Ravan’s Family – Surpanakha

Surpanakha was Ravan’s sister and some say, the second woman, (after Kaikeyi) who was responsible for the entire epic of Ramayan. Without these women and their actions, the whole chain of events might not have taken place. Before we go into what Surpanakha did and why, let us first know who she was, besides being Ravan’s sister.

Surpanakha (Sharp nails, in Sanskrit), was the one of the key women characters of the epic. Surpanakha was named Meenakshi (fish-eyed) at birth and like her mother was extremely beautiful. She was married to Asura Dushtabuddhi and enjoyed great favours from Ravan at his court. But Dushtabuddhi’s greed for more power saw him soon lose favour of Ravan, and in due course of time, Ravan had him killed.

The widow Surpanakha, was filled with anger and spent her time in Lanka and with her in-laws who used to reside in the Southern parts of India. When she saw Ram and Lakshaman in the forest, she proposed first to Ram and then on Ram’s recommendation, to Lakshaman. To cut this part of the story, she is supposed to have tried to attack Sita, as she was the reason, behind Ram’s denial, and Lakshaman ended up severing her nose. Needless to say, that both Ram and Lakshaman did have a bit of fun at her expense, tossing her proposition from one to the other, which was the main reason of her anger.

It was this act that provoked Ravan to kidnap Sita as an act of revenge. But let us look at the matter from a different angle too. According to some versions of this episode, Surpanakha had no actual interest in both Ram and Lakshaman. She had been trying to avenge her husband’s death, but was unable to do so as Ravan was very powerful and quite invincible. It needed someone with divine powers, to kill Ravan. She knew about Ram and felt that Ram could be a perfect match for the might of Ravan and it was her idea of pitching the two in a battle, which she did succeed at the end of it, thru her designs.

Though Valmiki has described Surpanakha, as an ugly woman, some versions of the South have described her as a beautiful woman, worthy of her name Meenakshi, however, she could have been middle-aged and definitely not of Sita’s age and looks. Though we do not hear about Surpanakha, in the epic after the particular episode, but scholars feel that she lived a life of a recluse in the court of Vibhishana, who took over the reins of Lanka after the death of Ravan.

Many scholars feel that Surpanakha was one of the most misunderstood characters of Ramayan and had Ram and Lakshaman not made fun of her and reasoned with her, the whole matter could have been resolved well. Also, severing the nose of a beautiful woman for a proposal (even if we are to believe that it was an indecent proposal!) is quite a non-chivalrous thing to be done by a warrior (who then was in the garb of an ascetic). But then there are numerous incidents where Lakshaman has displayed his hot-headed nature.

I also believe that the only mistake of Surpanakha was that she was not beautiful as per the Aryan standards and that she expressed her amorous desire openly and was aggressive. Acts of expressing one’s mind openly and asking for something directly was not seen as good standards for women in those days, and that could have made Lakshaman react the way he did, thereby also setting a norm of public behaviour. Let’s not forget that it was the same Lakshaman who had drawn a Lakshaman rekha (which was a limiting line) for Sita too later in the epic, which definitely had different connotations.

To conclude, so who was Surpanakha – an anti-establishment individual or was she a liberated feminist of her times? Or simply put, was she a victim of differing standards of courtship by a different culture?

Ravan’s Family – Meghnaad

Meghnaad was Ravan’s son and an extremely brave and courageous warrior and according to some scholars, a great citizen too. It is said that when he cried soon after his birth, it sounded like thunder and lightning, and thus he was named Meghnaad.

During one of the battles with the gods, he had won a victory over Lord Indra, and was awarded the Brahmastra (a weapon) and was christened, Indrajeet (one who achieved victory over Indra), by Lord Brahma. Besides Brahmastra, Meghnaad had access to other divine weapons like Pashupatastra and Nagpaash, or the serpent spell. In the entire Ramayana, Meghnaad has been lauded for his battle skills and was quite a formidable force for both Ram and Lakshman. It was during the battle with Meghnaad that Lakhsmana was seriously wounded, which needed Sanjivani buti from the mountains. With all his skills and his ability to steal victory, he too had even tried to reason with his father, Ravan, that they were fighting a war for the wrong reasons and that he should return Sita to Ram and save Lanka from destruction. But Ravan would not heed to any suggestions and on the orders of his father, Meghnaad went back to the battle field to face imminent defeat. Many scholars compare his devotion to his father being similar to Rama’s devotion to Dashrath.

On conquering Indra, he had tied Indra to a chariot and when he was taking Indra away, Lord Brahma intervened and sought the release of Indra. In return he was granted a boon, of invincibility. However, this invincibility could be broken if the Yagna preceding any battle could be disturbed by someone. This knowledge was with Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravan, who had moved on to Ram’s side during the battle. He shared this with Lakshman and together with Sugriva, both of them manage to disturb the Yagna that Meghnaad was performing on the third day of the battle. Thus Meghnaad was defeated by Lakshman and a great warrior, had to meet his end by the collective deceit of Vibhinshan, Lakshaman, Kuber and others who participated in the disturbance of the Yagna.

The heroism and the victorious death of Meghnaad has been depicted in a famous poem by the noted Bengali poet and author Michael Madhusudan Dutt, in his epic poem, “Meghnaad-badh kabyo”, which was first published in 1861, which took Bengal by a storm, since in this Meghnaad was depicted as the tragic hero who was wronged by the gods, for a change!

Ravan’s Family – Kumbhakarna

Statue of Kumbhakarna in Kumbhakarna Gardens, Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh, India

Kumbhakarna literally means a person with ears as large as a pot (kumbha – pot, karna – ears. He was the younger brother of Ravana, in Ramayana. He has always been depicted as big and huge, both in size and in his appetite! Kumbhakarna was a child’s delight to read, or see in movies or hear about. The imagery is so vivid, that anybody who is found sleeping soundly, or is sleepy, is at times referred to as Kumbhakarna.

But do you know why he used to sleep so much?

Like Ravana, Kumbhakarna, too decided to do penance to Lord Brahma, to seek blessings. Satisfied, Lord Brahma, appeared to Kumbhakarna, and granted him a boon. Kumbhakarna had planned to ask for “Indra-asana”, meaning the ‘seat of Indra’. But just when the words were to come out of his mouth, the power of speech, in this case, Goddess Saraswati played a trick on him and tilted his tongue a bit, and “Indra-asana”, became “Nidra-asana” meaning, ‘bed to sleep’! Some versions say that Kumbhakarna was planning to ask for “Nirdevatavam” meaning ‘annihilation of devas’ but ended up asking “Nidravatvam”, i.e. ‘sleep’. Lord Brahma immediately granted the boon, by saying – tathastu – so be it!

But Kumbhakarna, realised the folly and said that he did not want eternal sleep, and reasoned with Lord Brahma, as to why would anybody do penance for sleeping his full life, and die at the end of a life of sleep? After listening to his arguments, Lord Brahma felt sorry for him, but he could not take back the boon already given to him. So he struck a compromise of sorts and said that he would henceforth sleep for six months and then wake up and eat for six months, before going back to sleep again.

This way, he ended up sleeping for six months, but waking him from near-dead sleep was an ordeal, so all sorts of noise was made, armies and animals were made to move all over his huge body, hoping that at some point he would wake up. Due to all strength energy being unutilised for such long periods, on waking up, he could smash a full army single handed. He was also a glutton when it came to food and six months of not eating anything would starve him to no end, so on waking up, he would need barrels and tons of food to satiate his six-month hunger.

This is the story behind, Kumbhakarna’s long duration of sleep!

Janus – the two headed God

Janus was a Roman god and is portrayed with two heads, one looking forward and the other looking back. In due course he became the symbol of New Year, with one head looking at the year gone by and the other looking at the New Year.

Janus is also from where the first month of the year, January, gets its name.

Janus, in ancient Rome was known as the god of the gates, whose one face saw the people who came into the house and other looked at those who were in it. Janus symbolized transition, from past to future. Janus was in the middle in every divide, be it of civilizations, age or seasons or coming-of-age.

New Year Resolutions

It’s once again that time of the year, when we make New Year resolutions, especially to break them within a few days and tell one and all, how we took the resolutions and broke it too. Each tries to outdo, in the number of days s/he took to break the resolution, the lesser the self-styled winner! Now I know what Bob Dylan meant when he wrote “The Times they are a-Changin”!

But let’s see how the practice of making New Year resolutions started. The tradition of making New Year resolutions began way back by the ancient Babylonians. They felt that it was a good idea to start the New Year by returning items borrowed from each other. It gave one an opportunity to turn into a new leaf and begin the year with a clear conscious. This gave rise to the modern day practice of making New Year Resolutions.

No, I did not make any resolution, as I think it’s a bad habit to break resolutions, but not making a resolution, is not one!

·         I don’t need to kick the habit of smoking or drinking; rather I have friends who would want me to resolve to take up drinking, at least party-drinking some say!

·         I don’t need to reduce weight, so there’s nothing to resolve there.

·         I go for morning walks, quite regularly, so what do I resolve for, to be irregular?

·         I don’t borrow anything from anybody, except from Banks, and they know how to get it back from me. Their headache, not mine!

After all the good habits that I have, the following are the resolutions my wife wants me to take, and she gave me a list. ME, can you beat that?

¹        Resolve to talk less – and then do what?

¹        Resolve to see my inadequacy as one, rather than make a virtue out of it – I wonder what she means by this??

¹        Resolve to worry less and take life easily – Gosh, and I haven’t even told her that the world might come to an end in 2012.

¹        Resolve to do some household chore – I think she meant some more! Whoever tried to satisfy a woman is a failure, ask me!

¹        Resolve to go for a vacation sometime – 52 weekends of malls, movies, hotels, restaurants, rest, chill out (at home), phew! is not enough? Repeat the above comment about satisfying women!

¹        Resolve to be more social and meet people – you mean at their homes? Invade people’s privacy?

¹        Resolve to be a bit religious – a bit? Now that’s a bitter pill!

With so many changes that she wants out of me, I might turn into a ‘new’ and ‘improved’ version of the nice old me! I wonder why I feel like a detergent soap! But then she also said that she loved me the way I was! What a contradiction!

I am truly flummoxed and have no clue if I should continue with my old good habit of not taking any resolutions, or should I try out my wife’s list? Anybody out there, willing to help me?

My wife’s friends and well-wishers are not eligible for sending in their suggestions!!

The Year that was….

Its curtains for 2010, and when I look back at the achievements of the year, I don’t know which glasses to see through – the positive or the negative glasses. To avoid the confusion, I decided to put on my bifocals!

The good things about the year were that we did well in sports. India has started collecting medals and we have started showing up in the medals tally! India has come out of the shadows of being a single-sport (read Cricket) nation, and has started flexing muscles, literally, in other sports too. We seem to have done well in the international arena, where we are standing tall and all by ourselves. We have done away with the crutches of the developed nations and are a nation to reckon with and the visits by the premiers of six developed nations, is a testimony to that.

The list of bad things can go on, what with the second half being the year of scam-stars and fraudsters. When the sportsmen brought us laurels, the officials made sure, that the country hangs its head in utter shame. When technology was trying to show its potential, the serpent of corruption raised its venomous hood. When the system was trying to shelter its war-widows, the powers-that-be tried to take it away from them, in a crass display of cheap greed. Mangroves are making way for airports; Social workers are made to suffer humiliation by a few wanton justice-keepers, politicians are stooping to cheap gimmickry called funeral-politics, brazen outburst, and what have you.

As a nation we are today a combination of manav and danav. Some are epitomes of humanity and we can still some living examples of them, but unfortunately we can also see the danav’s in their full nakedness. It is said this is prakriti, nature, a blend of both. Life is all about striking a balance. But as a law-abiding citizen, the layman seems to be having law against it, and the upholders of law, seem to have made a slave out of the blind-folded lady. So what should the mere mortals like you and me do? Wait for Lord Vishnu to don the Kalki avatar or be one himself/herself? What if Lord Vishnu is in his cosmic slumber?

Rise O ordinary Indian! Speak your mind, and take action for yourself. Vishnu will come when he has to, but you do your bit. Vote for the right candidate, speak out in forums, stop paying bribes, teach true values to our children, raise your voice against child-labour, stop female infanticide and vulgar displays of misplaced honour……. The list can go on. But that’s not the point.

The point is with so much to do, how much is each one of us willing to do? How far are we willing to traverse naked-foot that extra mile? It is said – that god helps them who help themselves, and that is the truth behind the delay in Vishnu’s Kalki avatar. We have not done enough for Him to feel that we have done our bit. If as a nation we resolve to do our bit, we might not even need Kalki, the danav’s, asura’s, and the rakshasha’s of our nation will meet their end anyways. This is the time for the might of the mortal. So wake up O Indian and take your rightful place in the limelight. Don’t let any botched hand take away this right of yours. If we do our bit, I am sure as the noted lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi has said – ‘Woh subaah kabhi to aayegi, ….’

With this optimism, which is the hallmark of every Indian, I wish all my readers a very happy New Year and may 2011, bring the much needed dawn in the resurgent India!

This has been my 100th article in this Blog, and I would like to thank each and every one of you who have been following my Blog! Have a great 2011!

Do you know why Brahmins are Poor?

Well there is an interesting myth regarding why Brahmins are poor.

First another myth from Brihatdharma Purana. According to this myth, Goddess Lakshmi was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and she used to worship Shiva everyday and as a ritual used to offer one thousand lotuses during the worship. During one such day, she realised there were two lotuses less, and it was already too late to go looking for the lotuses. It was then that she remembered that once Lord Vishnu had described her breasts as blooming lotuses. She immediately decided to offer them for her worship. Lakshmi cut off one of her breasts and when she was about to cut off the second one, Lord Shiva appeared and stopped her. Satisfied with her worship, Shiva then changed the breast into a the Bael (wood apple) fruit and sent it down to earth to grow outside every temple of Shiva’s. 

Though Bael fruit and its leaves are offered to Lord Shiva, it is supposed to be the house of Goddess Lakshmi. Now let’s get back to the original question, as to why are Brahmin’s poor?

Once Lord Vishnu asked Lakshmi that she visited everybody and changed their fortunes, but why did she never visit the Brahmins, especially when they were responsible for the upkeep of temples, the abode of gods on earth, and were also knowledgeable and followed all religious rituals and practices and also helped other people to follow them?

To this, Lakshmi replied, that she was upset about the fact that the Brahmins, kept tearing off leaves from her home (i.e. the Bael tree) and offering them to Shiva. When they didn’t take care of her home, then why should she enter the homes of Brahmins? 

I guess, Vishnu had no answer to this, and we have probably got the answer to first question!

Sharabha Deva – A form of Lord Shiva

All of us are quite well aware of different forms of Shiva, be it in the form of Pashupati from the Harappan times, or Rudra from the Vedic times or other forms like Mrityunjaya, Sadashiva, Maheswara, or Nataraja form. The ascetic form and the family form of Shiva or the Linga form of Shiva are all well known.

However, let me introduce a relatively unknown or lesser-known form of Shiva and probably a form whose motivation was more ‘political’, which I will come to later. It is the Sharabha form of Lord Shiva.

Sharabha Deva killing Narasimha

According to Shiva Purana, Sharabha was a fierce looking creature. It had the wings and beak of a bird, body of a lion, sharp teeth, many legs and huge arms. It had sharp claws and was blazing fire. Its voice was like thousands of thunders striking together and the three eyes were like raging fire.

The myth has its origins in the Narasimha avatar of Vishnu. Having achieved its purpose of killing the demon Hiranyakashipu, Lord Vishnu was supposed to go back to his original form. But Narasimha having tasted blood was in no hurry to return to his original form. There was a growing belief that Vishnu might not go back to his form, and so to tame it, Lord Shiva had to take a more dangerous form to subdue it. A battle ensued, where Narasimha tried to strike at Sharabha only to realise that Sharabha was invincible. On striking Sarabha, it was Vishnu who groaned in pain only to realise that it was none other than Lord Shiva, and thus was Narasimha subdued, who later sang praises of the Sharabha Deva!

This rationale of such a form of Shiva can be found in the conflict between the Shaivites and Vaishnavites. The Bhagvata Purana mentions Hiranyakashipu as a terror to mankind and to eliminate him, Lord Vishnu had to come to earth in the form of Narasimha. The Skanda Purana however, mentions Hiranyakashipu, as just an irritant on earth and not at all a terror. One must not forget here, that Hiranyakashipu was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, though the boon given to him was by Lord Brahma! The Shaivites believe in this form of Lord Shiva and find its rationale of taming a form of Vishnu, quite palatable, however, the Vaishnavites do not believe in Narasimha being defeated by Sharabha. Rather, they believe that Narasimha manifested itself into Sharabha after killing the demon and Sharabha even finds place in the 1000 names of Vishnu (Vishnu Sahasranama)!

Believing in Sharabha Deva is left to ones individual inclination. Sharabha Deva in due course stands for the Lord who destroys those who cross moral and ethical boundaries.  

The Jujube Tree

Ber is the fruit of the tree Zizyphus jujube – a small, hardy tree that yields small berry like fruit, called the ber. Not many know that the ber tree or the Jujube tree can grow from just a small root leftover even after it has been cut. Some say, because it is a sturdy plant, but as usual the answer of this trait of it lies in mythology.

In Ramayana, after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, both Ram and Lakshman were looking for Sita. It was then that they heard a faint voice, calling them and it was none other than an ill-kept Jujube tree. When Ram went to it, the tree, recounted the incident, that when Sita was being taken away, it tried to stop with all its might, but because it had weak branches, all it could manage was to tear off a small piece of cloth from Sita’s sari, which was also a testimony to its effort to stop the kidnapping.

Ram was moved by the gesture and granted it immortality, by saying that henceforth, even if the tree was hacked from its roots, it could grow back to life from a small leftover of the root.

The ber fruit has been again immortalised in the episode of Shabari and her ber, where Shabari would bite a bit from each ber before offering it to Ram, in the later chapters of Ramayana. Many scholars feel that the selection of the ber fruit is kind of odd, as it is not a very popular tree in India, but to put in some logic in the selection of the fruit could be that ber could have been a totem tree of the concerned tribe which Shabari belonged to.

Santa Claus

Is Santa Claus a mythical character? Well many might know that Santa Claus is based on a true character of the 4^th Century Bishop of Myra, who was known as St. Nicholas. Just how did he change into a “ho-ho”-ing Santa Claus? Well it seems to come from the Dutch pronunciation of St. Nicholas, which is Sinterklaas!

So what is it about Santa Claus coming down the chimney bringing gifts for children? This ‘belief’ comes from the famous and oft-recounted, story of St. Nicholas and the merchant Demetri. Nicholas (who was anointed Saint later), was well meaning and was known for his kindness and generosity. There are numerous stories of his generosity being extended towards numerous people including children, women and just about anybody who needed aid. One such instance is about a merchant Demetri who didn’t have money for the dowry of his daughter’s wedding. It is said that Nicholas, dropped a bag of gold coins down Demetri’s chimney. Such stories and many other were later adapted to the character of St. Nicholas post his Sainthood. Though, December 6^th was celebrated as the Feast Day of St. Nicholas, over the years, it has got merged with Christmas and is now celebrated on December 25^th. 

Though the origins of St. Nicholas have Dutch roots, the modern day version of Santa Claus, has its beginnings in America of today. The present day avatar of Santa Claus being a cute old man who is slightly overweight, is based on the drawings of cartoonist, Thomas Nast. Over a period of time, the cute drawings got well ingrained in people’s mind and the present day pot-bellied, bearded Santa Claus is what has stuck on in people’s minds. Along with Santa Claus, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and other characters and concepts have got attached and today you have a whole bunch of myths associated with St. Nicholas.

So Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, children have loved this character over the ages. Parents have helped perpetuate this myth of Santa watching children from the heavens, and bringing gifts only if you have been good all the year, etc.! Children over the years have been children, but parents still buy gifts keeping up with the tradition of Nicholas, giving gifts to all who are in need. Many also feel that the practice of giving gifts to all during Christmas is based on the gifts brought by the Three Wise Men (Magi) to the new-born Jesus.

Whatever, the practice, or the belief, and despite the accusations of commercialising a religious festival, I for one feel, that anything that brings a smile on someone’s face is worth doing, and that should be the true nature of any festival. So this festive season, spread the cheer and joy and give from your heart!

Merry Christmas to all and hope Santa visits your home, through the door as many of our apartments do not have chimneys anymore and may he bring along with him all the goodies that you need or want or simply wish!!

Are Marriages made in Heaven?

Marriages they say are made in heaven, may be, I have no clue, since I haven’t been to heaven as yet and am in no hurry to do so, either. For that matter, I don’t know anybody, who has gone to heaven or would be! Do you?

But on this day, I have a very basic question to ask, to people who come out with such sayings, and end up making mountains out of pimples. Why heaven? Let me analyse some great couples whose marriages are definitely subject of the heavens. How many of we mere mortals would like to exchange places with these great couples?

Ram & Sita from Epic Ramayan

A marriage which was definitely destined to take place and such a godly couple was never to be seen. A wife like Sita and a husband like Ram, who was the maryada purushottam – a man amongst men! The marriage began well, till things came to a state of exile ending with the kidnapping of Sita, followed by a battle. Such a heavenly wedding was rocked by palace intrigues and the taunts of laymen, ending up with the banishment of Sita during her pregnancy. She then gives birth to twins and continues to battle the hardships of a single mother in the jungle, till she manages to reunite her children with Ram, but ends up giving up her life. Anybody willing to exchange this marriage with theirs? Not me – not beyond the kidnapping, for sure!

Shiva & Parvati from Hindu Mythology

Shiva, a loner, an ascetic and living a Bohemian lifestyle; Parvati a princess, in love with Shiva, and willing to go to any extent to appease him. Parvati after a lot of penance manages to convince Shiva and the two get married. The wedding procession of Shiva had, all sorts of ghosts, goblins and creatures, with the groom on a bull! It is said that Parvati’s mother had fainted on seeing the wedding procession, but that’s not important. Also, the wedding attire of each member of the procession – a subject that is best not delved in, is also I guess not important! The groom stays on a mountain top. If all this is not enough, Shiva is known for his famous anger which burns up everything and makes the world tremble under his feet. Supposedly, the only husband whose anger surpasses that of his wife, but that is a different matter! Any takers for such a married life? Let’s move on!

Zeus & Hera from Greek Mythology

Zeus and Hera, the two chief deities of the Greek pantheon. Zeus, known for his affairs, with goddesses, nymphs and mortals and Hera known for her jealousy, and her vindictiveness. All through his life, Zeus keeps his affairs on and Hera chases him and his partners everywhere, with his partners bearing the brunt of her ire. Any takers for such a married life? Well to begin with, I do envy Zeus and his ability, virility, but wouldn’t it be better with a bit of a less nagging wife than Hera? Food for thought!

Vishnu & Lakshmi from Hindu Mythology

My last couple, considered to be the best of all, a life of fun, glamour and colour. Vishnu, the man amongst all, with an ability to do all that gods are well known for – has it all. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, one who grants prosperity. Great wife to have. But all the myths suggest that the two seldom spend time together. Vishnu is busy taking different avatars on earth, chasing demons, and the chanchal Lakshmi left alone quite often, keeps moving all over the place (this place is quite huge) like a butterfly! Both happy and seldom complaining. I think the lack of proximity is the key to the success of this marriage! As they say, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’.

Having analysed all the four marriages, I must say, I am happy my marriage was not made in heaven, but on earth, and like earth, my marriage has its mountains and valleys and sometimes deep drowning oceans too!

I don’t want a wife like –

• Sita, who suffers in silence, because I am used to a lot of shout-back by now!
• Parvati, even though she never complains – that’s too much of a luxury for a mere mortal like me!
• Hera, as she is too much of a nagging and suspicious woman.
• I wouldn’t mind a wife like Lakshmi who is the embodiment of wealth, but on second thoughts, I don’t want a wife who is so ‘chanchal’, and keeps flying away like a butterfly!

I am happy and content with what I have, besides the fact that I love status-quo! I do agree with the fact that change is good, but only if I was Zeus! But since that might not happen in the 21^st century,

• let me trust my wife and be by her side, especially when she needs me the most, unlike Ram;
• let me remain worldly and control my temper (do I have a choice?), unlike Shiva;
• let me be true to her unlike Zeus, &
• let me always be with my wife, unlike Vishnu!

Who cares where my marriage was made – I feel on top of the world today!

Happy Anniversary – my dear wife!

Mythical Birds

We have till date read about real birds like peacocks, roosters, owls, etc. and their mythical symbolism. Today we will talk about mythical birds – birds that existed only in myths. Creative, unbelievable and magical, to say the least!

Phoenix is the most famous of all the mythical birds. Phoenix was a bird which resembled an eagle, found in the Greek and Egyptian myths. According to the myths, a Phoenix could live up to 500 years and then it would build a nest of fragrant herbs and spices and set itself on fire. However, a new bird would emerge from the ashes. The act was more of a symbolism for immortality or the concept of rebirth. It is from this myth that we derive the English phrase – to rise like the Phoenix.

Harpies were Greek mythical birds, which had the body of birds with the faces of ugly females. They were agents of punishment and were cruel and violent. Harpies, who were three sisters in all, were actually the personification of the destructive nature of the winds.

Griffin

Griffins again were Greek mythical birds, with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Their main role was to guard treasures.

Hoyl was a mythical bird, in the Garden of Eden. According to the myth, hoyl was a bird which did not eat the forbidden fruit that both Adam and Eve had eaten. As a reward, the bird was granted immortality of sorts. The bird never dies, it just goes off to sleep, till it is destroyed by a divine fire, in which an egg remains, and from that comes out a full grown hoyl.

Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl was one of the most important figures of the Mesoamerican mythology. Quetzalcoatl was a feathered serpent; the green-plumed part symbolised the heavens and the wind and the snake symbolised the earth and fertility. Quetzalcoatl was one of the most important gods in the Aztec culture and images of the god were found in the temple ruins in Mexico. The images of Quetzalcoatl have been found with images of rain and water, suggesting the gods association with the rain and vegetation.

Thunderbird was one of the most important figures in the Native American mythology, representing thunder, lightning and storm. The Thunderbird was also the protector of human beings from evil spirits. According to the myths, the bird caused thunder by flapping its large wings and it caused lightening by opening and closing its beak and eyes. The natives also believed that the Thunderbird was also involved in the creation of the universe.

Garuda

Garuda was a mythical bird from the Hindu mythology. This bird was eagle faced and was also the vahana of Lord Vishnu, but was also a minor deity in its own right. Garuda has many myths associated with itself and is very well known for its hate towards the serpents or nagas, and also has a role to play in many of the major Hindu myths.

Firebird was a mythical bird with golden feathers and crystal eyes that appears in the Russian folklore. It was the bird which would help Ivan the son of the Tsar and a number of tales have been woven around the benevolence of the bird.

Yatagarasu

Yatagarasu was a three legged Japanese mythical bird. Except for the description of three legs, there isn’t any mention of the nature of the bird. However, scholars have surmised that it looked like a raven or a crow. In Japanese myths, the appearance of Yatagarasu was considered to be an evidence of divine intervention. In some myths, Amaterasu, the chief deity is said to have changed into this bird and at times the vice versa. Nothing much however, is mentioned about this bird. The Chinese too have a similar three legged crow, known as Yangwu, which though has a description of a crow, is not black, but red.

Roc

Roc – or Rukh was a legendary bird from the Arabian mythology. The Roc has been described as an enormous eagle looking bird, often white, with huge wing-span (eight yards each), but with unbelievable strength, whereby it could lift an elephant in its talons. It used to lay massive sized eggs. A mention of this is found in the famous stories of Sinbad the Sailor. Many feel that this could have been a bird from the times of the dinosaurs, but there is no analysis on this.

The mythical birds, as mentioned earlier, were a creative delight. The earlier thinkers gave it a form and meaning as they saw or understood nature or the causes of nature. These birds were definitely not major parts of the myths, with a possible exception of Quetzalcoatl, who was amongst the prime deities, but were significant with their acts of benevolence, or impediments, or inherent symbolism. They added that extra aspect of fantasy to the myths, which makes the myths so endearing in its totality.

Owl

An Owl is a very intriguing bird probably because it is a nocturnal bird. Besides, its nocturnal habits, it is also supposed to be amongst the oldest of the vertebrate animals in existence as fossils dated back to more than sixty million years back have been found, and surprisingly it hasn’t changed much. Just as Wisdom over the ages doesn’t change much!

Owls have a special place in mythology across the world. Some mythologies see them as a very important bird whereas some see them as a sign of bad omen. Let us see how some of the cultures treat the owl as a bird.

In Hindu mythology, owl is the vahana of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. There are mixed interpretations of the bird. Some feel that sighting an owl brings luck whereas some feel that it’s a sign of bad omen. However, one common observation has been that a white owl brings luck, whereas any other owl is a sign of bad omen. Owls also have their association with things dark and sinister and death. Popular representations have associated an owl with the cemetery and the hoot of an owl is always associated with spooky feelings, and sometimes as harbingers of death.

Like the Hindus, the ancient Greeks too believed that owls were a symbol of good fortune and it had its association with the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena. But the Romans, like some Hindus, felt that the owls were bad omens and their cries always indicated death. It is said that the deaths of famous people was always predicted by owls, including that of Julius Ceaser and few other notables. The Romans also felt that sighting an owl before a battle was a prediction of defeat and dreaming of an owl by sailors was an indication of shipwreck.

The Welsh have a very interesting myth associated with Owls. According to the Celtic mythology, Blodeuwedd was a beautiful goddess created out of flowers by Gwydion to wed his son, Lleu. Blodeuwedd did not want to marry Lleu who was madly in love with her; instead she wanted to marry someone else. Together, Blodeuwedd and her lover conspired to kill Lleu, but Lleu was protected from death by the gods who had made him invincible, and could be killed under some very strange circumstances. Blodeuwedd seduced Lleu to reveal the secret, and later she and her lover manage to kill Lleu. However, Lleu still did not die since he was restored back to his original form. For this treachery, Gwydion cursed Blodeuwedd to turn into an owl and since then the owl haunts the night in loneliness and sorrow and is rejected by all the other birds.

According to the Sumerian mythology, their goddess of death was attended by owls. Besides the Sumerians, ancient Egyptians, the Chinese, Japanese and the Indians of Central and North America, also associate the owls with death. However, in the Navajo creation myth, an owl resolves a dispute between men and women, leading to the creation of the human beings.

Though the early cultures in Mexico considered the owls as sacred to their rain gods, the Aztecs later saw them as evil.

William Shakespeare in some of his plays has referred to the owl as harbingers of death. In spite of all its sinister leanings, the owl is also associated with wisdom and learning. The Greek goddess, Athena had an owl perched on her shoulder, which had the ability to see things that Athena couldn’t focus on, thus adding to Athena’s natural wisdom.

I think it is the nocturnal aspect of the bird which makes it so evil and deadly. The hooting of the owl too is not a very pleasing sound and this too seems to have added to the common thinking of the owls being the harbingers of bad news.

But a recent sighting of an owl from very close quarters convinced me, that it needs some attention and study. I hope I have been able to do justice to the poor owl who had got lost in the concrete jungle that I live in!

The Romance of Echo and Narcissus

A Painting of Echo and Narcissus

According to Greek Mythology, Echo was a nymph, who was well known for talking a lot. Once when Zeus, the King of Gods, was busy romancing some other nymphs, Hera, his jealous wife came down to earth looking for him. Zeus used Echo to distract Hera. Every time Hera asked something, Echo would start talking endlessly, giving enough time to Zeus and the nymphs to move away. It took some time for Hera to realise this and it upset her to no end.

Hera cursed Echo, that from then onwards, she would not be able to speak on her own; she would only repeat the last words of the person who speaks to her!

Narcissus was the son of a river god and a nymph. On his birth, the sages had predicted, that Narcissus, would live very long, provided he didn’t see his face. His mother immediately ensured that all mirrors be removed from the vicinity, and soon Narcissus grew up to be a handsome young man, who spurned, the love of many a nymph, man and woman, as he believed that none were worthy of his love.

After Echo had lost her ability to speak on her own, once she saw Narcissus, and fell in love with him instantly. During the chase in the jungle, Narcissus said – “Who’s there?”, and all poor Echo managed to repeat was “there”, and this went on, till Echo flung herself on him, to be violently rejected by Narcissus. This left Echo heartbroken.

Narcissus Flowers

The chase had left Narcissus, very tired and thirsty. He came across a clear still brook and decided to quench his thirst. Narcissus had always seen his shadow, but never his reflection. On seeing his reflection, he instantly fell in love with himself. He tried to kiss the beautiful boy he saw, only to realize that his love would never be reciprocated. But he was too much in love with himself and could not come to terms with the reality. He remained there near the brook, till his life drained out of him. When Echo reached there, all she found was a flower in the place where Narcissus, lay. This flower Narcissus is said to grow on the sides of rivers and brooks, as if Narcissus is still gazing at himself.

Echo in the meanwhile was saddened by the death of Narcissus, and it is said that she still wanders around in the mountains of the world, seeking her love. She is found in deep valleys and caves, and if you call out to her, and if she is home, she will answer back, the last words of the caller! That’s how we get the meaning of ‘echo’. Now you also know why a person who is so full of himself is known to have a ‘Narcissistic’ personality!

Parijat Flower

Parijat is a beautiful small flower, with snow-white petals and a red stalk. This flower blooms only at night and sheds flowers before sunrise. They flowers have its medicinal values, but we will focus on some of the interesting myths associated with the flower.

The first myth is a sad romantic myth. According to this myth, Princess Parijataka was in love with Sun, but her love was never reciprocated. Having lost in love, she committed suicide and from her ashes rose the Parijat tree. Since she is unable to bear the sight of her love during the day, she blooms only at night, and sheds the flowers as tears, before the sun rises. Some myths go on to say, that the tree sheds its tears on the touch of the first rays of the sun! The fragrant flowers spread their fragrance in the entire area, during the day, as a sign of undying love for her lover, the Sun.

Another myth too has a romantic link, but more as a bone of contention. According to this myth, the Parijat tree was planted in Indralok (the abode of Lord Indra) which was one of the gifts received from the samudra manthana, and thus was a celestial plant, not available on earth. To sow seeds of discord, Narada, brought some flowers from Indralok and gave them to Lord Krishna, and waited to see as to which wife he gave the flowers to. Krishna gave the flowers to Rukmini. On seeing this, Narada went to Satyabhama; Krishna’s other wife and told her about it. When Satyabhama’s jealousy was aroused well enough, Narada went on to give a solution to her. He suggested that she should insist on Krishna getting the plant itself from Indralok and plant it at her home, instead of a few flowers! Satyabhama decided to do that and when Krishna came to her quarters, she showed her anger and disappointment on the whole incident and insisted that he get the plant from Indralok.

True to his nature, Narada, in the meanwhile went and warned Indra that some earthlings were out to steal the celestial plant from his Indralok! When Krishna and Satyabhama were about to leave after taking a branch of the celestial Parijata tree, they were accosted by Indra and a battle took place, leading to Indra losing the battle. But Indra would not let it go so easily, and cursed that the plant would never bear fruits, though it might bear flowers, and thus since then the Parijat tree does not bear any fruit.

Having brought the tree to Dwarka, Rukmini too took fancy to the tree, because of its flowers. So Krishna planted the tree in such a manner, that though the tree was planted at Satyabhama’s house, when it bore flowers, they would fall in Rukmini’s home! Satyabhama had asked for the tree and she got it, and Rukmini wanted the flowers, and she had it too!

Another example of Krishna’s diplomacy.

Reality Shows, Gladiator Style

 

In ancient Rome, events that took place in the Colosseum and other such amphitheaters were of general interest to the people. Among the most common were gladiator fights and leaving prisoners of war and slaves in front of hungry wild animals. People in the Colosseum cheered at the sight of men fighting men and animals tearing men to shreds.

Today, TV reality shows have become a great source of entertainment. Bigg Boss is a very successful show. In this show, a set of losers, ex-convicts, out-of-work-models and stars and other such also-rans live in a house together, under the full glare of multiple cameras, with no interaction with the outside world.  They shout, shriek, fight, romance, backbite and scheme, all of which provides much entertainment to viewers. People watch these programmes for the crass display of vulgarity and foul-mouthed behaviour, which is despised in family situations but accepted when it is on television.

In ancient Rome, gladiators volunteered to fight. If they did not live up to expectations, they face disgrace and shame. If successful, fame and fortune were theirs. The gladiator would be accepted in society as a free man.

On shows such as Bigg Boss, Sach ka Saamna and Temptation Island (the Indian version of this one has not been launched yet. Thank God!), volunteers have agreed to live under banks of cameras for hefty sums — and the ultimate prize of fame and fortune. In the process, many face disgrace and are sometimes rejected for their unacceptable behaviour. Sometimes, though, the disgraced gets them more attention and success than the winner of the show has reaped. Fame, whichever way it is achieved, can lead to new career opportunities for the star whom the world would have otherwise forgotten.

With the Roman gladiators, the loser’s life was in the hands of the spectators. When a gladiator was overpowered by his opponent, the loser would raise his hand accepting defeat. The winner would let go of him and appeal to the audience for a decision. If the spectators showed thumbs-up signs, it meant the losing gladiator should be killed. Thumbs-downs indicated that he should be pardoned.

In reality shows, the contestant’s fate is in the hands of the viewers, who vote an inmate out of the house every week, thus eventually selecting the winner. Meanwhile, a minuscule percentage of the audience has realised that such shows are an insult to one’s taste and mental faculties, besides being offensive. So they prefer to be old-fashioned and tune in to the news or a quiz show.

What is the reason for the continued success of reality shows, then? It is Man’s inherent appetite for voyeurism.

Every individual has a secret desire to know what’s happening in people’s homes, behind closed doors. We all want to know — Rukmini Rukmini, shaadi ke baad kya-kya hua… khidki mein se dekho zara? This peeping-tom habit was always clandestine but television has brought it out in the open. Such open acceptance of voyeurism, and that too being satiated for children even without their asking or realisation, is making children lose their childhood before time and making all of us seem like hungry, salivating hounds.  

When such shows are promoting a culture of exhibitionism, glorifying humiliation, then why not ban them?

Times have changed. We do not live in the times of the gladiators and we do not have Roman emperors who could act on a whim. We supposedly live in an age of free speech, emancipation, self-control and, of course, democracy. Can we exercise some control and use the finger for the right button — to change the channel?

Do not degrade yourself just because a set of also-rans have decided to sell themselves to an audience hungry for scandal.

You decide!

The above has been published in the Mumbai edition of Hindustan Times dt. 12/12/10.

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/PUBLICATIONS/HT/HM/2010/12/12/ArticleHtmls/Speak-Easy-Reality-shows-gladiator-style-12122010004007.shtml?Mode=1