Monday Cup Of Links #75 - Nobel-winning Soap Models, Oldest Sheet Music, Roald Dahl
Everyone’s talking about Kantara.
Happy Monday!
Everyone I know has been raving about the movie Kantara. It’s a movie set in Dakshina Kannada (an area I hold very close to my heart) and deals with the consequences of reneging on promises made to deities. It looks like a visual treat, with horror elements and action, very rooted in the Kundapura district and its traditions. Here’s the trailer:
And a very heartfelt review by Gowri Subramanya.
It isn’t playing close enough to where I am, so I’m going to have to wait for it to come to Prime Video to watch it.
The exciting thing for me has been watching the interviews of the director Rishab Shetty. He’s giving interviews in English, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada. Is that the most Karnataka thing ever or what! I’ve always felt pride in movies in six languages played regularly to packed houses in my hometown, but this is the first time I’m seeing a director promote his Kannada movie with PR in so many languages, and now dubbing his movies in as many Indian languages as he can because the demand is crazy. Like he says, local is more universal. Tell rooted stories, and they will appeal to many more people, likely because the emotions will be way more authentic.
Onto our links!
The oldest sheet music in the world. A clay tablet with sheet music was found in Syria, dating back to 1400 BCE. There’s actually several, but this tablet is the most complete one. The whole set are called the Hurrian Hymns. This tablet contained lyrics to the song, instructions on tuning instruments and seeming notation on how to play the song. You can listen to what it sounds like here:
Think your favorite poet might be selling out? Well, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore endorsed a lot of products, and also wrote a lot of copy for ads! He was doing this to earn money, which he could then use to open his dream university, Vishwa Bharati, which he did in 1921. Here he is, endorsing the world’s first plant-based soap. Back in the day, soap was made with animal fat. Animal fat wasn’t popular in India (flashbacks to 1857 rebellion which started because of cartridges greased with animal fat) . Godrej (which makes Cinthol soap today) made a vegetarian soap, which was so good that it was endorsed by a Nobel winner.
I’ve been waiting to share this short story of Roald Dahl’s for a while. It’s called The Sound Machine, and I first read it when I was a teenager and it continues to haunt me to this day. It was such a delight to come across it again and read it.
Artifact of the week: A bronze ritual vessel, shaped like a two-horned rhinoceros, from China, dating back to 1600 BC. This utensil was probably used for liquor or other liquid offerings to the Gods during rituals. Currently at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.