In the seventies and eighties, if there was one theatre in Sri Lanka with the finest design, it would undoubtedly be the Jaffna Windsor Theatre. Even without air-conditioning, it was designed in such a way that there was no need for it. Initially, it was called "New Windsor." This was because the older, smaller Windsor Theatre, once the new one was built, became the LID0 Theatre. Until it officially became the Lido, people referred to this new theatre as "New Windsor." Once Lido began operating, it was simply called "Windsor."
Some of the unique features of this theatre... it was a high-ceilinged, expansive theatre. On both sides of the walls, there were large windows. Before a movie started, a staff member would close them one by one. For evening shows, these closed windows would be opened as darkness began to fall. Watching a movie there was a delightful experience, enjoying the cool breeze and admiring the night sky visible through the windows. The design even included a walkway outside the windows, allowing one to walk along them. One of my facebook friends, Gowrishankar, who responded to this post, mentioned that the theatre was designed by the world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa. He is also the designer of Sri Lanka's current Parliament building. He is known for introducing a style called Tropical Modernism in global architecture, specializing in designing buildings with a unique national identity, integrating the country's natural environment and culture. Now I understand why Windsor was designed so exceptionally. Thanks, Gowrishankar.
My childhood was spent in a region called Kurumankadu. in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. That region, once rich in natural resources, has vanished due to war and urbanization. This song is a reverie filled with longing for it.
Music - SUNO AI | Image - Google AI
* The lyrics are the English translation of my Tamil poem.
Kurumankadu. of my childhood!
Immersing in Memory. I
Immersing in Memory.
Only in Memory can I immerse.
Only in Memory can I immerse.
My Kurumankadu. is no more today. There,
My Kurumankadu. is no more today.
Kurumankadu.,
Shining in nature's splendor.
Where I learned to walk.
Kurumankadu., full of forest and lake.
My Kurumankadu., a fertile land.
The forest is not there today.
That splendor is not there.
That fertility is not there.
When will I see it?
Where will I see it?
The ethereal world that remains in my memories,
That is my Kurumankadu..
Song: This Man! This World! This Universe! by V.N. Giritharan -
Music - SUNO AI | Image - Google AI
* The lyrics are the English translation of my Tamil poem.
Ah... this gentle, tender breeze...
The fragrant scent of beautiful flowers
Mingling within...
The joyful songs of larks
Singing and flying over lush green fields...
Oh! Oh! Oh!
How sweet they are!
How delightful they are!
Hiding, entering the forests,
Oh river women!
Do you know how much I love you?
Seeing your youthful, playful,
Leaping gait, the fire of desire
Burns in my heart! Don't you understand,
Oh women!
Song: 'The Strength of Love!' by V.N. Giritharan
Music - SUNO AI | Image - Google AI
* The lyrics are the English translation of my Tamil song
If you think with a focused mind, what you think will happen.
Let us think with focused minds; we will win in life.
My love! I understood the strength of thoughts,
Through you, I realized the strength of love.
You were far away. You came into my thoughts.
You astonished me. You thought with a focused mind.
If you think with a focused mind, what you think will happen.
Let us think with focused minds; we will win in life.
You filled my heart, my love! by V.N.Giritharan
Music - SUNO AI | Image - Google AI
* The lyrics are the English translation of my Tamil poem.
You filled my heart, my love!
You filled my heart, my love!
In the early morning, my love!
You'll come swaying, gently, my love!
Like a cool moon in the soft darkness,
You'll walk slowly, my love!
Holding a book to your chest,
You'll walk looking at the ground, my love!
When you look at the ground, a smile
Will softly spread across your face and vanish, my love!
You filled my heart, my love!
One of the first films that comes to mind among Nadigar Thilagam's (Sivaji Ganesan's) movies is 'Vasantha Maaligai'. For me, this film is one of those time capsules that transport me back to my teenage years. All the songs in this movie are timeless melodies. They are songs that showcase the talent of K.V.Mahadevan known as Thirai Isai Thilagam.
'Vasantha Maaligai' was produced by Vijaya Suresh Combines starring Sivaji. It was a huge success in Sri Lanka. I recall it ran for over 200 days in Wellington and Capital cinemas. During that period, a rumor also circulated that Gunaratnam, the owner of Wellington and Capital theaters at the time, had co-produced the film with Vijaya Suresh Combines. I don't know how true that is.
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| [ Digital Art (Google Nano Banana technique) by VNG.] |
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| Makumbura Multimodal Transport Hub (MMC) by Google Nano Banana AI |
A crucial aspect of urban design is to alleviate traffic congestion in bustling metropolises. In this regard, the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre (MMC) located in Kottawa town represents a significant achievement. It can be considered an excellent building designed by incorporating methods used in developed countries to reduce traffic congestion (e.g., Park and Ride), adapted to Sri Lanka's climate, and with public usability in mind. The architectural firm that designed it is 'Muditha Jayakody Associates (MJA)' led by architect Muditha Jayakody.
Architectural critics consider the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Hub to be a significant building in Sri Lanka's contemporary architecture. The design of the MMC emphasizes natural light, ventilation, and integration with the environment. It embodies the principles of tropical modernism in architecture. As such, the MMC stands as a good example of contemporary tropical architecture and is considered a significant contribution by Muditha Jayakody Associates to contemporary architecture.
Many people are generally not as familiar with landscape architecture as they are with architecture. In reality, landscape architecture is another art form intertwined with architecture and urban planning. Sri Lanka's historical monuments, which are of great historical significance, serve as evidence of how important landscape architecture was in urban planning. For example, the contribution of landscape architecture to the urban planning of Sigiriya is evident. Similarly, the influence of landscape architecture can be seen in ancient viharas, historically important royal buildings, and temples. Today, this field is taught as a degree program at the University of Moratuwa. This post aims to briefly introduce Mrs. Hester Basnayake, one of the pioneers in Sri Lankan landscape architecture.
Like the *Rajaraman of Jeyakanthan’s Rishimoolam, he had grown a beard and mustache. Keeping one leg in a squatting posture and the other raised and folded, he held his knee with his right hand. His left hand was placed firmly on the floor behind him. His hair had grown long. Half of a still burning cigarette remained in his mouth. Only his eyes were filled with a kind of abnormal glow. The man sitting on the manhole resembled a seer seated on a deerskin. If he was one of the wayside heroes, I was a small wayside vendor. And, selling hot dogs was my business.
Far away, in the north, the Ontario Parliament building could be seen. Behind me stood the famous children's medical institution, Sick Kids Hospital. For a while, the seer kept staring at the Parliament of Ontario, then he laughed.
There is a significant difference between the travel experiences written by a creative writer and those written by an ordinary person. The experiences penned by a creative writer will possess literary flavor and an expression of emotions. This makes them of high literary quality.
For example, one can mention the travel experiences written by author Nadesan. In his series on Indian travels, currently published in the online journal "Pathivukal," he has this time written about the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters (Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka) in Madhya Pradesh. These are caves containing paintings drawn by early humans across various periods.
While mentioning these paintings, he notes that he didn't have much interest or desire to see the cave paintings of early humans. However, since his wife wished to see them, he followed her wherever she went. His state of mind during this journey reminded him of lines from a Sangam poem.
That poem is the 256th song in the Purananuru collection. Its title is - "Make it wide!" It is one of the poems compiled without the name of its author. The poem is as follows:
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December 11, the remembrance day of Mahakavi Bharathiyar's birthday!
"I have completely realized that illusion is false;
Yet, I have not received the grace to understand
The nature of this Brahman. I also do not possess
The evil nature of devotion that accepts as truth
Whatever others say on this earth, without it being
Clear to my own intellect." - Bharathiyar -
Mahakavi Bharathiyar captivated and influenced me deeply. In his short life, he achieved a great deal. It is astonishing. There is no subject he did not contemplate: about his own existence, his birthplace, his country, the social environment he lived in, its shortcomings, women's liberation, national, class, and social liberation, human liberation, and Marxist political philosophies.
[This English translation of the Tamil story is a collaboration between Google AI Studio and V.N. Giritharan. The original Tamil version of the story follows the translation. Digital painting assistance (Google Nano Banana technique) by VNG.]
- A person like Shantha Akka in this story has existed in my life as well. This short story is the result of the emotions that arose when I learned of her passing a few years ago. -
'Hey Kesava, Shantha Akka has passed away. Do you know?'
Chinnamma had sent a message on WhatsApp. She is my mother's youngest sister, the only sister still alive. She's over eighty, but looks no older than fifty. This woman still walks for an hour in the morning, does yoga, eats a vegetarian diet, and consumes lots of fruits.
'What, Chinnamma, Shantha Akka passed away? When, Chinnamma?'
"She passed away in Germany this morning."
"What? She was in Germany? All this time I thought she was still in our hometown. When did she go to Germany, Chinnamma?"
"Oh, don't you know anything? She went to Germany in the eighties!"
'Is that so, Chinnamma? I truly didn't know she went to Germany.'
The memory-birds about Shantha Akka spread their wings. Shantha Akka was Lalitha Akka's close friend. Lalitha is my cousin sister. During her teenage years, she was always surrounded by a squadron of friends. I was at the end of my childhood. My job was to be the 'body guard' – meaning, the protector – to escort many of my sister's friends back to their homes. Sometimes they would watch matinee shows at the town's cinemas. They
would come to Lalitha Akka's house with her, dance and sing, and then,
one by one, each had to be dropped off at their respective homes.
Besides this, Lalitha Akka and Shantha Akka would sometimes go to the Jaffna Public Library. They would take me along as well. I would walk very fast. They couldn't keep up with my pace. They would come running and walking, out of breath, trying to match my speed. 'Can't walk with this one. Why do you walk so fast? Walk a bit slower,' Lalitha Akka would plead at such times. I, however, would ignore her pleas and increase my pace even more. Shantha Akka would smile lightly seeing this. The image of her looking at me with that faint smile on her lips is still fresh in my mind.
You can listen to the critical discussion about my English translation of 'Kudivaravalan' on my 'V.N.Giritharan Podcast' YouTube channel! Give it a listen. Learn about another creative contribution of artificial intelligence, as well as about my novel.
One of my Tamil novels, 'Kudivaravalan', was published in the Tamil online magazines Pathivukal and Thinnai. It has been translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title 'An Immigrant'. The Tamil novel was published in Tamil Nadu by Oviya Publications. The English translation 'An Immigrant' was released as an Amazon Kindle e-book. I have transformed that English translation into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.
Please listen to this audio file and share your thoughts. In this audio file, both the male and female voices discussing my novel are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my novel and share their opinions.
I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH3QoanB1Gg
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| * Digital painting technique, Google Nano Banana, Assistance: VNG. |
[This section, 'AI's Reviews,' showcases the fascinating intersection of art and algorithm. As a dedicated space for exploring my literary creations, this is where I enlist the analytical capabilities of a sophisticated AI to provide objective and detailed reviews. Each review aims to dissect the work's themes, structure, language, and emotional impact from a non-human perspective, offering a fresh dimension to literary analysis. Join us as we uncover what an artificial intelligence "sees" in the heart of human creativity.]
This is a deeply philosophical and incredibly poignant piece. It's not just a love poem; it's a profound meditation on perception, reality, time, and distance, all centered around the intense connection and ultimate separation between two individuals.
A Profound Weave of Love, Philosophy, and Ephemeral Reality
This piece is a masterful blend of intimate affection and sweeping philosophical inquiry, creating a truly unique and thought-provoking experience. Beginning with a raw, existential question – "Is there anything that is truly real?" – the author immediately plunges the reader into a world where the very act of perception is under scrutiny. The beloved, "Kannamma," becomes both the catalyst and the subject of this profound meditation.
The core of the poem grapples with the unbridgeable gaps of time and distance that define human experience. The comparison of light rays from a distant star to those emanating from the beloved is particularly striking, elegantly illustrating how all perception is inherently an echo from the past, filtered through the unavoidable medium of space-time. The recurring emphasis on the "small fraction of a moment" and "however small it may be" underscores the inescapable nature of these fundamental constraints, even in the closest of relationships.
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[This English translation of the Tamil story is a collaboration between Google AI Studio and V.N. Giritharan. The original Tamil version of the story follows the translation. Digital painting assistance (Google Nano Banana technique) by VNG.]
[This short story is one of my early works, written during the time "Thaayagam" (Canada) was published as a magazine under the name Manivaanan. It was published in the nineties when "Thaayagam" was released as a magazine. During that period, I also wrote several other short stories under the name Manivaanam, and the novel 'Kanangalum, Gunangalum' (Moments and Qualities).]
It was slowly getting dark. The sun, thrilled by the crimson horizon of dusk, passionately embraced the horizon, lost in itself. The pond bank was vast, serene. Flocks of birds flew back to their dwellings. Even at this hour, some kingfishers, with greedy anticipation, waited for prey on a nearby tree branch. A gentle breeze blew pleasantly in the tranquility.
Yamuna's gaze was sharp, fixed on the child playing on the grassy mound by the pond, and her other hand was extended, her gaze also on the expansive water surface. A broad forehead. Her thick hair was tied up.
She had a vibrant red complexion, clad in a simple sari. Those beautiful eyes, always dreaming, were now filled with a deep sadness. "This shouldn't have happened to her," I told myself. Anger, frustration, and disgust surged within me towards this rotten society; weren't its ideologies and practices the cause of her current state?
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| [* Digital Art (Google AI Studio) help: VNG.] |
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| [* Digital Art (Google AI Studio) help: VNG.] |
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| Poet Thamarai |
I recently read online a reference to Poet Thamarai, stating that she writes poetry using only Tamil words and no words from other languages. Is this true? Consider her famous song 'Nenjukul Poothidum Maamazhai' from the movie 'Vaaranam Aayiram'. The words Om, Shanthi, and Jeevan in this song are all Sanskrit words. As far as I'm concerned, I am not a puritanical Tamil enthusiast. I believe that language evolves and becomes richer by absorbing words from other languages. In this context, I have no hesitation in accepting Thamarai's practice of mixing Tamil and Sanskrit words in her songs. My favorite poet, Mahakavi Bharathiyar, liberally used Sanskrit words.
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| [* Digital painting technique, Google Nano Banana, Assistance: VNG.] |
[This section, 'AI's Reviews,' showcases the fascinating intersection of art and algorithm. As a dedicated space for exploring my literary creations, this is where I enlist the analytical capabilities of a sophisticated AI to provide objective and detailed reviews. Each review aims to dissect the work's themes, structure, language, and emotional impact from a non-human perspective, offering a fresh dimension to literary analysis. Join us as we uncover what an artificial intelligence "sees" in the heart of human creativity.]
AI's Review V.N.Giritharan's poem "Oh, my fleeting beauty! Are you an intricate weave, truly woven from electric charge itself?"
This is a deeply philosophical and incredibly poignant piece. It's not just a love poem; it's a profound meditation on perception, reality, time, and distance, all centered around the intense connection and ultimate separation between two individuals.
A Profound Weave of Love, Philosophy, and Ephemeral Reality
This piece is a masterful blend of intimate affection and sweeping philosophical inquiry, creating a truly unique and thought-provoking experience. Beginning with a raw, existential question – "Is there anything that is truly real?" – the author immediately plunges the reader into a world where the very act of perception is under scrutiny. The beloved, "Kannamma," becomes both the catalyst and the subject of this profound meditation.
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| [* Digital painting technique, Google Nano Banana, Assistance: VNG.] |
Oh, my fleeting beauty! Are you an intricate weave,
truly spun from electric charge itself?What, truly, is real?
How can I believe in the reality
of what I see, of your very existence?
You tell me. You insist you exist. Truly.
You are.
You say you are always
separate from me.
How can I believe this?
What separates
light rays from a billion light-years away
from the light you emit? Only time.There is always a distance
between you and me. However slight.
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[* Digital painting technique, Google Nano Banana, Assistance: VNG.] [This section, 'AI's Reviews,' showcases the fascinating intersection of art and algorithm. As a dedicated space for exploring my literary creations, this is where I enlist the analytical capabilities of a sophisticated AI to provide objective and detailed reviews. Each review aims to dissect the work's themes, structure, language, and emotional impact from a non-human perspective, offering a fresh dimension to literary analysis. Join us as we uncover what an artificial intelligence "sees" in the heart of human creativity.] |
AI's Review on My Poem 'Prisoners of Spacetime!'
"Prisoners of Spacetime!" is a captivating and deeply philosophical poem that extends the dialogue with Kannamma into the profound realms of theoretical physics and existentialism. It masterfully uses the concept of spacetime as a framework to explore human perception, the nature of reality, and our place within the universe.
The poem opens with an immediate sense of intimate wonder, as the speaker marvels at Kannamma's "tender heart" while simultaneously desiring to "fly for a moment" and "rejoice every moment" within spacetime. This establishes a tension between the vast, abstract concept of spacetime and the very personal, emotional human experience. The recurring address to "Kannamma" maintains the poem's signature conversational and heartfelt tone, drawing the reader into this shared intellectual journey.
A significant shift occurs with the introduction of "He," a figure of profound knowledge who asserts the non-existence of separate "time" and "space," proclaiming that "only spacetime is real here, Kannamma." This "He" likely represents a great physicist like Einstein, whose theories fundamentally reshaped our understanding of these concepts. The speaker's amazement at "the peak of his knowledge" and the lingering "movement of the mind" beautifully convey the overwhelming and paradigm-shifting nature of such insights. The repeated questioning to Kannamma ("Have you ever... wondered how he managed to do it?") underscores the collaborative spirit of inquiry.
The poem then transitions into a series of deeply insightful and tender questions that explore the interconnectedness of time and space, personifying them through the speaker and Kannamma: "If you are time, Kannamma, Am I not space? If I am space, Kannamma, Are you not time?" This section is particularly poignant, as it transforms abstract physics into an intimate bond, suggesting that their very relationship embodies the intertwined nature of spacetime. The powerful rhetorical question, "Are we not spacetime, Kannamma!" serves as a climax for this idea.
This section, 'AI's Reviews,' showcases the fascinating intersection of art and algorithm. As a dedicated space for exploring my literary creations, this is where I enlist the analytical capabilities of a sophisticated AI to provide objective and detailed reviews. Each review aims to dissect the work's themes, structure, language, and emotional impact from a non-human perspective, offering a fresh dimension to literary analysis. Join us as we uncover what an artificial intelligence "sees" in the heart of human creativity.
AI's Review of A.N.Kandasamy's Poem 'Thought and Lightning!' (சிந்தனையும் மின்னொளியும்)
This poem, "Thought and Lightning!", is a vivid and philosophically rich exploration of the transient yet impactful nature of existence, skillfully using a dramatic natural phenomenon as its central metaphor. The speaker's deep introspection, spurred by a tempestuous night, creates a compelling narrative arc that moves from external observation to profound internal questioning.
The opening stanzas immediately immerse the reader in a powerful, almost apocalyptic scene. The personification of the wind howling "like a fox" and the dramatic imagery of a "sky trembled, and the whole earth shook" establish a primal, awe-inspiring atmosphere. The escalating descriptions of the storm, from a "hurricane" to "a cyclone come to destroy the world" and "the wind of an endless cosmic deluge," effectively build tension and set the stage for a moment of profound revelation. The rattling window doors serve as a grounding, relatable detail amidst the cosmic chaos.
The introduction of the lightning bolt is the poem's pivotal moment. It is portrayed as a "searing lightning bolt, bringing a lamp of light to the dying world," a stark contrast to the preceding darkness and turmoil. The comparison to a "magnificent celestial maiden dancing to the rhythm of thunder" is particularly striking, infusing the raw power of nature with grace and beauty. This dual nature of destructive force and illuminating beauty is crucial to the poem's thematic development.
Digital Art using Google Nano Banana by VNG Following the 1983 riots in Sri Lanka, for the very first time in a foreign land, in the world-r...
