Jaimie's parents both come from Kerala and went to live in the US. Jaimie was born in the US along with her siblings. As a child she had the usual immigrant experience of going to Indian events in the US and she was sent to South Indian dance classes. As a teenager she had the usual teenage immigrant experience of rebelling and being repulsed by everything Indian, and wanting to be American - the usual identity issues. She did not learn to speak Malayalam
She trained in Western classical singing and is a professional singer in the US. Times have changed and now she and her partner Blake are here at VKV and she has been learning Carnatic singing for several months, and Blake has been learning tabla. Jaimie made her arangetram last Thursday night - the auspicious first public concert and a landmark in her Carnatic singing career. We all enjoyed the hour and half concert that she gave, accompanied on mridangam by my mridangam guru Shabhashji, on Mawsing (like a Jew's harp) by the woodcarving teacher, Sharji, and on violin by a hired violinist. The photo shows Jaimie in a rehearsal with my teacher on mridangam and her singing teacher (Sureshji) is helping her keep the talam (the time) In Carnatic music it is the job of the singer to keep the time for all musicians by clapping out the pattern.
Thursday was also Diwali festival - the festival of lights. This is very big in North India but not so important in the South. even so, after the concert the staff from the Centre lit some crackers and sparklers and there were oli lamps lining the road. I imagine that the village was set for all night fireworks, but an enormous thunderstorm struck with spectacular lightening and the loudest and closest thunder I've heard, and a torrential rain fell all night - so it was a natural Diwali light show instead of fireworks.
Photos from weeks ago - see my posting from Octobe 22 - the festival of Saraswati, goddess of learning and the arts. Here the priest is in front of the altar to Saraswati that was erected in the school building for the occasion. On the altar are our books and symbols of the subjects we study. The priest is performing the cermonies of puja and blessing the books.
Local students of my teacher perform on mridangam
Holiday weekend at Varkala. After swimming at the beach, studying the menu to see what evil desserts to have with a mango lassi, and looking ahead to the possibilities of fish or meat for dinner.
My tabla teacher, Ashokji, teaching Blake. This is how I sit for at least 3 hours a day for tabla lessons and practice. And then maybe 2 more hours sitting in a similar position for mridangam practice and lesson.
PS - if you double click on the images you can see them in full size
