Fr Jude Fernandes
a visionary
eyes to the future
in a changing world
God Bless
giving a new direction
to his school
his school children
in the name
of progress
a bagless revolution
in the primary section
to impress
kids with heads high
in neat and clean dress
inter faith
belief in humanity
he is ready to address
without using the cane
or excessive duress
changing the student
from within
with love
a brotherly process
positive he is
I say yes
trying to remove
the chaos the confusion
of Indian education
in total mess
a jesuit
beyond
caste
color
or creed
the story
of success
available to all
for feedback
suggestions
after school
or during recess
for your child's future
readily access
I am Fr Judes fan and if he starts a girls section perhaps Marziya might join St Stanislaus after all... Marziya is my 23 month old grand daughter.
Fr Jude Fernandes
wonders each time
he sees me in my
new mystics dress
sometimes head bald
sometime in long
golden tress
the barefeet blogger
of bandra
you have rightly
guessed
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fr Jude Fernandes Jai Ho
A Barefeet Blogger Shoots
a single path
leading to god
various routes
hope and hindtuva
a message of peace
touching humanity
branches laden
with fruits
satyamave jayate
as its roots
through
the mirror
of a karmic
consciousness
a barefeet blogger
shoots
living
mutually
as Indians
a thought
that fishes
in the pond
never pollutes
musical
lyrical
soulful
sounds
of a flute
Ramlila Artistes Backstage
98,790 items / 597,487 views
This is the last segment of pictures shot backstage on Dasshera day that I am posting now.. I have a very slow Flickr uploader , it takes hours sometimes several days to get mt pictures to my photostream.
But I am not complaining..
The artistes at Ramlila are all male doing a splendid job and playing multi characters , they help each other , they do make up on the other artistes and even they do not complain..
They are all from good solid sound back grounds but they love Ramlila .
Ram and Laxman , also known as Gopal and Govind both real brothers both Chaturvedis are from Mumbai the rest from Mathura.
For me this backstage was a pictorial eyeopener, there was peace brotherhood and harmony among all the artistes.
I am also thankful to the organizers of the Ramlila allowing me to shoot this important event for the second time..Thank you Sundar Bhai I Kannar.
Give The Mumbai Police Man His Due
98,789 items / 597,443 views
The Mumbai Police cop has been on his feet contributing with his humility , his khaki presence to the law and order situation in Mumbai.
And the positive side , he is doing a brilliant job, whatever crass the media writes about him ,there are bad eggs in every basket in society so why just pick on cops...there s corruption in Gods house too, in politics so why just corner the policeman only ..dont paint all of them with a brush of hate.
The long hours at work means that the policeman has hardly any time for his family,or his childrens growth.His accommodation is a pigeon hole..his salary sucks..he has no time for anything else..
I have always made it a point , to make the policeman the hero of all my religious procession stories , he is there and his shadow keeps evil at bay, as there are bad elements waiting to bring peace to a halt in Mumbai our beloved city where we all live happily .
We have seen trying times , evil tried to choke the life out of Mumbai, but we the people along with the Mumbai Police overcame their evil agenda.
Whatever one says Mumbai Police in spite of all odds has been there with a danda in hand facing the terrorists bullets , the irony is the heartless soul of conscience only remembers the Mumbai Police when they die saving our lives , other wise we neglect them completely.
They are used like door mats by the politician and if they rebel they are thrown to the jungles transferred to Naxalbari fires..its indeed sad to say the least.
I was at the Bandra Police Station yesterday and all the constables greeted me wholeheartedly ,thanking me for recording the various processions of Bandra..promoting peace and goodwill among all sections of society.
None of the constables know I write about them too, they know I take their pictures , but not one of them has ever asked for a copy.
Very few know that I post them on the Internet.
Senior Inspector Prakash George too has been a great fan of my work, and recently ACP Amitabh Gupta who met at Carter Road thanked me for the work I was doing as a blogger.
And I had taken Marziya to the Bandra Police Staion she would not stop shaking hands with the cops and shouting Police Police .. Marziya is my 23 month old grand daughter who all the Bandra cops love , most of them stop their vans to wave out to her, I have tears in my eyes as I write this..do they see their own daughters when they see Marziya ..Probably..
I have always paid tribute to the humble constable barring some officers who dont like their pictures being taken by a blogger photographer dressed like me I have cordial relationship with the Mumbai Police on the whole..
BLOCK TOOL AT FLICKR
98,782 items / 597,356 views
Most people add me as contact here at Flickr without reading my profile, and I think it is important and mandatory to know a bit about the person you add .
http://www.flickr.com/people/firozeshakir/
I have nothing against homosexuals, gay or transgender or cross dressers..I have excellent equation with most of those whom I know and its their life ...I respect their gender choice ..but a few cross dressers , gay affiliates who add me on Flickr I block them without hesitation without sending them a message either..so please read my Profile its important to me , a part of it states at the very beginning..
PLEASE DONT ADD ME AS A CONTACT IF YOU ARE INTO PORN SEMI PORN , KINKY GROUPS I AM NOT INTERESTED IN BEING A POSTER BOY ON YOUR LIST OF FRIENDS EVEN IF IT IS ONE SIDED FROM YOUR END- I WILL BLOCK YOU IMMEDIATELY ..PLEASE RESPECT MY RIGHT OF PRIVACY..AS I RESPECT YOURS..
DO NOT ADD ME AS A CONTACT if you have tasteless masturbationally self-indulgent crap on your page!..find someone of your own kind dont subject me to blocking you - which I will if I see my thumbnail on your contacts page.
I WILL BLOCK ONE SIDED CONTACTS THAT HAVE ADDED ME WITHOUT THEIR PROFILE OR AVATAR OR THOSE INTO KINKY GROUPS..PORN ETC..
I HAVE BLOCKED 153 SUCH CONTACTS..the number has increased ..
Before I add a contact request I see their profile which is bogus most of the time, than I see their photostream that states nothing is available for you , their favorites and if it has porn images ..I block the person.
I see the groups they belong too and if it is tasteless and porn oriented or sex related I block completely.
I maybe shooting gays , hijras , homosexuals the gay parade , I champion their cause writing poems against Article 377 but the buck stops there.
At Facebook its the same story, I am a bad chatter, and normally the person who chats with me finally ends up asking me to give him Hijra contacts ..I am not a pimp , I am a photo blogger I shoot pain and that's it.
I thought this disclaimer was essential as I have blocked a lot of people and they must be wondering why I did so..
I have also disabled my comment box st Fllickr , my pictures that I have taken pain to shoot , my pictures that are documentary of other peoples rites or rituals however macabre them may be have to be viewed with respect even if you are puritan or a Wahhabi..You dont like it dont see it skip my photostream.
I dont follow your religious thought I dont follow your views or your diktat..in short I am a Shia embedded to the soul of my motherland India .. Yes I am also known as the Shia Pandit humanity has saffronized my nationalistic soul.
I dont promote any religious view but yes I am religious and a conservative in more ways than one..by following the procession of Lalbagh Cha Raja I dont become a Hindu but yes I am do become a good Muslim a good Indian.. I respect divinity as it personally attached to each one of us...
Many a time I have to explain to Shia kids who think Flickr is my Shia site , Flickr is the source of my pictorial river , the source of my blogs poems and this 2 year Pro account was gifted to me by an American Jew ... the best of the best Dr Glenn Losack MD..Furious Physician.
Shia kids dont like to see pictures of Hijras on my site , too bad , I tell them see what is relevant to their mind set and stop pre judging me yes I block aggressive Shia Wahhabis too.. I have no time to start a debate I am not a Mullah or a religious scholar..Period.
Give me space as I give you yours..
Today 2 October Gandhi Jayanti message from the barefeet blocker of Mumbai...
Lord Ravan
98,755 items / 597,258 views
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravana
Ravana is a character in Hindu mythology, and is the primary antagonist in the Ramayan epic.
He plays a major role in the Hindu mythology Ramayana, where he is mainly depicted negatively as a brute, and most infamously as having kidnapped Rama's wife Sita and being killed by her husband.
This depiction is, however, open to other interpretations. Ravana is also mentioned as a great scholar, a capable ruler, Veena Player and a devoted follower of Shiva, and he has his apologists and staunch devotees within the Hindu traditions. The contrived meaning of "10 headed" as it is propagated by nationalists is that he possessed a very thorough knowledge in the 4 vedas, and 6 upanishadas (although the Upanishads number in their hundreds), which made him as powerful as 10 scholars. However, there is mention in Atharva Veda of demonic brahmans called 'Dasagva' (Ten headed) and 'navagva' (nine headed). These early mythical beings may be the actual forerunners of the later character in the Ramayana.
Ravana is also said to have authored Ravana Sanhita, a powerful book on the Hindu astrology, also known as Kaali Kitab. Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Ayurveda and political science. He is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality, which was stored under His navel, thanks to a celestial boon by Brahma. [1]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Etymology
* 2 Birth
* 3 Tapas to Brahma
* 4 King of Lanka
* 5 Devotee of Lord Shiva
* 6 Emperor of the Three Worlds
* 7 Women
* 8 Depiction in other Scriptures, as Vishnu's cursed doorkeeper
* 9 Ravana's family
* 10 Ravana Temples
* 11 Popular Culture
* 12 Ravana-Dahan (Burning effigy of Ravana)
* 13 References
[edit] Etymology
The name 'Ravana' obtains from the root ru - shabde raavayati iti raavaNaH 'one who makes people criers by his violent actions.'[2] Ravana had many other popular names such as 'Dashanan', 'Lankeshwar', 'Ravanaeshwaran', 'Dashgreev', 'Dashkandhar', 'Vaishravan', all signifying the qualities.
[edit] Birth
Ravana was born to his father Brahmin sage known as Vishrava and his wife, the daitya princess Kaikesi. He was born in the Devagana gotra, as his grandfather, sage Pulastya, was the one of the six human sons of Brahma. Kaikesi's father, Sumali (or Sumalaya), king of the Daityas, wished her to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world, so as to produce an exceptional heir. He rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him. Kaikesi searched among the sages, and finally chose Vishrava, the father of Kubera. Ravana was thus partly Daitya and partly Brahmin.
His brothers were Vibhishana and Kumbhakarna. Through his mother, he was related to the daityas Maricha and Subahu. Kaikesi also produced a daughter, Meenakshi ("girl with fish like eyes"), although later she was dubbed the infamous Shoorpanakha "winnow-like nails".
His father Vishrava noted that while Ravana was aggressive and arrogant, he was also an exemplary scholar. Under Vishrava's tutelage, Ravana mastered the Vedas and the holy books and also the arts and ways of Kshatriyas (warriors). Ravana was also an excellent veena player and the sign of his flag had a picture of veena on it.[citation needed] Sumali, his grandfather, worked hard in secret to ensure that he retained the ethics of the Daityas.
The Ramayana tells the Ravana had close connections with region of the Yadus, which included Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan up to Mathura south of Delhi. Ravana is believed to be the related to Lavanasura also regarded as a Rakshasa, of Madhupura (Mathura) in the region of the Surasenas, who was conquered & killed by Shatrughana, youngest brother of Rama.
After worshipping a Shiva Linga on the banks of the Narmada, in the more central Yadu region, Ravana was captured and held under the control of King Kartavirya Arjuna, one of the greatest Yadu kings. It is very clear from the references in the Ramayana, That Ravana was no commoner among the Humans or Asuras, a great chanter of the Sama Veda.
It is mentioned in one of the chapters of the Srimada Bhagvata, that Sita was actually his daughter. During one of the Ceremonial Yagya By Lord Shiva, Ravana was given the Boon Water,which he was told to give to Mandodari. While on way back to his kingdom, both the husband & wife slept in a lonely forest. During the night, Ravana felt thirsty, so he drank that water & was impregnated. While on the way back to his kingdom the next day, he coughed ferociously and Sita is said to have landed in Janakpur, The kingdom of King Janaka, who while ploughing in ceremony after performing the Yagya for the rains in his drought hit kingdom, struck a metal vessel with the lowest blade of the plough called Seet, this is how Sita's name originated.[3]
[edit] Tapas to Brahma
Following his initial training, Ravana performed an intense penance to Brahma (the Creator God), lasting several years. Pleased with his austerity, Brahma offered him a boon. Ravana asked for immortality, which Brahma refused to give, but gave him the celestial nectar of immortality. The nectar of immortality, which was stored under his navel, according to which he could never be vanquished till the nectar was dried out.
Ravana then asked for absolute invulnerability and supremacy before gods and heavenly spirits, other demons, serpents, and wild beasts. Contemptuous of mortal men, he did not ask for protection from these. Brahma granted him these boons, and additionally great strength by way of knowledge of divine weapons and sorcery.
[edit] King of Lanka
A traditional depiction of Ravana,
After winning these boons, Ravana sought out his grandfather, Sumali, and assumed leadership over his army. He then set his sights on capturing the island city of Lanka(present day Sri Lanka).
Lanka was an idyllic city, created by the celestial architect Vishwakarma for Kubera, the treasurer of the gods. Kubera had generously shared all that he owned with Ravana and the latter's siblings, who were Kubera's half-brothers and half-sister through his stepmother Kaikesi. However, Ravana demanded Lanka wholly from him, threatening to take it by force. Vishrava, their father, advised Kubera to give it up to him, as Ravana was now undefeatable.
Although Ravana usurped Lanka, he was nevertheless regarded as a benevolent and effective ruler. Lanka flourished under his rule, to the extent that it is said the poorest of houses had vessels of gold to eat and drink off, and hunger was unknown in the kingdom.
[edit] Devotee of Lord Shiva
Ravana lifting mount Kailash - Ellora Caves.
Following his conquest of Lanka, Ravana encountered Shiva at his abode in Kailash. Here Ravana attempted to uproot and move the mountain on a whim. Shiva, annoyed by Ravana's arrogance, pressed his littlest Toe on Kailash, pinning him firmly and painfully under it. His ganas informed Ravana of whom he had crossed, upon which Ravana became penitent. He composed and sang songs praising Shiva, and is said to have done so for years until Shiva released him from his bondage.
Pleased with his resilience and devotion, Shiva gave to him the divine sword Chandrahas ("Moon-blade"). It was during this incident that he acquired the name 'Ravana', meaning "(He) Of the terrifying roar", given to him by Shiva - the earth is said to have quaked at Ravana's cry of pain when the mountain was pinned on him. Ravana in turn became a lifelong devotee of Lord Shiva and is said to have composed the hymn known as Shiva Tandava Stotra.
After Ravana had been given the Celestial juice of Immortality by Brahma, he went on to please Shiva. He cut his head & put it as sacrifice for pleasing Shiva, but Shiva replaced his head with a new one. This was repeated Nine times, on which Shiva was happy & pleased with Ravana's resilience & devotion. Thus he also got name Dassa-sheesha.
[edit] Emperor of the Three Worlds
Ravana in Sanskrit drama of Kerala, India- Kutiyattam. Artist: Guru Nātyāchārya Māni Mādhava Chākyār[4]
His abilities now truly awe-inspiring, Ravana proceeded on a series of campaigns, conquering humans, celestials and other demons. Conquering the netherworld completely, he left his brother Ahiravana as king. He became supreme overlord of all asuras in the three worlds, making an alliance with the Nivatakavachas and Kalakeyas, two clans he was unable to subdue. Conquering several kingdoms of the human world, he performed the suitable sacrifices and was crowned Emperor.
Kubera at one point chastised Ravana for his cruelty and greed, greatly angering him. Proceeding to the heavens, Ravana fought and defeated the devas, singling out his brother for particular humiliation. By force he gained command over the gods, celestials, and the serpent races. At the time of the Ramayana, set several hundred years later, Ravana is shown as dominating all human and divine races - so much so that he can command the Sun's rising and setting.
[edit] Women
Ravana kidnapping Sita and killing Jatayu - By Raja Ravi Varma
Ravana was known for his virility and his aggressive conquests of women. Ravana had several wives, foremost of whom was Mandodari - daughter of Mayasura and an apsara named Hema.
Mandodari was renowned for her wisdom and grace as well as beauty and chastity. She is often compared to Sita, the most beautiful woman described in Indian spiritualism.
In addition to his wives, Ravana maintained a harem of incredible size, populated with women whom he captured in his many conquests, many of them accepted and lived happily in his harem for his great manhood, power, and knowledge of different subjects. Ravana was known to force himself upon any woman who rejected his advances. Two significant encounters occurred that would shape the course of the Ramayana.
The first was the encounter with the sage-woman Vedavati. Vedavati had been performing penance with the intention of winning Lord Vishnu as her husband. Ravana met her at her hermitage, her beauty enhanced by the austerities she had performed. He propositions her and is rejected. Ravana mocks her austerities and her devotion to Vishnu; finding himself firmly rejected at every turn, he tries to molest Vedavati, pulling her hair. This greatly incensed her, and she forthwith cut off her hair, and said she would enter into the fire before his eyes, adding, "Since I have been insulted in the forest by thee who art wicked-hearted, I shall be born again for thy destruction." So she entered the blazing fire, and celestial flowers fell all around. It was she who was born again as Sita, and was the moving cause of Ravana's death, though Rama was the agent.[5]
Vedavati is said to have been reborn as Sita, causing Ravana's death and winning Vishnu (as Rama) as her husband.
The second was his encounter with the apsara Rambha, upon whom he forced himself. Rambha was betrothed to Kubera's son, but her plea that she was like a daughter to him did not deter Ravana. Angered at this, Kubera's son cursed Ravana, stating that his ten heads would fall off if he forced himself upon any woman thereafter. This curse is said to have protected Sita's chastity while she was Ravana's captive for nearly a year.
[edit] Depiction in other Scriptures, as Vishnu's cursed doorkeeper
Ravana as depicted in Yakshagana, popular folk art of Karnataka
In the Bhagavata Purana, Ravana and his brother, Kumbakarna were said to be reincarnations of Jaya and Vijaya, gatekeepers at Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu and were cursed to be born in Earth for their insolence.
These gatekeepers refused entry to the Sanatha Kumara monks, who, because of their powers and austerity appeared as young children. For their insolence, the monks cursed them to be expelled from Vaikunta and to be born on Earth.
God Vishnu agreed that they should be punished, but agreed to mitigate their curse. He asked them whether they wanted seven births as devotees of Vishnu or three births as enemies of the Lord. Since they wanted to return as soon as possible, they agreed to be born in three births as evil-doers. As according to the Vishnu Puarana, once Narada wanted to get the Shape & form of Lord Vishnu, so that he could marry a Princess on whom he had developed infatuation (although it was a Vishnu's mesmerisation. On desperate request of Narada, Lord Vishnu actually made him look like a monkey. Narada straightaway went to the Swayamvara of that Princess. The princess is said to have passed Him three times, when he didn't still realise why he was rejected(as he believed that he looked Like Lord Vishnu). Other Princesses present there made fun out of his Appearance and told him to just have a look at himself before looking at the Princess. He went to a nearby fountain & looked in the water. He was furious to find that he, in fact, looked like a monkey. Lord Vishnu was also present there. Narada cursed him saying that in 'Treta Yuga his beloved wife will get kidnapped by a Demon. He will be compelled to seek help from the monkeys. The two Door Keepers of Lord Vishnu, Jai & Vijay, were also present there laughed uncontrollably at Narada's plight.Enraged he hurled another curse at them as, that they should live on Earth as Demons at that time. Just then when the princess put the Swayamvara Garland on Vishnu's neck and she came to her real incarnation as Goddess Lakshmi. On this Narada realised his mistake and asked for apology from Lord Vishnu. Upon which Vishnu said that, it was bound to happen. Jai & Vijay pleaded to Lord Narada to forgive them. But a curse could never be taken back, so he limited the Curse to Three Lives. Lord Vishnu came to their rescue & said that he would each time he bring them Mokhsha by Killing them & that they would be back in his service after that.
In the first birth,in kritaYuga Jaya and Vijaya were born as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. Vishnu incarnated as Varaha and Narasimha and killed them both. In Treta Yuga they were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna and were killed by Rama. Then in Dwapara Yuga. In their final birth, they were born as Shishupala and Dantavakra, and killed by Sri Krishna. After the end of three births, they returned to Vaikunta.
[edit] Ravana's family
An Effigy of Ravana with burning sparklers on Dusshera. Dashehra Diwali Mela in Manchester, England, 2006.
This section deals with many members of Ravana's family. Since they are hardly mentioned outside the Ramayana, not much can be said about them. They are presented here as they are in the Ramayana, which is viewed by some as being only the point of view of Rama devotees, but is the most complete account of the story that is known.
Ravana was married to Mandodari, the daughter of the celestial architect Maya. He had seven sons from his three wives:
1. Indrajit
2. Prahasta
3. Atikaya
4. Akshayakumara
5. Devantaka
6. Narantaka
7. Trishira
Ravana's paternal grandfather was Pulastya, son of Brahma. Ravana's maternal grandfather was Malyavan, who was against the war with Rama, and his maternal grandmother was Tataki. Ravana also had a maternal uncle, Maricha.
Ravana had six brothers and two sisters:
1. Kubera - the King of North direction and the Guardian of Heavenly Wealth. He was an older half-brother of Ravana: they were born to the same father by different mothers.
2. Vibhishana - A great follower of Sri Rama and one of the most important characters in the Ramayana. As a minister and brother of Ravana, he spoke the Truth without fear and advised Ravana to return Kidnapped Sita and uphold Dharma. Ravana not only rejected this sane advice, but also banished him from his kingdom. Vibhishana sought protection from Sri Rama, which was granted without hesitation. He is known as a great devotee of Sri Rama.
3. Kumbhakarna - One of the most jovial demons in Hindu mythology. When offered a boon by Brahma, he was tricked into asking for unending sleep! A horrified Ravana, out of brotherly love, persuaded Brahma to amend the boon. Brahma mitigated the power of the boon by making Kumbhakarna sleep for six months and being awake for rest six months of a year (in some versions, he is awake for one day out of the year). During the war with Sri Rama, Kumbhakarna was awakened from his sleep. He tried to persuade Ravana to follow Dharmic path and return Sita; seek mercy of Sri Rama. But he too failed to mend the ways of Ravana. However, he fought on the side of Ravana and was killed in the battlefield. Before dying he met Vibhishana and blessed him for following path of righteousness.
4. Khara - King of Janasthan. He protected the northern kingdom of Lanka in the mainland and his kingdom bordered with the Kosala Kingdom, the kingdom of Rama. He was well-known for his superior skills in warfare.
5. Dushana - Viceroy of Janasthan.
6. Ahiravan - King of the Underworld ruled by the rakshasas by Ravana and Demon King Maya.
7. Kumbhini - sister of Ravana and the wife of the demon Madhu, King of Mathura, she was the mother of Lavanasura. She was renowned for her beauty and later retired to the sea for penance.
8. Surpanakha - the evil sister of Ravana. She was the ultimate root of the kidnapping of Sita Devi. She was the one who instigated her brothers to wage a war against Rama.
[edit] Ravana Temples
Despite Valmiki's attempt to portray Ravana [1,2] as a villain, there are several temples where he is worshipped.[6][7][8] Ravana is considered most revered devotee of Lord Shiva. The images of Ravana are seen associated with lord Shiva at some places.
There is a huge Shivalinga in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, supposedly installed by Ravana himself, with a statue of Ravana near by. Both Shivalinga and Ravana are worshiped by the fishermen community there.
In Sri Lanka, a thousand years ago, King Walagamba is said to have constructed cave temples for Ravana in the Ella Valley.
Thousands of Kanyakubja Brahmins of the village Ravangram of Netaran, in the Vidisha District of Madhya Pradesh, perform daily puja (worship) in the Ravan temple and offer naivedyam / bhog (a ritual of sacrifice to the Gods. Centuries ago King Shiv Shankar built a Ravana temple at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The Ravana temple is opened once in a year, on Dashehra Day, to perform puja for the welfare of Ravana.
A Jain temple in Alvar, Rajasthan is called the Ravan Parsvanath Temple. The legend says that Ravana used to worship Parsvanath daily. While Ravana was on tour to Alvar he realized that he forgot to bring the image of Parsvanath. Mandodari, Ravana's wife, is said to have made an image of Parsvanath immediately. And hence the Ravan Parsvanath temple at Alvar.[9]
Ravana is said to have married Princess Mandodari at a place about 32 kilometers away from Jodhpur, which is now called Mandor. There is a mandap (altar or pavilion) where Ravana is said to have married Mandodari, and which the local people call Ravan Jee Ki Chanwari.
At the altar can also be found the images of Saptamatri (Seven Mothers) flanked by Ganesha and Veera Bhadra. The Saptamatri images are said to precede the time of the Pratihara Dynasty (founded in the 6th Century AD) and are in fact reminscent of the images of seven female deities of Harappa - the oldest civilization in India. In the nearby stepwell, a stone bears a script that resembles the Harappan script.
The Dave Brahmins of Mudgal Gotra, Jodhpur/Mandor who were originally from Gujarat, claim to be the descendants of Ravana. The say that since time immemorial they are performing the shraddh (death anniversary) of Ravana on Dashehra Day every year. They offer pind daan and take a bath after that ritual. They recently erected a Ravan temple in Jodhpur, where daily puja is performed.
There is a theory proposed by Sinhalese nationlists that points to the southern part of Sri Lanka as the capital of Ravana, hence the name Ruhuna came to existence. "Ruhuna" is claimed to be derived from the word's Ravana Pura or Rohana Pura, despite the liguistic improbability of 'va' becoming 'ha' in Prakrit. This is probably an attempt to tie Ravana with the history of that other national hero: Duttagamini, who was a king from that region.
[edit] Popular Culture
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2008)
Ravana has been depicted as a cybernetic being possessing great powers in the Virgin Comics series Ramayan 3392 A.D.. In this series, Ravana is shown to be devoid of any human feeling and only embodies pure evil.
In an animated television film named after the Ramayana, Ravana is a luxury-loving, arrogant emperor who kidnaps Sita (as suggested above) to punish Rama for the mutilation of Shoorpanakha. He is mostly shown as an ordinary man, albeit with pointed ears and the ability to change shape. When he is angry or combating Rama, he assumes the commonly perceived features of multiple heads and (except in the first such scene) twenty arms.
Ashok K. Banker, a novelist who wrote a fantasy series featuring the Ramayan's basic storyline and characters, depicted Ravana as a dark lord capable of projecting himself into inanimate objects, of demonic possession, and of other feats of magic. Nearly all the legends described above are ascribed to him, but his character undergoes some significant changes throughout the series. He is at first depicted as an archvillain, but evolves gradually into a thing of smaller scale, ultimately to the point of seeming fully human despite his ten heads. When he goes to face Rama for the last time, Ravana is fully aware that he will die in this battle and seems to know the histories of all of his own previous incarnations. He is shot down dramatically and dies with elegance.
Rama has also been depicted in the original(but non-canon) "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" novel, "Resurrecting Ravana" by Ray Garton. In the novel, Gile's old foe Ethan Rayne cons the granddaughter of Benson Lovecraft out of a statue of Ravana, planning to resurrect the God with the aid of the Rakshasa, lesser demons which induce close friends to argue and eventually brutally kill each other.
Ravana, a powerful boss fight appears as only one of dozens of references to Hindu mythology in Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
[edit] Ravana-Dahan (Burning effigy of Ravana)
Effigy of Ravana is burnt on Vijayadashami, in India at many places. It is said that it is symbolization of triumph ove evil (i.e. Ravana) by Rama.
Photo Journalists Ravan and a Barefeet Blogger
Photo Journalists Ravan and a Barefeet Blogger, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
98,740 items / 597,129 views
10 heads are better
than one
pictorial offshoots
the photo journalist
the demonic destiny
of ravan shoots
a barefeet blogger
the poetic soul
of ravan loots
between
newsprint and blog
no official dispute
both enjoying
a passion fruit
for the blogger
no editorial constrains
no limit a thought
transmutes
99000 blogs
at boiling point
poetic pursuits
long live flickr
this bloggers tribute
a tailor man
who stitches
pants and suits
from one point
to another point
barefeet commutes
never at the mercy
of shoes or boots
Ravan Khush Hua
mere sar par hath rakhkar
ravan bahut khush hua
jai shankar ki
bol kar dil se di dua
tera kalyan ho
sada sukhi raho
om namash shiva
shiv ki shakti ne
mere rom rom
ko chuha
karma dharma
mansikta ka kua
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