The Thread that Links Us All
Posted on January 4, 2007
Filed Under Hinduism, stories, mythology, Hindu Gods, art, comics, movies | 1 Comment
What do you get when you put Richard Branson, Shekhar Kapur, Nicholas Cage, Deepak Chopra and his son, artists in Bangalore and all the Indian Gods, Goddesses and Myths?
You get Virgin Comics. Their “Shakti” line of comics seeks to tap into the pantheon of Indian Gods and Myths and blend them with modern storytelling. Inspirations include the Ramayana, Nag Kanyaka (Serpent Lady) and all the other myths that we Indians are so familiar with.
The new comic hopes to capitalize on the eastward-looking western generation which popularized Manga, Anime, Yoga and Tantric sex. Their comics seem to be off a good start too. Nicholas Cage is all set to star in “The Sadhu” - with a storyline penned by Deepak Chopra. Chopra’s son is behind the comic line, and the famous, such as Shekhar Kapur have contributed storylines to the comic series.
The new comics, which cost $2.99 each, are being rolled out in the U.S. and will be introduced in India this month. They will also be launched in some countries in Europe and Latin America in the first quarter
I will be very interested to see how all this turns out. Maybe, God willing, my kids will grow up yearning for Shakti, Devi and Ram as much as I did for Phantom, Batman and Superman. The WSJ profiled Virgin Comics recently, and something tells me I will hear more about them.
Posted on January 2, 2007
Filed Under Hinduism, Hindu Gods, sects, buddhism, nepal | 1 Comment
For long, a few lucky(?) pre-pubescent girls in Nepal, the last Officially Hindu Country on the planet, have been put on a pedestal and worshipped.
The girls hail from the Newar community of Kathmandu Valley. These Buddhist girls are chosen after their first milk tooth falls to represent the Hindu Goddess Taleju till they begin to menstruate. Legend has it that this practice started during the 17th-century reign of Kathmandu’s King Pratap Malla. Legend has it that the king used to play dice in secret with the goddess Taleju. One night, when lustful thoughts entered the king’s mind, Taleju vanished. Later, she appeared to the king in a dream and told him to select a young Buddhist girl who would bless the king with the strength to rule. Ever since, every year, during the Indra Jatra festival, the reigning monarch receives the auspicious tika on his forehead from the principal Kumari and takes her sword in a ritual that is believed to give the king the power to rule for another year.
So why would somebody not want to be a goddess? Well, the salary is low, the education received is meagre, and the worst part is that the girls have a tough time adjusting to normal life once their Goddess days are over. The practice that has been a symbolic bond between the Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal is now facing a legal challenge. With the end of the Hindu Monarchy and the advent of democracy in Nepal, the very question of Nepal continuing to be an official Hindu nation is in question, and it won’t be surprising if this practice gets banned.
What intrigued me most was that I have never heard of a Goddess named “Taleju” - have you? A quick google search revealed a temple, but the page was in German.
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