bansuri on the beach

Quietly, reluctantly, I drag myself out of bed as the sun's rays diffusing through the curtains and the loudspeakers blaring from the auto-stand Pillaiyar temple jointly remind me it's time to prepare for the festive day.

Stepping outside to tie the coconut frond toraNams on the door, I note with pleasure that my considerate neighbours have already drawn a kOlam for me.

I'm treated to a delicious lunch, complete with my favorite okra curry, at my aunt's home. There, I delight in the antics of my kid nephew Goutham visiting from Bangalore; he of the limpid eyes and angelic smile.

Back home, I offer hastivadanAya namastubhyam in lieu of shlokas, along with arka (Calotropis) flowers and arugam (Cynodon) leaves to the Ganesha purchased last night at taNNiturai market near the Anjaneya temple in Mylapore.

During class with Kalpakam teacher, I simultaneously revel in and struggle with the anupallavi line Anandadam tam Ekadantam of mahAgaNapatim vandE in tODi.

I catch the last fifteen minutes or so of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia's open air concert at Besant Nagar beach, an event in connection with the Times Chennai Festival. It is raining, and Panditji has an assistant holding up an umbrella. It is beautiful to see them perform, framed against the black sky punctuated by lightning streaks, pausing only to wipe their instruments dry. A backstage view is below.