And you know how I would feel for this title on an Hindu article, Namma Chennai.
The green buses, occasional smell of filter coffee, the cursing in Tamil on the roads, and the roads themselves impart to Chennai a rare flavour. The youth are relatively uncorrupted. Branded clothes and video cameras are still not too visible. But Mylapore and Mandaveli – they are too ancient, dude!
While I parltly agree to the line of youth being relatively uncorrupt, this paragraph roughly sums up Chennai. Man I miss this city badly. Thanks Andy for the link.
Hugh Hewitt‘s book, Blog : Understanding the Information Reformation That’s Changing Your World wasn’t a very inspiring read. I probably read it with a perspective of a blogger while Hewitt summarizes the advent and growth of Blogs as history. You would love to read it especially if you wanted to know how Blogs revolutionized the information spread and how the popular acronym MSM[Mainstream Media] was used and sometimes abused in the blogosphere. It also talks on how CNN’s popularity was came tumbling while FOX News was starting to be accepted by the American people. Hewitt’s earlier writing on Blogs given in the Appendix are lucid with a strong passion for blogs.
If you are looking for a good book to understand the mechanics and practical ways of maintaining a blog, I would recommend Rebecca Blood‘s The Weblog Handbook. Above all if you are looking for some suggestions on blogs, do it the classical way. There are no suggestions, Just Blog.
I have no clue why Rediff is so bold over by Aishwarya’s presence in Cannes festival. Someone’s is fetish.
Illayaraja‘s tunes for Adhu Oru Kanaa Kaalam hasn’t come out with flying colors. Except for Andha Naal Nyaabagam rendered by Vijay Yesudas/Shreya Goshal and the Bhavatharini song, the rest of songs can missed without creating a sin. The moment you hear the first song you know it has Balu Mahendra + Illayaraja combo. But no classics here.
kirukkal.com 
27 responses to “Namma Chennai”
Lazy,
Sorgame endraalum adhu nammoora pola varuma?
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Yeah that was a good article in Metro plus… enna thaan irundhalum Madras madiri varuma.. There was a mention about westernization not overpowering the people’s sense of culture.. how true! Ditto on ferrari’s comment:)
Adhu oru kaana kaalam’s music was a big disappointment!:( The first song’s good, but then not great… unable to remember the tune/lines even after repeated hearing..:((( I miss the old IR-BM combo stuff!!
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That was a very nostalgic article.
Now that you have lived in Seattle for a while, and have blatantly admired its greenery, what do you have to say at the disappearing green lungs of Chennai – the only few tree lined roads are the ones inside IIT campus!!!.
You would rarely find any in places like Alwarpet, Perambur etc.
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As a resident of Alwarpet I take exception, Sat. You have forgotten C.P. Ramaswamy Road, TTK Road (the Park Sheraton End), Abhiramapuram, Venus Colony and Cenatoph Road. Also the greatest tree lined avenue of them all in Chennai, the Theosophical Society Road in Besant Nagar. Chennai can never be as green as Seattle, but it does have a few trees of its own:-).
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Hey where are you now?
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Hi,
Yes AOKK was a little disappointment as there are no classics which IR-BM combo usually deliver but nonetheless good songs. Previously” July Ganapathy” had far far better and even great music when compared to the songs of this album.
Smile
Sureshkumar
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Sat, Chenthil reminds us of the places you left in your list. You should have mentioned Besant Nagar man when you pointed out IIT. Take a trip to Chennai 😉
Aishwarya, I am at Seattle for a project !!
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cool dude…long time since i checked out ur blog.. i suddenly remembered and dropped in… stay in touch
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Illayaraja has given us a disappointment. The song which he himself sings, reminds us of all the songs he has sung. A very sterotypic effort.
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havent listened to aakkalam as yet…but i was thinking of the illayaraja-balu combos of yore…there’s something soft abt their melodies…use of guitars (esp. Marubadiyum) and violins…and, the songs are always filled with meaningful lyrics…even their lesser works like julie ganapathy have good songs–remember really liking “unakku piditha paadal” in “julie ganapathy” and “pudhidhaai thondrum” and “sembarathi pennoruthi” in “raman abdulah.”
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LG, just out of curiosity, is this your first trip to US? Have long have you been here so far?
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Ilayaraja is better off not involved in flims at all! He should do some research and soul searching and go to some other level for sometime.
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Vijay, I’ve been to the US thrice before this fourth visit. ??!!
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illayaraja is like woody allen to me…someone who’s past his prime but continues to turn in work thats often mediocre but occasionally inspired…and on the rare occasion, brilliant…
listen to “Illangaathu Veesuthey” from “Pithamagan” and u will be convinced that the Master of Melodies still has it in him to turn in great work…
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Hmmm….
Interesting viewpoints on the Maestro’s output for Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam.
There is one song sung by Raja ( Kaatuvazhi) which is amazing in terms of lyrics and composition. Antha naal is good as well.
The Maestro is still producing good work. Even the recent Mumbai Express was a cut above the rest. Unfortunately, they were not appreciable in the film itself. They stand on their own.
This album is not a dissappointment. It may not be a Moondram Pirai or a Marupadiyum but it is certainly deserves a decent listen.
Listen to Kaatuvazhi again and you will know why Raja is and will still be Raja.
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We always expect classics from this combo not mere good songs and that is the reason for the disappointment. If not compared with previous albums of IR-BM combo, the songs are pretty descent compared to today’s craps.
Smile
Sureshkumar
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AOKK is good except for 2 songs. I liked Antha nal,Kattu vazhi and Killi thattu. Infact this album is better than Julie Ganapathy.
Ram, why even go for “Ialankaathu veesuthey”…listen to recent “poo poothathu” from Mumbai Xpress. I liked MX album better than Chandramukhi or Anniyan. “Kuranku kaiyil malai” is a classic.
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Ram, Rajaa has been like Woody Allen even since the early 90s. His classics from his first 6 years outnumber the ones after 1990, 5 to 1. Thats one thing that has upset me a bit and I have mentioned it slewhere on cyberspace too. That Raja has never been selective like Rahman and continues to tarnish his resume/legacy for the next generation with loads of uninspired products. The recent Karagatakaari was medicority at its best-could have been scored by Deva or SA Rajkumar.
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Even Ilangaatru veesudhe, in terms of tune, scale and structure, I consider it to be an extension of “maasi maasam aalaana ponnu”. You can hum the entire tune of Ilangaatru in Maasi maasam’s rhythm and vice versa. The fresh voices of Shreya/Sriram made it sound newer.
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Obviously, you havent roamed inside the jungles of IIT as much as i did.
I have travelled to all the aforementioned parts – Alwarpet, CP Ramaswamy road, TTK road, Theosphical society – beasant nagar (all cyclable from IIT) and even some greener parts of T. Nagar (GN chetty road, Pondy Bazaar etc).
But its the 2 degree (Centigrade) temperature drop when you enter the IIT zone that probably exemplifies the greenery that is IIT.
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ilangaatru veesuthey and maasi maasam???
i dont see any similarities but oh well music appreciation is so subjective anyway..btw, talking of woody allen, i read reports from cannes where critics are going gaga over his “match point” starring scarlett johansson
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i thought “kaatu vazhi” was the pick of the album…i liked the careless way mottai has sung it…other songs are pretty much a let down, especially after Mumbai Express…
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Dear all specially TAMIL, this is my first posting here.I haven’t done a lot to see ur previous views abt Illayaraja.I am placing my views in reply to the ones that were posted against his movie “adhu oru kanaa kaalam”.
First of all , we must know the difference between quality music and good/hit/commercial music. not necessary both be the same. How many of us have heard/listened to beethovan and mozart. If we do, most of us will know that their music has been so boring.But does that mean they are not good!!!
To say the least, Illayaraja is easily of that quality(told by Mrs.lazslo Kovacs-Conductor, Budapest Symphonie orchestra.Visit:
http://www.raajangahm.com/articles/memoir_english05.html).
There are so many composers who have and are giving bigger hits than IR, but I am yet to see a music director to give music with such quality and depth. And AOKK is no exception. The problem has been that his music is so complicated that one cannot appreciate it.As proof, just try to enjoy the bass guitar in “maalaiyil yaaro” from chatriyan or the intro from manthira punnagaiyo…half of today’S listeners would have never enjoyed it….thats why IR’s music has become cacophony to some….
After all, he is one gem, a probable beethovan,handel,bach or a mozart from asia…even if we don’t understand his music, lets nott hurt those who can understand his music.
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