By Girija Madhavan I have lived in many houses abroad before returning to settle down in my hometown of Mysuru in 1995. Each was a temporary home, a haven, claiming a place in my memories and sentiment; some in alien land and others in friendlier ambiance. But the house that remains in my mind as…
By Girija Madhavan Concerts from the archives of Doordarshan can be evocatively nostalgic. One afternoon I chanced upon a “National Programme” of Hindustani music of 1981, the photography in black and white. It featured the late Pandit Amarnath, the foremost disciple of Ustad Amir Khan of the Indore Gharana. When I lived in Delhi for…
By Girija Madhavan Culinary programmes on television help to whet the appetite for lunch or dinner. We enjoy watching how Nigella Lawson, Master Chef Australia, our own Sanjeev Kapoor or Vikas Khanna present their shows. But “Hell’s Kitchen” starring Gordon Ramsay and his chefs scrambling to cook and serve their dishes against a relentless clock,…
By Girija Madhavan Our lessons began on Valmiki Road, shaded by rain trees, where traffic was sparse. We would drive slowly up to the Mosque at the end of the road, turn round and drive back. Father insisted that I practise hand signals as I drove. At that time the fashion was to wear glass bangles;…
By Girija Madhavan The romance of space is always beguiling. Exploring the “Final Frontier” in science-fiction, television or films, foreshadowed the “Space Tourism” some millionaires experienced recently. The launch by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) of 104 Nano Satellites in one operation drew admiration; but the failure of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, after…
By Girija Madhavan In Mysuru, the Horticultural Department recently organised an “Ikebana” workshop. This traditional Japanese art was enthusiastically received. Ikebana [meaning “Living Flowers”] began as votive offerings in Japanese Buddhist temples some six centuries ago. Later it was recognised as an art-form, which retained Zen symbolism. Abbot Senkei, also called Semmu, who lived by…
By Girija Madhavan On June 9, 2017, the Japanese Diet enacted an Abdication Law, called a “Single Use Law,” to enable Emperor Akihito to abdicate for reasons of health and age. The “Chrysanthemum Throne” will then pass on to Crown Prince Naruhito. The dynasty goes back to 1300 years. Legend claims that the rulers are…
By Girija Madhavan Tourists collect small souvenirs of their visit to enjoyable holiday spots. For me, our three-year sojourn in Switzerland is a treasured memory. It influenced my outlook and understanding of other cultures. In 1961, my husband was posted to the Indian Embassy in Bern, Switzerland. With our infant son we started from Mysore…
By Girija Madhavan Churches in Mysuru will soon prepare for Easter, Good Friday being on the 14th and Easter Sunday on the 16th of April. Photos of Easter last year at Saint Gregorios Orthodox Syrian Church in Mysuru reminded me of an Easter thirty-three years ago in Moscow in the former Soviet Union. We lived…
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