#hindu months

[silly-fox-and-its-stuffies]

I know there's a lot of people who feel kinda intimidated or uncomfortable with religious queer people at pride, especially Christians, and that's okay! I understand! but even if it makes you uncomfortable, remember that not all religious people are the same, and you can't judge one person because of things other people have done. but if you aren't comfortable being around queer religious people, just dont go. either that, or just ignore them (obviously unless they're directly interacting with you and not trying to start anything or cause problems) bc like, I have mild religious trauma, so I get it, but if its not directly affecting you, just let them be happy? dont attack them, this should be obvious

sorry for rambling I hope this makes sense

im here for all the religious queer people, and non religious queer people <3

everyone is welcome at pride. except bigots

[blackknight-100]

My humble offerings for pride month - A Shiva-Mohini tale + Lakshmi at the end! Many thanks to @samissobsessed for reminding me about them :)

Also, just so you know, canon-timeline died a very painful death when I threw it out of the window with my own hands!

1.

The first time Shiva sees Mohini, she is just emerging from the group of entranced Asuras with the pot of nectar. Parvati, still rubbing his burning throat, pauses her ministrations to see what has caught his attention.

“Ah,” she says, eyes glittering when she sees the divine beauty, “is she not pretty, Arya?”

Shiva thinks ‘pretty’ does not even begin to describe her. Mohini is short and dark, all lissom limbs corded with lean muscles, and open hair rolling all the way down to her calves. With her dimpled cheeks and long lashes, she looks very unlike Vishnu, whom Shiva knows and dotes upon. For a moment, Shiva is possessed by a strange desire to speak to her, certain that even Saraswati’s songs would not match the sweetness of her voice, and he is almost jealous of the Asuras.

Parvati’s laughter brings him back to earth, to the mountain no longer churning, and Vasuki slithering wearily around his shoulders.

“My dear Vasuki,” his wife says, eyes crinkled with amusement, “leave your lord to his musings, now that Kama, rascal that he is, has decided to strike my poor husband once again.”

“No!” Shiva says, louder than intended, and blushes. “No,” he repeats, “it is nothing like that.”

The excuse sounds weak even to his own ears. Parvati laughs harder. Shiva decides the next time he gets hold of Kamadeva, there would be no return from the burning.

2.

As if Kama striking him was not enough, Rati shows up on Kailash the following week, eyes bright with mischief.

“We won the war easily,” she tells Gauri, as if that was what she had come to discuss all along.

Shiva does not trust her one bit. He is proven correct when Rati follows that up with, “It is all because of lovely Mohini. Did you see how she charmed the Asuras?”

“Of course we did. Arya was very interested,” says the traitor previously known as Gauri, Shiva's wife.

“Was he?” Rati covers her smile with a coy palm. “Of course he was! Such beauty, such grace! Why, I feared if this went on unchecked, I would lose my place as Goddess of... you know.”

Gauri throws him an amused wink, barely holding back her teasing delight. “I do know,” she agrees.

Shiva pretends that this time, he will stick to his resolve of never speaking to his wife again.

3.

“She is alone now!” Kali says, bouncing excitedly next to him. “You should go take your chance! Shoot your shot! Ask to court her!”

“I am your husband,” Shiva says exasperated, even as he laughs at her antics. “Are you not even a little jealous?”

Kali ignores his question and rolls right over him. “Maybe you shall have a babe, the sweetest child in all the three worlds! What if it is a boy? With her dark face and your dreadful hair? Or a girl? Oh my, please let it be a girl.”

“That is Vishnu,” Shiva tries, ignoring the comment about his dreadful hair. “Your brother. Why are you like this?”

Kali waves a dismissive hand. “She is my sister, not my brother. Besides, any sister worth her salt would aid her sibling’s pursuit of a gentleman.”

The words warm Shiva’s heart more than Surya’s fire ever could. “You think I am a gentleman?”

Kali turns her nose up at him and points to the enchantress. “Not if you do not go after her.”

Shiva does as he is told. After all happy wives make for happy lives.

4.

It is incredibly easy for Kali to tell him to ‘shoot his shot’ from cold Kailash, but as Shiva soon finds out, it is significantly more difficult than it looks.

For one, Mohini takes one look at him and starts running. She is not even fleeing from him – Shiva would never pursue a woman who did not want his company – she merely appears to enjoy teasing him. This lines up with what Shiva knows of Vishnu. What does not line up is the crowd of gods gathered in the clouds, cheering them on. Cheering him onwards.

“This is mortifying,” he calls out to Mohini, as Kama and Vasanta drop flowers on them, and Vayu makes their clothes flutter dramatically. “Stop, I beg you!”

Mohini only laughs. It is the dearest sound in all the world – sweet as the nectar she stole for the gods, breathless as Ganga at Gangotri, and delirious as Varuni's newly brought sura. Shiva feels Rati’s pull upon his ascetic self, and willingly lets it consume him.

Mohini’s joy is worth the pain of Kama’s love.

5.

Afterwards, they lie together in a shadowed glade, beneath a blossoming Kadamba tree. The air carries the scent of spring flowers and oncoming rain, and of their shared affection.

Shiva rolls around to look at her, at Mohini, Mistress of Illusions, and asks quietly, “Are you alright?”

Mohini laughs. It is more breathless than it was before, but it is still the most delightful sound in the world.

“Of course I am,” she says, making sparkling patterns in the air. “But I will demand recompense for my torn necklace - and you may not have any help this time.”

Shiva finds himself smiling as well. He reaches out a hand, all the way from the earthly air to the gardens of the divine, plucking lotuses from Indra's pond. Then, from the weaver spider he borrows a silken thread and strings it through the flowers.

“Will you have this?” he asks Mohini, offering her the garland.

“Mighty ascetic,” says the enchantress, “any gift from you I shall treasure and wear all my immortal life.”

+1.

Mohini is visiting them on Kailash when Lakshmi comes to see Uma. She is a little miffed to be drawn away from Ayyappa, sure, but the new goddess is good company, and Uma is eager to be her friend.

Mistress Wealth is an indescribable beauty, with her gold-bright face and ruby lips, and her hair a riot of obsidian curls. Her smile, bright as Varuna's best pearls, widens when she sees Uma.

“Greetings,” Lakshmi calls, waving a dainty hand. “It has been a while.”

“It has indeed,” Uma agrees, pulling her to the side. “Shiva is with the baby. Come meet Ayyappa!”

“You had a child?” Lakshmi lights up. "Oh, oh, may I see him?”

“Of course!” Uma shakes her head and adds, “His mother is Mohini.”

Lakshmi furrows her brows. “Who is- ” she begins, and then stops.

Uma turns to look back at her, bewildered, only to find Lakshmi staring at Vishnu-Mohini, who has emerged from the antechamber at the sound of voices. They are also in the process of swapping between forms – male one moment, female the next.

Uma swallows her laughter at Lakshmi's besotted look, turns to her sibling and gestures at the quick changes. “Why are you doing... this? My head hurts from looking at you.”

“You wound me!” Vishnu-Mohini clutches their chest dramatically, which is hampered by the fact that their breast swells one moment and disappears the next. “I must find out which form looks most pleasing on me. Oh, who is this lovely goddess?”

Lakshmi stirs as if from a trance, and immediately blurts out, “Are you married?”

“Not yet.” Mohini winks at her. “Are you proposing? Where are my gifts?”

Lakshmi holds out her hand and pulls an ornament from thin air – a weighty necklace of garnet-studded gold – and offers it to Mohini with the most serious look Uma has ever seen on the restless goddess's face.

“Marry me,” she says, “and you shall have my heart and mind and all treasures of land and sea.”

Mohini takes it, eyes gleaming. “I like chasing and being chased.”

Lakshmi's mien softens, and mischief returns to her face. “Good thing then,” she laughs at last, “that we have similar tastes.”

[h0bg0blin-meat]

Happy Pride to these two idiots

And ofc my fav boih Shikhandi (why he looks like a villain here 😭😭)

[damianbugs]

Please please please tell me about south Asian Jason Todd

i have literally never wanted to do anything more in my entire life. thank you for this opportunity anon.

it's a hc i have had for a while, in which willis is south asian and catherine is hispanic! i haven't thought about it in more specific ethnicities, because i am indecisive and fear permanence — but he is brown!

as a character there was just a lot about jason that 1) felt far too poc coded to be left white and 2) could easily be attributed to brown immigrant families.

it is also connected to my adjacent hc where jason is hindu, mainly because of the absolute horror it can evoke when you realise he was brought back to life. his entire revival story is something straight out of an ancient hindu folk tale.

not to mention that to hindus, the idea of revival is almost the closest thing to hell (which it basically is for jason). his soul was never let free, because he was buried (not cremated) and his physical body became a prison. then there's the question of is the soul he woke up with the same one he died with? then there's the spiritual aspect of it that can be tied back to the effects left on him by the lazarus and —

i could go on more about jason and his relationship with hinduism another time but this is the basics of it. south asian jason is something that started as me projecting onto a character, as all hcs tend to start, that is now something about jason i cherish and share and can defend.

[artcinemas]

idc if it was not there in the "og" version draupadi washing her hair with dushasan's blood was some real hot girl shit. rip draupadi you would have loved bottoms 2023.

[bfpnola]

[rrcraft-and-lore]

Gender Fluidity, non-heterosexual, and gender variance behavior in mythology.

For the purpose of this thread, and keeping it short cuz even though this is my off month to finally rest from burn out, I've got publishing obligations, signings, and stuff to do -- we're keeping-- this to South Asian mythology:

I've already done a thread about third sex/intersex and trans (Hijra) in South Asian culture and the portrayals in a pop culture IP recently - Monkey Man by Dev Patel --

This is a short primer really:

Harihara - the union representing totality/oneness of all existence is the being born of the union of Shiva and Vishnu (who at prior to this morphs into Mohini, the female celestial temptress who Shiva becomes besotted with and tries to get intimate with), Vishnu changes back amidst this and the two fuse into a being. The ability of celestial beings | gods | goddesses to morph, change shape and gender in Vedic to Hindu mythology is well-established/normal. But there are many legends about Mohini, including the birth of her (Vishnu, his female avatar form being Mohini) son, Shasta, with Shiva. Mohini is also known as a femme fatale archetype, seducer, temptress, as well as someone known for destroying/seducing demons to their doom.

One thing to remember is that the Vedic religion and its stories are old, older than our records because the stories, songs, poetry of it all existed before written records and were transmitted orally. There are also varied versions of the epics, such as Tamil recountings of Mahabharata for example, in where one such example exists.

Krishna also takes the form of Mohini to marry Aravan (in Tamil) Iravan otherwise to give Aravan the chance to experience love before his death. There is a festival celebrated to this in the month of Chitrai (April/May) at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Iravan during which, Hijras (the third sex, transgender, intersex, and or eunuchs as well) celebrate Krishna/Mohini marrying Aravan and then mourn Aravan/Iravan's death as he sacrificed himself.

It must be noted that there is artwork and mention throughout the wide spread of Vedic upwards stories (and how many interpretations, takes, and varies stories there are) of same sex and yonic/non-vaginal sex relationships, births, and more.

There's also inter-being...?

Erotica/romance authors help me out here? Inter...celestial sex?

Apsara, devas, asura, humans, demigods. Look, lots of sex of all kind happens, and it's normal.

There's also the story of Arjuna to consider: when he refuses the seductive advances of Urvashi, she curses him to be a Klba, or member of the third gender. Later when Arjuna adopts the name of Brihannala, the curse takes effect as Arjuna dresses in women's clothing, and because of this, Arjuna is able to gain entrance to the kingdom of Virata in the Padma Purana and teach the high arts of music, singing, and dance, to the king's daughter and princess. Later, he is turned into a woman when he wishes to take part in Krishna's mystical dance which only women may attend.

Then there is Ila, a character cursed by Shiva and Parvati to change genders each month.

NOTE: there are MANY versions of the story of Ila, but it is canonical they changed gender -- known as Sudyumna as a woman, and Ila as a man.

Ilā is considered the chief progenitor of the Lunar dynasty of Indian kings – also known as the Aillas.

Continuing. In one story, Ila marries Budha (not Buddha the former king and founder of Buddhism), but Budha that is the god Mercury -- Budha is aware of Ila's origins as a man and changing status, but only marries Ila in his feminine state, and honoring that part of them as his wife and only when Ila is in that state. He does not enlighten Ila to the changing effect as each gender is unaware of the other and those lives.

The tale of Ila's transformations is told in the Puranas as well as the Indian epic poems, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

This is just a little thread. Anyways, I'm off now to sign nearly 2000 pages (won't finish today) and have an achey hand while I do more research and trying to improve the prose style I want for book three of Tales of Tremaine.

❤️ thank you. Remember, be kind.

[starlightomatic]

stupidest fanfic idea ever. ramadan is a serial monogamist who dumps sivan to be with iyar, and then dumps iyar to be with nisan, and then dumps nisan to be with adar

[buttercuparry]

You Hindutvadis are fucking leeches. During the unrest against Mamata's tyranny and grief and anger over the death and assault of a woman, you all don't stop pushing your agenda.

[anoopastrosutra]

Vedic Astrology : Daily Panchang – August 26th, 2024

Daily Panchang – August 26th, 2024 Samvat 2081, Bhadrapad Month of hindu calendar, 8th day – Ashtami, Krishna Paksha. Nakshtra at the time of Sun rise in Kritika Nakshtra till 15:54 Hrs (IST), and Moon will move in Continue reading Vedic Astrology : Daily Panchang – August 26th, 2024

[jeahreading]

the description reads

A take on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's latest release of 'HEERAMANDI' by SUBHANGIK.... Sanjay Leela Bhansali's latest opus, Heeramandi, is a cinematic feast that intertwines beauty and complexity, drawing us into a world where aesthetics and artistry converge in an intoxicating dance. While body positivity is often associated with the female form, this film poignantly reveals how it equally shapes and shadows the lives of men, particularly those in the creative realm. Artists, the torchbearers of beauty, expression and grace, frequently grapple with societal expectations. Too tall or too short, too heavy or too slight, too dark or too pale — each deviation from the 'ideal' becomes a silent struggle. Add to this the quirks of less hair, smaller eyes, or a crooked smile, and the challenges magnifies. Heeramandi masterfully exposes these subtle tensions, inviting us to re-examine our perceptions of perfection. As we immerse ourselves in the lush narratives and rich tapestries of Bhansali's vision, let us also embrace the diverse spectrum of human form. In this Pride Month, it is fitting to celebrate all body types, honoring the unique beauty that every individual brings to the canvas of life... The love of the artist for their art is profound yet unseen, echoing the inseparable bond between the Atma (soul) and the Paramathma (Supreme Soul), often interpreted as Krishna. Just as the art and the artist are infused, Krishna's wisdom reveals the unity of the soul and the divine. This profound connection forms the essence of existence, guiding us toward our divine origin. In this union, we discover that true beauty and artistry transcends from the physical to the meta physical, resonating with the eternal dance.

This morning when I opened youtube to put on some music to work I came across this beautiful masterpiece. When I started playing it my first thought were the ones out into my head by the society..

"oh my god, how can men dance like this, this atrocious"

but, quickly replaced those thoughts, becuase that's what is poisoning my mind. Since I was young these societal expectations of girls having curvy bodies, fair skins, big eyes and melodious voices were put into my head and I was told men should be strong, muscular or at the very least be the breadwinner of the house, not curvy and expressive like this. Though since long I've changed that mindset it still sometimes haunts the back of my conscious, prodding at me and telling me that men shouldn't be like this and women should do this and that. But I actively try to push it away, because once I did

I saw the beauty and the glow these men emanated. The way expressions and dance flowed through them, strung me into their performance. Even if this performance has no words, it says way more with expressions than it could ever be possible to convey with words.

This performance was done on the song "Sayiaan Hatto Jao" which translates roughly to "Love, move aside"(Love here means someone you have a romantic relationship with) this song is by far one of the best songs in Heeramandi(The Diamond Bazaar). The new Web series. Though I haven't watched the series itself, I know of the songs because of how popular they are, songs like Sakal Ban and Tilasmi Bahein are amazing too, maybe ya'll can check them out. But this song, and of course the famous gajagamini walk which is said to be the peak fo seduction is truly just something else. The way Aditi Rao Hyadri just brings out the best of the song is amazing.

Coming back to this video, this take of the song, it captures the love men had for Shri Krishna. Artfully showing the affection they had for him while never actually showing it was Shri Krishn but portraying it with the peacock feathers and the signature blue colour.

I think it is fitting for Pride Month. Showing how It doesn't matter to a god whether you are a man or woman. Hindu Mythology often has queer encounters. How Vishnu Ji became Mohini, Ardhanareshwar among others. And the fact that this performance was done by an entirely Bengali team makes me so proud and happy. There is so much I can say about this but I think you'll understand it yourself if you catch the video.

[to-my-beloved-fandoms-2]

Happy Holidays everyone! its not just the winter time that has many holidays from all over the world! Happy Halloween/ Mabon/ Yom Kippur/ Rosh Hashanah/Hispanic Heritage Month/ Krishna Janmashtami and many more!

if you can, also support artists and local business to during this time! so everyone can spread joy and goodness! :)

[absolutedigitalbranding]

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[h0bg0blin-meat]

I have a headcanon.

So this is before Vasant realizes he's aroace. And in this he's a God and not any avatar.

So basically Vasant (accidentally) oversees the whole Arjuni incident and wonders what's so special about Krishna's leela that made even Arjun, Shiva and Narad to fall for him as women.

So he approaches Krishna with the same request, and the latter is like "Shit you saw it all didn't you?" and Vasant is like "Heheh". After a bit of convincing, Krishna finally gives in (thanks to Vasant's superpower aka puppy eyes) and instructs him to do the same thing he asked Arjun to do.

So after the bath, Vasanti sees Krishna for the first time, and feels..... Absolutely nothing different. Like yeah he's pretty and beautiful, but she doesn't feel the overwhelmingness she saw Arjuni feel, to the point that she passed out twice. She approached Krishna and he took her hand, asking how she's feeling. He could see that she was a bit clueless and nervous, given she forgot her male form completely, but couldn't find any feeling that even remotely resembled the feelings of the other gopis.

"Erm.... The water was cold... I guess."

".....What."

Krishna was a bit astounded, ngl, but then realization hit him and he was like "OHHHH" in his head. He started laughing while Vasanti just stood there, completely oblivious.

After he stopped laughing and put his arm around her. "Oh you silly goose!"

"But... I'm a human?"

Krishna shook his head in laughter, pat her on her shoulder. "Of course you are." He said in a sarcastic tone and nodded.

Vasanti had never been more confused.

Yall can continue the story.

[artcinemas]

right wing propoganda is crazy in india it is downright like india is turning into israel 2.0 and these people are proud of it.

[lightdancer1]

Sita is the archetypal form of Lakshmi, in one sense:

Out of all the avatars of Vishnu, Rama is the one who happens to have had the most direct impact on Hindu self-perception. The Ramayana, which includes the Bhavagad Gita, is considered by most Hindus to be the Indian national epic. As Rama is an avatar of Vishnu, so is Sita of Lakshmi. The role of Sita, taken captive by the Asura King Ravana, and the war fought over her between Rama and Ravana, is a woman who adhered to all the various aspects of Dharma asked of a noble Hindu woman.

She also dies unjustly and dies for her husband's honor, showing the idea behind Sati, if not quite Sati, is deeply interwoven into the warp and weft of Hinduism. And indeed, the greatest act of tyranny of colonizing and imperialist forces is not the mass murders and sacking of Hindu temples in the eyes of today's Hinduvta fascism, it's....Sati bans. That's why they hate the British, that's why they hate Aurangzeb.

Sati also illustrates a fundamental rule of Hindu ideology, one challenged by both Islamic-Indian culture (which stands unique in the Muslim world in permitting a role for women that doesn't even exist in theory elsewhere, let alone practice) and the future colonialism of European nations. Namely that a good Hindu woman, like the good Christian woman of times past, defines herself solely in the sight and in the shadow of men and has no existence outside of that.