I have always maintained in my blogs, that we are Shias not just because of our fathers , or the Mullahs, our Shiasm comes directly from our mothers womb, foating in the amniotic fluid, a pond of our birth, our gyrations in the womb, the cries of Ya Hussain..in our mothers womb baptises us to our Faith much before we are born.
May be I sound exaggerative , but I always felt this way, it is our mothers who carry us within their bellies or when we are born on their waists , dragging us from one majlis to anothet, this majlis hopping is unstoppable, if you stay in Lucknow ,you are into Moharam 24/7 .
The child is very perceptive to sound to visuals,the black clothes, the alams, the matam, the tears, call it a kind of brain washing , but a better word would be soul washing.
Now dont get shocked it is these children that make us better Shias , always leading from the front,their fervour , in everything connected to Moharam.
While at a young age they sit at Sabils the watering holes distributing water to one and all, without reservations , without Shia Sunni or Hindu Muslim difference..the water in the name of Hussain.
Yes our Faith is a drop of water,it resides in our eyes.
God made tears than placed them in Shia eyes.
Shia eyes will never run dry.. the rivers might.
As long as the Name of Hussain remains Alive.
This is Ghame Hussain.
I am fascinated with children, I shoot children ,Shia children shoot me , here in this picture I made them pose, purposely, to show you the discipline of their actions to anything connected to Imam Hussain.
They know this photographer long hair, earrings , blonde hair, whatever his country he is a follower of Hussain.. Hussainiyat is a Universl passport, no borders , we bond through the blood of Hussain..We might beat our chest in Delhi or Lucknow or Mumbai or Hyderabad on Ashura , but sounds will like speed of light cover Pakistan, Iran Azerbaijan, reverberate at the Roza of Imam Hussain at Karbala.. This is Shiasm.
No I do not forget those Shias in UK USA Canada, New Zealand Australia..here too the sounds are twice harder one for the land of their forefathers, yes I am crying, another for Karbala the land of our Faith.Our spiritual nationalism is Hussainyat another name for Humanity.
Yes we are Shias.
Call us what you want to , whether you call us heretics , kaffirs, the fact remains and almost taunts your pristine opinion, we have kept the Bayt alive .. we the believers of Ahle Bait.
We believe in the same Almighty Allah, the same Holy Prophet, you perhaps dont believe in his Progeny , but that is your prerogative.
We have the same Kalma , the same Azan.. we let our hands lose..
So why cant we co exist..
Why are we just Shia Sunnis .
Why during riots, ethnic cleansing by other races we are killed as Muslims, our women raped our children sodomized.. perhaps you are shocked at my harsh words,but they are mild very mild compared to the grenades that as Muslims we lob in Masjids, suicide bombing Namazis.
Yes we are Muslims..we are products of our Arabic ancestral barbarism, we kill to shock , with style, we kill each other like we killed Hazrat Ali in the Mosque.
Or Imam Hussain and his family mercilessly without water and food at Karbala.
But yes we are Muslims we slaughter cattle goats during Bakra Idd..
Yes we Muslms certailny love to kill.. our own kind more than anything.
Our Mullah are busy watching a late night show.
The Silence of the Lambs.
Below are pictures of Kids of Mr Shabeeb Rizvis household who reinforce my faith, everytime it gets shaky..the Rizvi kids are the true apostles of our Faith.. I did not use the word Soldiers.. we have enough of them as 12 year old chopping heads for the greater glory of Islam across the borders.
a mother watches
Eyes that hold Karbala
The Matam
Ya Hussain Ya Hussain
May 3rd, 2007
photographerno1.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/shia-kids-are-mu...
Monday, August 20, 2007
The Old Time Charm of Negatives
I have been using a Digital SLR for 3 years the rotten Nikon D70.
It has gone dead on me I just called their authorised dealers Interfoto they told me to bring it back to Life , it would cost me RS 7000.
It has died several times, only once I was compensated by Nikon , I was refunded Rs 7000/that itself goes to prove that the Nikon D70 was a hastly launched product without proper feed back at the time of research.
So it has been discontinued.
Than came Nikon D70s.
So many launches , but discontinued I am told.. this is not bitching or bad mouthing , a brand that I used from the time I began Photography.
I swore by Nikon, I bought the Nikon F100 which I prefer to digital.
It has not let me down ever in about 5 years.
That is why we bought Nikon.
We could have moved to Canon, but we had Nikon lenses paraphernalia.
So we were self fucked so to speak.
Nikon does not care a damn, at the end of the day it is a greater loot they get in repairs , spare parts , so why bother.
There are guys who cannot be as vicious in their views as some of the wedding photographers who bought this camera are not net savvy, also on Nikon forums , there is no one to help or guide you.Nikon has paid guys who defend Nikon if you bad mouth it.This is brand placement brand loyalty.
In Mumbai it saddens me that people buy from the grey market , as the taxes kill you.
The photographer is raped , I talk of the professional photographer, luckily I joined as a member of the All IndiaPhotographic Trade as they were helping hobbyists like us , but of late it is just a body for traders having a good time..Its all about Profit , the Grey Market too is controlled by a Photogrphy Mafia.Less said the better.
I will give up my life membership , I was sadly disillusioned.
I had thought having their membership would get me benefits , but as a member I was thrown out of the last Mumbai Foto Fair exhibition by their commitee member because I was barefeet.. this is how they treat guys who do not live conventional life as they do.
Any way I always carried the F100 just in case , so at the Delhi Moharam Chehlum procession I shot negatives.
I find I get better results , finer details..in the Nikon D 70 the problem was dust accumulation,in the sky region that even with extreme cloning I could not save.
I am at the moment using the F100.. with a Fuji 400 film.
Sometimes I want to give up shooting pictures completely sheer waste of time , I do not begrudge thse photographers who make money through the camera that is their prerogative..
I never ever had the urge to make money ,from photography, my kind of photography is best given free.I am a street blog photographer 300 dpi save for web.
I share my culture, my world as a Photo Blogger is enough for me.
I am lucky I am a poet , more sensitive than those who shoot rubbish and show case it in Indian newspapers.Yes they are called photojournalists.
But if the government eased on taxes , made the Camera an important part of a childs growth, I think some great photographers will be born, by this gesture from the Finance Minister.
A camera helps you grow, you see things better, you love all religions, you go out shoot , share , you bond with others.You learn to Love ..Camera keeps you away from Hate..
Maybe I sound naive perhaps I am a dreamer , my kind too are people who will die unsung..
This litle bit of Blogging is for my unborn grandson so he knows incase I die before he his born, why his fathers old man is different from his own father.
I hope his father Asif Shakir forgives me for the mortality of my words..or my shortcomings as a Father when he was growing , while I was growing within a bottle of Alcohol.
May 3rd, 2007
photo of safed tazia chehlum in delhi.. moharam
It has gone dead on me I just called their authorised dealers Interfoto they told me to bring it back to Life , it would cost me RS 7000.
It has died several times, only once I was compensated by Nikon , I was refunded Rs 7000/that itself goes to prove that the Nikon D70 was a hastly launched product without proper feed back at the time of research.
So it has been discontinued.
Than came Nikon D70s.
So many launches , but discontinued I am told.. this is not bitching or bad mouthing , a brand that I used from the time I began Photography.
I swore by Nikon, I bought the Nikon F100 which I prefer to digital.
It has not let me down ever in about 5 years.
That is why we bought Nikon.
We could have moved to Canon, but we had Nikon lenses paraphernalia.
So we were self fucked so to speak.
Nikon does not care a damn, at the end of the day it is a greater loot they get in repairs , spare parts , so why bother.
There are guys who cannot be as vicious in their views as some of the wedding photographers who bought this camera are not net savvy, also on Nikon forums , there is no one to help or guide you.Nikon has paid guys who defend Nikon if you bad mouth it.This is brand placement brand loyalty.
In Mumbai it saddens me that people buy from the grey market , as the taxes kill you.
The photographer is raped , I talk of the professional photographer, luckily I joined as a member of the All IndiaPhotographic Trade as they were helping hobbyists like us , but of late it is just a body for traders having a good time..Its all about Profit , the Grey Market too is controlled by a Photogrphy Mafia.Less said the better.
I will give up my life membership , I was sadly disillusioned.
I had thought having their membership would get me benefits , but as a member I was thrown out of the last Mumbai Foto Fair exhibition by their commitee member because I was barefeet.. this is how they treat guys who do not live conventional life as they do.
Any way I always carried the F100 just in case , so at the Delhi Moharam Chehlum procession I shot negatives.
I find I get better results , finer details..in the Nikon D 70 the problem was dust accumulation,in the sky region that even with extreme cloning I could not save.
I am at the moment using the F100.. with a Fuji 400 film.
Sometimes I want to give up shooting pictures completely sheer waste of time , I do not begrudge thse photographers who make money through the camera that is their prerogative..
I never ever had the urge to make money ,from photography, my kind of photography is best given free.I am a street blog photographer 300 dpi save for web.
I share my culture, my world as a Photo Blogger is enough for me.
I am lucky I am a poet , more sensitive than those who shoot rubbish and show case it in Indian newspapers.Yes they are called photojournalists.
But if the government eased on taxes , made the Camera an important part of a childs growth, I think some great photographers will be born, by this gesture from the Finance Minister.
A camera helps you grow, you see things better, you love all religions, you go out shoot , share , you bond with others.You learn to Love ..Camera keeps you away from Hate..
Maybe I sound naive perhaps I am a dreamer , my kind too are people who will die unsung..
This litle bit of Blogging is for my unborn grandson so he knows incase I die before he his born, why his fathers old man is different from his own father.
I hope his father Asif Shakir forgives me for the mortality of my words..or my shortcomings as a Father when he was growing , while I was growing within a bottle of Alcohol.
May 3rd, 2007
photo of safed tazia chehlum in delhi.. moharam
House Imambada Tears for Hussain
Every Shia house however small or big has one pride of place , the house Imambada, beautifully decorated, within the means of that particular household.
Even the poorest of the poor Shia living in the bylanes of Old Lucknow , considers himself rich, through the presence of the house Imambada.
There is no house that does not have an Imambada..Imambada is the heart of a Shia persons house.
Azadari is the life line of a Shia.
Nothing is of any importance , even life is meaningless for a Shia, without Azadari.
Azadari is the hosting of Moharam for 2 months 40 days.
Shia Sunni riots in Lucknow have caused a total ban on Azadari several times.
Without the chant of Ya Hussain Ya Hussain..A Shia life is totallY rudderless.
Hussain is the anchor of Islam.. through Hussainiyat our Faith lives.
The Shia Muslims can never be terrorists I dont think so, it was Terrorism called Yazidiyat that almost destroyed Islam..so the Shia hates Yazidiyat.
Shia Hindustani is Watan Parast.
He loves hs country ,for a simple reason that it was this Hindustan, this land of Brahma Vishnu Mahadev, that Imam Hussain wanted to settle in a land known for its ancestral Hospitality Peace Love Hope and Harmony.
But Yazid turned down the Imams request, the Yazid wanted allegiance from the Imam the grandson of the Holy Prophet.. nothing less nothing more.
The head of Hussain he wanted on his platter , this is early Islamic barbarism..much more , that I shall avoid not wanting to sound like a Mullah.
My reason for explaining this briefly is to tell you that the Shia will take submission but as long as he is allowed to do his Azadari e Hussain..this is the only time that he will follow the dictates of moderation and rationality.
The Shia awaits Moharam..that is why it is said for the Shia everyday is Karbala.
Hussain is another name for Humanity..Hussain belngs to all,,
Har qaum Pukaregi hamare hain Hussain..
The picture is of my mother in law Wassim Qazilbah’s Imambada in Nakhas.
The rose milk the rest of the stuff is in rememberance of a Nazar of Hazrat Ali.
I was shooting Ashura in Lucknow I took a French photographer Laurent Salesse to my mother in laws house to shoot this too..this is not just twelve alams , the Holy Koran..
This is the heart and soul of Shiasm its humble birth in a Shia persons house.
Yes this is the closest I can explain to you of Azadari E Hussain.
In the evening all the ladies of this house, the neighbouring house gather here , to open their Bayas, the books of Matam..
Than you the male member sitting in the next room will be transported to his childhood hanging on his mothers waist.. while she beat her chest, vigorously voluminously mouthing the words ..
SAR SHAE MAZLOOM KA DHAD SE JUDA HOGAYA
AAJ HAMARA IMAM HUM SE JUDA HOGAYA
FATIMA KE DIL KA CHAIN HAQ PE FIDA HOGAYA
AAJ HAMARA IMAM HUM SE JUDA HOGAYA
YA HUSSAIN YA HUSSAIN YA HUSSAIN
I know you are crying like me this is Shiasm.. tears that we shed a Maksade Fatima for a Maksade Hussain…
This is known as Matam e Hussain.
The tears that you shed are Ghame Hussain..
I relive these moments I will never visit Lucknow ever again.. but for me each day is Moharam.
May 3rd, 2007
photographerno1.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/house-imambada-t...
Even the poorest of the poor Shia living in the bylanes of Old Lucknow , considers himself rich, through the presence of the house Imambada.
There is no house that does not have an Imambada..Imambada is the heart of a Shia persons house.
Azadari is the life line of a Shia.
Nothing is of any importance , even life is meaningless for a Shia, without Azadari.
Azadari is the hosting of Moharam for 2 months 40 days.
Shia Sunni riots in Lucknow have caused a total ban on Azadari several times.
Without the chant of Ya Hussain Ya Hussain..A Shia life is totallY rudderless.
Hussain is the anchor of Islam.. through Hussainiyat our Faith lives.
The Shia Muslims can never be terrorists I dont think so, it was Terrorism called Yazidiyat that almost destroyed Islam..so the Shia hates Yazidiyat.
Shia Hindustani is Watan Parast.
He loves hs country ,for a simple reason that it was this Hindustan, this land of Brahma Vishnu Mahadev, that Imam Hussain wanted to settle in a land known for its ancestral Hospitality Peace Love Hope and Harmony.
But Yazid turned down the Imams request, the Yazid wanted allegiance from the Imam the grandson of the Holy Prophet.. nothing less nothing more.
The head of Hussain he wanted on his platter , this is early Islamic barbarism..much more , that I shall avoid not wanting to sound like a Mullah.
My reason for explaining this briefly is to tell you that the Shia will take submission but as long as he is allowed to do his Azadari e Hussain..this is the only time that he will follow the dictates of moderation and rationality.
The Shia awaits Moharam..that is why it is said for the Shia everyday is Karbala.
Hussain is another name for Humanity..Hussain belngs to all,,
Har qaum Pukaregi hamare hain Hussain..
The picture is of my mother in law Wassim Qazilbah’s Imambada in Nakhas.
The rose milk the rest of the stuff is in rememberance of a Nazar of Hazrat Ali.
I was shooting Ashura in Lucknow I took a French photographer Laurent Salesse to my mother in laws house to shoot this too..this is not just twelve alams , the Holy Koran..
This is the heart and soul of Shiasm its humble birth in a Shia persons house.
Yes this is the closest I can explain to you of Azadari E Hussain.
In the evening all the ladies of this house, the neighbouring house gather here , to open their Bayas, the books of Matam..
Than you the male member sitting in the next room will be transported to his childhood hanging on his mothers waist.. while she beat her chest, vigorously voluminously mouthing the words ..
SAR SHAE MAZLOOM KA DHAD SE JUDA HOGAYA
AAJ HAMARA IMAM HUM SE JUDA HOGAYA
FATIMA KE DIL KA CHAIN HAQ PE FIDA HOGAYA
AAJ HAMARA IMAM HUM SE JUDA HOGAYA
YA HUSSAIN YA HUSSAIN YA HUSSAIN
I know you are crying like me this is Shiasm.. tears that we shed a Maksade Fatima for a Maksade Hussain…
This is known as Matam e Hussain.
The tears that you shed are Ghame Hussain..
I relive these moments I will never visit Lucknow ever again.. but for me each day is Moharam.
May 3rd, 2007
photographerno1.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/house-imambada-t...
Fake Encounters In Gandhiland
image courtesy
They ask
Husband and wife
To get off the bus
The wife makes
A fuss
The man
Is killed
In a fake encounter
The woman
It is alleged
Raped to
Appease the
Policeman’s lust
Poisoned
Murdered
To quench
Their thirst
Even if they were
Criminals
Was this a must?
Is this Just ?
If not the police man
If not the government
If not God
In whom do we trust?
Sohrabuddin Kauserbi
Bite the Dust
The conscience
Of the moral brigade
The conscience
Of the city fathers
The conscience
Of the social system
Chalta hai attitude
Baki nonplussed
I write this ‘
In Disgust
It will be ages
Before we adjust
Justice is blindfolded
So is the system
To whom our lives
We entrust
further read
Gujarat fake kills: Will truth emerge?
Fake encounter: how Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed
The journalist who cracked Gujarat fake encounter case
May 3rd, 2007
photographerno1.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/fake-encounters-...
They ask
Husband and wife
To get off the bus
The wife makes
A fuss
The man
Is killed
In a fake encounter
The woman
It is alleged
Raped to
Appease the
Policeman’s lust
Poisoned
Murdered
To quench
Their thirst
Even if they were
Criminals
Was this a must?
Is this Just ?
If not the police man
If not the government
If not God
In whom do we trust?
Sohrabuddin Kauserbi
Bite the Dust
The conscience
Of the moral brigade
The conscience
Of the city fathers
The conscience
Of the social system
Chalta hai attitude
Baki nonplussed
I write this ‘
In Disgust
It will be ages
Before we adjust
Justice is blindfolded
So is the system
To whom our lives
We entrust
further read
Gujarat fake kills: Will truth emerge?
Fake encounter: how Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed
The journalist who cracked Gujarat fake encounter case
May 3rd, 2007
photographerno1.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/fake-encounters-...
Blogger Hijda Press
Three Hijdas at a Fashion Show
All India Hijda Sammelan
I did go
the pomp
the ramp romp
the after glow
although
while taking their
pictures
Baby the Hijda Nayak
told me to go slow
yes the press
the media
the journos
press fucked
photographers
their greatest foe
I told her
I am a photo blogger
What the fuck
is that I dont know
she said
burying her face
into my eyes
holding my elbow.
I told her
a blogger
is as honest
as honest comes
no press portfolio
a blogger is
a kind of
nostradamus
who will post toady
what the press
will post tomorrow
unlike press fucked
lady journalists
whose stories get
plagiarised
that they dont even know
keep it legal
kiss my ass
cybernetic space
a free for all
bordello
come lets play
some calypso
what say you amigo.
idiots and plagiarists
shadow boxing
hunched back
lumbago
to a fucked
photo editor
i dont have to go down
lip lock
or kowtow
The Hijdas hate presswallahs , dont ask me why , they also hate photograhers that dress up like Sadhus , but now they have become more forgiving towards my attire..perhaps they see some hijdaeroticness in my eyes….
May 3rd, 2007
All India Hijda Sammelan
I did go
the pomp
the ramp romp
the after glow
although
while taking their
pictures
Baby the Hijda Nayak
told me to go slow
yes the press
the media
the journos
press fucked
photographers
their greatest foe
I told her
I am a photo blogger
What the fuck
is that I dont know
she said
burying her face
into my eyes
holding my elbow.
I told her
a blogger
is as honest
as honest comes
no press portfolio
a blogger is
a kind of
nostradamus
who will post toady
what the press
will post tomorrow
unlike press fucked
lady journalists
whose stories get
plagiarised
that they dont even know
keep it legal
kiss my ass
cybernetic space
a free for all
bordello
come lets play
some calypso
what say you amigo.
idiots and plagiarists
shadow boxing
hunched back
lumbago
to a fucked
photo editor
i dont have to go down
lip lock
or kowtow
The Hijdas hate presswallahs , dont ask me why , they also hate photograhers that dress up like Sadhus , but now they have become more forgiving towards my attire..perhaps they see some hijdaeroticness in my eyes….
May 3rd, 2007
Om
picture was shot by me at the vasai fort last year..
Aum (also Om, ) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism, symbolizing the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe. This syllable is sometimes called the “Udgitha” or “pranava mantra” (primordial mantra), because it is considered to be the primal sound, and because most mantras begin with it. It first came to light in the Vedic Tradition. As a seed syllable (bija), it is also considered holy in Esoteric Buddhism.
The symbol Om (also called Pranava), is the most sacred symbol in Hinduism. Volumes have been written in Sanskrit illustrating the significance of this mystic symbol. Although this symbol is mentioned in all the Upanishads and in all Hindu scriptures, it is especially elaborated upon in the Taittiriya, Chandogya and Mundaka Upanishads. From the Katha Upanishad (- I, ii, 15-17):
The goal, which all Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which humans desire when they live a life of continence, I will tell you briefly it is Om. The syllable Om is indeed Brahman. This syllable Om is the highest. Whosoever knows this symbol obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahman.
The symbol of Om contains of three curves, one semicircle and a dot. The upper curve symbolizes the waking state; the lower curve denotes deep sleep (or the unconscious) state, and the right-side curve (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state. These three states of an individual’s consciousness, and therefore the entire physical phenomenon, are represented by the three curves. The dot signifies the Absolute (fourth or Turiya state of consciousness), which illuminates the other three states. The semicircle symbolizes Maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. The semicircle is open on the top, which means that the absolute is infinite and is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. In this way the form of Om symbolizes the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe and the world. Aum is made out of the three gods Shiva and Ganesh and Gayatri.
Uttering the monosyllable Om, the eternal world of Brahman, One who departs leaving the body (at death), he attains the superior goal. -Bhagavad Gita, 8.13
When OM is a part of a place name (for example Omkareshwar), or is used as a man’s name, it is spelled phonetically using ordinary letters of whatever Indian alphabet is used in the area.
Om in Buddhist tradition
With Buddhism’s evolution and breaking away from Vedic/Hindu tradition, Aum and other symbology/cosmology/philosophies are shared with the Hindu tradition. This character often appeared as “唵” in Buddhist scripts in East Asia.
In Buddhism this syllable is almost never transliterated as Aum, but instead as Om.
This syllable is also incorporated in the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum”.
Philosophy of AUM
Aum symbol used in a parade in Bangalore
According to Hindu philosophy this syllable is combined of three components: the letter A (alpha), which represents creation, when all existence issued forth from Brahma’s golden necleus; the letter U, which refers to Vishnu the god of the middle who preserves this world by balancing Brahma on a lotus above himself. The letter U with the A, produces the sound of the long Ō (omega). The M produces the prolonged resonance of the nasal cavity with the mouth closed: it is the final part of the cycle of existence, when Vishnu falls asleep and Brahma has to breathe in so that all existing things have to disintegrate and are reduces to their essence to him. This is the M of Mahesha, also known as the great Lord Shiva, whose long period of yoga begins so that the sensual world ceases to exists.
Gods and Goddesses are sometimes referred to as Aumkar, which means Form of Aum, thus implying that who are limitless, the vibrational whole of the cosmos. Ek Onkar, meaning ‘one god’ is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy. In Hindu metaphysics, it is proposed that the manifested cosmos (from Brahman) has name and form (nama-rupa), and that the closest approximation to the name and form of the universe is Aum, since all existence is fundamentally composed of vibration. (This concept of describing reality as vibrations, or rhythmic waves, can also be found in quantum physics and superstring theory, which describe the universe in terms of vibrating fields or strings.)
Aum symbol on the Temple elephant’s forehead
In advaita philosophy it is frequently used to represent three subsumed into one, a common theme in Hinduism. It implies that our current existence is mithya, or ’skewed reality,’ that in order to know the full truth we must comprehend beyond the body and intellect and intuit the true nature of infinity, of a Divine Ground that is imminent but also transcends all duality, being and non-being, that cannot be described in words. Within this metaphysical symbolism, the three are represented by the lower curve, upper curve and tail of the ॐ subsumed into the ultimate One, represented by the little crescent moon-shape and dot, known as chandrabindu. Essentially, upon moksha, mukti, samadhi, nirvana, liberation, etc. one is able not only to see or know existence for what it is, but to become it. In attaining truth one simply realizes fundamental unity; it is not the joining together of a prior manifold splitting. When one gains true knowledge, there is no split between knower and known: one becomes knowledge/consciousness itself. In essence, Aum is the signifier of the ultimate truth that all is one.
For the scriptural esoteric explanation of Aum see Mandūkya Upanishad.
Dvaita (Vaishnava) philosophies teach that ‘Aum’ is an impersonal sound representation of Vishnu/Krishna while Hari Nama is the personal sound representation. A represents Krishna, U Srimati Radharani and M jivas. According to Sridhara Svami the pranava has five parts: A, U, M, the nasal bindu and the reverberation (nada). Liberated souls meditate on the Lord at the end of that reverberation. For both Hindus and Buddhists this syllable is sacred and so laden with spiritual energy that it may only be pronounced with complete concentration.
Examples of Three into One:
Creation (Brahma)- Preservation (Vishnu)- Destruction (Shiva) into Brahman
Waking- Dreaming- Dreamless Sleep into Turiya (transcendental fourth state of consciousness)
Rajas (activity, heat, fire) - Tamas (dullness, ignorance, darkness) - Sattva (purity, light, serenity/shanti) into Brahman
Body, Speech and Mind into Oneness
The Chandogya Upanishad (1.1.1-10) states, “The udgitha is the best of all essences, the highest, deserving the highest place, the eighth.”
“Aum” can be seen as Sri Ganesh, whose figure is often represented in the shape of Aum. He is thus known as Aumkar (Shape of Aum). Sri Nataraja, or the Hindu god ‘Shiva’ dancing his dance of destruction, is seen in that popular representation mirroring the image of Aum. It is said to be the most perfect ‘approximation’ of the cosmic existence within time and space, and therefore the sound closest to Truth.
“The First Word Om (Aum) It is also called Pranav because its sound emanates from the Prana (vital vibration), which feels the Universe. The scripture says “Aum Iti Ek Akşara Brahman” (Aum that one syllable is Brahman).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum
January 3rd, 2007
Aum (also Om, ) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism, symbolizing the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe. This syllable is sometimes called the “Udgitha” or “pranava mantra” (primordial mantra), because it is considered to be the primal sound, and because most mantras begin with it. It first came to light in the Vedic Tradition. As a seed syllable (bija), it is also considered holy in Esoteric Buddhism.
The symbol Om (also called Pranava), is the most sacred symbol in Hinduism. Volumes have been written in Sanskrit illustrating the significance of this mystic symbol. Although this symbol is mentioned in all the Upanishads and in all Hindu scriptures, it is especially elaborated upon in the Taittiriya, Chandogya and Mundaka Upanishads. From the Katha Upanishad (- I, ii, 15-17):
The goal, which all Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which humans desire when they live a life of continence, I will tell you briefly it is Om. The syllable Om is indeed Brahman. This syllable Om is the highest. Whosoever knows this symbol obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahman.
The symbol of Om contains of three curves, one semicircle and a dot. The upper curve symbolizes the waking state; the lower curve denotes deep sleep (or the unconscious) state, and the right-side curve (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state. These three states of an individual’s consciousness, and therefore the entire physical phenomenon, are represented by the three curves. The dot signifies the Absolute (fourth or Turiya state of consciousness), which illuminates the other three states. The semicircle symbolizes Maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. The semicircle is open on the top, which means that the absolute is infinite and is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. In this way the form of Om symbolizes the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe and the world. Aum is made out of the three gods Shiva and Ganesh and Gayatri.
Uttering the monosyllable Om, the eternal world of Brahman, One who departs leaving the body (at death), he attains the superior goal. -Bhagavad Gita, 8.13
When OM is a part of a place name (for example Omkareshwar), or is used as a man’s name, it is spelled phonetically using ordinary letters of whatever Indian alphabet is used in the area.
Om in Buddhist tradition
With Buddhism’s evolution and breaking away from Vedic/Hindu tradition, Aum and other symbology/cosmology/philosophies are shared with the Hindu tradition. This character often appeared as “唵” in Buddhist scripts in East Asia.
In Buddhism this syllable is almost never transliterated as Aum, but instead as Om.
This syllable is also incorporated in the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum”.
Philosophy of AUM
Aum symbol used in a parade in Bangalore
According to Hindu philosophy this syllable is combined of three components: the letter A (alpha), which represents creation, when all existence issued forth from Brahma’s golden necleus; the letter U, which refers to Vishnu the god of the middle who preserves this world by balancing Brahma on a lotus above himself. The letter U with the A, produces the sound of the long Ō (omega). The M produces the prolonged resonance of the nasal cavity with the mouth closed: it is the final part of the cycle of existence, when Vishnu falls asleep and Brahma has to breathe in so that all existing things have to disintegrate and are reduces to their essence to him. This is the M of Mahesha, also known as the great Lord Shiva, whose long period of yoga begins so that the sensual world ceases to exists.
Gods and Goddesses are sometimes referred to as Aumkar, which means Form of Aum, thus implying that who are limitless, the vibrational whole of the cosmos. Ek Onkar, meaning ‘one god’ is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy. In Hindu metaphysics, it is proposed that the manifested cosmos (from Brahman) has name and form (nama-rupa), and that the closest approximation to the name and form of the universe is Aum, since all existence is fundamentally composed of vibration. (This concept of describing reality as vibrations, or rhythmic waves, can also be found in quantum physics and superstring theory, which describe the universe in terms of vibrating fields or strings.)
Aum symbol on the Temple elephant’s forehead
In advaita philosophy it is frequently used to represent three subsumed into one, a common theme in Hinduism. It implies that our current existence is mithya, or ’skewed reality,’ that in order to know the full truth we must comprehend beyond the body and intellect and intuit the true nature of infinity, of a Divine Ground that is imminent but also transcends all duality, being and non-being, that cannot be described in words. Within this metaphysical symbolism, the three are represented by the lower curve, upper curve and tail of the ॐ subsumed into the ultimate One, represented by the little crescent moon-shape and dot, known as chandrabindu. Essentially, upon moksha, mukti, samadhi, nirvana, liberation, etc. one is able not only to see or know existence for what it is, but to become it. In attaining truth one simply realizes fundamental unity; it is not the joining together of a prior manifold splitting. When one gains true knowledge, there is no split between knower and known: one becomes knowledge/consciousness itself. In essence, Aum is the signifier of the ultimate truth that all is one.
For the scriptural esoteric explanation of Aum see Mandūkya Upanishad.
Dvaita (Vaishnava) philosophies teach that ‘Aum’ is an impersonal sound representation of Vishnu/Krishna while Hari Nama is the personal sound representation. A represents Krishna, U Srimati Radharani and M jivas. According to Sridhara Svami the pranava has five parts: A, U, M, the nasal bindu and the reverberation (nada). Liberated souls meditate on the Lord at the end of that reverberation. For both Hindus and Buddhists this syllable is sacred and so laden with spiritual energy that it may only be pronounced with complete concentration.
Examples of Three into One:
Creation (Brahma)- Preservation (Vishnu)- Destruction (Shiva) into Brahman
Waking- Dreaming- Dreamless Sleep into Turiya (transcendental fourth state of consciousness)
Rajas (activity, heat, fire) - Tamas (dullness, ignorance, darkness) - Sattva (purity, light, serenity/shanti) into Brahman
Body, Speech and Mind into Oneness
The Chandogya Upanishad (1.1.1-10) states, “The udgitha is the best of all essences, the highest, deserving the highest place, the eighth.”
“Aum” can be seen as Sri Ganesh, whose figure is often represented in the shape of Aum. He is thus known as Aumkar (Shape of Aum). Sri Nataraja, or the Hindu god ‘Shiva’ dancing his dance of destruction, is seen in that popular representation mirroring the image of Aum. It is said to be the most perfect ‘approximation’ of the cosmic existence within time and space, and therefore the sound closest to Truth.
“The First Word Om (Aum) It is also called Pranav because its sound emanates from the Prana (vital vibration), which feels the Universe. The scripture says “Aum Iti Ek Akşara Brahman” (Aum that one syllable is Brahman).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum
January 3rd, 2007
Goddess Yellama and Devdasis
Goddess Yellama and Devdasis
www.ukhap.nic.in/homepages/Appan/annemarie.html
Until 1920 most dancing in South India was performed by devadasis. These women belonged to the larger isai vellala community which included many traditional South Indian musicians, dance teachers and dance orchestra leaders (nattuvanars). The isai vellala community included both men and women and their roles were clearly defined by gender. Only women danced, but they primarily learned the art from men, who also had a key role in their orchestra which conducted their dance performances. Within this community both men and women performed music; it was not gender specific and both could aspire to be court or concert musicians and singers.
Those isai vellala who worked in the temples of Tamil Nadu, were further divided into the periya melam and cinna melam. The distinction centred on the type of instruments they played and whether they accompanied dance. The periya melam (literally large band), included the nagasvaram (reed instrument) and tavil (drum). The cinna melam (small band) consisted of the instruments used to accompany dance: mridangam (drum), tutti (drone), mukhavina (wind instrument), cymbals etc. The women dancers, known as devadasis belonged to the isai vellala community.
When the dance was a hereditary profession, the devadasi had a well-defined and important role in society. The social and religious function of the devadasi and her dance required that it be performed by women. The most important validation ceremony for the devadasi who danced as part of temple ritual was to be formally married and dedicated to the temple deity or to a ritual object. This usually took place before puberty and allowed her to dance as part of temple ceremonies and celebrations. For the devadasi who danced in temples her marriage and dedication to a deity ranked as a more important qualification than her dancing ability. Her debut as a dancer occurred after the ritual marriage (kalyanam). This debut dance recital (arangetram) took place after the completion of dance training. The occasion celebrated not only the end of her dance training, but acknowledged publicly that she was ready for the selection-of-patron ceremony and thus her secular role as a courtesan. The practise was that after the arangetram a patron would be selected by the senior female member of the girl’s family and a formal relationship established. The patron would provide some financial assistance, but the devadasi lived separately, in her own home. Any children that she had were her property, unlike the status of children born in wedlock who were the property of the husband.
Although the devadasis undertook many functions, the accomplishment for which they are universally known is their dance. For that reason the expression devadasi and hereditary or traditional female dancer are often considered synonymous. The devadasi and her dance were important adjuncts to both religious and secular occasions. The gender lines were clearly draw. During artistic presentations which were part of temple ritual the dancers were female, the accompanists male. On secular occasions women danced and there were opportunities for female musicians, mainly singers. Male professional dancers were rare.
Because the Lord was her husband, the devadasi was always auspicious (nityasumangali), and as such her presence was important at many events, especially marriages. “As a Dasi she can never become a widow, the beads in her tali (marriage symbol) are considered to bring good luck to women who wear them… some people send the tali required for marriage to a Dasi who prepares the string for it, and attaches to it black beads from her own tali. A Dasi is also deputed to walk at the head of Hindu marriage processions…it is believed that Dasis, to whom widowhood is unknown, possess the power of warding off the effects of inauspicious omens” (Thurston 1909).
The Goddess Yellama
Slave Girls of Yellamma
India is a country difficult to pin down. On the one hand, it is making courageous strides to join the ‘modern’ world. Today, satellite television reaches the most remote of villages and Automatic Teller Machines are to be seen everywhere - those wondrous contraptions that spits out money, the 21st century incarnations of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
On the other hand, India seems not to have outgrown the Middle Ages. One still hears of occasional human sacrifices, perpetrated to ensure a plentiful harvest. There have been cases of sati - the ritual burning of widows - in recent years, and sometimes a romantic alliance between two members of different castes can still trigger off a week-long communal carnage.
For the foreign visitor, India’s more arcane aspects are definitely more spell-binding than its worldly side. After all, you can ponder the workings of an ATM in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok! Among the best occasions to delve into Old India are its numerous festivals. Some, though, may truly perplex the visitor.
One of the more bizarre festivals is the Bharata Poornima in Saundatti, in the southern state of Karnataka. The nearest major town is Dharwar, some 50 kms away. Outside of India the festival has hardly been heard of; in India itself it has been the subject of many controversies.
Every year in the Hindu month of Magh (January-February) more than half a million people gather around the tiny temple of the goddess Yellamma in Saundatti. Saundatti is a nondescript, backwater town of some 25,000 inhabitants. The Yellamma Temple stands on a barren, rocky hill on the outskirts, known as Yellamma Hill. The festival takes place at the time of the full moon, but pilgrims flock to the town several days earlier. They come from all over Central and Southern India, though mainly from Karnataka and the adjoining state of Maharashtra.
Most of the pilgrims make the journey in creaking, overloaded bullock carts, an indication that they belong to the less privileged sections of society. Many even come on foot - barefoot at that - from hundreds of kilometres away. This is intended to appease Yellamma, and often to thank her for some wish fulfilled.
As the pilgrims converge on Saundatti, one has the impression of being at a kind of Hindu Woodstock. Everywhere is an explosion of colour - brightly coloured sarees, fancy dyed turbans - and everyone has painted their faces with yellow turmeric powder. On top of this, everybody is cheerful and friendly - good vibrations are definitely in the air. As full moon day draws close, Yellamma Temple is surrounded by an enormous, restless camp of bullock carts and pilgrims.
This may sound like any other religious festival in India, but it is not. Yellamma is the patron of the devadasi or “godly slave-girls”. Tradition has it that on the full moon day of Bharata Poornima, young girls will be given away in an act of “devotion” to Yellamma. The rites are often conducted by eunuchs - castrated, saree-clad men - who are themselves devotees of the goddess.
After the rites, the girls are regarded as slaves of Yellamma, who have to do her bidding. Traditionally, the girls sang and danced in temples to please the gods, a task which was highly regarded. Being a devadasi carried prestige; many girls were given generous grants of land or money by kings or other benefactors. At some time in the past, however, this tradition degenerated and the girls became concubines, whom the temple priests hired them out to any passing lecher. In a word,the devadasi became sanctified prostitutes. Backed by convoluted legend and tradition, the girls are also regarded as goddesses themselves, who have to treat all men as gods - catering mainly to their sexual needs.
Today, many devadasi end up in the hands of unscrupulous priests, who in turn sell them to pimps. These procurors take the girls to the red-light areas of Bombay, Delhi or some other big city. In Bombay’s infamous brothels along Falkland Road and Shuklaji Street, there are little prayer shrines devoted to Yellamma, and some of the prostitutes sport Yellamma tattoos. After a few years in the trade, most devadasi end up as diseased wrecks. In Bombay, virtually all such women suffer from one or several forms of venereal disease, and the rate of HIV infection is reportedly about 50%.
It is estimated that each year some five thousand young girls become devadasi. There are many reasons to devote a girl to the goddess. Some parents pray for the fulfilment of a wish or cure from a disease, and thus offer their daughters to Yellamma. Others hope to be blessed with the birth of a son. Some parents cannot afford the dowry to marry off a daughter and opt to dispose of her in this way. In some cases the girls suffer from skin diseases, which are interpreted as Yellamma’s calling card. So is the matting or knotting up of a girl’s hair, due usually to lack of hygiene.
The majority of Yellamma’s devotees are found among the poor lower castes, amongst whom the birth of a girl is regarded as a misfortune. Consequently, the girls’ health, hygiene and nutrition are often grossly neglected. Tragically, many parents are too poorly educated to understand the girls’ wretched future as devadasi.
As the exploitation of these girls in the name of religion is blatantly obvious, there have been various attempts to stop the practice. With the creation of the Devadasi Act in 1982, turning a girl into a temple prostitute was made illegal and punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment as well as by a fine of 5000 rupees - just over US$ 150. During my visit to the Bharata Poornima in 1984, there were some small, but fierce demonstrations by social workers and women’s rights groups, seeking to focus public attention on the issue.
By contrast, when I returned a decade later there were no protests of any sort. Due to the earlier publicity, initiation rites are now conducted secretly, often far away from Saundatti. At the temple itself nothing untoward seems to be happening, making protests somewhat pointless. As for the well-meaning Devadasi Act, so far only a handful of people have been convicted. Officially, the devadasi problem is played down. Ask any policeman at the Bharata Poornima, and he will almost certainly deny any knowledge of “godly slave girls”.
Fortunately, the festival also has a lighter side. In fact, most pilgrims make the journey both to pay their respects to Yellamma and to have a good time. At a water tank at the foot of Yellamma Hill, the pilgrims bathe with wild abandon, though chastely separated by sex. Along the road from the tank to the top of the hill, an assortment of yogis and fakirs display their astonishing skills. Some lie on a mesh of barbed wire, the metal barbs pricking deep into their sunburnt flesh. Others are buried in the ground, with just a ghastly looking, painted arm sticking out. How these chaps breathe is anybody’s guess.
After I had taken a number of photos of one of the waving arms, I felt a moral obligation to make a financial contribution. I stuck a 10-rupee-note into the hand. Immediately, the hand stopped moving, closed tightly like a flesh-eating plant and quickly disappeared underground. For a minute or so, the hand’s owner inspected the donation in the darkness of his make-shift grave. Then, the hand slowly reappeared from the earth, like a furtive mole, only to wave again - this time with clearly refreshed enthusiasm.
A constant stream of worshippers passes this freak show, some donating small coins. Many of the pilgrims have their bodies covered with twigs from the holy Neem tree, making them look like walking bushes. Neem leaves, known in India for their medical properties, are associated with the goddess Yellamma.
As the procession moved up the hill, a group of people - probably a family - could be seen about a hundred metres off the road. In their centre, a Neem-clad young girl kept her head demurely bowed, her hands folded in prayer. A eunuch priest, wrapped in an expensive saree, conducted some hasty rites, apparently in a hurry to be off. There is little doubt that the young girl was being devoted to Yellamma. In all probability, she will end up in one of the temples of the area, at the mercy of a rapacious priest. Some time later, a procurer from the big city will appear and her fate will be sealed. In the name of the Goddess Yellamma and for a few thousand rupees.
Text copyright © H.J. Hoffman / CPA 2001.
www.photographerno1.com
www.ukhap.nic.in/homepages/Appan/annemarie.html
Until 1920 most dancing in South India was performed by devadasis. These women belonged to the larger isai vellala community which included many traditional South Indian musicians, dance teachers and dance orchestra leaders (nattuvanars). The isai vellala community included both men and women and their roles were clearly defined by gender. Only women danced, but they primarily learned the art from men, who also had a key role in their orchestra which conducted their dance performances. Within this community both men and women performed music; it was not gender specific and both could aspire to be court or concert musicians and singers.
Those isai vellala who worked in the temples of Tamil Nadu, were further divided into the periya melam and cinna melam. The distinction centred on the type of instruments they played and whether they accompanied dance. The periya melam (literally large band), included the nagasvaram (reed instrument) and tavil (drum). The cinna melam (small band) consisted of the instruments used to accompany dance: mridangam (drum), tutti (drone), mukhavina (wind instrument), cymbals etc. The women dancers, known as devadasis belonged to the isai vellala community.
When the dance was a hereditary profession, the devadasi had a well-defined and important role in society. The social and religious function of the devadasi and her dance required that it be performed by women. The most important validation ceremony for the devadasi who danced as part of temple ritual was to be formally married and dedicated to the temple deity or to a ritual object. This usually took place before puberty and allowed her to dance as part of temple ceremonies and celebrations. For the devadasi who danced in temples her marriage and dedication to a deity ranked as a more important qualification than her dancing ability. Her debut as a dancer occurred after the ritual marriage (kalyanam). This debut dance recital (arangetram) took place after the completion of dance training. The occasion celebrated not only the end of her dance training, but acknowledged publicly that she was ready for the selection-of-patron ceremony and thus her secular role as a courtesan. The practise was that after the arangetram a patron would be selected by the senior female member of the girl’s family and a formal relationship established. The patron would provide some financial assistance, but the devadasi lived separately, in her own home. Any children that she had were her property, unlike the status of children born in wedlock who were the property of the husband.
Although the devadasis undertook many functions, the accomplishment for which they are universally known is their dance. For that reason the expression devadasi and hereditary or traditional female dancer are often considered synonymous. The devadasi and her dance were important adjuncts to both religious and secular occasions. The gender lines were clearly draw. During artistic presentations which were part of temple ritual the dancers were female, the accompanists male. On secular occasions women danced and there were opportunities for female musicians, mainly singers. Male professional dancers were rare.
Because the Lord was her husband, the devadasi was always auspicious (nityasumangali), and as such her presence was important at many events, especially marriages. “As a Dasi she can never become a widow, the beads in her tali (marriage symbol) are considered to bring good luck to women who wear them… some people send the tali required for marriage to a Dasi who prepares the string for it, and attaches to it black beads from her own tali. A Dasi is also deputed to walk at the head of Hindu marriage processions…it is believed that Dasis, to whom widowhood is unknown, possess the power of warding off the effects of inauspicious omens” (Thurston 1909).
The Goddess Yellama
Slave Girls of Yellamma
India is a country difficult to pin down. On the one hand, it is making courageous strides to join the ‘modern’ world. Today, satellite television reaches the most remote of villages and Automatic Teller Machines are to be seen everywhere - those wondrous contraptions that spits out money, the 21st century incarnations of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
On the other hand, India seems not to have outgrown the Middle Ages. One still hears of occasional human sacrifices, perpetrated to ensure a plentiful harvest. There have been cases of sati - the ritual burning of widows - in recent years, and sometimes a romantic alliance between two members of different castes can still trigger off a week-long communal carnage.
For the foreign visitor, India’s more arcane aspects are definitely more spell-binding than its worldly side. After all, you can ponder the workings of an ATM in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok! Among the best occasions to delve into Old India are its numerous festivals. Some, though, may truly perplex the visitor.
One of the more bizarre festivals is the Bharata Poornima in Saundatti, in the southern state of Karnataka. The nearest major town is Dharwar, some 50 kms away. Outside of India the festival has hardly been heard of; in India itself it has been the subject of many controversies.
Every year in the Hindu month of Magh (January-February) more than half a million people gather around the tiny temple of the goddess Yellamma in Saundatti. Saundatti is a nondescript, backwater town of some 25,000 inhabitants. The Yellamma Temple stands on a barren, rocky hill on the outskirts, known as Yellamma Hill. The festival takes place at the time of the full moon, but pilgrims flock to the town several days earlier. They come from all over Central and Southern India, though mainly from Karnataka and the adjoining state of Maharashtra.
Most of the pilgrims make the journey in creaking, overloaded bullock carts, an indication that they belong to the less privileged sections of society. Many even come on foot - barefoot at that - from hundreds of kilometres away. This is intended to appease Yellamma, and often to thank her for some wish fulfilled.
As the pilgrims converge on Saundatti, one has the impression of being at a kind of Hindu Woodstock. Everywhere is an explosion of colour - brightly coloured sarees, fancy dyed turbans - and everyone has painted their faces with yellow turmeric powder. On top of this, everybody is cheerful and friendly - good vibrations are definitely in the air. As full moon day draws close, Yellamma Temple is surrounded by an enormous, restless camp of bullock carts and pilgrims.
This may sound like any other religious festival in India, but it is not. Yellamma is the patron of the devadasi or “godly slave-girls”. Tradition has it that on the full moon day of Bharata Poornima, young girls will be given away in an act of “devotion” to Yellamma. The rites are often conducted by eunuchs - castrated, saree-clad men - who are themselves devotees of the goddess.
After the rites, the girls are regarded as slaves of Yellamma, who have to do her bidding. Traditionally, the girls sang and danced in temples to please the gods, a task which was highly regarded. Being a devadasi carried prestige; many girls were given generous grants of land or money by kings or other benefactors. At some time in the past, however, this tradition degenerated and the girls became concubines, whom the temple priests hired them out to any passing lecher. In a word,the devadasi became sanctified prostitutes. Backed by convoluted legend and tradition, the girls are also regarded as goddesses themselves, who have to treat all men as gods - catering mainly to their sexual needs.
Today, many devadasi end up in the hands of unscrupulous priests, who in turn sell them to pimps. These procurors take the girls to the red-light areas of Bombay, Delhi or some other big city. In Bombay’s infamous brothels along Falkland Road and Shuklaji Street, there are little prayer shrines devoted to Yellamma, and some of the prostitutes sport Yellamma tattoos. After a few years in the trade, most devadasi end up as diseased wrecks. In Bombay, virtually all such women suffer from one or several forms of venereal disease, and the rate of HIV infection is reportedly about 50%.
It is estimated that each year some five thousand young girls become devadasi. There are many reasons to devote a girl to the goddess. Some parents pray for the fulfilment of a wish or cure from a disease, and thus offer their daughters to Yellamma. Others hope to be blessed with the birth of a son. Some parents cannot afford the dowry to marry off a daughter and opt to dispose of her in this way. In some cases the girls suffer from skin diseases, which are interpreted as Yellamma’s calling card. So is the matting or knotting up of a girl’s hair, due usually to lack of hygiene.
The majority of Yellamma’s devotees are found among the poor lower castes, amongst whom the birth of a girl is regarded as a misfortune. Consequently, the girls’ health, hygiene and nutrition are often grossly neglected. Tragically, many parents are too poorly educated to understand the girls’ wretched future as devadasi.
As the exploitation of these girls in the name of religion is blatantly obvious, there have been various attempts to stop the practice. With the creation of the Devadasi Act in 1982, turning a girl into a temple prostitute was made illegal and punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment as well as by a fine of 5000 rupees - just over US$ 150. During my visit to the Bharata Poornima in 1984, there were some small, but fierce demonstrations by social workers and women’s rights groups, seeking to focus public attention on the issue.
By contrast, when I returned a decade later there were no protests of any sort. Due to the earlier publicity, initiation rites are now conducted secretly, often far away from Saundatti. At the temple itself nothing untoward seems to be happening, making protests somewhat pointless. As for the well-meaning Devadasi Act, so far only a handful of people have been convicted. Officially, the devadasi problem is played down. Ask any policeman at the Bharata Poornima, and he will almost certainly deny any knowledge of “godly slave girls”.
Fortunately, the festival also has a lighter side. In fact, most pilgrims make the journey both to pay their respects to Yellamma and to have a good time. At a water tank at the foot of Yellamma Hill, the pilgrims bathe with wild abandon, though chastely separated by sex. Along the road from the tank to the top of the hill, an assortment of yogis and fakirs display their astonishing skills. Some lie on a mesh of barbed wire, the metal barbs pricking deep into their sunburnt flesh. Others are buried in the ground, with just a ghastly looking, painted arm sticking out. How these chaps breathe is anybody’s guess.
After I had taken a number of photos of one of the waving arms, I felt a moral obligation to make a financial contribution. I stuck a 10-rupee-note into the hand. Immediately, the hand stopped moving, closed tightly like a flesh-eating plant and quickly disappeared underground. For a minute or so, the hand’s owner inspected the donation in the darkness of his make-shift grave. Then, the hand slowly reappeared from the earth, like a furtive mole, only to wave again - this time with clearly refreshed enthusiasm.
A constant stream of worshippers passes this freak show, some donating small coins. Many of the pilgrims have their bodies covered with twigs from the holy Neem tree, making them look like walking bushes. Neem leaves, known in India for their medical properties, are associated with the goddess Yellamma.
As the procession moved up the hill, a group of people - probably a family - could be seen about a hundred metres off the road. In their centre, a Neem-clad young girl kept her head demurely bowed, her hands folded in prayer. A eunuch priest, wrapped in an expensive saree, conducted some hasty rites, apparently in a hurry to be off. There is little doubt that the young girl was being devoted to Yellamma. In all probability, she will end up in one of the temples of the area, at the mercy of a rapacious priest. Some time later, a procurer from the big city will appear and her fate will be sealed. In the name of the Goddess Yellamma and for a few thousand rupees.
Text copyright © H.J. Hoffman / CPA 2001.
www.photographerno1.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Shah-e-Mardan Sher-e-Yazdan Quwat-e-Parwardigar Lafata Ila Ali La Saif Ila Zulfiqar , originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1 ....
-
Dargah of Hazrat Syed Ali Mira Datar Unava Gujrat , a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr. HAZRAT SYED ALI MIRA DATAR'S G...
-
Phir Saal bhar ke baad Gam-e- Shah Ayega, Zinda jo Rahega wohi ye Gam Manayega , originally uploaded by firoze shakir pho...
