#i love rajya so much

[ako-kipali]

Attack for @zecchou

[metamatar]

Is that trans politician who wants to demolish mosques contesting the elections bc she thinks Modi isn't fascist enough? I thought Modi was the most fascist

about hemangi sakhi contesting from varanasi from the right of modi. fascists have internal disagreements too, and the sangh is quite frustrated by how the bjp has enriched itself while using the sanghs ground labour to win elections without offering little power in return. she is not the first or the last trans woman in india to run elections from the right. in ram rajya, we brutalise muslims first.

modi is not the most fascist in practice because he is prime minister and does lipservice to the notion of indian democracy and will say things like oppressing muslims is the real secularism bc they've had it to good instead of saying hindu rashtra 4ever. note that this is not because he's actually less fascist, its just a useful electoral tactic.

their are lots of middle class indians who like that thing bc it lets them pretend not to be what they think of as the degenerate khaki shorts fanatical fascism. modi for very long has functioned metonymically as the clean face of the sangh (the butcher of godhra indeed) in that he never outright says shoot those [slur] dead in public and has not been actually convicted of murder. in general the bjp fights does narrative building on several fronts, modi never holds press conferences, while amit shah is known to be his enforcer, local functionaries will do brazen things that the top level will walk back when there's a bit too much outrage (garlanding the rapists of bilkis bano, giving a bjp seat to the guy best known for pulling a gun on protesting muslim women) but not be disciplined etc. it gives every kind of fascist something to love and hate about the bjp.

sometimes people diagnose that the only reason the revolt against trump was so serious in us civil society was because trump embarassed everyone. modi is a far more sophisticated kind of fascist.

[sunriseoverastorea]

Dreams

♬ Hans Zimmer - Aurora

Rajya spreads out a map on the table, unfolding it with care, smoothing down each corner thoroughly, though they immediately curl back up. Marea sits across from her expectantly, a contented smile on her youthful, gaunt face.

“We are here,” Rajya begins, placing one hooked claw in the circumference of Divinity's Reach, where Rurikton would be. “And I came from around—well, here.” She slides her claw to the Black Citadel, and then encircles all of Ascalon, even Ebonhawke. Marea gazes at the map, rapt.

“You've lived everywhere in all of A—Ascalon?”

“No, no, I mean that all of Ascalon was my home. To call a place home, you do not specifically have to live there. The land was all I needed, so wherever the land was, was home to me.”

“Oh. So, does that mean that, that, just because I live in the city doesn't mean it's my home?”

“If you do not feel at home here, then no.”

Marea tilts her head, gently poking the Reach on the map. “It does feel like home, now. But not the city, just this place. And not even this place, more like—y—you. Just you.”

Rajya lifts her eyes from the map, meeting Marea's for a moment. The little girl's eyes seem to overflow with kindness, round gray wells that nourish her own, for now, for a time. But tomorrow the wells will fill with anger, and pages ripped from books will burn to ashes in the fireplace.

“I am glad you think so, Marea.” She tenderly begins to fold up the map, handling it as if it were glass, when Marea smacks her hand down on it with aplomb.

“Wait!” she exclaims, pushing the map flat and running her hands over the western edge. “What's out here? Beyond the sea?”

“Nothing. Did I not just teach you to read? It's the Unending Sea,” Rajya counters with a playful huff, patting the pouting Marea on the head, before pulling the map out from under her hands.

“It can't really be unending, can it? There's no s—such thing. There's no, no unending islands, or woodses, or lakes.”

“It can be whatever it wants to be. However, it is true that we only call it 'unending' because we do not know how long it goes on for, and what lies beyond it. There is enough mystery in Tyria without sacrificing lives to the unknown.”

“I guess so,” Marea concedes, sitting back in her chair and biting at her thumbnail. “It just seems—it—I dunno what I want to say.”

As Rajya wedges the map between two books on a tall shelf, she looks back at Marea, fallen silent. The girl looks right back at her, though her pale eyes are distant now, unfocused.

The charr goes about her nightly routine, extinguishing candles with the barest puff of air, nudging dust over the cinders in the fireplace, opening the front door to dump buckets of water into the street, then replacing the buckets under leaky sections of ceiling.

“Rained a lot this week, huh?”

She blinks at Marea, nodding slowly.

“I wonder what the rain looks like over the Unending Sea?”

“Most likely just as all other rain does, though I suppose we will never know.”

Rajya snuffs the last candle between her claws, and then only moonlight gives the room a faint bluish glow, punctuated by the glistening gems of crimson in the fireplace, struggling to breathe through ash. Marea gets down on her knees and blows on the ashes, making space for the dying flames to flicker once again.

Pen Yfan watches the stars, perched on the railing of the ship. It bobs gently in the sleepy sea, soothing, like the arms of a mother she never had. A mother Rajya never saw, a mother Marea never knew. Perhaps Marea is luckiest of them all, in that regard—she was tossed aside, and found by someone who would love her, in time. A time too long to undo what had been done to her, but perhaps she was softened by it.

Pen thinks it must be strange to grow up. To have been a child, incapable of understanding how a wide glass of water and a tall glass could hold the same amount of liquid. In that regard, she is the lucky one—she never had to grow up, she simply was. And she needn't spend as much time learning about the hardships of the world as her kin, thanks to Rajya. Thanks to Rajya, she already knew, she had already lived a sorrowful life with a heart full of hope, and all that was left to do was continue that life, kindle that hope in her own soul, and kindle it in Marea's.

So Rajya was the unlucky one. Coming to the aid of others, however unlikely and unusual, and lifting them up from their own personal ignorance. And she received nothing in return, nothing but fire and fury. For what greater offense to a Separatist could there be, than a pacifist charr with a human daughter, writing treatises on peace and surrender?

Muffled footsteps catch her ear, and she looks over her shoulder, watching the hunched silhouette of Captain Bashere make his way to the bow of the ship. White sails flap languidly about his head, the wings of great birds beckoning him onward into the sea. He stops, planting his feet firmly on the deck, and slips his hands in his pockets, gazing wordlessly over the undulating ocean, like black glass under the gaze of the opalescent moon.

“Captain,” Pen says softly, coming up on his left side. “It is very late. Should you not be sleeping?”

He gives her a long sideways glance, sniffing once.

“Aye, in time. What're you, my mother?”

Pen perks up at that, her gentle smile broadening.

“No, do not be silly. I only worry because I have seen you out here so late many times these last few weeks. Does something trouble your dreams?”

“Nothing of that spiritual sort, not me. I'm firmly grounded in the present.”

“Yet you search the Unending Sea for a giant squid?”

“And you look for a girl who's barely human riding around in a blue and white airship. How you expect to see that from down here, eh?”

“I have eyes, sir—oh, I did not mean for that to sound so sassy!” She covers her mouth, giggling for a moment. “I am sorry, I was aiming for just a little bit sassy. You know how these things are.”

“Do I? I've never been a fourteen year old girl, can't be too sure.”

“Neither have I, so we're in the same boat—oh!”

Bashere finally turns his head to stare at her, face blank.

“You think I've never heard that pun before? Goddamn sylvari, acting like they ain't never stepped outside the jungle.”

“You got me. Those darn sylvari, so excitable.”

He shifts his gaze back to the sea, the weathered wrinkles on his face filling with silver moonlight. Pen steps a little closer, peering up at him earnestly.

“Sir, please forgive me for prying, but I have wanted to ask since we left port, and there has never seemed to be a chance—what are we doing out here?”

“Giant squid, said it yourself.”

“No, really. Why would you care about some squid? Has it done something to you? Did it kill your family?”

“Oh yes, my family lives on the open sea, just floating about on a raft, and one day--”

“--Come on, Captain! Throw me a—a bone, is it? That is the expression, correct?”

Bashere moves suddenly, knocking on the side of her head with his fist, as if she were a door to be answered.

“You're a marvel, the walking talking echo chamber.”

“It is a gift, truly, when I get a moment's peace from the voices in my head.”

“I don't wanna hear about that weird Pale Tree stuff.”

“I have little experience with the Pale Tree. Her voice has always been the softest among the din.”

Bashere raises a brow at her, and Pen does her best to raise one back, though both brows go up at the same time. Finally, with a scoff of distaste, Bashere pulls a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it in one smooth motion and touching it to his lips.

“Fine, you wanna know what I'm doing out here? I'm chasing stories.” A crisp, salty breeze blows his long gray hair back from his face, and the sails of the ship flap steadily behind them. “Stories I been hearing all my life. Come from fishermen, so the sea is all my family knows. My great uncle was lost in the Unending Sea, on a damned stupid quest to find sunken treasure, but his brother made it back to tell the tale. Told us all about a squid the size of a house, how it came outta the sea in a raging storm and swallowed their ship from beneath.”

“And you believe this story? It sounds rather far-fetched.”

“Aye, why shouldn't I? Old man like me, got no wife or kids, no friends. Just a crew that wants to chase my family legend. Not a bad way to die.”

“You, you think we are going to die out here?” Pen's eyes widen, and she leans in a little closer, trying to get him to look at her.

“No, not we.” He shoos her with a wave of his hand. “Me, myself and I, and all my men that want to come with me.”

“But why? Why would you want to perish in the middle of nowhere, with such a frightening death?”

“Because I want to experience something!” Bashere snaps, suddenly whipping around to face Pen. She shrinks slightly at the anger in his tired eyes. “Not everyone's life is adventure and endless wonder, you know! Most of us wake up, work, go to bed, and do it all over again, every single day. We ain't like your friend up in the sky, with her personalized airship and metal arms. When a man like me loses an arm, a million blessings don't fall with the rain and remake me better than I was before. No, I suffer, and I age, until life has passed me by and I've never done a damn thing.”

“Oh,” Pen breathes out, sympathy softening her shoulders. “So, what you are thinking is, perhaps your great uncle was not such a fool after all?”

“What makes you say that?”

“He lived his life how he wished, and then he died. Now, you are doing the same. You are your own mechanical girl in the sky.”

“By the Six, why would Raigar ever hire a dunce like you?”

Pen shrugs, smiling lopsidedly. “I asked him very nicely, and would have persisted if he did not take me on.”

“Hmph. Stubborn women. Same whether they got skin or bark.”

With one last breath, Bashere flings the cigarette into the sea, brushes his hands off on his trousers, and turns back to the ship, staring for a long moment at the cabin, looming darkly against the grain of the stars.

“Bet the squid is a woman. We'll find her, soon enough.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Pen chimes helpfully, missing the way he rolls his eyes as he saunters off, disappearing between the ghostly sails.

Once she's sure he has left, Pen turns back to the bow, to the bobbing cradle of the sea, and wraps her arms around her chest, closing her eyes and listening to the crush of the waves. Rajya sleeps, wandering in the Mists far from Pen's mind, and Pen, not even on a map where a child can point at her head, fills to brimming with a strange peace, an emptiness, a delicate but certain sense of self that she has never felt before.

In the soothing surge of the unknown, she is Pen Yfan, all alone and nothing more.

High above and not so far off, Marea lies on her back on the deck of the Horizon, watching her own stars glide by. In them she sees her vision from between the standing stones, she sees the void and the twinkling lights that fill it. It chills her chest, but sets her mind afire. The possibility in each little light—endless possibility—endless chances for freedom, for escape, to find the life she was meant to live. By day, she scans the seas and does her best to track the winds and search for storms. At night, she can hardly sleep, seized in her dreams by that primal terror of the nothingness that lies somewhere beyond her reach. So instead of sleeping, she makes up her own dreams, awake, and sometimes she forgets if they are dreams or not. It has been a long time since she went so long without sleep. But years ago, when she avoided it at all costs, she does vaguely remember seeing things that were not there.

Eyes are upon her. She sits up, pouting with displeasure, and comes face to face with Evelina. The woman squats on the deck before her, red hair falling loose around deep green eyes, brown skin seeming to shimmer under the moon. They stare at each other, silent, unblinking, until Marea has to blink, she just has to, and then her lover's voice appears in her mind, clear as day and sultry as the blanket of night that hovers over them.

“What don't you have? Am I not enough?”

The thin strap of her dress slips down her shoulder, and Marea reaches out a hand as if to touch it, but she stops short, fingers twitching, a sigh escaping her lips.

“It's not you that's the problem. It's me. I told you that.”

“You wrote me a letter. We're not fifteen, you can do better than that.”

“I didn't want to tell you,” Marea whispers, leaning in closer, staring at those unblinking emerald eyes. “I didn't want you to be mad at me for doing what I have to do.”

She jumps as another voice suddenly calls to her, cloying, deep and comforting, the song of a spider as it winds you in its web. She looks to her left, and there is a familiar face, one that she hasn't seen in months—Noctis, scarlet eyes to match her own, dark hair resting perfectly at his shoulders. As she stares at him, wide-eyed, he slips on his sunglasses, and his face becomes unreadable. The handsome jaw and cold smile of a stranger.

“What do you have to do? You're just a kitten, after all.”

“And this is why I broke up with you, you goddamn fuck face,” Marea exclaims without hesitation, throwing her arms in the air. “I'm not just a toy for your amusement. You forgot that somewhere along the way, huh?”

“Don't avoid the question. You're just like me. Your desire to go to the Mists is more important to you than your love for your girlfriend. Even more important than your love for Raigar! A brother to you, and you would just leave him behind. What a bad kitten. Ungrateful. Should've stuffed him in the cargo bay and taken him by force.”

“Oh, shut up. Nobody invited you,” Marea snaps, waving her hand in his face.

She stiffens at a sudden pressure on her wrist. The rough scrape of bark, tugging at her gently. She swings her head around to her right side, and her chest aches with guilt at the sight of Nobu. Ridged brown bark barely illuminated by its own glow, his slender, tall frame like that of a child beside Noctis and Evelina, he doesn't touch her, yet she feels his hand against her skin. Black eyes meet hers, and she swears she can hear the flutter of wings, far off in the sky.

“Why do you have to do this? You have a choice. There is always a choice.” His imperious sylvari accent suddenly sounds foreign in her ears.

“And I made my choice. What're you even doing here? You don't care about me anymore.”

“I will always care about you, Marea.”

“Well aren't you a saint.”

“You have a home now, Marea.”

“Do I? Do I though? Could I really ever be at home in a place called Tyria?”

The visions disappear in the blink of an eye, as one last voice speaks up behind her.

“What do you want, little one?”

Slowly, she gets to her feet, turning to face Raigar. He stands with his back to the bow, arms crossed over his broad chest, gazing down at her with a kind smile. Despite that smile, sadness sits heavy in his eyes, haloed by golden hair that gleams in the light of the stars. Marea bows her head for a moment, looking at their feet, nearly toe to toe.

“I want to be free.”

“Free from what?”

She feels his hand tilting her chin up, and this time she sees it, too. Gently, she places her hand on his, brow furrowing as she meets his gaze.

“I'm—not sure. A lot of things.”

“Hm. Is that all?”

“Shackles. I feel like I'm in shackles, no matter where I go. And I just want to fly. And I want to be alone. And I want to know what it's like to, to feel, to feel at peace.”

“You want to know peace?” His gaze shifts past her, into some great, impenetrable distance. “Peace doesn't exist. Not in this life. It's not too late to turn back, Marea.”

“I won't give up,” she says suddenly, forcing his hand away from her face, but holding tight to it still. “You may have given up, but I won't. Rajya taught me that the world outside the city was a place of wonder, and hope. For a time it was, but that time is long past. Now I have to go farther. Farther, and I know I will find the place I'm looking for, I know it. It's your place. With the hills and the rivers and the horses.”

“Rohan,” the word drifts on the wind, so soft and faint amongst the whisper of the waves she almost thinks she imagined it, “My homeland. I hope it meets your expectations.”

“If I can ever get there,” she whispers back, her fingers suddenly closing on air.

Raigar's smile fades, the starlight dulls upon his hair, and shade falls upon his blue eyes. He nods once, before he turns away, taking two steps to stand upon the bow.

“You'll get there. And then you'll know what home is.”

She lurches forward to grab him as he takes a step into the constellations. And instead of falling, he fades away, like mist caught by the golden eye of the sun.

She stays like that, hand hovering, as if waiting for him to return and take it. Eventually, the sky lightens on a new day. On the horizon, steel gray storm clouds gather, stacked high into the heavens, and a single streak of lightning pierces the ocean, like an X, marking the spot. She returns to the cabin, to the wheel. And she clenches it tight as she puts the ship on a course to the eye of the storm.

[emphcriqxs]

Bro, I am with you. Everybody thinks that we Rajputs always degrade everyone else.

My classmates literally told me that I have pride over being a rajput. They literally said that Rajputs have never done anything for Our country. In front of teachers.

Okey so get ready peeps. Im gonna give you a lesson about rajput and dalit people who have glorified this country.

Ik many things but i have googled some articles to make sure that im not saying anything wrong or something that is not true .

So first come Dalits.

Im gonna start with Birsa Munda . He was a great great man, people .

He was an Indian tribal freedom fighter, religious leader and folk hero belonging to the Munda tribe.

In the late 1890s, Birsa Munda abolished the feudal system introduced by the Britishers in the Adivasi forest. Under this system, migrants from other states were invited by the British to work over tribal lands and to pocket all the profits. This, in turn, deprived the owners of their proprietary rights over the land and were left with no means of livelihood. Thus, due to the agrarian breakdown and culture change, Birsa along with his tribe revolted. 

He was a very brave man . And his legacy is still alive . Many institutions and organizations (colleges, stadiums,air port , jail etc) - are named after him .

Now, DR. AMBEDKAR.

He was an indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer, who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards the (Dalits).

He was declared no 1 scholar in world by Columbia university .

He is the father of indian constitution .

He was a true fighter against discrimination and he is one of the most respected man in our country. He was a very intelligent man .

NARENDRA JHADAV

He is a member of Rajya Sabah (upper house of indian parliament). Jadhav is a recipient of 67 national and international awards including four Honorary D.Litt Degrees and the title Commander of the Order of Academic Palms by the Government of France.

He is an indian economist, educationalist and a public policy expert.

Mister Ram nath sovind aka the president of India

He is a very respectful man imo. 14th President of India. He is the second president to have been a dalit leader . He was governor of bihar .

Idk much about him (hehe )

Now comes the Rajputs

I wont say much about them cause people will again twist and turn my words.

Maharana Pratap , Prithvi raj chauhan , maharaj ranjiy singh,( ik he was a sikh but , his ancestors came from rajput community who later decided to converted to sikhism and i dont think that it was wrong . Not at all ) , Dharmpala , devapala and so many more.

I agree that there were discrimination but not all of the rulers were bad or casteist.

Raja Ram (who was also A raghuvansi aka rajput) ..he never believed in castes and all . Shri krishna never did .

I have soo many other facts about both dalits and rajputs but i think i would start a fight even if i say good things about them

And even sai baba and guru nank dev ...and so many other big names...who respected all religion and castes.

There is no such thing as caste . We all are equal . I never said that im proud because i was born in uppar caste. Tbh i dont think that being a rajput makes you part of upper caste . Idek why people say that we are from lower or upper caste . Bro , there is no such thing as caste . We have different religions, cultures, and communities and wr should respect all of them.

I respect all communities. Sikh , muslim, hindu , Christian , dalits , tribes...all of them .

So please stop twisting my words and acting like i said that your community and caste is bad or something.

It was just a simple ask game and someone asked me the things im proud of.

Is loving your culture and community a crime now???

If would have said same thing if i was born in a Christian family, or muslim , sikh or barhman and dalit family.

This is my culture and im proud of it .

Thanks

[demonkidpliz]

Things I learned while re-watching Star Plus Mahabharata (Part 11/many):

1) Kunti be like I fucked up so bad with Draupadi, I’m now banning myself from giving any advice.

2) Yay! Krishna and Kunti are meeting. My two favourite statesmen.

3) Krishna talking about parenthood with Kunti because he has so much experience being father of the universe.

4) Krishna passing through the sun and his crown glinting like the luminous Buddha 😍

5 Who’s benefit does Shakuni do all these theatrics for? Both his sister and brother-in-law are blind.

6) Arjun and Krishna are 😍

7) Kakashri Vidur is here! He does not look happy about all the polyandry.

8) Shakuni when Bhishma walks in to stop the coronation, so close!

9) Bhishma introducing himself as Shantanu’s son and calling Dhritarashtra, son.

10) Karna is such an upstart. He thinks he can challenge Bhishma?

11) Duryodhan’s hair is so damn fine.

12) Bhishma is like Ghatotkatch can’t be a Kuru but he can be my great grandson. Wtf.

13) Bhishma is like first you marry a rakshasi, then you have a half rakshas baby. Now you’re telling me all five of you have married this princess? Adharm!

14) I feel so bad for Bhishma. He loves this family so much. And it’s not even his family, technically.

15) I love Arjun so much. He always puts the women in his life front and centre. Even when everyone else is busy ignoring them.

16) Bhishma is like oh no the adharmi girl has come to talk to me.

17) Draupadi is here passing some Mjolnir test.

18) Yudhisthira making some very good points in favour of Draupadi. Where was this keen insight when she was being dragged to the court by her hair to be stripped?

19) Arjun is going to do something stupid. My spidey senses are tingling.

20) Ah Arjun finally did the stupid thing. He drew weapons in court.

21) Karan is undergoing some chemical transformation wtf. Kunti be like 👀

22) At least OG granddaddy is back on the Pandava’s side.

23) Bhishma is now rightfully pissed at Vidur for suggesting they split up their kingdom. Shakuni did not see this coming.

24) Duryodhana says this is his rashtra and he will not share it with his cousins. Apart from the fact that he sounds like a petulant child, the man’s got a point.

25) Dhritarashtra has many faults but being an indecisive little bitch tops that list.

26) Wtf why are these men even allowing themselves to be tied up and carted off like common criminals.

27) This scene is so sad. Bhim loves Panchali the most, who loves Arjun the most, who will eventually go on to love Subhadra the most.

28) Bhishma is so sexy when he’s mad. Real (grand)daddy vibes.

29) Shakuni playing the long game in order to maximise the Kurus’ sufferings.

30) Dhritarashtra playing the blind card one more time. In Starbharat, Dhritarashtra is not a good person, he is not attached to Vidur and his uncle. In most other stories he is. Here he’s smarming up to Bhishma who is stupid enough not to see through it. Or is he?

31) Draupadi is so smart. Kunti chose a good successor. Seriously with an evil uncle like Dhritarashtra, and a useless uncle like Vidur and no father, the Pandavas would have died out of it weren’t for Kunti, and later Draupadi.

32) I see. Bhishma bartered away his freedom to Dhritarashtra so that he would divide the kingdom and give one half to the Pandavas.

33) I’m so glad they showed made Arjun wearing white canon in this show. Sometimes I love Starbharat so fucking much. To be fair, I realised that even BR Chopra Mahabharat made Arjun wear white. But they took away his real name, something I can never forgive.

34) Dhritarashtra gave Yudhisthira 1 lakh cows. Score.

35) Dhritarashtra keeping Kunti captive as insurance is some A+ politicking. Shakuni is like, I’ve taught you well, Jijaji.

36) “Ek rajya de kar, Tatshri ne bohut kuch cheen liya.” Arjun. My boy. My man.

37) Bhishma: one day your city will be the capital of all of Aryavarta 😭😭 He was right!

38) Shakuni is suggesting they cuckold Yudhisthira but with a capital city?

39) Finally the Gandiva has come out. About time, Arjun. Wait, this is not the Gandiva. Nevermind.

40) Just when I’m about to lose hope, Yudhisthira comes out and shows he has brains.

41) Arjun, it’s time to meet your bio dad.

42) Takshak is also a dramatic little bitch.

43) Indra. Is. So. Extra. What is with all this lightning? Now I understand Arjun a little better.  

44) Fairly certain it was Arjun AND Krishna that burnt down Khandavprastha together, thereby starting the massive deforestation process in India. But Starbharat has a way of excluding Krishna from key moments in the Pandava’s life. But not Draupadi’s.

45) Daddy is here!

46) And Arjun is so happy to see him for the first time!

47) But daddy is calling him Pandav putra :/

48) Indra: you are a boy! Arjun: I am your boy! 😍

49) Seriously though, why is Arjun such a suck up.

50) Indra (and also the rest of the world): Arjun! Stop trying to act cute!

51) The gods in heaven munching popcorn as they watch the Olympic Games between Indra and his son.

52) Oh my god the Sudarshan Chakra is here!

53) Indra is like I have PTSD from this Chakra and the person who wields it.

54) Arjun can barely contain his glee now that his bff is back.

55) Okay, I was wrong. Krishna is here.

56) Indra is like dis bitch.

57) Erm, did Arjun consult the other five before naming the capital Indraprastha?

58) Gandiva is also here!

59) Vrushali is trying to go back to Indraprastha like the girl who went out for a smoke and Karna is now the bouncer of the nightclub who won’t let her back in.

60) Kunti is here. What a boss ass bitch. Now Hastinapur will get to experience all her badassery.

61) Kunti calling Karna out on his envy of a royal crown. This is the shit I live for. Lalsa =\= kartavya.

62) Dushasan is like Kunti will run Hastinapur the way her sons order her to. Like, bro, it’s the way around.

63) Karna’s obsession with Arjun is a little...unsettling.

64) Of course with his back to the wall, Duryodhana has to play the caste card.

65) Sometimes Duryodhana and Dushasan do something so horror-movie horrifying that even Shakuni flinches and stops to take a breath. Think about Jesus.

66) Does Karna on some level know Kunti is his bio mom or does he just like to act all extra around her?

67) Kunti telling Karna that her sons have to establish themselves as independent before she can visit them. Yas, queen! She’s literally the embodiment of every helicopter Asian mom that hauled their mediocre son’s ass to greatness.

68) Oh dear, Bhim is pissed. Wait, why is Krishna STILL HERE?

69) “Spasht kahiye, Madhav.” Oh Arjun, my sweet, sweet, summer child. This is the first in a lifetime of Krishna speaking to you in riddles. My suggestion is you get on board, otherwise he’ll have to write a whole book to explain to you what is going on.

70) “Main spasht kaise keh sakta hoon, Parth?” What did I JUST SAY.

71) Is Karna…flirting?

72) Oh no, four junior Pandavas have reached Hastinapura. Hold up, Krishna is here too? Seriously, what is his issue? This is not even his business! Also, why is he always sitting in a chariot. Does he not know how to ride a horse?

73) If I had a penny for every time Karna says, “dhanush uthao, Arjun,” I would be as rich as the Kurus.

74) I am so glad Krishna has a resting bitch face.

75) Glad to see that Arjun and Krishna are now in the communicating with only glances, no words, point in their relationship.

76) Every time Krishna sees a single woman, his little matchmaker heart starts fluttering, I swear to God.

77) Of course, he knows Vrushali’s name even though no one ever mentioned it.

78) Krishna is here to outfeminist Arjun and I love it.

79) Why was the Gandiva in Draupadi’s room to begin with? This is what happens when you don’t pack properly.

80) I see Yudhishthira has already started with his chausar ways.

81) Now Draupadi is extra sad because her fav has to be in exile.

82) I mean. I feel like. Yudhisthira could have suggested once that Arjun not go for exile. But no, he is going to be all Ram Chandra about this.

83) Krishna is like, after all this, you have to…*check notes*…marry my sister.

[thatmaterialisticvairaagn]

Last year, when Rahul Gandhi hugged the Prime Minister, it became a national talk with people discussing the merit of such an action. However, what captured my imagination was not this action but something that was going in the background.

Some members of ruling party were prodding Rahul Gandhi to say “Jai Shri Ram” whereas Rahul Gandhi gave no response to that call. The issue that disturbed me was not whether it was right for ruling party  members to call for such recital or what should have been Rahul Gandhi’s response. The uneasiness came from the fact that Lord Rama is much more than simply being name of a Hindu god. The beauty of Lord Rama lies in his character, not in his name.

Lord Rama can be simply described as a man who displays perfect moral as well as social behavior. Lord Rama, in the words of Swami Vivekananda, is “the embodiment of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband and above all, the ideal king”. He is a symbol of the victory of right over the evil. Lord Rama characterizes how a man should fulfill his moral commitments and should strictly follow his limits so that social order can be maintained. It is precisely due to this fact, he is known as “Marayada Puroshattam” or “The man of limits”.

Our society realizes the strong value system that revolves around Lord Rama. It is precisely the reason that in a typical Hindu household, Ramayana is favored for recitation as compared to Mahabharata or for that matter any other Hindu epic. Family members are socialized to be selfless, honest, courageous and maintain highest standards of integrity. Each recital of Ramayana is intended to make family members, especially the children, aware of the importance of inculcating virtues in life. However, this value system gets diminished when the same children enter the public discourse.

Indeed, there is a discontinuity in what household teaches the children in the name of Lord Rama and what adults are doing in the name of Lord Rama. Our society is today facing huge moral crisis. The menace of corruption, dishonesty, violence, and deceit are new normal in our public discourse. The incidents of rape are increasing, corruption is entrenched at all the levels and violence is becoming acceptable in our society. It is here where we need Lord  Ram again with us to tell us that it is his character that we need to debate today and not his name.

Lord Ram is not about “Hindu identity” but about “Hindu values”.

If he wanted to spread Hinduism, he could have converted all the Rakshasas into his own clan after killing Ravana. But he preferred not to do so. The fight was over principles and not over the identity of the two parties involved in the war. They are the same principles on which we need to fight today rather than fighting over identity. The principles of truthfulness, integrity, and honesty need to be rejuvenated in our society and obsession with the identity needs to be reduced.

Corruption is not a Hindu value then how can land of Lord Rama bear with corruption to such a great level. Why are we not bringing Lord Rama to the debate of corruption. Lord Rama was a selfless king who thought of his people before thinking about himself. In today’s world, this philosophy has been turned on its head. Follow your self-interest and leave the rest. The countries like Japan have followed the Hindu Values of commitment in a much better fashion than the Hindu land has done. The result is clear Japan is able to move much more swiftly to achieve its social and economic goals than India is able to do so. In real terms, Japan is able to have a social order nearer to “Ram Rajya” than India has.

Ram was a one-woman man with great love for his wife Sita. He resisted any temptation that could come in the way of his love for his wife. How can a society that worships such a man be a witness to increasing crime rate against women? Is not rape contrary to Hindu values? Yes, it is. Then why is it increasing? Because people today remember only the name of Lord Rama and not his “Dharma”.

The “Maryada” which Lord Rama had set is being violated regularly. Can those who flout this “ Maryada” be called Hindu? Being Hindu means utmost respect for women who play the crucial role of holding the society together. Sadly, her rights are being violated again and again in this land of Lord Rama.

India desperately needs to reinvigorate its Hindu values and leave aside the identity issues. The land of Bharata needs to work on the basics of its foundation rather than get involved in superficial arguments. We need a social order that is honest, committed and shows the highest standards of integrity. While it needs change both at the systemic and individual level, it is the individual level that can be the initiator for the larger change.

India needs to create high moral standards and that is where we need to fight hard. If Indians are able to embrace the core Hindu values, many of our problems will get banished. I just hope that coming Diwali, Indians will take values of Lord Rama more seriously than his name.

Jai Shri Ram!

[priyastandon]

Life Lessons from Rama!

Some words are just so pure that they taste like nectar on your lips. Rama is one such word! As you speak the word Rama- you open your mouth to utter Ra and close it to say Ma. It is said that your entire life is encapsulated in the opening and closing of the mouth, as it is in ‘Rama’.

I have beautiful memories of listening to the story of the Ramayana from my late father Justice MM Punchhi. I also remember fondly, reading the Amar Chitra Kathas like Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rama, The Sons of Rama, and Tales of Hanuman etc. It was when I was in my teens that the Ramayana TV serial made by Late Ramanand Sagar was telecast. What really clarified a lot of things and left deep impressions on my mind was that TV serial. It was very well made and the dialogues weaved magic.

When our children were small, they watched the Ramayana many times over on a VCR. They loved watching the battle scenes because they were hugely enamoured by the different kinds of arrows used by Rama, Lakshmana and even Ravana.

The story of Rama is something that teaches us how to live life. It tells us how a son should be obedient to the wishes of his father- as Rama obeyed Dashratha and went into exile for fourteen years. It expounds what kind relationship one should have with siblings.  The four brothers Rama, Lakshmana, Bharat and Shatrughana were united at all times. There was no jealousy or ill will amongst them.

Rama loved and respected his wife Sita and took the vow of having only one wife although at that time kings used to have many wives. Sita was an ideal wife. She accompanied her husband to the forest, though she was the daughter of a king and the daughter-in-law of a king too. She parted with all her comforts, family, jewels etc. She renounced everything and chose to be with Rama. Here, the story tells us that at one time she saw a golden deer and was tempted to own it. She asked Rama to get it for her. This led to Rama going to get the deer and in his absence, Ravana abducted Sita. There is a deeper meaning in this. When Sita renounced everything, she got her Lord.  When she got tempted by the golden deer (Maya) she got into trouble!

The role of a mother is exemplified by the teachings and advice given by Queen Sunaina, the wife of King Janaka, before the wedding of Sita and her sisters.

The role of a mother-in-law is epitomized in the way Queen Kaushalya gave her love to Sita.

Lakshmana represents the mind. He followed the footsteps of his brother Rama who was the embodiment of Dharma. When the mind follows dharma, no wrong can be done!

Hanuman was the embodiment of Devotion and service. Shabri and Ahilya were devotion personified.

The equanimity of mind displayed by Rama when he was told that instead of going for Rajya Abhishek, he must go to the forest is unimaginable. He did not wince even once! No Anger… no arguments… no explanations… no questions… only obedience!

Another essential lesson from the Ramayana is showing gratitude to whoever helps you. When Lord Rama was coroneted the king, first of all He expressed this gratitude to Hanuman for His help in searching for Sita and bringing information of her whereabouts. Next Rama expressed gratitude to Jatayu, who had tried to help Sita while Ravana was carrying her away to Lanka, even at the cost of his own life. Then Rama thanked Sugriva for his help in providing the Vanara sena that fought the battle with Ravana’s army. He then thanked Vibhishan for solving the mysteries of many demonic illusions created by the Demons. Lastly he thanked the Vanaras who had selflessly fought for Rama.

Vibhishana’s divulging the knowledge known to him and his brothers Ravana and Kumbhkarana, was a turning point that helped Rama kill Ravana. This led to the saying, ‘Ghar ka Bhedi, Lanka Dhaaye’. If someone who knows the secrets of the family joins hands with the enemy, it can even cause the downfall of an empire!

The Ramayana story is a story that is repeated in every household at some time or the other. There is so much to learn from it. Some parts in the Ramayana may seem to be undesirable or abstruse to the common man but to the enlightened, they all have explanations. They were all essential to the larger picture … The ideals set up by Rama are a guiding light on how to maintain unity and harmony in the family. Ram-Rajya was known for it being based on justice and morality.

When each family is happy and united, harmonious and content, then the society too will be at peace. When there is harmony in society, the Nation will prosper and there will be peace in the world. 

As Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba said, 

“If there is righteousness in the heart, 

there will be beauty in the character. 

If there is beauty in the character, 

there will be harmony in the home. 

If there is harmony in the home, 

there will be order in the nations. 

When there is order in the nations, 

there will peace in the world.”

Dear reader, If you like the piece, do leave a message for me in the comments section below. I would be happy to hear from you. 

[goldguile-a]

so anyways i was talking to rey about this this morning and hey did you guys know claude has a very hard time believing anyone not named mom, dad, aunt rajya, and uncle nader might actually genuinely care about him as a person, let alone love him???

in his youth, most people were kind or friendly to him for two reasons: a) they were on the castle payroll and it was part of their job to be pleasant to the crown prince, nothing more. b) they WANTED something from him, and had no reason to keep up the facade once they got it.

he very quickly learned the difference between genuine caring and that caring out of obligation, but because of that second reason he has difficulty wrapping his head around the idea of being enough or being wanted for who he is and not what he can do for someone.

he wants to believe in his loved ones, but his thoughts always find themselves wandering to what do they want, what they'll do once they get it, and how much it'll hurt once they inevitably drop the act and leave.

he will get over this... someday.

[vixxscifiwritings]

Samrajya (3/4)

Summary - In an attempt to consolidate his empire in new lands, Taekwoon proposes a marriage alliance between his brother and the princess of Magadha. But Jaehwan’s heart belongs to someone it shouldn’t belong to.

Story Masterpost

Tag List -  @tomatoholmes @merlionmen @seraphistols  @k-craze-97

<< Previous

Part 3 - Tulsi Chandan

[Hindi, noun] basil sandalwood

“ Kai dino ke baad aaj rajkumari khush dikhi hain (The princess looks happy after so many days) ” one of the maids said to the other as they lit the candles attached to the lowered chandelier.

Monsoon had set in and the days grew darker with storm clouds becoming a permanent fixture in the sky. The staff in the palace was busy lighting the lamps but the task was time consuming and quite dull. Idle gossip was quite common and Hakyeon would often use the time to eavesdrop and learn more about the happenings in the palace. The saying “ samaaj sau baate karega (society will say hundred things) ” held very true in the halls of Kumrahar.

“ Khush kaise na hongi, Rani Megha Devi jo aa rahi hain (how can she not be happy, Queen Megha Devi is coming) ” the other maid replied. Hakyeon had heard about the princess’s maternal aunt arriving on the day of the Teej festival. He had been curious about her since she ruled their strongest neighbouring kingdom of Chitrakoot.

Her presence here had made King Taekwoon antsy since Chitrakoot had not replied to their request for peace yet. The queen’s presence could be a show of friendship or declaration of enmity and not knowing did not sit well with the king or his advisory council.

“ Maine suna hai ki Chitrakoot main abaadi hi abaadi hai. Rani ki daasiya bhi sone ke kangan pehenti hain (I’ve heard Chitrakoot is very prosperous. Even the queen’s handmaids wear golden bangles) ”

“ Teej aane hi wali hai. Dekhna mausi rani rajkumari ko zaroor resham ki saariyaan dengi (Teej is coming. You see, her royal aunt will definitely gift her silk sarees) ” the second maid said as they lifted the chandelier up to fix it onto the ceiling again. The maids flitted around the room lighting the various candles in the study but continued to talk.

“ Arre rajkumari teej shaadi se pehle kaise kar sakti hain. Agar dekhna hi hai to rajkumari ke dahej ko dekhna chahiye. Raajkumar ko rajya toh milega hi. Saath saath unke vajan ke hisaab se sona bhi milega Chitrakoot se (The princess cannot celebrate Teej before the wedding. If you have to observe then observe the dowry. The prince will get the kingdom for sure. With that he will get his weight in gold from Chitrakoot too). ”

“ Haan aakhir jab nanihaal itna dhanwaan ho toh yeh to hona hi tha. Raja rani toh janam se hi bhagyawaan hote hain (Yes when your maternal home is this rich then this is bound to happen. Kings and queens are born lucky). ”

Hakyeon tapped his chin thoughtfully once the maids left. As far as he gathered, the princess did intend on marrying Prince Jaehwan since everyone seemed to be talking about it with certainty. The king would appreciate this information.

The rumours presented an interesting aspect of the big picture to Hakyeon. Chitrakoot was rich and prosperous. If the kingdom was on their side then they could be very useful allies to get control of the region. If they became enemies, then they would be the biggest obstacles. The former outcome was always preferable but Hakyeon had to alert the advisory council in case of the latter.

He would have to talk to Jaehwan too. Jaehwan had to be extra careful to make sure Queen Megha Devi liked him and approved of the marriage.

-

“Your Highness, I apologise for my tardiness. I was held up in preparations for the festival tomorrow” Ananya apologised with a deep bow.

Jaehwan had asked her to meet him after lunch in his study to continue their discussion from the day earlier. But preparations for the festival had kept Ananya busy till late afternoon and she hadn’t intended on making the prince wait on her.

“Lady Ananya” Jaehwan said, breaking out of his reverie. He had been sitting on the ledge of his balcony, looking at the sky. It had begun to drizzle but that hadn’t fazed Jaehwan as he was lost in deep thought. He brushed the stray droplets out of his hair and stepped into the large hall.

“You need not apologize, my lady” he said, dismissing her apology.

“Where do you wish to begin, Your Highness?” Ananya asked Jaehwan. She moved to the large bookshelves. She quickly scanned the shelves for what titles were already here and what were missing but could be borrowed from the large library in the east wing.

“Would you mind telling me about the festival tomorrow? There seems to be quite a flurry of activity around it” Jaehwan asked. He sat down on the large couch and invited Ananya to sit next to him.

“It’s only the start of the festive season. The excitement and preparations around the bigger ones will make the current state of affairs feel like nothing” Ananya told him.

“Pardon me if I am overstepping when I ask this, but I thought the household could not partake in festivals while in mourning?” Jaehwan asked, trying to be gentle about the question.

“It’s true that the family in mourning cannot partake in any celebration. But Teej is a festival for married women only so the princess couldn’t take part in it to begin with. Moreover, the royal household has a new king and a queen. We celebrate in her absence” Ananya told him.

“We? Are you married too, my lady?” Jaehwan asked in surprise. It wasn’t uncommon. Most of the women in Janaki Mahal were married with families. Quite a few of them were married to the soldiers or guards who served in the palace.

“No, I’m not. Forgive me if my manner of speaking confused you, Your Highness. I was talking about the household. I’ve gotten quite used to speaking on their behalf. It was an error on my part” Ananya replied. Jaehwan smiled, feeling quite relieved. Ananya blushed at his tender gaze

“So.. Teej” Ananya said, tuning to the bookshelf again to see if a book could help. She bit her lip at her foolishness when she remembered that none of them would be as effective as her summarizing it for Jaehwan.

“Teej is many festivals actually. The one tomorrow is a festival married women celebrate. They pray to Goddess Parvati to bless their marriage” she started. Jaehwan leaned forward to listen with interest.

“Women celebrating Teej fast all day. They also apply mehendi (henna) on their hands and after the evening puja , they exchange sarees, sindoor (vermilion) , bangles and sweets. It’s a… token of sorts. It’s called the shrinjhara and it symbolizes blessings for a good marriage.”

“The gifts?” Jaehwan asked to which Ananya nodded in response.

“Most of the preparations for the festival are procuring the clothes, jewellery and sweets. And of course, you have to leave the henna leaves to soak in water overnight for the preparation of the mehendi tomorrow morning.”

Jaehwan nodded. It was exciting even though he was sure that his kingdom didn’t quite have a corresponding festival. Ananya was always happy to share more knowledge and her enthusiasm was infectious and endearing. Jaehwan could listen to her talk for days.

“I do not know if you have visited Jal Mandir yet, but the temple will do the teej katha and puja in the evening tomorrow. All the married women of the household will be there to celebrate and exchange the shrinjhara . We would be applying the mehendi in the morning in the palace however. So you might hear quite a lot of singing if you pass by the courtyard of Janaki Mahal” she told him.

“What is the story of Goddess Parvati? I haven’t heard much about her in the limited number of stories I’ve read” Jaehwan confessed.

“The story behind the festival is short in itself but requires me telling you many more for context. You’ll realize very quickly that most of our mythology is interconnected” she explained.

“You will find me a willing student, my lady. Perhaps I should call for some ginger tea since we might be here for a while.”

“You’ve taken quite a liking to ginger tea, Your Highness. I’m told that it’s made differently where you grew up.”

“Indeed. Ginger tea is quite invigorating. I find that it suits me well” he said. He hummed thoughtfully before speaking again. “Since you are my teacher, perhaps you can call me Jaehwan.”

“Your Majesty, I couldn’t” Ananya protested.

“I insist” Jaehwan said firmly.

“Only if you call me Ananya” she relented.

It would have been awkward if not for Jaehwan’s smile. The prince was a very charming man. Ananya wished Chitrangada was here instead so she could see how lucky she was. Even though the marriage had been forced upon her, it looked like the prince was a good man and would make a loving husband.

Ananya also felt a little envious of the princess but she pushed those feelings away instantly. To even entertain that thought was pure foolishness. For a second though, Ananya had wished that Jaehwan had been her companion instead of Chitrangada’s betrothed.

The servants brought in two cups of ginger tea and Ananya and Jaehwan settled into more comfortable positions. Ananya narrated the story of how Goddess Parvati ran away to the forest and prayed to Lord Shiva so that she would not be made to marry Lord Vishnu as her father had wished. Lord Shiva appeared in front of the goddess and agreed to marry her in place of Lord Vishnu as his boon to reward her strict penance.

They digressed into more stories about Goddess Parvati and how she was the reincarnation of Goddess Sati and Ananya ended up telling Jaehwan the story of her life and reincarnation. In turn, Jaehwan told her of their harvest festivals that would be celebrated around the same time back at home.

Ananya listened with all her attention focused on Jaehwan. Sometimes she would stop and ask him to repeat words she hadn’t heard before. Jaehwan would encourage her to repeat with him, correcting her where required and grinning whenever she managed to say phrases correctly. Ananya would blush but would try not to let it interfere with Jaehwan’s storytelling.

They were interrupted by the sound of thunder and lightning and Jaehwan realized that quite a few hours must have passed in their discussions. Thankfully they had no prior engagements. The performance by the court musicians had been postponed to after Teej and would be held in honour of Megha Devi’s arrival now.

“Would your aunt would be attending the puja at the temple too? Rani Megha Devi?” Jaehwan asked.

“So you’ve heard the rumours too then” Ananya said ruefully.

“Rumours?”

“I am the daughter of the late queen’s handmaiden but the late king was never my father, Your Highness” Ananya clarified, standing up. “People speculated but my father was my mother’s husband and it was most definitely not the late king.”

“Forgive me Lady Ananya, I had no idea” Jaehwan apologised, standing up as well.

He had forgotten to be sensitive in front of curiosity and he regretted it deeply. The warm friendship that had built up so far had been doused with icy cold water. Jaehwan apologised and blamed his foolishness but to Ananya it was a cold reminder of her own status and how inappropriate this relationship was.

“I fear that I have to return to Janaki Mahal to assist with the remaining preparations. If you will excuse me, Your Highness” Ananya said formally. She left without a response from Jaehwan who helplessly watched her go.

-

There was a bustle of activity as Taekwoon entered the entrance hall of Kumrahar. Everyone bowed to the king and greeted him. He was followed by Wonshik and Hakyeon with Sanghyuk as his guard.

Jaehwan perked up when the princess was announced as well. Chitrangada entered the hall. On the account of Teej, most of her entourage was dressed in vibrant colours and visibly more jewelry. However the entourage did not include the person he had been looking for.

"You seem quite restless, Your Highness" Wonshik commented. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"Or were you nervous at the Princess's presence?" Wonshik teased, reducing his voice to a whisper so that no one else could hear him.

Jaehwan blushed but did not reply. He had been looking for Ananya but she wasn't here right now. On the other side, Chitrangada had been avoiding looking at him as well making the affair quite awkward. Thankfully, Taekwoon had her engaged in some small talk while they waited for the procession to enter the gates of Kumrahar.

Most chatter died down when a procession of palanquins entered the castle gates. Rani Megha Devi exited her palanquin. Attendants fussed about her but she silenced them with a raise of her hand they withdrew.

Megha Devi had an aura of authority around her. Every step she took forward commanded attention with a soft power equivalent to Taekwoon's. The rumours of Chitrakoot being a wealthy kingdom must have been true because the queen was dressed in fine silks imported from the other side of the Tsangpo and silver jewelry.

"Your Majesty" Taekwoon acknowledged. Megha Devi folded her hands and bowed slightly. Taekwoon replicated the gesture and Megha Devi smiled. Before the tension thickened, Megha Devi turned to her niece.

Chitrangada stepped forward and knelt to touch her aunt's feet. " Chirayu bhava (may you be long lived) " Megha blessed her, putting a hand on her head. " Kitni bado ho gayi ho. Humein pehchaan mein hi nahi aayi.(You've grown so much. I almost didn't recognize you) "

" Mausi, aap thak gayi hogi. Janaki Mahal mein- (Aunt, you must be tired. In Janaki Mahal-) " Chitrangada stopped only to be stopped by Megha herself.

" Mera maharaj se sabse pehle baat karna zaroori hai (It is important for me to talk to the king first) " she said, looking to Taekwoon.

" Maharani ji (Your Majesty) " Taekwoon said, gesturing to the inner corridors that led to the throne room. He had anticipated the request for an audience.

"Send for translators. Request Lady Ananya to be present as well" Taekwoon instructed Hakyeon who passed on the order. Jaehwan did not miss the way Megha Devi's lips curled in distaste at the recognition of the name mentioned.

However she schooled her features and followed Taekwoon. Save for a few attendants and an advisor, the rest of the entourage were led away.

When Jaehwan entered the room, Taekwoon was already seated on the throne and Megha Devi had taken Hakyeon's place on the chair closest to the throne. Chitrangada stood by Megha Devi's chair and Jaehwan stood on the opposite side of the throne.

A guard hurried into the room and whispered to Hakyeon before taking his place by the door.

"Lady Ananya is on her way" Hakyeon announced to the wider audience and translated it too. Ananya entered, bowing to the king and the visiting queen before standing back and awaiting whatever order Taekwoon would give. Jaehwan looked at her before turning to look at Megha Devi who was watching him intently.

"Forgive the wait, Your Majesty. I thought you would be more comfortable if you had a translator you knew" Taekwoon started. Megha waited for Hakyeon to translate and even the seasoned advisor felt restless under the scrutiny as he translated.

" Aapne hamare baare mein socha, humein achha laga (you thought of (my comfort) and I appreciate that) " Megha said. She looked to Hakyeon pointedly instead of Ananya and he translated for her too.

"You wished to speak to me."

" Haan. Main apne saath Chitrakoot ke Maharaj ka sandesh layi hoon. Humein yeh sandhi sweekar hai (Yes. I bring a message from the king of Chitrakoot. We accept your treaty) "

Megha Devi gestured to her advisor. The man presented the scroll he had been holding to Taekwoon. It was a proclamation of peace, signed with a stamp of the royal seal.

"That is indeed good news" Taekwoon said, smiling at the proclamation.

" Doosri baat. Humein shaadi ke samjhaute ki khabar bhi mili thi (Second thing. We also received news of the marriage treaty proposed) " Megha told him.

"Then you are aware that I have asked Princess Chitrangada to marry my brother Jaehwan" Taekwoon said gesturing to his brother. Jaehwan bowed and Megha Devi nodded her head.

" Yeh shaadi aapke chhote bhai se kyun aur aap see kyun nahi? (Why your younger brother and not you?) " Megha asked him.

"I am already married. My queen rules my kingdom and is raising my son and the heir to my empire" Taekwoon informed her. "My brother, on the other hand, is unmarried but every bit as royal as I am."

" Aur shaadi ke baad woh yahaan ke maharaja honge? Yah aap? (And he will be the king after marriage? Or you?) "

"Jaehwan will rule under my name" Taekwoon declared.

Jaehwan masked his surprise. He had always assumed he would remain a general and go on to fight more wars with the army. He had assumed his brother would continue ruling as he had so far. He would have to talk to him about this.

" Tab humein yeh gatbandhan bhi sweekar hai (Then we accept this offer too) " Megha Devi announced.

" Mausi !" Chitrangada exclaimed and Megha Devi glared at her.

" Yeh maamle ghar ke bade vinishchit karte hain. Mat bhoolo ki tum Pataliputra aur Chitrakoot dono ki beti ho (These matters are decided by the elders of the family. Don't forget that you are the daughter of both Pataliputra and Chitrakoot) " Megha Devi scolded her. Chitrangada held her silence out of respect.

With that, Megha Devi took Taekwoon's leave and Chitrangada followed. Jaehwan watched them leave with his gaze lingering on Ananya who had barely spoken a word throughout the meeting.

-

" Mausi, aapne humse hamari raay poochi hi nahi (Auntie, you never asked me for my opinion)" Chitrangada protested once they were in close quarters.

Megha Devi had summoned Bhuvan Gupta and Ananya as well to talk to the pair and get a sense of what was going on. However, Chitrangada had decided not to hold her thoughts in any longer.

"Kya aapke paas koi aur rasta tha Chitra? (Did you have any other option, Chitra?)" Megha asked her niece. So the rumours of her niece's temper tantrums had not been false. Megha had feared for her niece's life had not been baseless.

"Nahi, magar- (No, but-)" Chitrangada sputtered indignantly.

"Agar magar kuchh nahi (No buts)" Megha glared.

"Main unse shaadi nahi kar sakti! (I can't marry him!)" Chitrangada yelled.

"Bacho jaisi baatein mat karo. Agar tumne rajkumar se shaadi nahi ki toh tumhare paas yudh ke sivay aur koi chaara nahi bachega. Yudh ladne ke liye sena chahiye hoti hai, kaichi see tez bhasha nahi. (Don't talk like a child. If you don't marry the prince then your only option remaining is war. You need an army to fight a war, not a sharp tongue) " Megha chastised.

Chitrangada burst into tears and ran into her room. Megha Devi sat still, unwavering in the face of Chitrangada's tantrums.

" Aapke aane se is mahal mein anubhooti aur sayyam aaya hai (Your presence here brings experience and wisdom to the palace) " Bhuvan Gupta said, trying to lighten the mood of the room.

" Hum maante hain ki Chitra abhi bhi umar aur usse zindagi ka anubhav kam hai. Par ab paani sar se upar aa chuka hai. Woh bacchi nahi rah sakti. Usse bhi jeevan ke is pareeksha par khada utarna hoga (I understand that Chitra is young and has less life experience. But now the water is over the bridge. She cannot stay a child. She has to pass this exam life has put in front of her) "

" Woh aapko bahut maanti hai. Usse kuch wakt dijiye. Woh aapki baat zaroor sunegi. (She revers you. Give her some time. She will definitely listen to you.) "

" Aur tum? Tum mooh mein dahi jamaye kyun baithi ho? Tumne Chitra ko apni manmarzi karne kaise do itne der tak? (And you? Did you set curd in your mouth? How could you let Chitrangada act wilfully till now?) " Megha asked Ananya.

" Mujhe kshama kar de Maharani (Please forgive me, Your Highness) " Ananya apologized.

" Raghu ko humne bola tha, Rajni Didi ke maut ke baad Chitrangada ko hamare paas bhej de. Par unhe toh apni manmarzi karni thi. Ab hum sab bhugat rahe hain (I told Raghu, to send Chitrangada to me after my sister Rajni’s death. But he was stubborn. Now all of us suffer) " Megha said. " Chhod diya bina sir pair ke aur khud veergati praapt kar gaye. Mujhe issi baat ka dar tha. (He died, leaving her without anyone to guide her. I was afraid of this exact thing) ”

“ Par ab aur nahi. Chitrangada ki mausi hone ke naate uski shaadi ab main karvaungi (But no more. As Chitrangada’s aunt, I will get her married now) ” Megha Devi. “ Aur uski shaadi samapt hote hi, Ananya tum apne ghar laut jaogi (And immediately after her wedding ends, Ananya you will return home) ”

“ Par Maharani ji, Chitrangada ke saath kisi ka rehna zaroori jo paraye raja ki baaton ko samajhe aur uski sahayata kare (But Your Highness, it is necessary for Chitrangada to have someone who understands the foreign king’s language and supports her) ” Bhuvan Gupta added.

“ Usse seekhna padega. Mere behen ki mrityu ke baad jo kala saya is mahal par pada hai woh main Chitrangada pe aur nahi mandaraane doongi (She must learn. The black cloud that fell on the palace after my sister’s death cannot be allowed to hover over Chitrangada more) ”

“ Maharani aap jaanti hain ki woh baate sach nahi hai (Your Highness, you know those rumours are not true) ” Ananya spoke up. She had spent her entire life fighting these rumours but everyone had refused to believe her. The palace was her home and she had nowhere else to go.

“ Beta main itna bhi jaanti hoon ki bina agni ke dhua nahi udta hai. Tumhe bachpan mein hi is mahal se nikal dena chahiye tha. Kai galtiyaan ki hai Raja Raghu ne Rajni didi ke maut ke baad. Unhe mein badhava kadapi nahi doongi (Child, I also know that there is no smoke without fire. You should have been removed from the palace when you were a child. Raja Raghu has committed quite a few mistakes after Rajni didi’s death. I will not allow it to continue). ”

Megha Devi dismissed Ananya. This was her final word on the matter and no one could dissuade her once she made up her mind.

Bhuvan Gupta followed Ananya out. The queen had gotten busy in preparations to attend the teej katha at Jal Mandir and he took his leave of her.

“ Beta (Child) ” he said gently.

“ Guruji (Teacher) ” Ananya said respectfully. Her voice quivered, almost on the verge of tears herself.

“ Tum chinta na karo. Nalanda ke gurukul mein tumhaare liya hamesha jagah rahegi. Agar tum Pataliputra mein nahi rehna chahti to tum hamare saath wapas chal sakti ho (Don’t worry. Nalanda’s school will always have a place for you. If you do not wish to stay in Pataliputra then you can return with me) ”

“ Dhanyavaad Guruji (Thank you Teacher) ” Ananya said.

“ Tum mujhe soch kar batana (Think and let me know) ” Bhuvan said, taking his leave.

-

“You never told me that I was to be king of Pataliputra” Jaehwan said, frowning heavily at Taekwoon. “I assumed I was always going to be your general and you would rule over the lands we conquer here.”

“My plans have changed since this marriage and Chitrakoot came into the picture” Taekwoon admitted.

“Besides, I needed a regent I could trust. Who better than my most loyal general?”

“Being a war general and being a king are very different” Jaehwan said seriously.

“If you know this distinction then you already have the foundation to be a good one” Taekwoon smiled. “I trust you to do a good job.”

“If I am to be king, must I marry the princess? It looks like Chitrakoot was more than ready to accept our terms and conditions without a bond of marriage” Jaehwan said. It was a matter of concern. Chitrangada clearly did not intend on marrying him and Jaehwan was no longer inclined to the same, even if it was the most peaceful option.

“The marriage has been proposed and accepted. There can be no turning back now. But you have pointed out something that seemed weird to me. Don’t you think our treaty was accepted too quickly?’ Taekwoon asked.

“What do you mean?” Jaehwan asked.

“Of all our neighbours, Chitrakoot and Kalinga are the wealthiest and could afford war. Given our foreign nature and weakened condition of the army, they could easily defeat us and annex our kingdoms. Yet, Chitrakoot strives for peace” Taekwoon said.

“You don’t trust their motives.”

“It cannot simply be a matter of familial relations. We need to find out more about their motives” Taekwoon said. “All Hakyeon has are rumours. I trust him but even he doubts the validity of the information we have. We need someone we can trust on our side.”

“That’s why I have a task for you” Taekwoon said.

“What do you need me to do?” Jaehwan asked.

“You have good relations with Bhuvan Gupta. Find out more about our neighbouring kingdom and the visiting queen. It might even be better if you could talk to Lady Ananya. A scholar might only know facts but someone who grew up in the palace would know the people behind the stories” Taekwoon planned.

“Ananya would naturally be close enough to Rani Megha Devi but not in favour. You saw how she treated her in court today. If the rumours about her parentage are true, we can use this to our advantage. You can talk to her once the queen returns from Jal Mandir. I am assuming the entourage must have already left.”

“Ananya’s father -”

Jaehwan stopped when he sensed something. The two brothers were supposed to be alone in the king’s private study. Normally there would be servants moving about silently, trying not to disturb the king but this was different. There was someone here, in the room and had tried to be very sneaky about it.

Jaehwan shared a look with Taekwoon who frowned. He hadn’t sensed what Jaehwan had but he walked silently over to his sword and picked it up. Jaehwan drew a dagger that he kept on person and asked Taekwoon to stay behind him. He moved towards the long tapestries that hung, dividing the study from the hall used to receive guests.

He pushed the curtains aside with force and a person jumped out, intending to dash for the door and escape. Taekwoon yelled for the guards and Jaehwan ran after the intruder. How had he slipped in? Given the lack of staff at the palace and the arrival of many new people, this intruder must have taken the chance to slip in.

The guards arrived at the other end of the corridor and the intruder was forced to take a detour. He jumped out of the balcony and onto the courtyard, making a dash for Janaki Bhawan.

“Cut him off at the palace” Jaehwan instructed. He jumped out after the intruder. He spotted Wonshik and Sanghyuk on the other side and sped up. Between the three of them they could subdue this intruder easily. He reached out and caught the intruder by his left arm, forcing the man to fall.

The intruder kicked him and Jaehwan’s dagger fell out of his hand. Jaehwan got up quickly, holding the intruder down with his body weight while he tried to keep his hands from moving. Jaehwan had his left arm pinned to his chest but his right arm was free and the intruder used it to pick up Jaehwan’s fallen dagger. Jaehwan tried to hold the intruder down but the intruder was almost as strong as Sanghyuk and easily overpowered him, slashing at his chest.

Jaehwan felt a sharp sting as the blade cut through his chest and neatly through the old wounds that hadn’t healed quiet yet. He felt his tunic hang looser and tore away at it completely. He used the torn fabric to capture the intruder’s hands in a twist of fabric and turned it, causing their hand to be twisted. Wonshik arrived with Sanghyuk in tow and the three of them managed to incapacitate the intruder by knocking him out.

“Get help for the prince!” Wonshik yelled as Jaehwan clutched his chest. The cut had drawn blood but was thankfully superficial and had not harmed any important organs. The pain Jaehwan felt was mostly from the old arrow wound that was no open and in danger of an infection if left unattended.

“Take the intruder to the dungeons. When he comes to, the king will want to question him” Jaehwan told Sanghyuk as Wonshik helped him up.

-

Jaehwan struggled as he tried to lie down comfortably. The royal physician had tended to his wounds and bandaged them but his mind was not at ease. His wounds still stung slightly and Jaehwan sighed, knowing he had no other option but to bear it.

A distraction came in the form of a knock at the door. “Come in” Jaehwan called. His voice wavered due to the pain.

“Your Highness?”

Jaehwan was surprised to find Ananya standing at his door with a tray of pots . He tried to sit up but the wound burned harshly and he sighed, forced to lie down again.

Ananya came up to him hurriedly, worried at the amount of pain he was in. She placed the tray she was holding on the stool placed next to his bed and sat down by his side to inspect his injuries.

“Does your cut burn? Did you open any of your old wounds by accident?” she asked, unable to see much beyond the bandages.

“I did. The cut goes through the old wounds” he told her.

“I bought you some medicine. It has basil and sandalwood in it. That should cool down the burn and help heal faster” she told him. She hesitated but Jaehwan gave her the permission to undo his bandages and check the injury.

Ananya worked methodically. She opened the bandages and cleaned the old medicine out, giving Jaehwan some relief. The cut had begun to scab and the bleeding had stopped. This was good news. Jaehwan’s forehead was warm and a fever from infection was a possibility and that worried her.

Ananya picked up a small earthen pot that was covered with cloth from the tray she had brought in. The medicine was a paste of various herbs and felt cool against his skin. The basil sucked out the heat from the cut and the sandalwood added extra cooling, reducing the irritation on his skin. Jaehwan sighed, relaxing onto his bed.

“You’ll need to leave the wound open. The medicine will have to be cleaned once it dries and you need to reapply until only the scars remain” she told him. “You will have to drink this tonic too. It’s bitter but useful to fight any fevers that you might get while healing.”

She helped Jaehwan sit upright, leaning against the headboard for support. Movement was much easier now that the burning had reduced and Jaehwan felt grateful. Ananya handed him a glass of what looked like green tea and tasted equally bitter. He could detect a faint taste of honey but that did not help the bitterness from the peppercorns and what he suspected was some derivative of ginseng.

“I’m glad you’re here. Thank you Ananya” Jaehwan said, putting the glass away and looking at her.

“The princess was concerned about you when she got word of the attack” Ananya told him.

“So she sent you here?” Jaehwan asked. He tried not to let his disappointment show. Some part of him had hoped that Ananya had come to check on him because she was worried about him.

Ananya bit her lip and didn’t reply, busying herself with tying the fabric cover around the pot of medicine.

“Or did you come here to see me of your own accord?” Jaehwan asked hopefully.

“I remembered Guruji had talked about your old wounds and that the ashwagandha lep (ginseng paste) had been effective. I knew the royal physician doesn’t use it very much but if it is helping you then I will instruct him to use it” she replied, not looking at him.

“Ananya” Jaehwan called to her. He took her hand and she looked at him before trying to withdraw. He held onto her hand firmly, not letting her go till she listened to him.

“Ananya, please stay. I need to apologize to you about whatever I said” he insisted.

“It was never your fault. There is nothing to forgive. Jaehwan, please let me go” she begged, looking around in case anyone had walked in or had seen them.

Jaehwan cupped her cheek and Ananya’s eyes widened. “Please be honest with me Ananya. You came here because you were worried about me, didn’t you?”

Ananya sighed and closed her eyes. “Yes. I was worried. I know I shouldn’t be but I wanted to make sure you were alright. General Wonshik was so worried and I had overheard him talking to Sanghyuk” she confessed.

“I’m glad you came. I was so happy to see you. I was worried you wouldn’t forgive me” he admitted. Ananya shook her head and pulled away.

“I wasn’t angry at you. I couldn’t stay angry at you for very long. I was angry at my circumstances” she told him.

“I understand.”

“I should go. I shouldn’t have come here to begin with” Ananya said, growing worried again.

“Stay with me. Please don’t leave me” Jaehwan urged. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Contrary to her words, Ananya didn’t resist, allowing herself the guilty indulgence for a few moments more.

“I can’t go missing for too long. People will notice. People will talk” she whispered. Jaehwan hummed and she realized that they were too close to be appropriate anymore. Jaehwan’s eyes were darker and she found herself unwilling to move even though her brain kept screaming at her about how foolish this was.

Jaehwan leaned in to kiss Ananya and she kissed him back.

-

[halycondaze]

"Can I kiss you?" wrong blog again but chrom and raj. GOTTA COMPLETE THE SET MIGHT AS WELL

♔ —  ❝  CAN YOU? ❞

   It almost sounded like a joke;  after all,  he could,  physically kiss her.  He was asking if he may,  but there is a bitter tint to Rajya’s voice.  She was challenging him,  in a way,  to prove that he could.  But,  of course,  he couldn’t.  Too much had happened between the two,  especially now that the only remnant of their love was hundreds of miles away.

    Well,  the only remnant besides the ring,  which she kept on a chain,  tucked under her shirt,  lest anyone see that she is still holding out hope.  Indeed, perhaps that is what taints her bitterness.  ❝  What would hold you back, my liege?  ❞  she tries,  so emptily, to remind him,  that they were no longer lovers.  no matter what the two wished.

send “can i kiss you?” to see how my muse responds. @valorwilled​

[faintlyradiant]

⎈

8. an angry letter

                                                                            February 24th 25th. 1871                                                                                                    Transvaal

Little saint,

I see we’re using M.’s house as a mailbox now. Fine. I will leave this here for you to find when you inevitably make your rounds again.

Since you are clearly so anxious to know my whereabouts: since I saw you last, I’ve been in Gorkha Rajya. It’s been very disappointing. The nice mountains in Dorjeling are full of Englishmen now, and they’ve set up enormous tea plantations. I doubt any Europeans can make very good tea, but time will tell. I did pick up some out of curiosity. This whole region has changed so much since I was here last. I’m getting very tired of these English, who seem to be in every place I’ve ever loved, and I hope they’ll go back to England soon. But we said that about the Romans too. I hope their empire crumbles tomorrow.

I’m planning to stay here with M. for maybe half a month. I don’t know yet where I’ll go after that. Since I’m here, I might stop in Masr on the way north. Or Marrakesh.

I hope this is good enough,E

[idramaticasian-blog]

OUR VIEW ON GENDER ROLE IN SOCIETY & POLITICS

It’s not surprising or even a debatable topic that we live in a heterosexual male dominating world. One doesn’t have to look far to see how or why it’s happening. We all experience it in our daily lives, families, educational communities and politics.

      In today’s political landscape, motherhood is often deployed as a tool to highlight the ‘sacred nature of a subject, ranging from the Gau Mata to Bharat Mata and Ganga Mata. At the same time, issues around women’s rights and empowerment, varying from triple talaq to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, are regular topics of conversation in Political circles. But an important question remains- do the men in Indian Politics only want to talk about women, or are they also willing to make an effort to share power with them?

      Yes, we are moving towards women empowerment to achieve gender equality step by step. But that’s still just a perception; even today the vast majority of Indians (64%) are of the view that the role of women in society is to become good mothers and wives and they should focus mainly on home, according to the findings of a global survey by Ipsos. The Ipsos global trend survey 2017 examined attitudes towards the role of women, parenting, and family across 22 countries, interviewing 18,180 adults.

      “More Indian women may be moving out of their homes, seeking employment and carving out a niche for themselves at workspaces, but society sees them more as accomplished mothers and wives in primary role, relegating other roles to secondary positions,” Executive Director, Ipso Public Affairs, said in a sentence

      From personal experience, in my household, my mother is a business owner and my dad a government employee. No doubt that my mother plays the role of a housewife, mother and a badass boss. But still even today when it comes to decision making she hands it over to my father. It’s more like a system is fixed in women’s head that the final decision has to come from the man of the house. And I’m pretty sure this must be the case in most of the liberated and slightly upper-class families like mine. I’m not denying that there aren’t exceptions but, yes these things happen around us all the time.

      Now, when it comes to politics, in India, nine out of ten legislators are men. While, Indian politicians are eager to talk about women’s empowerment and the political legacies of India’s female politicians like Sushma Swaraj, Indira Gandhi or Pratibha Patil, these women remain largely anomalies in the Indian political landscape rather than a norm.

      Among our South Asian Neighbors, we rank fifth in the women’s political representation in parliament falling behind Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal. On the other hand, while many countries around the world gasped at the idea of a female head of state, India was the second country in the world to elect a female head of state, Indira Gandhi. Presently, women in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet lead some of the most important ministries, from defense to foreign affairs. Yet still, cases of violence against women increased by 40 percent from 2012 to 2016, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. A woman was raped every 13 minutes, a bride was murdered for dowery every 69 minutes, and six women are gang-raped every day in India.

      Politically, women have been making their presence felt in voter turnouts. According to the Election Commission data from 2014 General Elections, the female voter turnout was higher than male turnout in 16 states and union territories out of 35. However, women remain underrepresented in state and national decision-making bodies. The decision making which is done from ministry for women and children is done by men. When someone looks at you suggestively regardless of what you are wearing, just because you have a bigger chest and ass compared to that person, or travelling alone no matter what time of the day while a man following you or listening to comments being passed on or being looked down on by your colleagues at workspace, colleges or even schools by men for being a female and not having a penis; why should those very men make decision for an entire county where 55 percent of work is done by women. So obviously, women remain underrepresented in state and national decision-making bodies. India’s handful of female politicians have occupied some of the highest seats of power but their rise, like many of their counterparts in Asia, has often been through the patronage of the family legacy.

      The barriers of entry for the female politicians are much higher as they contend with multiple other surface and structural issues. According to the Economic Survey 2018, prevailing cultural attitudes regarding gender roles, domestic responsibilities, female illiteracy, lack of confidence or finances and the threat of violence, are just some of the obstacles women face.

      One way to combat this disparity is through quotas.

      In 1994, India ratified the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian Constitution, granting women 1/3 reservation in rural and urban democratic bodies. This was followed in 1996 by the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill that would reserve 33 percent of seats in Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies for women on a rotational basis.

      After much contestation, the bill finally passes in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but lapsed in 2014 with the dissolution of 15th Lok Sabha. It continues to languish-22 years since the initial proposal.

      One thing so far is clear as water, that we need female representation in Politics because we need women who have experienced all the problems a female goes through from being a girl to a woman. It’s not just about representation, but to initiate gender equality at the highest rank, for transgender and non-binary citizens to step up and represent their communities. Role model effect also erases the gender disparity in educational attainment of young girls.

      While quotas allow women access to positions of power, according to some detractors, they also weaken the ideas of the election based on merit in democracy. There is concern that women in government may compromise growth as pro-female and pro-family policies are often associated with welfare. However, many women run for the local governments, because of pressure from relatives eager to keep a particular seat in the family or gain material benefit. Their spouses, the “panchayat patis”, often control the position, wielding power through the women’s position. Furthermore, once elected, women often run again for political office even after their constituencies have been de-reserved. While the reservation for women is only for 33 percent of the seats, women make up 46 percent of the elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions, exhibiting active participation and leadership at local governments levels.

      Presently, the two largest political parties of India, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC), support the women’s reservation bill in their rhetoric. However, contrary to the popular rhetoric support, India Today finds that in the 2014 General Elections, BJP gave only 8.8 percent tickets to women candidate and Congress just 12.9 percent.

      The Times of India reported that BJP was planning to field at least 25 percent women candidates in Madhya Pradesh for the 230 seats. BJP’s past record, however, remains a shoddy record.

      In the Karnataka state elections in May, only 6 of the 224 candidates fielded by the BJP were women, less than 3 percent of their total candidature. Ironically, Prime Minister Modi’s slogans as he kicked off the state election campaign were, “Beta, Beti Ek Saman” (Son and Daughter are equal). The other two big parties in Karnataka elections didn’t fare much better when it came to representing women. The INC and JD(S), fielded 15 and 4 female candidates respectively.

      In August, the INC president, Rahul Gandhi, penned a scathing letter to Modi urging him to “walk his walk” on Women’s empowerment and pass the bill. Like BJP, in practice, only 14 percent of the newly formed Congress Workers’ Committee leaders are women, despite the constitution of the INC calling off for 33 percent reservation for the party’s committees.

      Studies show that for women to have a meaningful impact in Parliament, they need to reach at least a 30 percent threshold.

      “We want respect and to be treated on par with another citizen. That  I defeated a person, who is not a transgender shows people love me” these are the words spoken by Dnyaneshwar Kamble, a 40-year-old transgender women elected as Maharashtra’s first ever transgender Sarpanch on 17th October 2018 in the gram panchayat elections in Tarangfal villege of Solapur. Kamble intends to focus on lok sevs (welfare of people) and gram seva (welfare of the village/society). Villagers in her area still defecate in the open- Kamble said she would concentrate on making her village open defecation. She is a Standard VII dropout, but she regrets not completing her education. Kamble would also focus on providing better education to the villagers.

      The Logical Indian community appreciates the fact of how people have chosen Kamble as their representative. Kamble and many others have been on the receiving end of social ignorance. A move like this works as an encouragement for the entire society. We hope this acts a precedent for other communities as well.

      In short, representation matters. Either you are gay, lesbian, binary, non- binary or whatever, we as a whole are citizens of a country which doesn’t allow or even recognizes that representation is the key to a progressive nation and be recognized as a first world country as we should be.

REFERENCES:

https://thediplomat.com/2018/10/where-are-indias-women-politicians/

https://thelogicalindian.com/news/transgender-sarpanch-maharashtra/?amp

https://thewire.in/gender/politics-womens-representation/amp/

[svarmodiig]

❤ cheer me up i lov eu alvin

POSITIVITY MEME || Accepting

Send me a ❤ and I will say something positive about you.

cass. CASS. you know i am ALWAYS DOWN TO SHOW YOU SOME LOVIN. WHERE DO I. EVEN. BEGIN??? I don’t think many people know but we actually knew each other from a few years back, way back when I first joined the ferpc. I came with my Vallite King Corrin and you had Robin (that’s right bois I knew Rajya before she was even Rajya I’m that old school). It’s so nice to see how much you’ve evolved, and how your characters have grown. I’m so thankful that you’re still around even though that was such a long time ago and that we’re talking a whole lot more again like we used to. I love all of your characters tbh??? Kotaru? my ACTUAL BABY. Rajya? INIGO’S FAVOURITE LESBEAN MOM. And your multi is just WONDERFUL. i’m always so happy to see a little “G’Mornin” message pop into my notifications (even if it is during the afternoon for me sdyuiyfds) and knowing that we can talk about our babies together. Cass is honestly one of the most sweetest, genuine people you’ll ever get to meet and I LOVE SO MUCH. if you weren’t only a matter of days older than me I’d tell everyone you’re my best dotter but I guess you’ll just have to be the best mother I could have asked for!! ALL MY LOVE GOES TO YOU I CAN’T WAIT TO DO ALL THE THREADS WE KEEP COMING UP WITH!!

[alatestnewsofficial]

Raj Babbar Birthday: 10 things will be disclosed - Must Read

Raj Babbar Birthday: 10 things will be disclosed - Must Read

Left side: Danny Denzongpa, and Right Side: Raj Babbar; (Raj Babbar Birthday: 10 things will be disclosed - Must Read) Raj Babbar Birthday: 10 things will be disclosed: Raj Babbar who has become famous in both from film to politician. Born on June 23, 1952, there are many such secret facts in the life of Raj Babbar. All those facts will be disclosed in this post. From hero to villain, he played the role very well. Started with the movie Kissa Kursi Ka and also worked on many television programs. Raj Babbar belongs to the Indian National Congress party, he has become a member of the Lok Sabha three times and a member of the Rajya Sabha twice. Presently Raj Babbar is the President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

#Fact No.1

Raj Babbar started his film career with the top actress Reena Rai of that time. Raj Babbar has taken the training of the film from Street Theatre.

#Fact No.2

Raj Babbar has also played the role of Villain very well. In the film Insaaf Ka Tarazu, he was given a scene of raping, in which he was getting very upset. Raj was given a scene to Babbar in which he has to rape Zeenat Aman. Zeenat Aman was counted among the top actresses of that time while Raj Babbar was still new. That's why he was very nervous.

#Fact No.3

Raj Babbar Singh had become BR Chopra's favorite actor when he acted in the best way in the scales of justice. With this acting, his names started coming in the headlines a lot and his films started coming one after the other. Whether it was the role of a hero in the films or the role of a villain, they used to mold very well in both.

#Fact No.4

Most of the actors are always in the headlines for their personal relationships. Raj Babbar was also one of those few actors who always used to be famous for his family. Raj Babbar married a girl named Nadeera in 1975.

#Fact No.5

There came a time when Raj Babbar also fell in love with another girl. Smita Patil was opposite him in the 1982 film Bheegi Palken. This thing has been in the headlines the most that Raj Babbar went so mad for Smita Patil. That he was ready to cross all limits at that time. I loved her so much I could do anything for Smita Patil.

#Fact No.6

Raj Babbar loved Smita Patil so much that he could not live with her and soon he married Ismita in the 80s. After that Raj Babbar started living with Smita and left Nadeera.

#Fact No.7

Raj Babbar has three children named Jo Arya and Prateek Babbar. His first wife Nadeera has two children, Juhi and Arya. While his second wife Smita Patil has a son, his name is Pratik Babbar. Smita Patil died on 13 December 1986, after which Raj Babbar returned to his first wife Nadeera.

#Fact No.8

Raj Babbar has worked in Bollywood films for almost 38 years, his first movie was Kissa Kursi Ka which came in 1977 and he also played a role in Karbonn movie in 2015. Some of his popular movie names are as follows; Kissa Kursi Ka, Aap To Aise Na The, Jazbaat, Sau Din Saas Ke, Chann Pardesi, Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Hum Paanch, Saajan Mere Main Saajan Ki, Kalyug, Raaz, Poonam, Prem Geet, Sharda, Yeh Rishta Na Toote, Umrao Jaan, Tajurba, Armaan, Aapas Ki Baat, Dulha Bikta Hai, Daulat, Bheegi PalkeinM Jeevan Dhaara, Lakshmi, Nikaah, Arpan, Agar Tum Na Hote, Aasra Pyar Da, Main Awara Hoon, Mazdoor, Gehri Chot, Rang Birangi, Kalka, Mehndi, Naukar Biwi Ka, Panchwin Manzil, Rishta Kagaz Ka, Aaj Ki Awaz, Anand Aur Anand, etc.

Raj Babbar Complete list of Movies From 1977 to 1999

Year Complete list of Movies 1977 Kissa Kursi Ka 1980 Aap To Aise Na The 1980 Jazbaat 1980 Sau Din Saas Ke 1980 Chann Pardesi 1980 Insaaf Ka Tarazu 1980 Hum Paanch 1980 Saajan Mere Main Saajan Ki 1981 Kalyug 1981 Raaz 1981 Poonam 1981 Prem Geet 1981 Sharda 1981 Yeh Rishta Na Toote 1981 Umrao Jaan 1981 Tajurba 1981 Armaan 1981 Aapas Ki Baat 1982 Dulha Bikta Hai 1982 Daulat 1982 Bheegi Palkein 1982 Jeevan Dhaara 1982 Lakshmi 1982 Nikaah 1983 Arpan 1983 Agar Tum Na Hote 1983 Aasra Pyar Da 1983 Main Awara Hoon 1983 Mazdoor 1983 Gehri Chot 1983 Rang Birangi 1983 Kalka 1983 Mehndi 1983 Naukar Biwi Ka 1983 Panchwin Manzil 1983 Rishta Kagaz Ka 1984 Aaj Ki Awaz 1984 Anand Aur Anand 1984 Inteha 1984 Jeene Nahi Doonga 1984 Kanoon Meri Mutthi Mein 1984 Maati Maangey Khoon 1984 Pet Pyar Aur Paap 1984 Shapath 1985 Jhoothi 1985 Ek Chitthi Pyar Bhari 1985 Haqeeqat 1985 Hum Do Hamare Do 1985 Jawab 1985 Aitbaar 1985 Maha Shaktimaan 1985 Meraa Ghar Mere Bachche 1985 Lava 1985 Salma 1985 Ulta Seedha 1986 Angaarey 1986 Long Da Lishkara 1986 Dahleez 1986 Kirayadar 1986 Baat Ban Jaye 1986 Suhagan 1987 Awam 1987 Insaniyat Ke Dushman 1987 Jaan Hatheli Pe 1987 Mirch Masala 1987 Muqaddar Ka Faisla 1987 Sansar 1988 Andha Yudh 1988 Hum Farishte Nahin 1988 Kabzaa 1988 Kanwarlal 1988 Mahaveera 1988 Mera Muqaddar 1988 Rama O Rama 1988 Vijay 1988 Waaris 1988 Libaas 1988 Zakhmi Aurat 1988 Paanch Fauladi 1989 Asmaan Se Ooncha 1989 Marhi Da Deeva 1989 Hisaab Khoon Ka 1989 Hum Bhi Insaan Hain 1989 Mohabat Ka Paigham 1989 Suryaa: An Awakening Jaaydaad 1990 Amiri Garibi 1990 Agneekaal 1990 Ghayal 1990 Shadyantra 1990 Qurbani Jatt Di 1990 Do Yaar 1991 Gunehgar Kaun 1991 Dharam Sankat 1991 Swarg Jaisaa Ghar 1992 Anutap 1992 Karm Yodha 1992 Aaj Ka Goonda Raaj 1992 Kal Ki Awaz 1993 Sadhna 1993 Rudaali 1993 Badi Bahen 1993 Aankhen 1993 Maya Memsaab 1994 Naseebo 1994 Dalaal 1994 Ucha Pind 1995 God and Gun 1995 Sarhad: The Border of Crime 1995 Barsaat 1995 Yaraana 1996 Maahir 1997 Gupt: The Hidden Truth 1997 Itihaas 1997 Qahar (1997) 1997 Ziddi 1998 Achanak 1998 Maharaja 1998 Prem Aggan (1998) 1999 Daag: The Fire 1999 Shaheed Uddham Singh 1999 Mahaul Theek Hai

Raj Babbar Complete list of Movies From 2000 to 2015

Year Complete list of Movies 2000 Baaghi 2000 Aakhir Kaun Thi Woh? 2001 Indian 2002 Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa 2002 The Legend of Bhagat Singh 2002 Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani 2003 LOC Kargil 2003 Kash Aap Hamare Hote 2004 Police Force: An Inside Story 2004 Bhola in Bollywood 2004 Sheen 2004 Shikaar 2005 Bunty Aur Babli 2005 Yaaran Naal Baharran 2006 Corporate 2006 Ek Jind Ek Jaan 2006 Banaras 2007 Aap Kaa Surroor: The Movie 2008 Karzzz 2008 Fashion 2009 Tera Mera Ki Rishta 2009 Apni Boli Apna Des 2011 Bodyguard 2011 Force 2012 Khiladi 786 2013 Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns 2013 Rabba Main Kya Karoon 2013 Bullett Raja 2015 Tevar 2015 Karbonn

#Fact No.9

Raj Babbar has acted in many television shows along with films, including Mahabharata, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Bahadur Shah Zafar, and Pukar Call for the Hero, are included.

#Fact No.10

Due to his work and passion, he is awared by most of the rewards. Raj Babbar is awarded by Padma Shri which is the india's 4th highest civilian honour from the GOI in 1985. National Film Awards Bhumika (1977), Chakra (1980). Filmfare Awards: Chakra (1982). Filmfare Marathi Awards: Jait Re Jait (1978), Umbartha (1981). Follow Latest News on Facebook and Telegram, to Stay updated with the Latest Headlines. Read the full article

[sunriseoverastorea]

((I’m taking an extended break from rp, but not from Marea! This is the first in a series of Marea writings featuring her adventures off the map. She’s literally getting in her ship, and flying away, very away. Obviously, there will be a lot of made up stuff ahead, along with a visit to another fictional universe. This is for fun, and the events which transpire will never be discussed with people/characters that haven’t given me the okay beforehand. I am not claiming them to be fact or lore or anything but my own devising, and I have no intention of forcing them on others. Whoo!))  

Marea runs a finger along the spines of her books. Yellowed pages, fraying covers, some wrapped in plastic and others decaying in the open air. She pulls out an old tome, flips it open, and breathes. She closes her eyes and lets her mind wander. She waits for the memories, for the longing, for the aching and the guilt in her heart. But nothing comes. She cradles the book to her chest, just for a moment, then carefully slips it back on the shelf.

The bookshelves stretch from floor to ceiling, and they are nearly completely full. A shame, to leave them to fend for themselves. But books are heavy, and for the most part, they must remain. A handful of gaps represent her favorites, the storybook she once read with Rajya, Rajya's own notes and essays. Only the most precious can go.

She shifts her gaze to one of her more whimsical possessions. A crystal unicorn statue, nearly three feet tall, stands proudly atop an empty crate. Beautiful, but not precious. She has built a home laden with useless attachments, and she feels a twisting in her stomach, almost disgust, as she thinks about what she has let herself become.

But was it so bad, to have things? People? A place to call home, to sleep at night and relax during the day? There was certainly nothing wrong with it. She was often content, on rare occasion peaceful. Her best friend nearby and the roaring gears of an airship above her. But that was the problem, wasn't it—the airship, a massive, steaming colossus, so close within her reach. Her life's sustenance, a reminder that she still yearned for more, more clear skies and crisp winds, yet kept herself trapped in a box.

Almost three years ago, she came back from the Wastes, defeated and weak, prepared to accept her fate as a measly, smart-ass crook in the streets of human-infested cities. It took two years to find her place amongst the masses—at first it seemed impossible. That everywhere she went, destruction would follow. A menace, a misty-eyed, spiteful girl with a few screws loose; namely, the screws which dictate reasoning, caution, and empathy. She steamrolled her acquaintances, often quite literally, until she once again found herself on the go, in the sky, aboard the Rogue with a Captain that was patient and caring, but never doting, nor spoiling. The steady hand that was necessary to steer her. A man who didn't misplace his faith in her, and who she didn't fail. The crew called her Captain, for a short time. It may not have felt quite right, but the pride in herself was undeniable. She earned it. She succeeded. She was the only option Raigar had to lead the company in his absence, and she was a good one.

Now, she scarcely looks at the Rogue. More than most of the things she leaves behind, it makes her sad. Her own small ship, with its blue balloon and white base to match the sky, hovers in waiting along the rickety walkway outside her quarters. She picks up her last couple of bags, hitching one over each shoulder, and takes heavy steps up the gangplank, onto the tiny deck, and into the low-ceilinged cabin. She's spruced up the ship as much as she can for her newfound mission. The bench seats along either side serve different purposes—on the left, a few pillows and a ratty old blanket make a bed, and on the right, the cushions come off to reveal below them her books and mementos, extra clothes, a few rations and some smoke bombs, the essentials. Through the floor hatch, a massive amount of dried meat and barrels of water lies in shadow, alongside an equally terrifying abundance of ammunition and artillery. Machine guns have been installed on the two back corners of the deck, the ship's balloon laced tightly in rope to grip and help navigate the deck in high winds. Every moving part has been freshly cleaned and inspected, the holographic interface at the helm updated to be a little less flickery and sad.

Every detail has been taken into account. The only problem is the fuel—enough for six months, and her ship is almost beyond carrying capacity. It will slow her down, make it difficult to control in adverse conditions. But she has little choice—beyond the jungle, over the Unending Sea and into the skies beyond, she has no idea what awaits her. She doesn't know if there will be more fuel, more food, fresh water or friendly faces. She doesn't know if there will even be faces, if there will be land, if she will fly far enough to return to Ascalon one day, or if the ocean will just go on and on. Perhaps the visions that she had from the Priory towers in Divinity's Reach will be reality. Mountains that fade to hazy waves, knitting and swaying and losing themselves to a distance that never ends.

She does one more inspection of the outside of the ship. Scratches a metal finger at the newly painted name on the side of the deck—the Horizon, in stark blue letters. A fleck of color comes off on her fingertip, but she dismisses it; close enough to dry.

She bids herself one more look up at the refuge. Her crewmen walk about the deck of the Rogue above her, moving crates this way and that, preparing for a trip to Amnoon. Raigar is up there somewhere, watching them, or perhaps observing the ship's interface, selecting the route and checking the vitals. Or maybe, if he's feeling sentimental, he's watching her just as she watches the Rogue.

She doesn't look for him. She doesn't want to know.

The gangplank retracts into the Horizon. Marea moves up to the wheel, flicking switches and levers with practiced ease. The hum of the little ship grows louder, a higher pitch, as it lifts off from the canyons. Like a punch in the gut, she realizes she forgot to say goodbye to her cat. Poor little Inigo. He's never seemed to love her that much, but surely he will notice her absence, at least for a couple weeks. Then, he will forget about her. As only animals can do.

Hopefully, with time, everyone will forget about her. After all, humans are little more than animals.

Plunder and conquer, murder and hate. Soon it will all be behind her. And for once, she feels as if she could truly leave it there.

Her body is light as a feather, as if she could jump, and float through the air. What little is left of her arms tingles and goes numb. For a moment, she struggles to breathe, as if her throat has shriveled and shrunken. Leave it all behind. She's getting a second chance at freedom. An untold map awaits her, and her first stop--

West of here. A place of verdant plains and roaming horses, nestled between two great mountain ranges and a wide, flowing river.

--She smirks, a bit of cynicism creeping into her voice, despite being thick with emotion. “Goodbye, cruel world. I'm going to meet a real, tangible horse. Take that, fucking jackasses.”

She forces Raigar's face from her mind's eye. Still, she seems to feel his gaze on her back.

But with a day's flight, the land will roll away from beneath her. It will fade from memory like the fever dream days of her childhood.

And the search will begin.

[goldguile-a]

I'm off anon because I FIGHT the law of the land: What kind of headcanons do you have for your depiction of Almyra? Does Claude admire certain traditions or culture there? Also what are some of your favorite themes or scenarios you like to write with Claude specifically?

gASP. silv, you rebel, you!! 

ahahaha… would you believe me if i said the worldbuilding for almyra itself is still heavily a wip? whoops, i’m a sham. this is mostly because nox, pea, and i haven’t sat down to discuss it at length yet and they share the braincell with me when it comes to this stuff–

i can tell you right now a lot of the history and culture is going to be inspired by persia, but with that fe twist on things? a lot of stuff in the game lends to the idea of almyra being persia coded, such as part of the kingdom’s emblem resembling a zoroastrian relic and the like, for a super quick example because i’m tired– on that note, their religion is going to be based heavily off zoroastrianism. church and state are very separate, and king hasan (claude’s father) does not pressure his people to follow the nation’s official religion.

a few things i’ve nailed down for certain are as follows:

while historically almyra has always been a kingdom with a warrior culture and they still are today, the royal family has been slowly dialing it back over the ages– especially now that fodlan has successfully repelled one of their attempted invasions and set up a successful border defense. claude’s paternal grandfather, king cyrus farzad shirazi, in particular worked hard to loosen trading restrictions with fodlan, and claude’s father would like to open a dialogue to properly discuss peace treaties and a potential alliance someday. with rhea in power, however, there has been no response– leading to those little skirmishes at the border. claude hopes to continue where hasan left off when he ascends the throne.

keeping up with the religion of the region being based off of zoroastrianism, there are many fire temples scattered throughout almyra, and within them are fires that have been kept burning since the nation’s founding. fire plays a very big part in almyran festivals and religious ceremonies, as it is believed to be a purifying and cleansing force of nature alongside water, as well as life sustaining.

the main exports from almyra are textiles (carpets and the like), fruit, vegetables, wines, salt, spices, and metals. with vast, fertile prairies, harvests tend to be bountiful, and there’s a booming mining industry thanks to the presence of both the mountains and the desert.

family is a very important concept in almyra, and the royal family in particular is huge– claude’s father is the eldest in a family of at least five, one sibling of his being nader. in a perfect world, claude would have had a similar amount of siblings as well– but the outright disdain for a fodlanese woman entering the mix and producing a child has put a stopper on that. while hasan’s siblings and their spouses view this rejection of helena and her son as protecting their family, ironically it also goes against these very beliefs. this is a point hasan has been slowly making over the years, and it has been getting better. slowly. claude will be able to win over his paternal family by the time he returns home.

alongside the art of the blade and the warrior lifestyle, art is highly appreciated in almyra. the nation is big on painting, calligraphy, poetry, theatre, song, dance, and has a very distinct style of architecture you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else. 

festivals are usually held at night and outside, before a bonfire. there are big feasts and dances, the air is filled with laughter and music, and there’s always a big feast– the dead are always honoured during these festivals alongside the main reason for celebration. 

almyran weddings are a very big deal, given the importance almyra places in family. ceremonies and the resulting receptions and parties can go on for weeks, especially in the case of the royal family. they pretty much follow the process for persian weddings, which i’ll link here! 

alongside horses, wyverns are a very important animal in almyran culture, both in battle and in day to day life. it’s easy to make deliveries and travel when your mount can fly! most children are taught to at least ride a wyvern for day to day life, and the royal family has a select breeder that has been providing them with mounts for hundreds of years now. that said, a white wyvern is said to be unlucky as its pearlescent scales make it more easily spotted and shot out of the sky, and stories of misfortune occurring after encountering one of these wyverns are common. it’s really all just a superstition, but it’s a long-running one.

if claude had to name things he especially loves and respects about his homeland, it would easily be both the culture – he’s fond of poetry, theatre, dance, and his homeland’s cooking in particular – and the history! while he’s as skilled of a warrior as the crown prince of a warrior nation is expected to be, claude is an academic at heart. as a child, he was constantly asking questions during his lessons and begging his aunt rajya to teach him more and more– they were the highlights of his day. he’s also incredibly fond of horses and wyverns, and is a skilled rider of both. animals don’t judge you, after all. they only love you.

as for things i love exploring with claude… hmm. it’s always hard to pick something on the spot but if i had to name something… i think i really love his distrustful nature and how it plays into how i write him? it’s fun writing that duality – the smiles and carefree facade he displays to the world and the watchful, calculating side hidden underneath that’s constantly on the lookout for danger or opportunities. i think i especially love him learning to be vulnerable and truly place his trust in people? i dunno, there’s something so satisfying about claude finally realizing that he feels safe around any given person. that he can finally relax. you know?  

@stormsiris​ | meme.