"You often hear it said - "Time is on our side". Well ... This is Time. She is On My Side." The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as KaalRatri - the Blackest Night, the Night of Death, The Iron Night, The 'Stillness' of Time - and the 'Destroyer of Darkness', the Annihilator: … Continue reading KaalRatri – The Seventh Night of NavRatri; The Seventh of the NavaDurgas
Indo-Europeanism For The Modern Age
Katyayani – The 6th NavaDurga, The Sixth Night Of NavRatri
The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Katyayani - Mahishasura Mardini Herself, the Devastator of the Demon. And, not at all coincidentally, one of my favourite of the NavaDurga Forms. In many ways, the tale of Ma Katyayani may be considered emblematic of so much of the Durgan mythic corpus - insofar … Continue reading Katyayani – The 6th NavaDurga, The Sixth Night Of NavRatri
SkandaMata – 5th of the NavaDurgas, 5th Night of NavRatri
The Fifth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as SkandaMata - the Mother of Skanda (Kartikeya), one of the foremost of our War Gods. He takes after His Mother in that regard 😀 Of course, before situating SkandaMata within the overarching context of the NavaRatri Cycle, it is necessary to briefly introduce Lord Skanda, … Continue reading SkandaMata – 5th of the NavaDurgas, 5th Night of NavRatri
ChandraGhanta – Third of the NavaDurgas, The Third Night of NavRatri
The Third Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as ChandraGhanta - She Who Is Crowned With The Half-Moon In The Shape Of A Bell, to render it somewhat figuratively. Now, before going further (and for that matter, picking up the narrative thread where we left off with last night's Brahmacharini post), it is necessary … Continue reading ChandraGhanta – Third of the NavaDurgas, The Third Night of NavRatri
Pitru Paksha – The Fortnight of the Ancestors
Today marks the commencement of Pitru Paksha - the Fortnight of the Ancestors. This is an ancient Hindu custom whose core elements will be immediately familiar to you. Partially due to the existence of somewhat comparable observances in Western European cultures such as the Celts and the Romans (such as the strikingly similar annual 'Parentalia' … Continue reading Pitru Paksha – The Fortnight of the Ancestors
“Cyclone Mahavatya Rudra” Jai
I've seen a bit of chatter on here about the naming conventions for cyclones/hurricanes in the US/Caribbean - and, in particular, how these may possibly be both sexist AND ineffectual, on grounds that the average American apparently finds storms with female names less threatening [thus leading to reduced readiness, and often a higher death toll … Continue reading “Cyclone Mahavatya Rudra” Jai
BHARAT MATA AND THE INDO-EUROPEAN DEIFIC OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
August 15th is India's National Day - the hallowed anniversary of Independence. And for that, we have prepared something a little bit different for publication here at AA. Now, you may be wondering why we are posting to mark a civic, political observance rather than something which is prima facie a religious one of ancient … Continue reading BHARAT MATA AND THE INDO-EUROPEAN DEIFIC OF NATIONAL IDENTITY
“Loud May We Speak, With Heroes In Assembly” – An Indo-European Reflection On ANZAC Day
[pictured: a parade of New Zealand veterans of the Gallipoli campaign - the original ANZACs - ANZAC Day 1958] I wrote this on ANZAC Day last year after I got home from Temple [there are, no doubt, some rather interesting potential resonances to be explored in it having been Hanuman's Day; particularly given the symbolism … Continue reading “Loud May We Speak, With Heroes In Assembly” – An Indo-European Reflection On ANZAC Day
arya-akasha 