#Good Morning Hindu God Images

[statusimagess]

100+ Good Morning God Images | Good Morning Hindu God Images | God Good Morning Images – Statusimagess

Starting your day with a positive mindset has a significant impact on the rest of your day. One way to do this is by using good morning god images or God good morning images.

[burningcheese-merchant]

Mythological Inspirations: Pepper Jack Cookie Edition

So, where did Pepper Jack come from?

Sex, you dumbass child ❌ (yes but actually no)

A witch's oven ❌ (yes but actually no)

Some spicy cheese, a mythical bird, and an elephant man ✅

Behold, the latest installment of "Merchant rants for 10 hours about how far they went designing some dumbass fankids" (also I fumbled coloring and shading his wings, I am deeply sorry for that)

Like I said before, I did some research into both Egyptian and Hindu mythology while thinking up these critters. Golden Cheese and Burning Spice take after some gods/myths themselves, so I thought "why not keep that sentiment up with their children?"

Golden takes after Ra, Egyptian god of the sun and leader of the Egyptian pantheon. With this in mind... Pepper Jack takes after the bennu bird, a godlike being that embodies the soul of Ra himself.

The bennu is/was most often depicted as a blue, gray and/or white heron (mostly blue). So, Jack's wings are likewise meant to be blue (with some gray and white mixed in)

The bennu bird is believed to have been the original phoenix, even predating the Greek one. It lights itself ablaze in the early morning and rises from its own ashes afterwards, thus symbolizing the dawn of a new day, as well as creation and rebirth in general. Jack can also light himself on fire, without the fire harming him at all. He can't control it very well when he's young, but he will have mastered it by the time he's an adult

One famous creation myth involves the bennu flying over the primordial waters of chaos, perching on a rock, and letting out a great cry - and with this cry, it determined what it and what isn't, and began the cycle of time and created the world itself. Mimicking this myth, I had Jack be born exactly at dawn, on a rock by the river (I also went ahead and added a Nile equivalent to the Golden Cheese Kingdom lol), with the sun rising immediately after he cried out for the first time. Almost like he summoned it personally...

A common funeral practice in Ancient Egypt was giving the deceased a heart-shaped amulet with the bennu's image engraved in it, as it was meant to be a protective charm to guide and guard the spirits of the dead; the bennu was considered a patron of death as well as life, and was invoked/prayed to to ensure safe passage through the afterlife for the deceased. Thus, Jack wears his own little protection amulet, tucked beneath his collar - a handcrafted, blessed gift from GCK clergy

(I FORGOT TO ADD THIS POINT LMAO) The bennu was often referred to as "lord of jubilees", referencing its association with the sun and resurrection (some festivals and rituals were referred to as "jubilees", including the one performed at dawn every day specifically meant to honor/invoke the bennu and its perpetual self-sacrifice and renewal). I let that be something High Priest Cheesenbird calls Jack, as a term of endearment. Jack is his "little lord of jubilees". Adoring Bird Grandpa lol

Spice is based on Shiva, Hindu god of destruction and part of a holy trinity (creation, preservation, destruction). Not only does he have a wife, Parvati (whom he's madly in love with and wholly devoted to), they have two children (which I did not know prior to creating the kids, that was a cool coincidence lol). Jack takes after Ganesha, elder son of Shiva, god of wisdom and good fortune.

Jack shares Ganesha's cleverness and love of knowledge, and similarly possesses a good amount of both (although Jack may not necessarily be wise, not as a child haha)

Ganesha is seen as a custodian of esoteric knowledge in particular, with a special knack for astrology. So, I gave Jack a hobby/interest in astrology and astronomy himself, which he pursues for fun on his own time (and that ended up making him a fantastic navigator, bar none; as long as he can see the sky, he'll never get lost)

Ganesha is celebrated as the remover of obstacles, literal and figurative. Jack... well, he's more of the sidestepper of obstacles lol. He works smart, not hard. If he can find a way around something using only his wits, he will

Ganesha has a sweet tooth, and his favorite food is modak (Indian sweet dumpling). So I gave Jack a sweet tooth, too, and likewise made his favorite food modak. (Jack is a fucking menace when it comes to modak. If any appear in his line of sight, expect it to vanish soon. He's like a crackhead with those things)

The Om symbol 🕉️, AKA the sacred sound/mantra that has a billion different meanings but is generally associated with universal harmony and consciousness, is also often associated with Ganesha (and Shiva, too!). So Jack is getting an Om tattoo on his wrist (or the back of his hand, idk haven't decided) when he's older.

Lots of jewelry in Indian culture and Hinduism, from what I've seen. So I took the liberty of giving Jack a little elephant pendant (gift from a Wild Spice artisan), meant to reference Ganesha idol pendants. It's also hanging from his neck and hidden under his collar, same as the amulet

Jack's beloved elephant toy, Pudding, is also supposed to be a nod to Ganesha lol

Sorry they look like ass, still a level 0 artist here lol. At least Pudding looks better here than he did before

Ok I'm done rambling. TL;DR I think way too hard about stuff. I will hopefully improve as an artist if I keep pushing myself no matter how much my doodles annoy me because they're amateurish at best. I will do Matar Paneer's inspirations post tomorrow probably. If you actually read through all of this, lol sucker thank you for coming to my TED Talk and eating my word salad

[pooma-satsangam]

𝟭𝟵 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲

These slokas are not only easy to chant and learn but also have a profound meaning to them. They teach us an essential life lesson.

𝟭.𝗚𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

Also called the Maha Mantra or the Savitri Mantra, this sloka is the most revered mantra, and is dedicated to the Sun. It can be recited as a morning prayer for kids. Make the child recite this out under the sun in the morning to refresh their mind and also get some Vitamin D.

Om bhur bhuva swaha

Tat savitur varenyam

Bhargo devasya dhimahi

Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Meaning: O God, the Savior, you are the basis of all life, self-existent, and whose touch sets every soul free from the sufferings, who penetrates into the universe and sustains every being, the creator of the whole universe, and who blesses with happiness.

Lord, the purest form and the purifier of this universe, may he enlighten our minds and inspire our intelligence.

Gayatri Mantra is believed to be one of the most powerful mantras. It first appeared in the Hindu scripture ‘Rig Veda’ and was attributed to the ancient sage Vishwamitra.

𝟮.𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

Here are the four Santhi mantras that your child may chant. Also known as the ‘teaching mantra,’ this sloka can be a suitable prayer for children at school as it helps to unite the teacher and students under divine protection.

Om Sahana Vavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu

Sahaveeryam Karavavahai

Tejas Vinavati Tamastu ma vidhwishavahai

Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi

Meaning: May the Almighty protect student and teacher and nourish the both of us together.

May the student and teacher work in sync with intensity and our learning be efficient and impressive. And may there be no enmity between us. May there be peace for all.

𝟯.𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

Om sarveshaam swastir bhavatuSarveshaam shantir bhavatuSarveshaam poornam bhavatuSarveshaam mangalam bhavatuSarve bhavantu sukhinahSarve santu niraamayaahSarve bhadraani pashyantuMaakaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet

Shanti Mantra sloka for kids

Image: Midjourney/ MomJunction Design Team

Meaning: May auspiciousness, peace, fullness and prosperity be unto all, may all be happy and free from disabilities, may all look to the good of others, and may none suffer from sorrow.

𝟰.𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

Asatoma sad gamaya

Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya

Mrityor ma amritam gamaya

Om shanti, shanti, shanti hi

Meaning: Oh Lord, lead us from the unreal to real, darkness to the light and from death to immortality. May peace be with all.

𝟱.𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

Om poornamadah poornamidam

Poornaat poornamudachyate

Poornasya poornamaadaya

Poornamevaavashishyate

Om shanti, shanti, shanti hi

Meaning: That is the ultimate truth, the God. This is the absolute. Absolute rises above the absolute. Even when the absolute is taken out of the absolute, it still remains.

𝟲.𝗚𝘂𝗿𝘂 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

The sloka is a salutation to the teacher, equating them to the Hindu Trinity.

Gurur brahmah gurur vishnu

Gurur devo maheshwaraha

Gurur saakshaat param brahmah

Tasmai shree guravey namaha

Meaning: The teacher is equal to Brahma and Vishnu. The teacher is Maheshwara. The guru is equivalent to the Almighty.

𝟳.𝗚𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗮

This is for saluting Dakshinaamoorthy (Lord Shiva is also called so as he did penance facing the South).

Guravey sarva lokaanaam

Bishajey bhava rohinaam

Nidhaye sarva vidyanaam

Shree dakshinaa moorthaye namaha

Meaning: We bow down to the God of South (the universal guru) who is the teacher to the entire world and curer of all the diseases in the world.

Slokas are verses in praise of God and can be recited by anyone at any time, while mantras are invocations meant to invoke divine powers to the person chanting it.

𝟴.𝗩𝗶𝗱𝘆𝗮𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗮

Bow to Lord Ganesha with this sloka.

Vidyaarthee lapathey vidyaam

Dhanaarthee lapathey dhanam

Puthraarthee lapathey puthraan

Mokshaarthee lapathey gathim

Meaning: Aspire for knowledge, you’ll get it; yearn for wealth, you’ll get it; ask for a child, you’ll get it; and strive for salvation, and you’ll reach it.

𝟵.𝗩𝗮𝗸𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗮

The sloka is about seeking Lord Ganesha’s blessings for removing any obstacles on your path to success.

Vakrathunda mahaakaaya

Suryakoti samaprabha

Nirvignam kurumey deva

Sarvakaryeshu sarvada

Meaning: O Lord with a curved trunk and huge body, and the brilliance of a million suns, I seek your blessings to grace my new beginning and remove all the obstacles as I begin to work.

𝟭𝟬.𝗬𝗮𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂

Pray to the Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswati, before you begin your lessons every day.

Yaa kundendu tushaarahaara dhavalaa

Yaa shubhra vastraavritaa

Yaa veenaa varadanda manditakaraa

Yaa shveta padmaasanaa

Yaa brahmaachyuta shankara

Prabhritibihi devaih sadaa pujitaa

Saa maam pattu saravatee

Bhagavatee nihshesha jaadyaapahaa

Meaning: Goddess Saraswati is white like the moonlight, snow, and the pearl and is adorned in pure ivory white. Whilst she plays the veena with her two hands, she gives blessings with the other two hands or punishments when required. She is sitting on a beautiful white lotus. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by all the divine lords Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver and Maheshwara, the destroyer. May Goddess Saraswati remove any obstacles from my life and shelter me.

𝟭𝟭.𝗦𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗮 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗮𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

A prayer to the Goddess for success and prosperity.

Sarva mangala mangalye shive sarvaartha saadhike

Sharanye trayambake Gauri Narayani namosthute

Meaning: O Goddess of all auspiciousness, who is so harmonious, the fulfiller of our objectives, the giver of refuge, who has three eyes and is in golden color, our salutations to you, Gauri Narayani.

𝟭𝟮.𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗶 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗵𝘆𝗮𝗺

Pray to the Goddess of Knowledge and seek her blessings for attaining wisdom.

Saraswati namastubhyam varade kaamaruupini

Vidyaarambham karishhyaami siddhirbhavatu me sadaa

Meaning: My salutations to Goddess Saraswati. You bless and fulfill all our aspirations. As I am beginning my path to wisdom, I seek your blessings. May I accomplish my goals.

𝟭𝟯.𝗛𝘆𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗶

Hayagreeva is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Children may recite this sloka before beginning their day at school.

Gyaananandamayam devam

Nirmala spadikakruthim

Aadaram sarva vidyanaam

Hyagreevam upasmahe

Meaning: Salutations to Sri Hayagreeva, the Lord with a Horse face. You are the presiding God for all the knowledge in the world. We offer our prayers to you; please bless us with knowledge and wisdom.

𝟭𝟰.𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗮

This sloka is a prayer to the lamp.

Shubham karoti kalyaanam

Aarogyam dhana sampadaa

Shatrubudhi vinaashaaya

Diipajyoti namoastute

Meaning: The one who is our light, which brings auspiciousness, prosperity, sound health, abundant wealth, and destroys the intellect’s enemy, our salutations to you.

𝟭𝟱.𝗟𝗮𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗶 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗮

This prayer is to seek the blessings of the Goddess of wealth Lakshmi during aarthis or Puja.

Namastestu mahamaye

Sripithe sura pujite,

Sankha chakra gada haste

Mahalaksmi namostute

Meaning: Salute to Mahalakshmi, who is the Cause of Creation, and who is worshiped by the Suras. Salute to the goddess who is adorned with the conch, disc and mace in her hands. I respectfully bow in front of you.

𝟭𝟲.𝗦𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗺

Here is a devotional prayer to Ayyappa, the lord of Sabarimala.

Mattha mathanga gamanam

Karunyamrutha pooritham

Sarva vigna haram devam

Sastharam pranamamyaham

Meaning: Salutations to Lord Ayyappa, who gallops like an elephant, is filled with immense compassion, and is the destroyer of hurdles.

𝟭𝟳.𝗕𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗮

Bhoothanatha sadananda

Sarva bhootha daya para

Raksha raksha maha baho

Sasthre thubham namo nama

Meaning: Salutations to Sastha devataa, robust like an elephant and who is ever happy and is filled with mercy for all beings in this universe, the God who removes all obstacles.

𝟭𝟴.𝗦𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮 (Mahamrityunjay Mantra)

A powerful mantra that instills strength and courage in times of fear and weakness.

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe

Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam

Urvarukamiva Bandhanan

Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat

Meaning: We worship the three-eyed Lord Shiva, who is fragrant and nourishes all life. Let me be liberated from death (all earthly attachments), as I am bound to live like cucumbers to creepers. Let me not be separated from the perception of Immortality.

𝟭𝟵.𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮

A mesmerizing mantra singing praises to the Bhagavan, who removes negative emotions and relieves fear and anxiety.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Meaning: Through this mantra, we praise the two incarnations (avatars) of Lord Vishnu, namely Lord Krishna and Lord Rama. It is a call to the universal energy that is thought to be the source of all powers.

[funtikka]

Radha Krishna Good Morning Images

In India, it is traditional for Hindus to hang images of gods on their walls so that they can see them upon waking up. High-quality images can be downloaded and printed for this purpose. CLICK

[hoursofreading]

if you look at the design of a Catholic church, you will notice that it is based upon the design of the courtroom of a king. And if you look at a Protestant church, you will see that it is to based upon the design of a law court. Indeed, the Protestant minister wears exactly the same robes as an American judge. And all those pews and box-like stalls are the same you will find in the old-fashioned court with the witness box, jury box, and all that kind of thing. But, you see, the original idea of the Christian church—these ancient Roman churches are called a basilica. That means the courtroom of a king. The throne room. The altar is the throne of God. Now, in a courtroom the king is very nervous, because anybody who takes it upon himself to govern other people and rule them had better watch out. And therefore he always has his back to the wall, and he is flanked by attending guards and high ministers of state. And just so that nobody’ll get up and make trouble, he has them either on their knees or flat on their faces when they come into his presence. And of course no one must laugh, because he’d be laughing at Mr. Big. And so this was the pattern, this was the model, upon which the Judeo-Christian idea of God was based. It is a political model, and the title of God is taken from the supreme emperors of Persia the, dayyaan khan, the king of kings, the lord of lords. And so, in the English Church at morning prayer, the clergyman gets up and says: “Almighty and everlasting God, the only ruler of princes, king of kings, lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all dwellers upon Earth, most graciously deigned to behold our gracious sovereign lady, Queen Elizabeth, and all the royal family.” That’s the picture and the metaphor. And you may not believe, literally, that God sits on a throne, or even has a body to put on one, or that he wears a crown, or that he has a beard. But the image colors your feeling about the character of God. And imagery is much more powerful than intellectual concepts. You may know it says in the prayer book that God is a spirit without body parts or passions, omnipresent to all places, eternal through all time. And therefore one thinks as Haeckel does, of a gaseous vertebrate, or else of an enormously diffused sea of luminous jello filling all time and space. Everybody uses images. But behind those images are the old images that influenced us in childhood. And if you still attend a church and you use that imagery, you still think emotionally—you feel towards God—as one would if you took it literally. So this political model of God has dominated the West. And the world is related to God as subjects to a king or as artifacts to a maker. We have, of course, a ceramic model of the universe, because it’s said in the book of Genesis that God made Adam out of the dust of the ground. In other words, he made a clay figurine and then blew the breath of life into the nostrils of the figurine so that it came to life. Now, the Hindus don’t have that model of the universe to cope with. Because they don’t look at the universe as God’s creation (in the sense of being an artifact), they look at it as God’s drama. Because they see the world as acted, not created: God is that which is pretending to be all this. And everybody is really God, is a mask of God, who is playing that he’s you. But he’s doing it so well that he’s taken himself in, because he’s the audience as well as the actor. It’s a really successful play. Because the good actor—although you know a play is just a play—a good actor is going to try and make you think it isn’t. He wants to get you crying, he wants to get you sitting on the edge of your seat in anticipation. And God, as the best actor, has convinced himself completely that the act is real. The Chinese, again, have a different model. Their model of the universe is an organic one: it is a great organism. It is alive. It grows. It is an intelligent order. So those are the three great models of the world.

Alan Watts

[ganeshmoorti]

Significance of Radha Krishna Marble Statue

The most romantic story from Hinduism is that of lord Radha Krishna. They represent unending love. The majority of love statues of the couple depict Krishna singing on the flute, while Radha is standing next to the musician. The statue's sitting position can also be found in a romantic pose.

Homeowners have decorated their houses with Radha Krishna marble statues since it draws the interest of visitors who appreciate its beauty. You must maintain them so that they look beautiful for many years. Lord Krishna was known to wear a vaijayanti malas on his neck. If you would like to please Kanha, place a vaijayanti mala in your temple. There are a variety of marble statue makers present in Jaipur.

Lord Radha Krishna - The Adorable One

The temples of Lord Krishna are found across the entire region of India. The statue is a symbol of the love and devotion to the spouse. It transforms the house into a relaxing and comfortable space where the statue is set. Marble god statue makers are located in Jaipur, Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Agra and Patna. Hindus are of the belief that the beautiful Radha Krishna marble statue will be a source of positive energy and prosperity to homes. The statues are the best example of the amazing art. This statue can bring lots of joy to your homes since it represents the meaning of love. The beautiful couple, who are lost in the sound of love. Seeks their blessings placing this gorgeous idol in the temple of your choice.

Getting Statue Of The Divine Couple

If you're looking for an attractive statue to add to your living room , go for the radha Krishna marble Murti. It'll give an authentic appearance to your space. This statue can add to the appeal of your home. It is an Indian marble statue available in many different styles. There are many Radha Krishna devotees around the world. You can put Radha Krishna statues in the temple of your home. Lord Krishna in the sense of the name is the one who is capable of attracting any person. We have an exclusive collection that includes Radha Krishna marble murti.

There is a high demand for Radha Krishna marble statues on the market in the world and also in India. If you are looking for a sophisticated appearance or a more traditional style, you can surely install a Iskcon Radha Krishna Marble Statue that will match your requirements. Radha Krishna statues can fill any living space with style.

Radha Krishna Idols - Good Luck Symbol Why ?

The majority of houses are decorated with photos and sculptures, making the home appear attractive. It means that anyone is likely to see your house and admire the beauty of it. The use of pictures in your home will not only increase the appeal of the home and its surroundings, but also, according to Vastu, the act of looking at photos in the morning will make your morning more pleasant. There's always a sense of love in your bedroom with pictures.

Radha-Krishna is the symbol for love. It is a symbol of love. are thought to be one and not distinct. The significance of Radha-Krishna's relationship from the beginning until the present has been incredibly deep. It is possible that's the reason why her idol is often given as a gift on all the occasions. However, many people are unaware that it might be their own fault. A simple question. What number of Iskcon Radha Krishna Marble Statues or images are in your home? Don't know the name of the artwork or image, idol or and so on.

If you put Radha Krishna marble statues in your home, then you can provide Tulsi in the hands of Radha to allow her to give Tulsi to Krishna. Never give Tulsi specifically to Krishna. If you are putting Radha Krishna statue is different than marble radha krishna statues at home, then make certain of the cleanliness of the statue.

[reneeswing]

Once Upon a Time in Bali

In 2022, I spent my December in the island of Bali, Indonesia. For a person coming from cold and dark Europe, Archipelago’s warm and humid air cures my depressive PTSD and shields me from another round of influenza outbreak at home. People might have been familiar with the generic scenery of Southeast Asia, especially as this edge of the world have been subjected to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for centuries: white sandy beaches shape up the heaven on earth, and there is always abundance of palm trees. What Europeans once considered an exotic colonial excursion, remains exotic; now it transforms itself into a recreational refuge for the same group of beneficiaries. Better yet, it may well be one last Utopian sanctuary for people who become wanderlust in their own universe. So you would imagine seeing girls in their swimming suits lying on those white beaches, and boys showing off their chiselled abs on their surfing boards. 

What you don’t see in Bali from those tourist pictures? 

But of course, Bali has more than one faces; and it is those out-of-extraordinary faces that are worth probing, gazing at and pondering over. In Bali, only at the southern tip of the island, on the side of Indian Ocean, are there white sandy beaches. On a good north part, Balinese beaches are signified by black sands, these are volcanic ashes from sacred Mountain Agung and Mountain Batu. As Islam to Java and Sumatra, Hinduism is the paramount religion in Bali. Among other Gods, they worship the famous Shiva and Ganesha. Balinese women always wear garments covering their shoulders and knees. As islanders, of course they go swimming in the ocean, but barely would you see them lying on the beach in bikini’s.

Every morning, you wake up with the aroma of the incense. Opening the door, you’ll find an Hindu offering: Canang Sari placed at your doorstep. As you try catching the silhouette of the smoke, the ladies has already prayed for the blessings of their household. They might be pious in religious believes, but local Balinese do not practice yoga. In the yoga town as famous as Ubud, it is flooded with foreigners. The expats chant Sanskirt in their stretch yoga paints, order ginger shot with chia seeds pudding, sometimes even complain the servants behind the bar could not understand their English, while the locals are hidden in the plain sights of those heaven-like utopian yoga studios.  Even though struggling at understand those complicated orders, they still carry the most beautiful grin and purest kindness on their faces. 

What I am doing in Bali?

My trip to Bali has a mission: my volunteer project at North Bali Reef Conservation, restoring the coral reef that was damaged by manmade excavation. As I set off the journey and plunge myself into the fishing village in North Bali, the image of Bali emerges into vivid faces. Through the interaction with these vivid faces, my Balinese memory is immersed in the warmth and care that I have not been experienced for many years.

Tianyar, is the destination, a village with broken roads, where children at age of 11 have already learnt to ride a scooter. Roosters never stop crowing and dogs bark around the clock. It is in Tianyar, I got to know that Geckos also chirp, and they are one of the most chatty bunch. But after all, what impresses me the most is still the people: the fishermen, the kids and the volunteers from all over the world.

In Tianyar, fishermen know how to dive and they work with international volunteers to restore damaged coral reefs. On the project, I joined the local crew to build artificial reef structures using cement, then we dove to place the reef structures onto the barren seabed, 10 meters under the sea level spreading around 1km. When the artificial reefs were placed and piled, hopefully nature would run its course: microbes and corals grow back and fishes lay eggs onto the structures, hence the ecosystem would restore to its healthy state gradually as it used to be. For merely 1km of distance, it has taken the project 5 years of time for the restoration work. 8000 structures have been built and the number is still counting; there remains a lot of works to do, miles to go before we sleep. When cruising the area under the water, I could see obvious changes to the previously damaged seabed. Head-sized brain corals have grown on these artificial reefs, fluorescent fishes flap around and with us. Seeing these positive natural responses, I was so convinced that all the hard works were worthwhile.  

The volunteers are a curious pack of people coming from all around the world. Interestingly, many people I met during my tenure were Europeans. I might have run away from Europe during the holiday season, but I didn’t escape Europeans. Yet, they are also not quite the same as those back at home. Most of them are Gen Z kids doing their gap year, on their first out-of-Europe trip since Corona. Some have spent months in Asia, or even exclusively on this project. Surely young kids are not the only character in this group. I’ve met corporate executives who once solo travelled through Siberia on motorcycles, social workers and other professionals in their 40s, who have decided starting their life adventure all over again. No matter how old they are, I’ve witnessed pure form of altruism from these people, and their immense love for the ocean. Their eyes sparkled, when they talked about the marine animals in the ocean. They were also caring and reliable. When we went under water for deployment mission, we became guardians to one another, we were buddies. Should there be any issues with the diving equipment, we counted on each other to be the safety net. 

The nature is loving, but it is also ruthless. The ocean is never tamed and doesn’t always pick its moment to accommodate our work. Sometimes, during deployment, we were not even able to stay properly buoyant, because the waves and currents went in every direction. So we had to monitor everyone in our proximity. To this day, I still remember the massive current during my first deployment, the visibility was low as the sands were all stirred up. I was practically a balloon out of control, as I failed to maintain my buoyancy. Whoever passing by me, tried to calm me down, using sign language to guide me make proper adjustment to my setting. Thanks to them, I went through my first mission and went back to shore safely with the team. I figured if you could trust a person under the water, big chance you could trust them in life. Those kids, though decade junior to my age, they are my trustworthy diving buddies down there in the ocean.

The breeze rustles from the ocean, this is how I will remember about everything in Tianyar: underneath the water in turquoise colour, the sound and the colour, everything is distorted to its own form. With the bubbles coming from every exhale, I was immersed in the state of serenity.   

Yayasan the school and the children

Local NGO also established an after school for the children in the village. Volunteers come here to be English teachers in this school named Yayasan. Classes are held everyday between 3 and 5 pm, kids’ age ranges from 6 all the way to 16 years old. Whenever I wrapped up my work in the afternoon, I would join the teacher squad to help with teaching, sometimes also dancing with the kids. 

The last week during my stay, the weather became extremely rough, non-stop rain on top of feisty gusts. The wind and the choppy water flushed all the plastic wastes to the shore. Seeing the ugly truth, nobody would be unimpressed by the pain that we human have inflicted on the ocean. Camiel and Chloe, two volunteers I have befriended here. I helped them create a curriculum on plastic ocean. After school, we also organised the class to collect plastic wastes on the beach. By showing the damages first hand, we tried to demonstrate to the local kids how non-degradable plastic goods were hazardous to marine animals and to our own health.

Bali, as beautiful as a heaven on earth, the islanders are also rather reckless with excess use and disposal of plastics. In the remote villages like Tianyar, wastes and recycles are not collected centrally. Instead, villagers burn everything in their garbage including plastics, which results in an unpleasant odour in the air daily, or plastic carcass lifelessly lying on the roadsides. Though teaching the kids about plastic damages, We weren’t sure how much we could change the villagers’ behaviour immediately. Through the lessons and the beach tour, we hoped to plant a seed in the kids’ mind and the changes might come from within. 

Every Thursday afternoon is when Yayasan kids say goodbye to the teachers who finish up their volunteer journey and leave soon. there is a series of performance on the school playground by the children to show their appreciation to their teachers. They have all learnt some pop music choreographies, among which the most popular one is Shakira’s Waka Waka. Almost every boy and girl know the move and love dancing to the music. Some girls would also perform traditional Balinese dances. Balinese dance is one of the most precious cultural heritages from the island. By the way, for people who are new to Balinese culture, if you must know one thing or two about Bali, you cannot miss out the Kecak dance by the cliff of Uluwatu at the sunset. It is intriguing, bewildering yet powerful. Seeing Yayasan girls dancing, Even though they do not perform with the same level of sophistication, I was equally smitten by their authenticity; especially the movement of their fingers and gazes, as if they have learnt to dance before they could walk. After the school performance, children would swarm toward their teachers for hugs and tears, a scene that always brought me to tears. Most of the gifts were sweet treats which you could imagine, the children have been saving up from their daily rations, no matter how much people from west would have thought of them as unhealthy snacks for toddlers and teenagers. 

My favourite chef and life in the camp

All the volunteers living together in the camp, the Booboo House, consists of simple bungalows and bunkbeds. The camp is divided into teachers squad and marine squad, with each has its own chef and crew. I was part of the marine squad, God knows how much I loved this name; it sounded as if we were the tougher bunch. 7 o’clock every day, our chefs and the family come to the camp and start their morning routine. Enter Yanti and Mongu, together with two lovely kids, Tantri and Ranga, some of my favourite people in the camp. Not only because they always served us with delicious Balinese dishes and saved food for me even when I was back in the camp very late, also because Yanti and I shared our secrete affection for Korean dramas. One day, when no volunteers playing western music on the speaker, Yanti put out her music collection and voila, BTS was in the house. We found each other in our love for Korean actor: Hyun Bin, who was also considered the country’s national treasure in Korea. Ever since, the bond became stronger. Even after I finished up my project and left the camp, Yanti still texted me and wished me eventually find my Mr. Hyun Bin in real life. Isn’t that a beautiful ambition? lol… 

If you think the nights in the village is quiet, you are mistaken. As the night falls, the choir of roosters start their performance. When I lied in my bungalow, I could easily tell 5 of them were in the vicinity, while the other 20 were lining up in three layers, uncoordinatedly chanting. They were never alone making the sound. Even with my most whimsical imagination, a karaoke bar would have been the last possible thing to expect in Tianyar. But they do exist. Near the street entrance to Booboo house, there is a club/ karaoke bar. Regardless which day of the week, music travelled far to our camp and it just lasted. Thinking Tianyar a faraway place, I completely underestimated the villagers’ passion for party.  There were also dogs who woke up before the sun did. They started chasing around each other and never kept it to themselves. So the first few nights were hard for me to fall asleep. Everything happened all at once, like the music notes coming from the same Philharmonic. However, curious thing happened: I integrated really well; one week later, I slept like a log every night ever since. Well, I figure that’s how we human adapt to our environment. 

My third week in the camp, Christmas was around the corner. Although pine tree is nowhere to be found on the island, we do have abundant palm trees. One particular sunny Thursday afternoon leading up to Christmas, all the volunteers worked together to prepare for the celebration. We built an odd-looking yet extremely creative Christmas tree out of palm tree leaves. Without having fancy Christmas balls, we used the same big leaves making origami ornament, from flowers to birds, from stars to ingots. Finally on Christmas day, Maria Carey was singing “all I want for Christmas” around the camp, we got to enjoy a three-course meal with chocolate mousse as dessert (of course made by our favorite chefs with love), followed by secrete Santa for gift exchange, funny group dances and handmade gingerbread contest.

This has been the best of times, and the most memorable Christmas for my years of wanderlust. Till today, I still miss the taste of that lush chocolate mousse.  

The morning glow and the grin on Fisherman’s face

Did I tell you Tianyar is a fisherman’s village? This also means we got to board the fish boat and chase for the sunrise. It was 5:30 in the morning, the crescent moon was still hanging high up in the north. The fisherman set the engine and we began to sail eastbound. As we proceeded, the sky start glowing into a pallet with rich colours, from navy blue to violet, then turned into a whole spectrum of warm orange, like a burning fire. “The sun is on the rise, we have to speed up”, said our fisherman. 

Our fisher man is called Wayan, evidently he is the oldest son in his family. Aren’t you curious how I got to know it? Here is a bit Balinese name 101. In traditional Balinese families, there are only four names. The name of the first born is Wayan or Putu, the next down the line is Made, followed by Nyoman, and then Ketut. If the family has more than 4 children, then the 5th one will become Wayan II, and so on so forth. To this day, most Balinese people still keep this tradition, like our fisherman. Please meet Wayan. Sitting face to face with him, I could see this purple glow on Wayan’s face; there was a grin too. Morning breeze coming with the salty taste, the water splashed while the engine slithering the waves. He got this, this was his stage, all the lime lights are centred on him. As my thought travelled, the scenery just reached its climax. Wayan stood up which rocked the boat slightly, and he pointed to direction far ahead, “look look, lumba-lumba”. He gesturing forward with excitement, we were all confused and couldn’t comprehend his words that could be either Bahasa or Balinese. Until in a split second, we saw a pod of dolphins hopping out of the water joyfully. On this golden canvas, Mountain Agung quietly stayed in the background for those beautiful mammals jumping in loops one after another. We were the luckiest, blessed to see this marvel in harmony; all the cheering was in the air. My feet dipping in the warm sea, I was overwhelmed by the love of nature in December Bali.

Time to go back to shore, everyone was in a good mood. Wayan was also chanting with us; but he was not so stunned by my proud photoshoot capturing the sun, the mountain and the dolphins in one frame. In the end, he sees this scenery almost daily, this has always been part of his life.

It is an interesting riddle, isn’t it? For me, this was a hard-earned moment of tranquillity, I had to work a full time job and fly thousands of miles to see it. Whereas for Wayan, our fishermen, they might not have the “middle-class” comfort in life, but they get to relish this view every day or whenever they feel like it. Up to whom to tell which life is better? We don’t know better.

Time to visit the Temple

The New Year’s Eve was around the corner, it was my cue to finish the project and leave Tianyar. Meanwhile, it was also the three-day count-down to the biggest celebration in Bali: Galungan and Kuningan, according to the islanders’ Pawukon calendar. This is a 7-day religious festival when Balinese people pay tribute to their passed ancestors, who are believed to return home and bless their people. Penjor, curvy bamboo poles decorated with offerings and tassels stand on the sides of every street across the island, imitating a ladder rising from the earth to connect with the celestial heaven. 

Balinese families have so much to prepare for the ceremonies, making offerings, praying in the temples, cleansing with sacred water and tomorrow do it all over again. During the season, their days started from 3 am, when I heard chanting coming from village temples, smelled the burning incense slipping through the edge of my door. Time for me to visit the Hindu temples, and I wanted to do it in style. 10 o’clock in the morning, the sun could not wait to show off its sparkle brightness, one would get toasted if exposed under it for longer than 5 minutes. But no real Balinese shied away, everyone on the street wore traditional sarong, women with matching lace kebaya while men were suited with painted kamben shirts and hairbands, called Udeng. The wax dyeing technique in this part of the Archipelago could trace back centuries ago, it owns its world-renowned name called “Batik”. To this day, international artists are still intrigued and inspired by its intricate craftsmanship. 

I myself was all dressed up in traditional sarong, because my driver, Santri has kindly agreed to secretly smuggle me into the temple in his village. Well, with my tanned skin complexion resulted from marine work, I might blend in just fine, even pass as a local, as long as I didn’t answer any questions or spit any word. Santri’s mother and the family were all there to greet me. Very soon, some uncle from the village gave me this scanning look; then he turned around to chat with Santri. They both ended up giggling in the language that I had minimal knowledge of. But I was not completely oblivious. Judging by the boy’s sudden facial blushing, I figured the uncle has mistaken me as Santri’s betrothed. It must have been an innocent joke, but I also didn’t see anyone denying it, whereas I was just incapable of doing so. Well, as long as it got me into the temple, I didn’t mind a bit of theatrics. I just had to wing it.

The temple consists of sacred shrines in bright colours, all dedicated to Hindu Gods and the villagers’ ancestors. Surrounded by bamboo Penjors, the central piece of the terrace was piled with offerings from pious believers. Women and men all in uniform sarong, they gathered to perform the ritual and pray for a good year to come. On one side of the temple terrace, I saw some piglets and chickens wearing red ribbons, were strapped to the poles. Santri told me those farm animals would be sacrificed at the end of the ritual. It went without saying, I was extremely interested in both the religious and secular aspects of Galungan. In the meantime, I respected their ancient traditions, to the extent that I couldn’t agree with the backward aspect that animals were still slaughtered in religious rituals today.

Eventually I figured this was part of the journey. As much as I was amazed by the cultural originality, there might also be something that I detested of. With all the conspicuous temple colours and a mixed feeling, I wrapped up my temple visit on the eve of Galungan. 

The local entrepreneurs and friendly faces

Bali is a place for a vibrant entrepreneur community. My time in Bali makes me realise one thing, one thing that business school forgot to teach me: a business is a business. It doesn’t always have to be disruptive or blue ocean for a business to succeed. During my time here, I met so many local entrepreneurs full of passion for their brand. My encounter with them was exceptionally inspiring.

Pithecanthropus is a Balinese brand that sells garments and textile products. The brand is also dedicated to preserve ancient wax dyeing technique and aesthetic culture of Indigenous ethnicities. The owner is a gentleman named Bobby, who founded Pithecanthropus 25 years ago. He and the team have been cruising every corner of the Archipelago searching for cultural artefacts from the villages and the tribes. For instance, They are trying to preserve the iconic dyeing method: Batik, originated in Java and thrived in Bali. In their shop, I found a good collection of sarongs, the motif on which are the remake of the antiquate Batik techniques; there were also the cap stamps, made of coppers with intricate motif designs, and arrays of antique textiles collected around the islands.

During my trip, I ran into the premiere of their private textile exhibition from 19th century southern Sumatra, called Muara. The exhibition was held in an ancient wooden mansion that Bobby shipped from Sumatra and re-erected brick by brick. When Balinese sun beaming through the tainted glasses in this 18th century house, my train of thought followed those artefacts going back in time. The textiles on display were embodiment of an era when the islands and the surrounding water bodies became the integral outpost of various trading routes, those arrays of patterns and colours testified the rise and fall of the sultanates and colonists, witnessed the ebbs and flows of both religious and secular societies. In yesteryear, merchants bartered spices for Chinese gold threads; craftsman then applied them boldly on the garments to demonstrate prosperity. In contrast, indigo colours were broadly used in inland implying moderacy. The name of the exhibition “Muara” meant ‘delta’; it suggested, the ornate textiles symbolised a terrain where all those ancient cultural relics converged, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Dutch, as well the Indians and the Arabs. 

Throughout my visit in the gallery, I was accompanied by a lovely lady, Tania. Fluent in English, she showed me her passion and aesthetic taste in Indonesian diverse culture. A college student majoring in nutrition and dietetics, she studies at the largest university in Bali: Udayana University. She worked at the exhibition as a part-time narrator during her holiday break from school. After my visit, we also spoke about her study in nutrition. I confided with her my observation that in Bali, there seemed lack of healthy snacks in the supermarkets and toko’s (local shops) for children; and she shared with me how she would like to use her knowledge making social changes in the future. 

Room4Dessert, hidden in the uphill north of Ubud, is the kitchen that once won the world’s Best Pastry Chef Award. But this was a knowledge for me in the hindsight. When everyone else arrived in a scooter or taxi, I walked. And that night, I managed to squeeze into the last solo seat, when everyone else made a reservation 2 months ahead. What could I say, I was a lucky bunny. All the guests were foreign looking, whereas most of the restaurant staff were of friendly local faces. As I only intended to take a Cappuccino and one piece of cake in this ‘patisserie’, I was completely oblivious that the restaurant only served a 12-course set menu of desserts. 12 desserts instead of one piece of cake? Just as I debated my decision, a sudden rainfall stormed to the street and I had to stay. In retrospect, I was glad that the timely rain made the decision for me, as there was always room for dessert. 

Being a solo guest, I was led to sit at the bar together with two other strangers. The trio began to exchange gauche pleasantry. The restaurant bar had a semi-open-air setting, with one open side facing its own organic garden. Considering Bali’s tropical climate, it was not uncommon. The rain continued to rage, while the wind joined the party, began to blow the humidity toward people at the bar. The space was full of sounds, the water, the wind, the cling-clang sound in the open kitchen and the subtle music edging between Jazz and something else. I was distracted by the orchestra, when a Caucasian looking guy came and greeted me. “I kinda like the big storm, it is beautiful, isn’t it?” This man with convincing tone was Will Goldfarb, the mind behind Room4Dessert. The pastry chef and the founder, together with Room4Dessert, they featured in Netflix’s series Chef’s Table in 2018. Wow, I bumped into some a famous place. 

The entire dinner was an immersive experience. I was fully concentrated on the waiter’s introduction of each course: the ingredients harvested from the very organic garden, and their interesting combination, the plate setting and the handmade placemat underneath them, all reflected the team’s creativity: juxtaposing, putting elements together for originality. The three solo guests, who were total strangers, turned into three musketeers bound by this gastronomic enlightenment.

Later when the rain got gentler, I was led to tour around the organic garden, my tour guid was also my concierge of the night, Ayu, a lovely lady from Bali, who also invited me to come back and visit their even larger organic farm behind the restaurant. 

The next day, the sun shined bright again, I went back to visit the farm with the garden manager, Felicia. Unlike Ayu, Felicia comes from Java Island. Aspired to be a pastry chef, she left home and started working in Bali during Covid. However at Room4Dessert, she wasn’t hired as a pastry chef, instead, she is now managing the business around the organic farm. While strolling around the farms, she was telling me all the fun facts about this place, how to distinguish lemongrass from citronella, what is her favourite nutty ingredient called Kenari. And I returned the favour by telling her in West, how the concept of organic farms has turned into a prevalent social movement, as people desperately looked for sustainability solutions.

I often believe people find their path in the strangest way. This is how life usually turns out to be: an ambitious pastry apprentice, becomes a versatile principal managing an organic farm.

All the inspiring local businesses, all those lovely story-telling faces. It was such an easy thing to connect with them. Now almost 2 months later, those flashbacks of remembrance keep me warm. As I duck in the cold European winter, I am especially craving for the Balinese friendliness like nowhere else. 

The earthquake and the stray dog in Uluwatu 

To conclude my journey to Bali, I also couldn’t miss out some of the less appealing experiences. Chapter 0: Earthquakes. Three days into my camp life in Tianyar, we were enjoying our leisure time after work. All of a sudden, I felt a very strong tremor from underground. Before I realised it was a real earthquake, the local staff dropped everything in hands, raised both arms in the air and started praying, murmuring words that I couldn’t make sense. This amazing island, called Bali, it is also under all sorts of seismic hazards, from earthquake, to tsunami, then to volcanic eruption. Most of the volunteers have never had any direct earthquake experience, except for my friend, Jillian, who lives in Tokyo Japan and helped us to make sense of everything when the tremor started. Luckily after a few noticeable shocks, the quake stopped. The locals went to check the sea level. Since the camp literally was situated on the beach, they wanted to eliminate the probability of tsunami, the strong indicator of which was the sea vacuumed away from the shore.

After the initial shock, people with experiences tried to provide solace to us, explained that tsunami would only be triggered if the earthquake lasted for a significant period of time. And this one was just the earth releasing its pressure routinely. In case there was a tsunami alert in time, we would have had at least 2 hours to run toward the higher altitude, which was around 5km away from us.

The news came out a few hours later: it was a magnitude 5.6 quake where the epicentre was in the middle of Bali Sea, 20km north to our village. Well, although a routine tremor, it did render some of us no longer an earthquake virgin.

Enticed by the Kecak dance performance on the cliff, I had a short stay in Uluwatu, a beach town along Indian Ocean, famous for its rock caves and surfing culture.

Sunday morning, as I was climbing down the cave leading to Suluban beach, an emaciated dog caught my eyes. She was scavenging for the Canang offerings, while an old man came over helping her open up the plastic wraps around the foods. This gentleman owns a warung (local eatery) near the beach. He started telling me that he has spotted many stray dogs lately. During past two years of lockdown, as many foreigners relocated to Bali temporarily, they also adopted dogs to keep them company. Now that the world went back to norms, those foreigners left; and unfortunately, their pets were abandoned. This dog has been lingering on the beach for days. Struggled to find enough food, she became extremely skinny. As we spoke, she kept looking up at the ladders to the beach, as if she was hoping her master would have come back for her. Tears poured out my eyes when I saw her gaze into the air. I joined the old man looking for fresh water for the dog. Garbage lied around in the cave, including a deserted coconut shell, but no drinkable water at sight. It occurred to me I still got half bottle of water in my bag. I took it out and poured the water into a container in front of her, she began to voraciously devouring the water.

Bali, just like every other beautiful things in this world, its existence is undeniably sublime, but it also carries cruelty in its true colour. And for me that very last bit included makes it an unforgettable journey to bookend my 2022.

C’est fini.

[nitewrighter]

Now i cant wait to see Genji confense to Zenyatta about overwatch and Angela !

Gooooddd this has been languishing in my drafts since... god I don’t want to think about it. Forever. But tonight I get it out!!

-----

Steam puffed up over the food stand, the warmth in the air intermingling with the crackling sound of fryers. Genji watched as the Omnic vendor skillfully scooped several chicken momos up from the fryers and set them in a paper-lined cardboard tray, holding it out to him. Even well into the night, Kolkata was thrumming, vibrant, noisy and alive--Delivery drones buzzed overhead, hover-mopeds weaved between packed buses, hovercars honked their horns, and omnics in Shambali garb were attempting to start up conversations with irritated Vishkar representatives on the sidewalks. Zenyatta watched all the bustle with his usual patience-with-underlying-shrewdness. They had been traveling together for nearly a month now, but Zenyatta had been called back to the Shambali monastery in Nepal earlier than he would have liked and, as he explained it, Kolkata was the easiest place for them to drag their feet without Zenyatta’s brother sending more reminders their way. Zenyatta didn’t seem particularly resentful of Mondatta, but there was a definite hesitance in his return to Nepal that spoke to some complexities in his and Mondatta’s relationship.

They were able to find an isolated enough alley for Genji to keep his hood up and head down as he quickly stuffed down his dinner before clicking his faceplate back on and heading back out to the main street. Genji watched as a bright blue hovertram streamed by, so packed there were a handful of humans and omnics virtually hanging off it as they rejoined the crowd on the street. The press of human and omnic bodies here was different than Numbani--with Numbani there seemed to be a careful cultivation of the ‘City of Harmony’ image, with clean-scrubbed streets and gleaming buildings, and carefully outlined street and foot traffic for optimum efficiency, but here felt closer to reality--the clamor of voices and the natural messiness of shared spaces, the streaming of bodies moving in different directions, pooling and spiraling around each other like water. He didn’t feel like he stood out here--the crowd was so mixed between humans and omnics that the eye glazed right past him. He and Zenyatta fell behind a group of pilgrims, a mix of about two thirds omnic and one third humans. Genji studied the organics. He recognized the look of some of them--those searching for truth and identity, like he had been, like he still was. They were dressed in bright colors and their conversations were peppered with aphorisms from all the Shambali’s best-selling books and Mondatta’s holovid speeches. At least one of them had dabbed on a bit too much patchouli oil. Genji gave a glance back at Zenyatta.

“So what is your hesitance in returning, Master?” asked Genji, looking back at the group ahead of them. He had only been calling Zenyatta ‘Master’ for a little over two weeks now, but it felt easy. Felt natural.

“The journey is just as important as the destination, my student,” said Zenyatta as they walked.

Genji gave him a slight, ‘Come on’ head tilt, and Zenyatta tented his fingers, composing his thoughts.

“As machines, the Shambali have been able to adapt our--their message, to human agendas. And this is well and good--there is no reason why the Shambali’s message of peace should be incompatible with already present human social constructs.”

“I see...” said Genji, a little wary that Zenyatta was going to launch into another pondering monologue where the words ‘Pedagogy’ and ‘commercialization’ swam in and out and Zenyatta would ultimately end with a hand wave and ‘But I suppose it depends on the individual,’ or something like that.

“Omnics do not need to sleep, so the Shambali can travel as much as they need--But I do have concerns about treating our ideals as a machinated export when ultimately we strive for unity between the organic and the--” Zenyatta cut himself off and perked up at the odd ripple that seemed to be going through the crowd.

“Master?” said Genji. He looked around the crowd, trying to see what Zenyatta was seeing. People were stopping mid-step and pulling out their phones, some bumping into each other but barely glancing up. Couples and groups that were walking together stopped and exchanged concerned murmurs in Bengali and Hindu and english. Genji suddenly felt a seed of anxiety growing and spreading from the pit of his stomach, phantom limb pain prickling throughout all of his prosthetics. Something was wrong. Something felt wrong. The group of pilgrims had all but dropped to a standstill, several of them crowding around a human’s phone. She had her hand over her mouth. Two or three of the pilgrims were speaking English.

“The Headquarters?”

“It couldn’t be an aerial attack could it?”

“Do they know who did it?”

“God I hope it wasn’t Null Sector... If Omnics get blamed for this--”

“What about Talon?”

“They beat Talon--”

“They beat Doomfist. Doomfist isn’t all of Talon.”

That prickling anxiety that manifested as phantom limb pain now was rushing hot along the skin of his neck and cybernetic jaw as he looked around. His armor felt claustrophobic around him but his head was jerking around this way and that, looking desperately now. Headquarters? Talon? Newsfeed. He had to find a newsfeed.

“Genji...” Zenyatta said his name as if trying to pull him back to the present, but this fear was the present, it was pressing in on him like the crowd. His head swiveled to see people accumulating around a pawn shop window where multiple holoscreen projectors of various ages were displayed. He rushed through, ninja training guiding his feet and the angle of his shoulders, sliding through the crowd like a knife until he reached the front of it. The holoscreens of the shop window were displaying the news in numerous channels and Genji’s eyes fixed on the familiar face of the news reporter Olympia Shaw. The television was muted, of course, but there was captioning. Before his brain could make out the words, his eyes fell on a helicopter or drone shot hovering over a massive building semi-obscured by multiple columns of smoke.  The complex cluster of plaftorms at the building’s western side were blackened. There was a recognizable patch of green at the building’s heart--a courtyard, that soon was obscured by smoke as the wind shifted.

Zurich. Zurich Headquarters.

The explosions took place only minutes apart. Both Strike Commander Morrison and Reyes were in the building when the explosions occurred--- Olympia Shaw’s mouth moved along soundlessly to the captioning on the screen. Something chilled in Genji’s stomach. Zurich headquarters itself had been many things over the years with Overwatch, during his long stints in physical therapy and during Blackwatch’s suspension, it had felt like a prison-like box, but there were a few nights...

Eyewitnesses have told Atlas News that Doctor Angela Ziegler, formerly known as the Overwatch agent ‘Mercy,’ who was reportedly resigning from Overwatch, is apparently inside the headquarters attempting to rescue personnel. There has been no--

Genji suddenly had the physical sensation of dropping rapidly through a dark, cold space. 

He wasn’t there. She was in trouble and he wasn’t there.

Genji...

The tone of her voice was distant. His entire body tensed as the memory of late nights in the lab arose. He remembered her snorting laugh in the small hours of the morning, her shoes kicked off and her legs tucked close to herself in her swivel chair. 

Genji--!

He remembered their elbows interlocked in Havana, the burn of rum flushing across her nose and cheekbones and shining in her eyes. 

Genji?!

He remembered her stooping over him, wet lab coat hanging off of her, her glasses fogged with the steam of the therapy pool. 

“GENJI!” Zenyatta was gripping both his shoulders and he found himself standing in that crowded street in Kolkata, the televisions still glowing behind him. 

“I’m okay,” Genji said, “This is fine--it’s not fine--I’m going to fix it--I just need to go--”

“Go--?” Zenyatta started.

“I need to go,” Genji was breaking away from Zenyatta, already walking. He would have broken into a sprint if it weren’t so crowded. “I need to go--She can’t--I left her but I can---” Breath didn’t seem to be coming to form the words. Maybe if he just kept walking...

“Genji, you’re having a panic attack,” said Zenyatta.

“I don’t get panic attacks!” Genji snapped.

But he did get panic attacks--he just thought he left them behind in Zurich. Burning Zurich. Burning Zurich where Angela was and she was in trouble and he wasn’t there and he hadn’t even said goodbye when he left like the fucking heartless self-absorbed piece of shit he always knew he was. He was still talking. He wasn’t sure if he was talking because it kept the shortness of breath away as he moved but Zenyatta was floating after him as closely as he could in the crowd.

Zenyatta suddenly seized Genji’s shoulders again. “Genji!” he spoke clearly and a small orb of harmony suddenly alighted next to him.

“You have to let me--” Genji felt his own hands gripping Zenyatta’s wrists. He had fought Null sector Omnics before. He wondered how much physical force he needed to get Zenyatta off of him but Zenyatta’s fingers tightened into his shoulders with a furious grip.

“YOU. CAN’T. CONTROL THIS.” Zenyatta’s voice was deeper than usual, startlingly commanding. Enough to shock Genji into a space of neutral confusion.

“Wh--but...” Genji’s breath was still short.

“...you can’t control this,” Zenyatta’s grip on his shoulders loosened, “It is not your fault you can’t control this. It does not make you a bad person that you can’t control this. It is an event happening 7,430 kilometers away, and you can’t control it. It doesn’t mean that it is irrational that it is affecting you deeply. It doesn’t mean that it is nonsensical that it is hurting you deeply. But the only thing you can control, right now, is your own reaction. Can you even breathe right now, Genji?” 

“I--I--”

“Start with that. Start with breathing.”

The respirators of Genji’s cybernetics were audible as he drew in a breath.

“Again,” said Zenyatta.

Genji drew in another breath, held it for the same amount of time as it took to draw it in, exhaled with that same slowness. Drew in another, held it, exhaled. 

“You are here. You are in Kolkata. There is cement beneath your feet. There are green and growing things springing up from the cracks in the cement--” Zenyatta’s voice was short, but not unkind.

“But Zurich--” Genji started.

“You are not there. You are here. And you are breathing.”

Genji consciously drew in another breath. “But I have to--”

“We are still learning what is happening over there,” said Zenyatta, “How long do you think it will take you to get there?”

“I--I don’t know...”

Zenyatta paused, calculations running through that Omnic mind. “The fastest flying vehicle available would get you there in four hours, but you do not have the resources for that. Commercially... it would take at least 8 hours. What do you think the situation will look like in 8 hours? 6, even?”

Genji wasn’t really sure what to say to that. The consciousness of his own breath seemed to slow things down though.

“You don’t know that either,” said Zenyatta, answering the question for him, “...we’re going to get away from the crowds and find somewhere to sit down.”

“I can’t do nothing...” Genji said quietly, as Zenyatta was already leading him away.

“I know. It is a very admirable trait,” said Zenyatta, “But you are doing this.”

“Which is nothing!”

“It’s not nothing. Right now, there are only two people you can help--”

“Two--?”

“You can help yourself, or you can help me,” said Zenyatta.

“Help you??”

“Help me help you.”

Genji was quiet for a few seconds but it was more of an incredulous processing of Zenyatta’s words than anything.

“I think we should walk,” said Zenyatta, “Will you walk with me?”

Genji just dumbly nodded and let Zenyatta lead him away. They walked several city blocks in relative slience, Genji trying to return to his breath. 

“This world... it can be full of... unbearable cruelties. All we know can be wrenched out from underneath us in only a few moments,” Zenyatta spoke as they walked, “I cannot pretend to know how to fix it. I suppose... that is why I left the Shambali. I cannot stand to be around those who will happily claim they can fix your problems when they don’t actually know that it will. I... am utterly petrified of disappointing people... all the time. So I disappointed the people who meant more to me than anything, and now I am here with you. Hope is one of the most painful and terrifying things you can let into your life. It is all I can do to try and instill hope in other people as a resilient and living thing. You call me master when I am constantly questioning whether I am worthy of such an address.”

“Are... are you all right?” Genji’s voice was quiet.

“No,” said Zenyatta, plainly, “And neither are you.”

A long silence passed between them as they kept walking. The world seemed too upended to call the motion comforting, yet at the same time, staying still would have made things feel like they were curling and collapsing all around them. Movement as grounding seemed like an oxymoron, and yet that was the space Genji and Zenyatta found themselves in. They were in a more residential area now, cigarette, weed, and hashish smoke sinking down on them from the balconies above.

“When you were watching that newscast, you kept saying things like, ‘I left her.’ Back when we were in the Banu Tufayl tribe’s encampment, you said there was someone who made you believe in your work... someone who you clung to like a ship’s mast in a storm,” Zenyatta said after a while, “Is she in Zurich?”

“Yes,” the word came out of Genji more choked than he intended, his words felt tight, “I can’t leave her--she saved me, so I have to--I have to...” Genji pressed his fingers to his forehead plate.

Zenyatta tented his fingers thoughtfully. “It has been said, one of our greatest means of dealing with grief, is confronting the reality that we may lose the ones we love. Confronting the eventuality of that loss.”

“I can’t do it now--” Genji said , his voice tight, “I can’t-- I didn’t even say goodbye to her... I wasn’t sure if I could say goodbye---”

“...still reeling from the Zurich attacks---” a crackly voice sounded overhead and Genji stopped in his tracks, his head jutting upward. 

“Genji?” said Zenyatta.

“You there! With the radio!” Genji shouted at one of the apartment balconies overhead. A portly middle-aged man with a receding hairline leaned out over the balcony.

“Can you turn it up?” Genji called.

The man shrugged and disappeared back behind the balcony.

“Genji,” Zenyatta spoke gently, “I’m not sure if harassing random people can really--”

The crackle of the radio audibly got louder.

“--Angela Ziegler is unconscious but stable at Zurich hospital--” the radio sounded. 

A shuddering breath of relief fell out of Genji. “She’s... she’s alive,” he said, looking at Zenyatta. 

Zenyatta gave a nod and a noise that was midway between laugh and sob fell out of Genji.

“As I said,” said Zenyatta, “There is much we can’t control but--” 

Zenyatta was cut off as Genji suddenly caught him in a tight hug, his cybernetically armored shoulders shuddering with those not-laugh, not-sob sounds. “She’s alive... she’s alive,” he kept saying.

Zenyatta patted his shoulder with some unsureness, “And so are you.”

[myfaythin-blog]

Sun Temple Konark- History, Legend, Significance, How To Reach

Sun Temple Konark

The Sun Temple Konark is one of the few temples dedicated to the sun god Surya. It is also a huge tourist attraction due to its architectural wonder and its significance. The most interesting thing about Hindu mythology is that everything present on this earth is believed to be a creation of God, and has an ‘ansh’ (part) of the god within it. This is why Hindus worship every element which affects our lives, like rivers, mountains, plants, animals, and planets. All planets are treated as gods and are worshipped. The Sun being the master of the solar system occupies a special place in Hindu mythology and is worshipped a lot.

Location: Konark, (Odisha) Built by: Narasimhadeva –I Main deity” Suryadev (The sun god) Also known as: The Black Pagoda

The Sun god:

Like all other planets, the Sun is also revered as a god and called ‘Surya dev’ (the sun god). There are several sun temples across the world and in India. Two prominent sun temples in India are Konark Sun Temple, at Konark (Odisha), and Modhera Sun Temple, Mehsana (Gujarat). These temples were built originally for prayers and sacrifices dedicated to Surya dev, the Sun god. Such temples were built across several countries like India, China, Egypt, Peru, and Japan. Most of these temples are in a ruined state now and some have been nominated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. One such temple, located in India, and nominated by UNESCO is the Konark Sun Temple, at Konark in the Indian state of Odisha.

Location of the sun temple konark:

The Sun Temple is located in a village called Konark, along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. The village got its names due to this temple only. Konark is located in Odisha, about 35 km northeast of Puri, another holy city of Odisha, and 65 km southeast of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. This temple was a major landmark for the European sailors, who gave it a name, the “Black Pagoda” as it looked like a great tiered tower that appeared black.

History of sun temple konarak:

The Sun temple at Konark was built in the 13th century by the great king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, Narasimhadeva –I. The temple was built around the year 1250 CE. This temple built in stone was designed in the form of a huge ornamented chariot dedicated to Suryadev, the Sun god. Why did the king build this temple is not known. Historians believe that it could be due to his gratitude for a wish-fulfillment or to celebrate a victory or even out of his devotion to the sun lord. The royal touch is seen in the form of sculptures depicting royal activities, like hunting, processions, and marching of soldiers.

Significance of the temple:

As per Hindu mythology, Sun is depicted as a god, who starts his journey in the morning from the east and swiftly moves across the sky to the west, where it sets and completes the journey for that day, only to start a new journey, next morning. The Sun Temple at Konark depicts this journey of the Sun-god across the sky in a chariot, marshalled by the charioteer Aruna (meaning dawn). The sun god is depicted as an attractive person standing in the chariot, which is being pulled by 7 horses, which are named after the seven meters of Sanskrit prosody – Gayatri, Brihati, Ushnih, Jagati, Trishtubha, Anushtubha, and Pankti. The sun god is depicted standing with a lotus in both his hands. He is shown flanked by two females on either side of his. These two females depict the two dawn goddesses, Usha and Pratyusha (both names mean the first light of the sun). These dawn goddesses are shown to be shooting arrows, which signify their shooting arrows of bright light to dispel the darkness. In a way, they also signify that each new day is a new beginning. It brings along new hopes and new energy. The chariot is shown to have 12 pairs of wheels, which correspond to the 12 months of the Hindu calendar, with each month paired into two fortnightly cycles (called the krishna paksha and the shukla paksha). At Konark temple, this iconography of the sun is depicted on a grand scale. The temple has 24 giant and elaborately carved stone wheels which are nearly 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter and are shown to be pulled by seven horses When seen at the time of sunrise, the chariot-shaped temple appears to emerge from the depths of the blue sea carrying the sun.

The Architecture at Konark:

The word ‘Konark’ is a combination of 2 Sanskrit words (kon + ark).  The word ‘kon’ means ‘angle’, and the word ‘ark’ refers to ‘Surya’ the sun god. Some believe that the work ‘kon’ is derived from its strategic position. There are 3 major temples in Odisha namely Jagannath Temple at Puri, Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar, and the Sun temple at Konark. If you were to join these three temples over a map, they would form a bilateral triangle, with the Konark temple being one of the angular points. So, the name signifies that the main deity is the ‘sun’ god and the temple is built in an angular format. These three cities are said to be thee corners that form the Golden Triangle of Odisha. The Sun temple follows the Kalinga style of architecture, which is derived from the nagara style of temple architecture. This ‘was among the 3 styles of Hindu temple architecture, which were prevalent in India at that time. These styles were divided in terms of their popularity across India. While the nagara style was popular in North India, it was the ‘dravida’ style that was popular in South India. In Central and East India, people preferred the vesara style. The difference between these 3 styles is how they do the ground plan and visually represent the elevation. The Kalinga style showcases the nagara style in its complete purity. The Sun temple at Konark is a beautiful example of that. This style of temple architecture includes a temple in a square ground plan, with a sanctuary and assembly hall (mandapa). To give the temple an elevation, they build a huge ‘shikhar’ (curvilinear tower), which is inclined inwards and is capped. Though Odisha lies in the eastern region, but still the temple is built in the nagara style. This could be due to the fact that the kingdom included many areas of north India as well. Hence, this was the style they started working with. Once adopted, it became a tradition, with no change.

From glory to gloom:

The sun temple, which has once seen the days of glory, is now in ruins. Though the exact cause of its destruction is not known. Some people attribute it to some natural calamity, while people blame Muslim invaders for destroying the temple. The main temple at Konark, called the deul, is no more there. In its hay days, the deul was surrounded by several subsidiary shrines, most of which depicted the many aspects of Surya. The ‘deul’ (sanctum, which houses the deity) was built at a height. The original temple consisted of the main sanctuary, called rekha deul, or bada deul (meaning big sanctum). In front of that, there was the bhadra deul (meaning small sanctum), also called jagamohana (where people could assemble and worship).  The attached platform called the pida deul consisted of a square mandapa with a roof like a pyramid.  All of these structures followed a square pattern with a variegated exterior. The central projection called the ‘raha’ was more pronounced than the side projections, called kanika-paga. This style allowed for a beautiful interplay of sunlight and shade and added to the visual appeal of the structure throughout the day. The sanctum of the main temple is now damaged and stands without a roof and several original parts. On its east side is the Nata mandira (meaning dance temple). It is also built on a height and has intricate carvings. It stands on a high, intricately carved platform. According to texts, earlier there used to be an Aruna stambha (meaning Sun’s pillar) between the main temple and the Nata mandira, but during the troubled period, it was moved to the nearby Jagannath temple at Puri. The upana (moulding) at the bottom of these platforms contains beautiful carvings depicting elements from life. These carvings depict musicians playing instruments, people carrying goods on their heads or on a bullock cart, travellers preparing a meal along the highway, hunting scenes, and even festivities. Other walls contain images that depict the daily life of elite people. It shows young girls wringing their hair after taking a bath or applying makeup while looking into the mirror, or playing instruments such as the ‘veena’. It also has images of common people chasing away a monkey who is trying to snatch items, a family bidding goodbye to their grandmother who seems to be going for a pilgrimage, a mother blessing her son, a teacher teaching with students, yogi during a standing asana, and a warrior being greeted among others. The Konark temple is also known for its erotic sculptures showing couples in various stages of courtship and intimacy. These erotic sculptures are found on the temple’s ‘shikhara’ and illustrate the various poses described in the ‘Kamasutra’.

Best time to visit Konark:

Since Konark is very close to the coast, the summers are very hot and humid. The months of April to June, are very hot. The best time to visit the Konark temple is between September to March, as the weather is pleasant during this time. Also, if you are a photo enthusiast, and want to capture the rising sun or the setting sun, then it’s better to go early morning or early evening, and you can capture the temple in full glory, with the sun god in the background.

How to reach Konark?

By Air: The nearest airport to Konark is Biju Patnaik International Airport at Bhubaneswar, which is at a distance of 65 km.  The airport is connected to all major cities of India. From here you can easily take a taxi and drive to Konark in an hour.

By Train: The nearest railway station to Konark is Puri, which is 30 km away from Konark. You may take a train from Bhubaneswar to Puri and then take a taxi or bus from there.

By Road: Both government and private buses are available from Bhubaneswar and Puri. The journey to Konark is pleasant with good roads and a nice scenic view.

Final words on sun temple konark

The Konark Sun Temple is undoubtedly one of the greatest architectural marvels of the Indian subcontinent, as a symbol of rich architecture. Though it has lost much of its glory, it still attracts a lot of tourists. UNESCO has declared the Sun Temple at Konark as a World Heritage Site, which highlights its importance. This importance can be gauged from the fact that the state emblem of Odisha containing a warrior and horse statue has been taken from the Konark temple. The design of the new ten-rupee currency note depicts a motif of Konark Sun Temple on the backside.

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10.30 pm – 12/08/17 – Day 01

The bus set out from Bangalore, a slight delay, thanks to which I was able to grab some food! In about 14 hours, the bus would take me far away from the original intended destination.

A coffee never hurt, especially when stuck without a plan!!!

7am – 13/08/17 – Day 02

The morning found me staring into the countryside, its overcast gray skies, and the semi barren fields in against the rust red of the iron ore on the road! Hampi was still 2 hours away. What started as a trip to Gandikota in AP, was inching towards Hampi in North Karnataka!

The previous two days had gone by in a blur! With no plan, and no tickets to Kurnool, last minute changes had to be done to ensure that there atleast was a trip! The only other place that I could think of then was Hampi! Good thing I already had tickets to Bangalore! All that was left was to find a ticket to Hampi from Bangalore and from Hampi to Chennai! A colleague (now, wife) helped with the bus planning and booking a stop-over stay at Bangalore!

After almost an entire day of roaming, a café in Bangalore gave enough time to Google up Hampi and possible places of stay there! A few phone calls later, one place asked me to call them again on reaching! Wondering if the plans would materialize, strolled around Bangalore a little bit more, met some friends, and finally when it was time, boarded the bus to Hampi! The one persistent thought however, was what If there was no accommodation?! It was after-all a long weekend!

A gust of wind ensured I was back, staring at the overcast skies, the broken down trucks along the highway and the oodles of rust on the road. After a lengthy detour post Ballari, the bus ambled into the dusty little town of Hospet! Hampi is 16 km from here! Found a couple who were also headed the same way, grabbed an auto to share charges and off we went!

Dropping them off at their shack, I went about looking for the contact I had spoken to! Funny thing, with the mountains and boulders all around, there was very little network. Finding the place was a task, but thankfully, the temple town isn’t too large and finally, reached the homestay.

A small but a neat place, it was located very close to the Virupaksha temple.

** To those who plan to visit Hampi, there are basically 3 options for accommodation. Those that plan to do the trip by their own vehicles can stay at Hospet, or at Kamalapur (close to Hampi). The other two options are to stay at the temple town itself in its few homestays, or stay at Virupapur Gaddi, across the river! Those that stay at Hampi should be aware that the food available would be completely vegetarian fare since it is a temple town! The hippie town on the other bank however is for those with a palate for a wider spectrum of food, although the last coracle/boat is at 6 pm, after which the only other way is a 30 odd km detour! **

The family that ran the place were warm, and although the room they had planned to accommodate me in wasn’t empty till later that day, they found a temporary room for me on the first floor! The terrace had an amazing view, of the Virupaksha temple on one side, the Mathanga hill on the other side with the distant Tugabhadra river gurgling away in the distance! It was indeed blissful to spend time under the overcast skies on the terrace, with the multiple temples and halls on the Hemkuta hills for company!

View of the Hemakuta hills

The main road into Hampi

Mathanga hill from the guesthouse!

Freshened up, and having some nice toast with butter and jam for breakfast! I set out into the temple town! The first spot was the famous Virupaksha temple. Unlike many other temples in Hampi, the Virupaksha temple is still active, and the pujas are conducted here. One interesting aspect of the temple is the “pin-hole” camera effect, where a small hole on the wall inside a small room within the temple makes it act as a pin hole camera, forming a perfect inverted image of the main gopuram on the opposite wall.

Virupaksha Temple

Origin of Hampi: 

The name Hampi is evolved from Pampa, the ancient name of the river Tungabhadra. Also Pampa is the daughter of Brahma, the Creator God. She was a devoted worshiper of Shiva, the God of Destruction. Impressed by her dedication Shiva offered her a boon and she opted to marry him! The place thus came to be known as Pampakshetra (land of Pampa) and Shiva as Pampapathi (consort of Pampa).

The Hemakuta Hill in Hampi is the place, according to the myth, Shiva did his penance before marrying Pampa. Kama , the God of Love, felt sympathy for Pampa for her love towards Shiva. He disturbed Shiva from his deep meditation. That attracted Shiva’s wrath. Known for his anger, Shiva burned Kama with his third (fiery) eye. Rathi, Goddess of Passion and also Kama’s consort pleaded for mercy with Shiva. Shiva grants Kama’s life back, but only as a character and not as a physical being.

On Shiva’s marriage with Pampa Gods from the heaven showered gold on the place. This hill in Hampi is called Heamakuta, literally means heap of gold.

All these places have immense religious significance for the Hindus in south India, especially the devotees of Lord Shiva. In the beginning Pampa was a local folk deity. Through the concept of a marriage with Shiva, goddess Pampa is associated into the pantheon of the Hindu gods.

The places mentioned here has a continuous religious history ever since known timeframe. It just happened that the Vijayanagara Empire came in-between and gone as an episode in Hampi’s long history. Even today the annual ceremonial marriage festival & the betrothal are important festivals in Hampi. With time, Shiva became more popular here as Virupaksha. Virupaksha, an incarnation of Shiva, literally means the one with oblique eye. This refers to the fact that Shiva has three eyes. The third fire eye on his forehead opens when he do the destruction.

As a tourist you can visit Virupaksha Temple (the main functioning temple in Hampi), Hemakuta hill (with about 40 temples concentrated on it), Pampa Sarovar (where Pampa did penance) and of course the river Tungabadhra.

Kishkinda Episode: A popular folklore associates the landscape in Hampi with the Hindu epic Ramayana. The monkey kingdom, Kishkinda, is portrayed as the region around Hampi. Anjayaneya Hill, located across the river Tungabhadra, is believed to be the birth place of Hanuman.

For the Prahlada episode see the Story of Narasimha. You’ll find this man-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu icon at many sites in Hampi including the Vittala Temple and Lakshmi Narasimha Temple .

The curiously named, Bhima’s Gateway located on the way to Vittala Temple from Kamalapura has a beautiful panel of Keechaka episode that happened during the exile of Pandava’s. On the left is the image of Draupathi tying up her hair after Bhima slayed Duhsasana. Right image portrays Bhima killing Keechaka.

Below is the panel of Bhima with a flower bud describing the Saugandhika flower episode

In Hampi you’ll find this theme of adolescent Krishna stealing cloths of cowherd girls (Krishna on the tree with Gopis pleading with their hands folded in reverence). There is one pillar with this theme carved on one of the the slender pillars of  the Kadalekalu Ganesha and another beautiful one at the Pattabhirama Temple, though a damaged due to vandalism.

Those finally end up in Hampi invariably wonder how on earth such a landscape got created! Well, you have two choices to find a solace: one in geology and the other in mythology. (Source: Hampi.in)

 Ambling through the ancient temple, one cannot help but wonder how many generations of men and women this place must have borne, the amount of prayers heard, right from the greedy selfish ones to the most selfless of prayers when the Vijayanagar Empire was attacked by the Sultanate rulers. But, despite all odds, the temple still stands, a mute testimony to the will power of the humans that ensured that at least some of the grandeur was not lost to the elements of time. The vast temple, led to an equally majestic tank on the side of the river.

Manmatha Tank

The temple is the center of activity in Hampi. While the road spread out on the South towards Kamalapur and onward to the highway linking it to Bangalore, the North side towards the Tungabhadra river is full of an assortment of homestays, restaurants and shops for various trinkets! Whether they are authentic, is anybody’s guess! A little walk from the temple leads to the ghats along the River, boats, both powered and hand paddled take one across for a small fare!

Tungabhadra river

To the South and the east of the Virupaksha temple are some of the more important ruins (did not have enough time to try explore the western side!). On the south, are the famous Hemakuta hills, and the large mandapams on the hills. Two major spots on these hills are the Kadalekalu Ganesa and a little further, the Sasivekalu Ganesa!

Kadalekalu Ganesha

Entrance to Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple

Other structures on the Hemakuta Hill

    View to the temple town from the Hemakuta Hill

The town is completely dotted with the ruins of the ancient Vijayanagar empire, so much so that it is hard not to see the remnants of the past! One cannot help but wonder how magnificent the city would have been in its heyday, if it can evoke such an awe when most of the city is in ruins!

Bang opposite the Virupaksha temple, is a large open space now used as makeshift stalls and car parking! There, are a series of a colonnaded ruins extending almost a kilometer to the east! These are called the bazaar street, and housed the markets related to the temple activities in the past! They were also said to have housed the residences of the nobles of the era!

                View of the Virupaksha temple from the end of the bazaar street

                  View of the Virupaksha temple from the end of the bazaar street

    A portion of the ruins of the bazaar!

  View of the Virupaksha temple from the end of the bazaar street

  Way to Nandi Mandapa

The far end of the bazaar street has a grand staircase with a large mandapa! The mandapa houses a massive Nandi which overlooks the entire bazaar and onward to the Lord Shiva!

Nandi Mandapa

Beyond the Nandi Mandapa lies a small trail that leads to the little less frequented, but very imposing ruins of the Achyutaraya Temple!!

Way to Achyutaraya Temple

Achyutadevaraya, who came to power succeeding his elder brother Krishnadevaraya built this temple in 1529. The presiding deity was Lord Thiruvengalanatha, a form of Vishnu! (Source: Karnataka State Website!)

    First glimpse of the Achyutaraya temple

  The temple, located at the Southern end of the grand Courtesan Street is a sight to behold from up the Matanga Hill from where one gets to appreciate the massive scale of the street and the beauty of the temple from an unconventional viewing angle! The temple, although in ruins does make one wonder about the glorious past!

  Inner Courtyard

 Carved colonnades around the temple court!

Sculptures in the mandapas!

Almost 300 years on, the glory still remains!

View of the Matanga Hill temple from Achyutaraya temple!

View of the gopuram!

  What remains of a glorious past!

Walking out of the main gopuram of the Achyutaraya temple, one encounters a rather massive open area with large pillared platforms on either side. This is the Courtesan Street. (The temple is accessed via this large pathway, with the trail through the Nandi mandapa being the alternate route!)

In the peak of its time, the place was a thriving market of gems, pearls, ivory etc. For some reason, this place was called the Sule Bazaar (The Prostitute’s Market). About 500m long and 50m wide, the market was once thronged by merchants far and wide. (Source: http://www.Hampi.in )

Courtesan’s Street

The Courtesan’s Street, at its Northern end meets the Kampa Bhupa’s path (the riverside path. Source: hampi.in), along the Tungabhadra river. There are the Varahaswami temple and the Ranganatha swamy temple nearby.

A small trail from near the Achyutharaya temple leads up the Matanga hill on the Eastern side. There is another path on the Western side as well. The western route seems to be used more often. While the easter side is doable, there are a lot of overgrowth due to minimal movement!

Walking along the outer couryard of the Achyutaraya temple, I met up with a fellow backpacker who was also doing a solo trip to Hampi. We decided to explore the places together from there on! Next up, was Mathanga Hill!

A view of the Achyutaraya temple from above!

Way to Matanga Hill!

A view of Achyutara temple and the Courtesan’s Street from Matanga Hill

Hampi from above!

View of the Virupaksha Temple from Matanga Hill!

Matanga Hill is one of the holy places described in the Ramayana! It is said to be the place where Sage Matanga was, and had given protection to Sugreeva, the King of Kishkinta! There is a Veeerabhadra temple atop the hill!

Although it was close to dusk, we dint quite wait for the sunset, although we were at the right spot, since it was quite hazy, and we had to visit the Vithala temple next! Getting down from the Mathanga Hill from the western side, we made our way back up along the Nandi mandapa, and then on to the Courtesan’s Street to get to the river path towards the Vithala Temple!

View from the Mathanga hill showing the Courtesan Street, the Pushkarni (right side) and the path leading to the Vithala temple from the Varahaswami temple!

  Way to Vithala Temple

Along the rocky path that leads to the Vithala temple, are a series of boulders that form a natural cave!

It is said that one of these caves were used by Sugreeva, the King of Kishkinta. It is also said that he used this place to hide the jewels which Sita dropped when she was abducted by Ravana and that Surgeeva met with Lord Rama and Lakshmana near these caves! A number of footprints seen on the floor of these caves are said to be that of Lord Rama and Lakshmana!

Sugreeva s Caves

A short walk from here is the Vithala temple. The King’s balance and the Purandaradasa mandapam are enroute!

Vithala Temple

The Vittala Temple, is one of the most iconic structures of Hampe, made even more famous by the induction of the Stone Chariot in the Rs 50 currency note! The presiding deity of the temple is Vittala, a form of Lord Vishnu. This form of the Lord was worshipped here as the main deity of the cattle herds!

Built in the 15th Century, the templs has grand hallways and a large pavilions and temples, besides the afore mentioned stone chariot! Outside the temple, are a series of colonnaded structure, the Vittala market place and the ruins of an ancient Shiva temple. The temple itself opens out into a kilometer long passageway, probably large enough for Chariots. There are remnants of a large tank along this passageway!

Entering the temple from the Eastern gateway, one is greeted by the Stone Chariot. This chariot is rumoured to have had the stone wheels rotating about its axis! The Chariot houses the shrine for Garuda, the vaahana for Lord Vishnu!

Stone chariot! Note the rear wheel, where the gap between the axle and the hub is more on the bottom than on the top, indicating that the wheel was indeed free to rotate about the axle! It is also believed that the structure was painted with natural/mineral dyes!

Unfortunately for us, the temple was very crowded, thanks to the Independence day weekend, and the day being a Sunday! Unlike the Achyutaraya temple, we could not have the Vittala temple for ourselves! Greedy, indeed!

A smaller mandapa within the Vittala Temple complex!

A little beyond the Chariot is the main building, the Maha mandapa! Ornately carved, the building is famous for its Musical Pillars! These are small series of stone pillars carved out of a monolithic block! Each of these smaller pillars when tapped emit a specific musical note! This stands testimony to the fine Architectural skills of the craftsmen and at the same time, the level of understand and the cohesion of arts that was possibly prevalant at the time!

  Ornately carved columns, depicting the mythical creature, YAAZHI. The sculptures of this creature is found across south India, with similarfeatures,  making one wonder if they actually existed!

Intricate stone carving stands testimony to the craftsmanship of the time!

The details along the roof, deft and intricate!

  View of the gopuram from within the complex!

Rear side of the temple complex

  With the crowd being on the higher side, we decided to leave earlier that planned. We also decided, we would try and make it to the Vittala temple again the next morning!

We headed back out to Hampi along the same river bank route!

The view of the Sugreeva cave from the Narasimha Temple complex

  A short detour later, we were at the Virupaksha temple, parting ways deciding to rent bicyles for the next day’s trip! A sumptuous meal at Mango Tree (highly recommended!) done, I settled down at the home stay!

  The Tungabhadra river bank along the way…

  Parting shot for the day.. Virupaksha temple, in the lights!

  A tiring day done, I wound up at the new room! Not the view the earlier one had, but I wasn’t complaining! Having walked miles upon miles, sleep took over in no time……

            A view of the Achyutaraya temple from above!

  Where Gods Walked…….. (2) 10.30 pm – 12/08/17 – Day 01 The bus set out from Bangalore, a slight delay, thanks to which I was able to grab some food!

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Transcript & additional notes

This bronze statue at the oriental museum dates to c. 1800 ce; but the figure’s origins trace back much further. This statue depicts Lord Shiva, in his form as Nataraja, meaning Lord of the Dance. Shiva is one of the three pantheons of Hinduism, together with Brahma (insert img), the creator and Vishnu, the preserver (insert img).  Shiva is the destroyer. However, these three deities represent different avatars of the same divine substance. In fact, Shiva here (back to img) dances the cosmic dance of destruction and creation.  

The deity of Shiva seems to have emerged from the Vedic deity Rudra (insert img & date) who represents the destructive forces of nature. Ancient Hymns of Rig Veda and Atharva Veda point to his dual ascetic and ithyphallic aspects; now associated to Shiva, and enabling a later worship of Shiva in the linga form. (insert img) The linga is a phallic form of Shiva which is most commonly venerated in temples, a symbol of unrealised potential and creative, fertile forces. Puja, or worship is performed by pouring milk or ghee over the linga.

These destructive forces remain integral to his figure. (back to img). In the 9th and 10th century Shiva is depicted as the Lord of Destruction in a morbid way. He dances at cremation grounds. (insert img) It is thought that these are the roots of his later Nataraja depiction.  The flames which embrace the composition radially recall a funeral pyre;(zoom) and the skull in his hair is reminiscent of its remnants (zoom) The drum he holds gives rhythm to his dance (zoom). One of the most famous statues of Shiva Nataraja is in Chidambaram, (insert img) and it is thought that this town was was close to a cremation ground. However, Shiva’s history is complex and mysterious, and the temple at  Chidambaram is home to many of these mysteries.It is still a very famous site, known for having Shiva in his Nataraja form as opposed to just his linga form. Nataraja in Chidambaram remains the most sacred of his presentations. (insert img) The icon literally embodies the deity’s living presence. Every morning he is awakened, bathed, offered meals, and throughout the day is entertained and delighted via dance and music. He is put to sleep in the evening. During the festival of Margayi Tiruvadirai, the winter solstice, Nataraja is taken out on a chariot for a procession (insert img). It is likely, due to the size of the statue at the Oriental museum, that it too was venerated in a temple, and perhaps carried out in processions.

The statue at Chidambaram  points to other possible origins of Nataraja’s iconography. Nataraja is also associated to Kotravai (insert img), a goddess of war who dances in the carnage of battlefields. His dance thus, is not just of death, but of victory. His victorious qualities emerge from two myths. The first, is the myth of the pine forest. (insert img) After the death of his wife, Sarti, Shiva goes to the Daru forest with the intention to live with rishis (sages), whilst he is mourning her death. He comes to this forest as a naked, ithyphallic, handsome beggar, Bhikshatana. He is sexually irresistible to the wives of the rishis, who become interested in Shiva. The rishis feel humiliated and retaliate by sending various weapons. He easily overcomes all of them and turns them into trophies by either wearing them or dancing over them;  (back to img) these are: the drum in his right hand (zoom), the fire in his left hand (zoom), the skull on the crown on his head (zoom).the demon, apasmara, which he treads on. (zoom)  The snake which wraps around his body ( zoom). He bears the scratches of a tiger in the form of stripes on the garment around his waist. (zoom) (back to img). He dances with such furious joy that the dance takes on a cosmic dimension, thus encompassing into itself all of creation. This dance enlightens the sages. At Shiva’s urging, they worship him in his abstract form, the linga.

The second myth to emerge was that two sages residing in Chidambaram, after knowing of the performance of this dance, yearn to see it. Shiva Nataraja agrees to perform the cosmic dance there and only there, thus marking Chidambaram as the core of the psychic universe. However, resident goddess, Tillai Amman resents Shiva’s decision and challenges him to a dance competition. Shiva wins by raising his leg above his hip in the urdhva janu pose (insert img). As a woman, and as a virginal goddess, she cannot perform this move without compromising her modesty. She is thus defeated and cedes the temple to Shiva.

(back to img) It is theorised that the popularisation of this triumphal icon was due to the Chola dynasty Kings desire to assimilate themselves to his victorious aspects, as they expanded their rule all throughout India. Nataraja served as a god of conquest, brandishing the priests’ failed weapons similarly to how Kings exhibited looted goods from their enemies.

Nataraja thus dances both in death and in triumph; but what remains clear is the  profound quality of this work beyond its morbid and martial implications. Perhaps this is why he has remained such a prevalent symbol until the present day. Another undeniable factor is the figure’s beauty. His form is taken from the guidance of ancient manuscripts, the Shilpa Shastras, on divine measurements for sculpture.  For example,  Shiva’s eyes are shaped like almonds, and his arms ‘long like stalks of bamboo’, his face ‘round like the moon’; and a (insert img) radial geometric composition underlies it all, exalting its cosmic symbolism, which I will now elucidate.  

(back to img) This statue conveys first principle of creation according the Hindu account of genesis - that at first, there was sound. This is represented through the drum, or damaru, that Shiva holds in his upper right hand (zoom). The drum tunes the act of creation and measures the passage of time. his front right arm is raised in the gesture of abhaya mudra meaning, “fear not, those who follow my path of righteousness will  have my blessing” (zoom) . The fire, agni, which he holds in his upper left hand, represents destruction (zoom).  The ring of fire (back to img) represents the perpetual cosmic cycles of the universe. His long matted tresses alternate flower garlands, which stream outward the ring of fire, showing his omnipresence throughout the universe. He tramples apasmara, (zoom) representing the dispelling of ego and ignorance. (back to img) His dance destroys the universe but also the bonds of every soul, freeing them from their egos and deeds. He embodies the tension of dynamic action and balanced stillness. His is a dance of furious bliss, but his expression is one of calm contemplation. Physicists today describe this as the dance of subatomic matter. In the words of Aldous Huxley… (insert clip)

Notes:

This was my final transcript. It is similar to a storyboard, in that while and after I wrote it I inserted directions for when I wanted a certain image. I then compiled a bullet point list of images that I wanted to include in my podcast. These were the following:

-Triad of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva - Shiva in all his poses - Img of Rudra deity - Shiva linga - Shiva dancing at cremation grounds - Temple of Chidambaram - Shiva at Chidambaram - Shiva in procession - Img of Kotravai - Illustration of pine forest myth - Shiva in urdhva janu pose - Radial Yantra

I initially looked at the Oriental Museum collection online to see if I could find any of these images there, and indeed I found that of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. I also found one of the linga, but there were other gods in the image as well (the image I found in a previous post), so I thought it might make it confusing.

I then encountered a few difficulties. I found no images of Rudra, if not for one with a pitiful quality. The same applied to the illustration of the pine forest myth. I also just did not find an image of Shiva dancing at cremation grounds. I don’t know why I thought I could find an image of Shiva’s statue at Chidambaram, given the fact that you’re not allowed to photograph it (since it is the living embodiment of the deity). I was however, successful in my remaining pursuits.

I found that the way I structured my transcript made it easy for me to edit. I did however, have immense difficulties in recording myself reading it. Every time there was a problem, and at first I was trying to record it all in one go as when I listened to sample podcasts one of the main things that struck me was the abrupt change from one section of a voice over to the next. I quickly accepted my fate, however, as I realised I was utterly incapable of reading a page of words without stumbling over my words, being interrupted by some kind of noise, or sounding dead inside when listening back to it. I thus decided to record in parts, which was significantly easier. 

I then wanted to choose some music, and an artist I had been listening to recently was Anoushka Shankar. She is a Bengali sitar player and composer, trained in classical Indian music, although she was born in the UK. I thought her identity perfectly embodied this project - and Indian object in an English museum. The songs I chose, Flight and Maya, I thought were beautiful, soft instrumental tracks that would not overpower me speaking. Fortunately for me, the change between the two songs, from a mellower, more melancholy tone to a more upbeat one happens when I start to narrate the myths, which I feel helped the transition to a lighter-hearted ‘storytelling’. 

[icantthinkofacoolblognamesposts]

Karaikkal Ammaiyar is one of the greatest figures of early Tamil literature, a Bhakti poet and saint who probably lived during the 6th century AD. She was one of the three women amongst the 63 Nayanmars, a group of saints devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. “Ammaiyae” literally means mother. Today, somewhat unfortunately, it is not her poetry that is popular, but the story of her life as told in her hagiography by Cekkilar, a male court minister of the twelfth century. Two Tamil feature films have been made about Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s life in 1943 and 1973, an evidence of her continued popularity in the region.

According to Cekkilar’s story Karaikkal Ammaiyar was born at Karaikal, South India. She was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant, named Punitavati, a devotee of Lord Shiva since childhood. She continued to remain devoted to Shiva after marriage. One morning, her husband sent two mangoes to the house. She gave one of the mangoes away to a hungry Shaiva mendicant because she had not prepared any food yet. She served the remaining mango to her husband as a dessert who asked for the second one.

She was worried and prayed to Lord Shiva. By miracle, another mango appeared in her hands which she served to her husband. The sweetness of the mango was incomparable, prompting him to ask where did she get it from. She reluctantly told him the truth but he did not believe her. He challenged her to get another mango in the same manner. Even though another mango appeared, it disappeared as soon as he touched it. He decided that she was a local goddess, left her and married another women and began worshipping her.

This story was written more than 500 years after the saint’s lifetime. Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s poetry simply does not provide details of the personal history of the saint found in the narrative. But it is quite clear that the role of a saint-goddess and a wife were considered incompatible, even though it is not explicitly stated why. The reason can however be inferred, a wife’s unmediated access to God disturbs the hierarchical nature of the husband-wife relationship. The fulfillment of the domestic duties of a wife was certainly considered very important, a slight breach is enough for her to call upon a miracle. It is the husband’s mango she gives away. She has no right over household goods and so she has to come up with another mango secretly.  

According to the story Karaikkal Ammaiyar utters her first poem after her husband accepts her as a Goddess. She then wishes to shed her beauty to attain the form of the ghouls who venerate Shiva’s sacred feet. She begins a pilgrimage to Mount Kailasha where Lord Shiva lives. As she passes, people remark on her strange form with both admiration and fear, to which she responded, “If God recognizes me, why would I need a form recognizable to men in all directions who remain mired in ignorance?” Here is how she describes herself in one of her compositions:

One female ghoul has shriveled breasts bulging veins hollowed eyes bared teeth a bloated belly copper-colored hair fangs knobby ankles and elongated shanks;

Even though Kariakal Ammaiyar’s story is deeply rooted in patriarchal norms, she does not take the form of a benevolent, beautiful, domesticated Goddess (like that of  Lakshmi). What is fascinating is that she absolutely defies all patriarchal norms of beauty, taking a fearful and reverential image. Even though the rejection of beauty is done in favour of religion, it is radical amid a tradition that often associates beauty with virtue. She rejects a body that is socially validated, ‘a form recognizable to men’, a form that is associated with mediation and commodification. She places no value in beauty or appearance as long as God can recognize her.  The story offers an implied critique of a social world that has no space for a religiously devoted women who has to live as an antisocial being.

This incompatibility between wifehood and religious virtuosity is not unique to Karaikkal Ammaiyar. For instance, Andal from Tamil Vaishnavism of the ninth century and Mirabai of northern Indian bhakti traditions of the sixteenth century both reject mortal marriage and instead wed themselves to God. The Bhakti tradition provided a mode of living other than traditional wifehood and motherhood to women. They did not join an alternative order or become nuns. Their mere existence and popularity becomes a threat to patriarchal authority.

References

Chosen Moments: Mediation and Direct Experience in the Life of the Classical Tamil Saint Kāraikkāl Ammaiyār by Karen Pechilis

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