Veera Muthu indeed!

Just months ago there was the SF Zoo incident, at which time videos like this one, showing a particularly clueless ‘handler’ got linked into blogs – in fact I did it myself. The idea to drive home is that these big cats are quite unpredictable, perhaps no more than the small ones, but the damage they can do is a hundred times worse – so play it safe, no big cats where they can get at people – not on stage, not in photo shoots.

And even if it is conceded that the kalaripayattu art needs to be preserved – it is well known that no lions ever lived in Kerala during historic times. By what stretch of the artistic license should they form the motif in a photo shoot of the kalaripayattu? In the name of preserving the ancient art, and seeking ‘authenticity’ of representation, are we mangling them completely out of shape, in this case quite literally?

Sorry for the broken link, I’m on a mac and have no clue what I’m doing. Admins, could you fix it with a prefix and delete this post, thanks!

It was the lack of “http://”, but are macs known for that? I’ve always used one, it would be good to know.

Fixed, btw.

Speaking of names, I like the name Kali. But is it pronounced “Kahlee” or “Kaylee” or “Cali” (like the first syllable of California as commonly pronounced by Americans?) This obsessive compulsive Desi demands to know.

Looking at the name, I’m guessing the guy is a Tamilian or of Tamil origin. So you would pronounce his name kaa-Lee where the L is a retroflex version of the regular l. Or in simpler terms, it’s very similar to Carl-ee (Carl, as in the name but pronounced with an American accent).

Ye gOlden Rahul, I just get giddy when you spit one my way. You are a Sooperstar!

Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

I thought I kept hearing the name “Kali” in this Tamil song from the film Anniyan, but…oops! I was told that the word is “kaari” randakka randakka randakka. Are there no songs about Kali?

I take deep offense at this slight to Sooperstaar, who in his bell-bottomed jalopied glory owned the name as a one-armed man out for revenge.

For those of you looking for a more effective demo of Kalaripayat

Do not forget the technically accurate exposition of Kalaripayattu by Kemel Saar who shows how Botox injections and Bosley medical gone awry can lead the idealistic to an orgy of vigilantism by pinching and knife-work.

Also, plenty of women in places like Bengal, Assam and Kerala are named Kali. These are places where Kali is known and revered as the great Mother Goddess, though most especially in Bengal.

To answer someone else, the name is pronounced KAH’-LEE. As in the “caw” of a crow or to rhyme with “wall.”

I wonder if that lion was an asiatic lion (very rare) or an african one.

I was wondering the same. It looks more like an African lion, and what with the rarity of the Asiatic, it probably is. Also, Asiatic lions aren’t nearly as large, and ultimately less impressive looking (the males have rather scraggly manes), so thinking in terms of marketing for a magazine, African would seem more appropriate…