#Why is Hinduism Unique

[coder035]

Adam and Eve? Meet the OG Couple: Manu and Shatrupa"

Everyone’s heard of Adam and Eve, right? The couple that kicked off humanity in the Bible, the ones who got tempted, ate an apple, and changed the course of human history. But did you know they weren’t the only “original couple” story out there? Long before Adam and Eve became famous, Hindu history told the story of Manu and Shatrupa, the first man and woman, who played a similar foundational role in the creation of humanity.

So Who Were Manu and Shatrupa?

In Hinduism, considered by many to be the world’s oldest religion and the origin of countless spiritual traditions, Manu is known as the first human being, created by Brahma, the god of creation. Often seen as the forefather of humanity, Manu laid down principles for human life, codified in the Manusmriti, one of the earliest guides to ethical and moral living.

Shatrupa, his partner, was also created by Brahma. Her name means “one with a hundred beautiful forms.” Together, Manu and Shatrupa were entrusted with populating the Earth, and unlike the story of Adam and Eve, there’s no “fall from grace” in their narrative. Instead, they are seen as co-creators, embodying partnership and responsibility in the establishment of human civilization.

A Creation Story That Inspired the World

While Adam and Eve’s story is familiar in the context of temptation and exile, Manu and Shatrupa’s journey is rooted in duty, harmony, and creation. According to Hindu texts, Manu wasn’t just any man—he was a wise and virtuous figure chosen to survive a great flood (yes, a flood story appears here too) and preserve the seeds of life to repopulate the world. In some versions, the god Vishnu, appearing as a fish, guides Manu through the flood, ensuring humanity’s survival.

Shatrupa, embodying adaptability and resilience, symbolizes the strength required to build a new world. Together, Manu and Shatrupa represent balance—the partnership needed for humanity’s survival and progress. They didn’t face punishment or exile but instead were given a purpose: to help shape human life in a way that reflects dharma (moral duty) and balance.

The Original Inspiration for Abrahamic Stories?

It’s fascinating to note that Hinduism’s ancient narratives may have served as inspiration for the later religious texts of Abrahamic religions. The parallels are hard to ignore: the concept of an original couple, a great flood, the repopulation of humanity, and even the guiding role of divine forces. The story of Manu and Shatrupa predates the Abrahamic texts by millennia, which suggests that the stories of Adam and Eve—and Noah, in the case of the flood—may have evolved as interpretations or modifications of this original story from Hindu history.

In this way, Hinduism could be seen as the wellspring from which other creation stories emerged, with each new tradition adapting the themes of creation, partnership, and divine guidance in its own way. Hinduism’s influence, though often unacknowledged, runs deep, and Manu and Shatrupa’s story stands as a reminder of these ancient roots.

Why We Should Remember Manu and Shatrupa

Manu and Shatrupa’s story holds timeless lessons that extend beyond the narratives of temptation or punishment. Their tale isn’t about falling out of divine favor but about collaboration, balance, and responsibility. They embody the values of harmony and resilience, trusted by the divine to guide the world. Manu represents dharma, while Shatrupa embodies adaptability. Together, they established a model of life that is still reflected in Hindu values.

The story of Manu and Shatrupa is a reminder that humanity’s origin stories vary across cultures, with each offering unique insights into our purpose and connection to the universe. So, while Adam and Eve might dominate the global stage, let’s not forget the original pair from Hindu history: Manu and Shatrupa, the ancient figures who paved the way for humanity long before other traditions came into being.

[pineapplerightsideupcake]

I saw a video of some nutjob islamic preacher called Daniel Haqiqatjou going on about how child marriage is good. That's why I don't take the word "islamophobia" seriously.

Sanctioned pedophilia isn’t unique to Islam. It’s the end state of patriarchy. What Islam is, is patriarchal. Just like all the abrahamic religions. And nearly every other one. What Islam has is a disproportionate amount of theocracies in its name. So that shit has had time to fester in the open. I’m not so sure conservative Christians in the USA are all that much more subtle. They say the same things, just worded more carefully.

People perceived to be Arab or Muslim face genuine discrimination in the US and Western Europe. I don’t want to sound like I’m denying that, but the actual religion of Islam isn’t a victim. If anything we could be much more critical.

But then we get into very complicated territory where I think all major religions are inherently patriarchal and most of the destruction they cause is directly and indirectly is caused by the degradation of women.

Like Islam sucks but don’t grab a woman’s hijab and call her racial slurs. Christianity sucks but the person to harass on the street isn’t a 19 year old sister wife. Even Judaism has issues with patriarchy and sex abuse in more orthodox and insular communities. Doesn’t make it okay to harass them off campus at Harvard. Buddhism isn’t as immune as people think and Hinduism has well known issues. Hell, Neopagans probably have a weird dude in a robe trying to hit on 15 year old girls too.

Wherever men and authority meet, sex abuse happens.

[skaldish]

Could you expand upon your ideas around how Venerating a Deity doesn’t mean trying to embody what they represent? I was raised in a church that literally said the word “worship” meant “to try to become like”. So I’m fascinated by how you could worship a deity of a thing and not want to make more of that thing out in the world. I want to learn a new paradigm

Happy to! I love talking about paradigms.

Firstly…

Different religions and denominations conceptualize "worship" differently.

This includes "what you do to worship" but also includes ideas around "what gives worship its value."

"Trying to become like a deity" is something I've seen specifically associated with Evangelism and Fundamentalism (perhaps others, but this is what I know). It's derived from the idea that Christians are warriors of god and that it's their duty to act as his voice and hands on Earth. This is derivative of their doctrinal idea that they need to "save" people by any means necessary. (Teaching people to define who they are through God makes people dependent on God for a core sense of self, which is a huge reason why it's so psychologically awful to leave these denominations. It robs you of everything you are and leaves you with no way of creating yourself anew.

It's one thing to admire a deity and aspire to adopt some of their attributes as a point of personal growth; it's another altogether to teach people that they need to replace their inherent personality with a prescribed ideological construct. I loathe it entirely.)

Now, Catholics don't tend to interpret worship as the act of "trying to be like God." Given what I've observed and what I know of their ideology, worship for them is largely a function of sacrifice. You sacrifice your time, skills, wealth, etc. to God, because giving up things that are difficult to give up is how you show you really mean your devotion.

(I've seen this behavior in Heathens, actually, when they do things like buy top-shelf mead only to pour every last drop of it out on the ground for Odin or similar.)

I also take a lot of issues with this form of worship because I know why it exists: Extortion. The Church learned hundreds of years ago that guilt-tripping people out of their money (in exchange for salvation, an unfalsifiable concept that they neither had to prove nor procure) was an excellent way to get rich and powerful with impunity.

Clearly you caught me on a day I'm feeling extra-spicy towards Christianity. But I bring those two up in detail because I know a lot of my followers come from these backgrounds, and having more points of differentiation is important.

See, the real pitfall here lies in thinking that Christianity represents the "default" for how religions work, when in reality it's the grand exception, given all of human history.

The other religions I know about (with the exception of Judaism) are distinctly polytheistic: Shinto, Hinduism, Buddhism, and various flavors of Paganism. These all have different models of worship because they all have different, culturally-informed philosophies about how divinity works. Religions are inseparable from the cultures that create them for this reason, and why switching religions is a function of adopting a completely new mindset, not just a new set of gods to venerate.

Norse Heathen Worship

Since this is a Heathen blog I'm obligated to talk a bit about this.

How we worship as Norse Heathens is still a matter of debate, but that's because we're still figuring out how to define "worship" within the context of how it operates as a spirituality.

At no point did Norse Heathenry have a governing body, a religious figure, or a holy book to guide practice. Things developed organically, unique to their time-period and location, and stories were (and are) passed down via oral tradition rather than written down.

Many Heathens mistakenly think we're missing religious mandates, hence why they're so bent on trying to find them or devise them. I think this is a mistake.

A religion's architecture derives from the values, worldviews, and agendas of the culture/people behind it. The reason why a Christian's relationship with God looks like a Lord/servant dynamic is because the religion was shaped by lawmakers, and "loyalty towards the law" was a value they wanted to instill in the general population. Christianity was used to shape politics, so politics in turn shaped Christianity.

Norse Heathenry didn't have this function, so rather than reflecting political values, it reflects cultural ones. The stories are allegorical representations of cultural ideas, which themselves are based in the context of animism—the idea that everything operates as an ecosystem, and divinity is inseparable from that ecosystem.

This is all to say that the way Heathens worship is largely a byproduct of how they interface with that ecosystem. How this looks is something we choose based on what we find connection with, as opposed to mandates given to us.

Some people might find this kind of answer unsatisfying because it doesn't lead to any directive on "how to worship," but that might be because we're used to thinking of worship as a "duty," as opposed to what is actually, anthropologically is: A type of enrichment.

How I Worship

The way I go about worship is the same way I go about any kind of social bonding; through collaboration. In my mind, venerating deities is functionally identical to socializing with them, and like any socialization, how that's done varies from deity to deity. Anything I do in my practice—offerings, devotional art, etc—is informed by what I perceive them liking.

(Keep in mind I'm a hard polytheist, and I'm a hard polytheist because it's the only descriptor that could describe how I experience deities; as beings with autonomy divorced from my own will. A soft polytheist would conceptualize this entire thing differently.)

I also personally conceptualize "veneration" "devotion" and "worship" all differently, which is why you'll see me use the word "veneration" to describe what most people call "worship:"

Veneration is the general state of reverence or respect for something we hold spiritually important, such as a spirit, deity, or ancestor.

Devotion is a kind of enthusiastic dedication that emerges from love.

Worship is a ritual activity done as a gift for a god.

But this is just how I understand things for myself. They're not a reflection of how these things are thought of in Norse Heathenry. (In fact, they're mostly a product of the fact I initially learned about worship through observation, rather than experience. But I figured I'd bring it up anyway to provide an additional dimension to your paradigm explorations.)

I'm not sure what else to say so, uh…feel free to follow up with questions in case you want me to dive more into something.

[hussyknee]

I accidentally deleted this ask yesterday but fortunately had a screenshot. Ngl I'm kind of ??? about it because...why would you single out Hinduism to pick the most fundamentalist, cultural and political aspect of it, that's not even practised in most the Hindu minorities outside of India? Nearly every community in India has a caste system regardless of religion. Within Hinduism there's no just one caste system either. Eelam Tamil Hindus have a caste system, but it's not as violent as India's (although of course still violent and oppressive). Sinhalese have a caste system too, and the ones still invested in it would swear blind this was related to Buddhism somehow, a doctrine that preaches against inequality of any kind. Caste systems are literally haram in Islam and yet some Muslim communities managed to rationalize creating one because they wanted to assimilate into the worst of us I guess.

I know fuck all about Hinduism to tell you the truth, but my sister is a convert and devotee of Durga Matha. I asked her about it and she sent me this:

There are as many variants of Hinduism as there are varieties of grass. The only thing they have in common is the Vedas which is a bunch of hymns and stuff. It doesn't really go into detail about caste.

The caste system comes from a book called Manu Smriti. Some accept it as a Hindu text, some don't. Hinduism isn't even a religion actually. It's a bunch of similar belief systems that the Britishers lumped in together for ease of classification. Within Hinduism there are many sects- Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, etc. So to define Hinduism as some sort of oppressive religion doesn't make sense because it isn't a religion as Westerners define it. Anyway, truth is everyone cherry picks the parts of religion that suits them and discards the rest. Some think that's being dishonest. I think that's just common sense.

This makes sense to me. It's very colonial to monolithize belief systems that evolved from the disparate religious texts and syncretic practices of dozens of kingdoms and dynasties over 4000 years, just because it shares the unique character of belonging to the Indian subcontinent. (Which is precisely why its propagated by Hindutva nutcases. They're imperialist colonizers permanently snorting Indian manifest destiny crack.)

Bestie. Friendo. My guy (gender neutral). Ideology doesn't shape society. People wrap ideology around what they already want to believe and do. This is how you get Zionists (both Christian and Jewish), Wahabi/Salafi Muslims, Hindutvas and... whatever we're supposed to call this current iteration of Theravadin Buddhism that is also characterized by ethnosupremacy and genocide. Religion takes the character of the individuals and ideologues that choose to follow it. There are no exceptions.

To reiterate the point that inspired this ask: Some LGBT folks's queerness is inextricable from their religious identity. Stigmatising and ostracizing religion in queer spaces is alienating, racist and violent. Just like no one should force religion on you, no one should force secularism on people either. There is enough air for us all to breathe free.

[thewitcheslibrary]

Closed Practices

Please make sure that you do additional research, this post is just the basics of closed practices! - if you arent part of the culture that practices or you arent invited to practice a practice listed, then dont practice it! - it is not for you and can be considered cultural appropriation

What is a closed practice? There have been many damaging misconceptions regarding what constituted a "closed practice" in spirituality. Simply described, a closed practice in witchcraft and the occult is one in which you can only participate if you were born into it or underwent an initiation procedure. One of the most popular misconceptions about closed practices is that if you were not born into the group, you would never be allowed to practise. This can be true in a number of situations, but there are certain exceptions. It is critical to remember that these practices remain locked until the individual has been verified and the authorised start process has been completed.

There is always a cause for some religions to be closed. Some reasons may include that it is founded on specific cultural values and beliefs that would never be understood by outsiders who were not truly immersed in the community. Brujería and Santería are examples of this. 

Closed Communities and Race Locked Spirituality:  

While it is critical to analyze specific practices within some religions, it is even more vital to address, on a larger scale, how entire communities can be closed. Differentiating between closed communities and closed practices reduces the likelihood of gatekeeping and reinforced marginalization. Some closed communities include the Amish, the Roma, Judaism (along with their type of mysticism, Kabbalah), Hoodoo, and Haitian Vodou. A reason a variety of communities may close their practices is that they are deemed as “race locked”, indicating that these communities were created as an attempt to unify together during times of hardship, with their beliefs formed around their shared experiences. 

Region Locked religion: While some religions are closed because they are "race locked," others are closed because they are "region locked". This indicates they are closed since they are based on variables unique to the place. Many of these numbers are based on local factors that would make little sense to someone from another place. This is why some (but not all!) minor Shintō sects are considered closed. 

Poached practices:

Because of the huge quantity of misinformation propagated by uneducated internet users, there has been a significant surge in Native cultural appropriation and improper usage of Indigenous spirituality. There are other holy Indigenous rituals that are considered closed, like white sage smudging and the usage of palo santo. To survive, marginalised groups were traditionally mistreated and even punished for their beliefs, therefore these communities had to keep their religion hidden from outsiders. As restricted practices such as smudging gain popularity, the quantity of holy plants intended for Indigenous groups gets depleted. The colonizer's economic gains harm not just the environment, but also the purity of Native practices. Exploring safe, effective, and courteous alternatives to smoke cleaning are an excellent method to express direct gratitude to people who sacrificed their livelihood for spiritual freedom

Closed cultures:

Many Native American cultures

Many African cultures

Saami (in Finland)

Closed religions:

Shinto (Some branches of Shinto practice are open, although they should be approached with caution, while some are completely closed. Jinja Shinto would be the most visible example of an open denomination.

Druidism (proper not neo)

Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca

Haitian Vodou

Hawaiian

 African Vodou

Hinduism (There are open and accessible Hindu denominations, as well as closed sects. Some "open sects" are quite troublesome, thus one should proceed with caution when considering joining a Hindu sect. Dharmic law is part of what makes this difficult to traverse, so proceed with caution.

Hopi

Inuit

Judaism (You must earn the right to be called Jewish)

Raastafari Movement

Tribal (almost all)

Voodoo (Dependent on the group which you decide to learn from) 

Voudon

Zoroastrianism *some of these you can be invited to practice, but please research into which ones you can and can't. I as the author do not know much about these practices, as I don't personally practice them. People who do practices will have more correct answers*

[evangelinesbible]

VISHNU PERSONA CHART

“Vishnu is the supreme being who creates, protects, and transforms the universe. Vishnu (or Viṣṇu, Sanskrit: विष्णु) means 'all pervasive'[16] and, according to Medhātith (c. 1000 CE), 'one who is everything and inside everything'.[17] Vedanga scholar Yaska (4th century BC. The Garuda Purana (chapter XV)[20] and the "Anushasana Parva" of the Mahabharata both list over 1000 names for Vishnu, each name describing a quality, attribute, or aspect of God.The conch shell is spiral and symbolizes all of interconnected spiraling cyclic existence, while the discus symbolizes him as that which restores dharma with war if necessary when cosmic equilibrium is overwhelmed by evil. One of his arms sometimes carries a gada (club, mace named Kaumodaki) which symbolizes authority and power of knowledge.” -Wikipedia

“Vishnu is one of the most important gods in the Hindu pantheon and considered a member of the holy trinity (trimurti) of Hinduism with Brahma and Shiva. Vishnu is the Preserver and guardian of men, he protects the order of things (dharma) and he appears on earth in various incarnations (avatars) to fight demons and to maintain cosmic harmony.”

- WorldHistory.org

Here’s my ideas on what the asteriod could mean if it’s prominent in your chart

- can show where you are the most powerful, the most important and/or the most knowledgeable

- an indication of being perceived as all knowing

- could indicate being highly respected and being seen as an important person

- being protective over what you create

- how you might be seen as supreme and a great creator

- can show how you’ll transform your/the world

- what you’ll have many names in/ how people perceive you in many different ways

- where you can gain authority

- how you’re seen as godly or universally divine

(astro code: 4034)

CELEBRITIES WITH IT PROMINENT

BEYONCE - CONJ. JUPITER/SATURN

DOJA CAT - CONJ. NORTH NODE

TAYLOR SWIFT - CONJ. VENUS

MARYLIN MONROE - CONJ. MOON

NOW THE PERSONA CHART

(I feel like this is one of those charts that only really resonate when the asteroid is prominent in the natal chart, and It doesn't have to be conjunct to be prominent it can tightly aspected in other ways I would say the 2nd strongest aspect would be squares)

Nonetheless this PC can show why people worship and respect you. It can show how/why you are perceived as such a unique and powerful person and as someone who is influential, all knowing, and "godly" (I'm using the term godly loosely, we ain’t doing no Kanye shit over here) and I feel like this pc makes more sense to look at when its an established and proclaimed powerful person, but of corse you can look at yours to see your potential.

1H/ CHART RULER/SUN/VISHNU - How you're initially seen in your status as an important person. your main attributes that causes people to respect you. what shines the most about you that causes people to see you as someone of importance. how you should present yourself to reach this godly level of success

2H/VENUS- how you value yourself and how other people see value in you. the charm you have that'll help you gain respect. Why people love and respect you.

3H/ MERCURY - how you communicate your ideas and creations. Depending on the sign it can show what you might be really knowledgeable of and can show the area of expertise you have that causes people to admire and respect you. placements in this house can determine the titles people give you.

IC/4H/ MOON- the softer side of you that you use to gain respect from others. using your femininity to gain authority over others.

MARS - Where you should direct your dive and energy in becoming an important individual. using your harder more masculine side of you to gain authority over others.

5H - how you should creatively express yourself (if creative expression is what you want) to be perceived as powerful. your talents that can help you reach this as well.

6H - daily things you can do that can help improve your chances of being seen as an important person. placements can show how you should help others that'll get you on a pedestal.

7H - why people openly dislike you and don't understand the obsession people have over you, how your charm popularizes you and gives you opportunities to gain authority and respect.

8H/PLUTO - what you should invest in to become a highly respected individual. how you'll transform yourself to become a highly respected person and what you do that'll transform your world or how you'll massively effect the world. potential taboo topics that surround your name and might hurt your image/ position in power

9H/ JUPITER - can also show what you're very knowledgeable of. Can show were most of your luck is in reaching a level that is considered godly. the main thing about you that people might worship/adore.

MC/10 - how you should present yourself to gain high respect form the public. placements in this house can mean that you can easily do this.

11/URANUS - how you should manifest this sort of status, the unexpected things that can happen to you when you reach this status, the type of people you should surround yourself with when trying to become someone who is highly respected. the type of admires/fans/followers you will get when reaching this goal.

12/NEPTUNE - the secrets you hide form others to matin the image of being all powerful and knowing. the dreams/delusions you have pertaining to reaching this status. how you mentally deal with achieving this power. the illusion you cast onto others with the image of being someone who is "godly"

SATURN- the limitations and challenges you will come across when trying to reach this status. the maturity and wisdom you show as someone who's seen as a powerful person. the time it'll take to reach this sort of position in life.

NN/VERTEX - how you were destined to achieve this level of "godly- ness"/high prestige

CHIRON - The trauma and wounds you'll use to help yourself achieve this level of "godly-ness"/high prestige. Can also indicate the troubles you might go through to get to that place.

First time I interpreted an asteroid on this blog and I think I did pretty good. if you know anymore info on this asteroid please feel free to tell me 💋

-⚜️💫⚜️

[hyperdemona]

Just asking out of confusion but do you think all muslim men are terrorists? Do you think white women are justified in hating Arab men when they don't directly interact or live with them? Also aren't christian men misogynistic too? Then why uniquely hate men of this particular religion especially when muslims are being slaughtered globally by imperialist nations like USA and Israel.

Not trying to attack you but I'm confused by how you answered. I thought you agreed how white men have raped and murdered women from countries they colonized than any indigenous men did.

Of course scrotes following scrotal religions are misogynistic. That's not a surprise. In fact, even religions that are intrinsically non-scrotal (like the Goddess cults of Hinduism) have been made scrotal by including scrotes.

Everyone uniquely hates Muslim males because their religion is openly, unapologetically scrotal and violent AND they're proud of it. In fact, Muslim scrotes are the ones actively undermining the Palestinian indigenous freedom movement on the world stage by their online opinions and behaviours. Flying fucking planes into the twin towers sure didn't help Palestinian women, did it?

[neerajgangacottages]

Best Cottages in Rishikesh Near Ganga-The Neeraj Ganga Cottages

Rishikesh, often referred to as the "Yoga Capital of the World," is a city that blends spirituality, adventure, and natural beauty in a way few places on Earth can. Nestled along the sacred Ganges River, it has become a go-to destination for travelers seeking peace, relaxation, and adventure alike. If you're looking to enhance your experience with a luxurious stay, then the best cottages in Rishikesh near Ganga are exactly what you need. Among them, The Neeraj Ganga Cottages stand out as a perfect choice for anyone seeking comfort, stunning views, and a serene atmosphere.

Why Choose a Cottage in Rishikesh Near Ganga?

When visiting Rishikesh, staying near the Ganges offers an unparalleled experience. The river, considered holy in Hinduism, is not just a source of spiritual rejuvenation, but also a place where nature flourishes. Imagine waking up to the sound of the river’s soft currents, the chirping of birds, and the view of lush greenery. The Neeraj Ganga Cottages offer exactly that, combining the best aspects of both spirituality and luxury.

Choosing a cottage near the Ganges is ideal for anyone who wishes to experience Rishikesh in its truest form. Whether you're attending yoga retreats, seeking adventure in the nearby forests and rivers, or simply wanting to relax, staying in one of the best cottages in Rishikesh near Ganga, such as The Neeraj Ganga Cottages, will undoubtedly elevate your experience.

The Neeraj Ganga Cottages: A Glimpse of Luxury in Rishikesh

Unparalleled Location

The Neeraj Ganga Cottages are located in close proximity to the Ganges, offering visitors direct access to the riverbank. This makes it a perfect spot for those who wish to take a morning dip in the holy waters or simply enjoy the mesmerizing sunsets by the river. Moreover, the cottages are a short distance from the famous landmarks of Rishikesh, including Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, and various ashrams like Parmarth Niketan. You’re close to everything, yet far enough to enjoy the peace and quiet.

Luxury and Comfort Redefined

These cottages redefine luxury. Despite being close to nature, The Neeraj Ganga Cottages provide guests with all the modern amenities one would expect from a high-end resort. The rooms are spacious and elegantly furnished, blending traditional Indian design with modern comfort. The interiors have been crafted with natural materials, making sure the ambiance complements the surroundings. Additionally, each cottage has its own private balcony where guests can sit and enjoy the stunning view of the river and the Himalayan foothills.

Personalized Services

What sets The Neeraj Ganga Cottages apart from other accommodations is their personalized service. Guests are treated with utmost care, and no request is too big or small. Whether it’s arranging a guided yoga session by the Ganga, booking adventure tours, or organizing a private puja (prayer ritual), the staff ensures that your stay is tailored to your needs. This personal touch adds to the overall luxurious experience, making it one of the best cottages in Rishikesh near Ganga.

The Best Cottages in Rishikesh: A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Stay

While there are many accommodations available in Rishikesh, cottages offer a unique combination of privacy, luxury, and closeness to nature. Here’s why The Neeraj Ganga Cottages top the list:

Proximity to Nature

Unlike hotels that are often located in bustling areas, cottages like The Neeraj Ganga Cottages allow you to immerse yourself in nature. Surrounded by the sounds of the river and the vibrant greenery, you'll feel a deep connection to the environment.

Privacy and Seclusion

For travelers who value privacy, cottages are the ideal choice. The Neeraj Ganga Cottages are spread out, ensuring that each guest enjoys their own space without disturbance from other visitors. This seclusion makes the cottages perfect for those looking to meditate, practice yoga, or simply unwind.

Luxurious Amenities

Despite being nestled in nature, The Neeraj Ganga Cottages offer all the modern conveniences you need for a comfortable stay. Air-conditioning, plush bedding, Wi-Fi, room service, and more are provided, ensuring that guests can relax in luxury after a day of exploring Rishikesh.

What to Do While Staying in the Best Cottages in Rishikesh Near Ganga

Yoga and Meditation Retreats

Rishikesh is world-renowned for its yoga and meditation retreats. Staying in a cottage near the Ganges, such as The Neeraj Ganga Cottages, puts you in close proximity to some of the best yoga centers and ashrams in the region. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced practitioner, you can find a retreat that suits your needs.

River Rafting and Adventure Sports

For the adventure seekers, the best cottages in Rishikesh near Ganga offer easy access to thrilling activities such as white-water rafting, bungee jumping, and trekking. The Ganges is famous for its rafting experience, especially during the post-monsoon months when the river flows at its strongest.

Spiritual Experiences

The Neeraj Ganga Cottages are close to the famous ghats (riverbanks) where the Ganga Aarti, a Hindu prayer ceremony, takes place. Watching this ceremony, where hundreds of devotees gather to offer their prayers to the Ganges, is a truly spiritual experience.

Wellness and Spa Treatments

After a long day of exploration or spiritual practice, pamper yourself with wellness treatments offered by The Neeraj Ganga Cottages. With their in-house spa, you can enjoy traditional Ayurvedic massages and treatments that rejuvenate both body and soul.

Best Time to Visit Rishikesh

The best time to visit Rishikesh depends on your preferences. The months from March to June are ideal for those who wish to enjoy pleasant weather, river rafting, and other adventure activities. However, if you're visiting for spiritual reasons or to attend yoga retreats, the cooler months from September to November are more suitable.

How to Reach The Neeraj Ganga Cottages

Located just a few kilometers from Rishikesh's main town, The Neeraj Ganga Cottages are easily accessible by road. The nearest airport is Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport, which is approximately 20 km away. From there, you can easily take a taxi or hire a private car to reach the cottages.

Conclusion

For anyone visiting Rishikesh, the combination of spiritual beauty, adventure, and nature makes for an unforgettable experience. And when it comes to staying near the holy Ganges, there’s no better place than The Neeraj Ganga Cottages. These luxury cottages offer the perfect balance of comfort, privacy, and stunning views, making them the best cottages in Rishikesh near Ganga. Whether you're seeking a peaceful retreat or an action-packed adventure, The Neeraj Ganga Cottages are sure to meet your expectations and elevate your stay in this sacred city.

[riseabovekaliyuga]

It's so interesting how people always seem to miss the fact Islam and Muslims are so hated is because Muhammad is a pedophile. Any argument that Islam and Muslims are hated just because they're brown is completely and totally disproven when you see Hinduism is not nearly as hated even though that's a religion practiced almost solely by brown people. Like it's because your prophet is a pedophile that's the reason. There is no other reason that's why. It's not because people are racist it's because your prophet married and raped a little girl. Your religion is uniquely disgusting and horrible because of that fact that is the reason people don't like you. You wake up everyday and choose to worship a pedophile that is a legitimate reason for people to hate you and they do hate you for that reason because you choose to worship a man who raped a little girl. Jesus didn't rape little girls, Moses didn't rape little girls, Shiva, Krishna, and all the others didn't rape little girls but Mohammed did. It's actually concerning they don't get this because it tells me they don't think being a pedophile is a bad thing and not a legitimate reason to hate something.

[learntrio]

“The World’s Oldest Religion, and It’s Connection with Modern Science”

The World’s Oldest Religion: An In-Depth Exploration of Hinduism

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, and has been a vibrant and integral part of human history for thousands of years. Indeed, with its deep roots, rich mythology, and profound philosophical insights, Hinduism continues to influence millions of lives today. Therefore, this blog aims to explore the origins, beliefs, practices, and cultural significance of the world’s oldest religion, Hinduism, shedding light on why it remains such a vital and living tradition. After all, who is the oldest religion? That is Hinduism.

1. Origins of Hinduism

Prehistoric Roots

The world’s oldest religion, Hinduism’s origins, can be traced back to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, which flourished around 3300–1300 BCE in what is now modern-day Pakistan and northwest India. The discovery of archaeological artifacts, such as seals showing people in yoga poses and sacred animals, clearly suggests that these early religious practices may have, in fact, influenced the development of later Hinduism. These findings indicate a deep connection between humans, nature, and the divine, themes that are central to Hinduism.

The Vedic Period

The Vedic Period, spanning from approximately 1500 to 500 BCE, marks a significant era in the development of Hinduism. This period saw the migration of Indo-Aryans into the Indian subcontinent, bringing with them the sacred texts known as the Vedas. The Vedas—Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda—are the oldest known scriptures of Hinduism and are composed in Sanskrit. They contain hymns, rituals, and philosophical teachings that form the core of Vedic religion. Rigveda, in particular, is considered the oldest, with hymns dedicated to various deities, reflecting a polytheistic belief system.

Development of Major Schools

Hinduism was the world’s oldest religion when it evolved, and it gave rise to various philosophical schools, each offering unique interpretations of spiritual and existential questions. The Upanishads, composed between 800 and 500 BCE, marked a shift from ritualistic practices to introspective and philosophical inquiry. These texts explored the nature of reality, the self (Atman), and the ultimate reality (Brahman), laying the groundwork for later schools of thought like Vedanta, which emphasizes the unity of the individual soul with the universal spirit.

2. Core Beliefs and Philosophies

Dharma (Duty/Righteousness)

Dharma is a fundamental concept in Hinduism, encompassing the moral and ethical code that guides individuals’ actions and societal roles. It varies according to one’s age, caste, gender, and occupation, promoting harmony and order within society. Dharma is not only about religious duties but also about living in accordance with one’s true nature and fulfilling one’s responsibilities toward family, society, and the world.

Karma (Action and Consequence)

The concept of Karma is central to Hindu thought, emphasizing that every action has consequences. Good deeds lead to positive outcomes, while harmful actions result in suffering. This belief in cause and effect extends beyond a single lifetime, influencing one’s future incarnations. The law of Karma encourages ethical living and personal responsibility, as individuals are seen as the architects of their destinies.

Samsara (Cycle of Rebirth)

Samsara refers to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, which is a fundamental belief in Hinduism. Moreover, it is driven by Karma, meaning one’s actions determine the nature of future existences. Consequently, this cycle is often seen as a state of suffering and bondage, from which individuals seek liberation. Ultimately, the goal of Hindu spiritual practice is to break free from Samsara and attain Moksha, a state of eternal bliss and union with the divine.

Moksha (Liberation)

Moksha is the liberation from the cycle of Samsara, achieved through self-realization and an understanding of the true nature of the self and the universe. To attain Moksha, Hinduism offers various paths, each catering to different temperaments and inclinations. Firstly, there is Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion), which focuses on love and devotion to a personal deity. Secondly, Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge) emphasizes self-inquiry and the realization of the unity between Atman and Brahman. Thirdly, Karma Yoga (the path of selfless action) involves performing one’s duties without attachment to outcomes. Lastly, Raja Yoga (the path of meditation) concentrates on controlling the mind and senses to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

FULL VERSION : https://learntrio.com/the-worlds-oldest-religion-hinduism/

[lasplaga]

「𝔖」 ( 7/? ) 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦, 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐦 & 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐬 𝐈𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭.

*𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: I am not a Japanese individual myself, however, Project Umbrella is a global community in which there are Japanese contributing members, which have confirmed these sources as accurate & part of their own traditional culture, either in the present or past. These sources were deliberately added by Capcom to incorporate elements of their own culture or those found within Asia, they are not 'easter eggs', & they reflect cultural / ethnic elements of the characters, & should not be seen otherwise. A large portion of this document was researched & written by a close collaborator of mine named Russ. Further findings will be added or be made into a new post. 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 :

Capcom for RE4R decided to create their own unique world-building instead of copying & pasting from cultural artifacts which had no presence in Spain the time period the old cult took place. This is why you will find MANY elements from Japan, the continent of Asia, as well as India. Although Los Iluminados may largely present itself as an Abrahamic sect to the uninformed, many of their core ideologies & practices actually have roots within ( orthodox ) Hinduism, Shingon Buddhism, Shintoism & Pre-Judaism Greek / Roman paganism, which does include human sacrifice. I will begin this analysis VERY CLEARLY that they do not believe in the Abrahamic God / YHWH, & the fandom at large is extremely misinformed about the cultural elements present within the game, including REWIKI.

This image is drawn from scratch. It is completely fictional, & you can be certain that the developers didn't take from someone else's photos. Nevertheless, any artist has references, & you cannot do visual storytelling without universal motifs, because drawings are a type of language, so they have their own kind of words. & this line of thought leads us to the question of who this mysterious figure is. Who is this weird monk-looking figure?

Well, this imagery is based on the motifs of South Asia & Hinduism in particular. You see, his position & the "sun" in place of his head have a common denominator : They're associated with the lotus. If the pose is known to many ( especially for those who practice yoga ) & needs no introduction, the head can be confusing. & here I will make a small digression : I can see how it reminds someone of René Magritte & Drew Struzan's masterpieces :

However, these arts have no actual connection with our monk. They do have a common trait, but it's very superficial & goes down to hiding identity with light. The authors' intentions are different, nonetheless : Magritte explored the paradox through how light, which helps us see in the dark, prevents us from seeing a face in a dark room, & Struzan presented an image of an alien, often associated with bright artificial light, which can have the shape of a human. In contrast, the monk from RE:4 has a Hindu motif, for his head is a version of the golden chakra ( "wheel" or "circle" ), the Sahasrara ( the "thousand-petalled lotus" ), which represents unity with the divine, where the body is a channel of godly energy. & symbolically, the golden hands resemble the manus dei motif from the early Middle Ages, which was designed by Christians to represent YHWH's intervention without depicting his body, since it was unacceptable to depict god as a full human figure. However, it looks like the deity from the game has multiple hands, which again reminds us of Hinduism :

In other words, if we are trying to draw a conclusion, the monk is an avatar of God worshipped by medieval monks. You may ask what all this has to do with Los Iluminados, except for the praying hands, which are also depicted on the statues of Osmund's predecessors, & human sacrifices. & I will answer that the lotus pose & chakra have another universal denominator : they represent enlightenment, & this is exactly what the name "Los Iluminados" refers to. This conclusion could have been the end of the story if Leon hadn't discovered a genuine Sokushinbutsu 即身仏 in the castle earlier, the practice of Buddhist monks observing asceticism to the point of death & entering mummification while alive. In fact, there is an entire cellar full of these mummies, so this is a standard practice of the cult. The practice of asceticism to the point of death whilst in lotus is not seen in any Abrahamic religion, nor has any association to European Abrahamic faith :

It looks familiar, doesn't it? The significant difference is that we have a parasite instead of a chakra, but the material / textures of this asset are still labeled as "god". This bit leads us to the faith that Lord Saddler preaches : he calls each plaga a "Holy Body," which in any modern Christian denomination means the body of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of YHWH. BUT in the context of this game, as well as paganism / Buddhism which predated Christianity, Los Iluminados believes that these parasites / 'Holy Body' are remnants of god that were discovered by Adam.

What might be interesting about this god is that Lord Saddler tells Leon during the final battle that he has made the decision to sacrifice his body & consciousness to god so that he—this god—would be reborn, & the final form of the character is labeled as a "hashira" in the game folders. Hashira, meaning "pillar", in Shinto is a unit of god, represented by a tree, which houses a kami. This type of tree is a spiritual symbol which represents the connection / pillar between heaven & earth. Osmund, figuratively & physically, became a "human pillar" / Hitobashira, which was a form of sacrifice within Japan well until the 16th Century, which was regarded as becoming wholly connected to the god(s) & providing divine protection.

Pillars not only apply to buildings within Shinto, they are also applicable to trees, which are regarded as worshipping sites. This practice of sacrifice & worship of divine trees, again, is not seen in Abrahamic religion. If you observe the regular trees in Valdelobos & The Church shrine, you can see that their depiction of a pillar is also knotted with rope, which is seen in Shinto as Shimenawa. Capcom, naturally, took creative liberty so that it is unique :

More on the nose, Los Iluminados associates human / animal hands & limbs with the branches of god in their very holy book. So becoming to the likeness of a type of spiritual tree found within Shingon Buddhism / Shintoism is something sought by the zealotry.

An addition, namely a comparison that can reinforce the parallel between the monk & Lord Saddler. Throughout the game, Leon finds the holy book of Los Iluminados, & one of them is open on a page with a curious miniature. We can see Osmund's representation, which corresponds to Ramon's subjective vision of this character, that is, as a source of light & enlightenment. This characterization is emphasized by the sun's image as a halo, as well as the gesture of the right hand in the form of the so-called "palm of the righteous", which is a symbol of sincerity & trust. This "unknown" man is a saint, & the fact that he is faceless, since the insignia of Los Iluminados replaces his face, illustrates that he is an agent of the divine will, god's speaker.

There are other tidbits I have mentioned prior, such as High Priests in Buddhism wearing purple ( as Osmund does ), Osmund wearing a coin-belt which is strictly attributed to Asia / India, as well as his robes being stitched with the infinity knot, which represents their Hindu / Buddhist ideology of rebirth / living throughout eternity ( also found in Asia / India ). I could dive into more of their cultural / religious practices & how it compares to Hindu Aghori. But, as a most stark example, every monk in Los Iluminados wears Sarashi 晒し as Fundoshi ふんどし/褌) / breast-binding, which was traditional in Japan prior WWII. This style of clothing & wearing cloth bandages was certainly not the norm within Spain. Continuing, their use of drapery is also seen in Japanese Buddhist sects, going by a variety of different terminology :

This post is getting SUPER long, so I'll save more info for another time! Any questions, concerns, etc. feel free to let me know!

[lavishy]

From Viaggio (Italian for travel) collection designed by vegan brand LAVISHY established since 2001, this cool printed unisex key ring coin purse features vintage style illustration of elephant on the background of old map. It's fun, functional & fabulous. Made with Eco-friendly vegan materials that are toxic-free, recyclable and biodegradable. This unisex key ring coin purse is great for everyday use, travel as well as an unique gift for your friends and family. Exterior: Vegan/faux leather Interior: Nylon - with key ring to carry keys - 1 ID pocket at the back for driver's license or metro pass - can hold credit cards Measurement: 5 x 3.9 inch / 13 x 10 cm Wholesale available at www.lavishy.com to wide ranges of retailers including independent brick-and-mortar gift shops, clothing & fashion accessories boutiques, book stores, hotel/resort & airport/ferries gift stores, museum & botanical garden gift shops, flower shops & garden centers, online boutiques, & specialty retailers in Canada, USA & the rest of the world since 2001. Reasons for whey this unisex key ring coin purse is a wonderful lucky / good luck gift idea for your loved ones: The elephant with its trunk raised is indeed considered a symbol of luck and good fortune in various cultures, especially in Eastern societies such as India and Thailand. Here's why:

Strength and Power: Elephants are known for their immense strength and power. In many cultures, they symbolize strength, stability, and resilience. When depicted with their trunks raised, they are seen as asserting their strength and overcoming obstacles, which is considered fortunate.

Wisdom and Intelligence: Elephants are highly intelligent creatures, known for their problem-solving skills and strong social bonds. Their association with wisdom and intelligence adds to the symbolism of luck. It's believed that having the trunk up signifies wisdom and foresight.

Good Luck: In some cultures, the elephant's trunk is seen as a conduit for good luck and positive energy. When the trunk is raised, it is believed to be gathering positive energy and spreading it around, bringing good fortune to those nearby.

Fertility and Prosperity: The elephant is also associated with fertility and prosperity. In Hinduism, the elephant-headed god Ganesha is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the provider of prosperity. The raised trunk symbolizes fertility and abundance, making it a popular motif in Indian households and businesses.

Overall, the elephant with its trunk raised is considered a powerful symbol of luck, prosperity, wisdom, and protection in many cultures, making it a popular choice for decorative and symbolic purposes. 

[horizon-verizon]

I am Palestinian and there is absolutely no characteristic of Palestinian culture in Dorne or the Martells. Their stans only use racial stereotypes about us & orientalist characterization to justify it and prove that the Dornish are “POC” in order to make them seem oppressed, and are pushing even more racism and orientalism towards MENA populations.

According to them, the Dornish are simultaneously Arab, Desi, Amazigh, Iranians, Turkish, and sometimes, Latinos. North African, West Asian, and South Asian countries are lump together as one monolithic “brown people” entity. 30+ countries with multiple, unique, and diverse cultures and religions, very distinct from each other. The Martells simultaneously celebrate Diwali and goes to Hajj. Why would the Dornish follow Hinduism or Islam ?? They largely follow the Faith of the Seven, the Westerosi Catholic Church.

For their edits, they use pictures of the Alcazar of Seville or the Alhambra, castles located in SPAIN, and fancast drop-dead gorgeous INDIANS actresses like Deepika Padukone, Freida Pinto, Aishwarya Rai as Elia (“a kitchen drab”....) or adult Rhaenys. Or Dev Patel as Young Griff. They keep using the screenshot of GRRM listing Palestine as one of his inspiration for Dorne to justify their headcanons, so why do they keep insisting on using Bollywood movies, Indian actors, Indian monuments, saris, etc ?? The only common points between the Alcazar of Seville/Alhambra and the Taj Mahal are the Islamic architecture and the engraving of Quranic verses.

Disclaimer: EDITED, Long, and Repetitive bc of attempt at clarity and Reminding Readers

Maybe coming from this post (I've gone back and edited it with corrections)?

I think it's because people really want to see PoC representation in their high fantasy literature, which is completely valid. However, yeah, the Dornish aren't Palestinian-coded nor Arab/SouthAsian/etc.-coded...I mean, they mainly worship the Seven, too, the Westerosi polytheistic version of Catholicism. So they can't necessarily be 1-1 like Palestine in terms of culture & ethnicity, even though the ME does have Judaism & Christian peoples. Again, Dorne--as far as was told & shown--mainly worship the Seven. (look to section "B", point #1)

The Point: A singular major, past, centuries-old event of intermarriage before the Targs arrived is not a continuous event. The Dornish are nor and have never been subjected to become a state under the Westerosi crown for there to even be a commencement of racialization as by the would-be conquerors of said situation.

The Rhoynar marrying pre-Rhoynar Dornish peoples happened in a few isolated incidents. Afterward, the people became what they now are and after many decades & centuries,

THEREFORE,

they do not have that "two people" identity anymore. They are just "Dornish".

Their ancestry is always brought up mainly because of their custom of noblewomen being equally as able and seen as worthy to rule as their men, esp the Martells. To compare them to Westerosi farther up.

A)

Doylistically, on the one hand, people could claim that the Dornish could claim PoC-ness or be easily adapted into being played by PoC actors in the real modern sense by who they are descended from -> an Essosi people who had darker skin. Yet the Valyrians and Andals--who themselves come from Essos originally!--are "white" by the 1st being "proto-English with a Catholic religious analog and the 2nd being an ancient Rome-analog"?!

The Dornish are not Rhoynish either just because they are descended from the Rhoynar who--a very long time ago (centuries, before the conquest)--intermarried with Andal-descended lords and presumably smallfolk. Ethnically, they are something else entirely (maybe Andal-Rhoynar but that seems insufficient) their own thing from their unique history.

So, we have "Moor" descendants marrying "white" Christian Spaniards. So, like Spaniards and Italians, they seem the "lesser whites" which still makes N.Euro descent and N.Euro look at Italians, Spaniards, or those in Central EU as "lesser whites". Meaning that they have both Andal and Rhoynish roots with the Rhoynish equal primogeniture and opener-sexuality and little-to-no bastard stigma really defining its difference from those Westerosi further north. Dorne is a state with various skin-colored but seemingly non-racialized people (internally, not how the Andal-FM nor Daeron I characterize Dorne) and the Dornish people are a unique ethnic group.

And because race has always been about power and not culture. And the Dornish have always maintained their independence before Daeron II when they voluntarily--for the most part--finally became a vassal state under the feudal royal crown of Westeros.

B)

Before I get into it, "olive" skin is supposed to mean:

moderate or lighter tan or brownish skin, and it is often described as having tan, brown, cream, greenish, yellowish, or golden undertones

Therefore, anyone of any race can have an "olive" tone to their skin:

I was one of those who watched the show before I read the book, and I thought the Martells were PoC and I did some research. Apparently, Oberyn looks like this to one semi-canon source:

🎨 Credit: Magali Villeneuve

And his description:

has the features of a salty Dornishman [more below in section C, but: "These Dornishmen are lithe and dark, with smooth olive skin and long black hair, having been most strongly influenced by the Rhoynar"]. He is a tall, slender, graceful, and fit man, and has a lined and saturnine face with thin eyebrows, black "viper" eyes and a sharp nose. His hair is lustrous and black, with only a few silver streaks, and recedes from his brow in a widow's peak.

Arianne looks something like this in one source:

🎨: tiziano baracchi

Darker than "olive" Her description:

is buxom and beautiful, with olive skin, large dark eyes and long, thick black hair that falls in ringlets to the middle of her back. She has full lips, a husky voice, and round ripe breasts with huge dark nipples. Favoring her mother Mellario, Arianne is short, standing at five foot two.

Mellario was from the Essosi "Free City" city of Norvos but their skin color is not really described.

Oberyn's daughters all have different complexions and mothers of different origins, Westerosi and Essosi (all descriptions from the official wiki):

Obara -- "big-boned woman near to thirty, long-legged, with close-set eyes and with the same rat-brown hair of her mother which she sometimes ties in a knot. She strides quickly and angrily. Obara has callused hands and can have a mannish look." -- mother: unnamed Oldtown prostitute

Nymeria -- "slim and slender as a willow, with straight black hair worn in a long braid which pulls back from a widow's peak. She has dark eyes which are large and lustrous. Her full lips are wine red and curve in a silken smile, and she has high cheekbones. Areo Hotah describes Nym as having pale white skin in A Feast for Crows but mentions her olive skin in A Dance with Dragons." -- unnamed noble Volantene, specifically of the "Old Blood" - Volantis, another Free City in Essos

Tyene -- "is fair, with golden hair and deep blue eyes. Dimples bloom in her cheeks, and she has a gentle, sweet voice" -- mother: a septa from the Reach

Sarella -- "light brown skin" -- mother: the Summer Islander captain of The Feathered Kissed ship

Elia -- black hair/"her black braid flying behind her" (The Winds of Winter, Arianne I) -- mother: Ellaria Sand

Obella, Dorea, and Loreza -- no description as of Nov 5, 2023 -- mother: Ellaria Sand

Ellaria Sand is supposed to look like this:

🎨: amok

Her description:

Although not accounted as a beautiful woman, Ellaria is regarded as attractive and eye-catching, with an exotic, sensuous flair. She has black hair.

AND

"black-haired paramour" &  "She is not truly beautiful, she [Sansa] thought, but something about her draws the eye." (A Storm of Swords; Sansa IV)

And Doran Martell (currently reigning as the Prince of Dorne) has no canonical physical description aside from "His body is soft and shapeless, and the gout has swollen and reddened the joints of his knees, toes, and hands." However, since he is Oberyn's brother we can assume that he most likely has similar "salty Dornish" coloring.

C)

The anon of the first linked post all the way up above: "GRRM himself has said that the closest equivalent of Dorne to the real world is the Moorish influences of Spain, and mentions PALESTINE and Wales as being two other influences. Literally his own words. Even in Game of Thrones, they filmed the Water Garden scenes in the Alcazar of Seville, a beautiful Moorish castle in Spain. That castle was literally built by Muslims and incorporates verses from the Quran and countless traditional Arabic and Islamic architectural elements".

You: "there is absolutely no characteristic of Palestinian culture in Dorne or the Martells. Their stans only use racial stereotypes about us & orientalist characterization to justify it and prove that the Dornish are “POC” in order to make them seem oppressed, and are pushing even more racism and orientalism towards MENA populations" AND "North African, West Asian, and South Asian countries are lump together as one monolithic “brown people” entity." AND "They keep using the screenshot of GRRM listing Palestine as one of his inspiration for Dorne to justify their headcanons, so why do they keep insisting on using Bollywood movies, Indian actors, Indian monuments, saris, etc ?? The only common points between the Alcazar of Seville/Alhambra and the Taj Mahal are the Islamic architecture and the engraving of Quranic verses."

1.

If we are talking about race vs ethnicity & the rise of racism from religious or ethnic differences and a desire for colonial domination...

Dornish people mainly live in their own principality or a kind of state controlled by a "prince" or "princess" that is actually unlike the Rhoynar cities because there were multiple "city-states" under several Rhoynar princes and princesses who, while sharing a language, also likely had different laws and sub-styles of the dress and think of themselves as culturally/ethnically different from each other.

Thus in terms of Dornish people being oppressed or experiencing racial oppression alone (bc with race comes the oppression you cannot separate these twon phenomena since race as a constuct was specifically created for several human right violations and power hierarchies), we cannot compare Dornish people nor the Dornish state to Palestinian refugees and Palestinians living under an apartheid. They are not the same, they are not living under the same conditions of racial or ethnic terror. And yes, a lot of Palestinian people out of this region of the Middle East draw a large part of their Palestinian identity from their memories and terms with the Nakba and the effects of said event that exist today and have been for more than 50 years. What I'd say is similar is that many Dornish may also draw some of their identity from their continued resistance to conquest...but the Dornish are not resisting ethnic cleansing, genocide, or racial extinction. The first Targaryen attempts at conquest were decidedly non-ethnic-cleansing so much as just your average kind of "conquest" that Andal, nonDornish Westerosi have performed against each other before the Daenys and her father ever settled at Dragonstone. Yes, Westerosi can be xenophobic towards Dornishmen but that includes the "stone", fair-skinned Dornishmen as we see from the continuous marcher vs Dornish conflicts over land & grudges/vendettas over past conflicts/deaths.

What are some traits of Palestinians or Palestinian culture that another anon was trying to say the Dornish currently have?

"Game of Thrones"--"filmed the Water Garden scenes in the Alcazar of Seville, a beautiful Moorish"

"the Quran and countless traditional Arabic and Islamic architectural elements"

"Moorish", as Medieval and early-mod period EUs used, referred to Muslim Arab-speakers. Aside from North Africans, Arabs, and Amazigh did include Muslim Europeans, because Islam itself was the defining basis for their difference from those Christian Europeans and the regions where people who adopted Islam or Islamic states dominated where those N.Africans, Arabs, and Amazigh lived. In a medieval context, DOUBLY SO.

Once again, Dorne does not worship any Rhoynish god & their official religion is decidedly of the Faith of the Seven (aside from those of the Greenblood, but these are not a large part, a dominant, nor very influential part of the Dornish population).

Nowhere did GRRM say that the Welsh inspiration only applied to the stony Dornish. Why do people think this? Perhaps because these are the ones closest to the Marches and thus fighting often with Reach/Stormland marchers, they'd be the most Welsh/Irish-like. The Welsh/Irish/Scottish inspiration, however, is the fight for separation from a conquering centralizing entity--societal/governmental separation from the rest of Westeros--& having a separate identity from that almost like Northmen seeing themselves as different culturally and ethnically from "southorn" Andal people and vice versa bc of their different customs regarding the allowed genders to rule that come from Rhoynar customs.

While there will be Rhoynish elements to fashion, architecture, metalworking, and inflection of the Common Tongue (accent)...it does not stop the Dornish from, again:

recognizing that their state language is the Common Tongue [the Red Princes & some of their descendants of the Martells tried to eradicate the use of the Rhoynish language from the Red Princes] even though many of the Dornish's accents are very influenced by the Rhoynar to the current day

worshipping the Seven and not Rhoynish gods

having some elements of Andal fashion and architecture along with Andal ones, even if the "stony" Dornish have more Andal influence in dress, etc. [think of Spain and its Arab or Islamic architecture...Spain is a European country]

having a class system similar to Andal-FM Westeros: aristocracy, or the "ruling class" vs everyone else [less about the culture here, more about hierarchy structure which is not the same as a culture]

No matter how far down south or into the desert we go. Of course, dress will change in different Dornish regions' climates but also by class and/or wealth.

2.

And this is said screenshot of GRRM talking about the influences that made Dorne what it is ("So Spake Martin", 2000):

"flavor given the culture [previous Andal Dorne preNymeria] by the great Rhoynar influx"

"South of the wall a hot, dry country more like Spain or Palestine [not just Palestine, and this was referring to climate in the first place, not culture]"

"Moorish influence [not dominant power or overlord] in parts of Spain [not an African, Asian, etc. region, again, emphasis on it being like Spain with an "outsider" "influence"]"

"Dorne is Wales mixed with Spain and Palestine with some entirely imaginary influences mixed in" [emphasis on Dorne being claimed as an amalgamation with just one PoC real-world state with PoC populations]

People need to see GRRM's "mixing and matching", and no "non-for-one transplants" regarding PoC influences. Westeros, though obviously an England/Anglo-Saxon "transplant", is still not exactly historically like England in that Dorne is similar but not equal to Wales or Spain or Turkey/Palestine yet not itself equal to a Caliphate due to religion and language.

However, aside from the Dornish not really even being a part of a racialized state under a dominant power racialized as superior, this is what GRRM says about the Dornish and Martells (his blog, 2013):

This is about what GRRM said in terms of JUST physical appearance -> "As for the Dornishmen, well, though by and large I reject one to one analogies, I've always pictured the "salty Dornish" as being more Mediterranean than African in appearance; Greek, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, etc. Dark hair and eyes, olive skin. Pedro Pascal is Chilean. (Check out Amok's version of the Red Viper, that's how I saw him. Or Magali Villenueve's beautiful and sexy portrait of Princess Arianne)."

And this was one of the responses:

Most relevant piece bc it mirrors the anon's definitions of race: "If Alessandro de'Medici was the Duke of Florence, why not a brown man as the Prince of Dorne? Even now, with your description of Dorne as "Mediterranean," I immediately think of the vastness of the region, which saw so much North African and Middle Eastern influence."

This entire exchange on GRRM's website reveals that originally the Martells/most Dornish were inspired by EU Mediterranean people, like the Portuguese or Spaniards, Greeks and Italians.

a.

While it's certainly possible bc of the proximity of geographical locations within the Mediterranean regions and the population makeup of various Italian states including "Moor" and darker-skinned folks, we don't know for absolutely certain if Alessandro de Medici truly had a slave-servant mother or otherwise an Arab/African mother--he was one man whom many in those upper circles wanted gone for their own rise to power.

Unfortunately, while there shouldn't be anything wrong with being of a woman with a different ethnicity or religion, claiming that he was from a "Moor" mother would be a way for other people to try to diminish his reputation and likeness-peerage with those in court as Alicent and the greens trying to claim Rhaenyra was unfaithful to Laenor and that her kids with him are actually bastards to ruin her reputation. It wouldn't be about the "truth" so much as swaying public opinion with certain details of appearance. A political strategy.

At the same time, who knows, perhaps they used the fact of him looking darker than a lot of EUs around them...but the EUs themselves have married N.Africans and also came in several "shades"...so yeah.

If we are only talking Watsoniansly/in-world/in-text vs modern ethnic (not racial) identities, your mother being a "Moor" or Muslim did not make you yourself a Muslim, Moor, or racially "Black" or Arab, and "biracial"/"mixed race"--as a racial term or category of Blackness or whiteness--wasn't a thing for these Italians.

b.

One man/a few people in higher circles or in power doesn't make the entire family or state PoC when most of them appear pale, speak a specific Italian dialect, AND live under European customs forever after and before.

His presence did not recreate the entire Medici or anyone descended from them into Africans/Arabs ethnically nor racially. "Racially", he would have been seen as "more" "noble Italian Christian" than anything, even with some using his skin to liken him to the socially suspected, racialized "Moors". And just because there were absolutely NA. and M.E. influences in many non-EU and EU music, literature, architecture, etc., doesn't make every Mediterranean person PoC. (We find out that the idea of courtly love partially was influenced by an Islamic mystical conception of love itself as being "a delightful disease, as demanding of faithful service" [coming from Crusade contact]. It doesn't suddenly mean that "Italy" [one of the first regions to pass down such things through Petrarch] became/was/is a PoC region. Still doesn't make Italians PoC.)

RACE - Mediterranean/Italian/Spaniard/Portuguese/Southern Europeans have BOTH been racialized as "lesser" whites in early modern period European AND have the closest proximity to the "best" whiteness that always becomes THE definition of "white" under pre-WWII phrenology and eugenic scientific racism. "Best" becomes "true", never leaving its own hierarchy but always able to retreat back into its own "absolute naturality" to justify that created hierarchy. These two things came hand in hand and justified each other because both sought to "prove" that "biological and behavioral characteristics were fixed and unchangeable, and placed individuals, populations and nations inside of that hierarchy" through skull measurements...which itself comes from that medieval idea of one's "nobility" or lack thereof being indicative in appearance.

As I said above, even today, some white people of Protestant-N.European backgrounds sometimes look at Italians/Italian-descent people through their stereotypes of being "hotblooded", and hypersexual "white" people. This is most definitely an element of racialization. These "other" whites are those descended from the NorthWestern regions of Europe (England, France, Germany, and Scandinavia/Nordic people).

c. HOWEVER!!!!! [now we're talking TV adaptations]

The user in the pics above who wished for more PoC representation in the TV and book series through the Martells makes a good point that "Mediterranean" doesn't have to be limited to the European Med regions and peoples. Because N.African, ME, etc. peoples (those not racially classified as "white") are also directly connected to the Mediterranean Sea: Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, Libya, Algeria, etc...it's weird how race makes us consider these people not Mediterranean, but that's race for you, it denies culture and ethnicity for the sake of "white" supremacy

GRRM does conflate the general Mediterranean with EU Med, and that's because the racial category "Mediterranean" defines "Mediterranean" as "white people from Spain, Italy, etc"

While there weren't "black", "PoC", "brown" racial categorizations in any Arthurian legends nor the societies that these came from, there were racializations (as in descriptions and sense of the person that made them different by look by some "degree" even if not toally by "kind") of characters that were told to be of different/non-EU origins.

they were expressing the racial problems with GRRM's original intent for the Martells and some Dornish to be imagined as those who'd be categorized as PoC or brown in the modern world, telling us that there is room for PoC in-world leaders and nobles as there were in Arthurian legends and other medieval romances

They were right to point out the overall, serious difference in how most PoC-confirmed or imagined or similar people were more "supporting characters" to specific "white" characters and that there was a transmedia need for more diversity where the PoC-acted/played characters in adaptations since the original works AND adaptations are made for racialized audiences of the modern world.

d.

Like with Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre--where Rochester's first, "mad" wife, Jamaica-born, Creole-heritage Bertha Mason, aka Bertha Antoinetta Rochester--we see a lot of debate over characters' racial identities between white and PoC readers in multiple EU pieces of literature. This is a thing descended from that academic conflict that is sociopolitically motivated.

The documented hot refusal from many white historians and "lay" white readers to even contemplate the possibilities of a PoC-featured-character (positively or not) under certain circumstances comes from the enduring acceptance and expectation that most mainstream media will have whiteness at the center and default of the story. That the media is created and will be created and should be created for white audiences. which is exactly what we should be breaking.

3.

So, I believe that the reason we have people saying the Martells are PoCs is because they saw the definite potential of modern racialization from the precursors of true racial categories happening in ASoIaF that can become like those in real modern societies; they wanted to see themselves or their experiences in the fiction they engage with, just like that user above. Just like that commentator. So they use South East Asian clothes and other things to fan cast/re-cast/reimagine even after what GRRM has made bc before then they have already built that picture for years since they read the main series and before the show aired.

When English/NW Europeans and pre-1800s writers say things like "swarthy" or "tall, dark, and handsome", they were not usually saying this person was as dark as a Western African but they may sometimes use racial/color ideology to characterize a EU white person as "too passionate", "blustering", "angry", and "lacking enough proper restraint". GRRM is the same, as he tells us in the picture above from his blog!

And since we can't always detect a person's race or lineage just by looking at them, it also still means that they may have African or Middle Eastern ancestry. Then we got to ask ourselves when and where do some of our (mostly the U.S. I refer to, but other countries' racial categories are still very different) definitions of race need to overshadow the text/past racial categorizations and racializations? It's even stranger when you realize that even caring about something like this comes from a very specific history series of particular events of people performing racialization.

But even though the now-Dornish are a people who have been forever changed by pre-Rhoynar Dornish men's intermarriages with Rhoynar women, their kids (and not the nonDornish Westerosi) were the ones to determine what Dorne would look like.

Though they seem to match the definition of a "mixed race" and therefore are equal to persons racialized as "PoC" today, in many societies like the U.S. (one-drop and grandfather clause), that simply doesn't exist for Dorne because there was no nonDornish oppressive power that defined legal racial definitions that affected their infrastructure or made them second-class citizens for them to then develop their own ethnicity like Black people in the U.S, which is its own race-ethnicity developed from legal and economic atrocities and racialization.

Most of the oppression common-born Dornish face is from Dornish aristocracy! Class-based rather than race or religion-based.

Yeah, there's a possibility that some people felt a sort of having two different identities as the kids and even grandkids of Nymeria's women and the pre-Rhoynar Dornish men, but without that element of another group enforcing a new racialization to further divide the Dornish (as Daeron I foreshadows or clues us in?!) all there is that shared history and Martell overlordship, and the Martells are one of those with the most Rhoynish/not-Andal-FM influence. Of course, most of Dorne will follow suit. There are no laws in place to determine who is "PoC", "Coloured", or "white" or any ASoIaF-fantasy version. They have a past/centuries-old and successful intermarrying between (mainly male) Martells and Nymeria's (mostly female) people WHILE having the same language and religion as the rest of Westeros, as well as other customs.

With the way GRRM made them, they are both "white" and not "white" (according to NorthWestern Europeans of the 1800s onwards) because "whiteness" as an actual race is not a thing in Westeros. And for the sake of readers looking for people to claim to have PoCness, whiteness itself has undergone several definitions according to the immediate political needs of those holding the higher positions of power or influence in the state or groups within states seeking political privileges from being racialized by that dominant society's legal and social systems.

This means they can be as "dark" as GoT Oberyn and even have what some modern people see as Arabic physical features (which kinda makes little sense bc Arabs share a lot of features with some "Med" Europeans, especially Turkish ones and Palestinian Arabs themselves have a spectrum of color, face shape, etc.) but we also see how they can be quite diverse in the canon with paler "stony" (not a true ethnicity, this is a racial category that Dornsih people do not see to acknowledge and therefore is not an ethnicity) people and Oberyn's paler daughter Tyene.

Refrain: The Summer Islanders, though, ARE DEFINITELY the "Black" people of Westeros. As GRRM says in the pic I showed.

D)

Again, "race" existed AND continues to exist to differentiate the "inferior" people from the "superior" "white" race of paler-skinned, loose/flat-haired, North-Western-then-South European peoples whose ancestors they could trace or identify with most were Christians. Whether in Brazil, all EU countries, the U.S., etc. Yes, European people/countires can be and continue to be extremely discriminatory and racist, esp against Africans and Romans. Individually and legally.

In the modern world, race is categorized differently across today's world, as evidenced by what "black" means in Brazil vs the U.S.; the South African Coloured group vs "black" vs "white" vs "Indian" (apartheid race categories, and "Coloured" still is relevant and a sort of racial category in S.Africa today); "mestizos" vs "peninsulares" vs "mulattos" of various colonizations-slavery era-to-today S.American, Mesoamerican, Caribbean countries. All because "race" is a socially constructed category, made by culturally-ethnically external persons of power over another group. Ethnicity, however, is and has always been a factually independent phenomenon.

"PoCs" as a term in itself a racial term that means "anyone who is not pale skinned AND of long, consistently 'uninterrupted'/'impure'/ European descent". It is not an ethnic term or a name for an ethnic group.

Ethnicities are social groupings purely based on shared cultural heritage, descent (from specific other ethnicities), culture, religion, and/or language.

In this way, there are 3 main ethnicities in the whole of "Westeros", which are those of FM, Andal, and Rhoynish descent and we could even argue that there may be more unknown smaller groups. And none of these are racial groups! Two of the three also share the exact same religion and language and most customs barring sexuality and primogeniture (except those of the Greenblood, who still speak Rhoynish): those of Andal and those of Rhoynish descent. First Men-descent peoples of the North worship the old gods of pre-human Westeros.

Intermarriages between certain ethnic groups were not systematically and socially outlawed or discouraged to maintain the visible and legal distinctions between racialized groups in either Dorne nor not-Dorne. No ethnic or religious groups are banned from taking certain jobs or entering guilds; no particular groups were banned from living in certain areas or even traveling and using certain items and ways of travel. (We're talking about the humans, not the TWStSotE or the giants, bc we are doing ethnic groups, not totally different species.)

How do groups get racialized and prepped for legalized racialization? Governments--monarchies and aristocracies, here--attempting to better organize their control over populations and consolidate power after past and very recent conflicts with "foreigner-conquerors" like the Muslim conquest of Hispania by the Umayyad Caliphate, to whom the anon before referred (Limpieza de sangre).

Why are they "foreign", besides coming from a literally other region and culture? Medieval people's primary identity marker besides class was religion, and Muslims were considered actual enemies of Christian societies in Europe. People saw religion as the means by which people were "inherently" different:

Especially in a period like the Middle Ages, when religion meant membership of a community much more than adherence to a set of principles or beliefs, there was a sense in which one was born a Christian, a Muslim, or a Jew, just as one was born English or Persian. ("Medieval and Modern Concepts of Race and Ethnicity"--Robert Bartlett)

This is also why in medieval literature, Jewish people were referred to as "black" and "dark-skinned" pseudo-metaphorically, as Christians had the "true" faith and therefore were spiritually "bright" or closer to God's "light". And humoral theory, with Jewish people being conceived of as a people with a more melancholic constitution (black bile = melancholy -> night, evil, malice, envy):

The Isagogue, an Arabic introduction to Galenic medicine translated into Latin in the eleventh century, similarly explains that dark skin identifies black bile as the body's ruling humor. (8) The linking of black or dark skin with melancholy continues in European texts of the twelfth and thirteenth century. Short poems delineating humoral types circulate widely in the period; the "Melancholicus" is described as "envious and sad, greedy and close-fisted / not without deceit, fearful, and of mud color [lutei]. ("The Jewish body in black and white in medieval and early modern England"--M. Lindsay Kaplan)

Thus Jewish people were named "black" for their nonChristian-ness and thereby untrustworthy or "grasping" natures.

Then there is the separate history of the idea that "nobility" (as in "bravery", "virtue", and overall "good and attractive 'quality'") could be seen outwardly and obviously through physical features that curiously never actually get a consistent list or picture until the 1200s-1300s (it's always been at least grey eyes and/or blonde hair). We have to remember that the ancient Greeks and Romans were used as the medieval Europeans' inspirations for medicine, morality, philosophy, beauty standards, etc., and they themselves did not give highly detailed portraits of what makes a person "beautiful" or even in just describing women in other than vague, noncomparable terms or singular traits: Athena had "grey-eyes" and that's it...Aphrodite's hair was "long", Briseais was "tall", Chiseas was "not tall", and Hera had "nice arms". Their main concern was what men looked like and if their bodies looked "strong".

It wasn't until poets and bards of the 1200-1300s began to make lists of more features that made women attractive that we get more detailed portraits of "good-looking" people and men vs women attractiveness. (For women, the "best" became to have small and high breasts, grey eyes, blonde hair, pale skin, white teeth, a mouth like a rosebud in size and shape, wider hips, a plump butt, and finally a round and pudgy belly. Basically a "pear-shaped" body). And this turned into the literary device of the "blazon", which the medieval poets (Petrarch popularized it) and later early-modern period poets, dramatists, and other writers, as PoetryFoundation says:

A literary blazon (or blason) catalogues the physical attributes of a subject, usually female. The device was made popular by Petrarch and used extensively by Elizabethan poets.

describing and making the body as a list of individual parts instead of its own whole thing, so that parts of the body can be compared to other things and thus give a certain characterization to the subject that way. The subject themselves becomes less themselves and more the perspective and "dream" of the writer/audience.

And "racial and racist stereotypes—even ostensibly positive ones (such as “Asians are good at math”)—by definition, conflate and confuse biology and culture" ("Were Medieval People Racist?").

Combined -> the setup(s) for early modern-to-current racializations.

E)

We do see some of this sort of attempt or precursor of solid racial categorization from the nonDornish towards Dornish people regardless of class: "salty", "sandy", "stony", and less known, those people who still speak Rhoynish and live by the Greenblood:

The "salty" vs "sandy" vs "stony" things are all exonymic proto-racial categorizations (like the term "Moor") that still don't present different real racial consequences among those Dornish.

Exonymic? Meaning that they are not categorizations made by the native people--noble or not.

It's not like Daeron I would have out-of-the-blue been able to create these categories without there already existing a socialized link between Rhoynish culture and "negative", not-patriarchal-enough nobility. Rhoynish influence/culture directly defines these categories. (But he didn't impose nor did an entire other group of people impose infrastructural change to Dornish society for the sake of their own created racial supremacy...ever.)

There are/were several battles and skirmishes between Stormlanders, Dornish, people of the Dornish Marches, and Reachmen Dornish. AWoIaF relates, "hot-bloodedness and sexual licentiousness, and are still viewed with some mistrust and rivalry by the people of the neighboring Dornish Marches and the Reach". Dorne's equal primogeniture (i.e., far less intense and critical misogyny) and freer sexuality are those things that are made more definitive of the Dornish's political difference and separation from the non-Dornish aristocrats at least at the time of Daeron II's court and marriage [zaldrizer-sovesi] AND "race" as a concept does not track equal to what we consider "race" and those racial experiences PoCs have in modern societies despite these definitions WHILE still indicating ethnic discrimination.

It's funny, because rather than the Jewish "melancholia" described above, the Dornish, by their nonDornish association, would be considered a "sanguine-choleric" people for their "hotbloodeness" and "sexual licentiousness" that really comes from:

a long history of skirmishes with other Andal peoples, then the first 3 Targs and still surviving as their own state, then those eternal ones for revenge and small pieces of resources between houses along the borders of Dorne to the north...leading to the fierce Dornish independent identity

comparatively freer sexualities and fewer sexual restrictions on gender roles (men and women, as men having sex with other men is very taboo and emasculating in the ND, "100%" Andal-FM culture)

and not treating women leaders as an anathema (equal primogeniture)

Yes, there is no racial Dornish diaspora like there is a Jewish or Black diaspora ("the dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland" usually due to wars, violence, displacement, etc.). With Dorne and Dornish people being politically and culturally independent--both in idea and practically since before Daeron II's marriage to Myriah Martell--there were definitely Dornish people moving in and out of nonDornish Westeros and some would inevitably live in ND Westeros, these people are migrants-dual-subjects of a state that is still in all the ways it matters, independent. unlike Black people in the U.S. or Coloureds in S. Africa, whose governments historically and currently gave/enforced these categories developed from European-to-settler/colonist racialization. And unlike anti-Semitic/Islamophobic laws & anti-blackness and other real-world measures, there is no evidence of any oppressive laws or daily discrimination against Dornish communities (I'll say the Sylvenna Sand of Dance fame is an indication of Westerosi patriarchy looking at Dornish less-intense patriarchy as a lesser-"dangerous" identity maker).

Their "racial?" identities also do (yet, if it will go exactly like real life) not have the oppressive or racial context that enables people to argue that Rhaegar left Elia, didn't love her, or valued her and her position as his wife because he felt racially superior to her--esp with how we have no literary (symbols, metaphors, parallels in-text) nor direct evidence of Rhaegar seeing Elia through a racial bias as his father does with Rhaenys their daughter when she was presented (which is what this entire thing came from, as Elia/Martells stans claimed and what drives that argument in this post/reblog HERE).

It is that the Dornish will be considered the lesser "race" if there ever came a time when they were ever truly conquered and imperialized by ND peoples from Westeros. For now, it is far more accurate to say that there is ethnic bias against the Dornish or the Martells that could slide into racism.

GRRM created a world and fantasy series that is trying to simulate a medieval racialization of people WHILE also inevitably showing the roots of modern civilization, which are two different forms of racialization that are nevertheless connected. In other words, GRRM hasn't successfully made 1-1 analogs concerning race.

But does "origin"="being"? How and why?

Therefore, we do see a race or race existing in Westerosi ideologies, but it is BOTH not as prominent as how they regard how women should be treated AND comparatively more fluid to modern-day race and even changeable.

Refrain: The Summer Islanders, though, ARE DEFINITELY the "Black" people of Westeros. As GRRM says in the pic I showed. I have to repeat this because I can see people trying to take advantage of it.

In All...

A people of the first few "mixed" Rhoynar and "100%" Andal Dornish children from intermarriages that are no longer just "mixed" individuals. To claim that they are anything else is to begin the process of racialization, as such a phenomenon (intermarriages between previously separated ethnic groups to become a new distinct one) actually happens more often than not, and to make it unique to just the Dornish is to Other it for racial categorization, as NonDornish aristocrats probably would do. Fans refer to the state of "Westeros" as a "nation", it was not a nation but a territory of several states and smaller fiefs owned by nobles who collected taxes from local peasantry and probably gave a portion of that to the King/Monarch, keeping the "King's peace" (feudalism). The reason why there is a divide between "NonDornish" and Dornish people is the measure of how much Andal vs. Rhoynish culture makes the infrastructures and political practices in the respective regions, and there just so happens to be much more Andal-influenced regions and more people than Rhoynish-influenced without Andal culture becoming either true or "official" overlords over Dornish people in any unique or oppressive way different from how the Monarch is the "overlord" over a Stark, Karstark, Tarly, Hightower, Lannister, etc.

I think anon from that ask is saying that GRRM intended for the (arbitrary number) 80% of Dorne (therefore "Dorne") to be PoC and thereby make it a PoC state/people through choosing to mix several ME, SE, and N. African cultures's properties into a new fictional "Rhoynar" people. To them, this mix-match defines the Dornish as PoC because they see the Dornish people as being a "mixed-race" group of individuals like biracial children of modern interracial couples, and they continue to be biracial exactly as conceived until the current time of ASoIaF.

However, the modern "mixed-race" depends on the already existing races created by the world one lives in and only can be active and politically real races within a society with such definitions and dynamics of race built into its legal & education systems.

Still, though PoCs are historically and currently oppressed groups (aside from EU Jews, who were/are white and were continually oppressed) in places where European imperialism and colonialism reshaped previous societies, it's not correct nor wise to say that all or most PoCs draw their very being/humanity from discriminatory violence alone instead of the racialization oppressive groups performed because identity itself is not as simple or absolute and enduring as race and oppressive regimes try/tried to make. Or their ethnicity, like Black Americans. It's just that:

racial identity is political identity, not inherent or made "true" by those oppressive forces, that is exactly what those oppressors want (proving "might" = "right")

Elia would never have experienced anything equal to even what a richer PoC person does in the U.S. in terms of race

the Dornish are not PoCs!

Refrain: The Summer Islanders, though, ARE DEFINITELY the "Black" people of Westeros. As GRRM says in the pic I showed.

[fromdusttosoil]

can someone explain to me why christianity is treated as this unique evil on this website? No christianity isn't the only religion with religous abuse. No christianity isn't the only religion that suffers from systematic child abuse. No christianity is not the only religion with corruption.

you guys really act like all religions except for christianity are these amazing spaces of discussions of faith and full of acceptance. All religions except christianity have a rich history of examining texts and changing and bettering and going with the times. But christianity? - no that's evil and always backwards and there's no thinking about the doctrine or discussions or change. Do you hear yourself? It's absolutely delusional.

Every religion is ripe with potential of abuse. What kind of abuse and negative impact a religion will have is dependant on how the structure of the religion is and also highly influenced by the religous communities themselves. There's plenty of cases of systematic child abuse in Islam, with mainly child marriage as a problem. Orthodox jewish communities have had a ton of abuse cases where parents where afraid of being alienated if they'd report to the police and reporting to a rabbi did nothing. don't even get me started on mormonism (no this isn't just an extra flavour of christianity, they have been counted as their own religion for a while in many countries. It's about as much christianity as christianity is judaism). Monotheistic religions tend to create closeknit communities where shame is used as a tool to keep people quiet and the hierarchies within the religions make it even worse. Polytheistic religions tend to do harm differently. For example the beliefsystem of both buddhism and hinduism tell people that their current bad situations are their own fault throw bad karma in previous lifes which makes people just accept bad living situations as well as deeply flawed societal structures like the cast system. Thay also set a system of shame where every emotion or action can possible be seen as negative, often leading to people repressing their desires and needs. I could go on but it's honestly depressing. Yes, christianity has a disproportionate amount of historical violence, war, genocide and alot of other things, but even there they're not alone.

I am not trying to say that all religion is inherently evil, because that's simply not true. While i don't believe in any god and never had i grew up religious and i have seen how much beautiful culture, art and community can be build through it. Religions gives comfort to people and it often is a really important part of a person. And most importantly religions change all the time. All religions, including christianity, have changes massively over time. People discuss and societies change and grow. There's so many different versions of most big religions that saying "Religion xyz is like this, was like this and will always be like this and it's worse than all those other ones" is just weird to me.

So can we please just have a civil discussion about religions please? One where we actually try and understand each other? And yes this also goes to atheism. No atheism isn't stupid or evil. But it's also not better than everything. Just fucking listen to people and talk to each other with kindness and compassion.

[shivansh2shiv]

What is the Sacred Narmadeshwar Lingam and Why is it a Symbol of Divine Presence and Spiritual Power?

The Narmadeshwar Lingam, also known as the Narmada Shivling, is a sacred stone found in the Narmada River, one of the seven holy rivers in India. This unique stone is revered in Hinduism and is believed to embody the presence of Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities in the Hindu pantheon.

Significance

Spiritual Importance: The Narmadeshwar Lingam is considered one of the most powerful and sacred symbols of Lord Shiva. It is said to possess natural energy that radiates peace, prosperity, and harmony.

Natural Formation: Unlike other Shiv lings that artisans carve, the Narmadeshwar Lingam is naturally formed in the Narmada River. The river's currents shape these stones into elliptical forms, which are then collected by devotees.

Symbol of Purity: The Lingam is regarded as a pure and self-manifested symbol of Shiva. Its natural formation is seen as a divine miracle, enhancing its sanctity and significance.

Physical Characteristics

Shape and Size: The Narmadeshwar Lingam typically has an elliptical shape and smooth surface. The size can vary from small, portable pieces to large, immovable stones used in temples.

Colour and Texture: These Lingams often have a black or dark brown hue, with some variations in colour and markings depending on the specific stone.

Worship and Rituals

Daily Puja: Devotees perform daily rituals and prayers to the Narmadeshwar Lingam, including offerings of water, milk, honey, and flowers.

Abhishekam: A special form of worship called Abhishekam involves bathing the Lingam with various substances such as milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, and water while chanting sacred mantras.

Festivals: The Lingam is especially venerated during festivals like Maha Shivaratri, when devotees fast, meditate, and offer special prayers to honor Lord Shiva.

Benefits of Worship

Spiritual Growth: Worshiping the Narmadeshwar Lingam is believed to aid in spiritual growth and enlightenment, bringing the devotee closer to Shiva.

Health and Well-being: Many believe that the Lingam’s divine energy can help in healing physical and mental ailments.

Prosperity and Protection: It is also thought to bring prosperity, remove obstacles, and protect the household from negative influences.

History and Legend

Ancient Origins

The Narmadeshwar Lingam's history is intertwined with the Narmada River, which is considered one of the oldest rivers in the world. The river flows through the central Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and its significance is mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts.

Mythological Significance

According to Hindu mythology, the Narmada River was created by Lord Shiva himself. Legends say that Shiva's perspiration, after a vigorous dance of destruction (Tandava), formed the river. Hence, the Narmada is often called the "daughter of Shiva."

The Legend of Narmadeshwar Lingam

A popular legend narrates that the Narmada River is the only place where naturally occurring Lingams are found, signifying the river's divine connection to Shiva. It is believed that these stones carry the essence and vibrations of Lord Shiva, making them especially potent for worship.

Cultural and Religious Context

The Role of the Lingam in Hinduism

The Lingam is a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva, often interpreted as a phallic symbol representing the cosmic pillar of fire. It signifies the union of the quality of life – the masculine and feminine, creation and destruction.

Shiva Purana: The Shiva Purana, one of the principal scriptures dedicated to Lord Shiva, extols the significance of the Narmadeshwar Lingam. It is described as the embodiment of Shiva's omnipotent and all-pervasive nature.

Skanda Purana: Another ancient text, the Skanda Purana, elaborates on the holiness of the Narmada River and the divine origins of the Narmadeshwar Lingam.

Types of Narmadeshwar Lingams

Bana Lingam

Bana Lingam is another name for the Narmadeshwar Lingam. These are specifically collected from the bed of the Narmada River and are characterized by their smooth, cylindrical shape. They are named after the demon king Bana, who was a devout follower of Lord Shiva.

Spatika Lingam

While not exclusively from the Narmada River, Spatika Lingams (made of crystal) often share similar veneration. The Narmadeshwar Lingam and the Spatika Lingam are both considered highly auspicious for worship.

Conclusion The Narmadeshwar Lingam stands as a powerful symbol of divine presence and spiritual power. Its unique natural formation, coupled with its deep-rooted connection to Lord Shiva, makes it a revered object of worship in Hinduism. Whether for personal devotion or temple rituals, the Narmadeshwar Lingam continues to inspire and bless devotees with its sacred energy and profound spiritual significance.