Lyricist Vaali leaves a void

Lyricist and poet Vaali, who secured a place on a par with Kannadasan, at a time when the latter strode like a colossus in the Tamil film music world, died here on Thursday evening.

He was 82 and is survived by a son.

He was not well for quite some time and was in and out of hospital over the past month. The end came as one of his friends recited a few ‘pasurams’ — Ondrum marantharieyen and Oorilen kaaniyillai and Kulam tharum — from the ‘Nalayira Divyaprabandam’, a set of hymns sung by Vaishnavite minstrels.

Vaali, who had a five-decade-long association with the Tamil film industry, wrote over 15,000 songs — including 5,000 for music maestro Ilaiyaraja — for many a protagonist played by actors from M.G. Ramachandran to Dhanush.

On the one hand, he wrote songs like Madhavi ponmayilal, Ammavendrazhaikatha uyirillaye, Naanaga naan illai and Janani janani that transported the listener to a different plane, and on the other, he entertained the masses with songs such as Chikkupukku chikkupukku railay, Mukkala muqabla and Singari sarakku nalla sarakku.

Overwhelmed by the brilliant imagery of the lines in the song Pakkathu veetu paruva matchan in the film ‘Karpagam’, Kannadasan declared in a public meeting that Vaali would be his heir-apparent.

Though he wrote songs for many yesteryear and present-day heroes, his association with MGR songs is famous. The political image that MGR built for himself through his film songs stood him in good stead later when he embarked on a highly successful political career, with Vaali’s lines embodying his ideas.

Report lodged against AG over 'inaction' against Zul

A coalition of NGOs today lodged a police report against attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail for alleged abuse of power and practicing selective prosecution.

In the report filed with the Travers police station in Kuala Lumpur, the NGOs gave the police a two-week time-frame to take action against the AG.

Failing which, the NGOs warned they would lodge a complaint with the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).

"We ask that the police investigate the AG, take action against him for selective prosecuting, he has misused his power, they should arrest him immediately," said Peoples Welfare and Rights Organisation (Power) president S Gobi Krishnan.

Gobi cited the charges against bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee as well as the AG's refusal to charge Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin (right) as proof of selective prosecution.

"We welcome this news of charges against the bloggers because we don't want anyone to insult any religion, but the AG has to take action in all cases (of religions being insulted)" he said.

"Are we being told that one photo on Facebook is sufficient evidence and that a YouTube video isn't?" he asked in reference to the video allegedly showing Zulkifli insulting the Hindu faith.

Despite the NGOs having lodged a police report against Zulkifli, Gobi said the police later informed them that the AG's Chambers decided not to proceed because of "insufficient evidence."

Meanwhile, Mipas president P Raja Retinam said no one was above the law and accused the AG of only serving the interests of one community.

"He only wants to protect Muslims but what about us non-Muslims? Who is protecting us?" he asked.

The other NGOs present were WargaAman, Jingga 13 and Tamilar Action Force.

Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/236054

Retribution is quick if you're sex bloggers

COMMENT In a flash, the authorities cracked their whips when a non-Muslim couple, infamous for their exhibitionist sexual trysts, posted a photograph of themselves dining on pork (bak kut teh) soup.

Next to the photograph was a caption that linked the consumption of the forbidden meat to Muslims breaking their fast in the holy month of Ramadan.

The move courted an uproar and numerous quarters clamoured for the heads of Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee to roll for being so blatantly and brazenly insensitive to Muslims.

The couple later apologised but this fell on deaf ears.

One minister warned that insulting Islam on the social media is becoming rampant and this must be curbed while another declared that repentance will not absolve the offenders of their callous deed.

The authorities are now considering charging the lovebirds under the Sedition Act.

The indignation is understandable. The posting was downright ridiculous and offensive. There is no excuse to belittle a faith and the couple should have been aware of the repercussions when trampling on what is sacrosanct to others.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 40

FEATURE “Memanglah ayah kamu iaitu Maharishi Brihaspati seorang pendeta yang hebat. Atas sebab itulah juga beliau menjadi penasihat kami,” kata ketua golongan vasu kepada Kacha.

 “Jadi, apa perlunya saya pergi untuk berguru dengan Maharishi Sukracharya?” tanya pemuda itu lagi. Para vasu (dewa) ketawa. Kemudian, ketua mereka menceritakan rancangan sebenar kepada Kancha.

 Pemuda itu perlu berpura-pura berguru dengan Sukracharya. Walau bagaimanapun, misi sebenar adalah untuk mengetahui mantera rahsia yang dimiliki oleh maharishi berkenaan.

“Apabila kita sudah tahu mantera Sanjivini, golongan vasu yang terkorban dalam perang saudara dengan golongan asura dapat dihidupkan semula,” kata ketua dewa. Dipendekkan cerita, Kacha akur pada permintaan golongan vasu.

 Brihaspati juga mengizinkan anaknya pergi bagi menjayakan misi yang diamanahkan. Apabila tiba di Vrishaparva, Kacha pergi ke ashram (asrama) milik Sukracharya. Dia meluahkan hasrat mahu berguru dengan pendeta itu.

 “Ayah kamu sendiri seorang maharishi yang unggul. Saya tidak tahu mengapa kamu mahu berguru dengan saya,” kata Sukracharya dengan ikhlas. “Saya sangat menghormati Brihaspati dan tidak sanggup menolak permintaan anaknya untuk berguru dengan saya.”

Mahabharata – Bahagian 39

FEATURE Hassan dan Hussain masih belum puas mendengar pelbagai kisah daripada teks Razmnameh versi Bahasa Parsi yang dijadikan asas penceritaan oleh datuk.

Pasangan kembar itu terus teruja untuk mengetahui lebih banyak cerita yang disedut dari epik Mahabharata.

Datuk meneruskan cerita mengenai golongan sura atau vasu (dewa) dan asura (makhluk halus) yang merupakan dua golongan yang terlibat dalam perang saudara di kayangan untuk berebut hak menguasai ketiga-tiga dunia.

Golongan dewa mendapat panduan, bimbingan dan nasihat daripada Maharishi Brihaspati iaitu pakar veda yang disegani dan digeruni penduduk langit dan bumi.

Sementara itu, golongan asura yang sering dianggap sebagai pengacau dan menimbul masalah kepada golongan dewa pula mendapat bimbingan daripada Maharishi Sukracharya.

 “Walaupun golongan dewa, vasu atau sura dalam tradisi India sering diberikan imej positif dan dianggap sebagai wira dalam perang bersama golongan asura, pihak yang satu lagi juga mempunyai keistimewaan positif yang tidak dimiliki lawannya,” kata datuk.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 38

FEATURE Kebimbangan dalam diri Raja Drupada tetap tidak reda selepas kalungan malai bunga teratai yang pernah diberikan oleh Dewa Subramaniam kepada Puteri Amba berjaya dimusnahkan.

“Mujurlah aku tidak ada putera. Kalau tidak, mungkin putera itu memakai kalungan bunga berkenaan dan akan menjadi musuh yang bercita-cita membunuh Bhisma. Mujurlah.”

Sebagai langkah berjaga-laga, Drupada memutuskan untuk menghantar puterinya ke dalam hutan untuk bertapa. Sesungguhnya hanya golongan lelaki yang biasanya dihantar tetapi entah mengapa Drupada mendapat ilham untuk berbuat demikian.

Puteri yang masih kanak-kanak itu bersetuju dengan saranan dan arahan ayahnya. Dia sendiri tidak tahu dan tidak sedar bahawa dirinya merupakan kelahiran semula Puteri Amba yang membunuh diri untuk lahir semula bagi membalas dendam ke atas Bhisma.

Apabila sampai di dalam hutan, tanpa membuang masa, puteri itu memulakan pertapaannya. Dia yang sebelum ini bersikap keanak-anakan secara tiba-tiba sahaja sudah mula menunjukkan ciri-ciri kedewasaan dan kematangan fikiran.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 37

FEATURE Raja Drupada sentiasa teringat akan Puteri Amba pada setiap kali baginda melihat kalungan bunga teratai segar yang tergantung pada pagar istana.

Drupada agak hairan mengapa bunga berkenaan tidak layu walau sedikit pun selepas berbulan-bulan lamanya.

Namun, baginda tidak membiarkan perkara ini mengganggu fikiran. Baginda mendapat tahu bahawa Amba telah membunuh diri dengan melompat ke dalam unggun api di Banjaran Himalaya.

Punca puteri itu berbuat demikian masih menjadi misteri yang semakin dilupakan orang. Tidak lama kemudian, permaisuri melahirkan seorang puteri yang comel.

Drupada terasa amat gembira menerima kedatangan puteri berkenaan. Maka anak itu dipelihara dan dibesarkan dengan penuh kasih-sayang dan cinta. Beberapa tahun kemudian, pengasuh istana membawa kanak-kanak itu berjalan-jalan di sekitar istana.

Si puteri terpandang akan karangan malai bunga teratai yang tergantung pada pagar. Tanpa meminta izin sesiapa, puteri itu segera mengambil karangan bunga dan mengalungkannya pada leher.