UK - Europe -Dubai Trip Part 4

More Photos of Rome -Italy

UK - Europe - Dubai Trip Part 3 -ROME - Italy

The city of Rome is located in the central-Western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber river within the Lazio region of Italy. Rome's history spans over two and a half thousand years. It was the capital city of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, which was a major political and cultural influence in the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea for over four hundred years from the 1st Century BC until the 4th Century AD. Since the 2nd Century AD Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and in 1946 that that of the Italian Republic. Since 1929 it is also the site of the Vatican City, an independent city-state presided over by the Pope.
The current-day version of St Peter's Basilica was built and the Sistine Chapel was painted by Michelangelo. Famous artists and architects, such as Bramante, Bernini and Raphael resided for some time in Rome, contributing to its Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

The Travi Fountain in Rome. You hold a coin facing away from the Fountain on your right hand and throw it over your left shoulder into the water. It is beleived that by doing this you will return to Rome again in your life. The fountain is Beauty Personified. The coins are collected from the fountain every week and given to the Red Cross Society for charity.

Italy is famous for its ancient Architecture & Food. Pizza & Ice Creams are famous the world over. The original Italian Pizza in not round but square in shape. They bake them in trays and cut in squares.

The Colosseum
It is an Amphitheatre Capable of seating 50,000 spectators . The construction started in the year 72 A.D & completed in 80 A.D. The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles as well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Europe- UK -Dubai Tour Part 2

A few more Pictures of Venice....

Double Click on photos to see enlarged version...

Ramjhi`s Tour of Europe -UK -Dubai - Part 1

Venice - the floating City of Italy

We flew from Chennai via Dubai and entered Europe on the 17th March at Milan -Italy. We drove to Venice which was our first part of the European tour. It is a city of 118 Islands, 150 Canals and 409 Bridges. The whole city is surrounded by Sea water. We have roads like 100 feet road, Main Road, Cross Road, Muttu Sandhu & Moothra Sandhu. They also have all these with Italian names but the road is made of WATER. Houses and commercial buildings are on either side of the water road. You can visit by boat or walk through the curved bridges. The sizes of boats vary according to the size of the road.The Sea tide rises by 6 feet and after a few hours returns to normal . People live only on the first floor and above of all buildings.

This place is famous for the Hand made glassware.

The Gondola is the romantic boat here - you must have seen many heros & heroines singing on these boats in our movies. I could not take a photo of myself with Shobhaa because the stupid Boatman made her sit next to some other man.

For a long time it has been predicted that VENICE will sink in the Sea but the Locals believe that Saint Mark the presiding diety will always save them. The Internationally famous Composer MOZART Lived in one of these Water roads.

Please leave your comments & or querries in the COMMENT column so that I will know that you have seen this page. Tomorrow 3rd April - ROME

130 Children sang Dr.M.Balamuralikrishnas compositions

Kalarasana & Vipanchee organised a function to celebrate Dr.Balamurali`s 80th birthday. 130 children trained by the teachers of Issai Mazhalai Music Schools sang his compositions at the Rani Seethai Hall on the 7th January 2010.

Awards Galore this year for IM

Many awards were recieved by the Issai Mazhalai children this season. Shyam & Ghatam Krishna got a cash Prize of Rs.5000/ each from the Valayapatti Kashyap Nadhalaya Trust. Former Indian Cricket Captain K.Srikanth presented the award in the presence of Valayapatti Sri.Malarvannan.

Sri Nalli Kuppusamy Chettiar honours all the award winners of the season every year. This function took place at the New Woodlands hotel where all our Award winners were honoured.

A few Promotions in Issai Mazhalai

The three photos you see here are the first set of Musicians Promoted from Issai Mazhalai earlier. We found that they had already outgrown in their knowledge & popularity level and we decided that they will not perform under the IM banner. It was a very good decision and all three namely Vidya Kalyanaraman, Keyboard Sathya & Bharat Sundar have grown into fine young musicians today. Vidya & Bharat have entered Music Academy this year. Sathya had an extensive tour of USA with top Pakka Vadhyams like Sri.Embar Kannan & Sri.Poongulam Subramaniam. Bharat has been awarded the Yuva Kala Bharathi. To top it all Vidya is getting married into a family of Carnatic Musicians.

January 2010 : Now the time has come to promote a few more musicians. I think the time is ripe for them to step out of Issai Mazhalai and & begin their own innings. They are already quite popular and are capable of making history.
K.Dharini - Vocal, Parur M.S.Ananthakrishnan - Violin, Rajeev - Violin, Prashanth - Mridangam & Ghatam, Punith Davay - Mridangam , Krithivasan -Mridangam & Chandrasekara Sarma -Ghatam.

Issai Mazhalai will continue to monitor their growth and celebrate their Laurels periodically. We wish them GOD SPEED.