Grandfather In The Sky – An Account Of Nuristani Imro Appearing To His Shamans, Situated In Indo-European Context

It is Wednesday - Woden's Day - and therefore, something a little different. This is another excerpt from Richard Strand's interview with the Nuristani Vasi headman, Zaman Xan, in 1973. See if you notice anything … familiar sounding from a comparative Indo-European perspective: Speaking of his tribe's shamans, and their manner for encountering Imra / … Continue reading Grandfather In The Sky – An Account Of Nuristani Imro Appearing To His Shamans, Situated In Indo-European Context

Interview With A Nuristani – The Mediation Via Memory Of Some Detail Of Their Once-Living Faith

Earlier this week, we ran an article looking at some of the issues with Kalasha / Nuristani religion - specifically, why claims of its being a somehow 'more pure' and 'pre-Vedic' Indo-Aryan faith don't really stack up.  I said in the course of that piece that I'd be adding more substantive material in subsequent efforts, … Continue reading Interview With A Nuristani – The Mediation Via Memory Of Some Detail Of Their Once-Living Faith

The Religion(s) Of The Kalash & Nuristanis – Psychoanalyzing The Pre-Occupation With Proclaiming Them ‘Pre-Vedic’

Something I have meant to write upon for some time, are the religions of the Kalasha and Nuristani groups found in the mountainous northern borderlands of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They attract attention for obvious reasons - because they are not what we expect from this area. This is partially because of their sympathetically resonant story … Continue reading The Religion(s) Of The Kalash & Nuristanis – Psychoanalyzing The Pre-Occupation With Proclaiming Them ‘Pre-Vedic’

The Last Integral Aryan Civilization – A Manyu-Festo

"Bare is the back of the brotherless man."- Burnt Njal's Saga ; Iceland, 13th Century Every year on August 15th, we publish a tribute-piece for the Independence Day of India. This year, we elucidate the concept of India as the world's 'Last Integral Aryan Civilization' [a phrasing coined by my associate, Aldo Rapace] - and … Continue reading The Last Integral Aryan Civilization – A Manyu-Festo

Vedic Dragon-Slaying In Sogdian Armour ? A Mural Of Panjikent

Something that has truly given me cause for wonder as we've been delving further into the mysteries of Indo-European Central Asia … is just how immediately recognizable certain myths, certain figures, certain truths remain even 'midst seemingly unfamiliar overlay. This fine rendering from Penjikent in modern-day Tajikistan is just such an instance. A Sogdian depiction, … Continue reading Vedic Dragon-Slaying In Sogdian Armour ? A Mural Of Panjikent

The Sogdian Shiva Weshparkar of Panjikent – Arte-Facts #13

It is Wednesday - which, in the Northern European end of things, is Woden's Day. Therefore, as has become our custom … fine Shaivite devotional (A)Art-i posting. Now this beautiful depiction has been upon my mind for some weeks now - because if you were asked to draw a fearsomely formidable Lord of the Wind … Continue reading The Sogdian Shiva Weshparkar of Panjikent – Arte-Facts #13

Telling Your Problem The (Siddhi-Shifting) Size Of Your God – Bajrang Bali Ki Jaye !

It has been said that faith is not telling a God the size of your problems - but, rather, telling your problems the size of the God. Apt wisdom for a Tuesday. Where we honour Hanuman, depicted in the photograph. And before somebody asks - no, no that is not He there on the right … Continue reading Telling Your Problem The (Siddhi-Shifting) Size Of Your God – Bajrang Bali Ki Jaye !