Rape and clothing: How it’s all dressed up – A guest post by Praveen Talwar. | The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker

http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/rape-and-clothing-how-its-all-dressed-up-a-guest-post-by-praveen-talwar/
Such a well writen article. I had to give an web-ovation by sharing.

Societal Heydays

In Her heydays

When power she could sway

She said “Boys will be boys”

When her son looked up the skirt.

When he stabbed the family cat.

When he slapped his sister for disobeying him.

 

In Her heydays

When power she could sway

She said “Girls ought to be like Girls”

Encouraging her daughter to act coy

Never to oppose the authority of the Male

Never to speak her mind, leave alone act on it.

 

In Her heydays

She let the son explore freedom with Freedom

She arrested her daughter with Honor

Son, the Heir, here to stay;

Daughter, the Honor, to give away.

 

In the Now.

She watches her life’s work unravel

As the Heir imprisons Honor,

In the name of freedom

She inherits the prison and loses Her honor.

Sharing Stories.

As I read Tracy's Blog on Destroyers and Builders I was reminded of a story I enjoyed as a child. I didnt understand the philosophy behind it then. I do now. Here I am sharing it with you.

Among the numerous Religious Texts of Hinduism, is the Purana. Purana is a Sanskrit word that literally means "Of Times Before" or "Of Ancient Times".  According to the Sanskrit Lexicographer, Amarasinha, a Purana covers one or all of these five characteristic topics-
1.Creation of the Universe
2. Destruction or restoration of the Universe
3. Geneology of Gods and Patriarchs
4. Reign of Manu's(The head of a particular Epoch within the Hindu Time cycle)
5. History of the Solar and Lunar Dynasty of Kings.

All of the above topics are presented as Instruction from Guru/Sage to Student. In earlier times, villages had what was called Katha sessions during the day or the evenings where the Priest/Brahmin would read from the purana or tell the stories to the gathered people.

There are 18 Main Puranas of which Bhagavata Purana is one of them. This is also called the Shrimad Bhagavatam and focuses primarily on the Incarnations of Vishnu, the Lord of Preservation. It has 12 Chapters. The story below is part of the 3rd Chapter.

Brahma, the Creator has four Sons born of the mind, hence known as Manasa Putra named Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sant Kumara. They were always known together as the Kumara Rishi. One day they came to visit the Vaikunta-the abode of Vishnu. Vaikunta is described as an Ocean of Milk where Adhi-Sesha, the cosmic 5 headed snake, lays coiled. Its coiled body is where Vishnu rests, meditates and meets other gods and beings. There are 9 doorways that lead up to Vaikunta, the last doorway has two gatekeepers named Jaya and Vijaya.  When the Kumaras arrived at the Gate, they were refused entry as Vishnu was Meditating and did not wish to be disturbed. Usually this wasnt a big deal cause the guest would be waited on with great hospitality while they wait for the Host.  But in this particular instance the Kumaras felt insulted and in the course of their argument with the Gatekeepers, they curse the Gatekeepers into  living on earth so that they will never see Vishnu, the Lord they are devoted to. The Gatekeepers fall to their knees begging the Kumaras to modify the curse so that there is a way to return to Vaikunta. The Kumaras now regretting their haste, say that only Lord Vishnu could modify it. The nature of a Sage's Curse is such that once the words are out, it will happen, such was the power of their word.  Hearing the commotion outside the door, Vishnu awakens from his meditation and comes out. Listens to what happened and gives the gatekeepers a choice - a hundred births as Devotees of Vishnu or 3 births as Enemies of Vishnu, dying by his hand. They choose the later and were born as the Asuras(Demons) Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashyapu in the Satya yuga(part of the Hindu time cycle) and are killed by Vishnu, incarnated as Varaha and Narasimha, as Ravana and Kumbhakarna in the Treta yuga and Killed by Rama (Ramayana) in the War and as Shishupala and Dantavakra in the Dwapara Yuga and Killed by Krishna. In the time of their incarnation as demons they bring what we perceive as death and destruction, but they pave the way for changes that are part of our existence.

The essence of this story is that Even those who are seemingly Evil to our perception have a purpose to serve in the Drama of our life on Earth.  Everything has a reason for being there, for being percieved. All are part of our duality or multiplicity in the Whole.

Noida girl married secretly, family burns her alive

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/noida-girl-married-secretly-family-burns-her-alive/649004/
This was brought to my attention as I read Indian Homemaker's Blog at http://tinyurl.com/2ar3ukm

This makes me sad. It makes me cynical especially when everyone I know goes around saying that India is so far ahead in education, technology etc and then you have something so brainless happen. It really makes me wonder where we are headed.

Lohri and Makara Sankranthi.

Lohri is celebrated by Punjabis to mark the end of the Month of Paush(Sagitarrius) and the entrance of the Sun into Maagh (Capricorn).   The region of Punjab, in NW India is the breadbasket where wheat is the main winter crop .  Wheat that is sown in October is usually ready for harvest in March or April. In January, the fields are at their midpoint of growth, making the farmers hopeful with its promise of a golden harvest.  This is a period of rest for the farmers before the harvest. 

At this time, according to the Hindu calendar, the earth, farthest from the sun, begins its journey towards the sun, thus ending the coldest month of the year, Paush, and announcing the start of the month of Magh. Hindus call this period of time for the next six months as Uttarayan or Northward Journey, and according to the Hindu Time cycle this is the Day of the Gods(One year for Man is One Complete cycle of  a day and night for the Gods).

On this day, we light a bonfire outside our homes and celebrate by making offerings of puffed rice, popcorn, peanuts, sesame and jaggery to  Agni, the Lord of the Fire asking him to Cleanse and Bless the Land with Prosperity, to bring in Honour and prosperity while wiping out poverty. The Prasad(the same offerings) are also exchanged between friends and family. The special meal for the day is usually Makki-di-roti (corn or millet flat bread) and Sarso-da-saag(Mustard Leaves cooked with spices and herbs).

Tomorrow People from other parts of India celebrate the festival with different names and rituals but the significance is the same. In the South its called as Makara Sankranthi or Pongal.

To all the Indians and Thai(its called Songkran there) a Very Happy Lohri ! And a Very Happy Sankranthi!

Peace.

Guess we are the way we are

There are things that give away the fact that I am Indian, even before I say or do something.  It amuses me that I am so obvious. It also annoys me that I am so obvious, there has to be some surprise to being me, shouldnt there?  Here's a list of things I do and some of my Desi friends think I should do different.  I've lived here thirteen years.

1. I still wear the Bindi, Mangalsutra(the black beaded chain that says I am married), toe rings and churidaars as long as the weather is not cold.

2. I still like the pressure cooker and the typical Kadai, so I end up bringing utensils back from my India Trip. 

3. I still use the broom Indian style, its the most comfortable for me.

4. I still hand wash stuff and hang them on the clothes hanger to dry when the sun is out.

5. I still oil my hair before washing it.

6. I still make typical Indian breakfast instead of reaching for cereal boxes.

7. I still tend to nod my head when  I mean Yes or No. I also speak in an Indian accent, it hasnt changed yet.

8. I still have difficulty addressing someone I know is older than I am, by Name. or someone in the Position of Teacher by Name.

9. I like listening to Desi songs(usually in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam or Punjabi) more than the English ones. I enjoy instrumentals and classical no matter where they are from.

Watch this..and if you are Desi, its a good thing to ponder on.

Heres the link for those who cant watch here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2lPniSsFxs&feature=player_embedded

Enjoy. Have a wonderful Day

Peace.

The different Accents - Indian Style

This comes close to explaining the different accents, styles of talking and tones of voice people from different parts of India use.  I thought it was hilarious.

Have a wonderful Laugh

Peace
Rashmi

Am I impressed?

Theres much been told of

- Strength in Numbers
- Persuasion of Ideas
- Generousity of the wealthy
- people with a plan
- confidence in self
- loving your family

Yet, It doesnt impress me much

They say, the meek have no strength
Yet, I see the meek
- strong in humility
- happy with letting be and letting go
- Sharing their measly meal
- fearless about losing
- trusting in what is
- compassionate in spite of their pain.

And I walk the line of impressed.

Ultra Violet

http://ultraviolet.in/
A forum where Indian "feminists" share their stories and views.

Hidden Truth

There are times when an event occurs and our brains suddenly remembers something that we didn’t know we remember.  Here is a story that I had heard from an elder. This was remembered as I read Teresa Silverthorn’s Blog – One Is Missing.  Thank you, Teresa for reminding me.  I am recollecting this from memory, so please bear with me as I narrate it.

A long time ago, when the earth was new and all of Nature lived in truth, Human beings were able to communicate with each other with their minds. They understood the language of every other creature that moved and the ones that never moved.  They could tell where to find food by smelling the air, they knew what the weather would be like by looking at the heavens.  They could go where they pleased in a blink of an eye. They didnt need a fire to keep warm.   But as time went by, they began to feel like they were the MOST special ones because they knew this.  They began to compete and compare their powers. Gradually they built pride. Arrogance followed Pride and with Arrogance, came in Obstinacy and conflict. With arrogance fully bloomed, they began to abuse the power they had to disenfranchise the other beings and each other.

Brahma the creator(according to the Hindu Trinity)decided it was time to hide this knowledge cause it was causing more harm than harmony.So, he ordered the messenger of Gods, Narada, to find a place where the Humans will never find it.  Narada, did his feasibility study and came back with this answer "Hide it in the human's hearts". Brahma looks at Narada, like as if he was insane... But Narada insists on it saying thats the safest place 'cause if the Humans did look in their hearts, they wouldnt abuse power to their own detriment.  Brahma agrees to do so and hides all the powerful knowledge deep in the human heart.  As the memory of that knowledge faded, humans began to use words to communicate, found it difficult to understand what the other creatures and the earth said. They never looked inside of themselves. As of today it still hasnt been accessed. It lies safe in our chest.

The US Experience - III

I never dreamed of coming to the US.  For a simple, in the middle, middle class, Indian girl like me, US was that unattainable, so dont even think of it lest you walk the path of disappointment, place.  So apart from what I read about the US in the school's geography curriculum, the newspaper and watching movies that apparently came from Hollywood, I had no clue what US was like.  My not so talkative, husband didnt say much either cause for him everything is doable, manageable, learn as you go experience.  There were some really amusing events within the first year of my life in the US.

This was 1996,  washing machines had just made in-roads in India but not the dryers, so we hang clothes out to dry in the sun.  I knew vacuum cleaners, solar water heaters, solar cookers and bio-gas stoves as new technology but I didnt know vending machines, ATM's, dishwashers, garbage chutes, sinks with disposers, dryers, central heating systems, electronic security for entry into apartments, smoke alarms, hand dryers in Restrooms etc.  I also didnt know a lot of what is considered general etiquette.  Here are some of my was embarrassing but now hilarious moments.

We were living in Philadelphia at the time. Being new at the whole thing of maintaining a house, we needed to get so many essentials... My husband lived out of a suitcase before he married me.  He complains once in a while that if it wasnt for me, he'd be such a wealthy person.  So we went shopping, which was a major exercise for me for I hadnt seen such humongous places for shopping until I came here.  I would very easily get lost inside these shops. It took me a lot of visits to be able to orient myself in the Large space.  I am not someone who enjoys shopping so I use the easy way out, I look for the attendant and ask where I could find what ever it is that I couldnt find.  So I walk up to this young, handsome man in uniform with a name tag and asked where I could find a Torch.  He lead me to the farthest corner of the shop and showed me the Tiki torches, the kind that you stick into the ground outdoors. So I tell him that, that wasnt what I wanted but the small hand held battery operated one.. and he had this look of pure amusement and he says "ah! you mean the Flashlight".  I could feel my ears go up in smoke as I tried to hide my embarrassment and said "Yes, the flashlight, I'm sorry I used the wrong word".  Of course, he smiled and said "No Problem".

We went to my first fast food restaurant in the US, the McDonald's.  When it was my turn, I gave my order and the lady at the cash-counter asks "Do you want To go?" and I stood there looking blank, like she was speaking Latin... My brain was trying hard to reason - "why does she want to know if I want to use the toilet before she can give me what I want to eat".  My husband who was at the table realized something was amiss, he came to my rescue and said - "For here".  In all my life until that moment "to go" meant I needed to use the Restroom(washroom/toilet).  

When we used to go out for a walk, people, complete strangers would say "hi, how are you?" and I would stop to answer and ask them too but I was too slow, they would be a few strides away.  And usually every person I came across was TALL so one stride of theirs equals at least two of mine. It baffled me, why ask if you didnt want to know.  Of course, husband explained later that it was their way of being courteous...which to me was totally contradictory, if you are courteous, wouldnt you wait for answer when you ask a question?

The other thing that I had to learn was to hold the door in case there was another person behind me... unless you are hired as the doorman, you dont hold doors for people you dont know, in India.  So I was given the "Oh! How rude" look by quite a few people while I was learning this new habit.  The other being not addressing people by Name.  In India, at the time I was growing up, relationships were very Hierarchical. We usually use first names for peers/friends/people we know well, Mr./Miss/Mrs full-name for those who are acquaintances, "sir/madam" for anyone who is our "Boss" at work, teachers or in what we perceive as an Authoritative position and "Aunty/ Uncle/older sister/older brother/grandmother/grandfather" when we address anyone who isnt related to us but we perceive as elder than us. I had the toughest time learning to address people by their Names.  I would automatically shift to the generic address. It gets very embarrassing when you hear someone say in a no nonsense tone "I am not your Uncle". 

There have been a lot of corrections to the way I speak and write too.  I thought of continuing education, so I took a few credits at the local college and one of them was an English writing class.  I was very bad at spelling, My cheques were the teacher's checks, my honour/colour/favourite had to be honor/ color/favorite.  When I was asked to read and I read the word "schedule as Shed dule" I was told its Sked dule, Semicircle was Se My circle but Demi Moore was not De MY Moore, Albino was Albyno.  Then I learn that the place that I was calling San Jose(saying the J sound) was San Hosay and that San Juan was San Hu an.  I was completely confused with all that I had learned, it felt like I knew nothing. 

I had this teacher, whose teaching style was very difficult for me to comprehend.  He came to class and expected me and the other students to ask him questions and I was brought up in an environment where students were expected to listen, digest and regurgitate. The idea of asking/teaching the teacher was completely new to me. What were they paying him for if all he had to do was stand in front of the class to be shot with questions? I couldnt understand the reasoning. By the time I got a hang of his class we were done with it. 

I was the only Indian in my class.  You could feel the vibe of curiosity and distance when you walk in. It took a while before anyone warmed up to me, it didnt help that I wasnt the kind who would first speak.  So one fine day, my classmate with a drawl and another who used the words "aint" very often made this comment as we waited for the teacher to make her appearance - "You have a beautiful accent" said the Lady drawl and the Guy Aint says "Yes, I think so too" and I looked squarely at them and said "I think both of you have an accent, I speak proper English".  For a moment there was complete silence and I thought "Oh NO!!  I just got the foot in the mouth disease, I offended them" the Next moment there was laughter,  "You are right, we do have an accent".  Over all, college was a good experience. 

Our first Diwali, we finished our ritual worship and as is custom I put in the camphor for the Aarthi(the waving of lamps before the Deity). Of course there will be smoke but nothing big enough to cause a fire.   And the house that had been silent until then went into the Ringing mode.  I was completely panicked, I didnt know what was ringing, where it was ringing or why it was doing so.  The first thought that crossed my mind was Cops, and immediately disregarded it as they have a different sound.  So there I stood wide mouthed, heart pounding while my Husband immediately jumped to action.  He who never finds most stuff unless I hand it to him, found a towel big enough to fan in front of this small 4 inch diameter same colour as our ceiling, never noticed until then gadget. By then my camphor had died down and I was introduced to the silent, third member of our family, the Smoke Detector.

This blog was the result of reading this link that Dr. Giles put on his blog.  It brought back my own memories of  How things were when I first came here.  Hope you enjoyed reading them.

Have a Relaxed and Restful weekend.

Peace,
Rashmi.

Olympics, Georgia and Books.

I watched the Opening ceremony  of the Beijing Olympics... Was I impressed? Oh Yes!!!!  it was beautiful, colourful, very precise, showed dedication to wanting it to go well, showed that people believed in the Honour of good work, showed people could work very well as a team if each did their job right, showed people could actually be proud of their history and culture and last but not least, it showed that no one was Cheap in that production team.  The sweetest Icing on my Impressed Cake was when I discovered the next day that - the co-director was Zhang Yimou, the same who directed the Wuxia(Chinese equivalent of the Japanese Samurai) Movies - House of Flying daggers and Hero.  Both movies I enjoyed watching, which implies that the director did a good job telling the story.  The other director was Zhang Jigang, a Chinese Choreographer and Lieutenant General, the only one in China who holds the highest Military rank for a Non-combatant. 

So far I have watched a Football Match between  Ivory Coast and Serbia which was really nice to watch something that I used to enjoy after a long self-imposed exile on watching games. Watched Boxing between Ukraine and Russia, men's and women's Gymnastics, badminton between Singapore and Malaysia, women's volleyball between China and US, gymnastics, basketball between China and US and am still in awe of Yao Ming's height and swimming. 

Closer to home, reading the Medal Tally, India was placed 21st, sharing that place with more than  8 other nations that were in no way comparable with our size in population.  I had such hopes for Marksman Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, since he made India proud in the Athens Olympics, only to be disappointed. Abhinav Bhindra made it and India won ONE measly Gold medal in Shooting. Bravo!! for a population of over 1 billion, we had 56 athletes, played for 4 days and we got ONE Gold medal..India has only won four individual medals in Olympic history since we sent our first team to the Summer Games in 1928. We didnt send a Field Hockey team(a sport which we have a talent for), cause they didnt qualify(How on earth that happenned, I cant fanthom). In rowing we finished fifth. In Singles badminton,  we lost straight sets 13-21  and 17-21 Man! at least giving a fight would have felt good. In tennis doubles and boxing we qualified for the second round, now its a wait and see.  

On the other hand, An American of Indian descent is part of the  US men's gymnast team, that won the bronze.  Yay! that means that if there was good guidance, importance given to sports, Indians could actually be GOOD at it.  I think we as  a Nation make poor investments in Sports and other Arts. Ok, I am done feeling miserable over the state of Indian sportsmen. Guess, I dont have the right to say things like this, since I am not a sports man and have a tough time staying fit myself.

Moving on to things other than the games-  the day before the Olympics, Russia had a bombing spree with Georgia... While I am not for war, I am not against defending a nations borders. Somethings are inevitable when it comes to nationhood.  I was amused  when the President of US issued a "Stern warning" to Russia to back off...I imagined Russia's Mr. Putin go in a Thick Russian accent-  "what? are you crazy Man? my borders are being bombed, my people are being killed and you want me to sit tight and do nothing while you go all the way around the world to invade Iraq that was no way involved in the 9/11? Come on Man! be a little fair now, Okay?"

Then I read the news on the Sidney Morning Herald -

"RUSSIAN military attacks may be designed to unseat Georgia's pro-US Government, says George Bush, a move that would represent a "dramatic and brutal escalation" of a conflict Washington officials are describing as Cold War-style aggression."
 
I am thinking - AH! what do you expect?  Its okay for you to put a "PRO-US Anti-rest of the world governments" where ever you want but its not okay for someone else to want a Pro-themselves government among their Neighbours?

In this instance I agree with Mr. Putin- ""Mr Putin decried Western "cynicism" for defending what he said was Georgian aggression against separatists in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "They, of course, had to hang Saddam Hussein for destroying several Shiite villages," he said of the US."

Here's how the conflict began a week ago - From the Asian News
"Clashes broke out on August 7th when Georgian troops penetrated South Ossetia to regain control of the territory."
My thoughts - Ah! so it was Georgia who was the Aggressor.

" Following a war with Georgia in the ‘90’s the two regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from Tbilisi, an independence that has not been recognised by the International community but has Russian support."
My thoughts -  Of course, its not convenient for the US to recognize Independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia(considered as an economically lucrative territory by Georgia which has Israel's support, as they trade oil through Georgia in the Caspian sea)

U.S. President George W. Bush demanded Russia end its armed conflict with Georgia calling it an “invasion”. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, current EU president, heads to Moscow today to lead efforts to end hostilities and bring Russia to a ceasefire.  But a Russian spokesperson says that the Kremlin will not accept any compromise that does not condemn what it calls Georgia’s “aggression”."

My thoughts -  Georgia has oil pipelines,  so its lucrative had the same thing happened in some god-forsaken place in Africa, no one would have DARED comment on it.  Now, its ok for a Super-power to go to a Nation some thousands of Miles across the ocean on a Pre-emptive Strike/Invasion of another nation in-spite of that nation not touching your borders but it isn't alright for a nation to respond when the Neighbour raids your Borders(as is the case with Russia)? How is the US able to keep a Straight-face when it tells Russia to do exactly the opposite of what US did under circumstances that wasn't as Serious as it is with Russia?  And then the US wonders why the International Community has no respect for their words and force them to use the "threats of not so desirable repercussions"?(striking my forehead with exasperation)

I finished reading parts of the huge pile of books I got from the library.  I tend to read a few books together, guess it has to do with my scatter-brained-ness.  So right now.. reading "The namesake-Jhumpa Lahiri" "The undiscovered Chekhov - Anton Chekhov, translated by Peter Constantine" "Arranged Marriage-Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni" "Eats, shoots and leaves-Lynne Truss" "Billions and Billions-Carl Sagan" and  "Haunted Mesa - Louis L'amour". It will probably take me a while until I can say I finished reading.  

Note to Self - Do One thing at a Time if you really learned from the Book on Mindfulness.

Done with Thoughts that no one needs to listen to but still needs Venting.

Off to do chores while Wishing you all a good day

Peace Always 
Rashmi.

Symbolism of Ganesh

On Saturday next week, is Ganesh Chaturthi, it is the festival where Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed God of the Hindu Pantheon, is worshipped. It is a festival thats celebrated more rigorously in the States of Maharastra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. He Governs the aspects of Wisdom, Knowledge, working through obstacles and of taking life as it comes. Maybe that's the reason he's my favorite. Those of you who have studied any religion, would know that religion is usually filled with symbolism which have as deep a meaning as the interpreter. Symbolism, is not a SLR camera with the WYSIWYG(what you see is what you get). I had to go hunting for the meanings of the symbolism in Ganesh. Here is what I found.

Legends say that Ganesh was created out of the Sandalwood paste that Parvathi(Shiva's consort) used on her body before taking a bath. She made a model of a Boy with this paste and breathed life into it. She then asked him to guard the door, to not let anyone in while she bathed. When Shiva arrives at the door, he finds that he cant go into his own home because this dutiful son would not allow him in. The Boy then has a confrontation with Shiva's army and with Shiva and beat them in the battle. Annoyed, Shiva severs his head. After her bath, Parvathi discovers her dead son and became inconsolable. The head of the Boy was smashed beyond repair. So Shiva sends his horde asking them to bring the first living being, sleeping with its head to the North(this is probably why most Hindus do not keep their Beds with the Head facing North). They come across an elephant sleeping with this head towards the North. They sever the head and get it back to Shiva who then fits it on to the body of the boy and grants him the boon of being the First to be worshipped on any Occasion… So it has come to be that before the start of any endeavor, prayers and offerings are made to Lord Ganesh.
The Ganesh Sholka:
"Om, Shri Vakratunda Mahaakaaya, Suryakotee Sama Prabha,
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa"
Meaning :
O Lord of Large body, curved trunk, with the brilliance of a million suns, please make all my work free of obstacles, always.
This is said at the beginning of a journey or a start of the day's work . Every Manifestation of God has a Root sound associated with them, the root sound associated with Ganesh is "Gum" .
Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations:
The celebrations start with - A like clay model of Lord Ganesha is made 2-3 months prior to the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. The size of this idol may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25 feet. On the day of the festival, it is placed on raised platforms in homes or in elaborately decorated outdoor tents for people to view and pay their homage. The priest, usually clad in red silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the idol amidst the chanting of mantras. This ritual is the pranapratishhtha, which literally means Instilling Life. After this the shhodashopachara (16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, 21 modakas (rice flour preparation), 21 durva (trefoil) blades and red flowers are offered. The idol is anointed with red unguent (rakta chandan). Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi(most hindus follow the Lunar Calendar) to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and camphor is made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it.
Source : About.com
Here are some recipes that are made specially for the celebrations.
Have A blessed Ganesh Chaturthi!
Peace Always
Mithuna.

Thoughts on our 60th Independence day

It was on this day 60 years ago that India became Independent of British Rule. My wish for all Indians is to become aware of what independence means for you. Does it mean having your own people to govern you? Does it mean having your say in what you do with your life? Does it mean more control and power in your hands? Does it mean responsibility? Please Look carefully, cause your definition of Independence will make the path which will lead our country into either a Nation where self-sufficiency and open-ness to new paths of life is in balance or it will lead to a cheap imitation of what we think we should look like to other nations of this world...Please pay special attention to doing things the right way, cause if the action isnt right then the results/consequences will also not be right. Look at your everyday life, cause no matter who you are or where you live, together, our collective behaviour as citizens will determine the Destiny of our nation. In all the work that we do, we have to remember the 3 d's Dharma(as in what is Good for all), Deligence and Dedication. Take stock of how far our nation has come, question if its headed along a path where the future generations can survive and live well. Visualize the kind of Nation you want it to be. Ask yourselves what is it that you can do within the limits of who you are, that will help it along that visualized path.

Temper your Joy too... in rememberance. For this was also the day that Pakistan was formed into a separate Nation. When we celebrate our Independence we should also remember how it happened. Remember our History - How many families were separated over the borders, how many people were slaughtered in the name of religion and nationhood on both sides, how many children became orphans how many men became single fathers or widowers, how many women became single mothers, widows? how many of those who are from that era carry a scar? Have we done any healing or do we walk in denial? Have we learned our lessons? I know there isnt any Memorial(Is there?) for those that died over an Imaginary Line on the soil. But it bodes us Well to have a Memorial in our minds.

Have a Happy yet Introspective day. For our nation, we can at least do that much.

Peace Always

Mithuna

Of mind's meanderings

August 15th is about a month away. The day, 60 years ago,India won its Independence from the British. I sometimes wonder if we won or the British made the decision to leave because it was not economically profitable for their enterprise. During this time, my thoughts like most people, questions the idea of Truth, independence, freedom, patriotism, free speech, rights etc... Things that can be put in the box of ideology.

I have my beliefs. Some of which have been constant over time while others do change as I learn more about myself and of things around me. So every now and then I ask myself a question and try to answer it from the other side of what I believe. For instance, am I a patriot? The obvious answer is I believe I am. Why? Cause I like all things India, from Indian food, to clothing to legends, to epics, to the different languages, the different peoples, the sounds and the colours, the songs, the art, the strength of everyday people in the face of odds, the "ideals" of respect for elders, teachers and nature, the list is endless. Everything that is unique to India is something that gives me joy. So I am a patriot right?

Let's see the flip side of things. There's always been a war in some part of the world, ever since I could remember. So I wonder, if I had to choose between my family and my country which would I choose? If I were married to someone who has the same nationality as the "enemy" in a war that erupted later, what would I choose to do? If my best friend was from the enemy side of the border, what would I choose to do? If I had a dual citizenship and the two countries that I am a citizen of, are at war, what would I do? Tough ones. Guess that's the reason, most political philosophers would sell the idea of "Choosing Country above all" , tying all things of individual life to the Nationhood, that's probably why there is an oath of allegiance... but in dual citizenship it is really a toughie. There is one answer for all questions, an answer that is so easy to say but really difficult to practice- Be on the side of TRUTH.

It would seem cliche' but this was the essence of the Mahabharath (the Indian Epic). To choose what is right to do, to choose Truth. Now for the little background. If you look at the Mahabharath superficially, it would seem like Krishna was an outsider interfering in the affairs of the Kaurava/Pandava dynasty. But on closer examination, Krishna was related to the family. Krishna was Kunti's nephew. Krishna's Father, Vasudeva was the Cousin of Kunti, the pandava's Mother. Krishna was also Arjuna's Brother-in-law, as his sister Subadra was Arjuna's wife. In another Story, there is mention of Krishna and Draupadi (Pandava's wife) being siblings in a previous birth and both remembering this birth and relationship. On the other hand Bhishma Mahapita (literally translating to Great Father) was the Eldest in the clan. He had to do what was right, but he didn't, at least not right according to what was followed at the time. A person who was handicapped should not be king but He did allow Dridhrashtra, the blind one, to be king. The disrobing of Draupadi, the clan's eldest daughter-in-law (a position of great honour) at the Court in session was wrong, but Bhishma was quiet... they say "Mounam samata Laxanam" (being silent is being in agreement). When it reached a brink of war, he could intervened to stop it but didn't. Instead he preferred to do his duty as the King's loyalist than doing his duty as the Clan Elder. In spite of being the Eldest and well versed in all the scriptures, arts and crafts of politics, war, administration and governance, he did not do right, or choose the truth.

During the war of Kurukshetra, Krishna being related to the Pandavas more than the Kauravas, could have sided with the Pandavas but he didn't. He probably did not want to be unfair so he gave Duryodhana and Arjuna a choice... Krishna would not fight or use any weapon against either side but one could either have Krishna as his charioteer or Krishna's Huge Military to fight on their side. Duryodhana chose the Military and Arjuna chose Krishna for his charioteer. It would seem to us, modern day readers that Arjuna was a Fool to have made such a choice, but things were different in that era. In a battle, a charioteer's position was a place of great trust. A charioteer was friend, guide and philosopher for the occupant. S/he(yes, there were instances when a woman was the charioteer) would often be instrumental in strategy planning, as s/he was knowledgeable at war techniques and strategies. A charioteer was quite defenseless in a battle field, for he is exposed to the weapons first. S/he had to be skilled at navigating the horses through the enemy lines, good with reflexes, while being able to judge the opponents move, several moves ahead and courageous without the crutch of any weapon. The only defense was in protecting the Warrior in the chariot by keeping their wits about them and keeping the horses in control. So yes, the result of the Kurukshetra was that Pandava's won and the reason-Truth(Krishna is a divine therefore the TRUTH itself) was on their side.

In today's scenario, with all the media propaganda, with the deceptions that go on in everyday life, with no transparency in between those who govern and those governed, how do we know the Truth? How do we choose the Truth? If we don't know the Truth, how are we Free? Could we make and act in good judgment if we never knew the truth? I really wonder.

Indian Humour (360 repost)

As Human beings most of us enjoy a good tickle. It brings forth bubbling mirth, laughter and is very pleasurable. As we grow older our sense of humor gets refined and with it comes the realization that there are things that tickle our Mind. Unlike the tactile tickle of toddler hood, the tickle of the mind has a wide range of sources. Good play of words, subtlety, and a straight-face during narration are some of the characteristics of good Humor. Really good comedians know how to be honest without offending the listener's sensibility. Depending on the receptivity of the observer, what a person does, their clothing, their mannerisms, accents while using a non-native language, what they say or write becomes the source of a mental tickle. When it comes to humor, nothing is Sacred.

Humor plays a major role in life. There is usually someone in our lives who we like being around because they have a good sense of Humour. If it was not for some funny people in my life, I don't think I would have enjoyed my present disposition to life Most of them are Indians, and most have a very subtle sense of humor. Their wit is wholesome. You have to pay attention to the words that is said and those that are not said, along with their demeanor, tone of voice and gestures used to really understand the humor

The hierarchical society in India has etiquette that is very different from the West. Humor is a very sensitive matter for Indians. Most of them are very private, when it comes to joking. In India, it is understood, that there were places and times that were appropriate for joking. Most Indians are mindful of the elders, people from other language groups, foreigners and people who were different either by caste, economy or profession. Humor was to be used discreetly. It was considered ill manners to poke fun at a teacher or priest as these vocations are highly respected. Holy books, religious observances and knowledge are considered sacred, so we usually don't make fun of holy books. Of course, like all things, it is always fun to break the rules. We can always poke fun of the sacred, privately, amongst our own peer group of like minded people.

To an outsider, it would almost seem like Indians are the most emotionally suppressed people in the world. They would rarely find them joking. Most Indian kids would hear this common warning an elder would use, is "Ladayi ki jadh, haansi; Bhimari ki jadh, kaansi"  meaning - The cause for war, a laugh; the cause for disease, a cough. This proverb has its basis in the Epic, Mahabharatha. The War of Kurukshetra, is an 18 day long war between the cousins, Pandavas and Kauravas. The war supposedly began over one laugh in the hall of Mirrors. Panchali, the wife of the Pandavas laughed at Duryodhana, the prince of the Kauravas when he jumped into what he thought was a pool of water in the hall of Mirrors. Panchali laughingly comments that it was to be expected since he was the son of a blind father. That comment was too much to bear for Duryodhana's ego. He avenged his insult by making sure the Pandavas lost their kingdom in a game of dice, leading to the war of Kurukshetra.

There is not much literature on Indian Humor or its traditions on the Internet and not many books written about Humor in the past or the present. And if there were any, it is probably lost in Translation or to the various book burning fiestas of imperial Invasions. I became interested in finding out the traditions in Indian humor after a good friend of mine suggested I look into the topic. I had presumed that being an Indian acquainted with Indian Humor, it should be an easy thing to write about but I was surprised. I have had to draw upon what have "heard and read" in the recent times as opposed to what I have seen in the past literature about Indian humor.

I watched the movie "Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World" with Albert Brooks. I was quite disappointed the way it was made.  Would I recommend the movie to anyone? I would say, watch if you want to, it didn't impress me. His sense of humour was lost on me, but maybe you will find it funny.

In Indian philosophy, humor and a joyous disposition are essential for a good life. The teachings of most Great Gurus usually have a good dose of jest. Swami Vivekananda said- "The first sign of your becoming religious is that you are becoming cheerful". Either laughing at oneself or at another is implemented in teaching the philosophy of life through Indian perspective. The purpose of humor is the same no matter what the cultural base. Humor eases displeasure, fear or disgust; helps an individual cope with the stress in life. Truth is a bitter pill but tempered with Humor, it is easy to digest.

The Sanskrit word for Humor is Haasya. In the Natyashastra, an Indian treatise on Dance, Emotions called Bhava, has nine rasas or moods. Rasa also translates as Taste or flavor depending on the context. Haasya or mirth is one of moods. Indian historical accounts talk of "Vidushakas" -jesters, most every kingdom and king had at least one. In the Puranas, the attendants of Shiva, the Destructive form of God, play different roles, of which "Pramatha" is one of them. A Pramatha is the one who teases, hassles or harasses another to the point of laughter. They are usually depicted as dwarfish, potbellied, impish, playful characters in sculptors and paintings.

Unlike the genres of humor in the west, there is no a clear distinction of satire, wit or parody in Indian literature. Most Indian kids get their first introduction to Indian humorous literature, through the tales from Panchatantra, Hitopadesha, Birbal, Tenali Rama, Krishna and the Festival of Holi. There is humor within the Epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharatha. The Panchatantra and Hitopadesha had stories with morals while presenting the ideals and values for a harmonious life, in a humorous manner. The stories of Birbal, Krishna and Tenali Rama were more about using our wits and humor to deal with troublesome situations. Raja Birbal was a Minister in the Moghul king Akbar's court. Tenali Rama was the court poet during the time of the Pallava King, Krishnadevaraya. Tenali Rama was a scholar of several languages and wrote in 5 different languages. There were stories of Krishna and his boyhood pranks which appeals to the kids for its simplicity. The festival of Holi marks the beginning of spring and is usually celebrated in the months of March-April. The major feature of this festival is pranks played on each other. Although the legends and philosophy attached to it is somber, it is a sort of All fool's day with more color and goodies to eat.

In the early 80's the stories of country bumpkin, Supandi, who ended up being in hilarious situations either because of ignorance or absentmindedness was a source of laughter. The stories and poems by Kaaka Hathrasi, mostly written in Hindi were quite famous. The 80's were also the time for funny sitcoms over the TV and Videos in different languages. The most famous ones used to be the Punjabi and Pakistani skits. In the late 80's there was a production called "Flop show" by the comedian Jaspal Bhatti. I particularly remember this theme about a Wake for a Dead Telephone, which was a situational comedy. It poked fun of the state of the Indian Telecom Industry of that time, its bureaucracy, its inefficiency and the apathy of the general public.

Every culture has its own stereotypes, flaws, idiosyncrasies and foibles. Every region in India has some sect of people who become the victim of humor. There are Gujju jokes about Gujarathis, Mallu jokes about Keralites, Bihari jokes about people from Bihar, Bong jokes about Bengalis, Sardhaji jokes about the Sikhs etc. Each usually talking of a particular mannerism, attitude, accent, the use of language and the way they live. The most famous of the Sikh jokes used to be about the two characters Santo and Banto Singh.

There are also writing styles for humor. While many are in prose and short story formats, there are those in the form of verse. This format is used in Kannada writings. It is called "Hanigavana" meaning short poem. They are usually two to four lines long and deal with socio-political aspect of life. The poet attempts to show the reader what is wrong, while tickling the reader with clever use of words.

Jokes in Indian languages do not sound funny to those who don't know the language. The translated version ceases to be as funny as it sounds in the original language. The subtle nuances that a language carries are lost. Maybe, that is the reason there isn't much information on traditional Indian humor. After all, Indians are reticent about their historical traditions and don't think highly of record keeping, they rely more on the oral accounts and memory. Also, there are not many Indian Sanskrit scholars who are proficient in translating Humor from the traditional texts to English language without losing out on the subtle nuances.

With the advent of globalization and technologies that has made the world smaller, the Indian comic scene is changing. There are, comedians who are making a name for themselves in their adopted countries with adopted languages. Although Stand up comedy is not particularly well known in India there has been a spate of stand up comedians within the Indian Diaspora outside India. Crystal Gomes and Russell Peters are Canadians of Indian Origin who have made a name for themselves in the field of stand up comedy. While in the USA, there are about half a dozen comedians of Indian Origin who send out laughter via comedy clubs. Anand Chulani, Vijai Nathan, Dan Nainan, Paul Varghese and Vidur Kapur come to mind. There's Papa CJ and Ayesha Hazarika in the UK. Melvin Durai is an Indian based in Indiana, who writes humourous articles on all things Indian. He also does occasional Stand up comedy. I really enjoy his humour.

With a lot of Indians now residing outside India and the Countries of adoption being generally smitten by all things Indian, Indian humor is a Niche market. There have been attempts in the recent years to get the comedians of Indian Origin together to put up shows in different parts of the world. We will probably see more such attempts in the coming years. How much of that humour is actually Indian and how much of it is Influence due to being removed from India is something that remains to be seen.

Bindi - the dot on the forehead

I enjoy watching curious people and I wait for them to go ahead and ask even if they may not get a satisfying answer, I feel thats one way to learn about things around you.....Ask.

One of the questions that I get asked most often is "Does that dot on your forehead mean anything?" Yes it sure does. I didnt bother to find out what it meant until I came to the USA and realized that although I wore it everyday, I didnt know what it meant. So I tried to find out, and here is the information I have about the the dot on my forehead

It is called the Bindi, Sindoor,Theeka or Tilak depending on which Indian you ask. Bindi is derived from the Sanskrit word "Bindu" or a drop. It is a symbol of auspiciousness. To a Hindu, the Bindi is a sacred symbol. It symbolizes the cosmic sound of OM and hence reminds us of our connection to all that is part of the Universe. In the earlier days Bindi or Tilak was worn by Indian Men and women for spiritual reasons. In the present world, only those men who are traditional wear it, while most women continue to follow it, for they are the bearers of traditions.

According to Hinduism, there are energy centers within our body, which can be awakened via meditation, yoga and other disciplines. The area between the eyebrows is the energy center of latent wisdom, called the "Agna Chakra" (6th chakra), meaning "command center". By wearing the Bindi, one is reminded of his/her capacity for wisdom and knowledge. Tantric tradition has it that during meditation, the "kundalini" - the latent energy that lies at the base of the spine is awakened and rises to the point of sahasrara (7th chakra) situated at our crown. The central point, the bindu, becomes therefore a possible outlet for this potent energy. It is believed that the red Bindi(kumkum) is placed between the eyebrows to retain this energy in the human body. The practice of using Bindi/kumkum on foreheads is mentioned in many ancient texts - the Puranas, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Soundarya Lahhari to name a few.

Most ancient societies have ways of communicating without having to use words. Usually this is done by some form of symbolism. Everything from the colour to the finger used to apply and the precise spot at which the Tilak is applied assumes importance. Black mark signifies peace, red for strength/courage, yellow for wealth/prosperity and white for Nirvana or spiritual liberation. The tilak worn using the thumb imparts strength, the forefinger- freedom, the middle finger-longevity, the ring-finger-sustenance. People in the Indian sub-continent use the Tilak(mostly worn by the male) to identify their different sectarian ties or for good luck. We have four major sects, Shaivas, Vaishnavas, Saktas and Smartas. Each sect apply the Tilak in different ways. The shivas use ash and draw 3 horizontal lines. The vishnavas, use sandalwood paste and draw 3 vertical lines. The Shaktas use the Kumkum.

For a woman, the colour of the bindi signifies her marital status. Any colour other than Red is used by unmarried girls. In Northern India a girl is not required to wear a bindi while in the south India, it is not so. Red coloured dots are used by those who are married. Those who are widows, do not wear a bindi. In some regions of India, when someone in the family dies, the women in the family do not wear a bindi for the period of mourning.

Bindi, is called Pottu/Bottu or Tilaka depending on the region in India. Different materials are used for this marking. The most common ones are sindoor, kumkum(a red plant dye mixed with turmeric powder), turmeric, aguru(a herb), kasturi(musk, from the deer), Gandha(Sandalwood), and Ash. In ancient times, women would grind saffron together with the kusumbha flower to create a paste to use on their foreheads. Red represents Shakti (the goddess of strength). The red colour, some believe, symbolizes the far more ancient practice of offering blood sacrifices to propitiate the Gods - particularly the Goddess Shakti. In time, communities put an end to actual sacrifices and offered gifts instead, but the colour red remained. The yellow of the turmeric has the power to influence the intellect. That is why the red kumkum and the yellow turmeric are placed side by side in temples or in any homes during a celebration. Both are offered to women at the time of taking leave in certain parts of the country. This is to express goodwill and the hosts' prayers for the guests' continued good fortune.

Both Sindoor and kumkum are Auspicious. Both stand for good fortune and signs of "Soubhagya(the fortune of having a husband)" in the case of a married woman. The Sindoor is usually worn in the parting of the hair on the head to signify the Status of being Married. Men wore the vermilion dot as a mark of spiritual intelligence. The forehead dot known as the "urna" is found on the 2nd and 3rd century AD sculptures of Lord Buddha. Today, most men wear kumkum specifically during worship or religious ceremonies.

Some scholars have seen the red colour as a symbolism for blood. We are told that in ancient times, in Indian societies, a groom used to apply his blood, on his bride's forehead as recognition of wedlock. The existing practice among Indian women of applying a round shaped red Bindiya or Kumkum could be a survival of this.

The bridegroom's make-up is incomplete without the Tilaka. The decked North Indian bride steps over the threshold of her married home, resplendent with the red bindi on her forehead. The red color is supposed to augur prosperity for the home she is entering. The mark makes her the preserver of the family's welfare, honour and progeny.

Today, the Bindi and the Kumkum has become a fashion statement around the world. To keep up the demand in the fashion industry, the kumkum, is being replaced by the "sticker-bindi". Made of felt, with glue on one side, this is an ingenious easy-to-use substitute. The sticker-bindi comes in all colours and design, sequinned, dusted with gold powder, studded with beads and glittering stones and in different sizes. They have become expressions of art and fashion.

The bindi is an adornment that lights up your face and gives it a focal point. Bindi, on the beloved's forehead is supposed to mesmerise her lover. Poets, through ages have composed couplets on the beautiful bindiya of the damsel. The bindi still attracts a lot of attention, as it is the first thing that catches our eye. The bindi carries with it a wealth of meaning and is an on-going link with a very ancient spiritual tradition.