The ordinary ways of enjoying TiruppAvai - 2

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

I do not mean to sound trivial, frivolous or offensive when I deliberately dare

choose to describe the TiruppAvai as the scriptural equivalent of an " all-time

box-office smash-hit " Bollywood movie.

 

A typical " box-office smash-hit " , as we all know, is usually what the Sunday

newspaper cinema-critic in his review columns is known to praise for being a

" complete and wholesome family entertainer " : what the critic means is that as a

piece of cinematic art, the particular Bollywood production in question will not

fail to appeal, in one way or the other, to the aesthetic sense and

sensibilities of each and every member of the average family that happily goes

out 'en masse' to watch the movie on a  Saturday night-out. For young and old,

for the menfolk and womenfolk, for the one who has a keen eye for slick

cinematography, for the one who is thrilled by " action sequences " and " special

effects " , for the housewife who wants screen-play with " heart-wrenching pathos "

or " tear-jerking sentimentality " , for the aunt who loves " song and dance " , for

grandma or for the poor housemaid (!)as well who tags along with the rest of the

family.... for everyone concerned

there is something of promise in the " box-office hit " that is bound to whet

their appetite for drama, fantasy, imagination and creative adventure.

 

It is therefore no wonder to me then when I come across some families I've known

for years that openly boast to me about the fact that they have never wearied of

watching a certain classic Bollywood " hit " " several scores of times " --- again

and again, in cinema halls, on their home-theatre systems, on DVDs, in multiplex

theatres and on internet downloads.... Such " smash-hits " , they tell me

gushingly, over the years " have become become part of the family tradition,

ethos and heirloom " !

 

****************

 

The TiruppAvai, in the particular sense of the term explained above, can indeed

be described as the mother of all " block-buster smash-hits " to ever come out of

the Srivaishnavite " box-office " for scriptural " super-productions " scripted,

directed and distributed, as it were, under the popular " banner " of

" SRollywood " ! (Where " SR " , if you must know, stands for " SriRangam " , the

hallowed epicentre of ancient Srivaishnavite thought and faith).

 

In the 30 wonderful stanzas of this unique work of Tamil poetry there is indeed

" something of eternal value for everyone " -- from any walk of life, possessed of

any disposition, character or personality, whether scholar or illiterate,

whether rich or poor, whether young or old, urban or rural --- there is indeed

something unceasingly fascinating and magical in the TiruppAvai for one to

cherish, enjoy, celebrate and contemplate.... again and yet again, year in and

year out, one " mArgazhi " following another, and for ever and ever.

 

We will continue discussing more of this in the next posting.

Best Regards,

Sudarshan MK

 

 

 

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