Bridging the gap: Namah’s musical journey

A choir in action; Source: Wikipedia

Namah, the Sanskrit word for greeting and openness, is what this 35-member a cappella choir (singing sans instruments) is all about.

Age is not an issue and contributes to the group’s individuality.

“Music is music only when you share it with others, which serves as the aim of the choir. It teaches one to be selfless,” says Christo Fernandes, its proud conductor.

He not only has several outstanding violin recitals to his credit, both in India as well as internationally, but serves as an important link in the Namah chain.

A modest Christo, has nothing but praise for the 35-member choir and expresses his appreciation towards Kala Academy – Goa, where he has completed three years of teaching the violin.

A dynamic ensemble of Goa’s local talent, Namah comprises of people from diverse walks of life, wholly dedicated to a common goal. They are committed to the greater cause of propagating and creating musical awareness amongst the general public.

What is remarkable about this choral group is the fact that most of its members have little or no formal musical training.

Despite this, they have received high acclaim in a short period amid Goa’s music circle. Concert for the King; Concert for Love; performances at the Archbishop’s Palace, as well as the Governor’s Palace are a few shows where in the group’s talent has been showcased.

Namah unveiled

On December 9, 2007, Namah was invited by The Stop-Gaps Cultural Academy, Mumbai, to be part of their twenty-fourth annual concert. Apart from being the groups first out of state performance, it was Goa’s first ever representation at The Festival of Festive Music.

Ecstatic about the show, the choir worked tirelessly. Months of rehearsals, in addition to choosing songs and picking out the perfect outfit made for a gruelling experience.

Their persistence and hard work eventually paid off, as at the end of the performance, the compere’s remark “That was a great entry for Goan’s in Mumbai” hit home.

Alice, a member of the group, recollects a practice session the choir had near the Gateway of India. She deems it to be the highlight of the entire trip.

“As we were singing, some passers-by actually gathered around and, before we knew it, began taking photographs of us, and at the end of the song, they applauded.

I like to think that there was something in our music that drew a large section of the public, even in a busy metropolitan city like Mumbai,” quips the exuberant lady with unmistakable pride in her voice.

Forming the choir

About a year and a half ago, a handful of people approached Christo Fernandes through Kala Academy, with the proposal of starting a choir.

Greatly pleased to be part of this musical venture, he accepted the offer to be involved in contributing to a social cause of this calibre and of course, the rest is history.

“The past two years have truly been a learning experience for everyone,” reveals Christo. “There is a bonding within the group. We have developed a tolerance for one another.

As far as singing is concerned, each member has to accordingly adjust to the four-part harmony, Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass (SATB).”

Onilda, one of Namah’s younger members says, “Sir Christo is extremely patient and considering that most of us are unable to read music, the entire burden to teach weighs heavily on him.

As we sing in four different voices, he has to teach each one separately. It takes a lot to do that, not to mention a great deal of time.”

She continues, “A prominent feature of the group is the absence of age disparities. Although our youngest is 17 and our oldest is 67, we share an amiable relationship with one another. At the end of the day, Sir knows how to get the work done.”

Sneak peak: The God of Small Things

The God of Small Things; Source: Wikipedia

Acclaimed as a masterpiece in India, Arundhati Roy’s debut novel, The God of Small Things has taken the literary world by storm.

 

Winner of the prestigious Booker prize in 1997, The God of Small Things encompasses a tale of forbidden love and loss. It is a tale in which the intricate fibres of human nature and the simplicity of the ’small’ pleasures in life coalesce.

Set in the village of Ayemenem, in the South Indian state of Kerala, the novel follows the lives of its two main characters, fraternal twins, Estha and Rahel.

However, the narration does not start at the beginning of everything in 1969 (when the twins were children), but begins with the present situation (the return of adult Rahel to the village), and moves back and forth in time.

The twins move through life trying to avoid the turmoil that once, surrounded their childhood, until one day, the reality of things comes back to bite them, unleashing a torrent of emotion.

The main events occur during their cousin Sophie’s visit, which, I am only going to say, rocks the family to its very core.

Story

The twin’s blind grandmother Mammachi, also makes an entrance. Rhodes scholar, Chacko, the twin’s beloved uncle, his ex-wife and their mortal enemy, grandaunt Baby Kochamma, all play vital roles in Estha and Rahel’s fragmented childhood.

Ammu, the twin’s mother, and her illicit love affair with the untouchable Velutha, the man “her children loved by day and the man she loved by night,” makes an already bad situation, worse.

Their forbidden affair broke the ‘Love Laws’, the traditions and social barriers that India was built on.

The author expertly handles the touchy issues of caste, gender and communism, which plagued post-colonial India and which even prevail, to some extent, today.

Her knack for storytelling is emphasised by the way she expertly uses the twins to highlight these social evils. In spite of this however, Roy always manages to bring the characters tragic lives to the forefront.

On the downside, some Indian readers may be put off by the fact that their home country is continually portrayed as a place of brutal injustice and corruption throughout the novel.

Additionally, the erotic images with which Arundhati Roy describes the sexual encounters between Ammu, the upper caste Syrian Catholic, and Velutha, the Hindu untouchable, may be seen as highly offensive by Kerala’s conservative Syrian Catholic community.

Also, readers may find the shifting time sequences a tad tiresome. For me however, this inventive narrative style, which weaves between the past and present, heightens the suspense, mystery and drama, not to mention the complexity of each well-defined character. It definitely contributes to the books gripping climax.

As for Roy’s style of writing, remarkable, is the word that promptly springs to mind. For instance, she incorporates capital letters for emphasis and makes use of a number of typical Indian terms, like ‘mol’ for girl and ‘mon’ for boy.

From the very beginning, her poetic and descriptive language is able to capture the exotic qualities of tropical Kerala and is enough to leave reader’s totally hooked.

Often compared to Salman Rushdie’s earlier work, The God of Small Things is by no means a fairytale. Although it is a book that explores life’s greater dimensions, you can easily relate your own life to it.

After all, everyone has a past, and this book shows us that it is okay to revisit it, no matter how ugly.

So, be prepared to be transported to India and back, for that is how powerful Roy’s innate ability, as a writer is.

Hot stuff

Remember to always protect yourself form the sun; Source: Wikipedia

Looking forward to a day at the park with your kids or how about basking in your backyard or a weekend getaway, with that oh, so lovely sun beating down on you?Did you know though, that even the slightest exposure to the sun could target fair skin, far worse than people with a slightly darker complexion?

Seek some shade if outdoor activities are unavoidable. If you can’t avoid being in the sun however, then don’t forget to slap on that sunscreen, preferably with a S.P.F. (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 or higher, before you venture outdoors.

Although the act of applying sunblock may seem like a bore, believe me, prevention is far better than cure.

Besides sunscreen, a fashionable large-brimmed hat or baseball cap should do the trick or what about a fancy parasol? And don’t forget those ever-important shades. Your eyes need protection too.

If you forgot your sun protection and ended up burnt or if you slathered it on unevenly and you have a streak of red across some part of your body (how embarrassing!!) you’re paying for it now with reddened skin. Ouch. Although you may not acknowledge it, your skin certainly does!

Remedies

Sunburn, at times, can cause mild pain and redness, affecting only the outer layer of skin. The thick sap of the aloe vera plant or a soak in a cooling tea bath are excellent home remedies to a soothing effect. 

You may not think much of a mild one, but what if you have developed oozy blisters? Still think nothing of it? This type of sunburn is usually more painful and takes longer to heal. In severe cases like this, it’s time to bring in the professionals.

Sunburn is something a great deal of people experience fairly regularly during the summer season. Just because it is commonplace, does not mean that this condition does not require special attention proper care.

Don’t ignore the telltale signs of the sun’s damaging effect on your precious skin. In reality, anyone who spends too much of unprotected time in the sun is a candidate for first or second-degree burns, children included.

So, don’t forget to slather on that sunscreen on all parts of your skin exposed to the sun.