Category Archives: Uncategorized

Selfishness: The Real Root of All Evil

March 12, 2015UncategorizedCulture, Dharma, Elite, India, SocietyN.R.I.pathi

It is often said that money is the root of all evil. Some even point to lust as its origin. But the reality is that it is Selfishness: svaartha, that privileging of one’s own inclinations, interests, and desires …

Madhavaram Sarees

March 2, 2015UncategorizedAndhra, Culture, Dharma, Fashion, SareesVelugu Thalli

In our newest installment of our Series on Andhra Sarees, this week we will be covering Rayalaseema’s Madhavaram Sarees.

History

Madhavaram is a village in Kadapa District that is etched in the popular imagination. While the Jilla in general …

Reviving Shakti: Restoring Feminine balance in Indic Society

February 22, 2015UncategorizedCulture, Development, Dharma, History, Identity, India, Shakti, SocietyNilambari

Switch on the TV and with almost frightening regularity you will see an instance of horrendous rape being reported or a young girl being snuffed in the prime of her life by her husband and in-laws in what is known …

Happy Maha Shivaratri (2015)

February 17, 2015UncategorizedACP, Culture, Dharma, Festivals, Greetings, Traditionsadmin

From all of us at ACP, Maha Shiva Ratri Shubhakankshalu. Om Namah Shivaya.

Shivatratri is associated with Lord Shiva’s Marriage with Parvati Devi.

…

Literature: Satavahana Hala’s Gathasaptasati

February 12, 2015UncategorizedAndhra, Elite, High Culture, India, Literature, Poetry, RomanceN.R.I.pathi

Having previously commenced our study of Classical Indic Literature, we now take our first look at Classical Indic Poetry. Appropriately, our first selection is from Andhra itself and dates back to the glorious Empire of the Satavahanas. This …

The Death of Romance

February 7, 2015UncategorizedCulture, Elite, Romance, Society, TeluguN.R.I.pathi

It is sometimes said that “Analysis is the death of sentiment”, but I disagree. As with all things in life, balance here is required as well. The truly fulfilling life is the one which is equidistant to the two. It …

Nilambari’s Kutcheri: A Primer on Carnatic Music

January 31, 2015UncategorizedCarnatic, High Culture, Music, TraditionsNilambari

This is a post on the structure of a Carnatic music Kutcheri (a traditional musical performance gathering) accompanied by a virtual kutcheri that I have put together.

The kutcheri format as we know it today is said to have started …