#Devi Patel

[theminecraftgay]

Lovesick hopeless romantic and his tall bf

✩ ☆ Commission Me! ☆ ✩

[baylardo]

Devi Patel visual ref!! :)

[aristccrats]

(simone ashley, 29, she/her, female, patel #3) I wonder how the season will treat DEVI PATEL. It’s true that SHE is EDUCATED, but I’ve also heard that they can be STUBBORN. Do you think they’ll find their match? I doubt it if what I heard is true. I heard that [REDACTED]. Of course, that’s just speculation. (pearl, 33, gmt, she/her, cheating/abuse).

GENERAL

full name. devi patel zodiac. libra gender. femaile pronouns. she / her sexual orientation. straight

APPEARANCE

faceclaim. simone ashley hair. dark haired eyes. dark dominant hand. right relationship status. single siblings. mira patel, priya patel, aravin patel

BACKGROUND

Devi is the third born of the Patel family. Growing up in India, the young woman was used to being surrounded by big spaces and animals. Her love for horses was established at a young age and it wasn't uncommon to see her leave early in the morning for a ride in the wild.

The prospect of ending married to a complete stranger after a financial arrangement with her parents was certainly not what she wanted. Every match found was sabotaged by her. Devi took pride in calling herself a free woman, who would marry when she would want and find a decent husband.

Alas, time was ticking and her brother realized that none of his siblings managed to find a suitor. To Devi's horror, all of them traveled to England after their older brother decided. According to him, they would perhaps find better suitors. British noblemen. From that moment, Devi held a grudge to her older brother. Feeling betrayed, the woman set foot on the British ground with the clear intention of becoming her brother's nightmare.

Little did she know that her brother was simply protecting his sisters and being pressured by their parents. With time, Devi softens up and forgives her brother. After all, Aravin was and will ever be her big brother (who gives the best hugs).

Now that she's introduced to the Brtish ton? Who knows... Perhaps Devi will change her mind eventually?

PERSONALITY

qualities. caring, loyal, honest, romantic defaults. stubborn, proud, rebellious likes. reading books, quiet times by the fireplace dislikes. cheaters, liars, disrespect

[hitchell-mope]

Burn it to the ground by Doug, Evie, Tarzan, Jane, Mowgli and Shanti

Doug: Well, it's midnight,

Mowgli: damn right

Doug: We're wound up too tight

Tarzan: I've got a fist full of whiskey

Mowgli: The bottle just bit me

Tarzan: Oh, that shit makes me bat shit crazy

Jane: We've got no fear,

Shanti: no doubt

Evie: All in

Doug: balls out

(He snatches the bottles out of Tarzan and Mowgli’s hands and uses magic to play keep away with them)

Doug: We're going off tonight

Evie: Hey!

Doug: To kick out every light

Evie: Hey!

Tarzan: Take anything we want

Doug: Hey!

Mowgli: Drink everything in sight

Doug: Hey!

Shanti: We're going till the world stops turning

Jane: While we burn it to the ground tonight

Evie: Ooh, ooh, ooh

Shanti: Ooh, ooh, ooh

(Tarzan gives up and uses what’s left of the pulleys to swing upwards into the rafters)

Tarzan: We're screaming like demons

Swinging from the ceiling

Mowgli (slightly woozy and wondering if he owes anyone money for the alcohol): I got a fist full of fifties

Tequila just hit me

Doug: Oh, you’ve got no class, no taste

Evie (watching Tarzan in action): No shirt,

Doug (completely unimpressed): and shit faced

Jane: We got it lined up, shot down

Evie: Fire it back straight crown

We're going off tonight

Jane: Hey!

Evie: To kick out every light

Shanti: Hey!

(Tarzan drops back down to the information desk and starts drinking again)

Tarzan: Take anything we want

Doug: HEY!

Mowgli: Drink everything in sight

Doug: HEY!

Tarzan: We're going till the world stops turning

Mowgli: While they burn it to the ground tonight

Evie (realising that Mowgli’s hit a nerve): Ooh, ooh, ooh

Shanti (confused but still worried all the sane): Ooh, ooh, ooh?

(Doug finally gives up trying to reason with Tarzan and Mowgli and starts fighting them using magic and hand to hand combat)

Doug: Ticking like a time bomb

Drinking till the nights gone

Tarzan: Well, get your hands off of this glass

Mowgli: Last call my ass

Doug (using magic to shatter every alcohol bottle in sight): Well, no chain, no lock

And this train won't stop

I got no fear, no doubt

All in balls out

(He uses magic to expel Tarzan and Mowgli from the museum and resumes inducing the conflagration)

Doug: We're going off tonight

Evie: HEY!

Doug: To kick out every light

Evie: HEY!

Doug: Break anything we want

Evie: HEY!

Doug: Burn everything in sight

Evie: HEY!

Both: We're going till the world stops turning

While we burn it to the ground tonight

Evie: Ooh, ooh, ooh

Devie: We're going off tonight

Evie: HEY!

Devie: To kick out every light

Doug: HEY!

Devie: Break anything we want

Evie: HEY!

Devie: Burn everything in sight

Doug: HEY!

Devie: We're going till the world stops turning

While we burn it to the ground tonight

[albcrts]

closed starter for: @aristccrats ( devi ) !

albert would insist he was not a sore loser -- and generally, that sentiment was true. all of his sports were pursued for the love of playing above all else. that didn't mean that he liked losing though, and that was especially true when losing left him with a lovely bruise blossoming on his cheek, thankfully on the opposite side to the existing scar. he found only a moment's amusement in the symmetry of it all and immediately sought a remedy to his poor mood. he greeted devi with hands on his hips, bouncing restlessly on the balls of his feet. "afternoon! do you have horses here? i did promise i'd show you all the best bridle paths around and there is quite simply no time like the present."

[medufasa]

(Turn up your brightness for this shit lol)

Is this Monkey Man? I literally have no clue I never even watched it I just like drawing Dev Patel

[the-autistic-vulcan]

Gif Credits: Tenor.com, @sneakyboymerlin, @captainpikeswoman

Following Characters:

Sir Gawain - Portrayed by Dev Patel

Ria and Lena Khan - Portrayed by Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya

Pavitr Prabhakar/Spider-Man India - Portrayed by Karan Soni

Dr. Julian Bashir - Portrayed by Alexander Siddig/Siddig El Fadil

HAPPY SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

Gif Credits: @lady-arryn, @avengerstower, @rainbowkarolina, tenor.com, @danversrambeau

Following Characters:

Devi Vishwakumar - Portrayed by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

Kate Sharma - Portrayed by Simone Ashley

Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel - Portrayed by Iman Vellani

Bodhi Rook - Portrayed by Riz Ahmed

Kingo - Portrayed by Kumail Nanjiani

[mynameisonionhaha]

Matthew Patel Analysis

I would like to say first off, I am not Indian. I am a Mexican kid who just really likes learning about different cultures. If anything in this is incorrect, offensive, or just overall dumb, I would really like to be corrected and would REALLY like to be able to fix it.

I’ve been trying to decipher what the markings on the demon girl’s and Matthew’s foreheads are. The main assumption would be that they are bindis, but that doesn’t sit entirely right with me when you think about what they represent in Indian culture.

For the demon girls, you COULD say that the markings are bindis, and that they are supposed to represent something “marital”, which would then imply that their binding to Matthew is more complicated, but I personally disagree with this for multiple reasons.

Then of course, for Matthew that would be a bit more complicated. Married women aren’t the only ones who use bindi markings of course as they also can have other uses and meanings, such as representing the third eye. Given Matthew’s powers, this would make sense, but it still doesn’t fully fit correctly in my beautiful mind.

The biggest thing that perplexes me is their colors and shape. They aren’t exactly round--they actually seem to be more elongated, like a very thin teardrop. This made me wonder if they were actually supposed to be tilaks instead, which makes slightly more sense to my big brain. This has to do with two main reasons: 1, both men and women can wear it. 2, Shiva and Shakti.

Let’s start with Shakta.

“Shaktas (worshippers of Devi — the feminine manifestation of the Divine) use kumkum to either draw a single red vertical line, or place a red dot, as a symbol of her divine energy and power.”  Source: https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/5-things-to-know-about-tilak

Shakta is the consort of Shiva, the goddess who is often personified as “Devi”, who acts as the divine feminine to Shiva’s divine masculinity.

“Yoni, (Sanskrit: “abode,” “source,” “womb,” or “vagina”) in Hinduism, the symbol of the goddess Shakti, the feminine generative power and, as a goddess, the consort of Shiva. In Shaivism, the branch of Hinduism devoted to worship of the god Shiva, the yoni is often associated with the lingam, which is Shiva’s symbol. In sculpture and paintings, the lingam is depicted as resting in the yoni as a cylinder in a spouted dish. The two symbols together represent the eternal process of creation and regeneration, the union of the male and female principles, and the totality of all existence. In a myth narrated in several Puranas, the body of Sati, an avatar of Shakti, is dismembered and scattered throughout India. Her yoni falls, and remains, in Assam, regarded as the home of Tantra (esoteric practices).” Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/yoni 

These statements already clear up the shape, color, and meaning behind the girl’s markings. They are the feminine consorts to Matthew Patel and his escapades. Personally I really like this for multiple reasons, the biggest being that it makes their dynamic significantly more wholesome. This article, https://hridaya-yoga.com/blog/yoni-puja/, talks about the yoni tantras and overall adoration and respect for women. While Matthew and his girls don’t interact together much in terms of actual conversation, the general case seems to be that they are protective, uplifting, and devoted to him, while in return we see that they are treated with respect and not once does he ever see them as lesser or treat them as such. (This could be countered with the fact that they do get put in harm's way a lot, but given that they seem to be able to respawn just fine it probably isn’t an issue and something they are willing to do for him anyways.)

With that, let’s talk about Shiva.

“Shiva meaning “The Auspicious One” is one of the three major deities of Hinduism. He is worshiped as the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism and is also called “the Transformer and the Destroyer”.” Source: https://www.templepurohit.com/shiva-worshipped-form-linga-lingam/#google_vignette 

Matthew and Shiva have lots of things going on, which personally I find really freaking cool. He literally summons what appears to be the trishul, which is Shiva’s trident. How dope is that?? 

“The Trishul, also known as the trident, is the primary weapon of Lord Shiva. It is characterized by three sharp blades connected by a long handle. The three blades always point in the upward direction. Shiva is always found to be holding the handle of the Trishul when he is depicted in the saguna linga form. The three blades have various representations in Hindu mythology.” Source: https://servdharm.com/blogs/post/significance-of-shivas-trishul#:~:text=The%20Trishul%2C%20also%20known%20as,in%20the%20saguna%20linga%20form.

When it comes to the actual symbol on his forehead however, that becomes more difficult. I wondered if he was Shaiva (Shaiva meaning “follower of Shiva”), and that was what the symbol meant, but I couldn’t find anything regarding his specifically.

“Shaivites (worshippers of Shiva), for example, smear their foreheads with three horizontal lines of vibhuti, a sacred white ash that acts as a reminder of the temporary nature of the material world. Made of the burnt dried wood from Hindu fire rituals, the three lines of vibhuti are called tripundra, and represent Shiva’s threefold powers of will, knowledge, and action. Tripudra is also frequently worn with a dot made of kumkum (a powdered red turmeric) in the center, symbolizing the creative and energetic force of the Divine known as the Goddess Shakti.” Source: https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/5-things-to-know-about-tilak 

Interestingly enough, the tripundra does share the teardrop shape that Matthew has. What confuddles me is the lack of the three lines, and the color. I am unsure as to whether or not this has meaning, was on purpose, or was just what they decided to go with.

I did however come to the conclusion that the color might be related to bhasma (calcine ash), more specifically, “Pushpa Kasisa, which is crystalline with bluish green color.” Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3530270/ 

“Bhasma is a Sanskrit word that means “bone ash,” “cinder” or “disintegration.” It comes from the root bha, meaning “delusion,” “appearance” or “likeness,” and sma, meaning “ever” or “always.” In Hinduism and yoga, bhasma is sacred ash. In some traditions, it is thought to contain the energy of Shiva.” 

“In the spiritual context, bhasma symbolizes burning the ego to ashes in order to unite with the higher Self or the divine. It represents liberation from the limitations of mortal life and freedom from the cycle of reincarnation. It is also a reminder of the temporary nature of the physical body, which will one day return to ashes.

Also called vibhooti, bhasma is the sacred ash from the fire of a yogi or saint or from the sacrificial fire known as yajna in which special wood, herbs, grains, ghee and other items are offered as part of a worship ritual. Bhasma is thought to destroy sin and consume evil.” Source: https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5934/bhasma#:~:text=In%20the%20spiritual%20context%2C%20bhasma,from%20the%20cycle%20of%20reincarnation. 

Overall it appears that bhasma is applied to protect its wearer from physical harm/illness as well as serving its spiritual purposes which works really well given that it appeared during a fight where Matthew was in fact, getting harmed.

(I do want to mention though that I do think that it is not actual bhasma as that really wouldn’t make sense, but the similarities and “coincidences” are really cool to me.)

Okay, how does this relate to Matthew’s powers?

“According to yogic texts, there exist seven major chakras (discs of subtle concentrated energy) that run along the center of the body, each of which relate to some aspect of a person’s physical, emotional, and psychological make-up. Tilak is placed on the forehead between the eyebrows where the ajna chakra is located. As ajna means to “perceive” or “command,” the ajna chakra is considered to be the “eye of intuition,” through which a person can discern information that cannot otherwise be seen with one’s physical eyes. This “third eye” is a spiritually potent part of one’s being that helps one to focus inward on the Divine. Tilak, therefore, is placed on the ajna chakra to invoke this divine energy, as well as act as a reminder of the ultimate life goal.” Source: https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/5-things-to-know-about-tilak 

If Matthew is invoking the power of Shiva to aid him through the third eye, or the ajna chakra, this would make the most sense (and would explain why we hadn’t seen it before, probably). I also think it explains his fireballs pretty well, as I’ve noticed a lot of fire and burning practices and metaphors throughout my search for answers.

Oh, also, this: “Shiva's tapas generated so much heat that his body transformed into a pillar of fire - a blazing lingam that threatened to destroy the whole world. The gods did not know how to control Shiva's fire.”

In fact, the whole summary article thingy is really cool to me, so i’ll put it all here.

“Shiva saw no sense in the transitory pleasures of life, so he rejected samsara, smeared his body with ash, closed his eyes and performed austerities.

Shiva's tapas generated so much heat that his body transformed into a pillar of fire - a blazing lingam that threatened to destroy the whole world. The gods did not know how to control Shiva's fire.

Suddenly there appeared a yoni - the divine vessel of the mother-goddess. It caught the fiery lingam and contained its heat, thus saving the cosmos from untimely destruction.

Shiva is often pictured in a pacific mood with his consort Parvati, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as a naked ascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi Dhakshinamurthy, and as the androgynous union of Shiva and Parvati in one body (Ardhanarisvara).

Shiva also takes the form of Ardhanari, his androgynous form. The right side of the sculpture is Shiva and the left side is Parvati. The attributes of each are split directly down the middle.

Another example of Shiva's apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings. He often wears one earring in the style of a man and the other as a female.” Source: https://www.lotussculpture.com/shiva-hindu-god-lord-destruction-meaning-symbolism.html#:~:text=Shiva's%20tapas%20generated%20so%20much,how%20to%20control%20Shiva's%20fire. 

So yeah, there you have it. Here is every single source I used:

Shiva

https://servdharm.com/blogs/post/significance-of-shivas-trishul#:~:text=The%20Trishul%2C%20also%20known%20as,in%20the%20saguna%20linga%20form. 

https://www.lotussculpture.com/shiva-hindu-god-lord-destruction-meaning-symbolism.html#:~:text=Shiva's%20tapas%20generated%20so%20much,how%20to%20control%20Shiva's%20fire. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trishula 

https://www.templepurohit.com/shiva-worshipped-form-linga-lingam/#google_vignette 

Shakti/Yoni

https://www.britannica.com/topic/yoni 

https://hridaya-yoga.com/blog/yoni-puja/ 

https://kripalu.org/resources/shakti-power-within-you#:~:text=Shakti%20means%20power%2C%20energy%2C%20or,the%20divine%20masculine%20god%20Shiva. 

Tilak

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tilak-ancient-practice-significance-neeta-singhal 

https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/5-things-to-know-about-tilak 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/tilak 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilaka 

Bindi

https://exametc.com/magazine/details.php?id=900 

https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/bindi-meaning-and-significance-of-the-dot-on-forehead/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindi_(decoration) 

Bhasma

https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5934/bhasma#:~:text=In%20the%20spiritual%20context%2C%20bhasma,from%20the%20cycle%20of%20reincarnation. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24696811/#:~:text=There%20are%20various%20importance%20of,heavy%20metals%20in%20the%20body. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3530270/ 

Third Eye

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_eye 

[hobiebrownismygod]

Let's talk about Desi representation again!!

I don't talk about this stuff often but when I do, I have some strong ass opinions

and yes I'm gonna be talking about none other than Pavitr Prabhakar at the end cuz he's just special to me <3

Hollywood is lagging behind on Desi representation

You'd think one of the biggest film industries in the world would be able to represent us properly, considering the fact that we make up the largest group of South-Asian Americans and the second largest group of Asian-Americans in the US, but instead-

Western Television forces Indians to conform to harmful stereotypes

Some of the most popular Desi characters on screen are Raj Koothrappali from the Big Bang Theory, Devi Vishwakumar from Never Have I Ever and Kelly Kapoor from the Office.

Indian men are almost always portrayed as robotics engineers and computer whizzes, but with terrible social intellect, making them seem like awkward nerds.

Indian women are almost always portrayed as "whitewashed", or wanting to appear more western, with zero understanding of their own culture or language along with an unrelenting need for attention from white friends/colleagues.

These are both based on stereotypes that Indian culture is "toxic" and "too traditional" and that Indians are only interested in studies.

Most Desi characters in western media have stories that are solely based around their ethnicity and/or racial stereotypes.

British television actually showcases a lot more representation than Hollywood does

I was watching Polite Society, a movie starring two Pakistani characters as the main leads, and there was a dance scene where both the leads are wearing traditional desi attire. My mom turned over, looked at me, and asked, "Is this Hollywood? It can't be."

And she was right. It's a British movie with British-Pakistani actors.

The reason she didn't believe that it could've been Hollywood was because the dresses the two leads were wearing were traditional and beautiful and the song playing in the background was authentic Hindi music, not some random westernized DJ version of it.

A Hollywood movie would've never dressed up their Desi actors in actually flattering attire (*cough cough the Patel twins from Harry Potter) or have used real, popular Desi music in the background.

You see my point?

It is so uncommon to see well-thought-out Desi representation in TV nowadays, where to see real diversity we have to watch movies made by the same country that colonized us.

Ironic.

British movies/shows with desi leads have far better South Asian representation than anything I've seen in Hollywood recently.

The Hollywood movies starring Indian leads, like Slumdog Millionaire or Bend it like Beckham were filmed in the UK, and because they were filmed in the UK, they had fantastic South Asian representation.

Not only does Hollywood refuse to create shows and movies about real problems that South Asians face, but they also don't cast South Asian actors in good roles.

When's the last time you saw a South Asian actor playing a character that wasn't a walking stereotype? When's the last time you saw a South Asian actor playing a character that was a genuine part of the story rather than just comedic relief or a random smart kid in the classroom?

Not often, right?

Me, personally, I didn't grow up with a lot of South Asian characters or actors in shows/movies that I watched. In fact, every time someone even close to my skin color showed up on TV, I was on the edge of my seat because it was just so rare to see it.

This is why representation matters.

You've heard about all the young girls with braids being so excited when the new little mermaid with Halle Bailey came out. Well, us desi kids wanted that too.

I wanted to see a Telugu speaking girl with wavy hair and dark skin who would wear traditional clothing to Desi get-togethers and parties, go to the temple with her family, eat vegetarian Indian meals, etc...

I wanted to see a character who was a representation of me and my experiences as an Indian-American. I wanted to see a character that was at least a representation of Indians or just South Asians in general.

Instead, we were given characters that ridiculed their own culture, were extreme stereotypes and furthered the existence of casual racism in western society today. So many Desi kids experience small acts of racism on a daily basis because people have been so desensitized to the existence of these stereotypes.

Telling South Asians that their culture is a joke and feeding non-asian children media which pokes fun at other cultures is harmful, not only to us South Asians but also communities that could end up being targeted next.

Pavitr Prabhakar; Representation Matters

If you've been following me or if we're mutuals, you probably know I have a tiny obsession with Pavitr Prabhakar. But why?

Because of all the reasons I just listed.

There are few South Asian characters us Desis can look up to these days, and Pavitr Prabhakar is one of the maybe two or three characters who have great writing, magnificent representation, and overall a fun vibe.

He's likable, funny, smart and best of all, unapologetically Desi.

He's just like all the other side characters, with a little bit of his own culture mixed in. He's not being shoved down our throats to further an agenda about fake diversity, he's not a walking stereotype and best of all, he was designed by Indian creators.

He's refreshing and exciting to follow in a world full of a demand for half-hearted representations and the people who created him were obviously putting their hearts and souls into it.

He's awoken a love for Indian culture amongst, not only Desi children themselves but also among westerners who, prior to this, had thought of India as a "3rd world" country, because that's the agenda that Hollywood pushes onto many South Asian countries today.

WE LOVE PAVITR PRABHAKAR!!

This was kinda all over the place but I just had to get this off my chest <3

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/10/discrimination-against-indian-americans-happens-more-than-you-might-think/

[demigod-of-the-agni]

any cool desi books/media to recommend??

Okay to be fair I am not the biggest consumer of desi media HOWEVER. I have a few niche favourites (some of them come from my research for my Major Work in my final year in high school but here's a quick list):

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri - god this entire book changed me fundamentally. It was like watching my own life play in fast-forward and getting hit in places I didn't want to be hit. if you are a first-generation desi in a western country, you will be on the ground sobbing

If You See Me, Don't Say Hi by Neel Patel - a collection of short stories that methodically break down some of the most subtle and pervasive stereotypes within desi cultures. I've only ever had time to read the first two stories but I'm hoping to get the full book someday

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhump Lahiri - an anthology I read for my senior year as well. Another one of this heart-wrenching pieces that just resonate with me like damn.

The Aru Shah series by Roshani Chokshi - it's Percy Jackson But Make It Desi and honestly such a fun read!! Reading about the Potatoes (this is what the reincarnated Pandavas call themselves not joking) is always bound to make my day

The Age of Kalki series by Vishwas Mudagal - I read this purely for inspiration on my own original novel, and it was fun to use for comparisons for research and my writing. Also, spy stuff and action and all that

The Spider-Man: India comics - hey, desi stuff is desi stuff, and I enjoy anything that has my boy Pavitr in it (I'll enjoy it even more when @/marvelentertainment hires me to write him a book)

The Ms. Marvel show and comics - in Iman Vellani we trust 🙏 also my girl has such a wonderful variety of comics like. she's so cool. i love her. hoping that Iman does a masterful job as she writes Kamala's newest comic

18 Days by Grant Morrison - listen. there is a 2015 graphic novel and there is a 2010 artbook for the 2015 book. They are both the same thing: a retelling of the Mahabharata but make it electronic/futuristic. Read the graphic novel for the story, but I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend the 2010 artbook as well because my god the ART is just gorgeous. It obviously provides insight on the creation of Morrison's 2015 book but god it is just. so so sooooo good. Mukesh Singh is a beautiful artist I need to have his art tattooed on me

Any desi movies from the 90s-00s - my experience with tamil movies in that time period have always been good ones!! They're chill, they're funny, they're silly, they're romantic, they're thrilling. literally all of my favourite song come from this period (don't disregard movies from later periods either, I watched Brahmastra a few months back and it was lit as fuck).

English translations of popular desi stories - and these stories can be anything. from ye old prevailing Ramayana and Mahabharata to anything written by contemporary desi authors. They've got a lot to share

On a side note me complaining to my desi friends that I want good tamil representation in western media often led to me getting smacked in the face with Never Have I Ever (by my DESI friends! who say it is very good!!) and i just want to say no. don't watch that. as a tamil person living in a western country, i apologise for who Devi Vishwakumar is as a person. i will personally pay for your therapy (has only watched two episodes and was immediately turned off)

I'm giving y'all a whole day to ask me whatever

[scnsibilitics]

cliffton's ears perk up at the femme's response resounding through the air. there's already a slight grin on his lips as he turns to face her, pleased with what he lays eyes on. a beautiful woman, ethereal even. his first and natural instinct is to sweep her hand into his own. press a gentle kiss to the back of it. utter words of adoration to her. but he couldn't w o u l d n ' t . not anymore. not when he had to play the part of a gentleman. "miss patel," he greets her appropriately, head bowing in perfect succession. "cliffton carlisle at your service." he winks after offering his name because what harm was there in a bit of flirtation? it wasn't a crime to endeavor to make a lady blush and simper. "i wish i could offer you any ounce of guidance, but i am afraid it has been quite some time since i have participated in the social season." his smile cracks, faltering slightly. "though i suppose i should inform you, it likely is not in your best interest to . . . associate with me."

devi was still standing next to the refreshments, unable to move away. people seemed to know each other, appreciate each other and dance together. the young woman recently arrived from india and felt intimidated to mingle with others. a part of her was afraid of being an outsider. looking at the refreshments, devi sighed, wishing there was something stronger than lemonade. at least champagne? her brother would certainly scold her if he ever spotted her with something else than a lemonade.

hearing the comment of her neighbor, devi chuckled and turned her head to look at a very good looking man. "my thoughts, exactly." she looked down before adding: "it would make the event somehow nicer, wouldn't it? i'm devi patel. i just arrived from india and clearly don't know anyone around."

[nitrozem]

Ajay Patel

Name: Ajay Patel Nicknames: JJ (By Sid), Big Bad Wolf (His infamous title) Age: Young Adult (Immortal) Life State: Werewolf Traits: Bookworm, Childish, Creative, Athletic Home World: Moonwood Mill Likes: Yellow, Metal Music, Fitness, Painting, Knitting, Sparring Dislikes: Pipe Organ, Vampires, Sour Candy, Getting wet Partner: Sidorian The Mistwalker Children: Sasi Patel, Isaac Patel, Hyacinth, Zephyr Parents: Ravi Devi (Father) Meera Patel (Mother, Deceased) Best Friends: Fern Wildwood, Valley Carr Pets: Pepper The Cat Theme Song: Animal in Me - Solence

If you thought Greg was the strongest werewolf out there, you'd be wrong. Ajay is a proud werewolf that's always sparring with other werewolves, hunting, chasing the mailman and being a werewolf menace in general. He's the only one in Moonwood Mill who has defeated Greg in several spars, sometimes just for fun and bragging rights. Truthfully, he is acting the part of a bully werewolf to keep face. While he is in no doubt, a strong werewolf, he's way nicer than he might appear to be. He likes reading, painting and knitting and is actually quite smart (save for a few wolf brain moments)

He use to be picked on by other werewolf pups for being "weak" so he pushed away his true self to become the big bad wolf. After he defeated Greg for the first time he started to wander around with no purpose. He was the big bad wolf, no one wanted to be his friend and he was resigned that'd he be a loner forever. This is until he encountered an elven spellcaster named Sidorian while he was hunting in Glimmerbrook. Sid was kind to him, and very intrigued by this werewolf as he had been studying the mooncasters in his free time. It took awhile for Ajay to open up and eventually turn back into his normal form and he became close with this silly elf he had a fondness for. Sid encouraged him to get back into the things he really loved. Sid likely prevented Ajay from becoming a worse version of Greg and Ajay is forever grateful to him to him for that.

[princessvettel]

petition to make yasmin patel a real marauder and use devi (nhie) as her fc because i think it's a crime she's in atyd and nowhere else

[devanitoland]

house toland - a family tree

the history of house toland and the ghost hills

varun toland brother of slya manwoody, husband of amara toland, father of aditya, pallavi and devani toland

varun toland took little interest in his children. a sailor aboard an essoian ship before he was a lord, and a second child himself who became heir upon his eldest sister's death, some of the few conversations he had with either of his offspring were lamenting the loss of his glory days at sea. he passed away during devani's time in essos, a fact she learned upon her return to dorne.

slya manwoody sister of varun toland, mother of joy manwoody and the other manwoody siblings

when varun became the heir of ghost hill upon the death of their eldest sister, slya was married into house manwoody, giving birth to several children including the deceased joy manwoody, mother of the current ruling lord, the infant ishaan.

amara toland wife of varun toland, mother of aditya, pallavi and devani toland

amara toland was a demanding mother to both of her daughters, with ambitions of advantageous marriages or small council positons for both pallavi and devani. an overbearing woman, she came from a very minor house, and is regarded as a social climber. despite her high expectations for her daughters, she has always doted on her first born and eldest son, aditya, who in her eyes can do no wrong.

aditya toland son of varun and amara toland, brother of pallavi and devani toland

the first-born child of house toland, aditya became the ruling lord after varun's death. spoiled and coddled by his mother, he is weak-willed and entitled, often referring to amara whenever he needs to make a decision. he has very few friends, and has made an enemy of house jordayne after taking liberties with one of the sisters.

pallavi toland daughter of varun and amara toland, sister of aditya and devani toland, wife of doran uller

pallavi toland was the second born child of house toland and an ambitious schemer, moulded by her mother to aim high. she was married to doran uller in a political match and would later be executed for her part in trying to assassinate him - a plot aditya and amara were in on. this occurred whilst devani was in essos, and she would not learn of it until her return.

devani toland daughter of varun and amara toland, sister of aditya and pallavi toland, estranged wife of bennaro nogarys, mother of kheerat toland

the youngest child of varun and amara, devani was always the more rebellious of her siblings, clashing dramatically with her mother until she eventually fled dorne at sixteen. she did not return until fourteen years later upon hearing word of her brother's issues, knowing that she stands to inherit ghost hill should he be killed during his trial by combat.

bennaro nogarys estranged husband of devani toland, father of kheerat toland

a sellsword, bennaro nogarys met devani toland as devi the bard, during her time in essos, and the two married when devani was twenty-three. upon learning of his wife's true identity, bennaro changed in the way he treated devani, becoming more controlling and more combative. after giving birth to their son, devani would disappear from his life, leaving him to raise their child. bennaro is recently deceased, succumbing to infection from a wound.

kheerat toland son of devani toland and bennaro nogarys

six years old, kheerat was born on his mother's twenty-fourth birthday and abandoned by her three weeks later. raised by his father, kheerat was given his mother's name at birth so that he might have a claim to ghost hill. an intelligent, kind, sensitive boy, he has been secretly transported to dorne in the wake of his father's death, and is currently being hidden by his mother in the kitchens of ghost hill, awaiting her next move.

fcs used (happy to change if needed)

nitin ganatra

meera syal

yami gautam

himesh patel

[albcrts]

he conceded her point with a tilt of his head, brown eyes rolling. "you are absolutely right, there. but i would venture many of them know very little about india -- myself included -- so you could... if you wanted to... take this opportunity to fill their heads with nonsense, and watch as they make complete and utter fools of themselves." it was probably what he would given the chance. "no, no, you are right... that is not what we want. but he shall remain an option on which i can rely." albert had made his mind up -- he would wrangle his newfound friend into a dance at some point in the season.

"ah, well. a foolproof plan, indeed," looking around keenly to gather supplies for their escape, his attention returned to her with a bright smile. "it is very hard to leave animals behind -- they had to drag me kicking and screaming from the stables when i was sent to school," of course the eldest winslow understood being sent to boarding school and leaving one's home country were very different, but the feelings were, at their basis, the same. "i will have to show you the best bridle paths around. ah, here!" he led her to a healthily stocked table, reaching for a handful of napkins to wrap their 'stolen' goodies in.

devi looked at albert and snorted at his comment before shaking her head. "please." she looked back to the ton and simply added: "i shall become the attraction because i come from an exotic country." she was aware of how people could be insensitive and only take advantage of her presence to know more about india. she had experienced it during her travel and knew that any man would use this card to approach her. as albert shared with her the intention of sharing a dance, devi chuckled. "please do not involved my brother. the only result you may find is him willing to marry us. i believe that this is not what we both wish." her smile grew as she knew that aravin was here to be a matchmaker and make sure that his sisters were betrothed. "i would rather escape, if you don't mind."

as he commented about how nobody would believe her answer, devi shook her head. "watch me offer them my most beautiful smile and they shall all believe me." she was really enjoying this new friendship and saw albert as a true ally. as he asked her if she missed india, devi nodded. "terribly, indeed. i miss my horses. and the colorful outfits and.. joy." her smile grew fonder at all the memories she cherished of her birth country.

[londonhigh-society]

welcome DEVI PATEL and SOPHIE CARLISLE to the season! the ton will surely rejoice at your arrival. you have 12 hours to freshen up and send in your blog, before you're forgotten entirely. (simone ashley and lily james are now taken)

(simone ashley, 25, she/her, female, patel #3) I wonder how the season will treat DEVI PATEL. It’s true that SHE is EDUCATED, but I’ve also heard that they can be STUBBORN. Do you think they’ll find their match? I doubt it if what I heard is true. I heard that [REDACTED]. Of course, that’s just speculation. (pearl, 33, gmt, she/her, cheating/abuse).

(lily james, 29, she/her, female, carlisle #3) I wonder how the season will treat SOPHIE CARLISLE. It’s true that SHE is KIND HEARTED, but I’ve also heard that they can be NAIVE. Do you think they’ll find their match? I doubt it if what I heard is true. I heard that [REDACTED]. Of course, that’s just speculation. (pearl, 33, gmt, she/her, cheating/abuse).