1. Miley Suur Mera Tumhaara:
Timeless. Ageless.
2. Desh Raag:
3. Purab Se Surya Ugaa:
4. Nostalgia lane:
5. The Amul story: Hats
off to Dr. Verghese Kurien and others, the unsung ones, who together created
this inspirational success story. Also, one of the best ads ever created:
6. Mahabharat (Mein Samay Hunn...):
..................................................
Water vapour is converted to clouds
that bring fresh water to land in the form of rain or snow. | There was a time
when water bodies were not polluted and people lived in harmony with nature. However, given the condition of our lakes and rivers... it is not difficult
to gauge the effect on rainfall patterns, agriculture etc.
Pollution of rivers and waterbodies, closure of ponds and
lakes, indiscriminate felling of trees, shrinkage of fertile lands, unlimited non-biodegradable wastes, lack of an
efficient waste disposal mechanism, so on and so forth ~ where will all
this lead to?
History is never boring, the teacher is.
First discovered in 1920-1921 at Harappa by Rai
Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni, the Indus Valley Civilization came to be known as
Harappa Civilization. Some
of the most striking aspects of the discoveries are the town-planning and
architecture, art and crafts and the social, cultural and economic condition
of that era. Much has been known about the town-planning and architecture
of the Harappan civilization. The cities boasted of well-planned roads -
wide and straight, houses provided with an efficient drainage system and
ventilation. ~ Like other great discoveries, the
discovery of the Indus Valley civilization was grounded and shaped by the personal and professional experiences and interests of the various characters - ranging from the brilliant Rakhaldas Banerji to the tragic Luigi Pio Tessitori as also the institutional circumstances of those times. ~ In about 1920
there was enough interest in the site of Mohenjo-daro ("mound of the dead") for the
archaeologist
Rakhal Das Banerji to excavate there. In the first season Banerji's team
found
the remains of a large city built mainly from baked brick. However, they
did
not know when it might have been built or who might have built it.
Banerji's
team found objects such as weights, beads and finely painted pottery.
Perhaps
the most important finds were small square seals like the ones found at
Harappa
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Excavations
continued
throughout the 1920s and 1930s with several teams of excavators. During
this
period, the site was divided into different areas. Each area was given a
'title' based on the name of the archaeologist working there. In doing
so, they
began uncovering a civilization so vast in its extent that at its peak
it is
estimated to have encompassed a staggering 1.5 million sq km - an area
larger
than Western Europe.
Between around 3500 BC
and 2000 BC, people in the Indus Valley built more than 100 towns. The largest
were Mohenjo-Daro (situated on the right bank of the River Indus/Sindhu, excavated in
the year 1922 by Rakhaldas Banerji) and Harappa (situated on the left bank of
the river Ravi/ParuSNI), with populations of 40,000-50,000. These towns had large granaries,
brick houses, public baths, elaborate drainage system, and streets laid out in neat grid patterns. Farmers grew wheat,
barley, peas, mustard, cotton, and rice on land fertilized by yearly Indus River floods. They
also raised animals (animal husbandry?) Domesticated animals were kept in the
house. In towns, people made cloth, pottery, metalwork, and
jewelry. On the coast, they went abroad to trade. Agriculture was their main occupation. [Were they also agripreneurs? Did they convert waste to
energy?]
While Mohenjo-daro and Harappa were rightly
regarded as principal cities, there were at least several others such as
Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Dholavira (in Gujarat), Banawali (in
Haryana), Kalibangan (in Rajasthan - excavated in the year 1953 by A. Ghosh),
Lothal (in Gujarat - excavated in the year 1957 by S.R. Rao and M. S. Vats) and
Mehrgarh (in Baluchistan: 7000 BC - c. 2500 BC i.e. 9000 AD; believed to be one
of the world's oldest cities... it represents the long-lasting early spring [and
not quite the high summer] of the Indus Civilization). There's also Chanhudaro
- one of the bigger sites - first excavated by Nani
Gopal Majumdar in March, 1930 and again during winter field session of 1935-36
by the American School of Indic and Iranian Studies and the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston team led by Ernest John Henry Mackay.
In the '70s, when Braj Basi Lal, a former ASI
director-general, began excavating Kalibangan, a site in the desert sands of
Rajasthan, he was amazed to find evidence of a field of crossed furrows dated
to around 2900 BC, preserved by a strange quirk of nature. Looking around he
found that farmers in the region used a similar ploughing technique even after
5,000 years. The ancient houses had tandoors (earthen ovens) similar to ones
found in kitchens in the villages in the area. As Lal says, "It was as if
the present was the past and that despite the passage of time not much had
changed." Extensive study of skeletal remains in the region showed that
the people were in good health and, more importantly, there was a diverse mix
of population just as at the present. ~ The conclusion: we had unity in diversity even then! ...
That the Indus was indeed the nucleus of the civilization's
growth is fairly certain. However, given the vastness of the Indus
civilization,
the first casualty is the earlier notion of Harappan homogeneity. It is
clear
that there was tremendous regional diversity just as we have in modern
India. And that this assemblage of people was originally
from the subcontinent itself, they did not come as migrant hordes from
Central
Asia. [So, was the Indus Valley Civilization, rather the Sindhu-Sarasvati
Sabhyata
the oldest civilization in the world? ~ My guess is as good as yours.]
Was the Shivalik... enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to
the Brahmaputra too part of where it all began? [Shivalik means 'tresses of Shiva'.] New evidence from several sites show a remarkable continuity of culture over a
period of 2,000 to 3,000 years before the Indus Valley peaked. Dholavira, for
instance, shows the existence of small farming and pastoral villages on the
same site before it was transformed into a bustling metropolis. [Besides, the same kind of burnt brick appears to have been used
in the construction of buildings in cities that were several hundred miles
apart. The weights and measures also show a very considerable regularity,
suggesting that these disparate cities spread out across vast swathes of land shared a
common culture. ~ Although there is a general unity in style and
symbol over this vast area, there are specific regional styles too. The manufacture
of symbols is also slightly different for each region. The unified character of
this culture continued for almost 700 years, after which there is evidence for
a gradual trend towards regional styles (ca.
5000-2600 B.C).] The Harappans took the great leap from
self-contained agricultural societies to a trade-oriented, luxury-conscious,
sophisticated, urban civilization that gave the world the concept of town
planning. Analyzing the evidence from various sites archeologists found that
between 2600 BC and 2500 BC, the Harappans experienced a century of cathartic
changes. A tremendous jump in human ability is evident. (This
transformation could not have been sudden, it probably happened gradually - organically - over a period of 100-200
years. ~ So what or who caused it?) The beginnings of village farming communities
and pastoral camps were reported as early as 7000 to 5000 BC. But developed
farming communities, which grew wheat and barley, emerged around 4300 BC.
The Indus 'Priest King'
probably indicates "Rajarshi" [Raja + Rishi] ~ A non-extravagant, just, erudite, wise and benevolent
ruler (chief/king/caretaker of the entire "pura"); a well-wisher of the people. It could also mean "Purohith" -
someone (a ruler/king/chief) who
worked for the good (hith) of the entire "pur" or "pura" (region/place);
someone
who endeavoured for its all-round progress. | Maybe this word
(purohith) later
gave rise to "priest" (anglicized) - along with a change of meaning, of course.
The
seven greatest capital
cities of the Rama civilization were known in classical texts as
'The
Seven Rishi Cities'. Rishi (Sanskrit: ṛṣI) signifies enlightenment,
wisdom and
knowledge; it was also an honorific for highly learned and knowledgeable
persons. | Maybe, these Seven Rishi Cities were knowledge hubs or
thinking
hub. Priest-Kings (meaning: "Great Teachers" or "Masters")
who governed the cities were essentially Brahmana statesmen. [Brahmana
implies the
light of wisdom or the wisdom of knowledge; Brahmana can also be
interpreted as
sensible and enlightened persons with a broader worldview or outlook. (Brahmana is not to be misconstrued for "Brahmin", that indicates priestly class).]
Some of
them belonged (probably) to the benevolent aristocracy of the Rama civilization.
Today
they are generally called "Priest-Kings". They were apparently persons
whose mental powers/intellect were of a degree that would seem
incredible to
most moderns. (Maybe even Chanakya can be called a Brahmana-statesman.)
Lothal - the cradle of the subcontinent's oldest
civilization; Lothal,
literally "Mound of the Dead" (in Gujarati), is the most extensively excavated site of
Harappan culture in India, and therefore allows the most insight into the story
of the Indus Valley Civilization, its exuberant flight, and its eventual
decline (and subsequent diversification). The excavation of Lothal, an Indus port-town
located off the Gujarat coast, created waves. It shattered notions that the
Indus was a landlocked civilization, conservative and isolated, and as a result
sank without a trace. Excavations (by Rao) uncovered a dock 700 ft long - even
bigger than the one currently at Visakhapatnam. It took an estimated million
bricks to build it. Next to the dockyard were massive granaries and specialized
factories for bead-making. Hundreds of seals were found, some showing Persian
Gulf origin, indicating that Lothal was a major port of exit and entry. [Indus
seals were found both in Iraq, where the ancient Sumer civilization flourished,
and in the Persian Gulf.] Indus sailors
appear to have discovered the trade winds long before Hippolus, and their
maritime interests were vast. "Harappan traders were among the most
enterprising," says Jagat Pati Joshi, another former ASI director-general,
who discovered Dholavira. Like modern-day Indian businessmen, the Harappans had a huge
domestic market to cater to. The climate around that time was conducive for
growing a variety of crops in the region. Harappans are credited with being the
earliest growers of rice and cotton. The agricultural surpluses ensured craft
specialization. And, at its peak, the Indus was dotted with over 300 cities of
varying sizes, supported by hundreds of towns and villages, which supported a
cottage industry. Quality standards seem to have been strictly observed,
resulting in uniformity of arts and craft. And the flourishing trade was an
energizer that powered Indus' phenomenal growth in the middle of the third
millennium BC. It brought prosperity that saw the cities provide their citizens
with the finest of drainage systems and reservoirs to supply water. And helped
them evolve into one of the greatest civilizations ever. (What
does seem clear is that the important sites were commercial centers. They are
on rivers or near the coast. Various specialized manufacturing facilities
suggest that they were heavily involved in trade with each other and far
outside the region.)
Once a sleepy pottery village, Lothal
rumbled awake to become a flourishing centre of trade and industry, famous for
its expertly constructed system of underground sanitary drainage, and an
astonishing precision of standardized weights and measures. Lothal passed
through all the phases of society; from earliest development to most
mature. At the height of its prosperity, it not only survived but also was
strengthened by three floods, using the disaster as an opportunity to improve
on the infrastructure. The fourth flood finally brought the settlement to the
desperate and impoverished conditions that indicated the end of a once-glorious
civilization. Lothal began as a small village on the Sabarmati river,
inhabited by people using "red ware" micaceous pottery (similar to
today's terracotta), during the Chalcolithic era. Sea-faring merchants, and
later the potters, masons, smiths, and seal-cutters of the Indus Valley
Civilization, established a colony at Lothal circa 2450 BC, bringing with them
their tools, technology, crafts, and expanded sea-borne trade. Lothal soon
became an industrial center, one of the southernmost outposts of the Indus
Valley Civilization, and (also) its most important port. | Around 2350 BC,
after all the houses were destroyed by severe floods, the people of Lothal
rallied together, or perhaps were led by someone (SarasvatI?), to not only rebuild the town,
but also to improve on it. They strengthened the walls of the fort, raised the
level of the town, built an artificial dock, possibly the first in the world,
and an extensive warehouse. A hundred and fifty years later, after the next
floods, they again came together to reconstruct the town into a larger city.
After the third severe flood circa 2000 BC, many inhabitants left the city to
move to higher and safer regions. When the city was again completely
submerged around 1900 BC, what is known as the Mature Harappan period gave way
to the Late Harappan Period. Farmers, artisans, and fishermen gradually
returned in the hope of rebuilding their lives, but the urban center could
never be regenerated. ~ The populace lived in poorly constructed reed huts,
with no drainage, and perhaps even a return to illiteracy. Yet, somehow, the
civilization continued here till the 16th century BC, long after it had
disappeared from the northern provinces. Gradually the town was abandoned and
silted up over the next few centuries.
Dholavira (on the salty marshes of the Rann of Kutch in
Gujarat) was a well-planned city with
broad roads, a city centre, a town with residential houses, and open spaces and
stadiums for markets and fairs. It is one of the two largest settlements in
India and the fourth or fifth largest in the subcontinent. Dholavira enjoys the
unique distinction of yielding an inscription of ten large signs of the
Harappan script: indeed the oldest sign-board of the world. A variety of
funerary structures is yet another feature of exceeding importance throwing new
light on the socio-cultural beliefs, thereby indicating the presence of
composite ethnic groups in the Indus population of Dholavira. [Archaeologist Ravindra Singh Bisht says:
"Exploring Dholavira is like opening a complete book on the Indus. We now
have answers to some of the most enduring riddles about the civilization."
For starters, Indus town planners are not as "monotonous" and
"regimented" as archaeologists had us believe. In Dholavira they
display a surprising exuberance that expresses itself in elaborate stone
gateways with rounded columns apart from giant reservoirs for water. Experts regard Dholavira as the most exciting
Indus find in recent times, one that threw up
remarkable clues about this great prehistoric (pracheen) civilization. ~ It is both a
revelation and a revolution. What they have been uncovering is turning accepted
notions on the Indus on their heads.] | Lothal, on the other hand, was a flourishing city, connected
to the sea at the Gulf of Cambay and there was active trade with Egypt,
Mesopotamia and Persia. One can find ruins of neatly laid-out residential
blocks, a township, a marketplace, and roads, public baths, drains and wells.
Thousands of objects that reflect the daily life of the people have been
excavated such as toys, utensils, beads, pottery, seals, weights and measures.
[A
possible fire altar indicates that the
Harrapans may have worshipped Agni. The ruins of a fire-altar suggest
that the people of Lothal worshipped Agni along with the sea god (Samudradeva, SarasvatI?).] The
people of Lothal made significant and often unique contributions to
human
civilization in the Indus era, in the fields of city planning, art,
architecture, science, engineering and culture. Their work in
metallurgy,
seals, beads and jewelry was the basis of their prosperity. A coastal
route
existed linking sites such as Lothal and Dholavira to Sutkagan Dor on
the
Makran coast. Lothal's dock - the world's earliest known, connected the
city to
an ancient course of the Sabarmati river on the trade route between
Harappan
cities and the peninsula of Saurashtra when the surrounding Kutch desert
of
today was a part of the Arabian Sea (earlier Sindhu Sagara). It was a vital and thriving trade
centre
in ancient times, with its trade of beads, gems and valuable ornaments
reaching
the far corners of West Asia and Africa. The techniques and tools they
pioneered for bead-making and in metallurgy have stood the test of time
for
over 4000 years. | We know ancient India was a hub of trade and had robust trading ties with other
lands. Foraminiferal microfossils, (around 4500 years old
from the site of the Harappan settlement in Lothal), establishes that
seawater
once flowed in Lothal and there also existed a dockyard. There were healthy trading activities, bustling ports, dockyards,
harbours and
shipbuilding, (in fact, this land was renowned for building sturdy
long-lasting ships).
Archaeological
finds from the excavations testify to trade with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
The hydraulic knowledge of the ancient Harappans can be judged by the fact that
boats could dock at Lothal in the 1850's. In 1942 timber was brought from
Baruch to nearby Sagarwala. It is said that then the dockyard could hold 30
ships of 60 tons each or 60 ships of 30 tons each. This would be comparable to
the modern docks at Vishakhapatnam. ~ A fascinating fact is the existence of two more cities
underwater in the sea nearby, which are as elaborate and advanced. | The
planned urban city of Mehrgarh, one of the oldest structured
settlements ever known was discovered and excavations begun by a French team
led by Jean-François Jarrige and Catherine Jarrige; the site was excavated
continuously between 1974 and 1986. Mehrgarh was equipped with water supply,
sanitation, markets, and shops. The most unique discovery is the first known
origin of dental surgery and related medicinal activities exercised in the
Mehrgarh area. [Dental caries (or cavities) are the result of sugars and
starches in the food we eat. Hunter-gatherers, who rely on animal protein, do
not generally have cavities.] It is also one of the earliest sites with
evidence of farming (wheat, barley, maize and dates) and herding (cattle, sheep
and goats) in south Asia. The artisans were very skilled particularly in
sculpture and jewelry-making, as well as in metal-casting. The oldest ceramic
figurines in South Asia were found at Mehrgarh. It was also some sort of a
centre for manufacturing various figurines and pottery; there are evidences of
well-equipped workshops. An abundance of ornaments and jewelry have been found.
Figurines of bronze and terracotta: women and animals, baskets, tools, beads,
bracelets, pendants and necklaces too have been discovered. Most of the jewelry
found are made of precious stones such as lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, turquoise, shells
and pearls.
'Pratham Aadi Taba Shakti':
'Tnaahare Arati Kare Chandra Tapan Deva Manava':
'Neel Digante Oi Phuler Aaguun Laaglo': link
'Phaaguun Haawaay Haawaay':
'Aanandadhvani Jaagao Gagane':
'Aanandadhaara Bohichhe Bhubaane':
'Ogo Nadi Apon Begey':
SarasvatI Gayatri Mantra: || OM Sarasvatyei Vidmahe, Brahmaputriye Dhimahi, Tanno Devi Prachodayat || AUM. I pay obeisance to SarasvatI, the Fountainhead of Knowledge, for awakening my mind to this reality and helping me believe in what, at some level, I instinctively knew was the truth. May we meditate on the Great Goddess Devi SarasvatI. May that effulgent Maha Sarasvati Devi inspire and illumine our mind and understanding.
... The ancient Indus people couldn't have copied their town-planning from Egypt (ancient Miṣr) and Mesopotamia because in those civilizations the roads meandered like village streets. Nor was the writing similar to Sumer's (Sumerian Civilization - ancient Iraq) cuneiform or the Egyptian hieroglyphics. The Harappans (the ancient Indus people) had their own distinctive style. The efficient and finest of plumbing/sewage/drainage systems, a network of underground drainage was a scientific system of drainage that shows a remarkably forward thinking concern for hygiene and sanitation. The cities were so well designed that (modern) Indians have not been able to replicate the town-planning feats/achievement of the ancient Indus engineers... even five millenniums later. The greatness of the Indus Valley Civilization (the Sindhu-SarasvatI Sabhyata) can be attributed to ancient Indian genius (and trade was the important factor.) | Excavations have uncovered a civilization so vast in its extent that at its peak it is estimated to have encompassed a staggering 1.5 million sq km - an area larger than Western Europe. In size, it dwarfed contemporary civilizations in the Nile Valley in Egypt and in the Tigris and Euphrates valleys in Sumer (Sumerian Civilization - modern Iraq). Its geographical boundaries are now believed to extend up to the Iranian border on the west, (one site in Afghanistan - so far), Turkmenistan and Kashmir in the north, Delhi in the east and the Godavari Valley in the south. Even extending to Rupnagar, in India, at the foot of the Shimla Hills 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to the northeast. Discovery of a large cache of gold and other ornaments reportedly belonging to the Harappan period (2600-1900 BC) by the villagers of Mandi in the Muzaffarnagar District of UP (in the year 2000) has also challenged previous notions about the geographic reach of the Indus Valley civilization. | Two things are clear: that Indus Valley was a misnomer, and that in size it was the largest prehistoric (pracheen) urban civilization - even bigger than Pharaonic Egypt. That it was governed much like a democracy (collectivism) and the ancient Indus people (the Rig Vedic people) were the world's top exporters. | What is now known as the Indus Valley Civilization (very likely) included the whole of modern India. | BG 10.24: || sarasam asmi sagarah || sarasam indicates SarasvatI. Sagarah refers to Sindhu Sagara. Asmi means, I am or is. Thus, SarasvatI is Sindhu (implying Samudradeva ~ Ksirodakshayi Vishnu (who reclines on the Shesh on Kshir Sagar). | Devi SarasvatI (in her earthly form [Adi Shakti?] is the Krishna-avatar) - Garbodakshayi Vishnu (reclining on the 'ocean of Garbha' - also implying amniotic fluid). [The famed Garba dance is part of Navaratri associated with Devi Durga. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term Garbha ("womb"). Many traditional garbas are performed around a centrally lit lamp or a picture or statue of the Devi Shakti.]
Indus Valley to history buffs, school students, history
classes on the Indus Valley civilization have always been simplistic. Even
dull. Most history textbooks talk of how the civilization appeared like a
meteor on ancient India's landscape, shone brilliantly for a while... and then
was snuffed out either by 'marauding Aryans' or sudden floods. ~ It's dead
boring, really. It's soporific - guaranteed cure for insomnia. Egyptian
mummies somehow seem to evoke more interest than the town-planning feats of the
Indus engineers. One wonders why there has been no study and/or discussion as
to just how stone-age farming communities took a giant leap forward and
transformed themselves into sophisticated urbanites living in cities so well
designed that Indians have never been able to replicate the achievement even 5,000
years later. Devi Sarasvati is wisdom personified. She is a prominent figure in Buddhist iconography, and is also
worshiped in Indonesia and Japan. So whether the Indus-SarasvatI
Civilization stretched up to the Far East or not (at least over a period of time) ~ my guess is as good as yours.
Pic: The Japanese Goddess Sarasvati ~ the Japanese Goddess of love, beauty, eloquence, persuasion, luck, good fortune and music, as well as a sea Goddess. She is often depicted holding a biwa, which is a traditional Japanese lute (she is also shown riding a dragon). Worship of the goddess arrived in Japan during the
6th through 8th centuries, mainly via the Chinese translations of the Sutra of
Golden Light, which has a section devoted to her. She is also mentioned in the Lotus Sutra. The Japanese Sarasvati is the goddess of everything that flows: water,
words, speech, eloquence, music and by extension knowledge. She is one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune who
sails on the Takara-bune, the Treasure Ship. She is enshrined on numerous locations
throughout Japan; for example, the Enoshima Island in Sagami Bay, the Chikubu
Island in Lake Biwa and the Itsukushima Island in Seto Inland Sea. | The Japanese Kangiten is similar to Sri Ganesha. Lakshmi to Kichijoten (Kichijjōten). Durga/Chandi to Juntei Kannon. Surya to Nitten. Chandra to Gatten. Hayagriva (the horse-faced Vishnu) to Ba-to Kannon. Vishvakarma (the divine architect of the universe, and the patron deity of architects, builders and craftsmen) to Bishukatsuma (sculpture, carpentry, and arts). Kubera to Bishamon/Bushamonten. Indra to Taishakuten. Garuda to Karura. (Karuras are sometimes depicted playing the flute). | Garuda is somewhat similar to Quetzalcoatl of Bali. Mayan Kukulcan and Gukumatz (responsible for teaching the Mayans about such things as how to run a civilization, agriculture, and medicine)? Among the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was related to gods of the
wind, of Venus, of the dawn, of merchants and of arts, crafts and knowledge. He
was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge. [Kukulcan is described in both Mayan myth and artifacts
as being tall, white-skinned, with long flowing white/silver beard
and hair and deep-blue eyes. The Mayans, on the other hand, were darker skinned Latin looking people, normally not very tall and with brown eyes.]
[Pic: An
elegant Balinese version of Sarasvati. Balinese
sometimes call her The Goddess of Knowledge and she is given homage every 210
days (some versions say every six months) by special ceremony and various offerings - Sarasvati Holy Day or Piodalan Sang Hyang Aji Saraswati. She is regarded as the source of knowledge and prudence, creator and protector of knowledge.] | The Balinese Goddess Vac: Artistic renderings depict Goddess Vac as an
elegant, graceful golden-skinned (Gauri - the golden-skinned one or the radiant one?) woman dressed in gold (an allusion to solar
energy?) ~ In Her secondary capacity (aspect) as a mother Goddess, She is depicted as a
cow (allusion to kamadhenu - the allegoric "wish-fulfilling cow" ~ possibly a metaphor for
prosperity, progress, auspiciousness, luck etc?) Devi SarasvatI is also known as "Varadey Kaamarupinee" implying kamadhenu. | The Balinese Goddess Vac: Vāk or Vāc is
the Sanskrit word for "speech", "voice", "talk", or "language", from
a verbal root vac - "speak,
tell, utter". Personified, Vāk is a Goddess; She is also frequently identified
with Bharati or SarasvatI, the Goddess of speech, creativity, music and art (and 'mother' of the Sindhu-SarasvatI Civilisation). ~ Devi
Sarasvati is also known as Vakdevi (Goddess of speech) or Vani. She is
described in the Rig Veda as not only speech (vāk) itself, but also as
truth (satya; Eternal/Primordial/Ultimate Truth, Purusha - or the Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being, as well as timeless essence/knowledge/wisdom - supreme or highest enlightenment, the stage where nirvana is attained - para vidya) and
perception, which allows humans to turn divine knowledge into words. | The Balinese Goddess Vac is associated with purification (cleansing, tidiness),
protection, offerings and communication; She is also believed to be a dispeller of
negativities/negativism. | Incidentally, water supply and sanitation in Japan is characterized by numerous achievements. It is essential for a sustainable society. Japan's waste management and recycling technologies and systems are among the most advanced in the world (including domestic wastewater treatment, sewage treatment). The country has achieved universal access to water supply and
sanitation; has one of the lowest levels of water distribution losses in
the world; regularly exceeds its own strict standards for the quality of drinking
water and treated waste water; uses an effective national system of
performance benchmarking for water and sanitation utilities. | In
Japan, SarasvatI is known by different names. She is associated with different
faculties like music, prosperity, grace/elegance, happiness,
eloquence, and wisdom and as one who confer strength on warriors (this form
of Sarasvati is worshipped by generals before going into battle). Sarasvati
and Her forms are popular divinities in Japan. In one of Her form, She is an inspirer
to poets and artistes; in another, for talent and willpower; in yet another, she is associated with Speech - and depicted
with a flute in her hands (reminiscent of the Krishna-avatar?) The
Martial
form (reminiscent of Devi Parvati - popularly known as Devi Durga?) is worshipped by generals before
going to war. ~ Therefore, can it be inferred that the so-called Indus
Valley Civilization (Sindhu-SarasvatI Civilisation) stretched up to Japan and Bali - in the Far East (at least over a period of time)? | Also: link. The 10-foot high statue of Sarasvati created by Nyoman Sudarwa (well known in Bali for carving statues). Mr. Nyoman was flown in from Bali along with his team (six of his stone masons) to carve the statue. In three weeks, he and his team sourced the materials and created the
statue of Sarasvati, without knowing a
word of English and worrying about snow that they had never seen.]
[Pic: The image of a goddess (in ancient regal attire)
at Indonesian National Monument, Jakarta. It is very likely the popular depiction
of "Ibu Pertiwi" in Indonesia.] Since ancient times the indigenous people of the
Indonesian archipelago often revered earth and nature spirits as a life giving/nurturing
mother, a female deity of nature. Perhaps, after the adoption ('cross-pollination') of the Hindu way
of life in the early first millennium, this Mother figure was identified with Prithvi (Dharitri/Vasundhara/Bhudevi),
the Earth goddess (mother goddess of Earth), and was thus given the name "Pertiwi" (possibly a
variant of "Prithvi" - due to change in phonetics). Ibu Pertiwi is a popular theme in Indonesian songs and
poems. In the national anthem "Indonesia Raya" there is a
reference to Ibu Pertiwi as the mother of Indonesian people. (Despite her
popularity in songs and poems, her physical representations and
images are rare.) | Our national song, Vande Mataram, too is an ode to the Earth goddess. [Sridevi (Devi
Lakshmi) and Bhudevi (Earth goddess/Prakriti/Vasundhara/Dharitri) represent the mithuna
rasi (Gemini) aspect. BG 10.33: || dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca || ~ "and among compound words I am the dual compound". Sridevi and Bhudevi is the Krishna-avatar.]
The Shankhachil or Brahminy Kite (Red-backed
Sea-Eagle) is distinctive and contrastingly coloured, with chestnut plumage
except for the white head and chest and black wing tips. In India, the
noble-natured Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) is considered as the contemporary
representation of Garuda, the 'vaahan' (allegoric vehicle) of Sri Narayan (Vishnu).
~ The Brahminy Kite (often referred to as the Singapore Bald Eagle) is also
called Shankhachil, since the white plumage of this bird is similar to the
white of a conch-shell (shankha). | Brahminy probably is derived from Brahmn or
Brahma (Devi SarasvatI - the Lady of Creation) - the Creator aspect of
the Eternal Divine/Cosmic Being (Param-atma) and/or Brhm
(pure/true/non-transient knowledge ~ light of wisdom, supreme or highest enlightenment).
| Known
as Elang Bondol in Indonesia, the brahminy kite is the official mascot
of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. | In
Malaysia, the island of Langkawi is named after the bird ('kawi' denoting an ochre-like
stone used to decorate pottery, and a reference to the bird's primary plumage
colour). [A fable from central Bougainville Island relates how a mother left
her baby under a banana tree while gardening, and the baby floated into the sky
crying and transformed into Kaa'nang, the brahminy kite, its necklace
becoming the birds feathers.] | Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi the
Jewel of Kedah, an archipelago of 104 islands separated from mainland Malaysia
by the Straits of Malacca, is a district of the state of Kedah in Northern Malaysia.
Langkawi means island of the reddish-brown eagle in colloquial Malay. The Malay
word for eagle is helang - which is shortened to "lang". It
was given the title of "Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah" in 2008. The
Dataran Lang, literally the Eagle Square, is the very first landmark that visitors
to Langkawi get to see. Located next to Lagenda Park near Kuah Jetty, the
square boasts of a huge statue of a reddish brown eagle (perched on a massive
rock, looking afar into the vast Andaman Sea) all geared for a flight. (It is brilliantly
illuminated at night).
Pic: The Japanese Goddess Sarasvati ~ the Japanese Goddess of love, beauty, eloquence, persuasion, luck, good fortune and music, as well as a sea Goddess. She is often depicted holding a biwa, which is a traditional Japanese lute (she is also shown riding a dragon). Worship of the goddess arrived in Japan during the
6th through 8th centuries, mainly via the Chinese translations of the Sutra of
Golden Light, which has a section devoted to her. She is also mentioned in the Lotus Sutra. The Japanese Sarasvati is the goddess of everything that flows: water,
words, speech, eloquence, music and by extension knowledge. She is one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune who
sails on the Takara-bune, the Treasure Ship. She is enshrined on numerous locations
throughout Japan; for example, the Enoshima Island in Sagami Bay, the Chikubu
Island in Lake Biwa and the Itsukushima Island in Seto Inland Sea. | The Japanese Kangiten is similar to Sri Ganesha. Lakshmi to Kichijoten (Kichijjōten). Durga/Chandi to Juntei Kannon. Surya to Nitten. Chandra to Gatten. Hayagriva (the horse-faced Vishnu) to Ba-to Kannon. Vishvakarma (the divine architect of the universe, and the patron deity of architects, builders and craftsmen) to Bishukatsuma (sculpture, carpentry, and arts). Kubera to Bishamon/Bushamonten. Indra to Taishakuten. Garuda to Karura. (Karuras are sometimes depicted playing the flute). | Garuda is somewhat similar to Quetzalcoatl of Bali. Mayan Kukulcan and Gukumatz (responsible for teaching the Mayans about such things as how to run a civilization, agriculture, and medicine)? Among the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was related to gods of the
wind, of Venus, of the dawn, of merchants and of arts, crafts and knowledge. He
was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge. [Kukulcan is described in both Mayan myth and artifacts
as being tall, white-skinned, with long flowing white/silver beard
and hair and deep-blue eyes. The Mayans, on the other hand, were darker skinned Latin looking people, normally not very tall and with brown eyes.]
The so-called 'Aryan
blitzkrieg' or 'Aryan Invasion theory' is fictitious. It never happened. ~ When the British archaeologist
(Wheeler) discovered a dozen or so skeletons, he propounded a theory
about the final massacre by 'marauding invaders' that put an end to the Indus
civilization. When an Indian scholar told him of Hariyuppa (or "Hariyupiyah") being mentioned in the Rig Veda,
he took it to mean Harappa. ~ And since a fort was known as pur or pura, and
Indra (possibly a 'title' for the king/ruler/chief of the ancient 'Deva'
people) was known as Purandhara or destroyer of forts, it all fitted
neatly. After all, weren't the Indus cities among the most fortified? ~
Archaeologists are known to stumble, but the kind of knocking that the 'Aryan
Invasion theory' has taken has few parallels. [The correct pronunciation is Arya, Aryan is anglicized.] There are still many misconceptions about this
culture that has resulted from the theoretical and cultural biases of the
earliest excavators. One other misconception is that the Indus
urban society was the result of colonization from Mesopotamia to the west (in
modern Iraq).
The 'Harappan' civilization is a phase (marked by the rise, intensification, diversification and subsequent evolution of an urban process) within the much earlier, more extensive and more durable Vedic Civilization that still continues. Across this wide swathe of land, there was no cultural homogeneity or monolithicism, whatsoever. There was a diverse mix of population too... and so, people of varied physical appearances peopled this civilization. And yet, an underlying cultural affinity existed - a shared 'way of life,' history, experience, knowledge, folklore, music, know-how, trade and so on. Thus, our unity in diversity go back a long way. The emphasis has been on acceptance and assimilation, not the condescending (superiority-complex-inducing) 'tolerance'.
The 'Harappan' civilization is a phase (marked by the rise, intensification, diversification and subsequent evolution of an urban process) within the much earlier, more extensive and more durable Vedic Civilization that still continues. Across this wide swathe of land, there was no cultural homogeneity or monolithicism, whatsoever. There was a diverse mix of population too... and so, people of varied physical appearances peopled this civilization. And yet, an underlying cultural affinity existed - a shared 'way of life,' history, experience, knowledge, folklore, music, know-how, trade and so on. Thus, our unity in diversity go back a long way. The emphasis has been on acceptance and assimilation, not the condescending (superiority-complex-inducing) 'tolerance'.
~ Climate change was a key ingredient in the (gradual) collapse
and/or diversification and/or fragmentation/shrinkage of the great Indus or Harappan
Civilization (beginning) almost 4000 years ago. There is clear indication that the rainfall pattern,
which had initially brought fertility to the land, had become adverse in (what is now) the Sindh region.
And given the instability of the Himalayan region, there may have been a
massive earthquake that possibly changed the course of rivers and (thus) affected many Indus cities. Another factor was the steep
decline in trade because of problems in Sumer (Sumerian Civilisation - modern Iraq) that resulted in a Great
Depression and turned many urban centres into ghost cities. Dholavira,
Banawali, Mehrgarh, Harappa - in fact, all the major cities show that as the
cities declined, encroachments on streets that were unseen at its peak began to
occur with alarming regularity. Houses became increasingly shoddy in construction. The city was dying. There was a breakdown in sanitation and cities
like their modern-day counterparts in India simply ran themselves aground. They
were replaced by massive squatter colonies and an explosion of rural sites as
people, disillusioned with cities, went back to farming communities.
Alternatively: It could also be that faced with
multiple challenges arising out of over expansion, over-exploitation of nature and unplanned
urbanization - disproportionate to essentials like water-supply and sanitation
(besides a sharp decline in trade) the ancient Indus people, in
their collective wisdom, decided to alter the course of their 'way of life' ~ and (thus) went
back to living in harmony with nature. ~ And this probably helped them breath
new life into the once-glorious civilization.
In a way, the Indus people simply adjusted to the changes and challenges
(both natural and man-made) - and so, the civilization lived on. Rather
flourished in its own way.
Although earlier scholars thought that the Indus
civilization disappeared around 1700 B.C., recent excavations indicate that the civilisation gradually became fragmented into
smaller regional cultures referred to as Late or post-Harappan cultures.
The ruling classes and merchants of the major
urban centers were no longer able to control the trade networks that
served to
integrate such a vast geographical area. The use of standardized
weights, writing and
seals became unnecessary as their social and political control gradually
disappeared. The decline of the major urban centers and the
fragmentation of
the Indus culture can be attributed in part to changing river systems
(due to climate change and change in rainfall pattern) that
disrupted the agricultural and economic system. As the river dried up
the Indus people migrated to the
central Indus valley, the Ganga-Yamuna Valley or the fertile plains of
Gujarat
in western India. The Indus river itself began to change its course,
resulting
in destructive floods. Certain distinguishing hallmarks of the Indus
civilization disappeared. Others, such as writing and weights, or
aspects of Indus
craft technology, art, agriculture and possibly social organisation,
continued
among the Late and post-Harappan cultures. These cultural traditions
eventually became
incorporated in the new urban civilization that arose during the Early
Historical period, around 600 B.C.
Evolution of the fluvial landscape: Landscape dynamics as the crucial link between climate
change and people. ~ By 3900 years ago, their rivers drying, the
Harappans had an escape route to the east toward the Ganges basin, where
monsoon rains remained reliable. We can envision that this eastern shift
involved a change to more localized forms of economy: smaller communities
supported by local rain-fed farming and dwindling streams. This may have
produced smaller surpluses, and would not have supported large cities, but
would have been reliable. But then, such a system was not quite favourable
for the sustenance of the Indus civilization as it was known (so as to maintain the well-knit 'high summer' phase of the
Indus civilization, which had been built on bumper crop surpluses along the
Indus in the earlier wetter era). This dispersal of
population meant that there was no longer a concentration of workforce to
support urbanism. Thus cities collapsed, but smaller agricultural
communities were sustainable and flourished. Many of the urban arts, such as
writing, faded away (possibly evolved), but agriculture continued and perhaps
diversified. [Maybe, due to the change in rainfall pattern/monsoon coupled with a warming world (climate change)
catastrophic floods (due to rising sea levels) turned much of the ancient Indus irrigation system,
designed for a tamer river, obsolete.]
Through the processes of over-expansion and
changes in important river patterns, the Harappan urban centers began to
decline around 1900 B.C., and the unifying cultural symbols of the cities were
no longer useful. However, the regional cultures that began to take form did
retain some of the characteristic symbols and technologies of the Harappan
culture. These continuities provide an important thread connecting the
developments of the first urban civilization to later cultures that became
dominant in the regions of the erstwhile Indus Valley civilization. Some of the
technologies, architecture, artistic symbols and aspects of social organization
that characterized the first urban centers of the Indus Civilization have
continued up to the present in the urban setting of traditional South Asian
cities.
..........................................
[SarasvatI Stotram.] 'Snow White' is (very likely) an allusion to Devi SarasvatI.
Yaa Kundendu tushaara haara-dhavalaa ~ She, who is as fair as the Kunda flower (Star jasmine or Jasminum multiflorum); as white (bright) as frosted dewdrops [dew is the purest form of water] or as white as snow. And who is adorned in pure white garland. All imagery depicts her as very fair-complexioned. [tushaara = as white as frosted dewdrops or as white as snow (tushaara). haara-dhavalaa = and who is adorned in pure white garland.]
Can 'Seven Dwarfs' be an allusion to the 'Saptarshi'? [The 'Saptarshi' were Brahmarishi, the highest Rishi. They had attained the highest divine knowledge or spiritual knowledge - Brahmajnana (knowledge of Brahmn). [Sanskrit: brahmarṣi, a tatpurusha compound of brahma and ṛṣi.] The Saptarshi can be termed 'vidyasagara': a vast knowledge stream, a boundless ocean of knowledge and wisdom. Rishi (Sanskrit: ṛṣi): signifies enlightenment, wisdom, erudition and knowledge - the light of wisdom; it was also an honorific for highly learned and knowledgeable persons.
BG
10.27: || uccaiḥśravasam aśvānāḿ viddhi mām
amṛtodbhavam || ~ "Of
horses know Me to be Uccaiḥśravā (Uchchaihshravas) produced from the churning of the ocean of milk (amṛtodbhavam or amṛta-udbhavam)." | Uccaiḥśravā (Uchchaihshravas):
the snow-white and seven-headed flying horse, considered the best of
horses and king of horses, produced/created during the churning of the
ocean ('samudra-manthan' or 'sagar-manthan'), also known as
'kshira-sagara manthan' - churning of the ocean (sagara) of milk (kshira) - an allusion to Sindhu Sagara - for the metaphoric 'amrit' (pijush or piyush). [However, shira can also mean 'head'. E.g. the ritual of Mastakabhisheka ("Head
Anointment") - a ceremony wherein the head is anointed from above with a
variety of substances (water, milk, flowers, etc.)] ~ This churning (samudra-manthan or kshira-sagara manthan) alludes to intellectual manthan (intellectual rigeour and vigour) - possibly indicative of the gentle 'awakening' or 'rousing' of the living and conscious energy -
kundalini - the latent spiritual energy that lies dormant in the sacrum
bone (a large, triangular bone) at the base of the spine. Upon
'awakening', it rises in a sensation akin to a slithering reptile, up
the
spinal column (Meru-danda) - also represented by the (allegoric) Mt Meru in the samudra-manthan or kshira-sagar manthan story.
When kundalini is fully 'awakened,' it (in a manner of speaking) causes enlightenment of the brain
cells. In other words: enflaming the Kundalini 'Fire' 'expand' the mind or 'ignite'
the brain cells. [Fourteen ratna is said to have emerged from this 'churning of the ocean of milk (kshira-sagara manthan),' though we only know of the navaratna. | Is the exceptionally lustrous Symantaka mani (the Krishna-avatar Herself) one of the other five ratna? Garuda? Kaustubham (possibly
indicative of the philosophers' stone - cintā-maṇI or
cintāmaṇi-ratna)?]
Yaa Viinnaa-Vara-Danndda-Mannddita-Karaa: Whose Hands are Adorned with Veena (a stringed
musical instrument) and the Boon-Giving Staff. Devi SarasvatI is also known as 'Veena-pustak dharini' or bearer of the musical instrument
(veena) and a book (pustak). Yaa Subhravastravrta: And Who is attired in pristine white garments. Yaa Svetapadmaasanaa: And Who is seated on Pure White Lotus (blooming in a wide stretch of water [neluhini]). | Devi SarasvatI is depicted as extremely fair-complexioned, clad in *pristine white attire (subhravastravrta) and seated on pure white lotus (svetapadmaasanaa). ~ This could be indicative of the highly revered Puṇḍarīka (Pundarika) or Pankaja/Svetakamala/DhavalaH kamala or Shubhra Kamala - "pure white lotus". [Dhavala is pronounced as DA wahl.] | Pure white symbolizes pristine - purity of mind (sattvic aspects, and supreme or highest enlightenment or the stage where nirvana is attained), calmness, serenity and spiritual perfection + embodiment of true/eternal (non-transient) knowledge (Para Vidya - light of knowledge/wisdom of knowledge or enlightenment). It also signifies tranquility.
[Pic: The seven chakras (wheel-like vortex) of the human body. Vital to our health, each chakra represented by a colour, is located
and focused on different body parts, yet they are interconnected. The seven chakras are located at the crown
(purple), brow (indigo), throat (blue), heart (green), solar plexus/pancreas
(yellow), spleen (orange), and base (red).] | Pure white lotus could also be a reference to the final state of the living and conscious energy - kundalini energy (the latent spiritual energy that lies dormant in the sacrum
bone [a large, triangular bone] at the base of the spine. Upon
'awakening', it rises in a sensation akin to a slithering reptile, up
the
spinal column (Meru-danda) - also represented by the (allegoric) Mt Meru in the 'samudra-manthan' or 'kshira-sagar manthan' story. When kundalini reaches the Sahasrara - the 7th chakra or crown chakra - the highest chakra, it
(allegorically) shines forth like a diamond disc/chakra (symbolically depicted by brilliant white) ~ signifying the light of wisdom = Surya-Kotti Samaprabha; as radiant as a million Suns [the real Koh-i-Noor or Symantaka mani.]
Yaa Brahma-Acyuta-Shankara-Prabhrtibhir-Devah Sadaa Puujitaa: Who is surrounded and
respected by the Gods, bless us. [Yaa Brahma-Acyuta-Shankara-Prabhrtibhir probably alludes to Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva ~ the cosmic phenomenon of 'Creation, Maintenance(preservation), Dissolution' implied by the the cosmic trimurti of SarasvatI-Lakshmi-Parvati/Durga.] Saa Maam Paatu Sarasvati Bhagavatii Nihshessa-Jaaddya-Apahaa: May the goddess fully remove our lethargy,
sluggishness, and ignorance.
Ksirodakshayi Vishnu or Anantasayana/Anantasayain Vishnu (who reclines on the Shesh on Kshir
Sagar) is the subtle or astral body - sukshma sharira (Devi SarasvatI). This Vishnu is Param-atma or Higher Self. The Supreme Hari. Gyanpeeth ~ perennial knowledge stream; Feluda's Gyanpeeth (and 'Dhakuria Lake'). A vast
unfathomable (achintya) reservoir of consciousness. Universal Consciousness. Highest Cosmic Intelligence. Cosmic Mind. | Ksirodakshayi Vishnu lives in Svetadvipa -
where there is an 'ocean' (samudra) of milk (kshira or kheer) ~ Sindhu Sagara (modern A. Sea). [However, could 'ocean of milk' or kshira-sagara imply thought-waves? Feluda's telepathy? | "I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details." - Albert Einstein. Nicola Tesla, father of electricity, as we know it today, said, "My brain is only a receiver. In the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength, inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists." Tagore's 'Aamar
Byala Je Jaye': link.] Incidentally,
the current kalpa is known as "Svhetavaraha Kalpa". (Svheta = white.
Varaha = the great one-tusked boar; Varaha - the third avatara of the Dasavatara is also regarded as the Supreme form of Sri Vishnu - the (cosmic) Preserver.)] | The Avatara (the unmanifested/avyaktah Param-atma in gross body [sthula sharira] or earthly form) is the Krishna-avatara (Sridevi + Bhudevi/Vasundhara/Prakriti). Kalika or Mahakali/Durga. The Param-atma has no earthly form or gender. Since atma is energy. However, it has been visually depicted, probably for the purposes of comprehension. Param-atma (Ksirodakshayi Vishnu or Anantasayana/Anantasayain Vishnu) and Avatara (Garbodakshayi Vishnu or Hiranyagarbhah) are non-different. | Vishnu
rules (i.e. is associated with) light, preservation, history, karma, infinity (boundlessness), sattvic or noble aspects, dharmic aspects (dharmic prnciples, etc) and the universe itself. This Vishnu is Anantajeet
(The Victor/ruler of Infinity), Avinasha (Indestructible), Achyut (Imperishable), Anaadi (Eternal, ever-existing), Brahmavid (Knower of
reality), Chakree (Holder of the Wheel of Cosmos), Anandi (Bringer of Joy), Dhanya (Bestower of
prosperity, happiness etc), Eka (the One), Naika (the Many), Guruttama (the greatest teacher/guru), Ishana (controller of
all spirits), Jyestha (the eldest, the foremost, the Primordial Being), Sukhada (the bestower of happiness), Rakshan (the protector), and Sarvagny (the
all-knowing). | Vishnuh: Long-striding (as with vigour). In Vedic
scripture, Vishnu's stride is said to be over the Earth, the Sky, and the
all-pervading omnipresent essence of the Universe (Brhmaand). Hence Sri Vishnu is
also known as Trivikram. Vishnu is invoked for balance, karma, healing, protection, preservation, discipline (self-discipline, character building),
accomplishment, forgiveness (magnanimity, ability to rise above ego-consciousness, ego-centricity and narrow selfish perspective), dharmic and sattvic aspects, grace, love, intelligence, holistic
solutions, overcoming darkness (confusion, indifference, ennui, ignorance, etc). Plants associated with Vishnu include holy basil (tulsi), blue lotus (pushkara or indivara), rose, and jasmine (Jasminum sambac). The Bodhi
tree (asvattaha) is the sacred tree.
*White reflects all the colours of the visible light spectrum to the eyes. The sum of all the colours of light adds up to white. Thus, white is the blending of all colours. [White light is made up primarily of red, blue and green.] ~ Light appears colourless or white. Sunlight is white light that is composed of all the colours of the spectrum. A rainbow is proof. We can't see the colours of sunlight except when atmospheric conditions bend the light rays and create a rainbow. One can also use a prism to demonstrate this. Thus, white is a combination of all colours, i.e. white reflects all colours. White objects, tend to reflect all types of light equally well, and tend to reflect most of the light falling on it. ~ An object we call 'white' reflects all wavelengths of visible light and therefore could be considered all-coloured. White light contains light of all frequencies. In that sense, white is a combination of all colours. [~ Black, on the other hand, does not reflect light. In the case of black, all the colours making up white light are absorbed which makes that object appear black. | shyAmaH or kRiShNa means black - kaalah. ~ It could be indicative of Kalika or Mahakali. She is also known as Shyama Kali. Time is Kaalah in Sanskrit.]
'SarasvatI Vandana Mantra':
..........................................
Yaa Kundendu tushaara haara-dhavalaa ~ She, who is as fair as the Kunda flower (Star jasmine or Jasminum multiflorum); as white (bright) as frosted dewdrops [dew is the purest form of water] or as white as snow. And who is adorned in pure white garland. All imagery depicts her as very fair-complexioned. [tushaara = as white as frosted dewdrops or as white as snow (tushaara). haara-dhavalaa = and who is adorned in pure white garland.]
Can 'Seven Dwarfs' be an allusion to the 'Saptarshi'? [The 'Saptarshi' were Brahmarishi, the highest Rishi. They had attained the highest divine knowledge or spiritual knowledge - Brahmajnana (knowledge of Brahmn). [Sanskrit: brahmarṣi, a tatpurusha compound of brahma and ṛṣi.] The Saptarshi can be termed 'vidyasagara': a vast knowledge stream, a boundless ocean of knowledge and wisdom. Rishi (Sanskrit: ṛṣi): signifies enlightenment, wisdom, erudition and knowledge - the light of wisdom; it was also an honorific for highly learned and knowledgeable persons.
'SarasvatI Vandana Mantra':
'Mangal-deep Jyele':
Bidrahi - 'Balo Bir Balo Unnata Mamo Shir': ~ The turns-of-phrase, imagery and metaphors are top-class. 'Bidrahi' is a poetic masterpiece. No other composition has quite been able to encapsulate the essence of the Universal Form of the Primordial Being (the Vishva-roop or Viraat-roop). | Bidrahi (Yug Purush; Change Maker, Renaissance or Transformative Personage) also brings out both the aspects: the metaphysical Param-atma, and the manifestation in earthly form (avatāra). ~ The unmanifested/avyaktah Purusha [Param Vishva Atma or Universal Cosmic Spirit - motive power and guiding spirit behind the mathematically precise universe; niraakar Param-atma, Supreme Hari] and the manifested/vyaktah Purusha-uttama [greatest of all beings], Avatara [saakar, with earthly form], Hari-Krishna. | James Cameron's 'Avatar' makes for an interesting watch.
The Param-atma is adhaataa (above whom
there is no other). The Primordial Being belongs to all - as the Creator, Cosmic Ruler and Cosmic Teacher. BG 9.29: || samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo 'sti na priyahye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham || ~ "I envy no one, nor am I
partial to anyone. I am equal to
all. However, whosoever prays to Me with a pure (unselfish) heart (or
renders selfless/nishkam service to humanity or possesses strong dharmic/sattvic/noble principles and virtues - for the greater good) I am also a well-wisher." | Swami Vivekananda's words too draw from it. || Bohu-rupe sammukhe tomaar aami, kotha khunjichho Ishvar? Jibe prem kare jei jan, Shei jan shebichhe Ishvar
|| ~ The divine is present in everything (the Universal Form of the
Primordial - the Vishva-roop or Viraat-roop - incorporates everything). | Service to mankind (not restricted to humankind alone) is service to God. That is true worship.
'Tamishwaranang Paramang Maheshwarang' (from Svetasvatara Upanishad): link.
[Nath or Pati is indicative of monarch ~ mahaadevah (the great devah); deveshah (the Lord of all devas) and adhaataa (above whom there is no other). | Nath = Vishva Nath; Pati = Jagat-patih ~ Lord of Creation or the Cosmic Entity/Ruler.]
'Tamishwaranang Paramang Maheshwarang' (from Svetasvatara Upanishad): link.
[Nath or Pati is indicative of monarch ~ mahaadevah (the great devah); deveshah (the Lord of all devas) and adhaataa (above whom there is no other). | Nath = Vishva Nath; Pati = Jagat-patih ~ Lord of Creation or the Cosmic Entity/Ruler.]
...........................................
Culture constantly evolves, it is never stagnant. | National progress and prosperity consists of an
appropriate if not an optimum matrix of economic engines... that should be a
source of support or major sustaining factor. An appropriate nation-wide grid of economic engines, a
healthy matrix, is required for the most important machine ever - the economic
engine.
There is an anecdote involving Tenali Rama or Tenali Ramakrishna - the
great wit. Tenali Rama prayed to Goddess Kalika. After a while She
appeared before him - carrying a bowl of milk (representing wealth) and a
bowl of curd (representing wisdom). She asked him to choose. Tenali
Rama (very intelligently) mixed the contents of the two bowls and drank
it. The goddess, impressed with him, blessed him with wealth and wisdom.
Perhaps the above anecdote indicates that Lakshmi and SarasvatI (representing two aspects) go hand-in-hand. And so, Tenali
Rama chose both.
India is
full of festivities, occasions, sights, weaves, crafts, cuisine, music and what not. Besides, holistic health (healing, rejuvenation, inner rhythm and balance - yoga, *ayurveda, naturopathy). And yet, barely any effort has
been made to achieve the tourism potential. (However, this requires forethought and sustainability measures. Not quite 'putting all eggs in one basket,' not quite 'killing the goose that laid the golden egg'. Besides, basic civic sense (including aesthetics and an effective waste-disposal mechanism),
etiquette and social behaviour too leave much to be desired.
~
Incredible India!
[On a side note: The white man is indeed more imaginative and a better
manager than the brown man. ~ The tragic state of affairs of our rivers reflects that
of India.]
Note: *Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term, made up of the words "ayus" and "veda." "Ayus" means life and "Veda" means knowledge or science. The term "ayurveda" thus means 'the knowledge of life' or 'the science of life'. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu" comprises the mind (manas), body (sharira), senses (indriyas) and the soul ~ implying holistic healing, rejuvenation - to protect health (prevent illness, eliminate dysfunctions and disorders, etc) and prolong life.]
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[Pic: Bankura Horse or the famous Terracotta Horse from Bankura. The Bankura
horse
has now come to be regarded as a symbol of artistic excellence/craftsmanship, and is the official crest-motif of the All India Handicrafts Board.] | Heritage and crafts - an attractive harmony between the traditional
past and contemporary present. It creates strong linkages between the two along an
integrated value chain. It helps showcase all elements of our dynamic and
visually spectacular elements of cultural practices; to share the experience of
these timeless cultural traditions with an ever wider audience. India has immense potential. Gourmet tourism, Lifestyle tourism, Holiday tourism (unforgettable holiday experience: sun, sand, sea, mountains, desert, eco holidays, sports, wellness, unique flavours and cuisine to indulge the taste buds, unbeatable shopping, an exciting and intriguing traditional culture; however, a safe and welcoming environment is a necessity). Craft tourism, Jewellery
tourism (including stylish and trendy unique, antique, designer, costume and ethnic jewellery, pendants, imitation jewellery, handicraft/handmade costume and fashion jewellery, accessories and nick nacks), Fashion tourism, Home décor tour (including decoratives, garden accessories, graceful and lively pottery art, crockery art, frescos/mural painting), Personal care (organic products), Heritage Crafts of India (including intricate crafts and designs, textiles, scarves and stoles, mats/rugs/carpets, handquilted/handmade products). | Cultural attractions and events are particularly
strong magnets for tourism. Art tourism (the role of museums, fairs/festivals and theatres in sustainable
tourism could also be explored, besides tourism gifts and merchandise). Medical tourism, Health and wellness tourism, Holistic
and Spiritual tourism (holistic and spiritual approaches/services with a strong
wellness base). Spirituality can be India's best Wellness Tourism asset
(Spiritual and Holistic products and services, traditional, lifestyle defining
approaches (e.g. yoga), wellness hotels and resort spas). [Therapeutic services and treatments are mainly
based on the availability of natural assets e.g. thermal waters/natural thermal
springs, geothermal hot springs, etc.]
[Pic: The colourfully painted and richly decorated Chhau masks. One is super amazed by these Chhau mask designs. They're masks designed for the Chhau dance-dramas and are adorned by the performers who play those parts. The dances have been handed down from one generation to the next, and were used to educate the populace about their history, culture and heritage.] | Showcasing indigenous martial arts, tribal martial dance, the energetic and lively masked and costumed dance, Chhau dance, ranging from the simple folk to highly evolved (the dancers perform magic with their body and choreography), other mask dances, etc. The masks are invariably integrated with towering headgear that gives them a resplendent touch. The movements alone become visual poetry. 'The Folk and Masked Dance Festivals of India' (along the lines of e.g. the very popular Bhutanese festival) to showcase India's magical mask dances. A symbiotic collaboration too may be possible. Aboriginal tourism (traditional folk music and dances, singing, traditional musical instruments, folk theatre, festivals, traditional toys and games, artefacts, cuisine, beverages, crafts, art, architecture, values and lifestyle, elements that helped shape their way of life). | Food stalls (A La Cart!) and food streets to showcase indigenous/local cuisine, street food and unusual dishes (a la Singapore). Indigenous/local/traditional beverages. Music
tourism (music, dance and art forms including folk songs and music, music festivals). | Ethnic weaving and textile, fabric art, designs et al
need not be confined to aesthetic kurtas/kurtis, saris or 'ethnic wear'. They
can extend to vibrant, funky and cool T-shirts, shirts, tops, skirts, shorts, caps, tunics, cardigans, trousers, jeans, shawls, stoles,
jackets, ties, bags, wallets, trendy belts and colourful cummerbund, upholstery and so forth. Stunning. Stylish. Classic. Smart elegance. Easy to maintain. ~ Holiday must-haves, leisurewear,
workwear, corporatewear, festival/occasion-wear, winterwear, neckwear, hospitality uniforms (ties and scarves, aprons, vests and jackets), travelwear and so on. Natural dyed textiles. Tie-and Dye. Even fabrics
can be mixed and matched. Tourism and hospitality sector: Crockery art. Interesting vehicle art. Frescos/mural painting. | Perhaps traditional footwear too can be adapted to cater to wider aesthetics and made user-friendly. [If the Aloha shirt, commonly known as Hawaiian shirt, or Hawaii T-shirt for that matter, is so well-known and sought after, surely we can do better. | Creative, innovative and distinctive names may be helpful, alongside smart advertising and promotional plan.]
Cultural tourism can play a significant role in regional development. Cultural tourism (or culture tourism) encapsulates beautiful vignettes of India. Showcasing a country or region's culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those people, their art, architecture, lifestyle(s), and other elements that helped shape their way of life. | Intangible Cultural Heritage: embodied in those practices, expressions, knowledge, and skills (handicrafts and the visual arts; gastronomy; social practices, rituals and festive events; music and the performing arts; oral traditions and expressions; and, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe) - transmitted through generations and constantly recreated. | Natural, artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage, to allow traditional cultural products, crafts and folklore to survive and flourish, rather than causing them to degenerate and/or become standardised. | Fostering the responsible use of this living heritage for tourism purposes can generate employment, alleviate poverty, curb rural flight migration, and nurture a sense of entrepreneurship, contentment and creativity. Tourism offers a strong incentive for preserving and enhancing intangible cultural heritage, since the revenue it generates can be channeled back into initiatives to aid its long-term sustainability. A symbiotic partnership between communities and the tourism and heritage sectors can make it happen... and help it flourish (i.e. ensure that the traditions of the past are maintained and adapted). | It will help bring as much benefit as possible - spiritually, in education and healthcare, and economically, through the direct and indirect creation of employment opportunities, and tourist revenue will continue, contributing greatly to the local economy.
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Note: *Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term, made up of the words "ayus" and "veda." "Ayus" means life and "Veda" means knowledge or science. The term "ayurveda" thus means 'the knowledge of life' or 'the science of life'. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu" comprises the mind (manas), body (sharira), senses (indriyas) and the soul ~ implying holistic healing, rejuvenation - to protect health (prevent illness, eliminate dysfunctions and disorders, etc) and prolong life.]
....................................
Cultural tourism can play a significant role in regional development. Cultural tourism (or culture tourism) encapsulates beautiful vignettes of India. Showcasing a country or region's culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those people, their art, architecture, lifestyle(s), and other elements that helped shape their way of life. | Intangible Cultural Heritage: embodied in those practices, expressions, knowledge, and skills (handicrafts and the visual arts; gastronomy; social practices, rituals and festive events; music and the performing arts; oral traditions and expressions; and, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe) - transmitted through generations and constantly recreated. | Natural, artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage, to allow traditional cultural products, crafts and folklore to survive and flourish, rather than causing them to degenerate and/or become standardised. | Fostering the responsible use of this living heritage for tourism purposes can generate employment, alleviate poverty, curb rural flight migration, and nurture a sense of entrepreneurship, contentment and creativity. Tourism offers a strong incentive for preserving and enhancing intangible cultural heritage, since the revenue it generates can be channeled back into initiatives to aid its long-term sustainability. A symbiotic partnership between communities and the tourism and heritage sectors can make it happen... and help it flourish (i.e. ensure that the traditions of the past are maintained and adapted). | It will help bring as much benefit as possible - spiritually, in education and healthcare, and economically, through the direct and indirect creation of employment opportunities, and tourist revenue will continue, contributing greatly to the local economy.
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Reviving 'Jugaad Innovation', a frugal, flexible, imaginative and
inclusive/holistic approach to innovation - the spirit of Indian innovation. It
is embodied in not merely the
ability to effectively work with limited/scarce available resources, but also in creating
something relevant and useful. Imaginative thinking, ingenuity and resourcefulness. The
ability to think constructively and differently. To do more with less. The art of making more out of
less. However, being economical, collaboration and adaptability are
important factors. This approach (the jugaad mindset and its
associated practices) can lead to growth and sustained revenue streams. The
entrepreneurial spirit of jugaad is not improvising but dynamic and
empowering... as long as the
Indian spirit of "jugaad" is around. Jugaad is about extending our
developing world understanding of
entrepreneurial spirit by effectively tapping into the innate ingenuity of Indians (euphemistically known as 'dimaag ki batti') across social and
economic groups and across the length and breadth of the country. Indian jugaad (our unique approach to
innovation and finding cost-effective solutions/economically viable products) can
also hold important lessons for emerging economies as well as for India. Affordability
for the consumer and economies of scale for the manufacturer. [Intensifying
competition and growing consumer aspirations need not be impediments or stymieing
factors; it depends on the approach, product and opportunity. It could potentially bring even better
products for the consumers. Frugal innovations can also have high technological
quality and aesthetics. It can benefit end-consumers and firms, simultaneously.
It may also encourage more firms to tap markets at various levels and
sub-levels/intermediary levels of the economic pyramid.] Jugaad Innovation can (therefore) lead to a myriad of opportunities
and breakthrough growth (over the next few decades). Medicine (including medical
devices) needs frugal innovation. And so does the consumer electronics and
automotive industry. Medical technology: the need of the hour is frugal
innovation. The rebuilding of India's healthcare infrastructure will drive
strong demand for medical
systems. "Frugal Engineering" - the process of reducing the complexity and cost of a good and its production - is one of the
aspects of Jugaad and can be a precious resource/talent. In an
increasingly complex and resource-constrained business environment, Jugaad Innovation (Creative/Resourceful Innovation), the spirit
of jugaad, the jugaad mindset, could be an invaluable
asset. India could emerge as a laboratory/lead provider and market for Jugaad Innovation.
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