#that oppression is a source of valour

[ceilidhtransing]

Something that's so important to grasp is that oppression fundamentally isn't about the nuances of your identity; it's about how a bigot sees you.

Straight people can experience homophobia (think of women with short hair just assumed to be lesbians, or flamboyant men who apparently “must be” gay). Non-Jewish people can experience antisemitism (perhaps because some fascist looked at them or heard their name and decided they were “definitely Jewish”). Non-Muslims can experience Islamophobia (Sikhs who wear turbans, for instance, are frequent targets of Islamophobic violence).

If you're the target of some bigot's homophobia, or transphobia, or antisemitism, or racism, or ableism, or whatever, then the fact that you're not actually gay or trans or Jewish etc doesn't change the nature of the bigotry.

I see this idea so often that trans men in particular are “misgendering ourselves” when discussing experiences of misogyny. But misogyny doesn't neatly contain itself to the contours of womanhood. It's not bigotry that delineates the boundaries of identities, full stop. Being a man won't stop some people from being misogynistic shitheads to you, nor does that experience make you any less of a man. It's the bigots who are doing the misgendering, not us.

It's really time to get rid of this personal-identity-focused view of prejudice and oppression, and instead see these as complex social systems that are inflicted in an often scattergun way on anyone whom the bigot thinks is an appropriate target, not just those who on paper fall into certain categories.

[aman1taverna]

https://www.tumblr.com/f3m4le/730312977076584448/these-females-are-claiming-male-incel-valour-2023?source=share

trans men stop acting like this supposed female superiority actually exists offline challenge

and this may come off as a bit harsh, but you need to get it into your heads that they're just not talking about you. Very few people ever actually say "men are oppressive/annoying/whatever it is" and actually mean trans men as well. Even if they say they think trans men are men, they're really talking about males. Most people are actually aware of the fact that a great deal of privilege is based on sex at birth.

[princepsfianna]

Some thoughts on the faith. (CR)

all images come from the 1910s public domain (mfw religion is so dead no non christian art of it is made, its joever, so fucking joever for us.....)

Our faith is dead, we must admit that. Her honour is gone, her valour is and God knows what else. She has been driven from the towns, tuathas, from glen and city into the annals of history. Worse yet for those of the Scottish herald for all we have are the Irish annals to go off. Or, if we are lucky, Roman sources from the first century AD. Alas virtually all Scottish national deities have since vanished from our records. I wonder every night if there was national deities. We know there was some like Clota, Goddess of the Clyde. Yet she was a regional deity not a deity in the same way as Brighid. Sadly for Clota, for instance, we have scarce any records about them or how to worship, revere and indulge in them. “Almost all the rivers of Scotland were abodes of goddesses, but about many of them there are no surviving stories. The character of a goddess was suggested by that of a river. The goddess of the river Forth, for instance, was ‘the deaf or soundless one’, because the Forth is a comparatively silent river; the goddess of the Clyde, on the other hand, was ‘the purifying one’, because the old people knew it as a river which scoured the country it passed through, and carried much mud and clay seaward when in flood.” Donald MacKenzie, 1917. Scottish Myth and Legend.

And all we have to go off are books written in a disparate time from who knows when to the great war till now. There is no serious academic study because- what is there to study? We must admit that the Christians have effectively erased our faith and they did a good job of it. Our only vestiges remaining in what we preserved in their faith and the scattered sources we can piece together. At the second battle of Moytura we see Morrígan deliver a speech to the men of Connaught as they prepare for battle. “I shall see a world that will yet be dear to me. Summer without flowers, Kine shall be without milk, Women without modesty, Men without valour, Captives without a King…(six word gap) Woods without mast, sea without produce… (40 word gap) the false judgement of old(wise) men, the false precedents of brehons(judges), every man ab etrayer, every boy a reaver. Son will enter his father’s bad, father will enter his son’s bead, everyone will be his brother’s brother ni law! (gap, eight words.) An evil time! Son shall deceive father, Daughter shall deceive mother!” What can this describe but today? She is lamenting this world in decay, fortelling a cycle of death and renewal in the cyles of civilisation. We are clearly in these events, woods are going without mast and seas without produce at our own hands. Summer will literally be without flowers and the leaders and judges of this world have gone awry for power and money. Let’s look at Fionn MacCumhaill, a Scottish hero from the boyheed deeds. Finn saw that he and many of his heroes would fall in battle and that he himself should do so and be reborn. We see a similar theme with Cú Chulainn in Táin Bó Cúailnge! He declares that he will rise again in times of great need when Ireland calls her champions to rise.  Now- first things first Ireland already had her time of great needs.. You are late… But more seriously he’s clearly telling us bluntly that when the Irish (Celts) are in desperate need he will arise. We can interpret this as him telling us that when we are in need, heroes will arise to save the Celtic nation and bring it back. Let’s look at the book of invasions or Lebor Gabála Érenn. Now this was compiled a few centuries after the conquests but it incorporates native faith which was around at the time. It was compiled with this in mind, quoting it and Lugh. “And it was foretold that his coming would bring the end to the Fomorian oppression, that the sun would shine again upon the land of the Gael!” The Fomori are a race of supernatural beings with great strength who come from the sea.. They are also defeated by the Tuatha Dé Danann. The Fomori are clearly the prophesied Saxon and Germanic incursions and Lugh is clearly to represent when the Gaels liberate themselves. Lugh is a warrior and was also a God of war and justice. Therefore it makes sense that Lugh would be the one, or one of the Gods to announce that as, Rosc Catha na Mumhan put it so eloquently. “I know well by the chilly weather, By the fury of Thetis on the shore. By the tuneful singing of the birds, That my Caesar would return free from gloom! That sound is joyus for Munster! And for the downtrodden descendents of warriors! The sounds of waves clashing on the side of ships, Thunderously advancing to our aid! 

…. 

The top of the tall trees are announcing That the Gaels shall not be fettered for long! … Gather all the men of blood of the Mil, Those whoms veins have but a drop of pure blood Whoms rights are trampled, tormented by evil! And may he strike a blow to the keeper of chains! And that sound will be the rarest joy for Munster

ANd for the sad descendants of the mighty Who await the sound of waves on the ships Drawing boldly on the seas to support us!” 

Lugh is foretelling us that the sun will shine again upon our land. That the Gaels, the celts will be restored to order. That the oppression will be ended, in this case I would make bold as to equate the Fomori with Rome and England. This will therefore require the return of our religion. Our religion will be restored after this event transpires. I don’t exactly know how but my guess is that a prophet will arise, presumably a form like Cú Chulainn. Who arises when we need our champions. A warrior will arise who is also a scholar and like Cú Chulainn will emulate his life and while doing so end the oppression of the Celts forevermore. Now.. If I was younger I would equate Liam Lynch to this figure but Lynch never restored our faith so I won’t. But I do think, in a time not so far that this figure will emerge. I think already the great and masterful plan is in motion and though I can’t see it I think it will be a great plan. The Celtic cultures are undergoing a great revival at the moment. I can feel it, I can hear it, the trees are not declaring but something is and I will find it. Things are tough for our races in the last few centuries but after centuries things are looking up. This generation, which I would not rather have been born but this one may- Brighid willing. Be the first one to take up the mantle of our ancient race and redeem it from its humiliation and shame. With this sort of rant over I will end it with a quote from a nation once again.  When Boyhood’s fire was in my blood, I read of ancient freemen, For Greece and Rome Who bravely stood, Three hundred men and three men. And then I prayed, I yet might see. Our fetters rent in twain! And Ireland, long a province, be  A nation once again! A nation once again!  A nation once again!  And Ireland, long a province, be A nation once again! 

Now- I do find it (mildly) bemusing the Irishmen reads about foreign culture not his own to be free. Because of English suppression of our shared heritage and heroes. But I digress, boyhoods fire is in my blood and I pray that I might yet see the Celts as one nation yet again. But it’ll probably not happen, oh well. We pray, we pray. 

[neoptolemid]

Neoptolemus super doc ? ??

ARE WE ABSOLUTELY SURE,, , ,, ,

uh okay, I pull together my super document of Pyrrhus, have pardon cause it's a bit old and i'm gonna spread it through like 3 or 4 posts probably , , so uh enjoy and I'm sorry for all grammatical errors

Skyros

Pyrrhus was born by the name Pyrrhus and this was based either on his red hair or due to Achilles name of Skyros being Pyrrha.

When it comes to appearances I generally describe him as a good mix of both Deidamia and Achilles’ traits, having inherited Deidamia’s red hair and Achilles Blue/teal eyes. He is around the middle of both of his parent’s height as I make Achilles 6’0 and Deidamia 5’3 when full grown, Pyrhhus rounds out to be 5’6. He also has a number of beauty marks which are similar to Achilles’.

It is unknown how long Achilles stayed on Skyros or when Pyrrhus was born. Either way Achilles did know about his son, we know this from the fact Achilles makes references to his son within the Iliad and Odyssey.

I like to believe that part of Pyrrhus growing up with his mother and aunts is that he has a lot of appreciation for women’s crafts and what they do. That he as a younger child would simply sit and be by his mother and/or aunts as they worked enjoying their company.

He would try his best growing up to join into their songs and dances, and at least once dressed himself in girls clothes to show his mother and aunts which got a good laugh out of them.

From Quintus ‘Fall of Troy’ we are informed that learning to fight and it was Odysseus and Diomedes who came with their black sails to ask him to join the war cause. He was promised to marry Menelaus’s daughter Hermione, he was also promised to have Achilles’ armor and gold, riches, and glory for coming with them.

While work will generally age him to being a young man or simply portray him to be very well spoken, if you follow along with the time line it is very possible that Pyrrhus is only 11 or 12 when he leaves Skyros, I tend to write him as being 13 for my own comfort.

Another thing to note form Quintus’s piece on Pyrrhus is they depict this being especially sad for Deidamia, she is written as having weeped and weeped. She doesn’t want him to leave because she doesn’t want him going to war and leaving her. She doesn’t want him hurt and she doesn’t want another person she loves leaving her again.

Deidamia Pyrrhus’s mother is written as loving him and I interpret bits of this story as Pyrrhus is the only tie to Achilles she has. Generally I prefer the idea that Deidamia did care for Achilles and so it did break her heart that he left and she had hoped that he would return eventually to her and their son.

Over the years she understood more and more that he would not return, so all she had was her son, and then eventually they come and take him from her as well.

Mattering on the version of the story, it is fully possible that Deidamia may have never seen her son again once he left the island.

Dawn climbed the wide-arched heaven, straightway they rose from their beds. Then Deidameia knew; and on her son's broad breast she cast herself, and bitterly wailed: her cry thrilled through the air, as when a cow loud-lowing mid the hills seeks through the glens her calf, and all around Echo long ridges of the mountain-steep; so on all sides from dim recesses rang the hall; and in her misery she cried: "Child, wherefore is thy soul now on the wing to follow strangers unto Ilium the fount of tears, where perish many in fight, yea, cunning men in war and battle grim? And thou art but a youth, and hast not learnt the ways of war, which save men in the day of peril. Hearken thou to me, abide here in thine home, lest evil tidings come from Troy unto my ears, that thou in fight hast perished; for mine heart saith, never thou hitherward shalt from battle-toil return. Not even thy sire escaped the doom of death -- he, mightier than thou, mightier than all heroes on earth, yea, and a Goddess' son -- but was in battle slain, all through the wiles and crafty counsels of these very men who now to woeful war be kindling thee. Therefore mine heart is full of shuddering fear lest, son, my lot should be to live bereaved of thee, and to endure dishonour and pain, for never heavier blow on woman falls than when her lord hath perished, and her sons die also, and her house is left to her desolate. Straightway evil men remove her landmarks, yea, and rob her of her all, setting the right at naught. There is no lot more woeful and more helpless than is hers who is left a widow in a desolate home."

Lemnos

Pyrrhus agrees to go with them and on the way they stop by the island of Lemnos to get Philoctetes. Odysseus makes Neoptolemus lie to Philoctetes because he knows that he hates Odysseus because he is the man who abandoned him on Lemnos and he knows that Philoctetes doesn’t want to go to Troy but back to Greece and to his home.

This causes a Pyrrhus strife because he has been taught to be noble up until now, in the play Philoctetes by Sophocles we are shown multiple times how this causes him strife because he is having to lie. Philoctetes also considers Pyrrhus to be a friend because Pyrrhus lies and says that he wants to go back home to Skyros because of the way he is treated by the other Greeks even though he hasn’t met any of them yet to our knowledge.

Good lines from this play that I personally characterize him are

‘It would have been better if i had never left scyros. Everything around me oppresses me ..’

‘He’ll (odysseus) claim i’m too soft-hearted’

‘I can’t. It is right and in our interest to listen to those in authority’

Some of the best development to see from this is how he was raised to be noble and how he doesn’t want to trick people or lie, he wants to be honest.

Another thing I find interesting to read from specifically this play is how Pyrrhus is very rarely called by his own name, he is almost always referred to ‘son of achilles’ and also in this play he is often referred to as ‘child’ or ‘boy’.

While none of these things are brought up as an issue in the play I do think it is a detail you can play with, like how it might weigh on an individual to be always referred to by your famous father or how people don’t recognize you by your name but by your father’s.

I think these are things that would weigh on Pyrrhus he wants to live up to his father but it also oppresses him to be referred in such a way. He wants to be like his father but he is still his own individual which he doesn’t feel recognized by as people continually anything but his own name.

To the idea of playing into the fact he is also often called ‘boy’ or ‘child’ These could be names that eventually upset and anger him. He is being dragged into this war like he is old enough to fight, which he is not and yet he is not recognized as such by those around him.

It is a case of a child feeling indignatinge by being called terms which denote being naive, though I like to think there is some justification for his anger because this isn’t just a small thing but he is being taken into a man's world.

In Philoctetes he is referred to by the name Neoptolemus, he was given this name by Phoenix, a man also considered to be a father by Achilles. Phoenix is one of the oldest men in the Trojan war and he is either involved with Pyrrhus coming from the island to Skyros to the war or some time later down the road. He gave him this name because it means ‘new war/warrior’ it is meant to reflect how Achilles himself was a young man when he entered the war.

It is honestly more common to see Pyrrhus referred to as Neoptolemus by the Greeks and Pyrrhus by Roman sources to my knowledge. (i’ll be using Pyrrhus just for simplicity)

Troy

There are a lot of various stories that have to do with the fall of Troy, we have records again from Quintus “Fall of Troy” and the “Aeneid” by Vergil. There are also a number of plays by the three tragedians of Ancient Greece(Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus) that have to do with the end of the war and various stories of the aftermath.

While Pyrrhus doesn’t appear in these very often they still help to give more insight to his possible character.

Pyrrhus makes a minor appearance within the play of ‘hecuba’ and is in the background of ‘andromache’, he makes no appearance within this story but he is directly related to things happening in the play.

Back onto the subject of the fall of Troy, he is regarded as the killer of both Astyanax and Priam. These are generally agreed upon details and sometimes Odysseus fills the role of Pyrrhus when the story decides they don’t want to introduce more characters.

He is generally described as being ‘battle-eager’ ‘Fierce-hearted’ and a few other epithets relating to fighting. In general he is not described as being worse than anyone else. The fall of Troy is a greek work and all the Greeks within this work are killing and fighting people. He is by all means a competent fighter within the text.

In the Odyssey when Odysseus goes into the underworld and speaks with the dead, and when Achilles comes to speak he asks about his son.

Odysseus describes him as

‘but I can tell you all about your son Neoptolemus, for I took him in my own ship from Scyros with the Achaeans. In our councils of war before Troy he was always first to speak, and his judgement was unerring. Nestor and I were the only two who could surpass him; and when it came to fighting on the plain of Troy, he would never remain with the body of his men, but would dash on far in front, foremost of them all in valour. Many a man did he kill in battle- I cannot name every single one of those whom he slew while fighting on the side of the Argives, but will only say how he killed that valiant hero Eurypylus son of Telephus, who was the handsomest man I ever saw except Memnon; many others also of the Ceteians fell around him by reason of a woman's bribes. Moreover, when all the bravest of the Argives went inside the horse that Epeus had made, and it was left to me to settle when we should either open the door of our ambuscade, or close it, though all the other leaders and chief men among the Danaans were drying their eyes and quaking in every limb, I never once saw him turn pale nor wipe a tear from his cheek; he was all the time urging me to break out from the horse- grasping the handle of his sword and his bronze-shod spear, and breathing fury against the foe. Yet when we had sacked the city of Priam he got his handsome share of the prize money and went on board (such is the fortune of war) without a wound upon him, neither from a thrown spear nor in close combat, for the rage of Mars is a matter of great chance.'

In general from the greek sources he is described as nobly.

He is noted for killing quite a few people during the fall of Troy but his most notable kills are Priam, who he kills within the throne room (to my knowledge) and Astyanax who is killed after Troy has fallen.

In the Aeneid by Vergil he is described in ways that frame him a more villainous or evil way

‘The fatal work inhuman Pyrrhus plies,’

During when Pyrrhus is about to kill Priam there is a line that I believe characterizes him as more of a tragic character than anything else. Before killing Priam, Priam berates him about how Pyrrhus is about to treat Priam because of how Achilles showed him humanity and how Achilles gives Priam his son’s body back. This is partly brung up because Pyrrhus getting into the throne room kills one of Priam’s sons in front of his face.

The line basically translates out to be Pyrrhus telling Priam that when he dies and sees his father to tell him of the terrible deed of his son, of how terrible his son is.

In the translation that I read they use the line ‘Tell him of degenerate Neoptolemus’

When in the context of the Philoctetes I think this paints Pyrrhus as being a rather tragic and sad character, because prior to going to the island of Lemnos Pyrrhus tried to act most noble, he wants to be noble like his father. When on Lemnos he has his morals questioned and is forced to go against his morales at the hand of Odysseus.

I interpret this as him vocalizing how he might be upset with himself as he is forced to look at the reality of war which isn’t noble or glorious at all. He wants to live up to the noble idea of his father and everything he is forced to do makes him feel terrible.

I personally think that Pyrrhus probably doesn’t know a lot about the terrible things that Achilles has done or he tries to ignore them. When fighting in the war he might realize his idea of his father might not truly be acturte, he was raised on stories from his mother telling him of his outstanding father.

In terms of justifying his actions during the war because going off my own headcanon he probably wouldn’t be so interested in killing so many people, I imagine he kinda just turns off his head and acts purely on his emotions and just acts like that of a soldier. (Is this PTSD?)

He follows the orders given to him and acts without questioning and lets all his emotions out. I personally don’t assign Pyrrhus that much pride but I like to think he inherited some of his fathers famous anger. All of his anger at what he is being forced to do comes out when he is forced to fight.

That is where the brutality of his portrayal within the Aeneid comes from.

[arjuna-vallabha]

In the years leading upto the Battle of Plassey , Bengal was going through some extremely tough times . Accounts by contemporary writers describes vividly the problems faced by the common man .  This was a period when the East India company was gaining more political power . The true ruling class , the Nawab of Bengal and his aides immersed themselves in luxury and debauchery . On the other hand infamous zamindaars such as Devi Singha made life miserable for the common folk . And then there was famines , epidemics , droughts and inability to pay taxes . But still the people fought on with a smile on their lips . But even that seemed to disappear with the onset of Maratha raids into Bengal in mid 18th century . The “bargee” attacks , as they became popularly known , was so devastating and horrifying that they have been permanently etched in Bengali memory in form of lullaby songs . Even today bengali mothers lull their babies to sleep singing “ Sleep fast my child , for the bargees are coming ! The bulbul birds have eaten all crops , how are we going to pay taxes ? “But who were these ‘bargees’ ?The word bargee is thought to derive from Persian ‘Baargee’ which denoted a cavalry soldier . The other type of  cavalry men used to be called Shiledaars . The government used to provide horses and weaponry to the baargees . The shiledaars on the other hand had to source these themselves . In those times , the sultans of Ahmednagar developed the art of sudden stealth attacks , which came to be known as ‘baargeer-giri’ . This mode of guerrilla warfare was effective and gained massive popularity all throughout the Deccan , including Maharashtra . In the year 1740 Alivardi Khan defeated and killed his master and the then Nawab of Bengal , Sarafaraz Khan and himself sat on the throne of Bengal . But the brother in law of Sarfaraz , Naib Nazeem of Orissa Rustam Jung turned against Alivardi to avenge the wrong done to his brother . Alivardi defeated Rustam Jung and dethroned him from his Orissa office . In retaliation , Rustam Jung went to Nagpur  and sought the help of Raghuji Bhonsle , the then ruler of the region . Raghuji Bhonsle’s Diwan , Bhaskar Kolhatkar AKA Bhaskar Pandit launched an attack on Bengal with all his might . The raids continued for a period spanning 9 years and according to contemporary Dutch estimates , four lakh people died in the bloodbath . It devastated the economy of Bengal and created a period of anarchy and terror . The bargees gradually approached uptill the capital at Murshidabad and sacked the city and plundered the houses of the rich . The Britishers of East India Company on the other hand became anxious about a possible attack on the emerging prosperous city of Calcutta , their main hub . To deter any attack , they began digging a giant moat around the entire town . Luckily the bargees did not attack Calcutta and the work on the moat was discarded midway . The moat was eventually filled up in 1890s and made into upper and lower circular roads ( Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose road & Acharya Prafulla Chandra road presently ) A certain poet named Gangaram composed a poetry describing the affairs of the bargee raids in his book called “Maharashtra Puran” . Parts of it describe the horrors faced by civilians in those times – “ They round up everyone and loot their gold and silver . They cut off the hands of some . To others they cut off the nose and the ears . For the rest they simply chop off their heads . The pretty ladies they take away and tie them up . Then they take turns to rape until they start crying to be spared . The set the homes of the rich on fire and destroy all the temples of Vishnu . They tie up their captives , fold up their hands and kick on their chest with their heavy boots . Those who have money give it to them and escape death . Those who don’t have money have no other option other than to surrender to death . The Brahmins flee with their sacred books under their arms ! The goldsmiths flee with their measuring insruments . The shopkeepers flee with their wares . The metal workers flee with their copper and brass . The blaksmiths flee along with earthen pot makers . The fishermen flee with their nets . Rich men’s wives unaccustomed to walking flee with loads over their heads ! The khetris and the rajputs also flee in fear dropping their swords . The gosais and the mohants of temples flee on palanquins . The Mughals , sayeds and sheikhs also flee in terror hearing of the bargees . The pregnant women are forced to deliver their child along roadways . “None managed to escape the wrath of the bargees. Numerous temples of Bengal were looted and plundered . Fables narrate how the iconic neem wood deity of Dhameshwar Gouranga ( Chaitanya mahaprabhu ) , worshipped by Bishnupriya ( Consort of Mahaprabhu himself ) also had to be buried for quite a few years to save him from the bargee raids! Such lawlessness continued for almost 9 years . In the end , the nawab of Bengal entered into a pact of truce with the bargees conceding Orissa to them on the condition that they would never return to Bengal . During such tumultuous times , the bargees reached upto the capital of the Malla dynasty kings – Bishnupur . Mallas have been a dominant power in that part of the state for more than a 1000 years ! When the bargees approached , the people panicked and started praying to the presiding deity of the town , Madanmohan . It is said that during this time people saw Madanmohan manifest and rush into battlefield ! He lifted up a giant iron cannon and started firing into the bargee hordes that were trying to enter the city . The cannon would later get the name ‘Dala-mardana’ or “destroyer of hordes” and can still be seen in Bishnupur . Madanmohan successfully defeated the bargees and protected his devotees . This tale has been narrated for centuries in Bishnupur and has become one of the popular religious folklores of Bengal .  But this Madanmohan is not originally a deity of Bishnupur . He is said to have been brought to Bishnupur from elsewhere by Malla king Bir Hambir .One source opines that Madanmohan originally resided at the ShriPaat Chaatraa of Srirampore . This was the residence of Kashishwar Pandita , one of the associates of Chaitanya . Bir Hambir brought Madanmohan to his kingdom and after installing a new deity of Radharani beside him , honoured him with the status of ‘Nagar devata’ of Bishnupur . The entire story raises some fundamental questions and doubts – The first question is , if the marathas are considered the champions of Hinduism and viewed largely as upholders of indian valour , why did they plunder and loot the Bengali temples  ?! The second question that may arise is , did Madanmohan indeed manifest and do this impossible act ? In order to answer this , one must understand that history is never unidimensional and one pointed as we tend to think . History has many complex layers . As the saying goes – “ history is written by victors “ . If we twist it slightly it would be safe to say that history is written by the privileged . Or perhaps , History is most often written with an agenda ! Therefore history , by its very nature , can never be complete nor foolproof . We tend to overlook the fact that in history two opposing ideas can also be true simultaneously . Therefore , every Brahmin need not be a tyrant evil oppressor nor every low caste an oppressed . Every deity taken away from a temple may not amount to a sacrilege and dishonour of hinduism . Taj mahal is not a name changed hindu shaivite temple . Gyan Vapi is not a mosque built on virgin soil . A thousand such historical over simplifications or agenda driven narratives have done more damage to true history than good . It is very necessary to have an open mind while discussing such a tricky subject as ‘bargee attack’ . I will lay down some points which will provide the readers with food for thought . But it is upto them to interpret why the bargees did what they did .1 – Bhaskar pandit organised a full fledged Bengali styled Durgotsav in Dainhaat of Bardhaman district . New pratima was built , new chandi mandap temple constructed and  thousands of sacrificial animals were brought in and grand preparations were begun . But in the night of MahaNavami , Alivardi Khan sent a message of truce and took Bhaskar Pandit into confidence and had him killed . The puja remained  unfinished . Even today ruins of the chandi mandap can be seen at Dainhaat . Understandably , Bhaskar pandit was not anti bengali or anti hindu per se and he embraced Bengali customs and culture . In this context it is worth remembering that the cult deity of Marathas , Tulja Bhawani ( from whom legend says Chatrapati Shivaji received his sword ) is also an image of Mahishamardini . Presumably , the marathas quickly saw the sameness in the rituals and ideas and were glad to adapt . 2- Just like the Mughal army had hindus in their ranks or the british indian army was largely constituted of the Indian soldiers , in the same way the bargees also had men of all castes and religions in their ranks . They even had large battalions of muslim men . It would be unfair to expect that the Islamic bargees would be respectful towards bengali idolators and their practices . 3- human ethics and moral values have underwent massive changes in recent times .  In ancient times , we did not have human rights commission , supreme court or the like . Survival of the fittest was the mantra for the times . In an event of attack it was normal for the army to indulge in plunder and loot . The rulers unofficially allowed their men to have a free hand in ‘exploits of war’ after a hard earned victory . This was a sort of incentive for the men ! Remember in those days warfare had more to do with brute strength and direct combat than with intelligence as it has become nowadays after advent of computer controlled war machinery ! During such post war plunders , rape , looting , rampage and selling humans into slavery became the norm .This was true for the entire world throught history !4 – The temples in Bengal which harbour tales of bargee attacks are mostly vaishnavaite shrines , namely Radha Krishna or Gouranga ( Chaitanya ) temples . Both these divinities would have been unknown to the Marathas whose own brand of Vaishnavism were centered around Vithhal , Rukmini and Satyabhama  . It is possible that unknown gods attracted more wrath .5- But interestingly the marathas were also one of the chief patrons of the Puri Jagannath temple . The hati vesha or Gaja vesha of Jagannath was directly due to Maratha influence over Jagannatha cult .  The  form of Jagannatha too would have been largely unknown to the marathas . That being said , they would have definitely been aqquianted with the tirtha mahatmya of Puri and the name of Jagannath from the puranas and scriptures . 6- In all probabilities Bhaskar Pandit did receive some support from the local hindu populace . The records of his durgotsav mentions throngs of villagers coming to participate in his puja . Presumably , there was both an element of fear and awe working amongst the masses . 7- It is hard to answer whether Madanmohan manifested in form or not , from a point of view of history . Such things are matters of faith and are best left untouched by history ( or even historians ) . However if we introspect purely from a historical perspective some hypothetical probabilities may be suggested . In hindu society when a man narrowly escapes a danger , he often attributes his miraculous escape to the mercy and compassion of his cherished deity . Its common for such a bhakta to say – “ I got saved due to intervention or madanmohan “ . It is very much possible that the Malla dynasty kings who ruled over a jungle infested tricky terrain and whose subjects largely comprised of martial races and tribes , overrun the bargees by their military strength and the pious king attributed the win to the mercy of Madanmohan . In due course of time this popular way of saying aqquired more realistic and literal connotations and became etched in collective memory as madanmohan manifesting in person ! Just a “what if” …. but worth a thought nonetheless !8 – It is also possible that the bargees themselves chose not to attack the malla kings , who in any case had been famous as champions of Hinduism for the last 1000 years . I have laid out the points to contemplate on . It is upto you to draw the final conclusion . History is never straightforward . All we can do is record and mention the loose ends . If the ends meet , well and fine . If they do not , it is best to be honest and admit that history is unclear thereafter  , rather than to try make them meet by force and end up projecting a personal political or sociological agenda unto history . But even after so much , the people of Bishnupur could not keep their beloved Madanmohan in their town . Malla Raja Chaitanya Singha got into a financial debacle and had to take a loan of a thefty sum of money from rich zamindar businessman Gokul Mitra of Calcutta . By this time , the sun had already began to set on the glories of Malla dynasty and Calcutta had begun to emerge as the next economic and political capital of India . In exchange of the money , Chaitanya Singha mortgaged his nagar devata Madanmohan to Gokul Mitra . When Malla king was unable to return the money back in due time ,  Madanmohan was left back at disposal of Gokul who went to build him a grand new temple . Even today visitors to Kumartuli in Calcutta can see the grand temple of madanmohan built in typical greaco roman neoclassical colonial style . At Bishnupur a replica deity was installed which also got stolen a few decades back . A second replica of Madanmohan is presently housed in the original temple back at bishnupur . So did Madanmohan really manifest ? Well, the eyes of a rationalist seek out different things from the eyes of an artist . To an artist , his divine manifestation is of much more importance because it has ‘rasa’ . It has the power to soothe the mind and senses from the drudgery of daily monotonous existence . To the artist , the supernatural is more appealing than the natural . But then again it is the ‘natural’ that gives birth to the ‘supernatural’ .  In this painting I have strived to bridge the gap between the two with the string of bhakti . Jay Madanmohan .

Text an art by Halley Goswami

[scarletarosa]

Abigor

One of the Goetic demons and is a Duke, under the command of Lucifer. This information was shared to me by him and is also my own experiences through working with this mighty infernal deity.

Other Names: Eligor, Eligos

Rulerships: legal matters, war, battle strategy, courage, valour, defense, protecting the vulnerable and the weak (many times he’s been a defender of those who love Lucifer and Lilith). He also has some affinity with foresight, not so much divination but an instinctual sense of preparedness.

History: As with all of the Goetic Demons, Abigor is an ancient god who was one of the agents of the source (”angels”) and had the task of defending various places on Earth. Back then, he was known as the White Knight. Abigor took on even more battles than instructed by protecting people from murders or rapes. One day, this caused him to not be around to defend his post, leading to people who were dear to him to suffer. This was deeply traumatic for Abigor who no longer felt at place with his duties, but it was Lucifer who approached him and offered Abigor a place within his kingdom. Now as a Duke and mighty war-chief in Lucifer’s kingdom, Abigor oversees many military matters; however, his role is mostly that of a Warrior Knight. 

Abigor is one of the finest war-chiefs in Hell due to his value of honour and allowing his strength to be fueled by his heart. He is deeply noble and trains his legions to be the same, showing them the true inner-strength that makes a great warrior. In combat, Abigor is nearly undefeatable and has been bested only a small handful of times out of countless battles. 

Military Rank: Duke

Element: Air

Colours: Vibrant green and yellow

Appearance: A large knight with silvery-black plate armour, feathered black wings, long flowing black hair, and pale white eyes. Although when angered, his eyes become ruby red. He can be seen bearing a lance, great sword, and other various weapons. Abigor has a massive physique with a very tall with a well-toned body that is able to lift and strike enormous weights. He also has a black horse with which he often rides into battle. When he fights, a black aura is sometimes seen. 

Personality: Abigor is fiercely loyal and brave, and always at the front line. He favours honesty and strength of character, and will assist those in need in those areas. He also favours challenges and progress through strife; he will help any person, no matter how weak, as long as they are willing to learn how to fight and rise in life, demanding their rights. He supports free-will over fatalism, and he promotes help towards people who are unjustly imprisoned or oppressed. Due to Abigor’s connection to nobility and allowing his strength to flow from his heart, the planet he corresponds to is Venus. Though he is less so connected to the artistic side of Venus since he tends to be more neutral towards art, focusing more on battle instead.  

Abigor will often test the people he guides with a series of challenges in order to help them become stronger. Injustice infuriates him and whenever possible, he acts as a Punisher. He never betrays his friends, and he values honesty and bravery at all times. He is understanding and supportive as a mentor, especially when he offers guidance to those too timid or too frightened to act. Abigor is also extremely honourable and will refuse to fight anyone, even his enemies, if they do not have a weapon. For this reason, he always grants a weapon to his enemy before they fight (if they are unarmed). 

Things that Abigor loves are castles, towers, wooden tables, mountains, plains, oak trees, geographical explorations, hunting, large oak barrels, large castle gates, hounds, the morning sky, the crescent moon, strategy, battle tactics, siege weapons, cannons, runes, tarot cards, scrying, black smithing, chess, fire places, and steam engines. He loves beer but only chooses to drink it as a reward for himself after achieving something; he is very disciplined and wishes to earn it instead. He hates things such as murders of unarmed people, arson of forests, plastic, drunkards, torturing of innocents, hypocrisy, and stupidity. 

How to call him: Speak to Abigor as you would with any other god, be polite and considerate. Contact him through telepathically speaking in your mind, directing the words to him (you can do this verbally, but if malicious spirits hear, they may pretend to be him). When inviting a Goetic demon to you, try to dress well for them since they are divine and royalty.

What he can do: Put you through trials for inner-strength, teach courage, help to fight against oppression, help in severing toxic relationships, protection from harm, help in legal matters, help in ritually consecrating an athame, justice, determination, and granting you the will to live.

His Enn (for devotion or meditation): “Aylan Abigor tasa uan on ca”

Offerings: beer (stout), gin, dry white wine, mixed fruit juice, red steak (medium or rare), veal, goat meat, cheeseburgers, cornbread, baked potatoes, oven-roasted wurst, omelet with asparagus, stove-baked bread, spicy soups, grapes, persimmons, chili peppers, cayenne pepper, dark chocolate, nuts, cinnamon, honey, ginger, turmeric, thyme, barley, beeswax, burnt wood, garnets, amber, tigers eye, two-handed swords, shields, medieval armour, war knives, war horns, war banners, tin flasks, nails, screws, griffin statues, eagle feathers, yellow candles, and incense of dried thyme or red sandalwood

[wisdomrays]

THE AWAITED GENERATION

We have long been awaiting a generation, with hearts as pure and kind as angels, with will-power strong enough to overcome the most formidable obstacles, and minds keen enough to solve all the problems of the age. Had it not been for the persistence of our hope for the coming of such a blessed generation, we would long ago have been a thing of the past.

We live in the darkest of nights until they appear on our horizon with radiant faces promising the breaking of dawn. Once they have appeared on our horizon, this land of the wretched and the miserable, resembling a gloomy graveyard, will begin to be cheered by flowers of every kind. If our hopes are not blighted by a poisonous wind, this land, changing into a flower-garden through the reviving water that that generation brings, will be a place of happiness and 'spiritual recreation' for all the world's people, a place of peace, harmony and serenity. The world of the future will be so enlightened by their light that the moon and the sun will be dim in comparison. In their enlightened ethos, the universe will be studied as a meaningful book and the music of brotherhood will be played everywhere. Art and literature will be refined of coarseness and vulgarities of all kinds and find noble-minded practitioners.

This world will indeed be built anew when they sound the note of revival, and those who fell into a kind of winter sleep will wake up. The music of despair composed by Satan and played by some indolent persons will stop; people will be exhilarated with melodies of hope and activity which they compose and play.

The awaited generation are successors to the mission of the master of the Prophets, and therefore have inherited the loyalty and faithfulness of Adam, the resolve and steadfastness of Noah, the devotion and gentleness of Abraham, the valour and dynamism of Moses, the forbearance and compassion of Jesus. When found together in a group, these qualities are such a great source of power that those who have them will inevitably seize the 'reins' of the world, provided they remain loyal to the covenant God has made with them.

The world is to be saved by that 'golden' generation who represent the Divine Mercy, from all the disasters, intellectual, spiritual, social and political, with which it has long been afflicted. The world will come back, through their efforts, to its 'primordial' pattern, on which God created it, and be purified of all kinds of deviation and ignorance, so that people may rise to 'the highest of the high' on the ladder of belief, knowledge and love, supported against the heavens by the Divine Message.

Humankind have never been so wretched as they are today. They have lost all their values: the "table of art and literature" is "vandalized" by drunks; thought is capital wasted in the hands of people suffering from intellectual poverty; science is a plaything of materialism; and the products of science are tools used in the name of unbelief. Amid such disorder and bewilderment, the people neither know their destination in the world nor the direction to follow to reach that destination.

In order to awaken the people and guide them to truth, the awaited generation, those young people who implant hope in our hearts, enlighten our minds and quicken our souls, will suffer with the sufferings of humankind and 'water' all the 'barren lands' with the tears they shed over centuries-old miseries. They will visit every corner of the world, leaving no-one not called upon, and pour out their reviving inspirations into the souls of the dumbstruck people. Having so long awaited those holy ones, sound-minded, saintly and trustworthy, who have dedicated themselves to humankind, the people will at last feel able to take the road to the depths of the heavens and reach eternity.

O long-awaited generation! Rise, for the love of the Creator, to your sacred task, and replace the choking darkness around us with the light of your love, hope and nobility! Rise and force back the 'monsters' of the age to their dens! Even if the world unites against you in the form of a terrible bomb; even if they upset your plans and systems; even if they make concerted attacks upon you from all sides, you will never quake; rather, with undiminished hope, you will continue to pave the way for the happy future. You will, like the Prophet Solomon, ride the winds and bring rain to the barren lands in order to change them into flower gardens. You will put an end to injustice all over the world and run to the aid of the oppressed; be so forbearing towards people that there will be no soul you have not embraced, no vengeance or rancour you have not removed.

O you who have been awaited for centuries! Look! Darkness is disappearing from your horizon and different melodies are being heard from beyond it. Those melodies, reaching us in the early hours of the 'morning' will spread throughout the world in the coming days. If you suspect that this is 'false dawn' – though it is not – do not be grieved as even a false dawn promises the 'true dawn'.

Rejoice and sing the praises of the happy future! Let your souls overflow with the glad tidings of that future, and let your eyes be filled with tears of happiness! I hope that your centuries-old longings are about to come to an end, and you are at the mysterious door opening to a spiritual world. Now you should bow before your Lord humbly, acknowledging your innate powerlessness, then set out for eternity with love, zeal and energy, so that you may deserve His help and exhilarating company during your journey, and watch the beauties displayed by Him.

When you reach, in such spirituality, the door of the Eternal World, the angels will welcome you, saying, Peace be upon you! Well have you done! Enter you here, to dwell therein forever! You will respond to this welcome with gratitude and say: Praise be to God, Who has truly fulfilled His promise to us, and given us the earth to inherit, and that we may dwell in Paradise wherever we desire.

[saswatnanda1]

A TRYST WITH THE FUTURE

“Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny”- as the Central Hall of the Parliament echoed with these very words, India awoke to life and freedom. 75 years ago, on this very day, every Indian began to walk with his/her head held high, in their own free nation, with their own government, with their own way of life, and with their own sense of duty for their nation. In this diverse nation, full of different festivals and colours, there is no bigger one than that of our Independence.

  Those glorious chapters of history, which testify the immortal sacrifices, the bravest of valour, the greatest of uprisings and movements and the strongest of resistance against oppression has been the source of guidance, inspiration and motivation for generations. It was this lamp which illuminated the floor where the Constituent Assembly framed our Constitution, and when WE THE PEOPLE adopted this as the supreme law of our land. It was this legacy which was supposed to be carried forward, when our brave soldiers fought in the past and still fight, when the call to serve beckons. It was this vision which led to India’ leap in science and technology, right from transporting rockets in bicycles and bullock carts, to putting satellites in orbits around Mars and the Moon. It was the pride of this national flag, which has led our athletes to overcome all obstacles and perform their best whenever they play for the nation, right from the World Cup of 1983, to the Commonwealth Games of 2022. It is the rich and vibrant culture of this nation, that has led to our artists, musicians, actors present some of the finest works, music, movies, literature in history.

  Perhaps, the greatest challenge of the present, which had tried to submerge the whole of humanity, was the COVID crisis which showed its full might in the years 2020 and 2021. Amidst doubts, apprehension and fears of the unknown, it was this realization, that when people unite as a single force, there is no way one can lose. As the nation united to help their fellow Indians in their time of need, and as our frontline warriors led the way, India fought, bravely, patiently and stood strong on its feet.

  The path to greatness is never full of roses. Neither was the road to 75 years of pride and greatness.  Many significant events had splintered the path to this day. Those events required enormous pain, sacrifice and bravery. And there is no promise that such events won’t occur in the future. We might have to face them as well. There might be crossroads- we can either choose to face it or flee away from it. Our leaders in the struggle to freedom had faced these choices too.  However, it is an undeniable fact it was their choice that led to our freedom. This nation, which we proudly call our home, is just not a combination of fertile soil and natural beauty, it is the home to one of the most ancient civilization of the world, it is the home to diverse colours, culture and beauty and most importantly, it is the fruit of the bravery, sacrifice, and pride of every braveheart who had fought for a free nation. We are heirs to a legacy which is filled with dignity, knowledge and pride. As a great poet had once said,

  यह धूल नहीं है धरा हमारी,

यह सदियों का अभिमान है |

सौ जनम भी जिसपर न्योछावर,

वह भारत देश महान है |

  As we celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, let us all pledge to ignite the same flame within ourselves which illuminated the minds of those, whose legacy we are all entrusted with. To work tirelessly and to give our best in whatever we do and to be united in times of adversity, for this great nation.

  Happy Independence Day to all of you!