Bhavayami Raghuramam - Ragamalika

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My first Encounter with Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati

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It must have been around 1993-95. I used to go to Swami Bodhi Tirtha at the Edappally Gurukulam to learn Sanskrit, along with my friends Rajeev, Rajesh, and Umesh. Once, Swami said, 'Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati' is coming. Manu, you should come with your violin.' I was thrilled. I was finally going to meet the Guru I had only read about in books! As I waited, a black Ambassador car arrived, and the Guru and his disciples got out. He was a bulky looking grandfather figure, holding a pillow. After a short rest, Swami Bodhi introduced me to him. 'This is Manu. He plays the violin very well,' he said. Then Guru asked me to play. I played 'Bandu Reethi Kolu,' a Thyagaraja kriti in the Hamsanadam raga. Guru listened to it with his eyes closed, lost in meditation. I felt his meditative state transfer into my music. After I finished playing, he spoke about the spiritual aspects of music. It opened up a new dimension in music for me. That evening, there was a discourse...
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A Bond of Friendship

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Read in: English | മലയാളം | தமிழ் | ಕನ್ನಡ | తెలుగు | हिंदी   I first met Raman at the Elamakkara Dattatreya Temple during a Rama Navami concert for which I accompanied on the violin. Mercy, one of Raman's disciples, sang with him. The music was pure and unadulterated. After the concert, we exchanged phone numbers. After returning from Muscat, I got a job as a music teacher at the Isha Home School in Coimbatore. We needed another music teacher, and Raman was the first person who came to mind. I called him, and he agreed to come for an interview. He joined the school as a music teacher. We had plenty of free time after teaching. Our friendship blossomed in Isha. We would practice music together, go to the nearby tea shop, and take long walks in the forest and fields. Once, I had booked a train ticket to go home for the summer holidays. In a hurry, I forgot to take it and had already set off on my bike to Coimbatore railway station. I realized my mistake halfway and turned back, bu...
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Childhood Memories in Ramapuram

Read in: English | മലയാളം | தமிழ் | ಕನ್ನಡ | తెలుగు | हिंदी I was so excited when I heard we were going to Ramapuram for the school holidays. I snuck a small pocket knife and sunglasses into my shorts, planning to scare my grandmother. I imagined myself jumping out and scaring her like a robber. There was only one bus from Ernakulam to Ramapuram each day, the KMS bus that went to Mundakkayam. My father knew the bald-headed driver and the tall, thin conductor very well. I loved sitting in the front seat, enjoying the view and watching the driver. But the driver spotted the knife and sunglasses in my pocket and told my mother. My plan was ruined. The bus left from under the Ernakulam South overpass. The journey took about two and a half hours. The driver drove fast, and there were very few stops. The bus stop in Ramapuram was near a large banyan tree in front of the Sree Rama temple. My father would often buy something from the tea shop nearby. Then we would walk about two kilometers to K...
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