Journey of Hope – Krishna Narayanan

Journey of Hope – Krishna Narayanan

 
“My body is my prison, and my senses are the bars that imprison me.” It’s a telling comment on the nature of autism by 33-year-old Krishna Narayanan. Diagnosed at the age of four, he started conveying his feelings in writing to his mother at the age of 23. Since then, a whole new world of communication has opened up with his family and, through his books, with countless parents of autistic people. Krishna’s first book, “Wasted Talent – Musings of an Autistic”, gives a poignant insider’s perspective on autism. Krishna sets an example of sensitivity, intelligence and, above all, great determination and hope. 
Krishna’s family lived in America at the time he was diagnosed. Although the hospital there insisted that he would not be able to respond, his mother refused to give up on the basis of lack of information on the ailment and set about teaching Krishna skills as basic as chewing. As autism renders imitative learning skills void, every action was an uphill task. 
Krishna’s mother, Jalaja Narayanan, herself a writer, says: “Teaching an autistic child is like making pathways in the brain. Every task accomplished is like a milestone and one worth exulting about. One of the first milestones was crossed when he was two-and-a-half. After an intense day of teaching him over and over again, he finally took one sip of orange juice instead of his usual milk.” Although this seems a simple enough task for most of us, the nature of autism itself is to blame for the challenges. 
Not much is known about what causes autism; if it were known, perhaps more could be done about it. Krishna mentions this in his book, “Autism is a complex disease marked by gripping fear, scorching tension, lack of coordination and little speech. More often than not, it is mistaken as insanity and sometimes even misdiagnosed. The difference between insanity and autism is that insanity means losing one’s mind, whereas the autistic is fully aware.” An autistic person may be extremely brilliant and possibly a genius in the making, but is unable to communicate due to lack of speech and poor coordination. 
Although Krishna’s learning to write was a major step forward, it has been the culmination of painstaking work that started right from childhood. With writing, he was able to tell his parents about what he had experienced but could never convey. They realised, among other things, why he used to shy away from touch, why he was afraid of strangers, why was rigid in his habits, how brushing his teeth or getting a haircut were excruciatingly painful. Even less monumental but nevertheless emotions came to light; the tantrums he made on one particular day, he revealed, were due to the turmoil he felt when he was being read about Sydney Carton’s choice of love over life in Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.” 
Krishna was developmentally delayed, but he has crossed milestones in flying colours. He has read Dickens, Austen, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Hugo, and has a passion for mathematics, instilled by his father who first introduced him to algebra, calculus, and non-linear differential equtions. Krishna later moved on to quantum physics and acoustics; in his first book, he even explains a parallel between relativity and autism. 
A second book called “Quest; Search for a Quality Life”, that Krishna has authored along with his mother, is being released soon, and he is in the process writing his third book, a novel. As for his future plans, Krishna writes: “So what is my future? I really don’t know, but I can dream. The dreams make life worth living though the current reality is stark and dreary. On the other hand, dreams free the mind and let it fly in the wide space of the future.” 
Krishna Narayanan’s first book, Wasted Talent – Musings of an Autistic and Jalaja Narayanan’s book, From a Mother’s Heart – A Journal of Survival, Challenge, Hope are available at leading bookstores in the city. The new book, Quest; Search for a Quality Life is expected to be available soon. 
Pic courtesy Third Eye

An edited version of this article was published in Madras Plus on June 26, 2004 .
Key Notes – An interview with Mira Sundara Rajan

Key Notes – An interview with Mira Sundara Rajan

“Western Classical music is perceived as elitist. Once that perception changes, more people will be able to study and appreciate it.” says Mira Sundara Rajan, a pianist of Indian origin and teaches Copyright Law at Queen Mary, University of London. She is in India for legal research in her chosen stream, Cultural Property Rights and Intellectual Property Rights in the Arts area. Although she has visited Chennai before, on this visit she has performed at the Madras Music Association on June 6th and at the British Council Division last evening. Why the piano? “I was always enthralled by the piano. It’s the backbone of the classical tradition. As an instrument, it is structured to provide a very versatile range of sound. That’s why composers use it while working on a piece.” Mira has been studying music for the past 25 years. She has a particular interest in the work of Johannes Brahms and plans to make a recording of all of his solo pieces. “This has not been attempted before – Brahms is a complex composer in that his solo compositions are usually short and range from vibrant pieces to those that convey unusual emotions. His work is not about playing the notes, it is intellectually very demanding. If audiences appreciated Brahms for the brilliant composer he was, having truly understood his music, there would be more musicians playing his pieces. To give an analogy, Brahms was a true craftsman of music but audiences are yet to understand the art form.” According to Mira, all of music is an attempt to reach a higher state of existence – call it intellectualism or spirituality. “But the music of Brahms can transport even a listener with no background in music to appreciate it for the emotions it conveys. Understanding his music, however, can elevate you to a different plane.” Which brings us back to Mira’s conviction that the way forward for the Western Classical music industry is in educating the audience. She says, “Did you know that Classical Music constitutes only around 5% of the entire recorded music industry?” She finds that even in performances, musicians play according to popular tastes, either famous composers or oft-heard pieces. “The interest will expand only with educating the audiences. In my concerts, I give a brief background about the piece and the composer hoping that I am leaving the audience with a little more information and interest. This concept doesn’t exist in the western countries as most people are assumed to know about western classical music. However, it’s the people who don’t understand the music that I want to reach out to. They are the people who can move the tradition forward with appreciation.” Mira is also into writing poetry and started at a very tender age like her illustrious great grand father, Mahakavi Subramania Bharati. “I also write short fiction and when I have some time in the midst of my music and teaching, I will be attempting a novel. And for sure, Brahms will find a way into it!” Pic courtesy Third Eye An edited version of this article was published in Madras Plus on June 12, 2004 .
Who reads what? Sanjay Subramanyan

Who reads what? Sanjay Subramanyan

A Chartered Accountant by profession, Sanjay Subramanyan is better known for his on-stage persona. He started out learning to play the violin under the tutelage of Shri V. Lakshminarayana. When the switch to vocal music happened, he learnt initially under Shrimathi Rukmini Rajagopalan and later, under Vidwan Shri Calcutta K.S.Krishnamurti. A renowned and much sought-after vocalist today, he is appreciated for his passionate rendering of many a Krithi and a Raaga.
His passion extends beyond singing, to other areas of Carnatic Music as well. He has organised heritage walks around places of musical interest in Chennai in December. Music-related trivia are at his fingertips and a wealth of information, on a website he has, called Sangeetham.com

In the midst of a hectic schedule, he does manage to do a fair amount of reading. Sanjay recounted, “Last year, I was reading Tamil fiction. Although I read P.G. Wodehouse every opportunity I get, and I’m up to date on the Harry Potter books, I am currently reading an e-book called Don’t Know Much About History by Kenneth C.Davis.”

As an avid reader, he regularly looks to download e-books off the Internet. Coming back to the e-book at hand, “I was reading various reviews on a website, and came across one on this book. The review mentioned that it was interestingly written unlike other books of its genre which end up sounding like textbooks. So, I downloaded it and started reading it” says Sanjay.
The book narrates the history and development of America in a witty, coversational style. It dispels some myths while clarifying some facts. Right from Christopher Columbus to Clinton, the Rosenberg spy case to September 11, from gun control to the death penalty, the book relates America‘s historical, social and political issues. It deals with questions as diverse as “Who really discovered America?”, “Did the Indians really sell Manhattan for $24?” and “Did Pocahontas really save John Smith’s life?”
Sanjay added “The format of the book, in a Question and Answer style, makes even the more complex topics in American History, easier to understand. It is a very elaborate subject and has been well written.It truly is a fascinating study of American history and brings to life the events and the people who were responsible for its development.”
Pic courtesy Seven Shots
An edited version of this article was published in Madras Plus in 2004.
Shall V? – An interview with Venkatesh

Shall V? – An interview with Venkatesh

“I am doing the role of Ramchander IPS at a time in my life where I am looking at things differently. I have mellowed down, and am also doing fewer films.” says Venkatesh Babu aka ‘Victory’ Venkatesh aka Venki, Telugu actor and son of Dr. D.Rama Naidu, one of the foremost producers of the Telugu Film Industry. In Chennai to complete the climax sequence for Gharshana (Kaakka Kaakka in Telugu), Venkatesh is all praise for the Tamil original and Gautam Menon. In his career spanning 18 years, he believes, he has not been presented in a role like the one he assays in Gharshana. “The success of the film is its fresh style. Technically, it is very slick and what you would expect of a Hollywood film.” He is paired with Asin in the role played by Jyotika in the Tamil original. Straddling philosophy and films comes easily to Venkatesh. Although he has been spiritual from childhood, films were never part of the equation until 1986. As an MBA from the US of A, who was initially reluctant to join the industry, he believes, “Some things were just meant to happen. There is a higher major framework behind it all, which designs something else for you.” Venki has carved a niche for himself by the range of roles he has portrayed – from Angry Young Man to Lover Boy to Man-Next-Door. His first Telugu Film, Kaliyuga Pandavulu won him acclaim as well as awards. “At the time I entered the industry, the style of acting was quite old-fashioned and loud. However, that was the ‘in’ thing at that time. I have also played those roles. But along the way, there were opportunities to do different types of roles and the audiences have accepted me in those as well.” says Venki. He is much appreciated for his roles in movies like Swarna Kamalam, Prema and Kshana Kshanam.   What about his foray into Hindi? “Anari was special. In Kashmir where I was shooting last week, people recognized me as Rama, the principle character. The success of that story in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi, was because of Rama being a powerful character. The story touched a chord among audiences all over India.” Although he did get many roles in Hindi after the success of Anari (a remake of Chinna Thambi), he chose to stay home in the Telugu Film Industry as his Telugu films were doing extremely well. “ If I have to work in Hindi even today, it needs to have the kind of strong characterisation and story that Anari had.” Speaking of consciously cutting back on the number of films he does per year, Venki says “Sometime in life, it hits you that the whole thing is maya. When you go into it deeply, all else doesn’t matter.” “In Indian Film Industry, and in the Telugu one as well, the art of film making has undergone a transition. Production-wise, budgets have increased. And so has competition. We have many talented youngsters entering the industry, including directors, who have made their mark and are doing a wonderful job. They have tasted success very early in their careers, and I hope they have a long innings. Thanks to media, audiences are now exposed to other visual forms and performances from other parts of the world and are open to new themes and techniques.” “I never intended to get into films, so there is no one type of role I crave to do. At this stage, I would still like to do something like a Godfather, something challenging. I have been trying to design a character like the Nutty Professor or Tootsie. That’s going to take some time and work to develop. Now that I am choosing lesser films every year, I hope to get down to designing roles like those.” he says. On the cards is a period film by director K.Raghavendra Rao, 70 % of it is set in the pre-independence era. “And maybe, just maybe, you will see me in Tamil soon,” says Venki, as a parting shot. Gharshana is Venki’s 54th film and is slated for a July 2004 release. Pic courtesy Seven Shots An edited version of this article was published in Madras Plus in 2004.  
Not just a lucky girl – An Interview with Nell Freudenberger

Not just a lucky girl – An Interview with Nell Freudenberger

 
“The one underlying thread that runs through the stories in my book, is about accidents. Mistakes made inadvertly by a person in a new country, a new culture.” says Nell Freudenberger who was in Chennai recently. “It’s like going back to that part of childhood where you don’t intend making mistakes. But you make them all the same, out of ignorance.” Thoughts that are at once insightful as they are endearing, seem to be Nell’s forte. Although you wouldn’t associate an achingly pretty, twenty nine year old with such immense writing talent, you get more than a glimpse of it in her debut book, ‘Lucky Girls’, named after one of the stories in this collection of five. In the stories that make up the book, she takes us through slice-of-life renditions of Americans in cultures other than their own. “It’s like they need to go away to know where they’re from.” says Nell, sounding wise beyond her years. So, you find characters not only from the US, but also, to a large extent, from New Delhi, Bangkok, Mumbai, and Vietnam. The stories, all ‘longer than the short story and shorter than the novel’, explore the accidents that she mentions, in a backdrop of dysfunctionality. The dysfunctionality itself, is portrayed as an underlying element of realism sans the coldness that one inevitably associates with it. Nell recounts how she started writing, “I started out with a novel while at University. Although my teachers at Harvard were a major influence, authors like Peter Carey, Alice Munro and Grace Paley have greatly inspired me. While working as an Editorial Assistant at The New Yorker, I wrote the short story, Lucky Girls, which the magazine went on to publish in its 2001 Summer Fiction Issue.” Subsequently, although she had a choice of nine publishing houses that were bidding to publish the book, Nell chose Ecco Press, an imprint of Harper Collins, more for the fact that they were the right fit rather than the highest bid. While she has spent an aggregate of 6 months across the four visits she has made to India, this is Nell’s second trip to Chennai. On her last trip, she confesses to having done some ‘usual touristy things’ en route to Kerala. This time, however, she was here to spend some time at Pondicherry, writing a travel article as well as to read from her book at an event held under the auspices of The Office of Public Affairs, US Consulate General for South India and the Madras Book Club at Chennai. Her next book is set in Los Angeles, where she grew, and has ‘influences of China’ for which she travels to China soon. “I hope to test my Chinese on that trip.” she ends, on a whimsical note. The Indian edition of Nell Freudenberger’s Lucky Girls, is to hit bookstores in Chennai shortly.    Pic courtesy Third Eye An edited version of this article was published in Madras Plus in 2004.
From Chennai to Goa – An interview with Maria Couto

From Chennai to Goa – An interview with Maria Couto

 
“I suppose I have brought the Goa rain to Chennai. It happened during the Delhi launch too – there was a hailstorm!” says Maria Aurora Couto, who is in Chennai for the release of her book, ‘Goa: A daughters story’.  With the sound of unseasonal, yet welcome rain in the background, Mrs. Couto goes on to elaborate on her book. “What does it mean to be a Goan? This was the question that intrigued me for many years. This was the question I have tried to answer for myself as well as the readers of my book.” Touted as innovative in a form that’s part memoir, part study of the social and cultural history of Goa, the book according to Mrs. Couto, is an attempt to understand and unravel the complexity of the Goan identity.  “Goa is a deeply spiritual land. We have a rich inheritance of many religions that have cross-fertilized the soil– there was the Bhakti tradition, Islam, Christianity, Jainism as well as Buddhism. As for society, take the Gavkari system, for instance. Land was jointly held by all the villagers. Women and men are considered equal under law and the moment a woman is married, she has claim to half her husband’s property.”  According to Ms. Couto, “Goa is more than just about the 450 years of colonisation by the Portuguese. Most people are unaware that before the Portuguese, we were also ruled by the Kadambas, the Rashtrakutas and the Vijayanagar Kingdom.”  “The Portuguese did have a strong influence not just because of the length of time that they were here, but also because the territory was small. Hence, the influence was also intensive. Moreover, in 19th Century Portugal, under the electoral system, two Members of Parliament were elected from Goa. The Goans were Portuguese citizens and considered so even until the last century.”she revealed.  So much so, that one discovers Konkani can be written in Roman, Urdu, Devnagari, Malayalam and Kannada scripts. Mrs. Couto, in fact, writes it in the Roman script.  Ms. Couto reminisced, “While the book was written in 3 years, starting from the year 2000, the process of exploration has taken over thirty years. Right at the beginning, it was Bakibab Borkar and Pandurang Pissurlekar, who channelised my many questions and goaded me to tell the story. This book has been a product of friendships and trust.”  One further discovers that she is not a mere visitor to Chennai, having lived here for seven years from 1994 and having life-long friends who belong to this city. “In fact, I started writing the book when I lived here, in Chennai, in 2000. The city is a unique blend of the modern mind with a firm footing in tradition. If it weren’t for my friends in Chennai, who have drawn me into every ceremony and celebration in their homes, I would not have known much about the city and its people.”  Maria Aurora Couto’s book, Goa:A daughter’s story, is available in bookshops in Chennai. Pic courtesy Third Eye An edited version of this article was published in Madras Plus on May 6, 2004 .

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