Que Sera Sera

This video of the famous song [from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956)] by Doris Day presents a stylized version, but we get some more details in this 8-minute clip from the movie, and it is far more moving. Here it is:

A blog post by my colleague, Prof. Arunan, took me on a joy ride of sorts into the world of this song which has some seriously great cover versions. Here's Pink Martini:

And, here's another, from Marcus Miller:

There's an interesting Indian angle here: the tune of this song was used in a Tamil movie in a song whose lyrics start with a similar storyline ("I asked my mother, "what will I be? will I be pretty? will I be rich""). However, (and as Arunan points out), the song proceeds to present an unambiguously optimistic view ("yes, dear, everything will be great"), which runs so completely against the iffy message ("que sera sera, the future is not ours to see...") packaged in a nice, rousing tune.

The last stop (for now) is the Telugu version [hat tip to Madras Musings] which features the legendary Bhanumathy singing the original lyrics in a strange fusion of ... well, I'll let you figure it out:

Amerikka Desi - My Tamil Novel

Amerikka Desi (அமெரிக்க தேசி) is my first Tamil novel (yes, you read that right; no spelling mistakes from my end either) published by Tamizhini.

The release function is on Jan 4th, 2015, Sunday, 10 AM, at Raga Sudha hall in Luz, Mylapore, Chennai. Drop in.

Further reading: details about the novel in my Tamil blog; an interview related to the novel and literature in general (and here, in Tamil).

Briefly: The novel is about 700 pages. It is about the expectations, experiences, exultations and possible enlightenment of a Tamil graduate venturing as a research student to the USA. It is also a love story in absentia, on music, on philosophies and so on...

If you choose to miss the release function, the novel should be available in Tamizhini stall, in the Chennai Book Fair from Jan 9th, 2015. For international readers, online sales should begin in a month. Shall update.

BTW, a(nother) science book of mine in Tamil - Ulage un Uruvam Enna, a collection of science essays - is also getting released on the same day. Details about the past efforts are here.
 

News Link

Today's Chennai edition of Deccan Chronicle features a short take on my science outreach work.

Pet-peeve: At least, the titles of the books could have been mentioned...instead of, say, my picture... Well, all of us are learning how to do this anyway...

Science in Tamil - My Talk

Sometime back I had mentioned about my popular science books in Tamil language.

Few days back, without much warning, the IIT Madras Muthamil Mandram invited me for a felicitation on this 'precocious punditry', I presume. They also honored the publisher for his derring-do act of investing on such geek-horn verbal gymnastics in vernacular.

They demanded a speech from me as comeuppance, I presume, which I gave -- promising for ten minutes and delivering for forty minutes.

Here is the talk (mostly in 'spoken' Tamil) in two parts, which touches upon the why and how of Science in Tamil -- i.e., my  take of it -- and the contents of two of the books.

part 1 (23 minutes)

part 2 (20 minutes)

 
If the videos don't work here, check them in the related post in Tamil.

My Popular Science Books in Tamil

Three of my popular science books in Tamil language have been published now by Tamizhini and Amrutha publishers.

Details with links to Introductions are available in Tamil here http://www.ommachi.net/archives/4555



The books should be sold in Tamizhini and Amrutha book stalls (No. 436 and 437) in the 2014 Chennai book fair between Jan 10 (today) and 22, at the YMCA grounds, Nandhanam.

Online ordering should commence after the book fair. Shall update.

Do also spread the word around.

Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan

Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan is one of the renowned Carnatic music singers considered on par with the female legends who made their concert entry in the 1940s like M. S. Subbulakshmi, D. K. Pattammal and N. C. Vasanthakokilam. Ananthalakshmi was the first to cut a full length Tamil LP for HMV company. She passed away on May 15, 2013.

TTN and I could share our thoughts in the August 2013 issue of Sruti, the magazine for performing arts. Here is the pdf version of the article for download.

Check also the more detailed Tamil language tribute I wrote for Solvanam, a web magazine. 

Tamil Book Fair

For those unaware of it, the 36th Chennai annual book fair is on during this and next week (until 23rd Jan, 2013). Location: YMCA Physical Education College grounds (humongous and bang in the center of the city) in Nandhanam | Timings: Holidays 11 AM to 9:30 PM; other days: 2 PM to 9: 30 PM.

Primarily a Tamil books fair (few stalls with English language books), with more than 500 stalls, the visit is worth more than the token five rupees entry fee and even daunting for book readers. Here is a list of Tamil books (written in Tamil) that I recommend and bought (the two are different) at the fair.

The facilities (parking, food stalls and toilets) certainly don't discourage your visit. That I should be visiting it during this weekend could influence your plan for the weekend visit either way.

(Yes, the 'drawing' is a weak attempt at putting my computer to a different use from computing and writing)

Tamil writings

Forgot to mention this in my about page earlier. A recent comment and my response reminds me to 'advertise' now.

I also have a Tamil language website, with essays/articles mostly on Science and Carnatic Music and occasional asides.

Interested readers are also welcome there.