@Malavika Well I also play the krithis on instruments, and in Malayalam, playing (in this context is called) "vaayikkal" and reading is also called "vaayikkal", so there : þ

I'll tell you a funny story though. I joined a new school for my eighth standard, and this school had four "houses" (I was in "Vishwabharati"). One day, soon after classes had started, some seniors came to the class and said they're some leaders of the different houses, and were looking for students to take part in some competitions

I don't know how, but the Vishwabharati house leader seemed to know me, and came to me and said "You'll take part in Ramayana Parayanam?", and I said "Okay"

I had never heard of this before, though, but I knew that "parayanam" meant reading. So (luckily) I then asked him "Ramayana parayanam ennu paranjal Ramayanam vayikkal alle?" ("Ramayana parayanam means reading the Ramayana, right?"). And he said (with an "Ayyo" expression) "Aa, atanne" ("Oh yeah, that's it"), and quickly scratched my name off the list.

And he noted my name down on the list he had.