🧡 Inherited Edition 01

The vimana has landed.

THE BIG FEATURE

India's most extravagant Dasara is also really old

In the southern state of Karnataka, Dasara is observed as a State festival - Nadahabba, because the celebrations are steered by the Royal Family of Mysore.

If you didn't already know: the city of Mysore, or Mysuru was once called ‘Mahishur’, as it is believed to be the place where Goddess Chamundeshwari (an avatar of Durga) killed the buffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura.

How old is old?

The episode of Durga slaying Mahishasur finds mention in the timeless Puranic texts. So that's really old.

But the Dasara festival itself is first seen celebrated in this part of India during the time of the Kadambas, who ruled from Banavasi (345–540 CE). Then came the Chalukyas of Badami, who observed Dasara precisely as prescribed by the Puranic and Vedic texts.

The tradition progressed and peaked during the time of the mighty Vijayanagara Empire.

The Burning Man of yesteryear

Travellers and traders from different lands wrote about Vijaynagara Dasara, including Niccolò de’ Conti, an Italian traveller from Venice, who visited Vijayanagar around 1420 and raved about Mahanavami. Abd-al-Razzaq, a traveller from Persia, described the pomp and gaiety of Dasara.

Portuguese traveller Domingo Paez’s visit to Vijayanagar coincided with the heydays of Krishnadevaraya, also described how he was swayed by the festival:

“I have no words to express what I saw... with my head so often turned from one side to another that I was almost falling backwards off my horse with my senses lost.”

But then, tragedy happened...

🙏 सुप्रभात Sorted

Roundup of remarkable events dotting the Dharmic cultural landscape - from India and across the globe.

🪷Lotus 3D in Dubai: A large pink lotus unfurls across the central dome of a Dubai Hindu temple that is preparing to open to the public today on October 5. To our Emirati friends - we cannot wait!

🏹 It's Ram Leela season, लाला : Watch a documentary clip of India’s traditional broadway-like UNESCO tagged theatrical performance of the Ramayana. Plus, Ayodhya ki Ram Leela showing live from Doordarshan. Jai Shree Ram!

😵 Then and Now: Revisit the splendour of the Vijayanagara Dasara courtesy an interview with the 19th descendant scion of legendary king Krishnadevaraya.

⚡️Kulasai Dasara from Tamil Nadu will shake you to the bone. These stunning photos from photographer/ tour operator Arun Saha will make your day. And night.

👀 Miracle Maker: Heard of the Bharatiya economic model? Now read about its cultural roots in the Indus-Saraswati civilisation.

🧐 HOLD MY CHAI

A re-take on cultural narratives

"The Western mind can never truly appreciate India's greatness..."

... is a complaint most of us have, especially when a public figure like Tucker Carlson triggers you with garbage like this👇

🤷‍♀️ Be that as it may - we must not forget great western minds such as Voltaire, Einstein and TS Eliot who recognised India's universal wisdom with great candour👇

The Greeks, in their mythology, were merely the disciples of India and Egypt… It is not up to us, who were but savage barbarians when these peoples were sophisticated and learned, to challenge them with their antiquity - Voltaire

Indian philosopher’s subtleties make most of the European philosophers look like schoolboys - T.S. Eliot

I go into the Upanishads to ask questions - Neils Bohr

👌 ATI SUNDAR !

That which caught the eye.

Freshly brewed filter coffee. Appa’s brightly checked lungi. Smiling Akka selling flowers at the temple.

😿 Ah, the everyday nostalgia of South India.

"The Longing To Make Our Traditions Relevant, Led To The Birth Of Aurva" tells Revathi, the architect-founder making delightful games and puzzles, based out of Netherlands.

|| द्वितीय अध्याय ||

Pre-modern India: a land of despot kingdoms?

According to the myth of oriental despotism, Europeans developed the best political systems of governance, with democracy and rule-of-law, while the rest of world was ruled by arbitrary dictators, who inflicted their will upon the people.

If you were (un)lucky enough to watch Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, this was on full display: Zalim Singh, that's right.

While this may be true of Mughal despotism which India did unfortunately have to endure, ancient and medieval India has in fact had a long standing tradition of republics.

Not all Kings were from a royal blood-line or ruled by divine right...

DOWN THE MEMORY LANE 🙃

🎴 Kanche is a traditional game played in villages all across India. Depending on what part of India you’re in, you may know this game as “Goti, “Kuzhangal,” “Anchankal,” or “Kallankal.”

Each player gets a turn to shoot their marble into the circle. Any marbles they knock out of the circle go to the shooter. ​

Who played this all day long? And guarded the marbles with your life?

We did.

🧘‍♂️THE MENTAL WORKOUT

Take a deep breath and reflect upon the greatness of our rishis.

This week's shloka:

विनिर्बन्ध: क्षमा शीलम् नम्रता धैर्यनिग्रह:।रामादिवत् गुणारेता: दया स्नेह विवेकच लोभालस्यम् मोहविवश: क्रोधव्देषश्चसंशय:।अत्यारूढी निराशाश्च एते रावणादिवत्।एतत् सर्वम् विजानीय मतिमानो तथाsचरेत्।रामादिवत् वर्तितव्यं न तु रावणादिवत्।।

Meaning:

विनिर्बंध = persistence क्षमा= forgiveness शीलम् = integrity नम्रता = modestyधैर्य = courage निग्रहः = self regulation दया = kindnessस्नेह = love विवेक = wisdom च = alsoरामादिवत् गुणारेताः These are the virtues of Rama.

लोभ = greedआलस्य = lethargy मोह = delusion विवशता= impulsivenessक्रोध = angerद्वेष = hatred संशयः = indecesivenessअत्यारूढि =arrogance निराशा= despair  These are vices of Ravana.

रामादिवत् वर्तितव्यं = behave like Rama न तु रावणादिवत् = not like Ravana

🌈  FROM THE CULTURE CUPBOARD

And that's a wrap!

⏭ Next edition: Deepavali 🪔

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