Sundararajan

09 Dr.R.K.K.Rajarajan: Artistic Vision beyond

Journalism Supervisors

Borders and Boundaries 12 Dr.K.Mohanraj: A Sculptor who has a Doctorate!

B. Pooja Ram Kumar

TRADITION

Journalism Administrator

14 Expressions through Mudras

G. Durgairajan

18 Bhagavata Mela: A Traditional Folk Art at Crossroads

Designer & Technical Support T. Jesuraja

21 The Kinetic Purulia Chhau Dance HERITAGE

Reporters & Photographers

24 Cherishing a Heritage

Amelie Phillipson

26 The Timeless Temple of Thanjavur

Romain Logist 2

EDITOR’S CORNER

Natsumi Sakai Ambre Blondeau Leila Baros Gwendoline Marion

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

29 An Innocent Abroad 30 The delightful Head shaking Thanjavur Dolls

Anthony Menard

33 The Div’veena instrument: Go(o)d Vibrations

Eriko Morikawa

REVIVAL

36 Reconstructing History Cover Photograph Romain Logist Sivakasi Projects Abroad Pvt. Ltd., Contact: editor@maduraimessenger.org MADURAI MESSENGER No. 17, T.P.K Road Pasumalai Madurai – 625004 Tamil Nadu India Tel. 0452-2370269

Spring Cleaning the Soul

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find a strange comfort in cleaning my cupboards. As I rearrange clothes that have strayed from their original places and invaded new territories, it is Eureka time once more. A long lost duppatta re-emerges; as does a salwar that lies concealed between piles of others of its kind; clothes whose existence I had forgotten silently reassert their presence. As I hold each in my hand, each piece reminds me of something special connected with it-- where I got it and often, the thoughtfulness of the persons who gifted it to me. This strange communion with my clothes is therapeutic.

The regular inventory also helps me appraise my wardrobe and helps a frequent traveler like me be organized. Increasingly now, I also realize that we need just a fraction of what we have. That for a clothes horse, like me, is a sobering truth!

While we place such a premium on cleaning our external world, I wonder if we even are aware that it is as important to cleanse our inner selves. I, for one, recommend that we spring clean our selves on a daily basis. Every night, before we turn off the light, can we just pause a moment to erase all resentment, anger, frustration, fear and the gamut of negative emotions and instead let the river of unconditional love gush through our being? Ever since I started doing this, I feel the Universe reflects this back into my life and I truly experience that whatever I send out returns back to me manifold. Somehow at this point in my life, I feel increasingly compelled to be acutely aware of my inner being and myself.

CRAFT

Yulia Skopich Roxanne Dadvar

EDITOR’S CORNER

INTERFACE

38 Culture Ambassadors

Our everyday life conditions us to overvalue one at the expense of another.

Consider for example, man over woman, intellect over feeling, day over night, West over the East, reason over intuition. This either-or thinking often causes us to be disconnected with large parts of our selves. Like a salad, it does not melt differences but creates space for differences and opposites to co-exist harmoniously So these days I not only spring clean my home or my cupboards, but also ensure that I flick away the cobwebs of negativities that festoon my soul. Not just every night but every moment.

INTERACTIONS

40 Maths is Fun! BOOK REVIEW

42 Art for Art’s Sake FILM

44 The Artist’s Way CULTURE KITCHEN

46 From Russia with Love FIRST IMPRESSIONS

50 My Discovery of Madurai

Dr. nandini murali Editor

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Madurai Messenger Cover Story October 2012

The Iconic Bronzes of Swamimalai Swamimalai, a sleepy little town just 8 kms from Thanjavur, is the world’s bronze icon capital. The town has a heritage of bronze making dating back to the Chola period. Amelie Phillipson after a visit to Swamimalai, reports on the making of the bronze icons—a process that begins in the mind of the sthapathy or traditional bronze artisans for whom it is a hereditary occupation. Having witnessed the casting of a bronze icon, she feels privileged to have witnessed a sacred spiritual process of a sthapathy having “birthed” a statue like a mother

By Amelie Phillipson France

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here is nothing like the atmosphere of a Swamimalai bronze idol workshop, where everyone thinks, breathes and lives for the world famous bronze icons. As soon as I stepped into the workshop, I was smothered by a range of smells and sounds that convey immediately how much work goes into making these statues.

It is impossible to even imagine how a statue is made, without the experience of visiting a workshop. A strange but very revealing mixture of wax, soil, incense and burning smells illustrate not only the variety of materials needed to make the bronze statues, but also the perfect work ambience needed by the artisans. The bronze craftsmen (also known as sthapathys) who, in order to make some of the best bronze statues in the world, need to cultivate the right state of mind and therefore need to have the perfect setting for their work.

The sounds, on the other hand, can be soft or violent, frenzied or smooth: the banging is obviously the first thing you hear, but you will also soon notice the sound of hands modeling sticky wax or the sound of crackling fire ready to heat up some metal. These are some indicators of how the famous and yet mysterious idols are crafted.

“He and his father have currently created around 8000 idols, following a family tradition of making bronze icons that goes back centuries”

of the Chola period. Icons were thus needed for the prestigious temples of the Chola Empire. Prior to this historical development, the sthapathys were sculpting stone idols in Vellore, in the North of Tamil Nadu.

However, even if the sthapathys were originally deputed to Thanjavur in order to learn the craft of making bronze icons, they moved to Swamimalai two centuries later. Why this sudden and unpredictable move?

The reason for this change of location is as simple as it is anecdotal: it was accidentally discovered that the clay made from very fine silt on the curve of the Kaveri river which flows from Karnataka to the Bay of Bengal was ideal for creating the moulds used to cast the bronzes. For this reason, the bronze sculptors decided to settle there so they could have the best possible tools to make the statues.

The location has not changed since the thirteenth century.

“Quality comes from here”, says renowned bronze sculptor Dr.K.Mohanraj of Swamimalai

A glorious heritage These statues, which vary a lot in shape and size, are renowned examples of the works of art of Southern India and can be found in many museums all over the world. The bronze icons have

been made since the beginning of the tenth century: it all started during the Chola Empire under the supervision of the great king, Rajaraja I, who built the Brihadeeswara temple in Thanjavur, one of the most renowned temples

Sthapathy K. Mohanraj is one of the descendants of the early sthapathys from the Chola Empire and one of 150 master craftsmen in Swamimalai. He has his own workshop in the sleepy little town of Swamimalai.

It is easy to miss the place. The entrance virtually resembles a regular front door.

However, after passing through a small corridor, it becomes obvious that the

All in the mind of the sculptor: Preparing a drawing before the sculpting

place has something special about it, and for good reason: it has seen the birth of so many bronze statues that are now scattered all around the world. The main room is conducive to imagination as much as hard work, concentration and dedication are to a historical craft.

This is the place were Mohanraj works every day alongside twelve other artisans and craftsmen who are perfecting the art of making bronze statues. He and his father have currently

created around 8000 idols, following a family tradition of making bronze icons that goes back centuries.

Rooted in tradition, global in reach The business run by K. Mohanraj sthapathy and his family is on an international scale. Not only are the statues sent all around the world, there are also visitors who go to Swamimalai and visit the workshop to personally select the statues there. The

From paper to wax: One step closer to the final product

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Madurai Messenger Cover Story October 2012

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5 Concentration and determination in chiselling the icon into a final shape

The coconut leaf plays a vital role in deciding the final dimensions of the idol

icons are not only sold to individuals for their personal collection, but are also sent to temples.

Swamimalai workshops, the waiting list for having an idol can go up to one year!

Mohanraj is currently crafting a 4,640 kilos of bronze icon for a temple in Hawaii for the fifth time, and is attempting to set a Guinness world record. The idols made in Swamimalai

by Mohanraj and other famous craftsmen can be found in Hindu temples in London (Murugan temple), in Sri Lanka (Kailasanatha temple), in Singapore (Perumal temple). There is even a five-foot high Nataraja statue in the Paris UNESCO office.

However well known the Swamimalai statues are, only craftsmen and specialists know precisely about the Mezhugu Paddhal (Tamil name) or Madu Chista Vidhanam (Sanskrit name), more commonly know in English as the “lost wax process.”

Famous among statue makers and used all over India and elsewhere, this technique has remained unchanged over the last thousand years. The only changes that occurred were when electricity was introduced. Yet it has in no way impacted even the style of the statues. Mohanraj insists that the rules that govern the making of the icons are stringent and cannot be altered or modified. If the “lost wax process” seems complicated and at first glance, tedious, it soon appears incredibly clever and the most precise, logical and rigorous way to make a statue.

Therefore, Swamimalai bronze statues have made good use of their 1000-year-old tradition to become a global phenomenon. However big the demand, the craftsmen will always give priority to quality, so the work will not be rushed, and if production is limited, it is only due to time and not because of lack of resources. In some

The secret of Swamimalai Nothing is better than a simple start to a complex process. The sthapathy has to imagine the statue before he even starts making it, otherwise he will not be able to bring it to life properly. First it comes to the mind of the creator, who will then sketch it, by any means: a board on the wall or a sheet of paper. The shape of the statue appears, and along with it we can already see a semblance of its personality.

A problem already presents itself for starters: how to determine the exact measurements of the statue? Of course, sthapathys have solved this problem a long time ago. Mohanraj calls this “the secret of Swamimalai.” To measure the dimensions of the deity, the sthapathy takes a coconut leaf. The length of the leaf gives the height of the statue, and by simply folding it in two, three, four, etc., he assesses the length of the legs, arms, the thickness of the feet, the size

in day-to-day life, even for making “He and his father have bronze statues! Once the drawing is currently created around complete, the sthapathy begins to get 8000 idols, following an idea of what the statue will look like in three dimensions. a family tradition of making bronze icons that From conception to goes back centuries” execution

of the head and other dimensions of the various parts of the statue. It also works the other way round: if the sthapathy is given the height of the statue, he can determine all the other dimensions, and can even state accurately whether it’s a seated or a vertical statue.

Why is a coconut leaf specifically chosen, over any other kind of leaf?

The coconut leaf lends itself to special folds: once it is unfolded, the fold can still be seen without the leaf breaking.

This simple procedure shows how much the coconut tree is useful in Tamil Nadu: every part of the tree serves a purpose

When the drawing is complete and the measurements decided, it is time to apply its three dimensional form to the statue. Mohanraj sat cross-legged on a small stool, and pulled a small table towards him. From a big chunk of bees wax, he carved an entire little model.

Seeing him handle the little statue when making it, was enough to understand how precious it is to him: his gestures were extremely delicate, soft and caring, as if he was carrying a sleeping child that he didn’t want to wake up just yet.

Modelling the icon in wax is certainly a long process, but it is good for the Sthapathy to know that he can still make mistakes at this point, as it is easy

Preciously holding a new wax model

to remodel. Therefore, it requires a lot of patience, skill and determination to achieve a perfect wax model.

A thorough knowledge of human anatomy is also necessary. It is said that once the wax is in the hand of the creator, a quarter of the life of the statue has been kindled.

An anxious wait In Tamil Nadu, alluvial soil is used to make the moulds. Alluvial soil is made of different components including the local clay, the reason the sthapathys settled in Swamimalai. According to Mohanraj, alluvial soil is a “must” for moulding. When the wax model is completely finished, the sthapathy covers the entire statue with alluvial soil and it then has to dry for three days. This is when the process becomes unpredictable: the Sthapathy has much less control over it. Once the alluvial soil has dried up and the mould is formed, how can he know if the statue has turned out well inside the mould? Has

Madurai Messenger Cover Story October 2012

However, when I asked Mohanraj whether he Quality comes from the heart, not from science thought that science and technology had improved If the lost wax process is centuries old, the quality of the bronze icons, he smiled at me as if I we live nowadays, as Mohanraj says, was a naive child and with a hand pressed against his “in the scientific world.” A thousand years ago, sthapathys didn’t have heart, he said, “Quality comes from here”

“Mohanraj says this process always makes him nervous, as if he was waiting for a child to be born”

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electricity. Today, electricity gives us machines to help in different stages of making the statues, for example, a polishing machine. Before electricity, every single step had to be done by the human hand and it took that much more time and was quite tedious. Electricity is a must nowadays.

According to Mohanraj earlier only oil lamps could be used. Science has also definitely helped in the melting of the metal, as the mixture needs to be perfectly balanced and as such requires a high temperature. However, everything else basically stays the same and the untrained eye can never tell the difference between an old and a new statue just by looking at its style.

the clay dried properly? The sthapathy has to ensure that a wax-orifice is kept clear so that the wax can later be drained. Mohanraj says this process always makes him nervous, as if he was waiting for a child to be born. There are many steps to creating the statue, and once the wax model is finished and perfected, the only concern is to ensure that its shape remains unscathed.

Once the mould has properly dried, it is time to heat it so that the wax melts. To see this happen, we went out of the workshop, crossed a muddy courtyard barefooted and got near a very hot fire, in the middle of which lay a burning hot mould. Silently, we observed the wax slowly but surely run out of the small round hole. Nothing is actually being created at that time, but it is, as every other step in the making of a bronze icon, a special moment. In the early evening light and mixed atmosphere of rainy coolness and hot fire, with mosquitoes wildly buzzing around us, it definitely felt like a spiritual ritual. The wax is not going to be a part of the finished statue, but it can be considered as the root of it and therefore it is still an honorable component.

Single pointed focus When the mould is empty, the hot liquid metal is then poured into it through a funnel, so that the bronze fills up the figure inside the mould. The metal should be poured very carefully so

Wax running out of the mould as it melts

that no air gets trapped in the figure.

This is also a critical stage because it is impossible to know whether or not the wax has been properly drained: if some wax is still inside the mould, the shape of the statue might be impaired. Once this procedure is completed, Mohanraj says that the statue has gained 70 percent of its life.

The bronze then has to cool down, as the sthapathy gets increasingly nervous about the outcome of the statue. Soon, all will be revealed; soon, the statue will be born. Waiting at this point makes the creator anxious, but the mould has to be cold when it is broken to pieces. To make it cool down faster, it can be placed in a large bucket of water, but it’s usually better to let it cool down naturally. We watched the artisans hammering on the mould of a statue base for a few minutes to break it open. At each “bang,” we could feel their impatience building, and found ourselves to be as eager as they were.

By then, night had already settled for a

while, the sky was pitch black, the only light came from a couple of dying fires and the workshop at the other end of the courtyard. At last, the metal image was revealed, and everyone was smiling at this weird looking shape that will soon hold an entire statue. Suddenly, once the bronze was revealed and we had all had a good look at it, all conversation was interrupted while the artisans prepared themselves to break open the mould again.

All that remains to be done now is the removal of the imperfections on the surface of the icon. This is where the craftsmen have to use all their skill and experience in working with rough metal. The surface has to be made perfectly smooth and it is a laborious job, but the result will offer profound satisfaction. It does not seem the bother the sthapathys, as they handle the almost finished deity the same way they handle the wax model: with caring hands and a mind utterly focused on what they are doing.

Pouring liquid wax

However, when I asked Mohanraj whether he thought that science and technology had improved the quality of the bronze icons, he smiled at me as if I was a naive child and with a hand pressed against his heart, he said, “Quality comes from here.” It was an eloquent insight into the artistic fervour of the sthapathys for whom art is all about passion and dedication to a craft.

An umbilical connection

Journalism Coordinator Archana Sundararajan breaking open the mould with a hammer. The final form emerges

The sthapathy has maternal feelings towards the deities he makes. Each and every mould is viewed as a child.

Whenever Mohanraj makes a model and covers it in a mould, he doesn’t know what is inside, and eagerly and nervously awaits the birth of a new icon. If his mind must be at peace while making the wax model, his thoughts are buzzing when the statue is in a mould in the middle of a burning fire over which the sthapathy has very little control, and Mohanraj will feel peaceful and relieved only when the deity is out of its mould. When he says, “We are the mother of statues”, it shows again how much the sthapathy is emotionally involved in making the icon.

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Madurai Messenger Cover Story October 2012

Dr. R.K.K. Rajarajan:

Artistic Vision beyond Borders and Boundaries Natsumi Sakai meets Dr R.K.K. Rajarajan, Professor of South Indian Arts and Architecture, Gandhigram Rural University, and comes away impressed by his artistic vision that perceives the interpenetrating influences in ancient and modern art forms across the world

By Natsumi Sakai Japan

The Swamimalai team proudly surrounded by the statues

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“Mohanraj says that his workshop is as much a hospital as it is an art gallery: if a statue isn’t perfect, it can be repaired or remodelled” No statue will be sold to a client if the creator is not satisfied with it. Mohanraj says that his workshop is as much a hospital as it is an art gallery: if a statue isn’t perfect, it can be repaired or remodelled. There are all kinds of statues waiting to be completed: a headless or handless statue, a statue with no base to support it, or a broken leg... Recasting or refilling is the kind of operation a doctor might do when looking after a patient: the mother sthapathy becomes the surgeon sthapathy. Whatever the sthapathy feels about the deity he has made, he will eventually have to let go of it, as its original purpose is spiritual: it now has to be installed in a temple.

Letting go A ritual is always conducted to install the deity in a temple. The religious belief is that the statue gets power through

the chants, and this is supported by the scientific theory that chants create vibration. At this point, the sthapathy will never see the icon the same way he used to. It has become something else, it is out of the sthapathy`s hands. The newborn has become immortal. From a fragile wax model, it has turned into an idol of worship. He almost forgets about the whole making process of this particular statue; at the very least he tries not to think about it. Whether he is a mother, surgeon or crafter, a sthapathy in a temple must act and think in the same way as any other worshiper. However, it is only human for someone to feel proud of what they have achieved, and to keep caring about it once it is over and out of one’s hands.

Spiritual and vibrant Whether it’s Swamimalai that has given character to the bronze statues

or bronze statues who have given character to Swamimalai, the town definitely has a soul of its own— serious, spiritual and vibrant. Curiosity is always a part of one’s visit to Swamimalai, and visiting a workshop has a tendency of pushing it to its limit.

You cannot help yourself from thinking bronze statues, icons, fire, casting, wax, alluvial soil, bamboo leaf for a few hours. If I had spent a little more time there, I probably would have started seeing moving bronze statues instead of people walking in the streets!

The art of making bronze icons in Swamimalai has lasted for many centuries and still seems to be developing, as demand for the icons continues to increase even in times of recession. It is certainly not the last we will hear about the majestic and charismatic idols.

Dr. R.K.K.Rajarajan, lover of ancient Art and History

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or a lucky few, passion becomes profession. Like Dr. R.K.K. Rajarajan, Prof. of South Indian Arts and architecture at Gandhigram Rural University, Dindigul. For Dr. R.K.K.Rajarajan, (40), South Indian arts and architecture is something that has captivated him for more than half his life. However, he candidly admits

that arts and architecture was not his interest at first.

An unexpected detour “I wanted to study computer science, but I wasn’t good with maths,” he said with a shy laugh. He slowly changed his academic focus to history and during his post graduation began to enjoy studying

and discovering the history of arts and architecture. After his PhD, he went to Germany for two years to focus on the Ramayana paintings and then went to Africa in 2005 and lived there for five years to study Egyptian arts. Currently, he juggles multiple roles as a professor at Gandhigram University, writing books based on his studies and also doing

Madurai Messenger Profiles October 2012

Like watching a movie, somebody telling you a story is not going to be true, but once you see it as it is, then you get more perception extensive research on the Tamil impact in South East Asian arts.

Dr. Rajarajan is the epitome of calmness and composure. He even had four booklets of his previous studies ready for us when we met him, even though the interview was fixed just a day before.

Volunteer Natsumi Sakai and journalism supervisor Pooja interacting with Dr.Rajarajan

All in the family

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Although his interest in arts and architecture took on a clear focus and direction from his postgraduate studies, it was his father Raju Kalidas and his grandfather Raju who kindled an early interest in these disciplines. His whole family has interest in arts and architecture, so by following his father’s field work in arts and listening to the old epics and Puranic stories from his grandfather since he was a toddler, drew hum naturally to arts, like a fish to water.

His love of architecture is beyond my imagination. “When I walk into the Madurai Meenakshi temple, I am completely blurred. I only see the sculptures and arts. I don’t feel anything about the God. I only see the works,” he exclaimed passionately. His favourite architecture is of course, the Meenakshi temple. “Every time I go there, I find something new there.”

Dr. Rajarajan’s book-lined study

11 and see global arts and architecture with your own eyes and compare. “You see and then you speak, and speak more.

You read and speak, and you speak less.

Like watching a movie, somebody telling you a story is not going to be true, but once you see it as it is, then you get more perception.”

Natsumi Sakai posing with Dr.Rajarajan

Beyond borders and boundaries He also made an interesting observation about the interconnectedness in art forms across the world. “Whatever you see Indian art, it is someway or the other way reflected in European art, especially in the Roman period. And, similarly, the Indians too have borrowed a lot of idea from the Romans. So he expressed how it is important to travel

Three books by Dr. R.K.K.Rajarajan

During the interview inside the car, he stopped the car suddenly and showed us a temple on the street. It was easy to see that the temple was built very recently due to the bright colours. According to Dr. Rajarajan most of the temples on the road are not representative of classical art, but of folk culture. He also told us that folk study is an emerging trend in Indian Studies. To my surprise he expressed his annoyance about the popular misconception among European travelers that whatever they see on the roadside belongs to classical arts.

It is enriching to meet someone for whom work is a passion and mot merely a profession. Dr. Rajarajan is proud to be a part of the Gandhi Gram University.

“All the faculty members, though we

“To my surprise he expressed his annoyance about the popular misconception among European travelers that whatever they see on the roadside belongs to classical arts” have different perceptions, when we come to Gandhi Gram campus we all look for one goal, rural development.

So I am proud to be here, this would be my mother institute always. Wherever I go, I would like to come back here.”

When asked about his students, he was confident that children in rural areas are getting more motivated about learning. Urban children are getting distracted by various forms of entertainment and luxuries. . He emphasized that the rural sector is still the backbone for India. Moreover, he explained that without interactive students, it is impossible to carry out ones research. “Without the students’ interaction, the research will only be 75 percent.” This is because by answering the questions the students ask, provokes the researcher to think in

different aspect and not from a single perspective.

In pursuit of a passion From my perspective, it seemed that Dr Rajarajan was balancing his job very well, but he disagreed. He had so much difficulty in balancing his research and teaching, but most of all, his balance between his job and family seemed to be the hardest. “I do not have a balanced system being a researcher, teacher and a family man.” He did look very tired, and admitted that he did not have time to even watch television. He also regretted that he could spend very little time with his two children.

But that apart, Dr Rajarajan exemplifies that when passion takes precedence the rest will surely follow and then life is just flow…

Madurai Messenger Profiles October 2012

A Sculptor who has a Doctorate !

Bronze sculptor K Mohanraj of Swamimalai is the first sculptor in India to have a PhD in Iconography. Belonging to a family of sthapathy or hereditary sculptors, Mohanraj effortlessly straddles the ancient world of bronze sculpting and is a successful art entrepreneur whose icons even find a place in the UNESCO headquarters in Paris

By Romain Logist Belgium

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. Mohanraj, 46, is a well-known bronze sculptor in the famous bronze town of Swamimalai in south India. At a first glance, Swamimalai looked very insignificant— hardly the town you would associate with being the world’s centre for bronze statues. But hidden inside the little town, a very talented sculptor lives and works there. His house is situated just in front of the workshop in a small street. There were no indications that it was the residence of an artiste of such repute.

A complete engagement with art Mohanraj is a traditional bronze sculptor with a Ph.D. in Iconography. According to the Wikipedia, “Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct from artistic style.” But for K.Mohanraj, it’s simpler. It’s just a complete engagement with the art.

Dr.Mohanraj- An expert in Iconography A Vishnu Icon, One more work of art by Mohanraj

Mohanraj is the first person in the Tamil Nadu with a doctorate in Iconography. As a practitioner of the art, he began to improve his technique in 1990 and continued for twelve years before enrolling for a PhD in the Thanjavur Tamil University.

Spellbound Mohanraj‘s passion for his art was obvious. As was his desire to share his wisdom. Inspired by him, I too became interested in the art of casting bronze statues. He then showed us the secret of the fabrication of each bronze statue, and for the next four hours, we watched the total processes of the creation spellbound.

In the families of the sthapathy or hereditary sculptors, the art is passed on from generation to generation, a tradition that dates back to three hundred years. K. Mohanraj learned the art from his father, S.Karunanidhi when he was thirteen years old. He came back after school and he improved his arts by carving small bronze statues of different animals. For Mohanraj’s son Kalaiarasan too the tradition continues. A disciple of his famous father, Kalaiarasan wants to continue the ancient family tradition. Both father and son are certain that they don’t want to do anything else.

The first step of the process is to create a picture of the statue to have a clear idea, so that he can visualise a finished statue before beginning to work with the bronze. The second step consists of modeling the wax for the different parts of the body.

This is a very important part of the creation and so patience during this part of the process is significant. Mohanraj is assisted by his son Kaliarasan who heats the wax to make it malleable. Afterwards, Mohanraj moulds and shapes the wax to create the different body parts: arms, legs, face and the like. The process is complex and elaborate because it demands precision in the modeling and assembling. When it’s finished, you have a wax model for the bronze statue.

K.Mohanraj has dedicated his life to bronze art and for the moment he doesn’t have other plans for the future. But he doesn’t really need them as his business is blooming. Many of his bronze statues have found their way all over the world.

The UNESCO office in Paris houses some of his creations.

The next stage consists of putting clay around the wax model and waiting for three days for it to dry to create a mold.

After the three days, the artisan heats the wax and the clay; the wax melts as fast the clay. After that, there is only the clay mold. Finally all that remains is to pour the liquid bronze

An idol of a horse made by Mohanraj

inside the mold and to wait a few days for the bronze to cool. It takes three days to create a small statue and 15 days for a big one. Behind the workshop I saw big horse being cast in in bronze. I wondered how many people were involved and the duration of time.

Meeting K.Mohanraj was memorable. I bought a bronze statue of Hanuman to acknowledge the artist and the artistry that is everywhere in Swamimalai.

Mohanraj with one of his creations

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Madurai Messenger Tradition October 2012

Expressions Through Mudras Bharata Natyam exponent Archana Sundararajan and Ambre Blondeau on the symbolism of the mudras or hand gestures

By Ambre Blondeau, France

Yato hasta stato drishti”...”Where the hands go, the eyes will follow” This eloquent line from the Abhinaya Darpana, by Nandikeswara, the great theorist of ancient Indian stagecraft, talks about a repertoire of human hand gestures in dance and sculptures that eloquently convey a mood, feeling, and invite the onlooker to participate in the narrative of human life embodied by art.

Archana Sundararajan, Project Co-ordinator

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rt is suggestive. Through symbols, it indirectly suggests the meaning of representations rather than communicating explicitly what is intended. Thus allusion is the basis of modes of expression in all areas of art: painting, sculpture, literature, music and dance. An essential element of the symbolic language is the hand. Its use as an expressive symbol is particularly evident in sculpture and dance. These hand gestures, which are called mudras, were passed down through the generations since the Vedic period until today.

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There are two types of mudras: those executed with one hand, and those carried out with both hands. There are at least 28 mudras formed with only one hand, and at least 23 mudras formed with both hands. Thus hundreds of other mudras can be created with these essential mudras.

To discover this fascinating non-verbal mode of communication, we visited the Meenakshi temple of Madurai

and to the Andal temple of Srivilliputhur to observe the different mudras in sculptures which symbolizes divine powers of the deities themselves.

In these temples, the icons explore the entire range of human emotions. Everything here is larger than life. Almost all sculptures belong to the Nayaka period. We were impressed by the delicacy and accuracy of the carvings.. But it was not only the superb pieces of workmanship; but it was also interesting to understand the significance of these mudras.

The fingers represent the five elements: sky, wind, fire, water and earth. Their contact with each other symbolizes the synthesis of these elements. So it was an enriching experience to learn that the statues in the temples had not only an aesthetic appeal but also a symbolic value.

The following is a list of mudras frozen in some of the temple icons :

Ardhapataka Mudra This is a sculpture of Agoraveerabathrar. The mudra used is to denote numbers, two, or say both or hold a slab or a board, a knife or a spear, and the bank of a river.

Suchi Mudra “Suchi” literally means a” needle”.

This mudra looks exactly like a needle. The index finger is extended and straight and all the other fingers, including the thumb, are bent towards the palm. Many things can be shown with the “Suchi” mudra: “searching for something”, “to contemplate”, “scolding somebody,” “making a hair braid,” “playing a temple drum” etc.

But the Suchi mudra shown in this sculpture denotes that God is the ONE.

Pallava Mudra In this sculpture of Dwarapalaka pallava mudra is denoted by the left hand. When the five fingers are stretched with the palm turned inwards and also when rested on an object or an animal, the mudra is known as the Pallava mudra.

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Madurai Messenger Tradition October 2012

Vismaya Mudra 16

To show surprise and the great qualities of the Lord that cannot be expressed through words (ineffable).

This mudra is used by the Dwarapalakas: The guards situated at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum or the innermost recess of a temple.

Gaja hastham This Natarajar sculpture is from the nayaka period. The hand gesture showing the above image is the lower left hand.

This left hand is called the Gaja hastham. This is a symbol of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.

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Kadi Mudra When the hand is wide open and placed on the hip or any part of the body facing downwards, it is called Kadi mudra. The left hand of this sculpture holds the kadi mudra.

Kataka Mudra This way of holding a flower or a pasha by the hand is known as the kataka mudra. This mudra can be placed in any angle by the sculptor according to the sculpture.

Atmanjali or Anjali Mudra Gesture of prayer, hands against the heart. It is a universal gesture which is present in Hinduism and Christianity in particular. Anjali hastha is also a gesture used to welcome. This sculpture welcomes the devotees to the temple.

Simma karna Mudra This sculpture denotes the incarnation of Shiva as Bikshatanar. The sculptor has followed the traditional hand gesture for holding a biksha.

This way of holding is called the Simma Karna Mudra.

Madurai Messenger Tradition October 2012

Bhagavata Mela:

A male Brahmin traditional

A Traditional Folk Art at Crossroads

By Natsumi Sakai Japan

After interacting with performers of Bhagavata Mela and watching a performance, Natsumi Sakai wonders about the ability of traditional art forms to retain their essence in the age of globalization where art has taken on a virtual avatar. Face book pages and you tube videos of the Bhagavatha Mela surely reach out to more people, but will purity and classicism be diluted in the process, she wonders…

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Sri Panduranga Bhajanashram temple, where the interview was conducted

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lobalization is unstoppable.

Everything is being modernized and is getting absorbed by Western cultures. Bhagavata Mela, a traditional South Indian dance drama, is also in the middle of such a transformation. The content and format of the show have not changed, but the performer and the society surrounding it has begun to gradually change. People can find Face book page of Bhagavata Mela, watch the show on You tube and see the real performance out side India. It is true

that globalization is helping to preserve Bhagavata Mela, but some things should retain their essential purity.

Mela are completely different, but their common aim is “Devotion to the Supreme.”

Steeped in tradition

Bhagavatha Mela Natakam is a dancedrama, which started around 200 years ago. It used to be played in five different regions, but currently, it is performed in Melattur and Thepperumarallur villages near Thanjavur. The Mela performed in these two different regions has some similar features and yet are unique in their own way.

There are two forms of Bhagavatha Mela. One is the ‚Bhagavatha Mela Natakam‘ and the other is ‚Bhajan Sampradayam‘. Most people think that Bhagavatha Mela is only about the music and dance styled Bhagavatha Mela Natakam, but there is Bhajan Sampradayam, which is entirely songbased. The two forms of Bhagavatha

The performance is only done by the men from the Brahmin community. The dance, songs and acting is transmitted orally and the interesting part is that each family has a particular hereditary role. When a boy is born in the Bhagavatha family, that boy is destined to play the family role in the Bhagavatha Mela. Because of this ritual, sometimes the casting becomes awkward. For example, the father’s role is played by a young boy, and the son’s role is played by an older man.

The Bhagavatha prayer is devoted to Sri Lakshmi Narashima, who is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Narashima was created from the ‚divine anger‘ of Lord Vishnu and symbolizes the fight against evil and tyranny. He has a face of a fearful lion and his weapon is his deadly nails. The most famous part of the drama is when Hiranyakashipu, the evil king and the father of Prahlada, destroys the iron pillar and the awe inspiring Lord Narashima emerges and kills Hiranyakashipu. The righteous son Prahlada sings a devotional song in praise of Lord Narashima to calm him down and peace prevails in the end.

In Melattur, the group bond is so strong, that the Bhagavathas do not perform until all the members are back together. The date of performance is not important for them. On the other hand, in Thepperumarallur, they place importance on the month in which they perform, which is May. It is considered holier than the performance in Melattur, but the original and the most famous form of the Bhagavatha Mela is the Melattur style. The other major difference between the two forms is the language. In Melattur, the Bhagavatha only perform in Telugu, but in Thepperumarallur they perform in several languages like Telugu, Sanskrit and Tamil. While it is natural to presume that people in Tamil Nadu may prefer the Tamil version that, however, is incorrect. Most people in Tamil Nadu know the story of Lord Narashima, so they can enjoy it even without understanding the language.

Krishnamurthy (61), the manager of Sri Panduranga Bhajanashram temple

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The mask of Lord Narashima

Focused on the interview

Madurai Messenger Tradition October 2012

The Kinetic Purulia

A scene from the Bhagavata Mela Natakam

Chhau Dance Natsumi Sakai witnesses an electrifying performance of the Purulia Chhau folk dance organized by SPIC MACAY in the city. She is so captivated by the vibrant energy of this martial dance that she says has inspired her with power and joy to do her very best as a journalism volunteer in India.

By Natsumi Sakai Japan

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Information on Bhajan Sampradayam is extremely hard to find. It is not known to many people and the rules of the performance are unclear to the audience. As a member of the audience, I too felt the same.It was after I interacted with a Bhagavatha that I found out there were two types of Bhagavatha Mela.

Sadguru Swamigal was the man who gave a format for the Bhajan Sampradayam. He travelled throughout India and gathered various songs and poems from many regions. The reason he started this was because he felt the need of a national unity amongst the Indians. Therefore, the songs and poems that he collected are in various languages like, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Marathi. It can be performed in any place, but the sequence of the songs is to be followed strictly in the order, as explained to me

by E.K. Bhagavatha (83), who is one of the senior Bhagavatha performers.

Fading tradition As is obvious in any traditional folk art form, in the Bhagavatha Mela too

there are many rules and tradition that has been passed down through generations. These traditions are precious, and should be preserved.

However, with changing times, some commandments are being broken.

For example, some Bhagavata started to perform outside of Tamil Nadu, and even outside of India. Originally performers are forbidden from taking the Narashima mask out of the temple, where it is normally kept. There is supposed to be a ritual conducted before the performance to take out the Narashima mask, but if they perform far from the temple they cannot do the ritual at the right timing. All this change might not seem a big issue for the outsiders, but even such small modifications might lead to the complete collapse of Bhagavatha Mela.

I met Krishnamurthy (61), the manager of Sri Panduranga Bhajanashram temple, who has watched Bhagavata Mela Bhajan ten times. The first time he watched the show was in 1982 and the last time he watched it was five years ago. He expressed how he enjoyed the show every time he watched it and

that he gets so much energy from the Bhagavata. The show goes on for a week, which is much longer than I had expected, but he goes to the venue in Trichy every day after his work. He says, “There is no boredom. You feel fresh,” and that he would like to see it again if he has the chance. The interview was short but it was enough to grasp his generous personality.

It is difficult for an outsider to grasp the essence of the Bhagavata Mela.

There are many rituals, songs, and dance, which are passed down from one generation to the other. Since all the elements of the performance are passed down from father to son, it was a precious occasion to be able to note down some elements of it.

All the information I heard was new to me and every aspect of it was interesting. There are many problems that the performers are facing right now, due to the modernization and globalization, but I hope that they will overcome the difficulties and are able to preserve the tradition and purity of an ancient art form like the Bhagavata Mela.

hen you hear the word ‘dance‘, what is the first word that comes to your mind?

‘Joy‘ was the first word that popped into my mind. Most of the dances, especially Indian folk dances include a positive intention to celebrate the arrival of season, the birth of a child, wedding and festivals, etc. However, Purulia Chhau dance is different. ‘Joy‘ was only an element in the background and ‘power‘ was right in the center of the stage.

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The oral tradition of Chhau dance Chhau dance is an Indian tribal martial dance that is popular in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, which has three different versions; Seraikella Chhau, Mayurbhanj Chhau and Purulia Chhau respectively. It is normally performed during regional festivals at night in an open space surrounded by fire poles. The dance theme is based on local legends, folklore or episodes from the ‘Ramayana‘ and the ‘Mahabharata‘. Normally, it includes a depiction of birds and animals and the heroic dance is performed with a sword, bow or a shield. Most interestingly, the knowledge of dance, music and mask making is transmitted orally, so only a handful of people can master the Chhau dance.

Lord Murugan with his peacock

Fostering an interest in the arts among young people Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE) in Madurai was the venue where the Purulia Chhau was performed.

The whole event was organized by the TCE cultural association and SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth). SPIC MACAY was established

by Dr Kiran Seth in 1977 to promote

Indian classical music and dance for the youth. Since then around 400 centres have been created in India and around 4700 events are organized annually.

The state coordinator of SPIC MACAY, Chinmaya Arjun Raja (38) expressed the importance of how the organization is intended only for the youth. “We organize programmes and events only in educational institutions, not in private places. The venue has to be a school or a college or a university.”

Madurai Messenger Tradition October 2012

“The connection between the musicians and the dancers was very strong, in a way that the dance seemed to be led by the dancers and not the musicians”

The kinetic world of Chhau The dance movement consists of jumping, running, spinning, sitting, bowing, back flipping and some fighting movements. Each time a dancer came on stage, they were consistently moving around the stage. The connection between the musicians and the dancers

was very strong, in a way that the dance seemed to be led by the dancers and not the musicians. It looked as though the dancers had more freedom during the performance than Western dancing, in which the dancers have to move to the music. Also, they included some humour in the dance movement. The funniest moment was when the great

Triumph of good over evil

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The story performed was ‚Mahishasura Mardini‘. It is not a complicated story with twists and turns, but a simple story. Basically, the evil demon Mahisha has taken over the three worlds (heaven, earth and the nether world) and becomes too strong for the Gods to defeat. The Gods needed a power that is greater than them. The ‚ power‘ (Shakti) that created both the Gods and the enemy in the first place was their only hope. All the Gods gave back their individual power to the Source, which created the Maha Devi. She is the mother of all beings and mortals. The battle between Maha Devi and Mahisha continued for nine days and nine nights.

Simultaneously, the battle between the great lion (Maha Devi) and the buffalo (Mahisha) takes place. Eventually, Maha Devi slays Mahisha and the cosmic order is restored.

The fancy mask of Lord Ganesha

All about colours What struck me the most were the masks, costumes and weapons. The mask was decorated with simple materials but with various colours as were the costumes. Chhau dance is all about colour. The characters were easily recognizable by the colour of costumes they were wearing. If the dancer is wearing bright colours, like orange and red, they are mostly the good characters and if they are wearing dark colours, like black and brown, they tend to be on the evil side.

Weapons also play an important role in the show. Bows, swords, shields, spears and scarves are the common things that the dancers held. The use of those objects made the dance livelier and the story easier to understand. Due to the martial origin, the dance fits perfectly with a weapon in hand.

Inexpressible Chhau Lively music performance The last pose by all the important performers

The show begins The six volunteers and supervisor from Madurai Messenger were led into an airconditioned auditorium at the Thiagarajar College of Engineering. We were able to get seats in the front row for a vantage view. Normally, the dance is performed outside but this time surprisingly, it was performed indoors on a rather small stage. The beating of two drums (a reed pipe and a maraca type of instrument) opened the show with an invocation to lord Ganesha. The unexpectedly loud music put the audience off guard. As our ears started to adapt to the volume of the music, Ganesha appeared on stage full of energy. The Hindu gods appeared one by one on stage, before the story actually began.

orange lion pretended to attack the musicians. This was a clever movement to draw some of the audience’s attention back to the musicians to balance the position between the dancers and the musicians.

Maha Devi and her lion

The show ended with a big round of applause and cheer. The performers were full of energy and spirits. Every performer came in front of the stage to receive a memento from the college. They all looked satisfied and had huge smiles on their faces. It was hard to slow down the quickened heart and to calm down after all the excitement. A girl from the college expressed her satisfaction about the show, “So nice, no words to say.” Dr. Vasudevan, the dean of Thiagarajar College of Engineering was very confident about the show, “Our culture is always great.”

Purulia Chhau dance is something that you have to see live to feel the energy released from the dancers and the musicians. The show has roused my curiosity about Indian traditional art and also gave me the ‚joy‘ and ‚power‘ to do my very best during my stay in India.

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Madurai Messenger Heritage October 2012

Cherishing a Heritage Leila Barros reports on the well preserved 112-year-old heritage home of Madurai-based architect P.R.S. Sivakumar that was built by his great grandfather in 1899

Shortly before his death, P.R. Subramanaim extracted a promise form his grandson that he would not sell the house which meant so much to him. When Sivakumar explained to him about his desire to renovate the house, his grandfather readily agreed.

Unfortunately he died before seeing the completed work.

In architectural jargon, the house has been retrofitted and not renovated.

Retrofitting is the addition of new technology like air conditioning or fire alarms. It took three years to retrofit the office. Interestingly P.R.S Sivakumar’s did not renovate his house which is in the same building for two

By Leila Baros France

Volunteer Leila Baros in conversation with Sivakumar

“In architectural jargon, the house has been retrofitted and not renovated. Retrofitting is the addition of new technology like air conditioning or fire alarms”

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The outside view of the house

The roof which has not been replaced since 1899, when the house was first built

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t the corner of a street; in Madurai; you can find a house between two sari shops. If you go there; I’m practically sure will miss it. From the outside it just look like any other house, nothing special But you can’t judge a book by its cover, because this house is special in several ways.

Instead of finding yourself a dirty dust area you are in a spacious hall where right in the middle is a gorgeous white statue of a woman. This place which is a blend of British and Kerala architecture is architect P.R.S.Sivakumar’s house and office and it contains within itself 112 years of history.

Push the imposing black door with wonderful sculptures around and you will arrive in a most unexpected place.

It was built in 1899 by Sivakumar’s great grand father P.V Ramaswamy as a second residence. Unfortunately

World War 1 broke out and this rich family which was involved in international export of cotton lost one of there ships in voyage. They were forced to sell there house and they only retained this building as a house and an office. In the coming years, Sivakumar’s grandfather P.R.Subramanian, modified the entrance and had rented the sides of the house in which shops were established.

reasons. For one, retrofitting was time consuming. And secondly, the aim of the retrofitting was just to show his client a nice office instead of a usual work place. According to Sivakuamr, 20 years before people in Madurai did not even know how to write ‘architect’ so he had to find his place in the world of the work.

The name board of the architect’s office says Mani Ram Design Den. It is a curious blend of his grandfather’s name Mani (his grandfather Subramanian), Ram from the name of his great grand father Ramaswamy, and Den just mean it’s a creative place that invites you inside.

The statue of the woman in the wind

Madurai Messenger Heritage October 2012

The Timeless

Temple of Thanjavur In Thanjavur, all roads lead to the magnificent Brihadeeswara Temple.

Popularly known as “Big Temple” the architectural marvel, high on every tourist’s must-see list, is still popular with the locals. After a visit to the temple, Gwendoline Marion concludes that it is a place where religious fervor and architectural splendor coexist in a seamless unity Children happily posing to the camera

By Gwendoline Marion France

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he Brihadeeswara Temple was built by Raja Raja Cholan I in 1011 CE to commemorate the victory of Cholas dynasty. It was a royal temple built to display the emperor’s power and his relationship to the universal order.

Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1987, the Big Temple is the largest temple in India and is constructed entirely out of granite. In 2010, Tamil Nadu Tourism marked the millennial celebrations of the great temple.

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Architectural marvel Being a European, my first impression was to liken this Big Temple to a castle because of the huge fortresses which surround it. And yet, I was more amazed by its architecture than by its size.

At the entrance of the temple, a board offers visitors important information about the temple. This Dravidian style monument is dedicated to Shiva. The unique feature of this temple is the enormous lingam. Brihadeeswara Temple is centered on a 90

The Majestic Brihadeeswarar Temple

Shrine of Sri Subrahmanya inside the Brihadeeswarar Temple

-metre-tower, the Vimana, which contains the linga. We were surprised to know that this tower is among the tallest of its kind in the world.

Then, I took my first step into the amazing courtyard measuring 240 X 120 metres. What drew my attention in this place were the beautiful inscriptions of the Cholas, Pandya, Vijayanagara, Nayaka and Maratha rulers everywhere on the walls. In effect, we gather from these inscriptions that numerous endowments were made to the temple by the royal family.

As we continued to walk, we discovered the big statue of Nandhi: the sacred bull. It is one of the largest monolithic Nandhi statues on the world. It is sits in a separate pavilion with ornate Tanjore style paintings on the roof. In fact, this Thanjavur temple attracts tourists because of the specialty of the sculptures. The numerous paintings and sculptures are a testimony to the grandeur and imagination of the Chola civilization.

Volunteer Gwendoline and Projects Abroad staff members Rajan and Ram in conversation with M.Vishwanathan and his son, Hariharan

During my visit, I met A. Jayaraman, 38, and his wife, M. Priya, 32. This regular visitor to the temple shared many fascinating details about the temple that only a few people know. The Big Temple was not built in the same way as a traditional temple.

Generally, the Linga is installed after the temple is constructed.

However, in this case, the Cholas decided to build the base and then directly install the linga. Next, they built the temple, the bull, and the Tower. In addition, they posted a flag at the same level of god, which is a unique feature here. (not clear) Furthermore, the dome was built in such a way that its shadow does not fall on the ground. This ensures that human footfalls do not touch the Divine.

After this meeting, I understand how the temple’s history and planned architecture has made it a real historic masterpiece. The fusion of the sacred and the secular makes it not only a popular tourist attraction but also a sacred place of worship.

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Madurai Messenger Heritage October 2012

An Innocent Abroad

“I like to spend time with my son. I want to offer him entertainment in a holy place where we can experience peace of mind,” explained Mr. Viswanathan, 39. I chatted with this kind man for a long time; he comes here twice a week with his son six-year-old son V. Hariharan. In fact, I realized that this place was conducive to this kind of feeling.

Besides worship, many Indians come to this temple for a quiet walk and to relax. In other words, it is like an oasis in which they can feel free and peaceful.

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Moreover, many people visit occasionally, for example, during their vacation: like TG Harigovindan, 34, and his wife TH Saraya, 27, who come here thrice a year with their seven-year-old daughter, TH Sandya. This family lives 50 km from Thanjavur but they like to visit the Brihadeeswara Temple because it gives them an opportunity to spend time together. In fact, they do so to forget the pressures of everyday life and take the time to speak to each other in a peaceful place.

Brihadeeswara Temple is a remarkable place. In fact, this magnificent architectural gem has not fallen into ruins and continues to remain a centre of worship where religious fervor and architectural grandeur coexist as they did centuries ago. It’s impossible to believe that this great temple will not keep the glory forever.

French national Gwendoline Marion candidly confesses her many predicaments during her first Indian encounter. Yet despite the newness of it all, she is ready to embrace and savour the Indian experience to the full

By Gwendoline Marion France A profile view of Meenakshi Amman temple tower

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A wall in the temple filled with an inscription from the period of King Raja Raja Chozha I which is 1002 CE years old

first discovered the face of India through the porthole of my Lufthansa flight, in the middle of the night. I expected a country rich in colour, and glancing down at Chennai, I was not so amazed to see a city illuminated by blue, red and yellow lights...Once we landed, I boarded my connecting flight to Madurai.

During this flight, I felt a little uncomfortable when I noticed all the passengers watching me; it made me aware that I was the only White person on the flight.

Tourist T.G.Harigovindan with his wife T.H.Saranya and daughter T.H.Sandhya

This first step into Chennai aroused my sense of observation; the night heat, the absence of the clock in the airport, my Western clothes which did not fit in, a very strict customs man at the counter who checked my passport, the language and then, the tiredness from the journey which began to invade me... Then, I realized “ I am in India! “ The sun was rising when I flew to Madurai; a city which was totally unknown to me, and one in which I would be staying for two months!

From the plane, the landscape looked very different from those that I had seen previously; a red ground, and a climate which seemed warm and dry with a lot of vegetation.

A.Jayaraman, a devotee of Lord Brihadeeswara

Tourist Dr. M.Priya

When the plane landed, I wondered what was in store for me.... I was reassured at the exit when I noticed that I was not the only volunteer to go towards a man who held a sign saying “Projects Abroad. “

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When I stepped outside, all my bearings disappeared! All that I observed outside seemed unknown to me. At first, what drew my attention was the lifestyle of people here; a lot of people sat outside, trying to sell objects or food on the side of the road, dressed in light fabric, and they seemed to have a different attitude to life from those back home in France.

There were women carrying bags on their heads, cows in the streets, colours everywhere, and everything was moving so fast! Then, I focused on the road and I noticed that the traffic moved differently too! I saw whole families with babies on the same scooter, many sqaushed into one rickshaw, and finally a few cars…

Finally, in the midst of the smothering heat, we arrived at an Indian restaurant.

A man brought us a dish with what looked like a sauce which gave off an

unfamiliar smell … Indeed, I will always remember that first mouthful, which literally assaulted my tastebuds once I began chewing (Indian spice food, welcome!). I waited for a few minutes thinking that he would bring us cutlery to eat but when he didn’t, I had to ask him for some. I realized that here the rice and most of the dishes are eaten with the right hand! The Projects Abroad staff drove us to our respective houses and I was the first one to reach mine. I met my host mother who told me to relax me and take a shower. Unfortunately for me, the shower did not work, I had to use the tap in the wall and crouch down to wash. I spotted my bed, but was very unsure of how comfortable it was going to be! I fell asleep straight away, dreaming of what the next day had in store for me...

Madurai Messenger Craft October 2012

The Delightful Head shaking

‘Thanjavur HeadShaking Dolls’. It is attributed in jest, when accusing someone of being a ‘Yes person’, mutely bobbing the head in assent to the boss’s ideas!

Thanjavur Dolls There is a timeless appeal in the delightful headshake of the handmade Thanjavur dolls. Yulia Skopich after a visit to Thanjavur concludes that it is in such hand crafted marvels that the true spirit and soul of India can be found.

Convinced that dolls appeal to people across ages, she even gets herself a Thanjavur doll!

By Yulia Skopich

Thanjavur dolls are very popular

Russia

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he story of Indian toys and dolls is as timeless as the land itself. Playing with handmade dolls, children learn their first lessons of survival and conduct. There are many traditions, social and religious rites of a community that are connected with dolls. Today the urban child amuses himself with flashy cars and Barbie dolls but no Barbie can compete with handmade dolls made with love and through which you can glimpse their souls.

The dolls usually represent a king and queen to symbolize the many dynasties that ruled Thanjavur. The heads of these dolls shake and are detachable too. The lower part of the body is bigger than the heads and as they shake, it is a delight to watch them.

While Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai is a generic term given to dolls made in Thanjavur, much confusion exists over which of two prominent types is the real deal – the dancing bobble head girl or the tilting doll.

These dolls are believed to have arrived in Thanjavur in the early nineteenth century during King Saraboji’s (1798-1824) reign. Since then the creative and talented artisans of the city have been at this craft.

Each region in India has its own style of making dolls and toys. Thanjavur, in south India, is a cradle of Chola art and culture which is famous for its tradition of handmade wooden dolls, popularly known as Thanjavur dolls. I saw these dolls for the first time near the exit of my hotel in Thanjavur. There were two big dolls and it was so unusual to find them near a hotel that I stopped for a closer look. I realized that I had seen these dolls before, back in Madurai, but at a friend’s home. In Thanjavur these dolls were everywhere! There were near the hotels, big restaurants, they were sold near the Brihadeeswarar temple and in the market. In Russia, where I live, we also have national toys, like the famous matryoshka but these Thanjavur dolls are radically different from our toys.

In local parlance, there is a colourful usage of the term, Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai that in Tamil means ‘Thanjavur Head-Shaking Dolls’. It is attributed in jest, when accusing someone of being a ‘Yes person’, mutely bobbing the head in assent to the boss’s ideas!

The principle in a conventional bobble head doll is that the head is linked to the base with a metal spring or a metal pivot. A tap on the head makes it bob. The Dancing Girl is a variation of the bobble head doll with not one, but three moving parts – the head, the chest and arms and the skirt-draped hips. Once assembled, barring the sturdy base composed of the doll’s feet, the gentlest tap on the skirt can set three parts in interlinked motion, thereby creating the effect of ‘dancing.’ There are other variations like a seated old couple where only the heads bob.

A delightful headshake A Thanjavur doll, popularly known as ‘thalayatti bommai’ is a type of traditional Indian bobble head or roly-poly toy made of terracotta. Its centre of gravity and total weight is concentrated at its bottom which helps it to present a dance-like continuous movement with slow oscillations.

Hence it comes back to its normal seating position automatically after being tilted any side. Traditionally these toys are handmade and are colorfully painted on the outside with a touch of humour. But nowadays, they are also being made in plastic.

Making the Thanjavur doll is a long but fascinating process

“Today the urban child amuses himself with flashy cars and Barbie dolls but no Barbie can compete with handmade dolls made with love and through which you can glimpse their souls”

Plaster of Paris and paper pulp are mixed along with clay to create a dough-like consistency. This dough is pressed into moulds to make the front and back panels of the doll

Initially, S. Rajendra Prabu sold terracotta dolls

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Madurai Messenger Craft October 2012

“That’s why a Thanjavur doll is the best present for anyone, regardless of their age, which is why I decided to buy one for myself as a souvenir of South Indian culture”

The div’veena instrument:

Go(o)d vibrations

Making a veena is like playing the veena. It is a question of time, perseverance and skill. This stringed instrument, also called the instrument of God, has been a part of South Indian culture for more than five hundred years, thanks to the musical tradition being passed down from one generation to the next. Anthony Menard traces the genesis of this musical instrument in Thanjavur, its birthplace

A Tilting Doll moves on the principle of equilibrium. The doll is hollow but has a weighted curved base that makes the entire doll bob and upright itself without toppling over

The soul of India

By Anthony Menard

In Thanjavur, we met S. Rajendra Prabu (29) who has been selling Thanjavur dolls for five years. He started with doing terracotta dolls but when they lost their value, he decided to change his course with Thanjavur dolls. (not clear) “They are very famous and popular among people and give me good money; that`s why I chose this business.” His family does not help him in his business but S. Rajendra Prabu successfully copes by himself.

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France

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He explained and showed us how he and his assistants did these dolls: “Earlier we had only clay but nowadays we use different types of clay: kadalur – a doll clay, marruoli – a flour clay, and paper clay; we mix them to make our base.

We also mix plaster of Paris and paper pulp with the clay to create a dough-like consistency. This dough is pressed into moulds to make the front and back panels of the doll. Once dry, the panels are removed from the moulds and paper is stuck on them. Clay is used to seal the front and back of the hollow doll as well as the seam that joins the clay-filled rounded base. Once this is dry, the doll is smoothened with sandpaper and coloured with oil paint!”

For these dolls, S. Rajendra Prabu usually charges just Rs. 60 which finds ready buyers. Doll making Prabhu’s his only source of income, and while he may not have the dolls he makes in his own house, the sight of his dolls all over Thanjavur makes him happy.

In Russia, like in other European countries, there are many different types of dolls but rarely do children play with handmade toys. Thanjavur dolls are simple clay dolls and perhaps in these ethnic toys, the true charm and spirit of India may be found. While a child might colour his imagination with the timeless Indian dolls and toys, the adult, too shy to confess his attraction to dolls and toys, might put up a brave front and boast of these as rare collectibles. That’s why a Thanjavur doll is the best present for anyone, regardless of their age, which is why I decided to buy one for myself as a souvenir of South Indian culture.

The resonator before carving and polishing ... and after

“T S. Rajendra Prabu explains his business

hanjavur veena is unique in the sense that this instrument was developed and subjected to several modifications in the last 300 years in the court of the Thanjavur kings. You cannot get veenas with this kind of craftsmanship in other parts of the country,” explained Dr. Kausalya, a veena player and former principal of the Government Music College in an earlier interview.

Nowadays in Thanjavur, around 100 families are involved in the vocation of making veenas.

Just a piece of wood. This is how the veena looks like at the beginning of the process. However, craftsmen do not use any kind of wood to make the instrument. The jackfruit tree is selected to constitute the body of the instrument because of its strength and durability. In earlier times, teak wood and sandal wood were also used for the same reason.

“Actually, there is a lack of trees. That is why we only use jackfruit tree which comes from Panruti in Tamil Nadu and

Madurai Messenger Craft October 2012

Ms. Narayanan describing the Yali, a part of the Veena

Kerala” said Ms. Narayanan, a veena maker’s wife who is not interested in revealing her name.

Selecting the wood is one thing. Working on it is a different task altogether. “It takes one month for twenty workers to make a veena. Each one has a specific role to play in the process,” clarifies Ms Narayanan. A sizeable team is required to create the body of the veena.

The more ordinary ones (Ottu veena), have a stem which is made in three sections which tally with three different stages. The resonator (Kudam, the sound box of the veena, looks like a big receptacle. It is hollowed out of the lower trunk of the jackfruit tree with gouges. “This part of the veena is decorated with deep carving or shallow carving and plastic sheets or deer horns” explained Ms. Narayanan. Then, the rough carving of the veena is chiseled and polished to give it an aesthetic appeal. Meanwhile, a set of workers make the neck (Dandi), a long tube of wood which becomes the fingerboard of the plucked instrument and is an ink between the two extremities of the instrument. The last part called the Yali often is a painting of a dragon’s head.

The highest quality veenas (Ekhanta) have the entire body carved out of a single block of wood. While a non-decorative veena made out of three pieces of wood may cost around Rs 5,000, those which are intricately carved out of a single piece of wood cost up to Rs 50,000.

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The veena belongs to the plucked string instrument family so it consists of strings. Seven exactly: four playing strings and three drone strings (thalam). Two are made of copper and five of silver. They are fixed on a serpent grip in one side and on the peg box on the other side.

Seven is also the number of pegs (or Birudai), which are big screws made of rosewood. They tighten the strings in order to synchronize the different sounds. Like the guitar, lute and other plucked string instruments, the veena has frets on its neck: twenty four made of brass bars set into wax.

The mechanism cannot work without the bridge. A flat bar made of brass, it has a light curve which gives the characteristic sound of the veena.

What is the future of veena making ?

Nowadays, there is a huge demand for veena, both in India and Abroad, but not many children in the families involved in the profession want to take up veena making.

As with other crafts, veena making too is a family affair most of the time.

“We continue making veenas because we don’t want to give up our family vocation,” said Mr. Srinivasan, who has won a national award for veena-making in 2011.

The four playing strings go through the bridge’s curve unlike the three drone strings

A rare kind of veena, made of one piece of wood called Ekantha veena

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Madurai Messenger Revival October 2012

Reconstructing History Amelie Phillipson visits the Department of Epigraphy in the Tamil University in Thanjavur and reports on the ancient science of epigraphy or the study of inscriptions, that she says is the practical face of history that helps us to reconstruct and interpret the past

By Amelie Phillipson France

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t is recognized worldwide that history begins at the time where we can trace back the first writing: anything before writing is prehistory, anything after the start of it is history. Without any written word, it is impossible to reconstruct history. It is the aim of epigraphy to study inscriptions on an object for the reconstruction of history.

Therefore, epigraphy is not a separate subject, it is simply one of the branches of archeology.

Amelie conversing with the professors of the Department of Epigraphy

their PhD. Most of the students have chosen to study epigraphy in order to have an in-depth knowledge of history, as epigraphy permits us to go deeper into concepts. The Thanjavur University is incredibly active in the field of epigraphy: the department has copied more than 70,000 inscriptions, a large majority of them being written in Tamil (approximately more than sixty thousand), the others are in Arabic or Sanskrit. Copying inscriptions is a part of epigraphy and must be undertaken for proper research. Nowadays, digital photography is the main tool for copying inscriptions, making the process less tedious.

A new lens to view the past Epigraphy makes us see history in a different manner. If you thought history was a static subject because the past is over and cannot be changed, epigraphy will quickly prove you wrong. The writing of history can only be based on what is available now. Discovery of new inscriptions and reinterpretation can change the whole writing of history, so any new finding can change perceptions.

If many inscriptions have already been found, they are many more yet to be discovered. New discoveries of inscriptions keep happening which enables researchers to recreate history, whether by adding a new element or by changing one that has been wrongly read.

Epigraphy can now be separated into three main stages: interpretation, analysis and re-writing history. The inscriptions have to be understood, as it is an old language, and they also have to be dated. To date an inscription, the scientist has to look at

Surprisingly, inscriptions in Tamil are found not only in Tamil Nadu, but also in other countries like Sri Lanka or Thailand. The first inscription in Tamil Nadu was found in 1903 and is a Tamil Brahmi inscription: it is a parent inscription for all Indian scripts. All the Tamil inscriptions where therefore found in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Many archeological sites can be found today in Tamil Nadu: Poompuhar, near Puducherry, Attirampakkam near Chennai and Kodumanal are a few.

A challenging discipline Besides reconstructing history, inscriptions found all over Tamil

Nadu can also give us an insight into social conditions: for information on the caste system during the Chola period, it is possible to refer to the inscriptions. It offers information on the hierarchy in society, on the social status of women and queens, and also on the form of residences and settlements. Inscriptions deal a lot with society. The information is rare and has to be processed and analysed; it is therefore extremely valuable. Without inscriptions, it is impossible to understand the social conditions of a different period of time. As well as dealing with social issues, the inscriptions can also reveal agreements between kings, information about wars, donations made by the royals or other officials in the government. Many inscriptions also have a religious purpose and deal with donations to temples.

Therefore, inscriptions give us a variety of information that permits us to reconstruct history. The stones were delivered by the king himself: he would say the text out loud, and then someone would write it down on a palm leaf manuscript. The important information would be transferred to a stone for permanent documentation.

With inscribing being a tedious process, the person who actually inscribes on stone might not even know how to read: he is just copying the shapes he sees on the manuscript.

Epigraphical discoveries found in the Department of Epigraphy, Tamil University

it, as someone watching a film would look at the costumes to date the century in which the film is set. This type of work is called paleography: it is the study of ancient writing, through studying the cultural context of writing, including the methods which are used to write. Sometimes, the date is even mentioned on the inscription itself. In 2006, students from the epigraphy department of the Thanjavur University found the four oldest stone inscriptions found in Tamil Nadu. They are dated 4000 years BCE, but it is impossible to pinpoint the oldest inscription: one can say a group of inscriptions is older

than another, but within a group, one cannot determine which inscription has been engraved first. Once it is dated, the inscription is put back into historical context. Only then is it possible to reconstruct history. Rereading inscriptions is therefore also a part of epigraphy, as it is important to come back to the roots to check their validity when new inscriptions are found.

A pioneering effort The Tamil University in Thanjavur created a department for epigraphy in 1981. The students of this department take about four or five years to acquire

A hero stone found at Pulimankombai that belongs to 3-2 century B.C

The difference between history and epigraphy is the same as the difference between theory and practice: epigraphy gives more authenticity to the study, and makes the studying more exciting, as there always is the prospect of discovering new things. Therefore, epigraphy requires a very curious and explorative mind, as well as a taste for precise work: attention to detail is a must, as anything, however small or big, can change the perception of history.

If it is possible to quickly change a perception, it is also possible to make a wrong interpretation, which shows how challenging epigraphy can be. It is a true science.

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Madurai Messenger Interface October 2012

Cultural Ambassadors The life of a tourist guide is a bag of mixed blessings. For one, you have to instantly warm up to total strangers; and yet maintain a perfect balance between professionalism and friendliness. Roxanne Dadvar meets up with some of Madurai’s tourist guides to understand why they do what they do

By Roxanne Dadvar France

Meenakshi interacting with Roxanne, with her daughter Shobana Ravi observing P. Balamurugan sharing his experience about his routine in Mahal

Today he converses fluently in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam with the tourists for whom he is the “eyes” through which they glimpse the palace

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Prabhu near Meenakshi Amman temple

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n the burning white steps of the majestic Thirumalai Nayak palace, I met 35-year-old P. Balamurugan.

A “running guide” for the past ten years, he shares his time between the palace and his second job of being a sales man.

His unassuming appearance and his inability to speak English surprised me. I then came to know that P. Murugan is a self-taught tourist guide. In the absence of courses and formal training, he learnt

all about the history of the Thirumalai Nayak Palace from books. Today he converses fluently in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam with the tourists for whom he is thev “eyes” through which they glimpse the palace. Yet being a tourist guide was just another “day job” for Murugan and not a passion.

Cultural ambassadors A well-informed tourist guide is a

cultural ambassador. A historically aware and sensitive tourist guide plays a vital role in visualizing the exact cultural, historical and heritage of a particular place or monument and communicating it successfully to the target audience, tourists. In order to do this, they, however, have to have knowledge and insights that is considerably more than that of the common person.

In front of the famous and wonderful Meenakshi temple I met 35-year-old V.S Nagendra Prabu. Dressed like a European, Nagendra Prabu explained to me in perfect English the reasons for why he became a tourist guide.

After several years of teaching history, geography and public administration, Nagendra Prabu decided to teach the history of the Tamil Nadu’s key cities to a broader audience. Tourists of all the nationalities come to him to discover the wealth of Chennai, Trichy and Madurai. Endowed with huge patience—the first quality required to be a good guide, this smart man works every day in free lance and adapts his work on the crowd.

Generally he starts working at 9 a.m. and finishes at 4.30 p.m.

Meenakshi Ravi, 50, is one of the eight women tourist guides in Madurai. She welcomed me with a bright smile to explain her passion for this work. I was surprised to discover a well educated and independent woman, working full-time as a tourist guide in the travel agency run by her husband, B.Ravi. She was a mathematics and physics teacher before becoming a tourist guide.

Menakshi is a trained and licensed official guide of the Government of Tamil Nadu since 2000.Now; she strides along the streets of Madurai from 8 a.m. to 10.30 p.m., bringing tourists from across the whole world to the Meenakshi temple, the Gandhi museum, the jasmine market and the Thirumalai Nayak palace.

Although having two young daughters, Meenakshi balances the demands of her job and her family very well: her mother takes care of them during the day. ‘’Patience, tolerance and a good knowledge of the places’’ are the qualities required to be a good guide she tells me. Some regular visitors become friends with Meenakshi and keep in touch through e mails and face book. Meenakshi’s her open mind and determination could well make her a role model for all young Indian women.

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Madurai Messenger Interactions October 2012

Maths is Fun!

“This was due to his belief, that ‘Doing’ is the best way to ‘Understanding’. According to him ‘hearing’ is not enough to acknowledge the information fully”

Natsumi Sakai reports on an innovative workshop that seeks to demystify maths and make it fun—not an easy task considering that it’s the one subject most people love to hate! But a three-hour Maths workshop with Maths whiz T.R.Jothirlingam changed all that!

By Natsumi Sakai Japan

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here is a huge gap between people who loves mathematics and people who detest it! It was quite clear that most volunteers of Madurai Messenger belonged to the second group. It was easy to read from their agonized expressions, that they did not have any interest in maths!

T.R. Jothirlingam had taught math games to many Indian children, but this was his first experience teaching foreigners. It must have been especially difficult for him, as there were volunteers from over five different countries. I wanted to make sure if my first impression of him as being ‘nervous’ was indeed true. But to my surprise, I was wrong. He actually felt confident from the start. It is interesting how the interviewee’s feelings and the interviewer’s observation can be completely different.

Mathemagic!

Maths whiz T.R.Jothirlingam, 59, a station master in Southern Railways in Kudal Nagar, Madurai, faced the challenge of helping the volunteers from diverse backgrounds realize that maths is an enjoyable subject.

Jothiramalingam’s fascination with numbers dates back to his childhood.

Yet he focused seriously on maths only when his two sons T.J.Ramnath Babu and T.J.Raghunath Babu started their meritorious collegiate education in India 40 years back. He brushed up his mathematics skill by teaching and also learning from his two sons during their college years. Ever since then he has captivated by the magic of numbers.

Despite his past experience of teaching maths to the children of India, this time, he had to face foreigners from diverse backgrounds and age groups.

At first, it seemed as though he was lost and a little nervous talking to the volunteers, but once he started teaching us ‘Finger Multiplication’ (a trick to solve 4 and 9 times table using fingers), his

the rules of maths before finding out a pattern and to figure out if it works for other numbers. After nearly two hours, he recapped everything that he taught us. He also stated that what we had learned only 5 percent of all that he could teach. It is impossible to imagine what the remaining 95% is about!

Madurai Messenger volunteers having fun with finger multiplication

expression softened and the tension inside the office eased. There were a lot of question marks floating around, but that confusion made people laugh and volunteers and journalism staff began to help each other.

During the workshop, Mr. Jothirlingam asked us to take notes frequently and encouraged us to take the initiative and step in front of the class to solve some questions. This was due to his belief, that ‘Doing’ is the best way to ‘Understanding’. According to him ‘hearing’ is not enough to acknowledge

the information fully.

We learned multiplication by fingers, Sudoku, chess puzzles and Magic Box –all in just three hours! Every time he began a new math problem, he ensured that everyone understood the previous puzzle and if someone had a difficulty with a particular problem, he took the time to explain it in detail.

Mr. Jothirlingam taught us the huge possibilities in numbers and that there is always some kind of pattern in number games. However, he also warned us, that it is essential to know

My biggest concern was that there might be a difference in teaching Indian children and foreigners.

Almost in anticipation of this question, he responded that Indian children learn faster and understand logic easily. While they usually pick it up at the first instance, foreigners required more repetition before they grasped the concepts. And not only that, with foreigners, he had to summarize everything at the end just to make sure that everyone understood the information without any misunderstanding.

The workshop was truly a good experience to know why Indian people enjoy learning maths and are so proficient in it. Mathematics is not all about formulae, but rather a game to be enjoyed by and with people.

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T.R.Jothirlingam teaching us finger multiplication

A magic square this big can make us dizzy!

Madurai Messenger Book Review October 2012

Art for Art’s Sake American author Irving Stone wrote many thoroughly researched and intense biographical novels about the lives of famous people. The Agony and the Ecstasy based on the life of Michelangelo, celebrated Renaissance painter and sculptor, is one such novel. Yulia Skopich reviewed this novel and discovered Michelangelo for herself anew

By Yulia Skopich Russia

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he Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone is a biographical novel about the life of Michelangelo which was published in 1961. Seven million copies of the novel were sold in the first two years of its publication. The book has been translated into over 40 different languages.

In 1965, a film of the same name was made by Carol Reed starring Charlton Heston as Michelangelo and Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II. Why was the book (and the film) so popular? As we all know, Michelangelo was a famous sculptor and artist. He was a revolutionary artist. But do we know his life well. After reading this novel I discovered another Michelangelo. I admit that I don’t like sculptures very much. I like art but I prefer paintings. This novel, however, urged me to see sculptures and Michelangelo in a new light.

A panoramic sweep The Agony and the Ecstasy begins when Michelangelo is a young apprentice and ends with his death at the age of 89. In 700 pages we get to know about different aspects of his life.

Irving Stone tells us how difficult and dangerous Michelangelo’s times were, and details how several difficulties blocked him. He not only writes about Michelangelo’s life as a famous artist but he also writes about his family and the three romances in the life of the sculptor. Undoubtedly Michelangelo’s greatest love was sculptures and marble, but his friends and some women played a no less important role in his life.

Title:

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Author:

Irving Stone

Language:

English

Year:

1961

Cost:

Rs 325

In this novel, we can see how the prevailing political atmosphere influenced his work. There are so many characters in the book. We can see the Florentines – lusty, artistic, and wealthy; the Romans – dangerous, and dark; the Carrara – interdependent, suspicious, isolated; the Bolognese – joyful, hearty, and uncultured. But the central character is Michelangelo. His character was hard, like the marble which he loved so much. That’s why he did not have many friends.

There are many historical facts and discussion on religion in the novel which based on Michelangelo’s own letters, coupled with extensive research that Stone did. Hence through the book we also get new insights about Italian Renaissance, and we learn that Michelangelo was one of the foremost sculptors of his time.

A passionate sculptor The historical facts are necessary for Stone to describe how they helped or blocked Michelangelo’s career as an artist. Stone describes repeatedly the relationship that Michelangelo has with his marble as being something akin to the relationship between two lovers. During his life he wanted to work only with marble but fate always compelled him to work not only with marble but with sketches, frescoes, bronze, and he was also assigned the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This rocky (pun not originally intended!) relationship is the inspiration of the title, The Agony and the Ecstasy. Ecstasy refers to what he felt when he was sculpting; agony, the challenge he felt when dealing with other issues that kept him from it.

Here is a sentence that I found particularly memorable because it tells us about Michelangelo’s passion for art, “It’s freezing up here. What did you use to keep warm?”

“Indignation,” said Michelangelo. “Best fuel I know. Never burns out.”

He could not do his work badly. He did not like to work with bronze but he made these statues very well. He said, “One should not become an artist because he can, but because he must. It is only for those who would be miserable without it.”

For example, when the Medici decided to design and sculpt the façade of the San Lorenzo Gallery, there was, however, a catch. Michelangelo was to bypass his usual marble source, Carraras, “a one crop town.” He was to take his marble from the San Pietras, a peak, several thousand feet high, to which there was no road. He had to organize the laying of a road.

The contractor he was assigned took Michelangelo’s directions so literally that a road leading to the base of the peak was completed, but the marble quarry was still some distance from the end of the road. Then, when the road was finally connected to the quarry, he had to hire some men to cut the marble. The quarry men of Carraras had taken a personal affront and refused to work. So he recruited stone cutters from his home in Tuscany. Once they succeeded in cutting the block and bringing it to the shore, the boatmen (related to the quarry men) would not carry the stone. That’s why he had many difficulties when he sculpted this order.

“Talent is cheap; dedication is expensive. It will cost you your life,” said Michelangelo and paid all his life for his sculptures.

Michelangelo was an artist, and when he could manage it, a sculptor. But as we can tell from Stone’s narrative, he was also a manager of his life. The story suggests that Michelangelo’s fame was not only to trained eyes, undaunted perfectionism, and sheer talent, but also draws attention to the well of energy and determination that he drew on to bring together all the aspects necessary for the simple opportunity to chisel marble.

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Madurai Messenger Film October 2012

The Artist’s Way Eriko Morikawa, an arts buff, reviews the celluloid version of The Agony and the Ecstasy and gets nostalgic about the Sistine Chapel that she visited just three weeks back!

By Eriko Morikawa Tokyo, Japan

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he Agony and the Ecstasy is a film adaptation of a novel written by Irving Stone and the story about the process of the painting of the Sistine chapel ceiling by celebrated Renaissance artist and sculptor Michelangelo. This film focuses on not only Michelangelo’s biography but the special relationship between him and Pope Julius. It was directed by Carol Reed and released in 1965.

In 1508, Pope Julius (Rex Harrison) comes back from battlefield to Rome and orders his retained sculptor Michelangelo (Charlton Heston) to paint the Apostles in the Sistine chapel ceiling. Immediately Michelangelo tries to protest that he’s a sculptor not a painter but he has no choice. Later when he finds himself unable to paint anymore, he then destroys his works and runs away to the marble quarries. On top of the mountain, he sees a crystal clear vision of Genesis that he’s eager to paint on the ceiling.

After getting permission to change the subject, he devotes his passion to painting.

One day Michelangelo falls off scaffolding because he loses his sight suddenly. The Pope visits him and informs him that he has made a decision to fire him and assign the task to the equally well-known artist Raphael. But this is Pope’s secret plan to rekindle enthusiasm for art once again. Michelangelo once again resumes painting and the Pope often watches over how his work is going on and even during Mass he looks up

Title: Director: Released: Novel: Genre: Duration: Starring:

The Agony and the Ecstasy Carol Reed 1965 Irving Stone History 138 min Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison

to the ceiling. The conversation between them just consists of: “When will you make an end?”(Pope), “When I’m finished” (Michelangelo). The two passionate men are difficult to deal with so that their strong egos drive them to clash against each other. As Pope wants to leave something for posterity, hence Michelangelo wants to stick to his aesthetic ideal.

Though the Pope attempts to take down the scaffolding in order to show the ceiling to the public right away, Michelangelo rebels against this. Finally the Pope fires Michelangelo but he realizes how much Pope loves his work, although he may not approve of his behaviour. Again he begs the Pope to let him paint and the Pope relents to his request. One night Michelangelo finds the Pope gazing at The Creation of Adam on the ceiling. Under the painting, on the scaffolding, they talk gently for a while. There’s an emotional connection between them at that moment.

Shortly the Pope is struck down by illness. Michelangelo calls on Pope’s deathbed then tells him that he wants to quit working. As you see, it’s his secret plan to encourage the Pope just like Pope did the same thing to him. He stands up with a fury and forces him to complete his task as soon as possible.

In 1512, Sistine Chapel ceiling painting is finished. The Pope highly praises Michelangelo for his marvelous achievement.

Raphael says all artists “are harlots always peddling beauty at the doorsteps of the mighty.” This means artists must flatter patrons night and day for a living but Michelangelo denies this. Until the end he has intense passion for art and

does not intend to get the Pope’s patronage. On the other hand, Pope Julius has a short temper and is a selfish warrior Pope. However, somehow he seems attractive and charming.

Probably the actor, Rex Harrison’s brilliant acting makes viewers develop an affinity with this beloved Pope.

Without repeated conflicts between them, we cannot see Michelangelo’s magnificent masterpiece.

This film was nominated for five Academy Awards: best art direction, best costume design, best score, best sound and best cinematography. The outstanding filmmaking technique brings viewers into 16thcentury, the Golden age of Renaissance art. You will be fascinated even if you’re not interested in art or have not seen Michelangelo’s works before. I must mention that this film makes the most of its special effects and embodies “Seeing is believing.” It dazzles us by showing beautiful pieces of sculptures and colourful paintings. The costumes are quite true to the then European style and the background music is solemn and elegant.

Above all, the set is excellently well designed. It recreates Sistine chapel and the visionary scene where Michelangelo gets an inspired vision of the Genesis.

About three weeks back while I was in Rome I was looking up at the Sistine chapel ceiling with my mouth open. In a state of wordless wonder I was amazed at Michelangelo’s superb work. This spectacular film takes us to his life filled with agony and ecstasy. I recommend it to any one has been moved by any of the marvelous arts.

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Madurai Messenger Culture Kitchen October 2012

From Russia with Love In this month’s Culture Kitchen, Russian volunteer Yulia Skopich kindled an appetite for Russian cuisine with the tasty blini or pancake and the Oroshka or cold soup. Living in Russia, where the temperatures touch freezing point for several months in a year, Yulia Skopovich showed how easy and quick it was to cook two Russian dishes that were very tasty

By Yulia Skopich Russia

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ussian cuisine... As writers of this column have often experienced, it is challenging to cook authentic cuisine when you are faced with the non availability of essential ingredients that you often took for granted in your home country! My problem was more difficult because I had to convert the essentially meat-based Russian cuisine into vegetarian, in keeping with the preferences of many people in Projects Abroad!

Guests from outside the journalism project savouring the dishes

Russian cuisine usually takes a lot of time and therefore it’s so difficult to stand near the gas stove when temperature outside is about 40 Degrees C here in Madurai!

Traditionally, Russians prefer dishes with meat or fish. Also, Russian cuisine usually takes a lot of time and therefore it’s so difficult to stand near the gas stove when temperature outside is about 40 Degrees C here in Madurai!

Hence in an effort to choose dishes which need very little cooking time, I began to think about easy-to-cook Russian recipes. Russia is such a vast country that visitors are very often surprised at the variety of Russian food.

Besides, I felt compelled to prove how tasty Russian dishes are and so decided to take the task seriously. I began to think about possible dishes I could teach Indians and other volunteers. The Internet wasn’t of much help me and so I even called my mother in Russia for advice because anyone who tastes her dishes often calls them ‚divine‘ and ‚very tasty‘. We discussed my task and she advised me to cook blini (pancakes) and okroshka, a summer cold soup.

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there are many varieties of blinis.

Usually people cook blini with yeast, but very often they cook it without yeast too. In addition Russian blini is traditionally served with jam or honey or caviar or sour cream. They are rolled with a variety of fillings - fruits, meat or chocolate syrup. Blini is an important part of Russian cuisine. A festival called Maslenitsa celebrates the beginning of spring with blini.

Volunteers cook okroshka

Seeing the world through a blini

can even read a newspaper through a good blini!

Across the world, pancakes have been a perennial favourite for centuries.

Different cultures have developed their own popular cuisine built around pancakes. The Russian pancakes are known as blini. They are very thin and very much like crepes. It is said that you

Blini is an old Russian dish which first made its appearance in the ninth century CE. This word is from old word ‚grind‘ (‚melin‘, ‚mlin‘) and it means a product made of flour. It is very economical food in Russia and

Okroshka: A refreshing thirst quencher At dinner Russians usually have soup and that’s why I decided to choose soup as a second dish. My mother advised me to cook okroshka. It is a cold summer soup, which Russians cook when the weather is hot.

The word ‚okroshka‘ comes from the word ‚crush‘ because okroshka is traditionally made with kvas, a fermented rye drink that it is hard to find outside Eastern Europe, and chopped fresh vegetables maybe with sausages or another meat (not important). Sometimes it is possible to use water with yoghurt instead of kvas.

It is very popular summer soup because it is a perfect refresher on a hot day, and it does not need any cooking, so the vitamins in the vegetables are retained.

Flour power On Tuesday morning, at 11 a.m.; we went to buy the ingredients for the dishes. I tried to choose dishes with ingredients that are available in India – this meant I would also have to tweak

the recipe accordingly.

It was easy to source the ingredients for the blini. We bought all of them in the supermarket. But the only problem was there were so many different types of flour! I was at a loss and I did not know which flour I needed! Rajan, the Journalism Coordinator, helped me to choose the flour for pancakes. As it turned out, Indians use flour made from wheat, rice, millet, lentils, chickpeas, maize, semolina and even potato!

Even within the category of wheat flour there are a number of different products. Flours are often marketed according to their purpose; that’s why I saw products like ‚chapatti flour‘ and ‚idli flour‘. There are literally hundreds of different types of flour!

Madurai Messenger Culture Kitchen October 2012

“I think a cook’s proudest moment is when other people come up to you, and thank you for a delicious dish“

Star of the show: Yulia shows off Russian dishes: Blini and Okroshka

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But in this supermarket we did not find radishes and cucumbers for the okroshka.

That’s why we went to the second supermarket. I was disappointed when we could not find salad veggies even there!

Because there are so many variations of okroshka I decided to modify my recipe and bought carrots instead. I had to cook for 18 people and decided to buy two more cartons of yoghurt.

That’s all! I was ready to cook! We came back to office at 12.30 p.m.

Off the block After lunch, all the volunteers went to the Projects Abroad main office to the kitchen on the top floor. I did not know how I would cook Russian dishes in an Indian kitchen because I did not know the location of the pans, spoons and other devices which I would need.

Besides it was difficult to make food for

18 people! That’s why I was very glad to see that the cooks at the office were ready to help us. Because there were so many people who were ready to help me, I decided to cook the two dishes simultaneously.

While one friend washed the vegetables and put them to boil, another boiled the eggs, someone chopped the cucumbers, somebody peeled the radishes, while I mixed the ingredients for the blini because only I knew the required consistency of the dough. Neither too thin nor thick. But when the dough was ready, everybody wanted to try to cook the blini! Especially the cooks!

While the volunteers cooked the blini, the other volunteers and I chopped the boiled vegetables. As there were plenty of veggies, we decided to cook three pans of okroshka.

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The delicious russian pancakes Blini and the thrist quencher Okroshka ready to serve

My problem was more difficult because I had to convert the essentially meat-based Russian cuisine into vegetarian, in keeping with the preferences of many people in Projects Abroad!

An hour later, the dishes were ready!

But I forgot about the chocolate paste for blini! We had someone rush to the nearest shop to buy some, and then we were ready!

To my joy and amazement, all the volunteers loved the blini. It turned out to be a really tasty dish! Several people wanted to have more than one blini but there were so many people that it was difficult to run a second serving! We even had guests from outside the journalism project visit us to taste our dish! I think a cook’s proudest moment is when other people come up to you, and thank you for a delicious dish.

I hope that Russian culinary cuisine will become popular in Madurai and we will soon see a few Russian restaurants here!

Blini - Serves: 6 - 8 people

Okroshka - Serves:

Ingredients: 3 eggs 1 tablespoon sugar 1/3 teaspoon salt 4 cups flour 7 cups warm milk 2 tablespoons oil

Ingredients: 6 cups yoghurt 2 cups water 1 cup finely chopped onion 1 bunch radishes 1 bunch salad leaves 3 cucumbers 3 hard-boiled eggs 3 medium size boiled potatoes Salt & Pepper to taste

Method: 1. In a bowl mix eggs, sugar and salt 2. Gradually stir in milk and flour. Continue mixing until smooth 3. Heat a pan over medium-high flame and lightly grease with cooking oil 4. Cook until the edges are crisp and the centre of the dough looks dry. Loosen with a spatula, then flip and cook another minute or so, until golden brown. The first side cooked will be a bit browner than the second side 5. Remove blini from pan and stack onto a plate 6. Spread with desired topping and fold over and then over again so that you have a one-fourth shaped wedge 7. You can put sour cream or butter or jam on blini or to fill them with any filling of your choice such as different fruits 8. M-m-m! Enjoy!

6 – 8 people

Method: 1. Skin potatoes, dice them and place them in a big cooking pot 2. Dice cucumbers and add to the cooking pot. If cucumber is ripe, you can remove seeds and skin it 3. Dice hard-boiled eggs 4. Cut the ends of radish, rinse them with cold water slice and place it in the cooking pot 5. Add chopped fresh salad leaves and chopped onions.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste 7. Mix everything 8. Add yoghurt and water 9. Serve cold 10. Bon appetite!

Madurai Messenger First Impressions October 2012

My Discovery of Madurai French national Leila Baros peels away the layers of noise, chaotic traffic and spicy food to discover the soul of Madurai—a sparkling gem, pure and serene that reveals itself only to a discerning visitor

By Leila Baros France

Leila trying her hand at preparing Barotas

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M

y first step in India was at the Chennai airport.

Several things were new to me. First was the climate. Back home in France, I live in the mountains and I’m used to winter temperatures of 15 Degrees C or even lesser. So when I arrived in India, I was astonished to find the temperature so high that I felt that the sun was focusing on me. The second new thing I really enjoyed is the smell. Everywhere I can go (outside or inside) I find this scent of flowers. For me it’s the smell of India.

The things about India which stress me a lot are the roads! During my travel between Madurai airport and the residence of my host family, I was certain that we would meet with an accident whenever a car overtook us! For the first time in my life, I really wanted to fasten my seat belt.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find it. The driver looking at me, laughed as he explained that seat belts are not mandatory on Indian roads.

Food is really important for me, and I like Indian food.

Hence I was excited when I could order vegetable curry with paratha. When I ate just 3 big spoonfuls of that wonderful food, the spices burnt my tongue and I felt I were a dragon with a fiery mouth! My fair skin became red, much to the amusement of my friend.

Despite all the mess in the streets, especially electricity cables that look like the web of spiders, India is a fascinating country. Through this amazing experience, I am sure I will discover the color of India through its people and landscape. In this strange city, at the corner of almost every street, you can find a wonderful little colourful temple whose divinity makes you forget all the noise around you.

Madurai, like many cities in India is mysterious and strange…. however you have to take time to discover how wonderful it is.

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