Books I Love - Part II

Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts:
My Rating: 4.5/5

First Things First. When you start this novel, don't look at the number of pages. Then you will be intimidated to start itself. Read it on your own peril because you will never understand on which genre it belongs. It can be any genre and can serve any purpose: A World travel Guide, A Fun Read , An autobiography ,A Sad Love Story , A Philosophical Thriller, A mafia story, A Murderer story and Last but not the least a Door Stop. Yes, It's 936 page Huge Novel that covered all topics that exists under the sun. As given in telegraph review "Shantaram is an exuberant, swashbuckling story of derring-do, told with reckless gusto and obvious affection, and if Roberts is no sort of stylist (and he isn't), you'd have to be a snob not to admit to enjoying yourself."

Life of Pi - Yann Mortel:
Rating: 4/5

I bought this novel with only reason that it got booker prize. I know nothing about it when i bought it. Still after reading the synopsis which says its a "story that makes you belive in god", and later reading good 40 pages, i couldn't attempt sleep before completing this non-stop religious thriller. Its An extra-ordinary factual tale of of boy called "pi", who survived in a life boat with hyena, Royal Bengal Tiger, Zebra, Sea Sick Orange-Utanfor 227 days. Its not a story that doesn't surprize you. It will not confirm what you already know. It will make you see higher or further or differently. Its worth booker prize.

S is for Silence - Sue Grafton:
Rating: 3.5/5

It should be named as "S is for Suspense" or "S is for Superb". This is more a work of literary art, a true and classic detective novel with an experimental edge in the narrative machinations of the psychological profiling chapters than it is a standard offering of detective fiction, though, for me, it also satisfied the cravings of that genre. I was left with a compulsion to reread several parts, then with a desire to reread the whole. This book has too much psychological pith to get it all in a single run through. A stylishly narrated detective novel.

The Zahir - Paul Coelho

This novel talks about a writer who is in search of his wife, his soul, his life. In between the lines, he goes deep with in your mind with spirituality. It is really very good and different in content. You may not like the story where he is having relationships with other women than his wife. But, you will love his statements during the time he matures in his love towards his life. Definitely a good read.

The Monk who sold his ferrari - Robin Sharma

I heard it from the newspaper saying it sold above 5 million copies. Yes, This book proved that "simplicity sells". It gives all old rules in a very simple format in much simple discussions. Any way, I am not a kind of person who loves to read discipline or self-improvement books. Do not read it, if you are also the same.

The Alchemist - Paul Coelho
The Inscrutable Americans - Anurag Mathur
Whispers and Lies - Joy Fielding

The Art of 'Chicken Gunya' Lyrics

Yesterday, when I had antakshari with friends, maddy sang the following lines from the recent telugu movie 'Khatarnak'

'Doma kudithe chicken gunya
prema kudithe sukham gunya
paina kudithe upper gunya
lone kuithe andar gunya'

what are these lines? sucks!! Really.. Can any body guess what these lines really means?It was written by lyricist 'greatadhi great' (One of his engili telugu innovations-- used for chiru movie shankardada MBBS) chadrabose who is regarded as top 'flawless' lyricist at current times.

One more from his pen 'Ammaye sannaga ara navve navvaga' (what is meaning of aranavvu here?. But song is super hit. No body knows what does it suggest?).

Some of latest songs even doesn't have at least a meaning in the sentense. for example,

'A vacchi B pai vaale C vacchi D pai vaale'

(Chatrapathi - I dont know what should i write here to translate in english - A comes on B, B Comes on C - Words are crap! There is no thought in the lyrics but the composition made the song super hit)

Worst comes when tamil movies dubbed into telugu. Because of mast beat, these songs became hit in telugu. Macchuki konni,

'Naaku Neeku Nokia Repu maapo mafia capuccino cofeeaa
sofiaaa'

(Aparichitudu -- Just some rambling words for our ears)'

'love-elephant la vastadu remo, muddu danthaltho kummuthadu remo'

(same movie - muddu danthaltho kummadam enti vaammo )..

"X Pichhi Y Pichhi Edo Pichhi Tune chesi padaalante Ekkunu Pichhi"

(Gazini - naakithe picchi ekkindi)

'telephone dhvani la navvedaana..'

(What????)

'kanubommale digi meesamayyenu ..okkakka pantitho navva'

(BOYS - Enti babu veella badha..)

Who cares for lyrics in these hit songs. AM Ratnam is reason for having great taste in selecting such lyrics in his movies. He doesn't have time for conversion. Probably, he wont give a damn to it. Even our current audience won't!

Some times, Songs have 'prayasa' with 'prasa' and at the end doesn't have relation in between the lines.

"manasa vacha kalisosthe, mysore palace rasiistha..."
"gusa gusa le gunna maavilloani rusa rusa le kanne chupullo.......'

(Annayya!!!! no relation between the lines)

Currently even vulgarity also washed away with mass beat. You may enjoy listening/humming following song but when you think of its meaning ... hmmm .. i should tell you first.

'College papala bus ye seat choosina fresh
pidata kinda pappu ruchi choodakunte tappu .. hammamma
Chintaaku chitta chitta chintaaku taa..
---- blah blah --
Aa yetti choope haa..aa yetti choope .. haa
(venaka edava sound okati with good visuals)
aa etti choope prize kodataru kurra pose'
(Enti aa meaning? Enti aa sounds?)

I heard some 10 year child singing that song 'chintak chitta chitta'. That child may not know what does it mean? Where are we heading? What is happening to telugu lyrics? Where are the great lyrics came in telugu? Whom to blame for this?

Definitely 'we' audience. People are enjoying the mass beats, off beats, melody but never giving any importance to the lyrics of the song which are regarded as it's soul in 'vishwanath' times.

Don't we have songs with great lyrics?.. Yes, we do have!!! But, who cares for them
when music is not good. And in out telugu industry , chandra 'ghost' is almost regarded in the same league as an elitist along with following great people. Alas!, for sure, he doesn't fall under thier class.

'Sirivennela' Seetha Rama Shastry - My All time favorite

'vidhata talapuna prabhavinchinadi anaadi jeevana vedam..
Kanula kolanulo prathibimbinchina vishwarupa vinyaasam'

'Sankara naadasareerapara vedaviharaahara jeeveswara..
praaname neevani gaaname needani praaname gaanamani..
mounavichakshana gaanavilakshana raagame yogamani
naadopasana chesina vadanu neevadanu nenaitee
dikhhareendrajita himagireendrasita kandharaa neelakandhara
kshudruleruganii rudraveena linnidragaanamidi
avadharinchara vinitarinchara... sankaraa'

(Difficult to get this kind of class into english)

Just find the beuaty of telugu in each of the above word. When you listen to such songs combined with great music, your heart stops beating. You feel the sense of sound in your soul. You forget yourself when immersed into that passion. Its absolutely a different feeling and you will end up being in different world. Even in new movies like 'manmadhudu', 'varsham' and anandam listen to his lyrics

" chali pidugula sadi vini jadisina bidiyamu tadabadi ninu vidadhaa?" (varsham).
Who can get such beauty with small words.

'nenu nenu ga lene ninna monnala
leni poni vuhallo emito ila
kottha janmala ipude ila puttinattuga'

(I am not like before
drifting thoughts are coming into my mind
It is my new life.. i just born into it)

'evaraina epudaina ee chitram choosara
nadi raatiri toli vekuva rekha
nidurinche reppalapai
udayaalanu chitrinche
oka challani madi pampina lekha' (Anandam)

He should definitely have fallen into love when he is writing such beutiful poetry
Atleast we have a lyricist, who is not going away from the 'soul' of the lyric with stupid 'chicken gunya' songs.

Veturi - Simple words - Complex Meaning

'prema ledani premincharadani' (All Abhinandana songs)
'urakalai godavari vurike naa vodiloniki sogasulai brundavani murise naa siga loniki' (All Abhilasha songs)
(All maharshi songs)
'oo papa laali janamake laali' (All Geetanjali Songs)
'hello guru prema kosame ra jeevitham' (Nirnayam)
'keeravani chilakala' (Anveshana)

'Aaku lo aakunai ...
kommalo
remmanai
nunu letha kommanai
ee adavali dagipona'

Inka enno classics from his pen.. But i remember one particular song from him. I can listen to that song continuously because of its rare beauty in the language. Even its dubbed one, his work is ememplory for all the latest dubbing 'gunya' lyricists. Song is 'Alalu Alalu egisi egisi alasi solasi poye' from 'old' seetha kokachiluka.

The second stanza in that song is by far the best one to read. Here is the translation along with the lyrics.

Charanam:

Veeche gaali naalo jaali
thelipaena neeku
Manasu
manasu
manuvai poyae
guruthaenaa neeku

Did the blowing wind tell you my sad and pitiful tale? Do you even remember the marriage of our hearts?

Gadiyae yugamai
bathuke sagamai
Gadichenu innaallu

Each minute I had spent waiting for you was like a “yugam”. (Note: This part is copied later in many movies including latest 'anand' - manchi coffee lanti cinema with a twist 'khsaname yugamai')

Valapae vagapai
thaane varadai
Kurise
kanneellu
Kurise kanneellu

All my love and happiness is now gone and all I have is grief, my tears flowing endlessly like a flood.

One more from the same movie

'mate mantramu
manase bandhamu
ee mamathe ee
manase
mangala vadyamu
idi kalyanam kamaneeyam jeevitham'

These songs became hit because of the highs & lows in interludes which are beautifully entwined by Ilayaraja and not because of veturi lyrics. If the music is not so good for the above songs, Does any body there who give a damn to such lyrics?

But 'chintak chitta chitta chintaku ta' and 'chicken gunya'... hmm.. hats off to chandra bose and our telugu audience.

- Maharshi