Door to the Divine - Lord Muruga & Kanda Sashti Kavasam

It's difficult to describe what Lord Muruga means to me. His fleeting presence keeps pointing miraculous signs time and again. He is a mysterious maverick and there have been umpteen times whenever a minor thought emanates in the mind, he immediately from God knows how suddenly pops up from 'out of the blue'. The timing especially at many instances have been dumbfounding especially considering the pointed precision. The prescience he conveys always have a very deep meaning and its just my own insentience that makes it hard to catch at times only to realise things much later :). However in being connected, you can trust him blindly and be rest assured of being provided protection and guidance. He is one of a kind enigma that is simply inconceivable and beyond the realms of comprehension.

I would like to recall an interesting experience where I literally saw an event panning out in life thanks exclusively to the miracle of Muruga. After a successful tryst with CA, ACS and CMA, I decided to give a shot at a UK based Management exam called CIMA. Truth be told, my preparations were muddled and it was the first time I was writing a full fledged computerised exam and it felt weird as I've never been through such a rigour earlier. I had no freaking idea how I'd done. Anyways decided that it's going to be my one and only crack and that am done with this come what may. It was 11th Jan 2018, the day of the results, a Thurday and Vishakha Nakshatra in the skies. Around lunch time at work, I decided to stroll out for a walk. Was slightly twitchy as I was made to believe the results will pop out anytime. As I was trudging along, I saw a vehicle unfurl past me comprising of a big inscription with an image of Kumara blessing resoundingly. That particular moment was simply unshakeable and I was instantly taken aback connecting it to be some kind of seraphic invocation. Still nervous, I strutted back towards work place to open my Gmail and saw that the mail had appeared and voila as I opened got to see that magical 4 letter word "PASS". It didn't stop there as I was also made to believe much later that the score equated to an All India 8th Rank. I was bewildered and even now I have no remote idea how it all transpired or rather conspired. It was surely the Lord's Leela at play and not an iota to do with any of my efforts.

Coming to "Kanda Sashti Kavasam", the construct of the whole melange musically has always fascinated me. I have heard parts of it separately and there have been times when I couldn't really fathom that they are all part of one and the same. It's breathtaking as to how they are all so beautifully blended together. Such a wholesome garlanded Ragamalika comprising of 6 different musical portions of which a few of them keep repeating with the "Sashtiyai Nokka Saravana Bhavana" part being the fulcrum and tailpiece laying the foundation playing the perfect anchor to the rest of them. Was also tending to relate these 6 musical motifs to the 6 abodes of Murugan (Arupudai Veedu) stationed at Thiruparankundram, Tiruchendur, Palani, Swamimalai, Tiruttani and Pazhamudircholai.

I've tried to condense and play all the pieces to form a synergy within a 4 minute time frame. One point worth mentioning is that this composition touches all the 12 notes that is apart from the 7 Saptha Swaras Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni, the other Ri, Ga, Ma, Da & Ni are also interwoven.

The Ragams invoked are:
- Suddha Dhanyasi (opening hymn Kural Venba & Sashtiyai Nokka)
- Subha Panthuvarali (Rahana Bavasa)
- Kalyani (Aarumugamum)
- Thodi (Yethanai Yaalum)
- Mayamalava Gowla (End portion Meviya Vadivurum)

Synonymous with the Ragas, I tried to interlink the elements of the Panchanga where one of each is specifically identified and attributed to Karthikeya
- Vara : Tuesday
- Nakshatra : Vishakha
- Tithi : Sashti
- Karana : Bhadra
- Yoga : Siddha

Kanda Sashti Kavasam is of a masterly transitional wizardry structure and keeps traversing across in a transcendental manner. I was seriously apprehensive if I could go all out with the full monty at one shot and was pretty petrified to say the least. Here again I would like to thank Subramanya as a simple prayer to Sendhil Andavar made it possible to consecrate and stitch together all these portions continuously without a mistake or two apparently cropping up here or there.

To be honest, this is seriously beyond my ken and apologies for any unintentional slip ups along the way. Dedicating this minuscule labour of Love to the inscrutable Dear Lord Skanda on this decorated Maha Kanda Sashti Soorasamharam where he successfully quelled the challenge of the Asura Soorapadman by vanquishing him and bringing glory to the Devas. All Hail our revered Tamil Kadavul and global Guru Guhan. May Saravana's grace be ever prevalent on everyone who believes in his divine celestial embodiment.

Celebrating 30 Golden Years of DDLJ!

When it comes to lovey dovey mushy romance of the 90's, it's hard to look further beyond the evergreen classic 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'. There are certain stories which live with time and one such is DDLJ. It will forever be etched as an eternal cult classic. Ever since it's foray in the silver screens, its had an everlasting impact in the hearts of love struck romeos and remembered as a much fancied movie to savour amongst both Desi and NRI audiences.

This date 20th October 2025 marks 30 years since the iconic release of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge that hit tinselville during the Diwali week on the 20th October 1995. It was a marquee blockbuster that took the box office by thunderstorm. Incidentally at the time of release of DDLJ, the protagonist SRK was just few days shy of celebrating his 30th B'day and now 30 years hence he is on the threshold of coveting the milestone figure of 60 years.

Directed by a then 24 year old in Aditya Chopra, DDLJ in essence was just a simple tailor made love story but in it's innocence lied the attraction which strung the fans into believing and falling in love with the movie. It was those fleeting unimpeachable moments that uplifted the film to all time greatness. Shahrukh's charm as a young chocolate lover boy 'Raj' was lapped up heavily by the youth of the nation. Kajol's character as the dreamy 'Simran' was easily identifiable by young maidens growing up in a patriarchal society back in the days. Their sizzling chemistry together provided the perfect synchronicity to elevate the sequences one after the other.

There is an impish charm about DDLJ that has managed to sway audiences and believe in the adage of falling in Love. In the previous Diwali summer of 1994, it was the family saga Hum Aapke Hain Koun! starring Salman Khan & Madhuri Dixit that had the cash registers ringing big time turning into an epoch making superlative smasher of a hit. In 1995, it was the NRI Love bug in the form of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge catapulting it to being the biggest phenomenon of the year. It also happens to be India's longest running film ever with the matinee show in Maratha Mandir at Mumbai as mind blowing as it may sound still continuing playing it to this very day right since inception. 

It ignited a ray of hope of true love existing and manifesting beyond boundaries. In fact the whole fantasy of experiencing a Euro Trip got implanted for many via the picturesque scenes, settings and surroundings emitted through the canvas of DDLJ. That unforgettable dialogue of "Bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai" translated as "In Big big countries, such small small conversations keeps happening" holds universal significance to this very day. At the very climax, when an unbending father finally relents chanting "Jaa Simran jaa jeele apni zindagi jaa beta jaa that means "Go Simran go live your life, go my daughter go", it truly signalled the victory of Love over everything else. 

When it came to the music of this movie, it is remembered for containing irresistible melodies that have stood the test of time. It was tuned by the brotherly duo of Jatin-Lalit and was one of the most sought after soundtracks of the year 1995. However the movie lost out on the popular choice of Best Musical Album with the AR Rahman composed "Rangeela" bagging the honours for the soundtrack of the year at the Filmfare Awards mildly pipping DDLJ. 

There have been many movies celebrating Love themes but DDLJ takes the cake for inheriting such a universal appeal. As a tribute to this golden movie crossing the landmark of 30 years, sharing an infinitesimal rendition of a few lines of all the 6 memorable numbers from this iconic feature film. May the legend of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge aka DDLJ continue to enthral and relive memories.