Just as you prescribe minimum qualifications for every profession, the minimum qualification for grace is surrender of egoism, control over senses and regulated food and recreation (ahara and vihara). A person is made or marred by the company kept. A bad person who falls into good company is able to shed their evil quickly and shine forth in virtue. A good person falling into evil company is overcome by the subtle influence and slides down into evil. The lesser is overpowered by the greater. A drop of sour curd transforms milk, curdling it, separating the butter and turning it into whey. Sacred books are also equally valuable for this transmuting process, but they have to be read and pondered upon, and their lessons have to be put into daily practice. The Gayatri Mantra is a Vedic prayer to the Supreme Intelligence that is immanent in the Universe to kindle the intelligence of the supplicant.
Condé Nast Traveller (CNT) just released the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and for the fifth year in a row, Italy is the No. 1 destination that travellers want to visit.
The awards are based on the ratings and feedback of more than 128,000 readers — the highest level of participation in the magazine’s history.
Other Readers’ Choice Awards include the world’s best cruise lines, hotels, spas, airlines, and much more, all of which you can check out here.
ITALY: Who can resist the call of pasta and beautiful people? Not many, according to the CNT readers who’ve voted for Italy as the world’s best country to travel for five straight years. Italy is all about leisure — sip wine for hours in Venice’s Piazza San Marco, make friends with a hammock on a villa in Tuscany, or find a spot on the cliffs of Riomaggiore with a good book.
iStock / Lukasz Janyst
Riomaggiore, one of the colourful villages of Cinque Terre.
FRANCE: The country that gave us cabaret, Champagne, and hundreds of cheese varietals is one of the most romantic places on earth. In the springtime — an excellent season for a trip to France — the editors of CNT tout Morzine for some of the most beautiful hiking you can imagine. Under two hours by car from Morzine, Lake Annecy is an enchanting detour.
AMERICA: CNT readers are highly drawn to America’s glittering metropolises, family-friendly theme parks, and beautiful nature. New York’s Catskill Mountains, Georgia’s Golden Isles, and an investment banker’s hotel passion project in Montana, The Ranch at Rock Creek, are a few of the destinations that the magazine’s editors recommend.
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Autumn in the Adirondacks.
SPAIN: Since Ferran Adria’s ell bulli restaurant rose in Catalonia, Spain has been the world’s undisputed epicentre of cutting edge cuisine. Planning an entire vacation around the fine dining restaurants you want to splurge at and the most famed tapas spots is a good idea. A Fodor’s forum suggests visiting Spain in April for the best weather. You can also catch Barcelona’s food-filled April Fair.
Paella sizzles at Barcelona’s annual April Fair.
GREECE: CNT named Athens, Greece, one of its cities to watch in 2015. In the midst of a financial disaster, a spate of new museums, hip hotels and shops, and pop-ups are spurring a cultural renaissance in the capital city. For travellers, the turquoise waters and salt air of Mykonos will always be a draw.
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A restaurant in Mykonos’ Little Venice neighbourhood.
NEW ZEALAND: This is destination for adventurers. You can rough it in a cabin with no electricity on the beautiful Great Barrier Island, submerge yourself in the healing waters of Maruia Springs, hike through volcanic terrains in Tongariro National Park, or enjoy world-class fly fishing in Queenstown, where you can also get what many say is the best burger on the planet at Fergberger.
Sheep on the mountains of the north island of New Zealand. Shutterstock
THAILAND: Whether you choose to eat your way through Bangkok, island hop around Phuket, or board the glamorous Eastern & Oriental Express, Thailand will seduce you with its vibrant culture, exotic cuisine, and Utopian resorts. Recently there’s been a rise in holistic health and wellness resorts, where you can detox and refuel with yoga and Ayurvedic spa treatments.
Floating food purveyors tend to their stock………Shutterstock
TURKEY: Go to Turkey to see the gorgeous mosques, majestic castles, and natural wonders such as Pamukkale (aka ‘Cotton Castle’), a plethora of glittering white travertines filled with mineral-rich water. Also go for the newly built Soho House in Istanbul’s romantic Beyoğlu district.
Pamukkale, natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey.
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INDIA: From the sandy beaches of Goa to the ancient Buddhist caves of Ajanta, the sites to see in the second most populous country in the world are endless. Far from the crowds of Mumbai, the northern Kashmir is often described as India’s Switzerland, where the pace is slower the skiing is quite good.
The peaceful ebb of Dal Lake in Kashmir Shutterstock
SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town ranked No. 6 on CNT’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the world’s best cities. With the glorious Table Mountain and one of South African hotelier Sol Kerzner’s luxurious One&Only resorts, it’s certainly a draw, but the vineyards of Franschhoek and the safari lodges of Kruger National Park also beckon.
Table mountain, one of the seven new world wonders of nature, in Cape Town.
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VIETNAM: Wandering chef Anthony Bourdain says going to Vietnam changed his life. ‘It just seemed like another planet; a delicious one that sort of sucked me in and never let go,’ he told CNT. We’d be happy just to sip Vietnamese coffee and eat pho all day, but the adventurous can descend into the world’s largest cave, Hang Son Doong, in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
Rice fields in Mu Cang Chai, Vietnam. Shutterstock
SRI LANKA: If you’re lost, this is where you can find yourself. Fill a backpack and take the island’s ‘charmingly decrepit’ railway to wherever. Buy fritters and curry dishes from train hawkers, look out onto seemingly endless fields of tea, and hop off to see sites like the Golden Temple of Dambulla and the famous markets of Pettah.
A train from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy travels through the highlands of Sri Lank
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NETHERLANDS: Forget why twenty-somethings flock here. Go to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and other crannies of this gorgeous country for the incredible museums, unparalleled coffee, and stunning countrysides. We suggest splurging on a stay at the newly built Waldorf Astoria — a collection of six townhouses with a Guerlain Spa — on Amsterdam’s oldest and most storied canal.
Dusk in Amsterdam. Shutterstock
MEXICO: Look out Spain and Italy, Mexico’s culinary scene has entered the ring. The country logged three restaurants — Pujol, Quintonil, and Biko — on the 2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurants List. All three are in Mexico City.
Mariachi on the streets of Campeche. Shutterstock
PORTUGAL: Small but mighty, the Spain neighbour has a distinct culture, cuisine, and language. In the summer, head to the western village of Comporta, Portugal’s answer to Ibiza. And no trip to the country is complete without a glass of port wine from the Douro Valley.
Wooden footbridge to Camilo beach. Shutterstock
IRELAND: From castle hotels to boisterous pubs and the greenest countrysides your eyes will ever behold, Ireland is a feast for the senses. CNT recommends renting a car and taking the world’s longest road trip on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Nightlife at Dublin’s Temple Bar quarter. Shutterstock Patricia Hofmeester
JAPAN: Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are a few of the hot spots to explore in Japan. Home to more than 2,000 breathtaking Buddhist temples and shrines, Kyoto was voted the No. 1 city in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine this year.
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Three geishas walk on a street of Gion in Kyoto.
CANADA: From wilderness camping on Vancouver Island to a stay at North America’s oldest Ritz-Carlton in Montreal, Canada nets travellers of all types. A ride down the toboggan lanes in Quebec City is a must in the wintertime.
Quebec City in winter. Shutterstock
MOROCCO: The home of Casablanca is a treasure trove of spice markets, surrealist landscapes, jaw-dropping mosques, and world-class surfing. The cuisine is like none other, with a mix of Arab, African, Persian, and French flavours.
Camel caravan going through the sand dunes in the Sahara Desert.
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is famous for being the driest place in the world. It is a virtually rainless plateau that sits across a location nearly 600 miles wide and is 50 times drier than the Death Valley in the United States, with an average rainfall of just 1 millimeter per year across the region, while some weather stations have never reported any precipitation since they started keeping records.
Atacama’s landscape has been carved by volcanic activity in the area and looks like no other. When you see the beautiful colors of the lagoons, volcanic peaks and vast salt basins that cover the desert, you will see why it is one of the most up-and-coming travel destinations in the world.
Lake view near Piedras Rojas (Red Stones) at over 4000m altitude
Given that the Atacama Desert is famous for being the driest place on Earth, it may come as a surprise to many to see a series of high altitude lagoons dotting across the area and providing a beautiful color contrast against the red volcanic landscapes. However, many hundreds of years ago, small periods of heavy rainfall caused water to accumulate in basins and create small lakes. Other lagoons formed from melting glaciers during the last ice age and have remained until this day. The lakes are generally extremely salty and given that more water evaporates in the area than falls, the lakes are technically drying up – although they will still be around for a while.
View over Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley) near the town of San Pedro.
Many visitors flock to the area to experience its famous ‘otherworldly’ landscape. The comparisons with faraway lands are not just aesthetic either – they are grounded in science. Samples of soil taken in the desert have been found to have a similar composition to samples taken from Mars. NASA even uses the area to test roving vehicles and other instruments before they depart on missions for the red planet.
Despite the harsh conditions, nature (as it so often does) has found a way to thrive. Many varieties of weird and wonderful plant life add some color to the landscape, and a number of animal species have made the desert their home. Llama-like vicunas, small and furry viscachas and the elusive South American Grey Fox are among the mammals of the region, while a variety of birds can also be spotted including three different types of flamingos.
The desert was at the center of a huge land dispute between Chile and Bolivia in the 1800s. Because the area is home to the largest supply of sodium nitrate, it is a lucrative source of economic possibilities. The mining industry remains a big business today, and there are many abandoned towns that provide a reminder of the mining practices of yesteryear. Chile won the land dispute, which is still the cause for some resentment across the border today.
The desert is largely isolated with a just a few small towns dotting the landscape. Visitors can arrive by air or overland into the largest town in the region – Calama – and most head for San Pedro de Atacama, from which many tours of the region can be arranged. The remoteness of the desert and lack of ambient light ensure it is a special place to be after night falls, offering not only spectacular sunsets above ethereal scenery, but also incredible views of the stars after nightfall. It is a one of the best places in the world to gaze into the milky way and it’s easy to arrange stargazing trips to please any budding astronomer.
An Indian organization has come up with a technology that can help increase internet connectivity and take it to the rural parts of the nation as well.
A postal stamp-sized chip, called Pruthvi might have the potential to connect India’s rural population to the internet.
Developed by the Bangalore-based semiconductor firm, Saankhya Labs, the chip powers a system called Meghdoot that can use television White Space to transmit internet to many households.
Picture for representation only. Photo Credit: Matt Laskowski/Flickr
White Space refers to the underutilised portion of the radio frequency spectrum. According a report in CNET, networks often leave a buffer between channels for safety purposes. Thus, large portions of the spectrum, usually in the 470 MHz to 790 MHz band, allocated for television broadcasting are unused or wasted, like the spectrum traditionally used for over-the-air transmission using TV towers and rooftop antennas. These spaces are at a lower frequency, and therefore a longer wavelength. This gives the signal a longer range, which can be used to deliver fairly low-speed Internet access over a wide area.
Saankhya Labs was founded in 2007 by Parag Naik, Hemant Mallapur and Vishwakumara Kayargadde. Pruthvi’s use is to allow Meghdoot to connect to a user-side modem to translate the white space signals to the more common internet bands that smartphones, tablets and computers use.
This technology can provide internet for up to a radius of 10-15 km depending on the height of the antenna tower and transmission power. The range can also be increased.
Saankhya labs is set to carry out field trials across the country in collaboration with IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Hyderabad. Discussions with Microsoft are also going on with the view of conducting trials in at Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.
“World over regulatory authorities are using or planning to use this spectrum for their respective connectivity programmes. India can take the lead in both technology and the markets for TV White Space-based broadband delivery,” Parag Naik, CEO and co-founder of Saankhya Labs, told The Economic Times.
The chip is crucial in today’s times when the country is taking various measures to increase the impact of digital India, and also when various technology companies are working on similar goals. Saankhya Labs has now joined the likes of Google, Facebook and Microsoft.
The Meghdoot product line is also compliant to the Wi-FAR standard. This makes it suitable for use in other countries as well. The organization is also engaged with partners in the Philippines, the US and Singapore for trials.
The foundation stone for building of Andhra Pradesh’s new capital city, Amaravati, was recently laid. Did you know that the small city is very rich in terms of its heritage? Here are five interesting facts you should know about the country’s newest state capital.
After a long wait, Andhra Pradesh is finally ready to welcome its new capital city, Amaravati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the state’s new capital on Thursday. Here are five interesting facts about the city:
It is one of the oldest cities in Indian history. A small town in Guntur district, Amaravati has about 2,000 year old heritage. It was the capital of Satavahanas during 2nd and 3rd century BCE. After the fall of kingdoms like Pallavas, it was later captured by Britishers during the colonial period. Its rich heritage includes Amareswara temple, Mahachaitya (the great stupa), Buddhist sculptures and slabs with Buddhist inscriptions.
2. Asia’s largest chilli market is located near Amaravati in Guntur.
Vijayawada railway station which was constructed in 1888 is one of the busiest railway stations of India. It has more than 250 express and 150 freight trains passing through it, serving 50 million passengers every year. The railway station has ten platforms and is the only station in India to have five entrance gates with booking counters.
5. The world famous Kohinoor diamond came from “Kollur mines” in Kollur Village, which is now part of the Amaravati.
Vindhya E Infomedia, a BPO in Bangalore, is known for it its quality of work. But what’s special about it? The organization was started with the vision of employing differently abled people, and has been doing so, very successfully, since the past 10 years now.
Pavithra Y S, a 21-year-old B.Com graduate was brainstorming ideas about doing something meaningful in her life, with her husband Ashok Giri who is an IT professional. “We just ended up choosing to start a for-profit enterprise that would also offer growth opportunities for the so-called ‘disabled’ people,” she says.
Pavithra uses the term ‘so-called’ because Vindhya E Infomedia, the social enterprise that was born as a result of that brainstorming session, has proved that the disabled are just differently enabled people who are completely capable of being a part of the productive work force.
Vindhya E Infomedia, located in the Rajajinagar Industrial Estate of Bangalore, is now in its 10th year of operations.
The company does Business Process Outsourcing for many industries such as micro finance, banking, insurance, IT and ITES where data is the key to making decisions. Turnaround time (TAT) is critical in choosing vendors, and in that respect, Vindhya is the BPO of choice in the banking and financial services industry.
A service provider to top notch companies like Schneider, SAP and many leading banks, it is known today for its quality.
“In fact, our company has brought down TATs drastically in this sector. And it is all because our differently-abled employees deliver their best. For them, this is important not just for their career advancement but more because they want the rest of their disabled community to be able to get the job opportunity that they have got. They work as if they are being appraised every moment,” says Pavithra.
So is there an optimum match between the skill sets of the differently abled and the BPO industry’s requirements?
“There are a couple of requirements, but in my opinion the most important one is ‘attitude’. All of them come with a ‘can do’ attitude. ‘Give us any work and we will deliver it’, they say. And they do,” explains Pavithra.
The hearing and speech impaired mostly do data processing. Training for the hearing impaired is conducted through sign language which is also the universal language used at Vindhya E Infomedia.
Training session in progress for Non-Voice Process Executives –
How Pavithra learnt the sign language makes for an interesting anecdote. In the early days of the company, two hearing impaired girls walked into the office for jobs. At that time, Pavithra did not know that such a thing as a sign language exists. ‘Give me a job and I’ll teach you the sign language,’ one of the girls told her.
Vindhya E Infomedia’s training manual for the 1,200 able and differently enabled employees is written in simple English with clear photos to illustrate processes that the employees need to be trained in. Candidates who apply are expected to have basic English comprehension and computer usage skills. They are then trained to use specific software and communicate in English. While there is a formal training module, informal tools such as reading English language newspapers, and conversing between employees in English also helps.
Although Vindhya was started with the aim of creating a 100 per cent production team of differently abled, it has employed the abled too, in order to bring in other skills sets into the company. This, in fact, has spurred the differently enabled to perform even better because of the healthy competition at workplace. The abled employees, many of them women, work on client sites.
“Our work ethic is hard-core professional. While we nurture the differently abled, no concessions are given for non-performance. Our work force is very disciplined,” says Pavithra.
Recruitment is a multi-pronged process. Initially, they approached NGOs that trained the differently abled. But now they have also set up camps in Tier II cities to create awareness about job opportunities and to recruit from there.
In addition to this, they do campus recruitment as well. Even so, what works best is word-of-mouth because ‘referrals are important in creating trust between employer and employee’, says Pavithra.
Setting up Vindhya E Infomedia was Pavithra’s first work experience and Ashok Giri, her husband, mentored her for the first two years after which he joined the company as CEO and Director. Like any other startup, they operated on a shoe-string budget. Pavithra remembers how, soon after they started, they were to celebrate their daughter’s first birthday. But with the already stretched budget, they could not make any grand plans. When their employees got to know about this, they pooled in and bought a cake, some snacks, and held an impromptu celebration.
Thus the tradition of having a monthly birthday celebration of the employees started.
Initially, they were also low on cash and for some months it was difficult to pay salaries. But the employees were so thrilled to have a job that they were willing to forgo this, provided food and accommodation were taken care of. Thus they rented out a house where employees could share accommodation and three meals were provided at the work place every day.
It is heartening that many of the employees from the initial batch have moved out of shared accommodation, found spouses within the company and bought homes of their own.
Pavithra narrates the story of how she found her front office receptionist when one of her vendors mentioned a guy who had lost both his arms in an accident. She was not sure if she could employ him, but his ‘can do’ attitude was so infectious that she hired him as a receptionist. With some training in spoken English he handled his job well and his people skills were so good that he was moved to the HR department and is now the Assistant Manager, HR.
“We named our company Vindhya because we believed that like the mountain range that continues to grow, our company too would grow, not just in business but also in human potential. We could see that happening from Day 1 – people walked into our company and their lives changed. As did ours as we kept learning from each other,” sums up Pavithra.
“When we did client presentations, people often wondered if we could deliver the goods. Time and again Vindhya E Infomedia has proved itself to be the best in its class. Our work culture of integrating the specially enabled with the able has worked well for us and our clients, who have solidly supported us through our decade of existence. To this day my husband and I try to recollect how our conversation of starting Vindhya started and neither of us remembers it. I believe this enterprise was just meant to be.”
Aloe vera is perhaps the most genuine and versatile cure-all plant there is, offering a plethora of health benefits – the word ‘vera’ after all, does mean true or genuine. In the past, it was considered to be the plant of immortality by the Egyptians, and has been used since time immemorial for its soothing and curing properties.
The Aloe vera plant is luscious with thick, fleshy stems and spiny leaves. The plant’s miraculous benefits are located within the stems, which contain aloe juice and gel – a substance that is used in numerous medicinal, cosmetic, and health treatments.
Aloe vera juice can be bought (preferably organic, and pure) from a health shop or a well-stocked supermarket. Alternatively, if you’ve got a couple of plants at home, you can just as easily make your own juice
Cut and open a few stems of the plant from the middle section. Opt for the outer stems as they are the most mature, and have the highest concentration of antioxidants.
Upon squeezing the stem, aloe gel will ooze out. Store it in a bowl, then put the gel in a blender and add 1 cup of water.
To get pure aloe vera juice, blend the ingredients and consume within 3-4 days, before it loses its antioxidants.
What Makes Aloe Vera so Nutritious?
Aloe vera (both juice and gel) is packed with antioxidants and antibiotics and works as stimulators of cell growth. It also has scar and pain inhibitor properties. The entire leaf is at times used to treat ulcerative colitis, metastatic cancer, infectious disease and chemotherapy treatment. The plant is also rich in the following vitamins and minerals, making it a highly nutritious ingredient.
Calcium
Sodium
Iron
Potassium
Manganese
Zinc
Folic Acid
Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E
Amino Acids
15 Health Benefits of Aloe Vera
Aloe juice can be consumed internally, or applied on the skin and hair. It is also a general health tonic that you can consume every morning to reap all of its benefits.
1. Use it to cure bowel problems
Due to its high anti-inflammatory properties, aloe vera is just the thing to take if you suffer from bowel problems. It promotes good bacteria in the gut and keeps all digestive disorders at bay.
2. Use it to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
This auto-immune disease attacks the body tissues, especially the membranes lining the joints, causing inflammation and stiffness. Drinking aloe juice for two weeks however, can help reduce inflammation in the body. Aloe also contains anti-inflammatory compounds that help to reduce the pain and stiffness to a great extent.
3. Use it to treat heart reflux
If you suffer from severe digestive problems, drinking aloe vera juice reduces the symptoms of heart reflux, and stabilizes the alkaline levels of the body. Aloe juice has a soothing effect on stomach walls and reduces heart burn and discomfort. It is also an ideal treatment for constipation, due to its laxative properties.
4. Use it to reduce cholesterol levels
To keep your cholesterol levels in check, as well as increase levels of good cholesterol, include fresh aloe juice in your daily diet.
5. Use it to regulate blood sugar levels
When consumed regularly, aloe vera helps to regulate blood sugar levels. On this note though, it is important to consult with your doctor, for the correct dosage. Often times, aloe can interfere with the medicines that you take to curb blood sugar.
6. Use it to relieve sinus and chest congestion
If you tend to suffer from constant sinus problems, opt for aloe vera. It is rich in magnesium lactate that works as an antihistamine, which helps in reducing the problems of sinus and chest inflammation due to various allergies.
7. Use it to help fight cancer
Aloe juice contains high levels of anti-carcinogenic properties that hinder the growth of tumors.
8. Use it to build immunity
Consuming aloe juice on a regular basis, replenishes the amino acid deficiency in your body. Due to its high vitamin content, aloe boosts your body’s immune system and self-defense mechanism.
9. Use it to fight the common cold and cough
Aloe juice is the best natural solution for anyone who suffers regularly from colds, coughs, flu, stuffy nose, bronchitis and other respiratory disorders. Aloe contains a good dose of Vitamin C, which ensures protection from common colds that occur with environmental changes.
10. Use it to combat signs of ageing
Aloe contains anti-ageing properties, keeping the skin supple and rejuvenated. It also lightens blemishes. The gel can be rubbed directly on your face.
11. Use it to remove dead cells and stretch marks
Aloe vera moisturizes the skin, and helps to remove dead cells, wrinkles and fine lines. The juice may also be used to remove stretch marks.
12. Use it to heal wounds
The blend may be used to heal cuts and wounds. It can also be used for dermatitis and insect bites when applied externally.
13. Use it to reduce eye irritation
It’s easy to create your own natural eye wash with aloe vera gel – just mix 2 teaspoons of aloe gel in a cup of water. You can also add a teaspoon of boric acid. It’s also the perfect remedy to reduce reddening and irritation in the eyes.
14. Use it to maintain gum health
Fresh aloe vera gel can be directly applied to the gums, reducing pain and inflammation. It can also be used to treat gum bleeding, caused by bacterial infection.
15. Use it to promote healthy weight loss
If you’d like to lose weight naturally, try aloe vera – an easy and natural weight loss solution that reduces weight by stabilizing the metabolic rate, reducing the lipid levels, and helping burn fat.
Disclaimer: You should not consume more than 4 ounces of aloe vera juice per day. Excess intake of aloe vera can cause nausea and liver inflammation. It should also be taken with caution when taken with water pills, diuretics, and blood sugar lowering drugs. If any feelings of discomfort arise upon taking aloe vera, report to your doctor – some people may face allergic reactions.
ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் ஐ.நா. பொதுச் சபைக் கூட்டத்தின் தொடக்க நாளில் உலகின் தலைசிறந்த கலைஞர்கள் கலந்துகொள்ளும் கலை நிகழ்ச்சி நடத்தப்படும்.
1965 செப்டம்பரில் இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியில் கலந்துகொள்ளுமாறு எம்.எஸ். சுப்புலட்சுமிக்கு அழைப்புவிடுத்தது ஐ.நா. எனினும், அப்போது இந்திய-பாகிஸ்தான் போர் நடந்துகொண்டிருந்ததால், அந்நிகழ்ச்சியை ரத்துசெய்தார் எம்.எஸ். 1966-ல் அவருக்கு மீண்டும் அழைப்பு விடுத்தது ஐ.நா. அந்த அழைப்பை ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார் எம்.எஸ்.
அமெரிக்காவின் நியூயார்க் நகரில் உள்ள ஐ.நா. சபையின் அரங்கில் 1966 அக்டோபர் 23-ல் அவரது இசை நிகழ்ச்சி நடைபெற்றது. காஞ்சி மகா பெரியவர் இயற்றிய, ‘மைத்ரீம் பஜத’ என்ற பாடலைத்தான் அன்று பாடினார் எம்.எஸ்.
அப்பாடலுக்கு ஆங்கிலத்தில் பொழிப்புரை எழுதப்பட்டு, அதன் பிரதிகள் பார்வையாளர் அரங்கில் இருந்த பன்னாட்டுத் தலைவர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்டன. அவர் பாடி முடித்தபின் அனைவரும் எழுந்து நின்று பலத்த கரகோஷம் எழுப்பினர். கரகோஷம் அடங்க ஏறக்குறைய ஒரு நிமிடம் ஆனது!
‘I like talking in Tamil, and I enjoy eating thayir sadam (curd rice), dosa and idli. My dream is to play at the Margazhi Dance and Music Festival in Chennai, which is held in December. If I make enough money from sangeetham, I will stop working in companies. After all sangeetham is my life.’
Hidenori Ishtalks to Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com about his fascinating journey from a small town in Japan to Tamil Nadu, for the love of music.
It is funny talking to a Japanese person in Tamil, but then Hidenori Ishi is almost like a true Tamilian now. He can speak Tamil way better than English; he enjoys eating idli and dosa; and dreams that someday he’d perform at Chennai’s Margazhi Festival. Being fluent in Tamil, he also prefers the interview to be done in Tamil.
Music indeed has no boundaries, and Ishi’s story bears witness to how music can truly alter a person’s life. In 2007, he made Tamil Nadu his home, and since then there has been no turning back.
He learnt the local language, travelled to unknown places in search of a guru, and also learnt to play kanjira and thavil. Today Ishi has a job with the Customer Service Department of Nippon Express (India), and when he is not working, you’ll spot him playing thavil and kanjira at temples and at marriages. Despite his father’s objection, Ishi continues to live in India and presently has no plans of returning home, as sangeetham is his life now.
The inspiring musical journey of 33-year-old Ishi from Japan to Chennai is one filled with awe and wonder.
Growing up in Japan
‘I grew up in Kamakura, a small town which was once the capital of Japan. It is famous for its Zen Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. My family consists of my grandparents, who are farmers, and my parents. My father worked in a government department, while my mother is a housewife.
‘Though there are no musicians in my family, I was drawn to music because of a close friend, Kohei Ueda, who plays the guitar and the mandolin beautifully. Back in school, Ueda used to have musical concerts in our city, and I never missed a single concert of his. Fascinated by the musical instruments Ueda played, I wanted to join his band. However, back then I couldn’t afford to buy a musical instrument, and my dream remained unfulfilled.
Lessons in English
‘Ueda and I were so crazy about music that the news of an American band performing at the Hawaiian Islands prompted us to make a trip there. It was my first trip abroad, and I didn’t know a single word of English then. Though we had a great time there, we found it difficult to communicate with people. We then decided to learn English, and the very next year, in 2003, Ueda and I headed to Canada. We were there for a year with a working visa so that we could work and also learn English at the same time.
‘Armed with a working knowledge of English, we decided to visit India. After all, it is the land of Buddha, and we have so many Buddhist temples back home. We had heard many stories about India from friends. Then, I started reading about India and the places to see.
The Indian Chapter
‘In 2005, we landed in Delhi, but our first experience was not a pleasant one. It was night and we had to go to the railway station to board a train for Goa. We were looking out for a bus to take us to the station when a person approached us and offered to drop us to the railway station for the same price. We agreed, but they took us to a hotel instead. When we protested, they said there were no trains headed to Goa at that hour. Obviously they were lying. We were dropped to the railway station, but we ended up paying more than we would have paid as bus fare!
‘We then travelled to Goa, Agra, Mumbai and also visited Ajanta and Ellora caves in Aurangabad. When we were in Mumbai, we heard that (Ustad) Zakir Hussain was performing. He has performed in Japan, but we never had the good fortune to hear him live. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, we attended the performance which was brilliant; I still remember every moment of it!
‘From Mumbai, we went to Kashi (Varanasi). A visit to a music school there got us interested in learning to play the tabla. That was the first music class I ever attended. Apart from the classes, I also looked forward to the delicious Bengali food of rice and fish served at the lodge where we were staying.
‘Two-and-a-half months later, I returned home and decided to join Ueda’s band as a part-time tabla player.
Chennai Bound
‘I had carried a few of Zakir Hussain concert DVDs to watch once back home. In one of the DVDs, I saw V Selvaganesh playing the kanjira. It was so mesmerising to watch him! I wanted to return to India and learn to play the instrument. So, I started saving money for my next trip. At that time, my parents had no complaints about me travelling to India.
‘By 2007, I had saved enough to visit Chennai. Unfortunately, in January, when I landed, Selvaganesh’s school was closed for Pongal. Thankfully, one day I visited a kacheri and saw Madipakkam Gopal Krishna playing the kanjira there. It was the first time that I heard the kanjira live. At that time, I didn’t know it was a rare instrument and not many people played it.
‘Drawn to the kanjira, I got Madipakkam Gopal Krishna to train me. For the next six months, until my visa expired, I stayed in a lodge and went to his house every day to learn the kanjira.
‘Later, when I returned with a fresh visa, I made Selvaganesh my guru,and I studied under his guidance till April 2008. I used to practise for five-six hours daily. Selvaganesh gave me plenty of opportunities to play the kanjira at kacheris in temples, which boosted my confidence. By the time I left his place, I was quite articulate in Tamil! Through Selvaganesh, I got introduced to Triplicane K Sekar, and I started learning the thavil from him. Now, I play more thavil than kanjira.
Studying at a College for the First Time
‘As the money I had saved was almost exhausted, I decided to return home. Before heading back, I made a trip to the green city of Thanjavur and Chidambaram to visit the temples there. There I met Thanjavur T R Govindarajan, who was a professor at the Thiruvaiyaru Music College. Hearing about my interest in music, he asked me to enrol for a three-year course to play thavil.
‘That was the first time I attended a college as I had begun working soon after my schooling.
In India Again!
‘After getting my diploma in May 2011 I returned home. However, my heart belonged to India. I had not learnt how to play the keertana on thavil, and I yearned to play more. However, this time, my father wasn’t happy with me returning to India. However, I had made up my mind.
‘Back in India, I went to Chidambaram. I joined the Annamalai University to learn under the guidance of Thirukadaiyur G Babu.
‘In 2014, I got a degree, and by then I had learnt to play the keertana quite well.
Living It up the Local Way
‘Now, I have a 9-5 job in Chennai. Early mornings and weekends are dedicated to playing the thavil at temples and at weddings. I like talking in Tamil, and I enjoy eating thayir sadam (curd rice), dosa and idli. My dream is to play at the Margazhi Dance and Music Festival in Chennai, which is held in December. If I make enough money from sangeetham, I will stop working in companies. After all sangeetham is my life.
‘I’m not sure how long I’ll stay in Chennai, nor do I know what the future holds for me. However, one thing is certain, thavilwill always be a part of my life!’
Photographs: Ramesh Damodaran
Shobha Warrier / Rediff.com in Chennai Source….www.rediff.com
Take off with Natarajan 