Hindu

The Mother Godess

Mother Goddesses have been worshiped at all the times of history by the Hindus. They were mostly worshiped as the spouses of the Gods. From Harappa period to Gupta Period, their worship was only little known. Only in the Middle ages they emerged from obscurity as the upper classes of society began worshiping them. She was considered as the Sakti, the strength or potency of her male counterpart. While the God was inactive and transcendent, she was active and immanent. By Gupta period, many of these Goddesses acquired their own independent identity and began to be venerated at special temples.… Read More »The Mother Godess

History is too Complex

To understand the events as they happened in the past is one of the most complex exercises undertaken by the scholars. It is almost impossible to be unbiased and unconcerned while reconstructing the events. So history is mine, yours and other peoples’. As we go further and further back in the past, the evidence becomes meager and meagre and assumptions and conjectures and evaluators ability become crucial factors. Today archaeologists and historians are using latest scientific tools for age determination, composition of the materials used in pottery and heat treatment it was given. These pieces of evidence along with the… Read More »History is too Complex

Sitting under a Banyan Tree

More than 70% population lives in villages. In the olden days, when there were no facilities like television, radio etc, then people in the villages devised ways to entertain them. The menfolk sat under the cool shade of the trees, smoke the hookah and converse with each other. They would talk about all the things under the Sun like their family matters which in any case were not private matters, about the condition of crops and irrigation water, untimely rains which visited to damage their crops. It was a culture in which individuality was a second priority and collective or… Read More »Sitting under a Banyan Tree

“The Emperor’s Writings” by Professor Dirk Collier

Professor Dirk Collier the Belgian writer has written a fictional autobiography of Emperor Akbar, laced with facts. It is titled “The Emperor’s Writings”. Why it is fictional is that Akbar was illiterate. Written in the form of a letter to his Jahangir, it chronicles the life and times of the Mughal emperor. The author talks about being inspired by Akbar, the emperor’s 5,000 wives and more! Here are some conclusions from the book Akbar was not a very romantic man like other Great Mughal emperors including Jahangir and Shah Jahan. While he did sleep with countless women, particularly when he… Read More »“The Emperor’s Writings” by Professor Dirk Collier

Clothes in Vedic Times

The garments worn in Vedic times onwards did not fundamentally differ from those worn by Hindus in later times. A single length cloth draped around the body, over the shoulders and fastened with a pin or a belt. This was a comfortable dress to be worn in a hot and humid climate which prevailed in India in comparison to the weather from where these people migrated. Lower garment was called paridhana or vasana. It was usually such a cloth fastened around the waist with a belt or a string which is called mekhala or rasana. Upper garment was called Uttaiya… Read More »Clothes in Vedic Times

Ganjifa: Playing Cards

Original Ganjifa was brought to India by Moghuls. There is a district called Sawantwadi in Maharashtra. This touches the Goa state. When you travel by train to Goa from Mumbai, it is the last station in Maharashtra. Whole area which is adjacent to Arabian Sea is dotted with unending rows of Coconut palms. Ganjifa was popularized here by the ruler Khem Sawant Bhosle, who heard of it from scholars of the Telengana region. The Chitari community in Sawantwadi, known for their skill in shellac ware and wood craft, learned  to make these cards Ganjifa are circular playing cards made from… Read More »Ganjifa: Playing Cards

Second Birth!!

Upanayana or the second birth ceremony was a great rite performed whereby a Hindu boy in ancient times became a full member of his class and of the society. This was a very elaborate ceremony. This rite was performed by only three upper castes namely Brahmins, Ksatriyas and vaisyas. The ceremony was not strictly performed as the time passed because of the elaborate nature. Also, during this ceremony, Gayatri mantra was whispered in the ear of the initiate by the Brahman performing the ceremony. It is verse from a hymn of Rg. Veda addressed to old solar God Savitr and… Read More »Second Birth!!

Chemistry by Nature

Nature is a great chemist. It synthesizes millions of compounds every moment ranging from simple molecules like methane to very complex molecules like carbohydrates, cellulose and proteins. Most of these compounds are synthesized by plants. From the plants they are passed on to animals because the animals cannot synthesize their food by themselves. But there are many chemical reactions occurring inside the cells like breaking down the complex molecules and unlocking the energy which is stored in them. Where does all the energy locked inside the different molecules come from? Most of it is derived from the Sun light. In… Read More »Chemistry by Nature

Shalimar Clown

I am an avid fan of Rushdie and have read almost all his works. When he writes about India, he is brilliant. This novel is based on the terrorism which has become a worldwide phenomenon. For centuries, Hindus and Muslims have been living in Kashmir in complete harmony. But the terrorism has turned this heaven on the earth into a hell. The story of the novel is about a Muslim Boy named Shalimar the clown who loves and marries a Hindu neighbor called Booniy which is a symbolic of harmonious relations between two communities. Rusdhie tells us about the village… Read More »Shalimar Clown