Whatever rocks your boat!

Kannappa (Telegu; 2025)

Director: Mukesh Kumar Singh

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5306972/

The story of Kannapan, the tribal hunter, fundamentally shaped my understanding of spirituality from a tender age. I first heard this tale around the age of 13 or 14, when my parents insisted that my sisters and I should dedicate an hour or so on Saturday evenings to religious classes (satsangh) organised by their friend. The highlight of the satsangh was, of course, the stories told by the organiser, RG, in the most dramatic and humorous manner.

The other parts were the chance to lead singing and the opportunity to play the small cymbals (jalra) during devotional songs. 

Kannappa's story opened my eyes (and naive mind) to two important aspects of Hinduism.  

In the version I heard, a tribal hunter, Kannappa, was so eager to worship Lord Shiva after witnessing a Brahmin priest perform his daily routine. When the hunter inquired about the proper way to pray, the holy man shooed him away. The hunter, after observing what the priest was doing, did what he understood. He fashioned a stone to resemble a linga, lit a light with pork lard, placed some wildflowers, and scooped water from a nearby lake with his mouth! The eye on the linga started bleeding, and Kannappa enucleated his own eye to replace it. Then another linga eye began bleeding. Kannappa put his foot on his linga to mark its position before removing his second eye. The Brahmin priest, upon seeing what he thought was blasphemous, caused a big fuss. Lord Shiva took notice, manifested and praised Kannappa for his devotion. His eyes were restored. Lord Shiva further honoured Kannappa by granting him liberation.

RG's story taught me that one need not display piety openly. True devotion is inward. One does not have to practise vegetarianism to earn His grace, nor wear a specific tunic to receive His blessings. All that is needed is sincerity and pure thoughts. It is the middlemen who pretend to know the protocols, itineraries, decorum and laws set out by God himself.

The other thing I could not understand is why God enjoys putting His devotees through tests. The impression I have of Him is that He is narcissistic. He longs for unquestioned loyalty. The impression that the intermediaries seem to give is that our reason for existence is to keep Him happy. His wrath knows no limits. It is important to remember that these stories were created during the Bhakti movement, when it was believed that to attain salvation, one must be devoted to God. 

Kannappa's story in this movie is only told towards the tail end of the film. The lion's share of the movie focuses on boosting box-office takings, such as showcasing how skilled a sorcerer Kannappa is, his love interest, and the various costumes in which she is scantily dressed to emphasise her body contours. 

Shiva intervenes to prevent Kannappa from sacrificing his eye.

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No Controlling a Mob!

Bengal Files (2025)
Written & Directed: Vivek Agnohotri

This is a continuation of a series of movies released by Vivek Agnohorti, and like with the titles ending with 'files' - Kashmir Files, Kerala Files and next Udaipur Files. This genre of film generally presents another point of view on Indian history, often different from the narratives of what they label 'leftist historians'. This leftist version is taught in history lessons and schools worldwide.

We know the Partition primarily affected the northwestern and northeastern regions of the subcontinent. We have also been frequently informed about the toll and intergenerational trauma it inflicted on the people of Punjab. The devastation it caused to Bengal is often overlooked at best.

The attempt to divide Bengal was made in 1905 by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India. Bengal was to be split into the Muslim-majority East and the Hindu-majority West, citing administrative convenience as the reason. The real motive, however, was to weaken those opposing colonial rule. The backlash was so intense that the British abandoned the plan six years later. It is said to have sparked the Swadeshi movement, which called for a boycott of British goods.

Many things happened after that. The World War II era saw the entire Congress Party leadership behind bars. This gave the Muslim League Party all the opportunity to press the British to demand a separate country carved out of India for Muslims. By the time the war ended, Britain was in a dire state and unable to maintain its colonies. India was ready for independence, even at the expense of losing part of its land. There was a rush to claim as much territory as possible for the new country, which was called Pakistan for India's Muslims.

A year before India's independence, there was a significant clash between the Congress and the Muslim League over how the country's division should unfold. Who started the conflict depends on which side one asks. The Hindus of Bengal were adamant that Pakistan was attempting to take over the entire Bengal and had plans to swallow up the whole of Punjab, as well as inciting many princely states to join their side. They accused the Chief Minister of Bengal, Suhrawardy, whom they nicknamed 'The Butcher of Bengal', of instigating riots. He was allegedly announcing over the mosque to the Muslims to go forth and kill non-believers. To the Muslims, the Hindu resistance leader, Gopal Patha, was the butcher, a city-based meat-selling Brahmin from Calcutta. Neither party admits to starting the fire; they were merely reacting to hostility.

Calcutta - Direct Action Day
16th August 1946.

The movie reenacts a scenario quite similar to what happened during the Direct Action Day, on 16th August 1947, when there was allegedly a concerted effort by the Muslims to go on a killing spree and make the whole of Bengal part of Pakistan. In this story, a local elected member of the Legislative Assembly, a seemingly liberal chap, is using the power vested in him for his self-serving needs. He influenced the local mosque goers and the well-endowed section of society to start communal violence.

Watching the movie, my novice, untrained mind detected two boo-boos. It was 1946-47, and MK Gandhi was in conversation with Jinnah. Gandhi was coaxing Jinnah against the idea of Pakistan... "after all, the Hindus and the Muslims are of the same DNA?" Gandhi said. Really? People talking about DNA in 1947? For the record, Watson and Crick only proposed the idea of DNA in 1953 and received the Nobel Prize in 1962.

Another anachronistic moment was when the main character was finally apprehended by the mob. He is punished by having his upper limbs dismembered. His limbs are pulled apart by two motorcycles. At a glance, the vehicles look like they were Japanese-made, like those sold in the 1980s. For the record, India received its first shipment of Royal Enfields, imported from the UK for British officers' use. Motorcycles were bulky in that era. India's first locally produced motorcycle was the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 in 1955.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/direct-action-day-and-the-story-of-a-bengal-butcher-gopal-patha-who-saved-calcutta-9114693

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Monkey see, monkey do!

Had the duty to participate in a wedding celebration recently. As one would expect at these Indian money-sapping, elaborate weddings, it included a haldi ceremony. 

The Haldi ceremony is a lively pre-wedding custom where turmeric paste, blended with sandalwood and rose water, is ritually applied to the faces and limbs of the bride and groom. Originally, it was a way to give the king and queen of the day a healthy glow, as these ingredients have strong antiseptic qualities, leaving the skin radiant and fragrant. Over generations, it has gained a divine status. As time passed, regulations and restrictions likely were introduced.

Could not help but find myself eavesdropping on a few conversations between guests at this ceremony as I was just sitting down, minding my own business.

One guest said to another, "Why are we even here? It is supposed to be a family function."

At another instant, a different guest was heard whispering, "Only married people can do these rituals. They are blessing the soon-to-be newlyweds. Who are the young chicos to go around giving blessings? I even saw a toddler doing the haldi." The other party replied, "But it is ok for the cousins to do it as there is a lot of teasing involved."

Like that, everyone created their own rules as they went along, knowing neither the true reason behind the ritual nor the proper way to perform it. One thing they were certain of was that they were there to enjoy themselves. They do not care about its significance.

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The bane of the new economy?

Idli Kadai (Tamil, Idli Shop; 2025)

Written & Directed: Dhanush 

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/
idly-kadai-expected-ott-release-date-is-here-1907311

Just 15 minutes into the movie, one can get a clear idea where the story is going and how it will end. It was not the storytelling that excited me but rather the sentiment it tried to stir. Indians, generally being emotional, must have had to endure, or maybe succumb to, emotional blackmail from the generation before them. The question is whether it is productive or a hindrance to our development as human beings. Are they cautionary tales to warn us of the rough patches ahead or merely counter currents that drag us down at a time we grow wings and learn to fly? Do Indian mothers breastfeed the poison of emotional dependency on their children? Is this their way of keeping the family unit intact?

'Idli Kadai' tells the story of a simpleton father who leads a simple life, putting his heart and soul into his trade, making piping hot, fluffy idlis (steamed rice puffs). He is a kind and disciplined man who believes in Gandhi's non-violent approach to resolving issues. He teaches the same lessons to his young son, Murugan. Murugan grows up admiring his father and decides to study culinary arts in college. Murugan proposes his ambitious plans to modernise his business and set up branches elsewhere. The old man is not interested in acquiring wealth or using modern machinery to expand the rundown shop that he and his wife built from scratch. 

Murugan goes on to work at a 5-star hotel in Bangkok, and, long story short, this young man with humble beginnings is soon to marry the boss' daughter. Just a couple of days before the proposed wedding, Murugan's father dies. Murugan has to return to India to perform the final rites. Unfortunately, the situation back home becomes complicated as his mother also dies, and the strings of melancholia pin him down so hard that the wedding has to be cancelled. 

It is human nature to aim to be better off than one's parents. Even the parents go all out, breaking their backs to provide for their children, for their offspring to prosper. Together with financial and emotional support, they impart the lessons they acquired through the hard knocks of life. All through that, too, they inculcate their value of filial piety.

The trouble is that, in the modern world, doing well in life means acquiring wealth. This would also include going out of the comfort zone, conquering and gaining knowledge from faraway lands, and letting the aged parents fend for themselves. This abandonment makes the children carry a great sense of guilt. The Indian family expects the children to care for the aged. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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A dry 'Rain Town'

Taiping Heritage Ride 2025

November 30th, 2025.

The trains used to stop at Taiping in those days. It was a game we shared between my sister and me. Each would predict whether it would rain when the train reached Taiping. It would invariably rain, and I would always win. That is Taiping, the wettest town in Peninsula Malaysia. The Maxwell hills, aka Bukit Larut, near the town, recorded the highest rainfall, second only to Bintulu, according to the meteorological report on sustained high rainfall. Historically, the Maxwell Hills are said to have received 5000mm of rainfall. As a result, it acquired the nickname 'Rain Town'.

So when the Meteorological Department issued a warning that a rare storm had arisen in the Strait of Malacca and would bring torrential rains over many towns in the Peninsula, I was concerned. With my planned cycling race in Taiping all in high gear, the last thing that Taiping needed was torrential rain from a tropical storm. Rain in 'Rain Town' on top of a storm did not sound too good. To top it all off, people started marking themselves as safe on social media in anticipation of floods, heightening the already tense situation. The BBC began showing footage of flood victims in Southeast Asia to set the low mood. 

All through the weekdays leading up to the planned Taiping Heritage Ride on Sunday, I was waiting for announcements from the organisers in anticipation of the freak storm called 'Senyar'. Nothing. News of heavy rain, floods and landslides was reported occurring most in the central and southern parts of the peninsula. 

Come Sunday, everything was hunky dory. No rain, no threat of rain, no roads reported to be underwater and dry roads as well. In fact, for once in my life, I did not experience rain while in Taiping. Almost at 7am, as planned, the 90km ride was flagged off. It was a ride as easy as Sunday morning, to quote the Commodores. 

From a town named 'forever peaceful', Taiping, the cyclists rode, under the supervision of marshals and traffic police, to another 'forever' town, a small town named Selama. (Selama-lama could mean forever.) Mainly cruising on flat terrain, it was a pleasant ride, complemented by mild weather: 23 degrees C, with the sun shyly peeking through the clouds throughout the day.

I knew that Taiping town had come into existence ever since tin was explored on an industrial scale in the mid-19th century. In reality, it had already been mined there. The British exploited it by bringing in dredging machines and mined it to extinction. The local rulers had already been using tin coins earlier.

Tin also brought in the Chinese immigrants, the secret societies - Ghee Hin and Hai San, representing the Cantonese, Hakka and Teochew communities respectively. To transport the merchandise, the first railway lines were built between Taiping and Port Weld in 1885.

Besides this, Taiping also boasts many of its firsts in the country. The first post and telegraph offices, the first fire brigade, the first hill resort in Maxwell Hill, the first library and museum, the first English and Tamil newspapers, and, probably, the first mall. There was even an airstrip, Tekah Aerodrom, in 1929, which would qualify as the first Malaysian airport. It is alleged that Amelia Earhart made a stopover here in 1937 during her ill-fated round-the-world trip. There is a mural to vouch for that, it seems. Her navigational log, however, showed stops only in Bangkok and Singapore with no mention of a layover in Malaya. In all accounts, she would have just flown over Taiping and would have obtained permission from Taiping as a possible place to land in case of emergency.

With an impressive past resume, now Taiping, away from the main highway traffic, has to contend with the tag of a retirees' hometown. 

Continuing the ride from Selama district, the convoy turned to pass Bukit Merah town, a recreational park with lakes, greenery and a water-themed park. I remember travelling on the trains through a long waterway. It used to be never-ending, and in those days, my simple mind thought I was travelling across the sea. Until I saw a stretch of railway line running across the Bukit Merah Lake from a flyover in that small town, the avalanche of memories came rushing back. The train had been travelling across the Bukit Merah lake. 

From there, the ride continued back into Taiping through Kamunting. Kamunting earned its notorious name in 1987, when over 100 people from civil society were incarcerated under the cruel Internal Security Act under the orders of the then Prime Minister, Mahathir Muhammad.

It was back we started, and that was it. Another day, another race done.

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Another Kannadasan composition...

Movie: Avandhaan Manidhan
Poet: Kannadasan
Music Director: MS Viswanathan
Singer: TM  Sounderajan

This is another song written by Kannadasan for the movie ‘Avanthaan Manithan’ (அவன்தான் மனிதன், Only He is Human). The film tells the story of an industrialist with a tragic past. His wife died in childbirth, and his child drowned as a toddler. Despite his sorrows, he puts on a happy face and carries on his earthly duties, manning his matchstick plant and helping his employees.

Tragedy strikes again when the cargo ship transporting his merchandise goes down. Due to some technical issues, he does not get any compensation. He soon turns a pauper. His mansion is auctioned off.

His philanthropy elevated his favourite worker, who bought over his house and offered it to his boss. Unfortunately, the industrialist is too proud to take handouts. He downgrades himself to live with his faithful butler. The charity bug never left the industrialist. Despite being in dire straits, his addiction to giving charity never waned.

The above song appeared when the industrialist was sitting down, reflecting on the life he had lived.

Kannadasan thought his life, giving and giving even at times of trouble, was comparable to that of Karna’s in the Mahabharata. Hence the composition.

(1)ஆட்டுவித்தால் யாரொருவர் ஆடாதாரே கண்ணா
 ஆசையெனும் தொட்டினிலே ஆடாதாரே கண்ணா

Somebody is initiating the dance; no one is exempt, Kanna?
Nobody escapes the trap of desires. 

Interpretation: In the dance called life, God starts the ball rolling. Everyone has no choice but to partake in the reverie. But beware, we are entwined in it by the lure of pleasures. We are kept trapped in these chains of interpersonal bonds and worldly materials.

(2)நீ நடத்தும் நாடகத்தில் நானும் உண்டு
 (3)என் நிழலில் கூட அனுபவத்தில் சோகம் உண்டு

In the dance that you organise, I am also in it, 
My shadows, too, feel the experience of melancholy.

Interpretation: The emotions that life brings affect every part of our body. Our mannerisms, the way we move, and our general appearance are testimony to the fact. 

(4) பகைவர்களை நானும் வெல்வேன் அறிவினாலே
 ஆனால் நண்பனிடம் தோற்று விட்டேன் பாசத்தாலே

I will win over enemies with intelligence,
But I lost to my friend because of affection.

Interpretation: We think we are logical and use our thinking sense to act wisely. The fact of the matter is, we are biased. The bonds that we build cloud our actions.

(5)பாஞ்சாலி உன்னிடத்தில் சேலை கேட்டாள்
 அந்த பார்த்தனவன் உன்னிடத்தில் கீதை கேட்டான்
 நானிருக்கும் நிலையில் உன்னை என்ன கேட்பேன்
 இன்னும் நன்மை செய்து துன்பம் வாங்கும் உள்ளம் கேட்ப்பேன்

Panjali (Draupadi) asked you for saree,
That Partha (Arjuna) asked you for the Gita,
What can I, in this situation, ask from you?
Even now, a heart to do good to be returned with tragedy.

Interpretation: This is easily the most meaningful message in this song. It relates to the story of the Mahabharata. When Yudhishtra, the Pandava king, gambles off his kingdom and property, he also loses his wife, Draupadi (aka Panjali). When the Kaurava thought it was alright for them to disrobe and humiliate a menstruating queen, she pleaded to the Gods for a longer saree to protect her honour. On the eve of the Kurushetra War, Arjuna had cold feet. The idea of combating, mortally wounding or outright killing his uncles and cousins was confusing. For that, Krishna started what can now be termed a counselling session. The conversation was immortalised as the Bhagavad Gita (Gita). In the real world, when someone asks you what you really want, what do you say? First, you would think it is a trick question. What is the catch, and what is it for you? In the verse, the Poet quotes Karna's supposed request, 'the ability to continue helping people in next births'. Apparently, this was not mentioned in Valmiki's original version of the Mahabharata. 

(6)கடலளவு கிடைத்தாலும் மயங்க மாட்டேன்
 அது கையளவே ஆனாலும் கலங்க மாட்டேன்
 உள்ளத்திலே உள்ளது தான் உலகம் கண்ணா
 இதை உணர்ந்து கொண்டால் துன்பமெல்லாம் விலகும் கண்ணா

Even when I get wealth as deep as the ocean, I won't be inebriated,
Even if it's just a handful, I won't be sad,
Only what is in your heart is your world, Kanna,
Only when this is realised does sadness go away, Kanna.

P.S. Krishna is also affectionately called Kanna, amongst many other names. 

Interpretation: This is another life lesson. When endowed with great wealth, one should not be intoxicated by the pleasures it can offer. Even if it is hardly enough to go around, one should not falter. One should contend with what one has. This realisation leads to happiness. Be happy with what one has.

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