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metamatar · 11 months ago

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In the age of Hindu identity politics (Hindutva) inaugurated in the 1990s by the ascendancy of the Indian People's Party (Bharatiya Janata Party) and its ideological auxiliary, the World Hindu Council (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), Indian cultural and religious nationalism has been promulgating ever more distorted images of India's past.

Few things are as central to this revisionism as Sanskrit, the dominant culture language of precolonial southern Asia outside the Persianate order. Hindutva propagandists have sought to show, for example, that Sanskrit was indigenous to India, and they purport to decipher Indus Valley seals to prove its presence two millennia before it actually came into existence. In a farcical repetition of Romanic myths of primevality, Sanskrit is considered—according to the characteristic hyperbole of the VHP—the source and sole preserver of world culture.

This anxiety has a longer and rather melancholy history in independent India, far antedating the rise of the BJP. [...] Some might argue that as a learned language of intellectual discourse and belles lettres, Sanskrit had never been exactly alive in the first place [...] the assumption that Sanskrit was never alive has discouraged the attempt to grasp its later history; after all, what is born dead has no later history. As a result, there exist no good accounts or theorizations of the end of the cultural order that for two millennia exerted a transregional influence across Asia-South, Southeast, Inner, and even East Asia that was unparalleled until the rise of Americanism and global English. We have no clear understanding of whether, and if so, when, Sanskrit culture ceased to make history; whether, and if so, why, it proved incapable of preserving into the present the creative vitality it displayed in earlier epochs, and what this loss of effectivity might reveal about those factors within the wider world of society and polity that had kept it vital.

[...] What follows here is a first attempt to understand something of the death of Sanskrit literary culture as a historical process. Four cases are especially instructive: The disappearance of Sanskrit literature in Kashmir, a premier center of literary creativity, after the thirteenth century; its diminished power in sixteenth century Vijayanagara, the last great imperial formation of southern India; its short-lived moment of modernity at the Mughal court in mid-seventeenth century Delhi; and its ghostly existence in Bengal on the eve of colonialism. Each case raises a different question: first, about the kind of political institutions and civic ethos required to sustain Sanskrit literary culture; second, whether and to what degree competition with vernacular cultures eventually affected it; third, what factors besides newness of style or even subjectivity would have been necessary for consolidating a Sanskrit modernity, and last, whether the social and spiritual nutrients that once gave life to this literary culture could have mutated into the toxins that killed it. [...]

One causal account, however, for all the currency it enjoys in the contemporary climate, can be dismissed at once: that which traces the decline of Sanskrit culture to the coming of Muslim power. The evidence adduced here shows this to be historically untenable. It was not "alien rule un sympathetic to kavya" and a "desperate struggle with barbarous invaders" that sapped the strength of Sanskrit literature. In fact, it was often the barbarous invader who sought to revive Sanskrit. [...]

One of these was the internal debilitation of the political institutions that had previously underwritten Sanskrit, pre-eminently the court. Another was heightened competition among a new range of languages seeking literary-cultural dignity. These factors did not work everywhere with the same force. A precipitous decline in Sanskrit creativity occurred in Kashmir, where vernacular literary production in Kashmiri-the popularity of mystical poets like Lalladevi (fl. 1400) notwithstanding-never produced the intense competition with the literary vernacular that Sanskrit encountered elsewhere (in Kannada country, for instance, and later, in the Hindi heartland). Instead, what had eroded dramatically was what I called the civic ethos embodied in the court. This ethos, while periodically assaulted in earlier periods (with concomitant interruptions in literary production), had more or less fully succumbed by the thirteenth century, long before the consolidation of Turkish power in the Valley. In Vijayanagara, by contrast, while the courtly structure of Sanskrit literary culture remained fully intact, its content became increasingly subservient to imperial projects, and so predictable and hollow. Those at court who had anything literarily important to say said it in Telugu or (outside the court) in Kannada or Tamil; those who did not, continued to write in Sanskrit, and remain unread. In the north, too, where political change had been most pronounced, competence in Sanskrit remained undiminished during the late-medieval/early modern period. There, scholarly families reproduced themselves without discontinuity-until, that is, writers made the decision to abandon Sanskrit in favor of the increasingly attractive vernacular. Among the latter were writers such as Kesavdas, who, unlike his father and brother, self-consciously chose to become a vernacular poet. And it is Kesavdas, Biharilal, and others like them whom we recall from this place and time, and not a single Sanskrit writer. [...]

The project and significance of the self-described "new intellectuals" in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries [...] what these scholars produced was a newness of style without a newness of substance. The former is not meaningless and needs careful assessment and appreciation. But, remarkably, the new and widespread sense of discontinuity never stimulated its own self-analysis. No idiom was developed in which to articulate a new relationship to the past, let alone a critique; no new forms of knowledge-no new theory of religious identity, for example, let alone of the political-were produced in which the changed conditions of political and religious life could be conceptualized. And with very few exceptions (which suggest what was in fact possible), there was no sustained creation of new literature-no Sanskrit novels, personal poetry, essays-giving voice to the new subjectivity. Instead, what the data from early nineteenth-century Bengal-which are paralleled every where-demonstrate is that the mental and social spheres of Sanskrit literary production grew ever more constricted, and the personal and this-worldly, and eventually even the presentist-political, evaporated, until only the dry sediment of religious hymnology remained. [...]

In terms of both the subjects considered acceptable and the audience it was prepared to address, Sanskrit had chosen to make itself irrelevant to the new world. This was true even in the extra-literary domain. The struggles against Christian missionizing, for example, that preoccupied pamphleteers in early nineteenth-century Calcutta, took place almost exclusively in Bengali. Sanskrit intellectuals seemed able to respond, or were interested in responding, only to a challenge made on their own terrain-that is, in Sanskrit. The case of the professor of Sanskrit at the recently-founded Calcutta Sanskrit College (1825), Ishwarachandra Vidyasagar, is emblematic: When he had something satirical, con temporary, critical to say, as in his anti-colonial pamphlets, he said it, not in Sanskrit, but in Bengali. [...]

No doubt, additional factors conditioned this profound transformation, something more difficult to characterize having to do with the peculiar status of Sanskrit intellectuals in a world growing increasingly unfamiliar to them. As I have argued elsewhere, they may have been led to reaffirm the old cosmopolitanism, by way of ever more sophisticated refinements in ever smaller domains of knowledge, in a much-changed cultural order where no other option made sense: neither that of the vernacular intellectual, which was a possible choice (as Kabir and others had earlier shown), nor that of the national intellectual, which as of yet was not. At all events, the fact remains that well before the consolidation of colonialism, before even the establishment of the Islamicate political order, the mastery of tradition had become an end in itself for Sanskrit literary culture, and reproduction, rather than revitalization, the overriding concern. As the realm of the literary narrowed to the smallest compass of life-concerns, so Sanskrit literature seemed to seek the smallest possible audience. However complex the social processes at work may have been, the field of Sanskrit literary production increasingly seemed to belong to those who had an "interest in disinterestedness," as Bourdieu might put it; the moves they made seem the familiar moves in the game of elite distinction that inverts the normal principles of cultural economies and social orders: the game where to lose is to win. In the field of power of the time, the production of Sanskrit literature had become a paradoxical form of life where prestige and exclusivity were both vital and terminal.

The Death of Sanskrit, Sheldon Pollock, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Apr., 2001), pp. 392-426 (35 pages)

#sheldon pollock

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reveriedraffs · 8 months ago

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I think i know why Christian was set to Marry Devi... (My theory i uploaded on reddit was removed by the admin idk why?)

It was bugging me from the moment when Christian said that he wanted to marry Devi from the very beginning although dozens hid this fact from her to spar her to get married to Christian. But why he wanted to marry her? Christian didn't know Devi and the latter came way before Devi met Ian. so what was he insisted to marry on marrying and devi only. also if it was because he show her portrait then he could've remember her when they meet for the first time.

After thinking about it so much i couldn't come to theory or connect the dots that not until i was sitting with my dad watching the news (I am Indian btw) and suddenly the news was talking about the most famous and precious jewel of india "Kohinoor" i am not sure how many of you know about this but this diamond it very "precious", "Priceless" and "CURSED" yes this diamond is "cursed" it was called cursed because of that soley diamond in the past war has fought for 500 years or more. and it has killed everyone who tried to posses that diamond the biggest empire has collapsed because of this mere diamond although it's not a mere diamond. because in reality, this diamond belongs to the gods.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond isa a 186-caratt diamond with a curse affecting only men. According to folklore, a Hindu description of the diamond warns that “he who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God or woman can wear it with impunity.” Throughout history, the gem traded hands among various Hindu, Mongolian, Persian, Afghan and Sikh rulers, who fought bitter and bloody conflicts to own it. Every prince whohadf the diamond would ultimately lose his power if not his life. For over 500 years the stone changed hands in gruesome battles and vicious coups.

The kingdom of Golconda(current day state of Telengana,India), The khilji Empire,The Tughlaq Empire,The Lodhi Empire,The Mughal Empire,The Maratha Empire,The kingdom of Persia,The Durrani Empire,The Afghan Khanate,The Sikh Empire all collapsed one behind the other while owning the Koh-i-noor Diamond.The height of the curse can be seen in the fact that even World level Empires crumbled below the weight of the curse.The British East India company owned the Jewel since the Annexation and Disbandment of the Sikh Empire. But only 7–8 years following the looting of the jewel,the revolt of 1857 literally destroyed the east IndiaCompanyy from its roots.

Historical records indicate the diamond was acquired by the British in 1849 and given to Queen Victoria in 1850. To heed its legend, the diamond has since only been worn by women, including Queen Alexandra of Denmark, Queen Mary of Teck and the late Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, wife of King George VI.

In 1936, the stone was set into the crown of the wife of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother). The British Royal family was aware of the Curse of the Koh-i-Noor, and from the reign of Queen Victoria the Kohinoor diamond has always gone to the wife of the male heir to the British throne

Currently, it is set as one of the jewels within a British monarchy crown that is kept at the Tower of London Jewel House.

I am telling you the whole story because?

here is the dots to this theory:

Sharma owns the mines for gemstones, diamonds, and crystals not only in Bengal but in very different places on all over India.

Devi's brother died while trying to save the bride.

Those who came to kill people talked about letting "Women alive and killing all the men" A simple person may think they said it to use them later on. if so then why was Rati killed?

Devi becomes the heir of the Sharma household, and Kamal insists on making Devi the heir why? i understand that is because Kairas was his best friend but he could've easily let Devi's uncle become the heir.

For some reason Kamal agreed to marry off Devi to Ian suddenly? like that man fought for 5 years against everyone then why did he turn his back suddenly?

Also I personally thin Ian chose devi for specific reasons too, like right now she is the head of Sharma's house but even when she wasn't he wanted to marry her and only her.

The Koh-i-noor might be found on devi's mine. as it holds the power of god and specifically it is cursed. As it said that "Only God or Woman can wear it with IMPUNITY" where Impunity simply means exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.

Or Devi personally is or is the koh-i-noor itself. Or Maybe British knew about the diamond and it's real power. They have stole diamonds from Taj Mahal too but they knew that the diamond who belongs to god holds its own power so they might need someone for that. Devi. Not only she is related to Maa Kali, she is girl and if they choose Devi and then found diamond form her mine then they can ask her to give it to them as in original i mean in reality that's how the koh-i-noor to the queen, they manipulate the royal family livin' in the England making them into thinking it was a simple diamond was given to the queen but in reality it was more then that!

I think they knew about the mines or something similar related to it.

#romance club #kali: flame of samsara #deviya sharma #christian de clare #ram doobay

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whencyclopedia · 3 months ago

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Battle of Buxar

The Battle of Buxar (aka Bhaksar or Baksar) in Bihar, northeast India, on 22-23 October 1764 saw a British East India Company (EIC) army led by Hector Munro (1726-1805) gain victory against the combined forces of the Nawab of Awadh (aka Oudh), the Nawab of Bengal, and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II (r. 1760-1806).

Victory against the odds at Buxar led to the EIC gaining the crucial rights to raise taxes in various regions, a huge boost to the company's coffers, which allowed it to pursue further territorial conquests across the subcontinent.

East India Company Expansion

The East India Company was founded in 1600, and by the mid-18th century, it was benefiting from its trade monopoly in India to make its shareholders immensely rich. The Company was effectively the colonial arm of the British government in India, but it protected its interests using its own private army and hired troops from the regular British army. By the 1750s, the Company was keen to expand its trade network and begin a more active territorial control in the subcontinent.

Robert Clive (1725-1774) won a famous victory for the EIC against the ruler of Bengal, Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah (b. 1733) at the Battle of Plassey in June 1757. The Nawab was replaced by a puppet ruler, the state's massive treasury was confiscated, and the systematic exploitation of Bengal's resources and people began. 'Clive of India' was made the Governor of Bengal in February 1758 and, for a second spell, in 1764. It was time for a new British name to grab the colonial limelight, though, one Major Hector Munro.

#History #Afghan #Awadh #BattleofBuxar #WHE #[#]

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fatehbaz · 6 months ago

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The rise of the European empires [...] required new forms of social organization, not least the exploitation of millions of people whose labor powered the growth of European expansion [...]. These workers suffered various forms of coercion ranging from outright slavery through to indentured or convict labor, as well as military conscription, land theft, and poverty. [...] [W]ide-ranging case studies [examining the period from 1600 to 1850] [...] show the variety of working conditions and environments found in the early modern period and the many ways workers found to subvert and escape from them. [...] A web of regulation and laws were constructed to control these workers [...]. This system of control was continually contested by the workers themselves [...]

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Timothy Coates [...] focuses on three locations in the Portuguese empire and the workers who fled from them. The first was the sugar plantations of São Tomé in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The slaves who ran away to form free communities in the interior of the island were an important reason why sugar production eventually shifted to Brazil. Secondly, Coates describes working conditions in the trading posts around the Indian Ocean and the communities of runaways which formed in the Bay of Bengal. The final section focuses on convicts and sinners in Portugal itself, where many managed to escape from forced labor in salt mines.

Johan Heinsen examines convict labor in the Danish colony of Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Denmark awarded the Danish West Indies and Guinea Company the right to transport prisoners to the colony in 1672. The chapter illustrates the social dynamics of the short-lived colony by recounting the story of two convicts who hatched the escape plan, recruited others to the group, including two soldiers, and planned to steal a boat and escape from the island. The plan was discovered and the two convicts sentenced to death. One was forced to execute the other in order to save his own life. The two soldiers involved were also punished but managed to talk their way out of the fate of the convicts. Detailed court records are used to show both the collective nature of the plot and the methods the authorities used to divide and defeat the detainees.

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James F. Dator reveals how workers in seventeenth-century St. Kitts Island took advantage of conflict between France and Britain to advance their own interests and plan collective escapes. The two rival powers had divided the island between them, but workers, indigenous people, and slaves cooperated across the borders, developing their own knowledge of geography, boundaries, and imperial rivalries [...].

Nicole Ulrich writes about the distinct traditions of mass desertions that evolved in the Dutch East India Company colony in South Africa. Court records reveal that soldiers, sailors, slaves, convicts, and servants all took part in individual and collective desertion attempts. [...] Mattias von Rossum also writes about the Dutch East India Company [...]. He [...] provides an overview of labor practices of the company [...] and the methods the company used to control and punish workers [...].

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In the early nineteenth century, a total of 73,000 British convicts were sentenced to be transported to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). There, the majority were rented out as laborers to private employers, and all were subjected to surveillance and detailed record keeping. These records allow Hamish Maxwell-Stewart and Michael Quinlan to provide a detailed statistical analysis of desertion rates in different parts of the colonial economy [...].

When Britain abolished the international slave trade, new forms of indentured labor were created in order to provide British capitalism with the labor it required. Anita Rupprecht investigates the very specific culture of resistance that developed on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands between 1808 and 1828. More than 1,300 Africans were rescued from slavery and sent to Tortola, where officials had to decide how to deal with them. Many were put to work in various forms of indentured labor on the island, and this led to resistance and rebellion. Rupprecht uncovers details about these protests from the documents of a royal commission that investigated [...].

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All text above by: Mark Dunick. "Review of Rediker, Marcus; Chakraborty, Titas; Rossum, Matthias van, eds. A Global History of Runaways: Workers, Mobility, and Capitalism 1600-1850". H-Socialisms, H-Net Reviews. April 2024. Published at: h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=58852 [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.]

#abolition #carceral #pedagogies #ecologies #imperial #colonial #critical geographies #fugitivity #tidalectics #archipelagic thinking #indigenous

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lawfullycaffeinated · 3 months ago

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So I haven't done any official studying lately. However, I have been doing some research about the Romani people, because apparently one of my great-grandfathers (not sure how removed he is from me) was actually Hungarian and was forgotten as a baby in MX by his family and taken in by my ancestors.

My mom's oldest sister shared the story with me, but both my mom and aunt have a slightly different version of the story. I wonder who, if anyone, knows the real story as it happened so they could share it with me.

According to my aunt's telling-

There were always these caravans of Hungarian gypsies that would travel to MX and set up tents and booths in a circus/carnival-type thing where they would do fortune-telling through different forms of divination (palmistry, crystal balls, tarot). During a cold winter, Little Baby was forgotten and found by Ancestor who tried to take him to the police. The police, however, were basically like "Just take him home and we'll let u know," and no one ever claimed Little Baby. Little Baby was then raised by Ancestor as his.

However, my mom says he was forgotten as a little boy, not a baby and she isn't sure it happened during winter. She also thinks it was to flee the persecution of all the Romani people in Europe and seek momentary refuge. But, I don't think the reason they arrived in MX matters too much because if it was to flee, they still had to do something to make some kind of money to afford to stay alive in the new location they arrived- hence, their divination practices. Additionally, they lived a nomadic lifestyle, so their arrival to MX would've happened regardless, at a certain point in time.

While their telling of events differs, one thing that is certain is that we have some kind of European/Middle Eastern ancestry.

As I did research on Hungarian gypsies, I found that one, they're not gypsies, but rather Romani people. The Romani people in Hungary are Hungarians of Romani descent, and the Romani people originate from Northern India. There's linguistic evidence that shows the Romani share basic lexicon with Hindi and Punjab; Phonetic features with Marwari; Their grammar is closest to Bengal.

Genetic findings say that the Romani originated in northwestern India and then migrated as a group. So my ancestor's journey had to look something like this:

Northwestern India → Middle East → Romania → Hungary

However, there's something that confuses me about my research because in my readings there was something that said the Romani people were often called "Egyptians" and/or "the Pharaoh's People," but as I try to find more information on "the Pharaoh's People," nothing shows up. So, were the Romani just falsely identified as Egyptians in the same way that people from countries like Guatemala and Cuba are called Mexicans? Or is there a real tie/connection between the Romani and Egypt? If so, are all people under a Pharaoh's rule referred to as the Pharaoh's People, or is this label saved for their "employees?"

One thing is for sure- my people have never known peace.

How sad is it, that my whole ancestry line has known nothing but discrimination and genocide. From the Spanish conquistadores who took over Mexico. The English colonizers who took Mexican land from its people. The Nazis persecuting my Romani ancestors alongside the Jewish in the Holocaust. To present day discrimination in Hungary that the Hungarian-Romani people are still facing and the discrimination Mexican people face in the US.

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kaitropoli · 5 months ago

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The Rhinoceros

By Pietro Longhi

Oil Painting, 1751.

Ca' Rezzonico.

THERE are two slightly different versions of this painting, but for now (and because this will be quick for me), I will detail certain things that stand out to me in this piece.

=== BEFORE READING INFO BELOW: (POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS: ANIMAL ABUSE; POSSIBLE CUCKOLDRY) === TLDR TOPICS (With Skip Marks): Clara, a live exhibited rhinoceros...paragraphs 1-5; Possible cuckold messaging in this painting (going with the story of Clara)...paragraph 5; The Venice Carnival (masks)...paragraphs 6-7. ===

THE Rhinoceros--or known by two different names: (1) Clara the Rhinoceros; (2) Exhibition of a Rhinoceros at Venice--has the very obvious subject of Clara, a rhinoceros who was displayed in Venice during Carnival. Clara had been on tour throughout Europe, now finally making her debut in wonderful Serenissima, the floating city where women and men walk with their identities covered during the time of enlightenment, reformation, and new political thought while the Holy Roman Empire shines down their reign, and the Papal States are near their last century of control.

CLARA has been the subject of a few art pieces throughout her touring days on Earth. She once came from India and spent her last days in Lambeth, England (imagine dying in Britain💀), witnessing history before her very eyes; though, she wouldn't know it, especially being the one making history as one of the first living rhinos to be exhibited in modern Europe since 1515 (and before 1515, it was the og Roman Empire... centuries before 1515!). She was an orphan who was adopted by a dude in Bengal by the name of Jan Albert Sichterman, who worked for the Dutch East India Company, and then, of course, he sold her to a man who would be a permanent father figure for the rest of her life, cpt. Douwe Mout van der Meer (wild ahh name, but he's Dutch, so what do you expect?). I guess it'd be wrong to call him a father figure, considering he also technically "sold" her, as in what you'd do back then if your child had a deformity and you're poor (market crash, dustbowl, Great Depression things) and the freak show was in town, but when you have daddy issues, being made an attraction is still love (and a good kind of attraction) in your eyes. I mean, I'd probably lose all respect for myself if that means I can travel (I'M KIDDING... probably. The opportunity hasn't come knocking at my door just yet).

THERE'S much history to our girl, Clara, like how she had her own personal 8HP-drawn wooden carriage (treated like the damn queen she is), or how she moisturized with fish oil (we don't use Drunk Elephant around these parts👹). They kept her in better, more secure care than Dürer's Rhino (1515, remember? Anyway, he drowned! They weren't gonna do that to our Clara-baby) when traveling to Italy... but this is where something did happen to her..................

UPON arrival in Rome, Clara was discovered to have lost her horn (evidently seen in the artwork above). It is debated how she lost it: either she rubbed it off (which apparently is a common trait among rhinoceroses who are kept in tight confinement), or somebody cut it off (Wikipedia claims for safety reasons, but does not provide a footnote, so keep a close eye on that). ** SIDE NOTE: I tagged this part specifically as animal abuse; though poaching is a serious topic, in a case like this, it can be compared to the *controversial* practice in which rhino workers dehorn to ensure nobody attempts to poach the animal (a way of justifying this is that the horns are made of keratin, which, if you don't know, is the same as our fingernails; rhinos will regrow their horns in ≤ two years; rhino horns are sought out for a good chunk of money due to them being used in medicines, typically that found in Asian cultures, so people will hunt these animals with tranquilizers (not the issue seen in Philly right now, but if you have time, check that out) and leave them to bleed to death due to negligently cutting the horn off).

AS I had briefly mentioned, horns can grow back, so try not to worry too much about our girl. After all, she lived quite longer than expected, so it couldn't be all that bad. Anyway, back to when she was hornless and staying in Venice during the time of Carnival, Italian painter Pietro Longhi, who was notorious for his Venetian everyday life paintings, decided it'd be nice to visit Clara and paint her. In this scene, we see a man in the crowd holding up a horn, which leads many to believe that this is a message. You know how you do those bunny ears when somebody's taking a photo--children to their grandmothers, sisters to their brothers, and so on and so forth? Well, believe it or not, the bunny ears were the original symbol for cuckoldry, besides the obvious metal hand (sad day for the metalheads... or maybe good day if you're a cuck, but that wouldn't make sense because you gotta have taste to be into metal). Horns are used to represent cuckolds because it uses the similarity of stags' mating rituals, compared to how it got the name due to cuckoo birds leaving their eggs in others' nests (kind of like those types of faeries that stole children and left their own to mimic... which this led to an ACTUAL murder... but that's not up for discussion today, sorry). Anyway, because this dude is holding a horn, which appears to seem like it belonged to Clara, and the unattended ladies in the back (we will discuss them in a hot minute), this man may as well be a cuckold, or, unlikely (because I think it's funnier and more apparent), signing somebody else off as one.

FOR the other patrons in the crowd, as I have mentioned a billion times already, this was Carnival time (Fat Thursday to Fat Tuesday, celebrating before Ash Wednesday and Lent; U.S. citizens know Mardi Gras, which is technically the last day of Carnival... if that's an easier explanation, I'm glad to help, because I don't feel like getting into the specifics of it all). Tradition is to wear masks (although this was the main cause for the abrupt ending of Carnival until it was revived in the 1970s), which was originally done to hide identities, which made it easier for social classes to clash. One of these ladies is wearing a mask (can you guess which one?), and it holds a provocative nature.

MORETTA, or also known as servetta muta, is a strapless mask that is usually crafted with black velvet. The wearer would bite down on a bead which keeps the mask in place, however disables them from speaking. Seems impractical, right? Well, women died for it as much as the men they were attracting did. The silence, and the contract of black to their skin, making the mask pop out, just like their breasts when wearing décolleté alla veneziana fashion (clothes which reveal the body; and don't get me started with the shear fabric and what they did to make their nipples more apparent). To take away from the face will bring more attention to other areas, which was the achieved goal. To bring silence is to be the mysterious dark beauty that people still talk about being today! Don't deny that this is feminism, because it is in the end... giving women the choice to keep playing a mysterious game where their intentions are anonymous, or to burrow in the advances of the potential suitor. Whichever they chose, it is ultimately up to the man if he wants to play a round of blind dating/hookup.

LINKS TO SOURCES:

| Wikipedia - Carnival of Venice

| Wikipedia - Clara (Rhinoceros)

| National Gallery - NG1101

| Historians of Netherlandish Art - Exhibition: Clara the Rhinoceros

| Mental Floss - Clara

| Science - Cutting Off Rhino Horns

| Save the Rhino - Poaching

| Italy Mask - History of the Venice Carnival

| Ca' Macana - The Moretta or Muta

YAPPING all done completely by me (@kaitropoli)

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ginnyrules27 · 11 months ago

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Bills win! 31-10 against the Dallas Cowboys!

Next stop, LA to face off against the Chargers! Now Buffalo, do not treat this as a trap game! I don't care that the Raiders were able to score 63 points on them, we need to win out if we want a prayer at making the playoffs.

Right now though? We're still alive at an 8-6 record. Though I won't lie, it'd be nice to have some of those 6's back (looking at you Denver loss that was caused by the defense having too many men on the field, and Patriots' loss that was basically the defense giving up after the offense got the lead back, and Eagles loss that was just the defense giving up in OT...damn I'm starting to notice something).

If the Browns, Bengals, Dolphins, Colts, or Texans could lose in the next three weeks though, the Bills could make the playoffs.

Browns: they play the Texans, Jets, and Bengals to finish off the season. Considering the Jets just lost 30-0, I don't think Clevland will be losing these games though Texans and Bengals are always a toss up

Bengals: they play the Steelers, Chiefs, and Browns to finish off the season. Considering they lost already to the Browns and the Steelers (divisional teams play each other twice a season), my money's on the Chiefs handing the Bengals a loss.

Dolphins: they play the Cowboys, Ravens, and Bills to finish up the season. The Cowboys will be playing with something to prove though Miami will have home-field advantage, same with the game against the Bills (though Bills fans travel). New Year's Eve in Maryland though? If there's one thing the Dolphins don't like, it's the cold. Plus if Buffalo wins out and Dolphins lose against the Cowboys and the Ravens, it'll be the game to determine who takes the AFC East so Miami likely won't rest their starters.

Colts: they play the Falcons, Raiders, and the Texans to finish off the season. The Falcons just lost to the Panthers (for context the Panthers are 2-12 so far) so the loss likely will come from either the Raiders or the Texans. Hopefully more so the Raiders because that'll help the Bills more.

Texans: they play the Browns, Titans, and the Colts to finish off the season. And in all honesty, it's a coin toss to see how any of those games could go.

#buffalo bills #buffalo vs dallas #bills vs cowboys

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normalweirdoboy · 2 years ago

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Manipur Violence

As a few of you might be aware, there’s communal violence occurring in the state of Manipur right now. It’s sad that most mainlanders are either completely unaware or do not give a f*ck about it. If you are one of them, here are some news links you can read to educate yourself. I bet if this sort of thing happened in West Bengal, Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh, it’d become national news… but of course India doesn’t care about its North East. None of my friends here in Odisha, except the North-Easterners know about it :) Meitei, Kuki and Naga lives matter as much as those of mainlanders, so kindly amplify!

#normalweirdoboy #india #today #blog post #north east #news #manipur #meitei #naga #kuki #violence #ethnic clashes

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banglakhobor · 1 year ago

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ইস্টবেঙ্গল সমর্থকদের জন্য বড় খবর, লাল-হলুদ শিবিরে নতুন স্পনসর

কলকাতা: কলকাতা ফুটবল লিগ (CFL) চলছে জোর কদমে। বৃহস্পতিবার থেকে শুরু হয়ে গিছে ডুরান্ড কাপ। লাল-হলুদ শিবিরও অংশ নেবে ঐতিহ্যবাহী এই টুর্নামেন্টে। এসে গিয়েছেন অভিজ্ঞ কোচ কার্লেস কুয়াদ্রাতও। বিদেশি প্লেয়াররা আসছেন একে একে। আর তার মা��েই ভক্ত, সমর্থকদের জন্য বড় খবর দিল ইস্টবেঙ্গল (East Bengal FC)। জানিয়ে দিল, ২০২৩-২৪ মরশুমের জন্য নতুন স্পনসর পেয়েছে তারা। নতুন টেক-গেম প্ল্যাটফর্ম ব্যাটারির (Batery)…

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#east bengal #East Bengal FC #Football News #game tech platform Batery #principal sponsor

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justjarminsports · 2 months ago

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NFL Week 4 Winners and Losers

Photo Credit: Rusty Jones AP.

By; BenJarmin Munguia

Date; October 2, 2024

Week 4 is wrapped up, and some teams stayed as winners, but some teams were really losers—and not in a good way. Let's see who is in camps and damps this week.

WINNER

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals won their first game of the season by knocking off their former quarterback, Andy Dalton, and the Carolina Panthers 34-24. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow went 22-of-31 for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with running back Chase Brown, who carried the ball 15 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals went to Charlotte and won the game with ease. They are now heading to the Windy City to play the Chicago Bears.

WINNER

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts surprised everybody by defeating the strong Pittsburgh Steelers 24-27 on Sunday. Indianapolis lost their starting quarterback, Anthony Richardson, to a hip injury in the first half of the game. Back-up quarterback Joe Flacco finished the game, going for 16-of-26 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. The 17-year veteran quarterback kept the Colts ahead of the Steelers throughout the entire game, extending the Colts' win streak to 2.

It's unsure whether Joe Flacco will start on Sunday against the winless Jaguars, but it should be an automatic win.

WINNER

Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders

The Commanders are looking like a playoff team. They are sitting in first place in the NFC East and racking up 98 points in their three-game win streak. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels stormed past the Arizona Cardinals 42-14, and it wasn't even close. This was Washington's first game of scoring 40+ points since 2016.

On a high note for Daniels, he has set a rookie record for having the highest completion percentage by a rookie in his first four games, at 82.1%. For example, the rookie quarterback only had 106 passes he threw this season. 18 of them were incomplete, and only 1 was picked off. That is a very impressive stat.

Commanders fly home from the desert to take on the struggling Cleveland Browns.

LOSERS

New York Jets

You can blame the weather for losing to a team that had -12 passing yards in the first half, let alone 60 total passing yards throughout an entire game. There is something going on in the Jets locker room that we don't know, and it's not good.

The Jets play the Vikings in London; let's hope it doesn't rain on Sunday.

LOSERS

Jacksonville Jaguars

You are now the only winless team in the NFL.

LOSERS

Buffalo Bills

I expected a better game from Buffalo. Only being able to put in 10 points is unheard of with Josh Allen under center, but they put all of the blame on the offense. Allen is not on defense, giving up 200 rushing yards, especially an 87-yard touchdown run from Derrick Henry.

The Bills have a chance to bounce back on Sunday against the Texans, playing against their former star wide receiver, Stefon Diggs.

LOSERS

Minnesota Vikings

I might get hate on this. Yes, the Vikings won, and they are 4-0. But almost blowing a 28-0 lead against your division rival is not talked about enough. How do you allow the Green Bay Packers to have a 29-3 run? You don't put your fan base in panic mode, especially if you're fighting for first place in the NFC North.

However, the Vikings can go 5-0 if they can beat the Jets on Sunday in London……especially if it rains.

Was there anyone I missed? Let me know!

#nfl #nfl football #buffalo bills #cincinnati bengals #washington commanders #new york giants #indianapolis colts #jacksonville jaguars #minnesota vikings

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twinkleallnight · 2 years ago

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The Stolen Interview

Book: TRR AU

Characters: Rashad x Kiara, Joelle Theron.

Word count: ~2000+

Disclaimer: All characters belong to pixelberry.

Rating: Mature

Warning: Fluff

Prompt: prompt 1 by @choicesflashfics in bold

: Day 1 of @kiaratheronappreciationweek

Special thank you @lizzybeth1986 for brainstorming and the valuable inputs.

The warm sun rays of spring, sieved through the white clouds on the Castelsarreillan abode that nested the Theron family.

A pleasant breeze traversed through the windows of the library to flutter the pages of “Geetanjali” by Rabindranath Tagore, a book the youngest Theron, Kiara, was engrossed into.

As if just on cue, her phone chimed to distract her further. Her brown eyes fell on the known name flashing on the screen, bringing a smile on her face. She pushed her owl-shaped bookmark on the page she was reading and swiped the green button on her phone.

“Bonjour!” she chirped.

“Hello and sorry to disturb your reading hours.” The sultry male voice replied.

“How do you know that I am reading?”

“A little bird gave away your secrets to me.”

“Have you been spying on me?” Kiara questioned.

“Nah, just been observing you. What are you reading?”

“Geetanjali.”

“Oooh! You seem to be inclined to the east.”

“Since our last discussion. You have piqued my interest in that culture.” Kiara confessed honestly.

“And here I thought the interest was in a handsome brainy guy.”

Kiara giggled, “Someone has too many wrong notions about himself.”

“I guess I can challenge the smart lady of Castelsarreillan.”

“Bet!” she almost jumped in excitement.

“Okay. Accepted. Open the doors then.”

Kiara looked at the closed ornate doors of the library in surprise. She rushed to open the doors and found Rashad beaming at her, phone still against his ear.

“Bonne soirée ma dame!” he flashed the widest smile.

“Aadaab!” She cupped her hand raising it to her forehead to greet him.

“Your way or my way, it’s a lovely evening.”

“It surely is. Please come in.” She walked him in. “What brings you here, today?”

“I am here to meet your mother on my father’s behalf. I dropped in a bit early to catch up with you.”

“I am glad you did.”

He saw the book she was reading, “How are you finding this one?”

“It’s a unique experience. I haven’t read much of your culture before this.”

“This is just a part of my culture, you may say. Every time I visited India with Ma, I discovered a new treasure chest.”

“Like?” she raised her brows. Rashad loved this particular expression of hers. It made her eyes look like two big brown balls shining, bewildered.

He bit on his lip to hide his emotions and then continued, “English, French, Swiss, German etcetera. They all collectively form the European culture. Similarly, there are regional divisions that come under the roof of Indian culture.”

“Does Tagore come from your region?”

Rashad shook his head. “No, he is from the neighbouring land of Bengal. He was a Nobel laureate. Ma introduced his poems to me. She had a Pandora box of stories.”

“I love listening to those tales. I wish I could have met her in person.” Kiara expressed sincerely.

Rashad pursed his lips at the mention of his mother but then quickly changed the topic. “I would love nothing more than to spoil you with attention, but it’s going to have to wait until later. How about you come along with me for my meeting with your mother?”

“That sounds good. Just give me a moment.”

Kiara picked her book and neatly arranged it in a stack on the right. Rashad made a quick note of the titles she had placed on that rack. He knew she had a habit of arranging her “to read” books there. And he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to discuss and debate the reviews with her. He enjoyed following what she read and the talks that followed. Sometimes he quietly would push a book to her to gain her views about it. He was in awe of her intellectual prowess of varied subjects.

***************”*

Duchess Joelle Theron’s studio

“What do you think? Is this, okay? Am I looking good?” Rashad whispered while adjusting his tie maybe the tenth time.

Kiara swatted at his hand. “Stop fidgeting.”

Rashad’s eyes widened at her gesture.

Kiara gave a playful smile to lighten his mood, “You look handsome. As always.” She pinched his cheek and pulled it.

Rashad squealed, “Ouch.” And started rubbing on his stubble where she had pulled so hard.

Kiara covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter.

Rashad cleared his throat and adjusted his pose when he heard his two workmen lumbering down the hall with a heavy life-size painting in their hands.

“What is this?” Kiara gasped.

“You will see.” Rashad swelled up his chest with pride. “A small gift from the duchy of Domavallier for Castelsarreillan.” He guided the men to place the painting against a wall.

Just then Joelle, Kiara’s mother walked in

“Good evening, Lord Rashad.”

“Good evening, your grace. Please call me Rashad.”

“Rashad.” She smiled. Rashad looked from her to Kiara in amazement.

“What’s wrong?” Her brows furrowed.

“Oh, it’s nothing, your grace. Just that I realised where Lady Kiara’s bright smile comes from.”

Joelle narrowed her eyes, “I don’t know whether I should be flattered by your compliment to me or worry about your keen interest in my daughter’s smile.”

Rashad lowered his eyes to the floor. “My apologies.”

Joelle laughed, making Kiara jump with surprise. “Do you think these old bones can’t do some teasing?”

Rashad rubbed the back of his neck nervously. ‘This isn’t going well,’ he thought.

“So, what have we got here?” She pointed at the covered painting.

Rashad quickly stepped forward to unveil his gift, “It’s a small token from us on occasion of the upcoming flower festival in your duchy.”

He lifted the covers and Kiara drew in a breath. “Its Raja Ravi Varma’s painting!” She exclaimed.

It depicted a lady standing against a pillar plucking a lone flower in her hand. It looked like words were frozen on her lips. She was standing in anticipation. Her other hand caressed the tender petals of the pink flower while a man quietly stared at her from the other side of the pillar. He seemed to be mesmerized by her beauty. His expressions showed as if he was waiting for a reply from her.

Joelle gave her an astonished look. “You know about this famous Indian artist?”

“Of course, Maman. Raja Ravi Varma remains the most renowned painter of the 19th century from Travancore, India.”

Joelle addressed Rashad. “You must be knowing that He was a royal.”

“Yes,” he momentarily looked at Kiara, “Raja means King.” Giving the polyglot feed for the day, he shifted back to Joelle, “he belonged to a kingdom that interestingly followed the matrilineal system.”

Kiara pitched in, “They still follow matriarchy in few of those regions.”

Joelle nodded, a small smile on her lips. “What do you know about this painting, dear?”

“Maman, this painting is titled ‘The stolen interview’ a hushed moment between two lovers. Varma was famous for combining European techniques and Indian style in his work.

Joelle raised her chin, “I am impressed Kiki. When and where did you collect all that knowledge of Indian art?”

“Ummm, Rashad mentioned it from one of his tours to India.” She sheepishly looked at Rashad while he tried to hide the blush in vain.

Joelle gave Rashad an approving nod. “Rashad, please convey my regards to your father. This is the most beautiful and unexpected gift. I will treasure it for my lifetime.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” Rashad bowed his head with respect.

“Hakim will be here in an hour. Kiki, why don’t you give Rashad a tour of our vineyard in the meanwhile?”

“Sure, Maman.”

“See you soon, your grace.” Rashad scurried behind Kiara.

Joelle nodded; her eyes fixed on the painting.

Kiara guided Rashad out of the hall. Joelle turned to look at their receding figures. Her lips curled up in a knowing smile.

“Phew!” Rashad released a breath that he unknowingly was holding back. He loosened the knot of his tie and wiped the sweat beads from his forehead.

Kiara gave him a questioning look.

“How did that go?” He had his hands on his hips.

“What?” Kiara asked, confused.

“Nothing,” he waved off his hand. “You won’t understand.”

Kiara shrugged her shoulders and started walking.

Rashad matched her steps. “By the way I had just mentioned the art of Raja Ravi Varma. You went into the depth of the subject.”

“And I have you to thank for all that detailed study.”

“Me? How?”

“I picked up the book about the artist co-authored by Eric and Christian from your study.” She revealed.

Rashad stopped in his tracks and turned to her, his jaw hanging open.

“What is it?” Kiara gazed into his dark eyes.

“Lady! You never cease to amaze me.”

“I can’t help when someone raises my curiosity like that. So, I read all about his life, his work, his lithography.”

Rashad shook his head, smiling, “Did someone ever tell you that you are a walking encyclopaedia?”

Kiara strutted ahead proudly, “I like that Nickname.”

“Look at you gloating now! Are you going to fill me up with details about the vineyards too?”

“Now that you asked for it, I may.” She stretched out her hand, “This way my Lord.”

Rashad dramatically bowed, “After you milady.”

They both laughed at their silly act and walked down to the vineyards.

Joelle stood in the window watching them tread away. Hakim joined her, “Sorry, I am late. What are you looking at Jo.” He followed her gaze. “Is that Lord Rashad with Kiara?”

Joelle smiled and nodded. “Our daughter seems to be making some smart choices.”

*******************

In the vineyards

Kiara was busy explaining the quality of the fruit, the terroir, the production and storage process while Rashad heard out keenly. He plucked a few tiny flowers that grew on the winding path.

“They are like rose pearls, embedded into the green gown of the landscape.”

“What a poetic way of defining it. Here.” He handed out a flower to her.

“Thank you.” She gladly accepted it.

They came across a clearing that looked upon the valley.

“And this,” Kiara stretched out her arms, “is my favorite place.”

They both stood looking at the serenity before them. The soft breeze brought waft of the fresh crop every now and then.

After sometime Rashad turned to look at Kiara. She was still holding the flower he gave her. Her other hand caressing the petals while she kept looking in the distance.

“The stolen interview.” He said softly.

“What?” She shifted her focus to him.

He pointed at the flower in her hand. “The way you are holding and touching it, reminded me of the lady in the painting.”

Kiara shook her head, making light of it.

“Kiara?”

She searched his eyes in anticipation.

“I don’t want to stand on the other side of the pillar and keep stealing moments to watch you. I want to be on your side of the pillar.”

Kiara looked out at the valley again.

“Rashad, can you see the end of the land from here?” She questioned him, instead of replying to his words.

Rashad turned his attention to the valley too. He knew this was not going to be an easy conversation. “It’s a breath-taking beauty. What a vast expanse, as if it’s never ending.”

“That’s what attracts me the most. I want my life to be just like that. I want to keep exploring, learning, growing, crossing new horizons every passing year. I…I don’t know if …you….”

“I would love to be a part of such a journey.” Rashad stretched out his hand, palm opening to her.

Kiara looked at his inviting hand. She reflected on the time since she had known him. He encouraged her, he competed with her. He challenged her, he channelled her. His patience around difficult situations, his maturity in dealing with matters of state and his witty replies.

She turned to look at the valley again. He clearly gave her every chance to learn, explore and grow. She didn’t realize when she had grown fond of his company.

Rashad’s heart was pounding hard. Had he hurried through it all? In an attempt to strengthen the bonds, was he going to lose a good friend? She had turned to look away from him. She was now looking at the valley. That’s it. That’s the end. He closed his eyes, finding it difficult to face the truth. He slowly retrieved his hand….when he felt her slender fingers. His eyes snapped open.

Kiara had discreetly slipped her hand in his, though she was still gauzing the skies above the valley.

Rashad held her hand and matched her gaze. A subtle smile played on his lips. They both stood facing the valley silently, in their own moment of a stolen interview.

Tags: @3pawandme @alj4890 @angelasscribbles @bascmve01 @bebepac @busywoman @choicesficwriterscreations @dcbbw @gkittylove99 @harleybeaumont @iaminlovewithtrr @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @lizzybeth1986 @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @neotericthemis @mom2000aggie @phoenixrising0308 @princess-geek @riseandshinelittleblossom @sazanes @secretaryunpaid @sfb123 @sillydg @tessa-liam @tinkie1973 @txemrn @walkerdrakewalker @yourmajesty09

#choices #choices fic writers creations #choices fanfic #pixelberry #playchoices #the royal romance #trr fandom #trr #choices flashfics #kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek

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chompinatthebit · 3 months ago

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2024 NFL Storylines

Now that rosters have trimmed down to 53, for the most part, it's time to finally look ahead to the NFL season which begins Thursday September 5th. We all know that sports brings about drama that keeps us glued to the tv each and every weekend of the season, this NFL season won't be any different. With that in mind, I will give you my storylines to watch this season.

1. Super Bowl or Bust - These are teams that I feel realistically have pressure to get it done this season:

Baltimore Ravens - They have the reigning MVP, a top 5 defense that returns mostly everyone and added Derrick Henry over the offseason. They made the AFC title game last year but came up small, especially offensively, it's safe to ask can they get it done? Lamar has 2 MVPs and 2 playoff wins, enough said.

Kansas City Chiefs - They are going for a three-peat and with that rarified air, as they would be the first to complete the feat. It doesn't hurt that they have the best QB in the league, they also added Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown to a WR core that hasn't even been all that dynamic the past couple of seasons.

San Francisco 49ers - The offseason saga with Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk's contract highlights the fact that they have some serious decisions coming up very soon. They have Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy, who will be looking for new deals next offseason, they also lost in the Super Bowl last season. Could this be a last stand for this group?

Philadelphia Eagles - This team was just in the Super Bowl 2 years ago but took a step back last season. They have locked up their WRs and have taken steps to fix their secondary which was a major problem last season. They replaced both coordinators last season who were held accountable for the slide in performance. Nick Sirianni would technically be the next to go if this season doesn't pan out.

2. Young QBs thrust into the spotlight - Looking around the league, we are seeing that a good number of teams are pinning the direction of their season on the success or failure of unproven QBs.

Caleb Williams (Bears), Jayden Daniels (Commanders) and Bo Nix (Broncos) will be starting from week 1. JJ McCarthy seemingly was on pace to possibly be the starter with the Vikings, before he went down with a season ending knee injury. Drake Maye could very well take over the starting job at some point this season from Jacoby Brissett for the Patriots.

We also have guys in CJ Stroud (Texans), Bryce Young (Panthers), Jordan Love (Packers), Will Levis (Titans), Anthony Richardson (Colts) who are entering the season with varying experience from this past season but are still developing in their second season as starters.

We are looking at 1/3 of the league with young guys at the most important position on the field, how many of them could take their team to the playoffs this season?

3. Who makes the quick turnaround - In 19 of the last 21 years at least one team has gone from finishing last in the division the season before to division champs the following season. With that in mind, who is most likely to pull off the feat this year.

Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North) went 9-8 last year in a season where Burrow missed time and dealt with an injured wrist, if Burrow stays healthy this season they could absolutely pull it off.

Tennessee Titans (AFC South) went 6-11 last season but have done a great job in improving the roster this offseason, if Will Levis continues to improve then they could be the team that challenges the Texans this year for the AFC South crown.

Chicago Bears (NFC North) were a 7-10 team last season after a good finish to the season, they seemingly have their guy in Caleb Williams to run what they believe will be an improved offense. The defense has some pieces as well but not completely sold on coach Eberflus.

The other teams that finished last in their divisions were the New England Patriots (AFC East), LA Chargers (AFC West), Washington Commanders (NFC East), Arizona Cardinals (NFC West) and Carolina Panthers (NFC South).

With every season there are so many storylines that will play out so these are just 3 for you to monitor over the course of the 2024-2025 season. We are just days away from the season starting so strap in and get to the edge of your seat, the fun is about to start.

Make sure to give me a follow and check out my other content on my blog page. You can also follow me over @passionandprecision as well with my friend/co-host @jorissportsstories who you can also follow for her great content as well.

I appreciate you for taking the time to check out my article, until next time...

#2024 nfl season #nfl football #sports blogging #nfl #podcast #storylines #super bowl #nfl news #article #nfl players

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