Jayanagar in Bangalore, my hometown for a short period of five years, is celebrating its 75th birthday today – August 20th, 2023!! It came into being an year after India’s independence and the first Governor-General of India, C Rajagopalachari presided over the foundation stone ceremony for this new extension. Known first as Kankanpalya extension, it later got its current name of Jayanagar (literally meaning victory city), after the Mysore ruler Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar (source). Today’s poetic Sundays has Jayanagar connections (later in the post) as I write an ode to my home town (one of them) – a happy birthday to Jayanagar.

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Poetic Sundays: An Ode to my Home Town With Anustubh Chandas

I mentioned a connection to (one of) my hometown(s) – Jayanagar – with the chosen form for poetic Sundays. it is kind of a convoluted one, but here it is. So Jayanagar was home to Puttanna Kanagal theater for many years, a theater (re)named in honor of one of the Kannada film industry’s stalwarts – Puttanna Kanagal. And his first film was a movie called School Master with a devotional song titled ‘Swami Devane Loka Palane‘ that we learned in school! When I looked into the lyrics of the song (that I remember by heart) and researched it a bit, I ended up with the poetic form called Anustub Chanda.

If you wish to, you can listen to the song here. It is a Kannada song and this clip is from the original movie (1960s)

So What are Anustub Chandas?

Anushtubh Chandas consist of eight syllables per line, with four lines in each stanza. There is no requirement for poem length so you can have as many stanzas as you wish. The rhyme scheme is not strictly structured; instead, this form focuses on the natural rhythm of the language and musical composition as it is most often used to write devotional songs or folk songs (Janapada in Kannada). The emphasis is on the syllabic count and rhythmic patterns to help hmic flow that complements the song’s musical composition.

The Anustub Chanda’s Characteristics

So the anustub chanda’s elements are that it is:

• written as a series of quatrains (the number of quatrains is up to the poet)
• syllabic: each line has eight syllables
• rhyme is optional
• rhythmic: written mostly for songs

Since different songs/compositions follow certain rules for writing these chandas, I chose to keep it simple and follow the syllabic and quatrain pattern. The song I mentioned also does not have any particular rhyme scheme, so I am going with that (rhyme when I can, else not!)

My Attempt

An Ode to Jayanagar
The suburb I lived in, years ago
Turns 75 today you know.
Its name means Victory City
It has parks that make it pretty

The Ashoka Pillar stands tall
Time’s marker, telling tales to all
From when it was the southern end
Of this grand city, a good friend.

From shopping in 4th Block complex
to meeting friends at South End,
Every corner holds stories cool,
Wonderful ones, around each bend.

The days I climbed Ragigudda
Are etched in warmest memories,
Part of a connection to a
something more bigger than I knew.

And then there is Madhavan Park
A tranquil haven of cool green
With trees that dance in sunlight’s gleam
Making each day a cherished dream

Some of my favorite things though are
Bookstores tucked in nooks and corners
And eateries that serve delights
To cool hot days and spice cool nights.

Each street, each lane, each alleyway
Of Jayanagar till today
Evokes memories of bygone times
A mosaic of moments sublime.

I wish you a happy birthday
Dear Jayanagar, on this day
Seventy-five years: a life grand,
In a city’s heart, you do stand.
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites

Recently

On My Blog and Home Front

While my son is studying for his finals of his summer quarter and the rest of the fam made a weekend trip to visit him and enjoy the wonderful farmer’s market in San Luis Obispo (Thursday evenings), I chat with them everyday when time permits while spending time with my mom in Bangalore.

The posts that made their way out into the world since my last scribblings:

• The Storyteller’s Camera: How Photos Tell Stories – Wonderful Ones + Ideas
• Five Cool and Useful Must Haves for Back to College and More
• Sunday Scribblings #156: How to Write Bad Poetry That Deserves to Be Forgotten!

Upcoming

On My Blog and Home Front

Hopefully a couple more posts here on the blog. Writing definitely is my therapy as is reading, and helps me deal with the ‘everything else’ of life. We are taking mom for a checkup tomorrow and hope the doctors can help bring relief for the pain she is having currently.

This Week’s Celebrations

The Literary and Close-to-it Celebrations

• The literary birthdays this week: Robert Stone on Aug 21st; Annie Proulx, Dorothy Parker, and Ray Bradbury on the 22nd of Aug; William Ernest Henley on Aug 23rd; while the 24th celebrates so many including Alexander McCall Smith, John Green, Jorge Luis Borges, Orson Scott Card, Paulo Coelho, and Stephen Fry; Frederick Forsyth, Leonard Bernstein, and Taslima Nasrin on 25th of Aug; Paula Hawkins on Aug 26th; Antonia Fraser on Aug 27th
• I do love folktales, so I will be celebrating Folklore Day this week, on August 22nd.

The Foodie Celebrations

• It is National Spumoni Day on the 21st
• National Bao Day is on the 22nd of August (which reminds me of that utterly cute Disney short) and also National Pecan Torte Day. And yes, World Plant Milk Day too. We use soy and oat milk in our home a lot, and almond milk as well sometimes.
• The 23rd is National Sponge Cake Day
• National Peach Pie Day and National Waffle Day on the 24th
• followed by National Banana Split Day on the 25th
• National Cherry Popsicle Day on the 26th
• and end the week with more dessert for it is National Pots De Creme Day on the 27th

The Other Celebrations

• It is Be An Angel Day on the 22nd of August
• The 23rd is Find Your Inner Nerd Day.
• You can celebrate International Strange Music Day on the 24th
• National Park Service Founders Day is on the 25th, and this date also marks the start of Be Kind To Humankind Week
• and National Women’s Equality Day on the 26th
• Plus a day just because; literally! As it is National Just Because Day on the 27th of August

Wrapping up my Sunday Scribblings

So dear reader, this was it for my Sunday Scribblings. I would love to hear your comments on my post(s), poems, poetic Sunday section, and anything else. And which of these days do you plan to celebrate (or any other)? 

Linking this to the Sunday Post over at the Caffeinated Reviewer and the Sunday Salon.