ಕ್ಷಣಪ್ರಭಾ - Kshanaprabhaa

Before this becomes a famous sports / cricket quiz question, let me jump the gun and put it in my blog. What are we referring to here? (click on the image for larger version) Answer Below: These are the latest 4 cricketers to have played first class cricket with along their fathers. There have been 19 such pairs, with the Chanderpauls being the latest. Relevant details from:  http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/amarnaths-among-father-and-son-pairs-who-have-appeared-in-the-same-match-18288 16. Bhagwant Singh and Arvind Singh (1961-1962) –  Bhagwant Singh, Maharana of Mewar, played for Rajputana and later Rajasthan with limited success. His son, Arvind Singh, made his debut in the winter of 1961 and turned out alongside his father in four matches before the Maharana busied himself in the affairs of the state. Together they played 52 matches in all, managing a paltry four half centuries between them.   17. Lala Amarnath and Surinde...

ತಿರುಕನಂದದಿ ದಿರಿಸು ಚರಕವನು ಹಿಡಿದಾತ ಪರಕೀಯರನು ಹೊರಗಟ್ಟಿಲ್ಲವೇ? ಶೋಷಣೆಗೆ ಒಳಗಾಗಿ ದೂಷಣೆಯ ತಾಳಿದವ ದೇಶವಾಳುವ ವಿಧಿಯ ಬರೆದಿಲ್ಲವೇ? ಕನ್ನಡದ ಉಲಿಗಳಲಿ ಬಣ್ಣಿಸುತ ಜೀವನವ ಅಣ್ಣನಾಗಿಲ್ಲವೇ ಜಗದ ಜನರಿಗೆಲ್ಲ? ಹಳ್ಳಿಗಾಡಿನ ಹುಡುಗಿ ಒಳ್ಳೆ ಕಲಿಕೆಯ ಪಡೆದು ಬೆಳ್ಳಿಮೋಡಗಳಾಚೆ ಹಾರಿಲ್ಲವೇ? ಯುವರಾಜನಾದವನು ಬವಣೆ ಮನುಜನದರಿತು ಭವಸಾಗರವ ದಾಟಿ ಬರಲಿಲ್ಲವೇ? ನಿಂತು ಎದುರಲಿ ವಿಧಿಯು ಎಂತು ನಿನ್ನುಳಿವೆನಲು ಇಂಥವರ ಮೇಲ್ಪಂಕ್ತಿ ಒಳಿತಲ್ಲವೇ? -ವೆಂಕಟೇಶಪ್ರಸನ್ನ

Lyrics of Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma in DevanAgari, English transliteration and Kannada: भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा । नम्मम्म नी सौभाग्यद  लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥ हेज्जेय मेले हेज्जेयनिक्कुत गेज्जे काल्गळ ध्वनिय तोरुत । सज्जन साधु पूजेय वेळेगे मज्जिगेयोळगिन बेण्णेयन्ते ॥ १ ॥ भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥ कनक वृष्टिय करेयुत बारे मनकामनेय सिद्धिय तोरे । दिनकर कोटि तेजदि होळेयुव जनकरायन कुमारि बेग ॥ २ ॥ भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥ अत्तित्तलगदे भक्तर मनेयलि नित्य महोत्सव नित्य सुमन्गळ । सत्यव तोरुव साधु सज्जनर चित्तदि होळेयुव पुत्थळि बोम्बे ॥ ३ ॥ भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥ सङ्ख्येयिल्लद भाग्यव कोट्टु कङ्कण कैय तिरुवुत बारे । कुङ्कुमाङ्किते पङ्कज लोचने वेङ्कटरमणन बिङ्कद राणी ॥ ४ ॥ भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥ सक्करे तुप्पद कालुवे हरिसि शुक्रवारद पूजेय वेळेगे । अक्करेयुळ्ळ अळगिरि रङ्गन चोक्क पुरन्दर विठ्ठलन राणी ॥ ५ ॥ भाग्यद लक्ष्मी बारम्मा ॥ bhAgyada laxmI bArammA | nammamma nI saubhAgyada  laxmI bArammA || hejjeya mele hejjeyanikkuta gejje kAlgaLa dhvaniya t...

The town of Arasikere is not only home to the Shivalaya, built by King Veera Ballala the II , but is also the place where little known Sahasrakuta Jinalaya , a Jain Basadi of the same period still thrives. Both the Shivalaya and Sahasrakuta Jinalaya are believed to have been established in 1220 AD , during the peak reign of Ballala the Second. The Jinalaya gets its name because of the intricately carved ' Sahastrakuta Jina bimba ', containing 1008 tiny representations of Jinas on a monolithic towering pillar inside the sanctum sanctorum. Records indicate that this temple was constructed by Rechana, also known as  Dandanayaka Rechimayya , a General of Ballala, and a devout Jain. Although the entire outer structure - the walls and the shrine - have been relaid over the years, the inner beauty still retains the brilliance of the Hoysala architecture at its best. The Bhuvaneshwaris that adorn the roof tops are as beautiful as you would find in any temple of the Hoysa...

I have been listening to a lot of Anand Bhate these days, the Hindustani exponent who is a disciple of none other than Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and thought of putting together some of his performances that I have enjoyed a lot in a blog post, after first getting to know about him through the Marathi movie "Balgandharva" (2011). Here are some of his songs I keep listening to regularly: 1. The song Indrayani Kathi , in praise of Sant Jnyaneshwar , performed by Shri Anand Gandharva at Mangalore, in Raga Bhimpalasi: That song reminds me of my trip last year to Alandi , the samadhi place of Sant Jnyaneshwar. Here are a couple of pictures from Alandi and the river Indrayani that I captured back then: 2. Panchtund Nararundmaladhara : Naandi song from the movie Balgandharva in raga Khamach: 3. The Abhang Aga Vaikunthichya Raya , sung by Anand Bhate for the Balgandharva sound track but not used in the movie: 4. Chinmaya Sak...

With apologies to the great Dr. DVG, here is an attempt at writing a riddle in the form of a Kagga verse:  (Using what is known as Panchmaatraa Choupadi Chandas )  Any attempts at solving this riddle and identifying what / who I am referring to? ಇಂದುನೆಲ ಪದರದಲಿ ಅಂದಿಟ್ಟ ಕಾಲ್ಗುರುತು ಮುಂದೆ ಮನುಜೋನ್ನತಿಗೆತ್ತರದ ಜಿಗಿತ | ಎಂದುಸುರಿ ಮನ ಗೆದ್ದ ತಂದೆ ಭುಜಬಲ ತಾನು ಇಂದಿಗೂ ಆದರ್ಶ - ಅಂಕುಡೊಂಕ || -ವೆಂಕಟೇಶಪ್ರಸನ್ನ

A visit to the 25th Hoysala Temple in my list happened as part of a long weekend trip to Jog, Agumbe and other parts of Chikkamagalur and Shivamogga districts. This Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Bhadravathi town was constructed in 1224 AD by the Hoysala king Veera Narasimha. This is a Trikutachala Temple, with 3 main deities inside the sanctum, the main god being Lakshmi Narasimha, and the other two, Venugopala and Purushottama . The architecture stands testimony to the artistic peaks it reached during the reign of Veera Narasimha's  father, the great Ballala II and grand father, Vishnuvardhana. The town of Bhadravathi is mythologically described to have gotten formed when Lord Vishnu, taking the form of Varaha, rescued Bhudevi from under the sea, from the clutches of Hiranyaksha. When Varaha lifted the earth supported by his sharp tusks, the two trenches formed gave birth to the rivers Tunga and Bhadra. Also, the town of Bhadravathi was for long known as "Vankip...