#noble athanas

[tomyloversiwrite]

Venus: What's the worst thing you guys have done?

Rory: Rickrolled my teacher in 4th grade.

Roman: I kicked Noble in the shin-

Noble: -So I kicked Roman between the legs.

Austin: I burned a town down.

Venus: What?!

Noble: What the hell is wrong with you?!?

Austin: A lot of things.

Roman: No shit.

[rniyer-musings]

The Endlessness of Time

A tribute to M. D. Ramanathan

by

Ramanathan N. Iyer

M. D. Ramanathan, perhaps the most unique maestro amongst all the giants of 20th century Carnatic music, has been written about and feted quite a bit, especially in this centenary year that another attempt might seem rather superfluous. But MDR, to me, remains the benchmark for two aspects - 1) the effective conveyance of emotion through voice alone and 2) the utilization of time as an infinite resource!

He is the arresting figure - physically as well as musically - that as an eight-year-old, I first set my eyes on at the Navaratri Mandapam in Thiruvananthapuram. As he emerged in full six-foot plus glory after a memorable concert along with Palakkad Mani Iyer, the awe-inducing percussion genius, the first impression was so vivid because the imposing physical stature matched my mental picture when I first heard that booming voice on radio, singing a Tamizh composition whose lyrics were something that even a child could connect with. It described the duality of Vishnu & Shiva (Hari and Haran) in such simple language and was sung in a way that I, that listening child, could vividly imagine the serpent coiled around Shiva's neck and on whom Vishnu lay in repose. If someone could do abhinayam - enactment - with voice alone and convey a powerful message, this was it. And that Athana remains the benchmark of instant, indelible raga identity.

That fascination evolved into years of listening to his music with a rapt attention that he commanded rather than demanded. Each time the takeaway is how he disproves the popular notion that time is a scarce resource. In a world that's always in a tearing hurry, how did he alone make leisurely pauses even in the middle of an alapana or neraval or swaraprastara to let the mood sink in, to let us absorb the raga swarupa... ? How did he manage to untie and adjust his tuft with a naughty smile mid-lyric, yet maintain the kalapramanam (tempo) and resume without batting an eyelid? Where a restless human mind craves continuous input to keep it occupied, how did he engage us with the beauty of silence? In the Bhairavi swarajati, he conveys the stately gait of the elephant in madamatta gajagama padmabhava hari shambhunutapada; and describes vividly the lion and the intoxicated tusker in mada danuja vaarana mrugendrarcchita all while maintaining the tempo with just the inflections in the voice! Who else can describe to us in such detail the scene of the coronation in Mamava Pattabhirama with all its pageantry and a long list of nobles flanking the throne? Or that utterly delectable neraval at nIla nIrada sarIra, in Balagopala Palaya where Krishna's detail is conveyed exactly as Muttuswami Dikshitar would have visualized him while composing.

MDR also stands out, of course, for peerless enunciation of slokam and vrttam. The most remarkable one I have heard is surely ratnakarosti sadanam which he has wonderfully detailed in Todi. This lyric which describes the ocean full of diamonds as the Lord's residence with Lakshmi occupying pride of place and Radha occupying His mindspace is the work of Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, a military general in Akbar's army who was also a Persian & Samskrtam scholar! The recording of MDR singing this followed by a delightful explanation in his unique accent is something that has invariably left me in tears.

I had the fortune of playing a small part in preserving his rich legacy. It started out as a chance encounter over an Internet discussion forum where a friend tipped me off that the person with a cryptic login name who had posted recently about MDR might actually be Balaji, the legend's son. On an impulse I shot off an e-mail, enquiring bluntly whether that was true and asking if he had any recordings of my icon. My sole aim in life at that point of time was the enhancement of my personal music collection, especially hard-to-find nuggets of old masters. Balaji promptly and courteously responded, and since then we were in touch off and on, mostly through e-mail. That culminated with my entering the portals of #91, Ponniamman Koil Street, Adyar to be warmly and hospitably welcomed by Visalam mami, the simple and unassuming wife of the maestro. Armed with a scanner, laptop and a consent from Balaji, my aim was the digital archiving of the compositions of MDR, notated and neatly recorded in his own handwriting.

The "Compositions of Varadadasa", mostly in Telugu and Sanskrit (and a few in Tamil & Malayalam) were written down by MDR in three slim notebooks. It so happens that soon after MDR passed away in April 1984, while the family was still grief-stricken and in turmoil, someone from Kalakshetra - the institution where MDR spent a lifetime - took away the notebooks. They presumably landed up in someone's attic or in a dusty corner of the Kalakshetra library and had been lost for years. Visalam mami and Balaji had been trying very hard over the past few years to retrieve these priceless treasures, knocking on many doors and trying various sources in Kalakshetra itself. Balaji being in the US, it was even more difficult to follow up on those efforts, but as he himself said in one of his e-mails to me, "I am sure with his (MDR's) blessings, I should be able to get most of them in the near future". That hope became reality, for the manuscripts were retrieved with help from Sri. Rajaram, the ex-principal of Kalakshetra. It turns out that the notebooks were languishing in some forgotten corner of a library! The digitized pages are now archived and available on demand from Balaji to any interested music scholar, student or rasika.

On that first visit to MDR's house, Visalam mami offered me aval - hand-pounded rice flakes mixed wiith coconut and jaggery. I had it in the presence of his tambura, seeing him smile benevolently down at me from the picture on the wall. It was a metaphor for his music - simple with just three ingredients but deceptively complex in flavour, depth and pure emotion. I experienced at that moment, what Sudama felt receiving the fistful of aval in Krishna's palace!

(The writer, a Wireless Communications engineer, is a passionate Chennai-based promoter, photographer & curator of the performing arts)

[kyilliki]

How historically and geographically accurate are the names of the Volturi and guard?

It really is a mixed bag. 

Aro’s name doesn’t really exist, as such, in Mycenaean culture. However, the name ‘Aranaro’ was in use. Moreover, some scholars suggest that Mycenaean speakers would ‘drop’ or ‘blur’ syllables together. Thus, it’s possible that little Aranaro was called Arnro or Aro by his parents and siblings, and he went with that as a vampire. 

Sulpicia’s name is canonically impossible. It’s a name used by one noble Roman family (the Sulpician clan) and the character predates Rome by centuries, per the Guide. As a result, I tend to mess with Sulpicia’s timeline and make her younger than her canonical counterpart.

Marcus and Caius have the same problem: theirs are hugely Roman names with Etruscan roots. Neither man is Roman nor Etruscan. I tend to think they latinized their Mycenaean names to keep up with the times. (And then, finding the times tasteless and boring, they stopped modernizing their names.)

Athenodora’s name checks out completely! The deity was called Athana by the Mycenaeans. Dora is Mycenaean for ‘gifts’. In short, there very well could have been a Mycenaean woman named something much like Athenodora. 

Felix is a really good vampire name, in that it’s always kicking around. It was a Roman nickname, the name of several saints, and not unheard-of for most of European history. In short, regardless of when Felix is from, his name makes sense. 

Same deal with Heidi and Demetri. The former is a solid German name, the latter appropriately Greek. (Although I suppose it should really be ‘Demetrios’.) It suits their respective timelines. 

Renata is kind of a weird one. On the one hand, her name makes perfect sense for an Italian woman. On the other, she’s Maltese; her native language descended from Sicilian-Arabic and was then Latinized. You’d think her name would reflect a combination of influences. Still, I’d deem it historically and culturally possible. 

Speaking of weird, Jane and Alec are older than the epic of Beowulf. Their names should probably reflect some Old English, Old Norse, or perhaps even Germanic roots. (Think Æ��elwine, and you’ve got the right idea.) Assuming that their mother had gone exclusively with Biblical Latin, they’d be Iohanna and Alexander. 

Chelsea’s original name (Charmion) is certainly ancient Greek. I’m not certain, however, that it’s old enough/Mycenaean enough to go with her narrative.

[tomyloversiwrite]

Roman: Everyone synchronise your watches.

Zeke: I don't know how to do that.

Noble: I don't wear a watch.

Austin: Time is a construct.

[tomyloversiwrite]

Jamie: Xavier is too tall for me to kiss him on the lips. What should I do?

Shiane: Punch him in the stomach. Then, when he doubles over in pain, kiss him.

Noble: Tackle him!

Nova: Dump him.

Kasey: Kick him in the shin!

Xavier: No to all of those! Just ask me to lean down!!

[tomyloversiwrite]

Ryan: How is the most beautiful person in the world?

Noble: *blushing* I—

Shiane, butting into the conversation: Jamie is perfect, thanks for asking.

[tomyloversiwrite]

Sexuality list for characters. This list is liable to change as I get to know different characters better. Here we go:

Aidan Abaddon - bisexual

Ryan Alexander - panromantic asexual

James Atlas Anderson - straight

Noble Athanas - bisexual

Jamie Beau - heteroflexible (? figuring it out)

Callum Lynx Bennett - questioning, currently considers self heteroflexible

Alex Caxton - gay

Roman Charles - demiromantic demisexual

Carmilla Eve Eden - straight

Ezra Emerson - bisexual

Angel Foster - gay

Asher Graham - pansexual

Austin Graham - bisexual/pansexual (he doesn’t know which term he prefers, just knows he’s somewhere in there)

Elijah Hayes - gay

Kasey Jackson - gay

Ezekiel “Zeke” James - closeted bisexual

Nova Jansen - lesbian

Xavier Jansen - pansexual

North Landry - pansexual

Micah Lashae - straight (I think)

Shiane Lashae - bisexual

Whitley Lashae - androsexual (into men)

Matthias Moore - straight? potentially heteroflexible

Venus Nightingale - straight

Lux Rouge - straight

Aurora “Rory” Williams - straight

Azalea “Izzy” Singh - bisexual? lesbian? (she’s figuring it out)

[tomyloversiwrite]

Noble: I intend to stay pissed at you forever.

Noble: Even if I seem helpful.

Nova: Then you're in luck.

Nova: Because you don't.

[tomyloversiwrite]

Pronoun list for as many of my characters as I can possibly list in alphabetical order by last name:

Aidan Abaddon - he/him (okay with they/them)

Ryan Alexander - he/him

James Atlas Anderson - he/him

Noble Athanas - he/they

Jamie Beau - she/her

Callum Lynx Bennett - he/him

Alex Caxton - he/him

Roman Charles - he/him

Carmilla Eve Eden - she/her

Ezra Emerson - he/him

Angel Foster - he/they

Asher Graham - he/they

Austin Graham - he/him but comfortable with all

Elijah Hayes - he/him

Kasey Jackson - he/him

Ezekiel “Zeke” James - he/him

Nova Jansen - she/her

Xavier Jansen - he/him

North Landry - they/them unless otherwise stated

Micah Lashae - he/him

Shiane Lashae - she/they

Whitley Lashae - they/them

Matthias Moore - he/him

Venus Nightingale - she/her

Lux Rouge - she/her

Aurora “Rory” Williams - she/her

Azalea “Izzy” Singh - she/her

[tomyloversiwrite]

okay a warning: these are outdated. some of the characters listed below i don’t hardly touch anymore, and there’s a number of new characters that i would like to do these same memes with but haven’t. will i eventually? maybe. but for now, i’m gonna put these out there so i can look back on them later.