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Faith Against Reason

A war zone between reason and faith.

A war I have seen up close, growing up with my childhood companion Jyoti Shah. Three years older than me, she is the oldest of three siblings. Her parents are also eldest in their respective sibling order. Both of us were sexually abused as little girls. But in case of Jyoti the betrayal went beyond that meted out from neighbors and well-wishers. Her mother was a primary source of pain for her. Her creed was the second source of pain. The first of these she would talk to me about almost daily. The second of these I became aware of, only in these years of deliberate solitude.

Why do you think I have avoided training to be a teacher? Something was terribly wrong when students would come in, practice seriously in the beginning, see true results, and then allow it to be taken away from them. What did they get in return? Better jobs with higher salary (mo’ money), easy childbirth (mo’ power over their financial supporter). Their health suffered but this didn’t matter. Poor health became yet another stick to beat the world with.

Elsewhere on this website, I had pointed out that Bikram has said and written many times that yoga is not a religion. Unlike a religion where with some sort of a card, an ID, a pendant around the neck, the regurgitation of acceptable words, you are eligible and entitled to its benefits, benefits of yoga don’t remain with you. You don’t show up, you lose the benefits gained. Yet,

Finding nothing in common between their individual faiths without sliding into New Age mumbo-jumbo, they (religious organizations) latched onto the idea of yoga. It is old (attractive to men), it is exotic (attractive to women), it is healthy (attractive to youth), it has words written in a dead language (attractive to scholarly types) that can be pulled about a bit like taffy. But for the pesky Bikram Choudhury who insisted on keeping Bikram Yoga free of religion. Why not use any other variety of yoga? None of them were as successful as Bikram Yoga though. Nor as systematic. The work involved in systemizing these others into a doctrine would be too great. And none of these religions are in their youthful prime. They are all old and decrepit, hanging on to legitimacy and relevance by a thread. In Yassi each found the perfect instrument. A new studio needs students. It was run by a woman who admitted to feeling deeply the loss of her father at a young age. Any dogma becomes attractive to such a one.

Into this mix my arrival as a student made it that much more potent and lucrative. I have written about the role of ISKCon, Swami Narayan, Lake Highlands Churchgoers and sundry other anti-reason or religiously oriented individuals in my life, all with the goal of converting me to their faith or sub-culture.

Because of my lifelong war against religious and social authority whose many battles I have won, I still hesitate to train to become a Bikram yoga teacher. No surprise. The teachers I have encountered don’t have the time, don’t make the time, and don’t get the time to solve their own issues. The better they are as teachers the less time they seem to have for themselves. In conversations I have found that it is a rare teacher who spends any amount of time on a regular basis on keeping up their practice. Like their students, they allow life to happen to them. The saddest thing is to watch Yassi practice as a student. She never forgets, nor allows herself to forget that she is a studio owner and a Bikram Yoga teacher. Over the years I have hated to watch her practice suffer as much as she has allowed it to suffer. Initially I wished for it to be just my own silly assessment. But as I watched her growing ill-health I found myself forced to agree with my initial silly assessment. Every suggestion of mine she threw away, so much did it disagree with her identity as a teacher and studio owner.

In this she is no different from my childhood companion, Jyoti. I spent years, listening to her pain upon learning of her mother’s infidelity, of her pain upon learning of her mother’s intransigence upon discovery and confrontation of her infidelity, of her pain upon understanding her mother’s indifference to anything but the need to secure control over resources in a joint family situation, of which Jyoti was unfortunate enough to be a part of. Mothers are designated the role models that girls emulate in their path to womanhood. To learn of her mother’s relentless blindness to what is right, what is moral, was a shock that kept sleep and hunger away for months on end. Turned out this girl who loved to eat out at the drop of a hat and would pay for friends to accompany her on such trips, could do without food, but not without sleep.

From Ayn Rand’s “We The Living”

FOREWORD

I had not reread this novel as a whole, since the time of its first publication in 1936, until a few months ago. I had not expected to be as proud of it as I am.

Too many writers declare that they never succeed in expressing fully what they wished to express and that their work is only some sort of approximation. It is a viewpoint for which I have never had any sympathy and which I consider excusable only when it is voiced by beginners, since no one is born with any kind of “talent”

So much for the idea of inborn “talents” in people. We are all born with certain aversions and cravings. Existential events may trigger some while leave others untouched. Ideally nothing is wasted nor overused. Each is used only as needed, keeping the individual in harmony with his nature. People around the individual, on the other hand, will ensure that the traits they prefer are used more often than others. Think of evangelical and religious nations, provinces, states, societies, communities and neighborhoods that discourage the pursuit of science, of independence, of integrity. I would also include my neighborhood, not so much for the churches at numerous intersections, but for the presence of an ever-expanding evangelical family. It is a sign of ignorance and fear that is on display here – they cannot rely upon the power of their own minds and characters to ensure a prosperous future, but find it necessary to keep having children to ensure their safety. People had lots of kids when anyone individual child’s survival was chancy and yet necessary to the family’s survival. What threats do they face now, except the ones engendered by deliberate ignorance!!!

and, therefore, every skill has to be acquired. Writers are made, not born. To be exact, writers are self-made. It was mainly in regard to We The Living, my first novel (and, progressively less, in regard to my work preceding The Fountainhead), that I had felt that my means were inadequate to my purpose and that I had not said what I wanted to say as well as I wished. Now, I am startled to discover how well I did say it.

Jyoti began taking sleeping pills. Coincidentally, she found a job at the local doctor (yeah, that family doctor of mine, belonging to the Swami Narayan temple then) as a dispenser of potions and mixtures. Surely, the doctor must have observed her dispenser gradually losing muscle mass, reducing to skin and bones, her head stuck like an alien on a neck thinner than that of a scrawny chicken. There was no word of reprimand, nor prohibition that I recall. Yes, I know about the cunning of the addict. But Jyoti was not that far gone yet.

We The Living is not a novel “about Soviet Russia.” It is a novel about Man against the State.

I understand it is fashionable to consider the State to be a secular government of some kind. But if you, dear reader, are honest, you will admit that it might as well apply equally well to a religious government. And any combination in between the two poles. I think her word “collective” would be appropriate. That is a more accurate term. But then Ms. Rand was strangely hesitant to criticize religion, especially Christianity, vociferously or relentlessly. Thankfully, she criticized the conservatives more than the liberals, for the former’s espousal of nothing but the past, an amorphous fluid concept at best. To her way of thinking, liberals were slightly better for espousing ideas over the past or tradition – at least there was some basis for a conversation.

Its basic theme is the sanctity of human life – using the word “sanctity” not in a mystical sense, but in the sense of “supreme value.”

Before the conservatives jump at this as some sort of justification for torching abortion clinics, let us remember that Ms. Rand found blind obedience to edicts, doctrines, policies, at the expense of reason to be most abhorrent.

The essence of my theme is contained in the words of Irina, a minor character of the story, a young girl who is sentenced to imprisonment in Siberia and knows that she will never return: “There’s something I would like to understand. And I don’t think anyone can explain it. … There’s your life. You begin it, feeling that it’s something so precious and rare, so beautiful that it’s like a sacred treasure. Now it’s over, and it doesn’t make any difference to anyone, and it isn’t that they are indifferent, it’s just that they don’t know, they don’t know what it means, that treasure of mine, and there’s something about it that they should understand. I don’t understand it myself, but there’s something that should be understood by all of us. Only what is it? What?”

Irina’s words “that treasure of mine” is key to understanding the difference between reason and faith. To exercise reason is an individual act, requiring an individual mind. One may read works by others, one may listen to discussions and discourses on a topic, but one’s mind must still integrate these ideas, well enough to explain them to others with lesser understanding. Faith, on the other hand, requires nothing more than swearing allegiance to some one other than oneself, including deferring decisions to this other. There is no need to exercise one’s mind, except to determine who or what to follow.

On a lighter note, if Irina had somehow made it so that “that treasure of mine” came to be seen as “that treasure of ours”, however she chose to define “ours” she might not have been sentenced to imprisonment in Siberia.

On a sadder note, Irina’s words could well apply to the halting words Jyoti used to express her pain all those evenings as we’d sit on the parapet walls of my verandah, talking about people, events and life in general. I don’t know how we might have fared if we had lived in Soviet Russia, but it couldn’t have been any worse for Jyoti. She did try to kill herself by increasing the quantity of pills she’d take to go to sleep. She could never go to sleep.

Perhaps her mother’s nocturnal activities kept her awake? What do you think, my precious-es!!!

At that time, I knew a little more about this question than did Irina, but not much more. I knew that this attitude toward one’s own life should be, but is not, shared by all people – that it is the fundamental characteristics of the best among men – that its absence represents some enormous evil which had never been identified. I knew that this is the issue at the base of all dictatorships, all collectivist theories and all human evils – and that political or economic issues are merely derivatives or consequences of this basic primary. At that time, I looked at any advocates of dictatorship and collectivism with an incredulous contempt: I could not understand how any man could be so brutalized as to claim the right to dispose of the lives of others, nor how any man could be so lacking in self-esteem as to grant to others the right to dispose of his life. Today, the contempt has remained: the incredulity is gone, since I know the answer.

Ah! Ms. Rand uses the word “collectivist” and “collectivism” to include social imperatives such as religion and tradition. I think sometimes one has to be specific and call out names – I call out the export quality variants of Hinduism and Christianity, the one in the United States and the other in India as I recall events from my past.

Posted by  |  April 8, 2015 | Categories: Ayn Rand, Evangelical Tendencies | Comments Off

Why I don’t practice at Bikram Yoga Richardson

PROLOGUE TO MY PRIVATE PRACTICE:
In an age of rapid technological and population changes it is natural for individuals to feel useless and left behind. They may be naturally drawn to institutions that offer security without threatening their self-esteem, while meeting their innate aggressive instincts. Religious institutions offer all this. Nations offer these three, but in return demands that you join an army and shed real blood. Or preach patriotism. A bit too real and crass for most people. But religion is not so tainted. What blood they shed, it is due to the other religion’s actions and ideas. This potent cocktail (a Marxian opiate for the masses) can be found in the suburb of Richardson. I have written about it here and here. The Bikram Yoga studio there is owned by Yassi Maige, the last time I checked.

Previously she owned a studio in partnership with two other Bikram Yoga teachers in downtown Dallas. But it got demolished as part of the regional light rail system’s expansion activities. DART’s plans were well publicized with several public hearings at key stages in strategic locations likely to draw the most public comments, as required by law. But running the studio occupied its ownership’s attention to the exclusion of longer term concerns.

So the studio location is perfect for a war zone for Christianity of the suburban variety and distribution, an Islamic mosque and cultural center, a wealthy Indian community from Andhra Pradesh and its admirers with their own temples distributed nearby, a Jewish synagogue (maybe two) and an Greek Orthodox Christian church.

But not a war zone between these religions.

A war zone between reason and faith.

Bikram has said and written many times that yoga is not a religion.

3. Yoga is not a religion. Listen, I come from one of the most religious countries that ever existed and I have never been to a temple to worship in my entire life. Why? Because I never believed in it. People look at statues, lifeless hunks of stone and plaster, and they pray to them, hoping that the statue is really listening to them – I just don’t buy it. And if this is all about God, why do so many people go to church, mosque or temple and then give money? Do you really think you can bribe God? What does God need money for, anyway? Worst of all, religion has been misused throughout human history. Differences in religious beliefs, often amplified by differences in skin color, caste or ethnicity, have created walls between countries, between brothers and sisters and in our own hearts. That’s the biggest thing I’ve got against organized religion. My duty in this life is simply this: to break down walls between people and nations, men and women, East and West.

I worship in a different temple: my body. There is something inside this temple, an animating force that makes my flesh move and speak, that moves me toward my Karma Yoga. What is this mystical but everyday magic? It is the atma, the soul. You can also call it the Spirit, or the true Self. This is God, and God lives in the house of our bodies. We are all Gods and Goddesses. Getting down on your knees, wearing elaborate robes or building a $40 million church doesn’t bring you any closer to the Divine that lives within us all.
So when you ask me if I believe in God, I will never be able to answer with a simple yes or no. I am going to say, “Yes, I do, because I believe in myself, and I am God. I believe in you, too, because you are my God.” The only danger in this belief comes when we refuse to recognize everyone else as an expression of the Divine and see only ourselves that way. If you think you have more of God within you than anyone else, you’re in real trouble, my friend. And so is the world we live in. …

Finding nothing in common between their individual faiths without sliding into New Age mumbo-jumbo, they latched onto the idea of yoga. It is old (attractive to men), it is exotic (attractive to women), it is healthy (attractive to youth), it has words written in a dead language (attractive to scholarly types) that can be pulled about a bit like taffy. But for the pesky Bikram Choudhury who insisted on keeping Bikram Yoga free of religion. Why not use any other variety of yoga? None of them were as successful as Bikram Yoga though. Nor as systematic. The work involved in systemizing these others into a doctrine would be too great. And none of these religions are in their youthful prime, now are they? They are all old and decrepit, hanging on to legitimacy and relevance by a thread. In Yassi each found the perfect instrument. A new studio needs students. It was run by a woman who admitted to feeling deeply the loss of her father at a young age.

Into this mix my arrival as a student made it that much more potent and lucrative. I have written about the role of ISKCon, Swami Narayan and sundry other anti-reason or religiously oriented individuals in my life, all with the goal of converting me and my family to their faith or sub-culture.

Take for instance POSTURE #1: Half Moon Ardha-Chandrasana.

Bikram Yoga

To begin: Stand with your feet together, raise your arms, and bring your hands together, interlocking the fingers in a nice tight grip. Release the index fingers, straightening them and pressing them together. Raise and straighten your arms completely on either side of your head, locking the elbows. Reach upward strongly, pressing the arms against your ears. Keep your head and chin up, looking forward.

Push your hips to the left and, without flexing your arms or legs, slowly bend to your right side as much as possible. Keep your whole body facing front. Keep your arms straight, elbows locked, and don’t let your chin sink down into your chest; keep it three inches away. As you stretch your upper body to the right, continue to push both hips directly to the left.

Stay this way, absolutely still and breathing normally, for 10 full seconds. Then slowly come up to center position, keeping your steeple pointing upward to the sky.

Yassi version of Bikram Yoga

To begin: Stand with your feet together,
make sure your heels and toes are touching
but not everyone can bring toes and heels together without twisting their hips so they end up bending forwards or backwards?
figure it out!
raise your arms,
close to your ears
does that not depend on shoulder flexibility?
look at XXX in the front row! She can do it. Why don’t you?
and bring your hands together, interlocking the fingers in a nice tight grip. Release the index fingers, straightening them and pressing them together. Raise and straighten your arms completely on either side of your head, locking the elbows. Reach upward strongly, pressing the arms against your ears.
this is where the part about the arms close to the ears is relevant
Keep your head and chin up, looking forward.

Push your hips to the left and, without flexing your arms or legs,
sometime while practicing at Bikram Yoga Richardson I began to flex my arms in preparation to pushing my hips but Yassi nor any of her teachers said a word against it
slowly bend to your right side as much as possible. Keep your whole body facing front. Keep your arms straight, elbows locked,
SHARMILA!!! KEEP YOUR ELBOWS LOCKED!!!
I try and fail to make it look locked. Even locked my elbow will have a crook in it. All I am actually doing is stretching rotating the entire arm length slightly backwards, which means my steeple is pointing back, not up!!!
and don’t let your chin sink down into your chest;
when you flex your arms like I used to your rib cage will rise and pull it closer to your chin, but now there is no room for the chin to move up anymore, not without popping your skull out of its multiple pin-jointed ball and socket joint
keep it three inches away. As you stretch your upper body to the right, continue to push both hips directly to the left.

Stay this way, absolutely still and breathing normally, for 10 full seconds. Then slowly come up to center position, keeping your steeple pointing upward to the sky.
Of course, by now my steeple points somewhere back, not up to the sky. But no one cares about this. All Yassi perceives is muscles and bones stretched out full with no flexure of movement left.

ENDNOTES:

If you are flat footed like me, with no arch at all, then at some point (if you last such specialized attention from Yassi) you will learn to dig all your toes and heels into the ground. This gives you an effective but temporary arch in your foot. An arch is more stable than a flat length. Now you can lock your knees and move your hips without losing balance or risking injury. Doing this will also arch each individual toe.
Flatten your toes!!! Why are you bending them like that?
So I’d flatten then to find my locked knee swaying to the right, to the left, eventually unlocking as it sways to the front, in a desperate quest to stabilize the entire leg and the hip. Soon the hip ball-and-socket joint starts to hurt.
Figure it out!!! You’ve practiced long enough to work this out!!!

Notice what is happening. At each step she is solving some other student’s self-esteem issue using my ability without having to give me any credit for doing so. There are plenty of students who are not flexible and therefore are blessed with the ability to lock their knee. To make them feel better in class, she forces me into their stiff mold. There is no consideration for anyone’s health. There is no fidelity to Bikram’s dialogues. There is only the greed for more students who want to be seen saying nice things more than be seen doing the right things. The religious leaders can take the information gained to their followers as some sort of divine guidance. These latter are most in the wrong of them all! I can forgive greed given evidence of error corrections. But spiritual thieves and liars are the true Fuckwads!
Earlier I had written this:

In 2012, around October – November I was seriously considering not renewing my annual membership at Bikram Yoga Richardson where I was practicing at the time. I was persuaded by the Studio Director, Yassi Maige, to continue for one more year. In November 2012 days before the national elections as I was walking in the local mall I slipped on a perfect circle of some white lotion spilled outside some shop I’ve never visited. I was wearing a red dress and my usual cork heeled sandals (about 2 to 2.5 inches high). Immediately, as if on cue, a woman from the store and some other people gathered around to help. I had the presence of mind to fall in such a manner that there was no free undie show, and no impact on any joints. I took the brunt of the injury on my left foot which twisted. In the few seconds that I was half kneeling on the floor they had time to insist on helping me in, including calling the management or its maintenance personnel to find out someone to clean the evidence. Got on my nerves! Fuck that shit! I declined, got up, ate some dessert, bought lingerie for bodycon gear, all per plan.

Looks like Yassi was prescient, you might say! I showed up for the 5:30 am class the next morning as usual, or close enough for government work. I can check my files but why bother! The first class I took a walking stick and kept it either just outside the room or next to my mat. Never had to use it. Never! I could stand on that left twisted foot that hurt like hell. One-legged postures were compromised somewhat, but not for long. By December 2012, I was back in form, to all intents and purposes, healthy and happy. Then came that compulsion to revisit that fucking Hare Krishna temple, aka, Kalachandjis, aka, ISKCon’s Dallas center. I attended long enough to experience that 80-20 breathing that I have written in detail elsewhere, that finally broke the power of Mantras and chants and led me to learning our entire business project plan by rote, wearing a fricking sari and pacing in our backyard. For a few months I could feel that area within the foot that was injured. Now I don’t even feel it. Its gone!

What I had not written then was that later in November I ended up renewing my annual membership. My intention was to stop attending the studio. The stresses from the religious manipulations, lies, betrayals from students and teachers alike aimed at me and the inane blog posts about moral hazards festering only in a religious mind of a Hare Krishna, a Protestant, a Catholic, a rabid but undecided Hindu, a Muslim was too much for me. (Any good from those posts are purely unintentional and not meant to save any soul whatsoever). But that accident in the North Park Mall got my membership for one more year. A membership I did not use to the full. I quit in six months time. What Yassi did with that extra time – did she allow some other status-minded female student (Rachel) to continue for free as she is prone to do, or was it some religiously connected student – I don’t know.

Since then my attempts to start practice in other Bikram studios have been unsuccessful. It is as if the students, teachers and religious leaders at the Richardson studio don’t like being upstaged. What do you think?

Posted by  |  April 1, 2015 | Categories: Bikram Yoga is Hatha Yoga, Evangelical Tendencies, Religious Tendencies | Comments Off

THE STORY OF SAFIA – RESOLUTION #1

THERE IS ONE SITUATION THAT WOULD EXPLAIN CONTRADICTION #1. IF SAFIA WAS RAPED WHILE DRUGGED. PICTURES WOULD BE TAKEN AS PROOF FOR HER FAMILY AND HERSELF. THIS WOULD ESTRANGE THEM FROM HER. BUT NO MEMORY WOULD REMAIN TO HINDER HER CONSCIOUS ACTIONS, INCLUDING GETTING MARRIED, HAVING CHILDREN, AND OTHER NORMAL FEMININE ACTIVITIES.

UNLIKE A NORMAL RAPE, SOMETHING LIKE THIS COSTS MONEY AND A CERTAIN PLANNING WITH SOME COLLUSION. SOMETHING AT LEAST AT THE GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL, BUT KEPT ON THE DOWN-LOW. ORDINARY PAKISTANIS WOULD LIKELY STONE THE DEPARTMENT AND INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED LED BY THE PAKISTANI ARMY. SO IT WAS LIKELY A COVERT ACTION. HENCE MY SUPPOSITION THAT SHE WAS AN AGENT OF I.S.I., ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS, OF COURSE.

WHAT ABOUT THE BODY? WOULD HER BODY NOT RECOGNIZE AND REJECT MASCULINE ATTENTION AND TOUCH? I’LL LEAVE THIS FOR LATER. I HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT SO FAR I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE WHO WOULD BELIEVE ME. NOT MY TEACHERS, NOT MY HUSBAND. NOT MY FAMILY. NOT MY FRIENDS. NOT EVEN SAFIA HERSELF. NOT EVEN MY YOGA TEACHERS. CERTAINLY NOT THE RELIGIOUS AND EVANGELICAL BELIEVERS AND PRACTITIONERS THAT I HAVE WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ABOUT ON THIS WEBSITE.

WHICH IS WHY I HAVE BEEN PRACTICINS AT HOME IN PRIVATE BY MYSELF.

Posted by  |  March 31, 2015 | Categories: Evangelical Tendencies | Comments Off

The Story of Safia – Contradiction #1

… For instance Safia says that she was raped. Yet her behavior is remarkably friendly and open to both men and women. No anger or vengeance desires simmer. No shame or regret for her own actions, either imaginary or real. No doubts about people in general. She did not even express any of these feelings in any creative manner, such as through writing, composing, drawing, painting, making something with her hands to work off the aggression. Nothing.

… On the other hand, you have someone like Phoolan Devi.

Posted by  |  March 30, 2015 | Categories: Evangelical Tendencies | Comments Off

The Story of Safia – Part 1

PRELUDE TO SAFIA’S STORY

IN A DREAM ON FEBRUARY 14, 2015 I SEE A MASTER BED IN A ROOM WITH THE DOOR TO IT TO THE RIGHT OF THE BED. IF YOU LIE ON IT, YOU’D BE LEANING ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE IN ORDER TO FACE THIS DOOR. I AM THERE UNSENSED BY THE OCCUPANTS. WITH ME IS A SORT OF A FAUSTIAN GUIDE WHO ASKS ME STAY STILL AND OBSERVE WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE ROOM. THERE ARE FOUR GIRLS IN THE ROOM, TWO ON THE BED, ONE BEHIND ME AND ONE STANDING TURNED TO FACE THE DOOR, BETWEEN THE BED AND THE DOOR. A MAN LAUGHINGLY STAGGERS IN, IS PULLED ON TO THE BED BY THE GIRLS. THERE IS LAUGHING CONVERSATION AND FLIRTATION BETWEEN THE GIRLS AND THIS MAN – THIS ELICITS INFORMATION THAT I AM ASKED TO WRITE DOWN IN MY SMALL NOTEBOOK BY A MAN NEAR ME. THE WRITING LOOKS AS IF I HAD TO HOLD THE PEN UPRIGHT IN ORDER FOR IT TO WRITE PROPERLY. AN 8 POINT OR HIGHER ROTRING PEN. USEFUL TO RECORD SHORT PHRASES, PASSWORDS, NUMBERS, CODES.

LATER ON ONE GIRL FLIES THE MAN TO ANOTHER BED IN ANOTHER ROOM. SHE DOES SO BY CARRYING HIM BENEATH HER LIKE TWO SPOONS NESTLED INTO EACH OTHER. HE IS FAST ASLEEP. SHE LAYS HIM DOWN GENTLY TAKING CARE NOT TO DISTURB HIM. IT SEEMS LIKE HER PLAN WAS TO LIE ON TOP OF HIM, BUT AS HE BEGINS TO SLEEPILY LAUGH AND TALK SHE LEAVES HIM, SLIPPING OVER THE BED FRAME WITH THE NOTEBOOK SAFE IN HER HANDS. THIS BED HAS SOME SORT OF ROLLED OVER MATTRESS OR LUGGAGE ON ONE HALF OF THE BED. THE MAN TAKES UP THE OTHER HALF. THE INFORMATION RECORDED IN THE NOTEBOOK SEEMED TO PERTAIN TO SOME TECHNICAL PRODUCT OR PROCESS NOT AVAILABLE OR ALLOWED IN THE COUNTRY.

SUPPOSE FOR A MOMENT THAT SAFIA WAS A SPY FOR THE I. S. I., THE PAKISTANI INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. HOW WOULD THE FACTS I’VE RECORDED ABOUT HER BEHAVIOR SO FAR, YET TO BE PUBLISHED, FIT THIS SCENARIO?

Posted by  |  March 29, 2015 | Categories: Evangelical Tendencies | Comments Off

ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CAMPAIGNS OF TIMUR (TAMAR LANE)

THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTER 9 – TIMUR’S ACCOUNT OF HIS INVASION OF INDIA AND SACK OF DELHI FROM THE BOOK TITLED, HISTORY OF INDIA, IN NINE VOLUMES EDITED BY A.V. WILLIAMS JACKSON. THIS CHAPTER IS TAKEN FROM VOLUME 5: SIR H. M. ELLIOT: THE MOHAMMEDAN PERIOD AS DESCRIBED BY ITS OWN HISTORIANS

SOME CONTEXT

page 194

… Timur next proceeds to describe, step by step, the conquests made by his invading host as it fought its way toward Delhi. When he reached the historic field of Panipat, he prepared for the decisive battle which should place the capital city in his hands. His own description follows.

‘For my intended attack on Delhi in this same year 800 A.H. (1398 A.D.), I arranged my forces so that the army extended over a distance of twenty leagues. Being satisfied with my disposition of the troops, I began my march on Delhi. On the twenty-second of Rabi’-al-awwal (Dec. 2) I arrived and encamped at the fort of the village of Aspandi, …

FROM HERE THE ACCOUNT DESCRIBES THE MANY VILLAGES HE RAIDS FOR ITS RICHES, KILLS THE INHABITANTS OR TAKES PRISONERS ON HIS WAY TO DELHI.

page 203

… When I heard these words, I found them to be in accordance with the rules of war, and I immediately directed the commanders to proclaim throughout the camp that every man who had infidel prisoners was to put them to death, and that whoever neglected to do so, should himself be executed and his property given to the informer. When this order became known to the champions of Islam, they drew their swords and put their prisoners to death. One hundred thousand infidels, impious idolaters, were slain on that day. Maulana Nasir-ad-din Omar, a counsellor and man of learning, who had never killed a sparrow in all his life, now, in execution of my order, killed fifteen idolatrous Hindus, who were his captives.

After all the vile idolaters had been despatched, I gave orders that one man out of every ten should be told off to guard the property, cattle, and horses which had been captured in the invasion, while all the other soldiers were to march with me. At the time of midday prayer the signal was given for the march, and I proceeded to the spot selected for crossing the Jumna, and there encamped. The astrologers who accompanied the army consulted their books and almanacs as to the time propitious for battle, and they represented that the aspects of the stars made a short delay advisable. In all matters, small and great, I placed my reliance on the favour and kindness of God, and I knew that victory and conquest, defeat and flight, …

ON THE DAY OF DECEMBER 15
page 204

… are each ordained by Him, so that I gave no credence to the words of the astrologers and star-gazers, but besought the Giver of victory to favour my arms.

I did not wish the war to be of long continuance; so as soon as night was over and morning came, I arose to my devotions. I said the morning prayers in the congregation, and repeated my private prayers, after which I took the Koran, opened it at random, and placed my finger at a venture on a verse in the chapter of the Bee, which I received as a propitious indication, and acted in full reliance on its command and on the favour of God.

On the fifth of Rabi’-al-akhir (Dec. 15) I passed the Jumna by a ford, and pitched my tents on the other side of the river; after which I gave orders to the amirs and other officers to station their men as near my tent as possible; and also directed that the ground around the camp should be parcelled out among them, and that each one should have a deep ditch dug in front of his allotment. All the soldiers, great and small, assembled to dig the ditch, which was constructed around the entire camp in two watches of the day. I then rode out to inspect it, and ordered that the trees in the vicinity should be cut down, and brought within the ditch; that their branches should be formed into a strong abattis, and that in some places planks should be set up.

It had been constantly dinned into the ears of my soldiers that the chief reliance of the armies of Hindustan was on their mighty elephants, which, completely …

THE ROLE OF WOMEN
page 205

… encased in armour, marched into battle in front of their forces; that arrows and swords were of no use against them; that in height and bulk they were like small mountains, while their strength was such that at a given signal they could tear up great trees and knock down strongly built walls; and that in the battlefield they could take up the horse and his rider with their trunks and hurl them into the air. Some of the soldiers, with the timidity natural to man, brought some little of what they had heard to my attention; so when I assigned their respective positions to the princes and amirs of the right and left wing and of the centre, I made special inquiry of the holy and learned men who accompanied my army where they would like to be placed in the day of battle. They had been with me in many campaigns, and had witnessed many a great battle, but the stories about the elephants of India had so affected them that they instantly replied that they would like to be placed with the ladies while the battle was in progress. To allay the apprehensions of this class of men, I gave orders that all the buffalos which had been taken and placed with the baggage should be brought up; I then had their heads and necks fastened to their legs, and put them inside the abattis.

I gave orders for the camp to be carefully guarded all night to prevent a surprise by the enemy, and the night was passed with the caution and care which are necessary in war. …

NOTE THE REACTION OF THE HOLY AND LEARNED MEN UPON LEARNING THAT THEY WILL BE WALKING INTO A FEARFUL AND UNCERTAIN SITUATION, INSPITE OF HAVING GONE THROUGH MANY BATTLE CAMPAIGNS WITH TIMUR: … I made special inquiry of the holy and learned men who accompanied my army where they would like to be placed in the day of battle. They had been with me in many campaigns, and had witnessed many a great battle, but the stories about the elephants of India had so affected them that they instantly replied that they would like to be placed with the ladies while the battle was in progress. …

THERE WERE LADIES, LADIES OF THE COURT, INCLUDING THE QUEEN MOTHER, THE QUEEN, OTHER WIVES, LADIES IN WAITING, SUNDRY SERVANTS AND SLAVES THAT ACCOMPANIED THIS RAIDING CAMPAIGN OF TIMUR (TAMAR LANE) INTO DELHI, THAT ANCIENT CAPITAL OF INDIA.

TO CONTINUE WITH TIMUR’S CAMPAIGN …
page 213

… Rejoicings for the victory followed, and some of the clever men and poets that accompanied me worked the date of the victory into a verse, which they presented to me. Of all these memorial verses, however, I have introduced only this one into my memoirs:

“On Wednesday, the eighth of Rabi’ the second (Dec. 17, 1398), The Emperor Sahib-Kiran took the city of Delhi.”

I rewarded and honourably distinguished the literary men and poets who presented these verses to me.

I sent a party of men into the city to bring out the elephants which Sultan Mahmud had abandoned when he fled. They found 120 enormous elephants and several rhinoceroses, which they brought out to my court. As the elephants passed by me, I was greatly amused to see the tricks which their drivers had taught them. …

page 215

…On the sixteenth of the month (Dec. 26), certain incidents occurred which led to the sack of the city of Delhi and to the slaughter of many of the infidel inhabitants. One was this. A party of fierce Turkish soldiers had assembled at one of the gates of the city to look about them and enjoy themselves, and some of them had laid riotous hands upon the goods of the inhabitants. When I heard of this violence, I sent some amirs, who were present in Delhi, to restrain the Turks, and a party of soldiers accompanied these officers into the city. Another reason was that some of the ladies of my harem expressed a wish to go into the city and see the Palace of a Thousand Columns …

NOTE THAT THE LADIES ACCOMPANYING TIMUR’S CAMPAIGN NOW EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO GO INTO THE CITY. OF COURSE TIMUR GRANTS THEIR WISH ENSURING THAT THE PLACE IS SAFE AND CLEAN FOR THEIR VISIT.

page 216

…which Malik Jauna had built in the fort called Jahanpanah. I granted this request, and I sent a party of soldiers to escort the litters of the ladies. Another reason was that Jalal Islam and other officials had entered Delhi with a party of soldiers to collect the contribution laid upon the city. Another reason was that some thousand troopers with orders for grain, oil, sugar, and flour had gone into the city to collect these supplies. Another reason was that it had come to my knowledge that great numbers of Hindus and infidels had come into the city from all the country round with their wives and children, and goods and valuables, and consequently I had sent some amirs with their regiments into Delhi and directed them to pay no attention to the remonstrances of the inhabitants, but to seize these fugitives and bring them out.

For these various reasons a great number of fierce Turkish troops were in the city. When the soldiers proceeded to apprehend the Hindus and infidels who had fled to Delhi, many of them drew their swords and offered resistance. The flames of strife thus lighted spread through the entire city from Jahan-panah and Siri to Old Delhi, consuming all they reached. The savage Turks fell to killing and plundering, while the Hindus set fire to their houses with their own hands, burned their wives and children in them, and rushed into the fight and were killed. The Hindus and infidels of the city showed much alacrity and boldness in fighting. The amirs who were in charge of the gates prevented any more soldiers from entering Delhi, but the …

TIMUR REITERATES THAT IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THESE MANY REASONS THAT “…A GREAT NUMBER OF FIERCE TURKISH TROOPS WERE IN THE CITY. …”

THE HINDUS RESIST … SLAYINGS CONTINUE …

page 217

…flames of war had risen too high for this precaution to be of any avail in extinguishing them.

All day Thursday and throughout the night, nearly fifteen thousand Turks were engaged in slaying, plundering, and destroying.

When Friday morning dawned, my entire army, no longer under control, went off to the city and thought of nothing but killing, plundering, and making prisoners. The sack was general during the whole day, and continued throughout the following day, Saturday, the …

NOTE BELOW THE SPOILS FROM THE SACKING OF DELHI ACHIEVED SO FAR …

page 218

…seventeenth (Dec. 27), the spoil being so great that each man secured from fifty to a hundred prisoners, men, women, and children, while no soldier took less than twenty. There was likewise an immense booty in rubies, diamonds, garnets, pearls, and other gems; jewels of gold and silver; gold and silver money of the celebrated Alai coinage; vessels of gold and silver; and brocades and silks of great value. Gold and silver ornaments of the Hindu women were obtained in such quantities as to exceed all account. Excepting the quarter of the Sayyids, the scholars, and the other Mussulmans, the whole city was sacked. The pen of fate had written down this destiny for the people of this city, and although I was desirous of sparing them, I could not succeed, for it was the will of God that this calamity should befall the city.

On the following day, Sunday, it was brought to my knowledge that a great number of infidel Hindus had assembled in the Jami’ Masjid of Old Delhi, where they had carried arms and provisions, and had prepared to defend themselves. Some of my people who had gone that way on business were wounded by them, whereupon I immediately ordered Amir Shah Malik and Ali Sultan Tawachi to take a party of men and clear the house of God of infidels and idolaters. They accordingly attacked these infidels and put them to death, after which Old Delhi was plundered.

I ordered that all the artisans and clever mechanics who were masters of their respective crafts should be selected from among the prisoners and set aside, and …

I HAVE HEARD FROM A VARIETY OF MUGHAL AND ISLAMIC APOLOGISTS THAT THEIR ARTISANS ENRICHED THE QUALITY AND SUBTLETY OF INDIAN ART, ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNOLOGY. BUT HERE IS TIMUR ADMITTING THAT HE TOOK THE HINDU ARTISANS AND CLEVER MECHANICS PRISONERS AND DISTRIBUTED THEM AMONG HIS KEY PEOPLE, KEEPING A CHOICE HANDFUL FOR HIMSELF.

page 219

…accordingly some thousands of craftsmen were bidden to await my command All these I distributed among the princes and amirs who were present, or who were officially engaged in other parts of my dominions.

I had determined to build a Jami’ Masjid in Samarkand, the seat of my empire, which should be without a rival in any country; and for this reason I ordered that all builders and stone-masons should be set apart for my own especial service. …

BEYOND THE RELIGIOUS ISSUES, NOTE THE FORTIFICATIONS PROTECTING THE CITIES, DESCRIBED BELOW.

page 220

… By the will of God, and by no wish or direction of mine, all the three cities of Delhi, Siri, Jahan-panah, and Old Delhi, had been plundered. The official prayer of my sovereignty, which is an assurance of safety and protection, had been read in the city, and it was, therefore, my earnest wish that no evil might happen to the people of the place. It was ordained by God, however, that the city should be ruined, and he accordingly inspired the infidel inhabitants with a spirit of resistance, so that they brought on themselves that fate which was inevitable.

When my mind was no longer occupied with the destruction of the people of Delhi, I took a ride around the cities. Siri is a round city, with lofty buildings surrounded by strong fortifications built of stone and brick. Old Delhi has a similar strong fort, but it is larger than that of Sin, and from the fort of Sin to that of Old Delhi, which is a considerable distance, there runs a strong wall, built of stone and cement. The district called Jahan-panah is situated in the midst of the inhabited city. The fortifications of the three cities have thirty gates. Jahan-panah has thirteen gates, seven on the south side bearing toward the east, and six on the north side bearing toward the west. Siri has seven gates, four toward the outside and three on the inside toward Jahan-panah. The fortifications of Old Delhi have ten gates, some opening to the exterior and some toward the interior of the city. …

LET’S CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT TIMUR DID NEXT.

page 221

… After spending fifteen days at Delhi, passing my time in pleasure and enjoyment, and in holding royal courts and giving great feasts, I reflected that I had come to Hindustan to war against infidels, and that my enterprise had been so blessed that wherever I had gone I had been victorious. I had triumphed over my adversaries, I had put to death hundreds of thousands of infidels and idolaters, I had dyed my proselyting sword with the blood of the enemies of the Faith, and now that I had gained this crowning victory, I felt that I ought not to indulge in ease, but rather to exert myself still further in warring against the infidels of Hindustan. Having made these reflections, on the twenty-second of Rabi’-al-akhir, 800 A.H. (Jan. 1, …

page 222

… 1399 A.D.), I again drew my sword to wage a religious war. …

… Timur’s memoirs then proceed to describe his taking of Mirat by storm, his frightful slaughter of the inhabitants, his capture of Hardwar, and his devastation of the territory along the Ganges, until he turned his army on the homeward march to Samarkand, fighting his way at every step until he left India. …

I SUSPECT THAT THE EXPENSES OF MAINTAINING THE PLEASURE AND ENJOYMENT OF HIS ENTOURAGE INCLUDING A HAREM THAT HAD DEVELOPED AN APPETITE FOR INCREASED SERVANTS, SLAVES AND OTHER HUMAN SPOILS OF WAR, PLAYED A MAJOR PART IN HIS DECISION TO CONTINUE ON HIS RAMPAGE. GAINS SO FAR HAD WET THE APPETITE OF NOT ONLY HIS HAREM BUT ALSO THE HAREMS OF HIS COMMANDING STAFF. VERY FEW HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS EVER TALK ABOUT THE ROLE PLAYED BY NON-COMBATANT WOMEN ON THE WINNING SIDE.

Posted by  |  March 16, 2015 | Categories: Evangelical Tendencies, Religious Tendencies | Comments Off

THE WAR OF FLOWERS AND FOOD

2000 –

NOVEMBER –
MUCH AGAINST THEIR WISHES MY PARENTS VISIT THE US FOR THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL OF THE YOUNGEST BROTHER’S FIRST CHILD SOMETIME IN DECEMBER. THEY’D RATHER BE IN INDIA FOR THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL OF THEIR SECOND SON’S FIRST BORN. BUT HE INSISTS ON HAVING HIS PARENTS FOR THE OCCASION, REASONING THAT HE WAS THE MORE TRADITIONAL AMONGST ALL OF US. HE HAD CHOSEN THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE ROUTE AND SO FELT THAT HIS PARENTS OUGHT TO BE WITH HIM AND HIS YOUNG BRIDE. BESIDES HE WAS NERVOUS AND WANTED THE SECURITY OF HIS OWN PARENTS AROUND HIM AT SUCH A TIME.

DECEMBER –
AFTER A DIFFICULT PREGNANCY FOR BOTH PARENTS, FIRST TUNGA GRANDCHILD IS BORN TO MY BROTHER WHOSE HEAD IS BASHED BY KIRIT MANEK – HE SUFFERS A SEVERE ATTACK CAUSED BY AN UNSUSPECTED PEANUT ALLERGY. THIS FREEZES HIS MUSCLES SUCH THAT HE IS REDUCED TO CRAWLING ON ALL FOURS TO FEED HIMSELF. HIS WIFE CANNOT HELP HIM BECAUSE OF SEVERE COMPLICATIONS DURING HER FIRST PREGNANCY. THEIR FIRST CHILD IS BIRTHED BY CAESAREAN SECTION. TURNS OUT HER BIRTHING CANAL IS NOT SUITED FOR CHILDBIRTH.

ON THAT PEANUT ALLERGY, WE ALL ATE PEANUTS AND ROASTED GRAMS REGULARLY AS CHILDREN IN THE EVENING. I WONDER IF THE PEANUTS THAT AFFECTED MY BROTHER SO ADVERSELY WAS PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL TEMPLE GOERS – HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE, SWAMINARAYAN TEMPLE, AND OTHERS IN THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE FIRST TWO ON THIS LIST HAVE STRONG NETWORKS OVERSEAS. THE PEANUTS FROM OVERSEAS ARE NOT THE SAME VARIETY AS THOSE WE GREW UP ON IN BOMBAY. I FOUND THAT OUT WHEN I ATE BUTTAH WHILE VISITING ELEPHANTA CAVES, AKA, GHARAPURI ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF MUMBAI. AMERICAN CORN IS HYPER SWEET. INDIAN CORN IS NORMAL. THE SAME IS THE CASE WITH PEANUTS. BOTH FOODS ARE KAPHA-GENIC, THAT IS, ALREADY HAVE KAPHA’S SWEET AND MOIST QUALITIES. SWEETENING IT FURTHER PROBABLY WORSENS MATTERS.

2006 –

MARCH –

MEET URJESHWARI BEARDEN SOMETIME ONCE I HAD BEEN ATTENDING KALACHANDJI’S FOR A WHILE. SHE WORKS AT THE GIFT SHOP – A PERFECT PLACE FOR HER. IS SHE A GUJRATI? NO! SHE IS A TAMILIAN! AN OVERSEAS TAMILIAN FROM SINGAPORE! LIKELY THESE TAMILIANS LEFT INDIA BECAUSE OF INDIA’S INCREASING ARYANIZATION, I BET. YEAH! THAT OLD ARYAN – DRAVIDIAN CONTROVERSY / CONFLICT / RICH SOURCE OF EXTORTIONARY PRINCIPLES! FUNDING FOR THE TAMIL TIGERS! THE INSPIRATION BEHIND SUICIDE BOMBING POST WORLD WAR II!

JULY –

I ALSO START FOLLOWING THE 12 WEEK WORKSHOP RECOMMENDED IN THE JULIA CAMERON BOOK, “THE ARTIST’S WAY”. THIS STARTS A WHOLE CHAIN OF RELIGIOUSLY ORIENTED, BUT IN REALITY FEMININE ORIENTED, REALIGNMENT OF PRIORITIES.

2007 –

FIRST MISCARRIAGE EARLY IN THE YEAR. – LIKELY FROM THE STRESS OF REALIZING HOW MUCH OF A FIX-UP THIS LAKE HIGHLANDS WILL PROVE TO BE; BEGAN THE SEARCH FOR A SUITABLE CONTRACTOR THAT WAS COMPETENT AND ECONOMICAL – QUITE A FEW CLAIMED TO LISTEN BUT PROVED NOT TO, ONE OR TWO UNDERSTOOD THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK INVOLVED AND DIDN’T BOTHER TO SUBMIT BIDS. MOST OF THEM EITHER EXPECTED ME TO BE THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR (UPON REALIZING I WAS AN ARCHITECT) OR DIDN’T BOTHER SUBMITTING A BID AND HAVE KNOWLEDGEABLE OVERSIGHT. FOUND ONE AFTER AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OF SEARCH – A MASON AND INTERIOR DECORATOR COUPLE WHO ACCEPTED A G.M. ROLE AFTER LOOKING OVER MY SKETCHES. I DIDN’T DRAW ANY CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS – THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THEM.

FIXING THE ALUMINUM WIRING TOOK A CHUNK OF OUR FUNDS, PLUS ITS SPECIALIZED NATURE CREATED INTERESTING PROBLEMS WHEN CHANGING OUT ELECTRICAL FIXTURES. IN BETWEEN THE CONTRACTOR’S GEAR GETS STOLEN IN EXCHANGE FOR WHICH CERTAIN LIGHT FIXTURES GETS MYSTERIOUSLY MISPLACED – NOT THE SAFEST PLACE YOU MIGHT SAY! – AND THIS IN THE LIGHT OF THE FOUR FACTORS THAT ATTRACTED MY HUSBAND TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

I DISCUSS MY STRUGGLES REMODELING WITH URJESHWARI.

SHE DISCUSSES HER STRUGGLES GETTING AROUND WITHOUT ACCESS TO A CAR. SHE MENTIONS THAT ON SOME WEEKENDS DAN DRIVES HER TO THE LAKE WHERE SHE CAN MEDITATE QUIETLY. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SHE COULD HAVE DROPPED FLOWERS I MENTION LATER IN THIS SECTION, INTO THE LAKE FOR IT TO GERMINATE OR NOT AS IT CHOOSES.

SEPTEMBER –

URJESHWARI TELLS ME OF HER PLANS TO VISIT SINGAPORE, VIA BOMBAY AND ONE OTHER COUNTRY WHOSE NAME ESCAPES ME AT THIS TIME. I NEVER CONSIDERED IT THEN, BUT SUCH AN ITINERARY COSTS MONEY. SO MUCH FOR THE BEARDEN POVERTY!!!!

OCTOBER 20, 2007 –
THE FRONT OF MY CAR IS DAMAGED. I CAN’T RECALL HOW. REPAIRS INCLUDE REPLACING BUMPER AND REDOING PAINT JOB. AT THIS TIME WE ARE LIVING AT BRENTCOVE CIRCLE AREA.

WHILE HERE I FIND MY AYURVEDIC SHAMPOO, SPECIFIC TO MY HAIR TYPE, UNUSUALLY DEPLETED.

I TAKE PICTURES OF THE TWO REMAINING OWNERS OF BIKRAM YOGA DOWNTOWN FOR MY NIECE’S ALBUM IN INDIA. ONE OF THEM HOLDS UP THE NEW YORK TIMES WITH THE DATE SO THERE WOULD BE PROOF FOR MY NIECE OF THE PLACE AND THE TIME.

I HEAR COMPLAINTS AMONGST LONG TIME STUDENTS AND THE PARTNERS ABOUT YASSI’S DEMANDING STYLE OF TEACHING. THE REMAINING INSTRUCTORS ARE MORE FOCUSED ON PANDERING TO STUDENTS’ DELUSIONS SUSPENDING THEIR OWN JUDGMENT AS YOGA TEACHERS.

THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD I CONTINUE TO ATTEND KALACHANDJIS TEMPLE ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. ON EACH VISIT I’D EMPTY MY WALLET AT THE DONATION BOX WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT I’D DONATE. I THINK THE AMOUNT RANGED FROM THE 20s TO THE 100s. IF I AM OFFERED FLOWERS I BRING THEM HOME.

NOW URJESHWARI TELLS ME THAT SHE WOULD BE IN MUMBAI (SHE CALLS IT BOMBAY) AT THE SAME TIME THAT I WOULD BE. SHE GIVES ME HER PHONE NUMBER SO I COULD MEET HER AT THE HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE IN JUHU AND SHE WOULD INTRODUCE ME TO ONE OR TWO PEOPLE SHE KNEW THERE. UPON INQUIRING IF SHE NEEDED DIRECTIONS OR HELP IN GETTING TO THE TEMPLE, SHE REPLIES THAT THE TEMPLE WOULD BE ARRANGING HER ENTIRE STAY THERE, FROM AND BACK TO THE AIRPORT.

DECEMBER –

WE FLY TO BOMBAY. MORE ABOUT THAT TRIP SOME OTHER TIME.

2010 –

MAY –

FOR AN EVENING CLIENT MEETING AT THEIR HOME, I WAS “ACCOSTED” BY NEW PARTIES TO THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE BEARDENS AND MYSELF. A TEMPLE ELDER NAMED MATHURANATH, WHO MOONLIGHTED AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR BROUGHT ALONG A MASON NAMED GOPAL WHOM I HAD MET BEFORE WHILE FACT-FINDING ON THE TEMPLE KITCHEN AND ROOF ISSUES, AND A LABORER NAMED FRANCISCO FROM THE INCREASINGLY HISPANIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH THE TEMPLE WAS LOCATED. I WAS GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR ROLE WOULD BE LIMITED TO PROVIDING TEMPORARY ACCOMODATION NEARBY DURING REMODELING, SO I PROVIDED THEM WITH CONCEPT DRAWINGS. MRS. BEARDEN WAS PREGNANT AND IT BECAME NECESSARY TO SEEK ALTERNATE ACCOMODATION DURING THE REMODELING PROCESS. LUCKILY I NEVER GOT TO THE STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS – THE CLIENTS REMAINED STUBBORNLY ELUSIVE ON COMMITTING TO ANY PARTICULAR PROCESS, ANY PARTICULAR LAYOUT, ANY PARTICULAR STAIRCASE LOCATION (NEW ONE WAS REQUIRED AS THERE WAS NO EXISTING STAIRS – UPSTAIRS WAS ACCESSED BY YOUR AVERAGE HOME IMPROVEMENT STEEL LADDER), SO I NEVER HAD ANY PLANS TO EVEN SHOW A PERMITTING OFFICIAL FOR HIS THOUGHTS ON WHAT PARTS HAD TO HAVE A PERMIT AND WHAT DIDN’T. FROM WORKING INTHE INDUSTRY I KNEW THAT CITY OFFICIALS CAN BE LENIENT IN ENFORCING CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN CASE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP IN ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED NEIGHBORHOODS TO MAINTAIN AND/OR ENHANCE PROPERTY VALUES.

SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS REVEALED A MUCH GREATER ROLE FOR THE NEW PARTIES – ESSENTIALLY THEY WERE TO FAST-TRACK REMODELING BY ANY MEANS INCLUDING BYPASSING THE PERMIT PROCESS. THE BEARDENS ASSURED ME THAT THEY AND THE TEMPLE WOULD KEEP MY ROLE SECRET TO PROTECT MY ARCHITECT’S LICENSE. I REFUSED TO INDULGE SUCH NONSENSE, REPLYING THAT I WOULD KNOW OF MY TRANSGRESSION AND MOREOVER WOULD BE ACTING AGAINST MY PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT.

THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF A MEMORANDUM IN MY NOTEBOOK DATED THURSDAY, MAY 20 2010, RECORDED IN THE BLACK FOREST CAFE ATTACHED TO THE HALF PRICE BOOKS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. NOTE THAT EXCEPT FOR THE CLIENT COUPLE’S NAMES THE REST ARE VALID ONLY AMONG TEMPLE DEVOTEES. I DO NOT KNOW THEIR REAL AND LEGAL NAMES. FRANCISCO IS PROBABLY REAL, BUT I HAD NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE.

Meeting Notes:
Dharma decided to go ahead without a permit for three reasons. In his own words they are as follows:
1) Urjesvari’s approaching due date, her increasing stress.
2) Need to capitalize on the availability of the rental unit next door.
3) Availability (Immediate) of Mathuranath, Gopal and Francisco, to start and complete quickly the work under the radar.

I said that in that case I couldn’t help them any further. I expressed my disappointment int their decision.

Dharma asked if I’d (be) available if they got caught and needed my help in obtaining a permit. I agreed.

Dharma wanted me to remain involved through this process because (honestly, he’s got a good deal and didn’t want to let it go) he valued my insight and input. I said that it didn’t make sense. He wanted me to still provide comments on their actions during the non-permit process. I said I couldn’t do that, my license requirements.

They said they wouldn’t tell anyone. I said that I know but that I would know.

I said that I’d have to end my involvement as long as they were involved in permit-less process. When and if I was brought back on the job then we’d talk again about the terms of our relationship.

Dharma said that maybe we could meet in a couple of days after I’d thought over my reactions. I said sure, we could meet.

SCANNED COPY OF THE NOTES I MADE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MEETING. THE RETREAT NOTED AT THE VERY TOP REFER TO THE VIPASSANA SIT SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST.

SCANNED COPY OF THE NOTES I MADE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MEETING. THE RETREAT NOTED AT THE VERY TOP REFER TO THE VIPASSANA SIT SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST.

IN A WEEK OR SO I RECEIVED LUNCH INVITATION FROM THE BEARDENS AT THE RESTAURANT. UPON MEETING I LEARNED THAT THEY HAD HIRED A CITY EMPLOYEE WHO MOONLIGHTED AS AN ENGINEER, TO TAKE THEIR PLANS THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS. I WISHED THEM WELL. THEN I LEARNED THAT THEY WISHED TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH ME VIA SUCH LUNCHES SO I COULD REVIEW THIS NEW CONSULTANT’S WORK FOR ERRORS AND OMISSIONS. I REFUSED. FROM THEN ON I SCRUPULOUSLY MAINTAINED NO CONTACT WITH THE BEARDENS. I REFUSED TO EVEN GO ANYWHERE NEAR THEIR HOME AND THE TEMPLE FOR FEAR OF BEING DRAGGED INTO THEIR SHADY DEALS.

I QUIT WORK ON THE BEARDEN HOME WITH A LIGHT HEART. KEY STRUCTURAL ISSUES NEEDED ENGINEERING RESOLUTION. THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO FUDGE THAT ISSUE! IT RECALLED MY EXPERIENCE TRYING TO ENGAGE THE TEMPLE IN UPGRADING THEIR TEMPLE COMPLEX!

JANUARY 18, 2015
IN A DREAM I SAW THAT I WAS RUNNING AROUND THE OUTSKIRTS AND WITHIN THE COMPOUND OF A HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE, ITS LOCATION NOT EASILY RECOGNIZABLE – I HAVEN’T BEEN THERE – BUT LIKE IN ALL DREAMS IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE FAR EAST. AS I MADE MY SECOND PASS, I SAW THEY HAD PUT OUT THESE FLOWERS WRAPPED IN WHITE MOIST PAPER IN SMALL GROUPS OF FOUR TO FIVE FLOWERS EACH. I PICKED UP ONE QUICKLY AND FOUND THAT A BUNCH OF SUCH BOUQUETS FELL INTO MY HANDS. I CHECK MY PACE, TURN BACK, PUT MOST OF THEM BACK AND TOOK ONLY ONE BOUQUET WITH ME. I LOOK AT IT – THEY ARE SMALL, ABOUT ONE INCH SIZED, CUP SHAPED FLOWERS, WHITE WITH PURPLE EDGES THAT TURN OUTWARDS (UNLIKE A TULIP WITH ITS STRAIGHT EDGE).

AS MY MIND REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS I GET THE FEELING THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS FLOWER SOMEWHERE IN DALLAS. THE NEXT FEW DAYS I SEARCH THROUGH MY FILES FOR AN IMAGE. I FINALLY FIND A VARIATION OF THAT FLOWER IN SOME PICTURES I TOOK OF THE EASTERN SHORES OF THE WHITE ROCK LAKE. THE SHORES ARE BEING STABILIZED WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS. IN THE INTERMITTENT SPACES THERE IS AN AQUATIC WATER COVER OF LEAVES AND FLOWERS THAT HAVE THE SAM E SHAPE BUT NOT THE SAME COLOR. THESE FLOWERS ARE ALSO SMALLER. THEY’VE BEEN THERE FOR A FEW YEARS THOUGH. I DON’T KNOW WHAT ADAPTATIONS THEY HAVE UNDERGONE IN THAT TIME.

I RECALL VISITING THE SNAKE GARDEN IN MADRAS. THE POINT THAT REMAINS WITH ME MOST IS THE VARIETIES OF SNAKES POSSIBLE IN THEIR APPEARANCE, COLORING AND HABITAT. ALL WERE FATAL TO HUMAN BEINGS IN SOME WAY. NONE I HAD SEEN BEFORE OR SINCE. A FEW I HAD DIFFICULTY PERCEIVING BECAUSE THEY HAD SUCH PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE I COULDN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT THESE FLOWERS WOULD BE USED TO BRING IN POISONOUS CREATURES. BUT THAT’S WAY TOO COMPLICATED. A SIMPLER WAY WOULD BE TO MODIFY THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PLANT SPECIES.

FLOWERS OFFERED IN A TEMPLE WOULD BE AN IDEAL MEDIUM FOR PORTING NEW SPECIES WITH NEW PROPERTIES THAT MAY AFFECT ATTENDEES IN WAYS THEY ARE NOT PREPARED FOR. PEOPLE LIKE TO TEST A FLOWER’S FRAGRANCE – THAT WOULD BE ONE EASY WAY TO INTRODUCE POTENTIALLY TOXIC SUBSTANCE INTO ANOTHER PERSON COVERTLY.

MARCH 4, 2015
I RECALL WHAT I LEARNED DURING CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES FOR MY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT LICENSE AT THE MINNEAPOLIS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT LOCATED ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. A SOILS CONFERENCE HELD ON JUNE 26, 2012. THE INSTRUCTORS ARE MOSTLY FROM OHIO STATE (CONFIRM BY REFERENCE TO SCANNED NOTES ABOUT SCREAMING SOILS AND GIANT ASIAN EARTHWORMS DECIMATING NORTH AMERICAN SOILS – UNDULATING SOILS IN SUBURBAN BACK YARDS).

MN ASLA CEU 2012 COVER

MN ASLA CEU 2012 COVER

MN ASLA CEU 2012 AGENDA FOR TUESDAY, JULY 26.

MN ASLA CEU 2012
AGENDA FOR TUESDAY, JULY 26.

MY NOTES, PAGE 1 NOTES ON LEFT IN THE TOP HALF ARE FROM THE INTRODUCTORY SESSION. NOTES ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE LEFT SIDE ARE ABOUT OUR DRIVE FROM TEXAS TO MINNESOTA. NOTES TO THE RIGHT ARE TECHNICAL IN NATURE.

MY NOTES, PAGE 1
NOTES ON LEFT IN THE TOP HALF ARE FROM THE INTRODUCTORY SESSION.
NOTES ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE LEFT SIDE ARE ABOUT OUR DRIVE FROM TEXAS TO MINNESOTA.
NOTES TO THE RIGHT ARE TECHNICAL IN NATURE.

PROOF OF ATTENDANCE AND EARNING OF CEUs

PROOF OF ATTENDANCE AND EARNING OF CEUs

THEN I RECALL THAT URJESHWARI BEARDEN OR URJESHWARIDASI DEVI OR WHATEVER OTHER NAME SHE GOES BY THESE DAYS, TELLING ME THAT HER HUSBAND DRIVES HER TO THE WHITE ROCK LAKE WHERE SHE WALKS AND MEDITATES AND THROWS THE FLOWERS FROM THE HOME SHRINE OR THE TEMPLE SHRINE INTO THE WATERS.

KALACHANDJI’S OR KALAGANGES OR SRI SRIRADHAKALACHANDJI’S USES AT LEAST $1000 WORTH OF FLOWERS EVERY DAY. THESE FLOWERS ARE USED TO ADORN THE IDOLS AND THROWN AWAY THE NEXT DAY. WHERE? THROWING IT IN THE TRASH IS NOT KOSHER – AFTER ALL IT WAS THE GOD’S BLESSING – YOU DON’T THROW THAT AWAY IN THE TRASH. NO, IT IS USUALLY THROWN IN THE LAKE OR RIVER OR SOMETHING.

HOW THESE FLOWERS REACT WITH THE WATER SUPPLY, DECAY AND GET ABSORBED INTO THE SOILS AROUND, ALL THIS IS WAY BEYOND MY EXPERTISE. WHERE DO THESE FLOWERS COME FROM? LIKELY THOSE DEVOTEES WEALTHY AND INCENTIVISED ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FUNDS WOULD INSIST ON CERTAIN FLOWERS INSTEAD OF OTHERS. THUS SLOWLY AND SURELY THE LANDSCAPE IS CHANGED.

URJESHWARI TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE SOME VERY WEALTHY BACKERS FOR THE TEMPLE’S ACTIVITIES. BUT THESE WEALTHY BACKERS DO NOT PROVIDE FUNDS TO PROVIDE FRESHLY MADE GHEE EVERYDAY. FOR THAT THEY USE OLIVE OIL. I HAVE USED BOTH IN COOKING – GHEE IS THE MOST NEUTRAL AND LEAST HARMFUL TO MY STOMACH LINING. OLIVE OIL IS BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE, BUT NOT FOR INDIAN FOOD. GHEE THAT IS OBTAINED FROM MILK PRODUCED BY A COW THAT HAS CHEWED ITS FOOD THROUGH ALL FOUR OF ITS STOMACHS IS THE BEST. IT IS THESE FOUR STOMACHS THAT FILTER OUT ALL THE IMPURITIES IN THE CARRIER OF PURE OIL. VEGETABLE OILS DO NOT GO THROUGH THESE PROCESSES.

BUT NOW THERE IS TECHNOLOGY IS CHEAPLY AVAILABLE THAT BYPASSES THE FIRST THREE STOMACHS AND DUMPS THE FOOD STRAIGHT INTO THE FOURTH. IT IS YOUR AND MINE BEST GUESS AS TO THE ABILITY OF THIS MILK TO NOURISH A HUMAN BEING ON HIS PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT. THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS AVAILABLE IN THE 80s AND 90s BUT NOW IT HAS BECOME CHEAP. AND USEFUL IN THE ONGOING CULTURE WARS.

URJESHWARI WAS NOT LYING WHEN SHE SAID THAT THE TEMPLE’S BACKERS ARE VERY WEALTHY.

THEY CHOOSE TO INVEST IN FLOWERS, BUT NOT IN THE PUREST GHEE.

THEY CHOOSE TO INVEST IN COSTLY HAND EMBROIDERED SILK COSTUMES FOR THE DEITIES, BUT NOT IN UPGRADING THAT HOTTER THAN HELL KITCHEN WITH NON-EXISTENT EXHAUST SYSTEM.

THEY CHOOSE TO INVEST IN BRINGING FOREIGN DEVOTEES INTO THE COUNTRY ON THE BASIS OF THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION, BUT NOT IN FIXING THAT CONSTANTLY LEAKY ROOF OF THE BANQUET AND KITCHEN HALL, WHERE ONE CHURCH WAS HOUSED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS A BAPTIST CHURCH BUT IT IS TOO OLD FOR THAT TO BE TRUE. I SUSPECT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN EARLY PROTESTANT DENOMINATION CHURCH OR A CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE LAYOUT OF ITS BUILDINGS IS AIMED AT SUPPORTING A COMMUNITY CHURCH WITH A HEALTHY BODY OF CLERGYMEN AND MONKS FOCUSED ON LEADING A MEDITATIVE LIFE – A CLOISTER LIKE INNER COURTYARD WITH SMALLER BUILDINGS FLANKING IT, A HUGE YAUPON HOLLY THAT IS THE PRIDE OF THE KALACHANDJI’S RESTAURANT.

THE KALACHANDJI SHRINE IS HOUSED WITHIN WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN A PRIVATE CHAPEL FOR THE CLERGY. NO WONDER THEY HAVE THE KRISHNA IDOL IN BLACK STONE AND THE RADHA IDOL IN WHITE MARBLE. RADHA IS KRISHNA FIRST LOVER WHEN HE IS JUST A BOY. SHE WAS A MARRIED WOMAN, QUITE SOME YEARS OLDER THAN HIM.

I FURTHER REMEMBERED THAT URJESHWARI BEARDEN VISITED BOMBAY AT THE SAME TIME THAT I DID BUT DID NOT CHOOSE TO MEET ME THERE. SHE STAYED AT THE HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE THERE. SHE WAS PICKED UP AND DROPPED OFF AT THE AIRPORT ON HER WAY TO SINGAPORE.

COMBINE THESE ACTIVITIES WITH MY DREAM AND YOU HAVE A VERY UGLY SALTY PICKLE OF A PROBLEM!

NOTES AND REFERENCES:

THERE ARE SOME WEALTHIER CHURCHES IN HIGHLAND PARK, UNIVERSITY PARK AND PRESTONWOOD NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE A CLOISTERED LAYOUT OF BUILDINGS WITHOUT BEING A CATHOLIC CHURCH. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT KALACHANDJI’S IS LOCATED IN WHAT WAS THE PARISH CHURCH FOR THE EARLY WAVE OF WEALTHY DALLAS RESIDENTS WHO MOVED OUT OF EAST DALLAS AS THE CITY BECAME MORE COMMERCIAL AND BEGAN TO ATTRACT UNDESIRABLE POPULATIONS.

Posted by  |  March 6, 2015 | Categories: Evangelical Tendencies, Practitioner Tendencies, Religious Tendencies | Comments Off

FINANCIAL BACKERS & EARLY ADOPTERS OF BIKRAM YOGA RICHARDSON

FINANCIAL BACKERS OF BIKRAM YOGA RICHARDSON = INDIAN AMERICANS FROM THE INDIAN STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH (PAST AND PRESENT).

EARLY ADOPTERS = INDEPENDENT CLASS OF VOTERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

BAND WAGON JUMPERS = EVANGELICALS OF ALL SHADES.

FINANCIAL BACKERS STILL REMAIN AS DO THE BAND WAGON JUMPERS
WHILE
THE EARLY ADOPTERS QUIT AROUND 2009 OR 2010, I THINK.

2005 –
DECEMBER –
A SECOND DAUGHTER IS BORN TO MY YOUNGEST BROTHER IN EAGAN, MINNESOTA. THIS IS NEAR TO WHERE THAT FAKE BIKRAM YOGA STUDIO AIMED AT OLD AND ELDERLY PEOPLE IS LOCATED. MY SISTER-IN-LAW’S PARENTS VISIT FROM INDIA TO HELP OUT.

2006 –
MARCH / APRIL –
THE THURSDAY OR FRIDAY BEFORE STARTING ON MY NEW JOB, I SUFFER A SEVERE FEAR SPIKE FROM A SERIOUS LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN MY OWN ABILITIES. THE YEARS OF PRACTICING YOGA AND SEEING ITS BENEFITS WERE AS NOTHING, UNABLE TO COMBAT THIS VISCERAL SPIKE. JUST TO SEEK PEACE AND QUIET I GO TO KALACHANDJIS RESTAURANT TO EAT IN THEIR YAUPON HOLLY SHADED INNER COURTYARD STRUNG WITH TINY SPARKLY LIGHTS. THE WARM RECEPTION TO A LOW-HANGING FRUIT LIKE ME, WORKS ITS MAGIC.

I STARTED ATTENDING HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE FREQUENTLY. AT THE END OF EVERY PRAYER SESSION THE PRIEST SENDS OUT THE MULTI-FLAMED LAMP TO BE APPRECIATED FOR ITS WARMTH AMONGST ANY DEVOTEES ALONG WITH OTHER ITEMS SUCH AS FLOWERS ORIGINALLY OFFERED TO THE DEITY.
FLOWERS OFFERED ARE USUALLY MUMS, OR ZINNIAS, OF ONE KIND OR THE OTHER. DIDN’T YOU KNOW THESE FLOWERS ARE TROPICAL IN ORIGIN?

MY HUSBAND AGREES TO ACCOMPANY ME ONE EVENING. AS HE SITS WITH ME WATCHING THE CROWD HE ASKS IF I WANTED HIM TO JOIN THE TEMPLE. I ASK HIM WHY WOULD HE ASK THAT OF ME! HE REPLIES THAT IT WOULD BE HIS WAY OF SHOWING HIS SUPPORT FOR WHAT I WAS DOING. I ASK HIM IF HE FELT ANY SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO THIS PLACE. HE REPLIES IN THE NEGATIVE. I DISCOURAGE HIM FROM JOINING. I TELL HIM THAT I WAS ONLY EXPLORING THIS PLACE WITH NO GOAL IN MIND. JUST A FACT FINDING MISSION TO SEE IF THIS PLACE HAD THE PROPER UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR MY ROOTS! IF THIS PLACE WOULD BE A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT LOCALLY FOR MY FAMILY FAR AWAY – A FAMILY THAT RESPECTED MY OPINION AND ACTIVELY SOUGHT IT. I FELT DEEPLY THAT I HAD A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYERS COULDN’T TAP IT, MAYBE A AFFILIATED RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION COULD. I KNEW THAT I WASN’T CONTRIBUTING AS MUCH AS MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE TO HIS INVESTIGATIONS INTO HIS OWN UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS.

MAY / JUNE –

I LEARN FROM MY YOUNGEST BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW THAT THE SECOND DAUGHTER IS ALLERGIC TO HER OWN MOTHER’S MILK. SO MUCH SO THAT SHE TO BE ACTIVELY RESTRAINED FROM SCRATCHING HERSELF – BY COVERING HER TOES AND NAILS WITH GLOVES OR BY WATCHING HER CONSTANTLY. SHE WAS TOO YOUNG FOR ANY SURGICAL HELP. ALLOPATHIC DOCTORS HAD NO CLUE WHAT TO DO. MEANWHILE THIS INFANT, LESS THAN SIX MONTHS OLD, WAS BREAKING OUT IN RASHES EVERYWHERE. AFTER TRYING VARIOUS NON-TRADITIONAL REMEDIES, THEY TRY SOMETHING CALLED NAET. THAT WORKS IN CURBING THE CHILD’S PAIN. IT IS A LONG AND SLOW PROCESS THAT REQUIRED BOTH THE MOTHER AND THE INFANT TO UNDERGO THE LONG SERIES OF TREATMENTS. SINCE MY BROTHER KNEW ABOUT MY OWN HEAT RASH AND ALLERGY PROBLEM HE SUGGESTS THAT I TRY THEM MYSELF. I TAKE THIS UNDER ADVISEMENT.

JUNE –
I START NAET TREATMENTS FOR MY ALLERGIES. OVER A PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, I AM CURED OF ENVIRONMENTAL ALLERGIES, BUT RETAIN MY FOOD PREFERENCES PER DOSHA. DOSHA IS NOT AN ALLERGY. DOSHA IS A STRONG CRAVING TO BE FOUGHT WITH ALL THREE, THE MIND, THE BODY AND FINALLY THE SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT WILL ONLY AWAKEN IF ALLOWED TO. ALL RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS ACTIVELY SEEK TO SUPPRESS THE SPIRIT. NEVER FORGET THAT!

JULY –
I VISIT MY PARENTS IN MINNESOTA WHO WERE VISITING TO HELP OUT MY SISTER-IN-LAW TO COPE WITH HER SECOND DAUGHTER’S BIRTH. HER PARENTS HAD LEFT FOR INDIA BY NOW. OR THEY WERE IN THE SOUTH WITH THEIR SON STUDYING AT UT-ARLINGTON. OR MAYBE THEIR 6-MONTH VISA RAN OUT AND IT WAS TIME FOR THEM TO SETTLE THEIR SON IN GRADUATE SCHOOL BEFORE RETURNING BACK TO INDIA. THE CHILD HAD HEAT RASHES AND ITCHES ALL HER SKIN AND HAD TO WATCHED CONSTANTLY AS SHE WAS NATURALLY WONT TO SCRATCH HERSELF.

THIS TIME THOUGH MY PARENTS WERE NOT THERE DURING THE PREGNANCY OR THE BIRTH OR THE AFTERMATH OF THE SECOND DAUGHTER’S BIRTH. THIS TIME IT WAS MY MINNEAPOLIS SISTER-IN-LAW’S OWN PARENTS, BROUGHT THERE UPON HER REQUEST AND HER BROTHER’S. THE LATTER WAS YEARS YOUNGER THAN HER AND CLUELESS AS FAR AS LIFE IN THE US WAS CONCERNED. MY BROTHER, THAT IS HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, HAD PROVIDED THE FINANCIAL BACKING AND EARLY SEED MONEY TO ENABLE HIM TO STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES. THAT IS WHAT GOOD HUSBANDS DO FOR THEIR WIVES WHO ARE TRYING HARD TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

2007 –
BIKRAM CHOUDHURY PUBLISHES ‘BIKRAM YOGA – THE GURU BEHIND HOT YOGA SHOWS THE WAY TO RADIANT HEALTH AND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT’.

THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD I CONTINUE TO ATTEND KALACHANDJIS TEMPLE ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. ON EACH VISIT I’D EMPTY MY WALLET AT THE DONATION BOX WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT I’D DONATE. I THINK THE AMOUNT RANGED FROM THE 20s TO THE 100s. NATURALLY WORD SPREADS QUICKLY ABOUT SUCH GENEROSITY.

IF I AM OFFERED FLOWERS I BRING THEM HOME. I AM NOT.

JANUARY –
REMODELING OF HOME BOUGHT IN LAKE HIGHLANDS BEGINS. IT CONTINUES TILL EARLY NEXT YEAR.

FEBRUARY 8, 2007 –

SARAH FRANCIS DRIVING UNDER HER FATHER’S INSURANCE HITS MY HUSBAND’S CAR IN THE BORDERS PARKING LOT AT PRESTON AND ROYAL. AT THE TIME SHE ADMITS HER FAULT BUT HER FATHER, WILLIAM T. FRANCIS, SR. REPORTS IT OTHERWISE.

MY HUSBAND REPAIRS THE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HIS COROLLA VIA HIS OWN COVERAGE. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE VISIBLE UPON REMOVAL OF THE BUMPER GUARD. I RECALL HIM RELATING THAT HE WISHED I WAS WITH HIM AS WITNESS BECAUSE HE DIDN’T THINK THE LATE TEEN DRIVING HER DADDY’S CAR WOULD TELL A STRAIGHT STORY. BELOW IS MY RECOLLECTION OF HIS REPORT TO ME:
ONCE HE IS PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE OLD BORDERS BOOKSTORE ON PRESTON AND ROYAL IN DALLAS. HE NATURALLY SLOWS DOWN. THERE IS A VEHICLE COMING TOWARDS HIM WITH HEADLIGHTS ON FAST ON ITS WAY TO JOINING THE STREET. HE THINKS SHE IS GOING TO STOP BUT SHE DOESN’T. SHE SMASHES INTO HIS COROLLA. THEN SHE PANICS, SHE IS DRIVING HER DADDY’S CAR – BEING A LATE TEENAGER SHE IS AFRAID OF LOSING DRIVING PRIVILEGES. THEY EXCHANGE INSURANCE INFORMATION AND MY HUSBAND DOES NOT CALL THE COPS BECAUSE THEY’VE EXCHANGED INFORMATION AND THERE WAS NO ONE INJURED. BUT LATER ON HER FATHER PUTS THE BLAME ON MY HUSBAND AS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO POLICE RECORD. WE HAVE TO FIX THE CAR ON OUR OWN DIME EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT AT FAULT.

YA’LL KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST MISCARRIAGE THAT HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE YEAR. THIS REMAINS BETWEEN MY HUSBAND AND I. THERE WAS NO POINT WORRYING MY FAMILY MEMBERS. THEY HAD ENOUGH ON THEIR PLATE.

SPRING –
HEAVY RAINS SMASH DALLAS. SO HEAVY THAT THE FORCE OF FALLING RAIN AND THE HEAVY PRESSURE OF FLOOD WATERS GOUGES A HOLE IN THE ROAD IN OUR STREET, BRENTCOVE CIRCLE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE’S CAR IS LOCATED ON THIS SPOT OR NO CAR IS DRIVING ON THE STREET AT THE TIME.
I REMIND MY HUSBAND ABOUT THE HOME WE BOTH WANTED TO BUY FURTHER DOWN THE HILL WITH A CHANNELED CREEK RUNNING RIGHT BEHIND IT. ITS CONCRETE WALL ABUTTED THE PROPERTY LINE. THERE WAS NOT MUCH OF A RISE TO THE FLOOR LEVEL OF THE HOUSE. WHILE HE WANTED TO GO AHEAD I ASKED FOR A DAY TO THINK IT OVER. AT WORK I DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM AND MY WORRIES ABOUT FLOODING (I HATE HAVING WATER COME IN TO THE HOUSE, HAVING GROWN UP IN THE MONSOON ZONE OF MUMBAI AND LIVING IN A LOW LYING TENEMENT – NO SECOND STORY PRECIOUS’ES! ESPECIALLY MY ROW TENEMENT AND THE ONE RIGHT ACROSS – THE DEPRESSION THERE WAS DEEP TO ACCOMMODATE THE EMBANKMENT BUILT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUTER TRAINS. WHO WAS THE LANDLORD? A GUJARATI NAMED MANIBHAI.

AUGUST –
MARRIED BROTHER IN INDIA CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY WITH VEDIC RITUALS. YOUNGEST BROTHER VISITED HIM WITH HIS FAMILY. HE SENDS ME VIDEOS OF THE GIRLS DRESSED IN PURPLE SILK OUTFITS MADE BY MY MOTHER WITH FLOWER GARLANDS DOWN THEIR LONG HAIR.

SEPTEMBER –
MY NIECE SENDS MY HUSBAND A BIRTHDAY CARD INVITING HIM TO HER SIXTH BIRTHDAY. SHE PLEADS THAT SHE HAS YET TO SEE HER UNCLE WHOM SHE HAD HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT. SHE IS PERSUASIVE. MY HUSBAND AGREES TO TRAVEL TO INDIA WITH ME. BUT HE WANTS AN INCENTIVE BESIDES SEEING AN UNKNOWN NIECE, CUTE THOUGH SHE MAY BE. I LIST A VARIETY OF FORTIFICATIONS FOR HIM TO SEE NEARBY, THESE WERE BUILT BY THE MARATHAS IN THEIR WAR AGAINST THE MUGHAL EMPIRE. HIS INTEREST IS SUFFICIENTLY AROUSED. AS THINGS TURN OUT WE DON’T GET TO SEE ANY OF THEM. I AM UNABLE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FROM TEXAS AND DECIDE TO SEEK MY FAMILY’S HELP ON THIS MATTER.

THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD I CONTINUE TO ATTEND KALACHANDJIS TEMPLE ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. ON EACH VISIT I’D EMPTY MY WALLET AT THE DONATION BOX WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT I’D DONATE. I THINK THE AMOUNT RANGED FROM THE 20s TO THE 100s. IF I AM OFFERED FLOWERS I BRING THEM HOME. MOST OFTEN I AM NOT.

DECEMBER –
IN RESPONSE TO A CARD FROM MY NIECE AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER IN BOMBAY INVITING BOTH OF US TO HER SIXTH BIRTHDAY, WE VISIT MUMBAI IN DECEMBER. OF COURSE SHE WRITES ON HIS BEHALF AS HE IS STILL A TODDLER. WE STAY WITH HER FAMILY FOR MOST OF OUR STAY – I WAS WORRIED THAT THE NEW ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT WE BOUGHT FOR MY PARENTS MAY NOT BE LARGE ENOUGH FOR US, MY PARENTS AND MY BROTHER WHO HAD MOVED TO STAY WITH THEM BY THAT TIME. IN THE END WE STAY WITH MY PARENTS FOR ONE OR TWO NIGHTS. THIS WAS A STRANGE DEPARTURE FROM MY EARLIER (1998 – 1999) PRINCIPLED STAND REGARDING US STAYING WITH MY PARENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO THE SIZE OF THEIR DWELLING.

IT TAKES MY HUSBAND A WHILE TO RECOVER FROM JET LAG. HE IS UNABLE TO ENJOY THE BIRTHDAY PARTY AS HE WOULD HAVE LIKED. ONCE HE CATCHES UP TO THE CORRECT TIME ZONE, MY FAMILY REVEALS THE ITINERARY OF WHAT THEY HAD PLANNED. HE EXPRESSES NO DISAGREEMENT WITH ANY OF THEM. SOME OF THEM EVEN INTRIGUE HIM. THE NEXT DAY, I THINK, WE ATTEND HER PERFORMANCE AT THE SCHOOL’S REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE HER, BUT WE TWO GET TO BEHAVE LIKE A PARENTS OF A DAUGHTER ATTENDING HER SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. WE FIND IT AMUSING AND ENJOYABLE. WE ARE LEFT ALONE AFTER MY SISTER-IN-LAW DROPS US OFF, MAKING SURE WE KNEW THE WAY BACK. IT WASN’T THAT FAR OF A WALK.

NEXT CAME THE PHOTO SHOOT ON 22 DECEMBER, 2007. MY NIECE HAD BEGUN TO STAMMER. MY BROTHER REMEMBERED THAT I STAMMERED THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD. HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM!

HE RECALLED HIS OWN LACK OF CONFIDENCE AMONG THE XAVIERITES – THE DOWNTOWN GIRLS WHO LAUGHED AT HIM. YET THESE GIRLS DIDN’T HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE, COURAGE AND GRIT OF HIS SISTER. SHE NEVER SHIRKED FROM ANYTHING. SHE DRESSED AS SHE LIKED. HE EVEN RECALLED HER REACTION WHEN HIS OLDER BROTHER ATTEMPTED TO WALK HER TO THE RAILWAY STATION IN ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT HER.

HOW DID THIS BROTHER’S EFFORTS WORK OUT? HIS SISTER GOT EVEN MORE ANGRY! IT MADE HER DEPENDENT, AN APPENDAGE. HOW MUCH CAN HE WATCH OUT FOR? WHAT IS HIS CAPACITY? CAN HE NOT BE BROKEN? CAN HIS WILL NOT BE KILLED? WHAT WAS HIS OWN LIFE LIKE? WHAT IN HIS LIFE WILL ENABLE HIM TO FIGHT?

REMEMBERING ALL THIS, THE NIECE’S FATHER HAD PUSHED HIMSELF HARDER. HE HAD GOTTEN INTO BODY BUILDING. HE HAD BEGUN TO EAT MEAT AT HOME. HE BEGAN TO DEVELOP HIS OWN PERSONAL REGIMEN FOR GROOMING THAT INCLUDED HOME MADE SKIN TREATMENTS TO ADDRESS ACNE, ALL THE WHILE LISTENING TO THE BURGEONING METAL ROCK MUSIC FOR INSPIRATION AGAINST THE CONSERVATIVE VOICES HE HEARD AROUND HIM.

I RECALL WHEN I WORE A MEGADEATH T-SHIRT AT CORNELL WHILE WORKING AT THE UNIVERSITY AT ITS PHOTOCOPYING SHOP, THE SUPERVISOR, TALL, HEAVY-SET, STOOPING AND LAME, NAMED DENNIS, CHASTISING ME FOR WEARING THE T-SHIRT. I WAS SHOCKED. WAS HE SAYING MY BROTHER WHOSE HEAD WAS SMASHED AGAINST THE NEIGHBOR’S VERANDAH WALL BY KIRIT MANEK IN PURSUIT OF RELIGIOUS MERIT OR FAITH BASED POINTS, WAS EVIL FOR LISTENING TO MEGADEATH? WAS HE REALLY THAT EVIL FOR JUST LISTENING TO MUSIC THAT MADE FUN OF JESUS? AH JESUS! THAT UBER BETA MALE OF THEM ALL! MAY YOU ALL PRAISE HIS NAME! CRUCIFYING HIMSELF FOR NOT HIS FAMILY, BUT FOR STRANGERS WHO THREW STONES AT HIM! WHAT A ROLE MODEL TO HOLD UP!

TO CONTINUE WITH MY NIECE AND OUR FIRST NIECE’S MODELING SHOOT. SHE WAS BORED OUT OF HER SKULL. SHE AND THE OTHER CHILDREN KNEW THEIR LINES. BUT THE ADULTS AROUND THEM HAD NO CLUE WHAT THEY WANTED DONE. ONE OR TWO WERE LATE. THE OTHERS KEPT ARGUING AMONG THEMSELVES WHAT WAY TO GO, YADA, YADA, BLAH, BLAH. SHE HAD MY HUSBAND AND I TO ENTERTAIN HER. HER MOTHER HAD HER YOUNG SON TO TAKE CARE OF. WE LOVED HANGING OUT WITH HER AS THEY MADE HER REPEAT HER LINES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SHE NEVER STAMMERED THEN. WHAT WAS THERE TO BE AFRAID OF AMONGST SUCH CLUELESS ADULTS!

THEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE: LUNCH WOULD BE SERVED. ORIGINALLY NO LUNCH WAS TO BE SERVED. BUT THE ONGOING DELAYS DROVE EVERYONE MAD. PARENTS WERE MAKING MOVES TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN AWAY. THEN THEY REALIZED THAT THE PARENTS NEEDED TO BE FED IF THEY WERE TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO A PHOTO SHOOT. GO FIGURE! THE KIDS? THEY RAN ON NUCLEAR FUEL. YA’LL KNOW HOW THEY EAT, DON’T YOU?
THEY WILL NOT EAT FROM THEIR PLATE. BUT THEY WILL TAKE FOOD FROM YOUR PLATE. SOUNDS A BIT LIKE THE EVANGELICALS IN THE US !!!! STEALING FROM LITTLE BROWN PEOPLE!!!!

AFTER EATING THE ADULTS DIRECTING THE PHOTO SHOOT GOT SOME ENERGY TO THINK CLEARLY.

AFTER EATING, THE PARENTS WITH THEIR PRECIOUS BRATS GOT SOME ENERGY TO THINK AND NOT ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS OF THE MODELING PRODUCTION TEAM.

FROM THEN ON THINGS MOVED FAST. WE FOUND THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE AMUSING BECAUSE WE HAD OUR NIECE TO LOOK AFTER. SHE WAS NONPLUSSED BY THE ATTENTION SHE WAS GETTING. SHE WANTED TO LEAVE, BUT HER MOTHER RESTRAINED HER. SHE HAD AGREED TO CHAPERONE HER DAUGHTER TO THIS SHOOT. SHE HAD FAMILY WITH HER TO MIND HER DAUGHTER WHILE SHE KEPT AN EYE ON HER MUCH YOUNGER SON. WALKING AWAY WITHOUT GIVING THIS A TRY WOULD DIMINISH HER ABILITY TO HANDLE HERSELF WITH THOSE VERY SAME WOMEN WHO HAD MADE HER HUSBAND’S LIFE SUCH A MISERY WHEN HE WAS ATTENDING COLLEGE AT ST. XAVIER’S!!!!

THE PHOTO SHOOT OVER, WE WAITED FOR MY BROTHER TO RETURN FROM WORK. HE DID AND THEN WE WENT TO ANOTHER PRODUCTION OFFICE WHERE HE HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE AN APPOINTMENT. WHILE HE CONFERRED WITHIN, WE WAITED WITH THE CHILDREN OUTSIDE. I HAVE A PICTURE OF MY HUSBAND POSING HIS EXHAUSTION THE SAME WAY THAT WE BOTH POSED AS UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED BY GETTING HITCHED AFTER OUR MARRIAGE.

NOT SATISFIED WITH OUR COMFORT AMIDST THEIR IN-FIGHTINGS, SPICY FOOD EATINGS AND OTHER ATTEMPTS AT CONFUSING US ALL, THAT ITTY-BITTY DUMB GANGSTERS FROM OUR PAST AT ST.XAVIER’S COLLEGE TRY OTHER IDEAS. THEY RECRUIT THEIR NEAR AND DISTANT RELATIONS IN THE ‘BURBS AS THEY CALL IT – POOR RELATIONS, GUJRATI, SINDHI, KUTCHI, MARWARI, PARSI, ALL FROM THE BORDERLANDS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN INTO THEIR PLAN. IN MY HUSBAND THEY FOUND WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE WEAK LINK.

HE BEGINS TO SUFFER FROM MILD FEVERS IN THE EVENINGS. WE GIVE HIM STANDARD FEVER PILLS, ASPIRIN AND SUCH, BUT THEY DON’T HELP. I OFFER HIM MY AYURVEDIC SUPPLEMENT WHICH ALSO DOES NOT SEEM TO HELP. ONLY SLEEP SEEMS TO WORK. SLEEP AND BEING LEFT ALONE. THAT WORKED.

FOR A WHILE. AS YOU WILL SEE.

FEELING BETTER AND WANTING TO ENJOY WHAT HE COULD OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE AMONGST A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CULTURE WITH FAMILY THAT LOOKED OUT FOR HIM. HE CONTINUES TO SIGN UP FOR OTHER FAMILY OUTINGS. MY BROTHER CONTINUES TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK TO DRIVE US AROUND IN HIS NEW CAR. WE ARE PLEASED AT HIS SUCCESS. WE START TALKING, HALF SERIOUSLY, ABOUT BUYING A FLAT THERE TO RETIRE WHEN WE GET OLD AND WOULD NATURALLY WANT TO MOVE TO A WARMER CLIMATE.

NOT MEXICO, THE USUAL DESTINATION FOR AMERICANS IN THEIR GOLDEN YEARS! WE DIDN’T KNOW ANYONE THERE. BESIDES THEIR GOVERNMENT WAS SIMILAR TO INDIA’S – MANY PARTIES CONSTANTLY FIGHTING EACH OTHER.

BUT INDIA WOULD DO. BOMBAY WOULD DO. IT WAS COSMOPOLITAN. IT WAS ANCIENT. THERE WAS ANCIENT ROCK CUT EARLY BUDDHIST TEMPLES WITHIN MINUTES FROM MY BROTHER’S HOME. I HAD TAKEN HIM AROUND TO ALL THESE PLACES. MY HUSBAND WAS ACCEPTED AS PART OF US. HE HAD PROVEN THAT HE COULD PRONOUNCE SANSKRIT HYMNS CORRECTLY WITHOUT SOUNDING ANGLICIZED. HE WAS BECOMING COMFORTABLE. THIS WOULD BE A WAY TO SEAL THE DEAL, SO TO SPEAK!!!!

WE ARE CHAUFFERED AROUND TOWN BY MY BROTHER WHO HAD BOUGHT A NEW CAR.

DURING ONE SUCH TRIP, MY HUSBAND EXHAUSTED BY THE DEMANDS MADE BY MY FAMILY UPON HIM, LOOKS TO ME TO CONVEY HIS FEELINGS TO MY FAMILY AS TACTFULLY AS I COULD, BUT I AM UNABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT UPSETTING FAMILY MEMBERS. ITS A PROBLEM ELUCIDATED IN THE BOOK “THE ARAB MIND” ABOUT DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION STYLES, AND THE PROBLEMS THEREIN. THE AUTHOR ATTRIBUTED IT TO ARAB VERSUS NON-ARAB CULTURES.

BUT THIS AUTHOR WAS WRONG. MY HUSBAND AND I ENCOUNTERED THESE PROBLEMS ON THIS TRIP.

1. THE PRODUCTION TEAM COULDN’T COMMUNICATE TO THE PARENTS.
2. THE PARENTS COULDN’T COMMUNICATE TO THEIR CHILDREN.
3. CHILDREN COULDN’T COMMUNICATE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO THEIR PARENTS, BUT KEPT MAKING FACES, THINKING PICTIONARY TACTICS WOULD DO THE TASK.
4. THE TWO OF US NOW COULDN’T COMMUNICATE TO OUR FAMILY.
5. AND OUR FAMILY COULDN’T TELL WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THEIR GUESTS.
6. I REMEMBERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE LAST TIME I COMMUNICATED MY HUSBAND’S EXHAUSTION TO THE PRIESTS WE PAID TO SANCTIFY MY BROTHER’S AND MY MARRIAGE. MY MOTHER COULDN’T STOP CRYING FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. SHE KEPT REPEATING OVER AND OVER THAT SHE HAD FAILED HER DAUGHTER. THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO CAUSE HER THAT PAIN AGAIN.

SO MUCH FOR THE UNIQUE ARAB MIND! IT SEEMS TO BE A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM.

INCIDENTALLY ONE OF THESE TRIPS WAS TO THE HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE AT JUHU, BOMBAY. OUT OF RESPECT I DIDN’T TAKE ANY PICTURES.

YET I HAVE SEVERAL PICTURES OF THE KALACHANDJI’S SHRINE. I WAS ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED TO DO SO. THEY WOULD EVEN MAKE ROOM TO THROUGH CROWDS ON FESTIVE OCCASIONS FOR ME TO DO SO.

WE ALSO VISITED OTHER TEMPLES WITHIN EASY REACH FROM MY PARENTS’ AND MY BROTHER’S HOMES.

WE CONTINUE TO TAG ALONG CHEERFULLY. MY FAMILY BEGIN TO TAKE OUR LIMITS INTO COGNIZANCE WHILE PLANNING OUTINGS.

MY HUSBAND’S EVENING FEVERS DON’T ABATE. THEN ONE NIGHT HE IS AWAKENED BY PURE STOMACH ACID RISING UP TO HIS THROAT AND ON TO HIS BRAIN, THROUGH THE SINUSES AND OTHER POROUS TISSUES AND ORGANS. I GIVE HIM MY AYURVEDIC REMEDIES I HAD TAKEN FOR MYSELF. IT DOESN’T WORK, THOUGH HE IS TOO POLITE TO SAY SO. HE RECOVERS THE NEXT DAY BY STAYING IN ALL DAY, RESTING. MY SISTER-IN-LAW HAD COOKED HIS FOOD SEPARATELY, BUT THIS TIME HE SOUGHT SOMETIME WITH MEAT IN IT, SOMETHING MORE SUITED TO HIS WESTERN PALATE. SO MY SISTER-IN-LAW TAKES ME TO A PASTRY SHOP DOWN THE STREET FROM THEIR HOUSE WHERE SHE KNEW THEY MADE MEAT STUFFED PASTRIES. WE BUY WHAT THEY HAD – CHICKEN MEAT AND LAMB MEAT. THERE WAS NO PORK AND NO BEEF – THAT WOULD UPSET BOTH HINDUS AND MUSLIMS – IN ORDER NOT TO UPSET POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, INDIAN OR WESTERN. NO RELIGION HAS OBJECTIONS TO EATING CHICKENS AND LAMBS.

AH YES! WE HAVE PRACTITIONERS OF ALL FAITHS AND MOST OF THE VARIATIONS WITHIN. THE ONES WE DON’T HAVE ARE THE EVANGELICAL TYPES, BECAUSE IT IS PROHIBITED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY. THE COUNTRY IS SECULAR, MEANING THAT IT DOES NOT FAVOR ANY RELIGION. BUT IT ALLOWS ANY RELIGION OR VARIANT THEREIN TO PRACTICE PEACEFULLY WITHIN ITS BORDERS AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONVERT SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER FAITH TO THEIR OWN, BY ANY MEANS, PEACEFUL OR WITH VIOLENCE.

THIS INCLUDES THE GOVERNMENT NOT REGULATING MARRIAGES.

MARRIAGES ARE CONDUCTED BY PRIESTS, AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY OF THEM. EACH VARIATION OF A VARIANT OF A FAITH HAS SOMEONE WHO CAN OFFICIATE. IF NOT THEN THE COUPLE FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR VOWS TO EACH OTHER OUGHT TO BE, GATHER THEIR CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND INVITE THEM TO WITNESS IT, AS I RECALL I WAS INVITED TO ATTEND A FRIEND’S MARRIAGE WHILE LIVING THERE.

I THINK THE PROTESTS HELD BY THE LGBT COMMUNITY A WHILE BACK TO BE RECOGNIZED IS NOT SO MUCH RECOGNITION FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL APPARATUS, BUT FROM THEIR RELIGIOUS ELDERS, PRIESTS AND PARENTS. INDIA HAS A SOLUTION FOR THAT ALSO. THEY ARE FREE TO FORM THEIR OWN CASTE AND RELIGION, ON CONDITION THAT THEY RESPECT THE BOUNDARIES OF EXISTING ONES.

MY HUSBAND LOVED THESE MEAT PASTRIES. HE GOT BETTER AND MORE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE SPICIER AND HOTTER ENVIRONMENT. SO WHEN WE RAN OUT OF THEM, HE WANTED ME TO TAKE HIM TO THIS PASTRY SO HE COULD PICK THEM UP FOR HIMSELF. WE WALKED OVER THERE. HE WOULD WALK ON THE SIDEWALK (PAVEMENT) AND I WALKED ON THE STREET. I ASKED HIM TO WALK WITH ME ON THE STREET BECAUSE HE’D BE WALKING THROUGH UNSAFE AND UNCLEAN PARTS OF THE STREET.

UNSAFE BECAUSE THE SIDEWALK IS USUALLY TORN UP BY MULTIPLE ITERATIONS OF ROAD WORK AND NOT ALWAYS REPAIRED BACK TO LEVEL CONDITIONS. UNCLEAN BECAUSE STREET VENDORS OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, SMALL HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, CLOTHES USUALLY USE IT TO SET UP THEIR TEMPORARY STALLS. NOT ALL OF THEM KEEP IT CLEAN. TRASH CREATED IS THROWN INTO OPEN DRAINS THAT ALWAYS ABUT SHOP ENTRANCES. THE IDEA IS THAT HAVING THE RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH A REAL SHOP THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO KEEP THE OPEN DRAIN RIGHT BY THEIR DOORSTEP CLEAN. MOST STREET VENDORS COME FROM OUTSIDE THE ENVIRONS OF A CITY AND OFTEN LEAD THE MOST PRIMITIVE LIFESTYLE POSSIBLE.

DON’T GET ME STARTED ON WHAT CAUSES THESE MASSIVE SOCIAL IMBALANCES!!!!

MY HUSBAND REFUSED, FINDING THE STREETS WITH ITS CRAZY DRIVERS UNSAFE. HE PREFERRED TO WALK ON THE PAVEMENT. I SAW THAT HIS BEHAVIOR WAS DRAWING ATTENTION, SO I PERSISTED. HE COUNTERED THAT I SHOULD FOLLOW HIS LEAD AND WALK WITH HIM ON THE PAVEMENT. WE CONTINUED A WHILE OUR SEPARATE WAYS.

WHEN I SAW THAT HE WOULD NOT BUDGE THEN I GOT CONCERNED. I WAS MAKING BETTER HEADWAY THAN HIM BECAUSE HE WAS PICKING HIS WAY THROUGH THE SIDEWALK MAZE, NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFULLY. SO I WALKED BACK TO JOIN HIM, LISTING THE PROBLEMS AS HE SAW THEM ARISE AHEAD OF HIM.

HE HAD A SLIGHT SMILE ON HIS FACE AS HE CONTINUED TO WALK AND INSIST THAT I FOLLOW HIS LEAD.

WE REACHED THE SHOP. HE PICKED WHAT HE WANTED. THEN HE DECIDED TO SIT ON THE PATIO TO EAT HIS PASTRY. WE SAT TOGETHER EATING. THERE WERE YOUNG COUPLES, STUDENTS WHO ALSO PATRONIZED THE SHOP. ON THE WAY BACK MY HUSBAND WAS AMAZED TO SEE GIRLS TALLER THAN HIM WALKING DOWN THE STREET.

CONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY TO FIND HIS OWN WAY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE HE HAD GOTTEN FAMILIAR WITH, THE NEXT DAY HE WENT BY HIMSELF. WE INSISTED THAT HE TAKE A LOCAL PHONE SO HE COULD CALL US IF HE GOT STUCK SOMEWHERE. HE AGREED. SO WE WENT WITH MY BROTHER TO THE LOCAL MALL WHERE WE GOT HIM A CHEAP PHONE THAT COULD BE LEFT BEHIND FOR USE BY A FAMILY MEMBER.

ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER HE LEFT, WE GOT A CALL FROM HIM. HE WAS HUNGRY AND THERE WERE NO SHOPS OPEN AROUND 8:00 AM THAT WOULD SERVE HIM FOOD. MOST EATERIES OPENED AROUND 11 AM OR AFTER. WE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS A SUNDAY. THE SHOPS THAT WERE OPEN WOULD NOT SELL FOOD.

HE INSISTED ON ME JOINING HIM, SAYING THAT HE WAS IN INDIA, IN BOMBAY, SAID TO BE INDIA’S NEW YORK CITY, AND THERE SHOULD BE SOME EATERY OPEN AT 8:00 AM TO SERVE FOOD. HE WASN’T ASKING FOR FOOD AT 6:00 AM FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

I WALKED OVER TO WHERE HE WAS. I HAD ALREADY HAD SOME TEA AND BREAKFAST MY MOTHER COOKED. SHE WAS VISITING FOR THE WEEKEND AND LATER WE WERE TO SPEND ABOUT ONE OR TWO DAYS AT THEIR NEW APARTMENT BOUGHT FOR THEM BY MY HUSBAND.

SHE HAD ASSURED US THAT PUTTING THE TWO OF US UP WOULD BE NO PROBLEM AS LONG AS WE DIDN’T MIND THE TINY SIZE OF THE APARTMENT.

MY HUSBAND WAS ACTUALLY AT THIS PLACE THAT SERVED PIZZAS TYPICALLY. IT WAS OPEN AT THE TIME BUT I AM UNCLEAR ON WHAT IT WAS DOING BEING OPEN AT THE TIME. MAYBE THERE WERE STUDENTS THERE FOR THE INTERNET ACCESS, AND THEY ONLY SERVED COFFEE, AKIN TO STARBUCKS. BUT THEN EVEN STARBUCKS SERVES PASTRIES!!! I ASK THEM TO SERVE US SOMETHING AND THEY THROW CORPORATE SHIT AT US. THEY COULD TELL I WAS FROM ABROAD EVEN THOUGH I WAS DRESSED LIKE ANY OTHER INDIAN, IN SALWAR KAMEEZ BELONGING TO MY SISTER-IN-LAW. HOW? FOR ONE I WASN’T AS SLIM AS THEY WERE. SECOND, I WAS WITH A WHITE WESTERNER.

WITH ME BY HIS SIDE, HE WANTED TO EXPLORE FURTHER AHEAD UNTIL HE FOUND A PLACE WHERE HE COULD EAT SOME BREAKFAST, EVEN IF ONLY BREAD AND BUTTER. IN HIS STATE OF HUNGER, HE WANTED SOMEONE MORE COOL HEADED AND LOCAL TO NEGOTIATE WITH SHOPKEEPERS FOR WHAT HE WANTED. HE WASN’T CONFIDENT THAT HE’D GET WHAT HE ASKED FOR, IN HIS STATE OF HUNGER. VENDORS HAVE INSTINCTS THAT SUSS OUT NEED AND WILL HOLD OUT FOR MORE.

WE FIND ONE PLACE THAT SERVES TEA. I ASK IF THEY HAVE BREAD AND BUTTER. THEY DO. SO I ASK FOR A GLASS OF MILK AND BREAD AND BUTTER, WITH TEA FOR MYSELF. THEY BRING IT OUT TO US. WHEN THEY SEE WHO WOULD BE EATING THEY OFFER TO TOAST THE BREAD LIGHTLY AND ADD SUGAR IF SO DESIRED. THUS HE GETS SOME BREAKFAST OUTSIDE IN A RESTAURANT. BUT HE WOULDN’T HAVE KNOWN WHAT TO ASK FOR BECAUSE HE WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE COMMONLY OFFERED IN LOCAL SUBURBAN EATERIES (HOTELS AS THEY ARE COMMONLY CALLED).

WE RETURN HOME AND RELATE OUR ADVENTURES. LATER THAT AFTERNOON I GO SHOPPING WITH MY SISTER-IN-LAW FOR SARIS AND SALWAR KAMEEZ. I BUY FIVE OF THEM EACH AFTER TRYING THEM ON IN A TINY DRESSING ROOM.

THE SAME EVENING, MY BROTHER TAKES US BACK TO THAT INTERNET CAFE OR COFFEE SHOP WHERE THEY SERVE TEA OR COFFEE OR MILK WITH PASTRIES. I THINK MY HUSBAND ASKS FOR A STRAWBERRY SHAKE AND HE GETS THAT. SO HE IS SATISFIED.

MY BROTHER APOLOGIZES ON THE BEHALF OF ALL THE BUSINESSES MY HUSBAND HAD ENCOUNTERED SO FAR.

HE CONTINUES TO PRESS HOME HIS POINT ON WHY HE NEEDS TO WORK IN HIS SPECIALTY – SALES AND MARKETING – ABROAD. THERE IS NOTHING HE KNOWS TO DO TO MAKE HIS REPORTS CHANGE THEIR WAYS. IT HAS TO COME FROM SOME CORPORATE HEAD SOMEWHERE BEFORE THEY DO MORE THAN THE BARE MINIMUM. THAT IS WHY HE PREFERS THE MULTINATIONAL FOOD CHAINS SUCH AS MCDONALDS, TGI FRIDAYS AND OTHERS OF THEIR ILK. THEY HAVE CORPORATE STANDARDS OF SERVICE THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN – THE FOOD ITSELF BEING ADJUSTED TO LOCAL CULTURE.

TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE CRAP WE HAD TO PUT UP SO FAR, HE OFFERS TO TAKE US TO THE MALL THE NEXT DAY. THERE’D BE BOOKSTORES, PLENTY OF RESTAURANTS, A/C, AND OTHER ITEMS ON OFFER.

BY THE TIME WE LEAVE THE NEXT DAY FOR THE MALL, MY HUSBAND IS EXHAUSTED. I FORGET WHERE WE WERE EARLIER IN THE DAY. BUT WE WERE WANDERING AROUND EVERYWHERE BEING CHAUFFERED BY MY BROTHER. I BELIEVE THE FAMILY MIGHT HAVE DECIDED TO ADD ONE OR TWO STOPS PRIOR TO THE MALL, THINKING THAT IF THEY WERE TO EAT IN THE MALL, THEY’D BETTER GET ESSENTIAL SHOPPING OUT OF THE WAY. SO WE GO GROCERY SHOPPING TO A TWO STOREYED SUPERMARKET. THEN WE STOP BY NATRAJ MARKET IN MALAD TO PICK UP EITHER JEWELRY OR SOME OTHER ITEM. THEN WE MAKE TRACKS TO THE MALL. BY NOW MY HUSBAND IS STARVING WITH BATTERIES CONSIDERABLY LOWERED. HE WAS AMUSING HIMSELF BY CHATTING WITH HIS NIECE AND NEPHEW AND RUNNING LOW ON ENERGY. PERCEIVING THE PRESENCE OF AN OVERSEAS COUPLE COMFORTABLY ENSCONCED WITHIN A TRADITIONAL GUJARATI NUCLEAR FAMILY, THE COVERT PRESSURES ON MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE GREW TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS SOURCE OF SALES REVENUE FURTHER. ON THE WAY TO THE MALL MY HUSBAND EXPRESSED HIS EXHAUSTION TO US, BUT IS CONSOLED WITH REST AND RECREATION AT THE MALL. HE LOOKS TO ME FOR SUPPORT BUT I DON’T PROVIDE IT. I HAVE FORGOTTEN THE ART OF ASSERTING MYSELF COMPLETELY, AND GOTTEN INTO A FULL TIME PANDERING-TO-CHASE-STATUS MODE.

AT THE MALL, THINGS GET WORSE. THE BOOKSTORE PROVES TO BE A DUD. HE WANTS TO MOVE ON, BUT I FIND SANSKRIT HYMNS OF INTEREST AND DESIST, ALL IN FRONT OF MY MOTHER. HIS BLOOD BEGINS TO BOIL SLOWLY. THEN HE INSISTS ON GETTING SOME FOOD. SO WE GO INTO A STANDARD INDIAN CUISINE RESTAURANT. IT IS A VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT – NO MEAT. INSTEAD OF MOVING WE REMAIN THERE. WE DOUBT THE EXISTENCE OF NON-VEG EATERIES WITHIN THE MALL. WE ORDER POTATO AND PEA BASED DRY CURRY WITH ROTI FOR HIM. OUR FOOD ARRIVES. WE EAT.

UPON OUR RETURN WE HAVE A FIGHT.

NOW THERE WOULD BE EVIDENCE FOR THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE ON WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ALPHA MALE:

1. FOR MY SISTER-IN-LAW THAT IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT IF HER HUSBAND BERATED AND SCOLDED HER, LIKE SHE OVERHEARS HER STEP FATHER DO SO TO HIS WIFE, HER MOTHER. HE WAS NOT DOING IT BECAUSE SHE HAD A CHILD FROM ANOTHER MAN. HE WAS DOING IT BECAUSE THAT IS HOW MEN CONTROL WOMEN. HER OWN HUSBAND’S PEACEFUL AND INDIRECT HANDLING OF HER WAS NOT WHAT REAL MEN DO. AS PROOF, HER HUSBAND CANNOT EVEN SUCCEED WITHOUT HER PARENTS’ HELP;

– IF MY SISTER-IN-LAW LOST CONFIDENCE IN HERSELF SHE WOULD NOT LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH. SHE WOULD NOT THREATEN HER HUSBAND’S NEMESIS ON HIS WAY UP THE CORPORATE LADDER IN INDIA.

– WITH HER PARENTS WEAKENED, MY NIECE WOULD NOT USE HER NATURAL TALENTS TO SUCCEED AND BE VIRTUOUS AT THE SAME TIME.

– WITH HIS PARENTS WEAKENED, MY NEPHEW WOULD LEARN NOT TO THWART OLDER WOMEN AROUND HIM WHO FEED HIM REGULAR MEALS LIKE AN ANIMAL IN THE ZOO. HE WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY BECOME THEIR BEST ATTACK DOG AND A FAVORED TOY IN THEIR ENDLESS “KRISHNA LEELA” ENTERTAINMENT.

2. FOR MY BROTHER IT WAS A GENTLE WARNING NOT TO BECOME COSMOPOLITAN IN HIS OUTLOOK. I RECALL HIM COMMENTING THAT SEEING MY HUSBAND’S PLAYFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH HIS CHILDREN AND THINKING ABOUT HIS YOUNGER BROTHER’S ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT IN HIS CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES, HE OUGHT TO SHOWER MORE LOVE ON HIS WIFE AND KIDS. BY LOVE HE MEANT SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THEM AND LESS ON CHASING MONEY. IF HE LEFT HIS MONEY MAKING WAYS THEN WHO WOULD SUPPORT THOSE PLANNED INCREASES IN FREIGHT CHARGES FOR THEIR “ESSENTIAL” RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

3. FOR MY HUSBAND THAT IT WAS ALRIGHT TO RAISE HIS VOICE TO SCARE ME – NO NEED TO BE AFRAID TO UPSET THAT SEXUALLY ABUSED SLUM GIRL. SHE’S JUST A BIT UPPITY FOR HER BRITCHES WITH HER SUCCESSES IN THE US DEALING WITH PROFESSORS IN COLLEGES, WITH COLLEAGUES AT WORK, WITH LIBERAL FRIENDS, WITH EVANGELICAL PEERS.

4. FOR SPONSORS AND INVESTORS THEY HAD PROOF OF WHO IS THE WEAK LINK AND IN WHAT DIMENSION, IN BOTH THE US AND IN INDIA.

5. FOR NEIGHBORS IN THE VICINITY THAT THEY OUGHT TO BE CONTENT IN THEIR ALLOTED SHARE OF FORTUNE BECAUSE NEITHER SIBLING IS COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL AND VIRTUOUS.

6. AND IF AFTER ALL THESE MACHINATIONS MY BROTHER SUCCEEDS WITH HIS WIFE TO RISE UP THE CORPORATE LADDER THEN THE PATTERN OF OPEN FIGHTS BETWEEN THEM WOULD IDENTIFY THEM TO THE INCUMBENT THAT THESE WERE STILL INFERIOR TO THEM AND COULD BE CONDESCENDED TO WITHOUT FEAR.

THIS ENABLED THE ISKCon CROWD TO ATTEMPT TO GET BACK INTO SOCIAL GOOD GRACES WORLDWIDE AFTER THE BATH THEY TOOK WITH THEIR CHILD ABUSE SCANDALS IN THE 70s THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE.

IN THIS ENDEAVOR THEY HAD THE ACTIVE HELP OF WORLDWIDE CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE EVANGELICAL ONES.

– IT WAS IN THEIR INTEREST TO HELP ISKCon SUCCEED IN THE STATES. IT WAS EXOTIC ENOUGH IN ITS EASTERN AURA THAT IT WOULD CONTROL THEIR WOMEN;

– ITS SUCCESS WOULD GIVE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS THEIR EXCUSE TO SUCCESSFULLY PRESSURE THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE THEIR LAWS TO MAKE PROSELYTIZATION LEGAL;

– THIS WOULD BREAK THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION’S KEY CONCEPT THAT ENABLES IT TO HOLD ITSELF TOGETHER INSPITE OF COMMUNAL RIOTS BETWEEN HINDUS AND MUSLIMS;

– AS FOR THE GUJARAT RIOTS, AS I HAVE MENTIONED ELSEWHERE GUJARAT FORMS PART OF THAT BELT OF STATES ALONG WITH RAJASTHAN, HARYANA, KASHMIR AND PUNJAB THAT BORDER PAKISTAN. IT IS EASY TO FOMENT STRIFE AND RIOTS BETWEEN THE TWO RELIGIONS IN THOSE LANDS.

– WITH THE BREAKING OF THE CONTRACT, THE DISSOLUTION OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC WOULD ACCELERATE, LEAVING IT RIPE FOR ANOTHER GO AT A CHRISTIAN NATION, THIS TIME WITHOUT THE PESKY SEPARATION OF FEDERAL POWER FROM THAT OF THE STATES THING.

– MEANWHILE ISKCon CAN CONTINUE ON ITS QUEST TO REMOVE ANY MEANINGFUL INFORMATION FROM THE INDIAN SCRIPTURES, IN READINESS FOR IT TO BE THROWN ASIDE FOR THEIR OWN MULTINATIONAL, MULTI-LINGUAL, HALF-ASSED HOLY BOOK THAT COULD BE ADDED TO WITH IMPUNITY BY INCREASINGLY ARGUMENTATIVE WOMEN. AND MEN WHO ENJOY HIDING BEHIND SUCH WOMEN.

THE NEXT EVENING AFTER MY HUSBAND RECOVERED, MY BROTHER TOOK HIM OUT TO A PIZZA PARLOR, AN-NIGHT PIZZA PARLOR VERY POPULAR WITH INDIANS, ESPECIALLY GUJARATIS WHO LIKE TO GET UP LATE AND STAY UP LATE, EATING OUT. IN MUMBAI THEY USED TO LIKE TO DO SO, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

NO LONGER!!!! EVANGELICAL PRESSURES FROM OVERSEAS INDIANS WITH THEIR MONEY, THEIR CONNECTIONS, THEIR OBVIOUS SUCCESS AND ACCEPTANCE AMONG THE ELITE HAS BEEN CHANGING THAT! SUBURBS ARE SEGREGATING FROM EACH OTHER. SUBURBS THAT ARE FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM EACH OTHER ALONG THE CITY COMMUNTER TRAIN THAT RUNS EVERY FEW MINUTES, AND RUNS ALL DAY AND NIGHT.

WE ENJOYED THE PIZZA, THE CONVERSATION, THE PEOPLE WATCHING. I COULDN’T KEEP UP THEN. THE PARLOR REMAINED OPEN LONG AFTER WE LEFT FOR THE NIGHT. NO WONDER THEY COULDN’T SERVE BREAKFAST TO MY HUSBAND. THESE DAYS I CAN’T SLEEP SO I MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT ALSO. MY HUSBAND IS SO HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE AT THE PIZZA PARLOR THAT HE LEAVES ALL THE INDIAN CURRENCY HE HAD WITHDRAWN FROM THE LOCAL HSBC ATM AS TIP FOR THE HELPFUL STAFF MEMBERS. AS WE WALK HOME FROM THE PARLOR THE PIZZA DUDE RUNS AFTER US SHOUTING FOR OUR ATTENTION TRYING TO RETURN THE MASSIVE TIP LEFT BEHIND THINKING IT TO BE A MISTAKE. WE CONVINCE HIM IT IS NOT A MISTAKE.

THE REST OF OUR TRIP PROCEEDS RELATIVELY PEACEFULLY. WE ARE DROPPED OFF AT THE AIRPORT. OUR NIECE GIVES US HER KRISHNA KEY CHAIN TO TAKE WITH US. MY HUSBAND IS AGHAST AT RECEIVING IT. OUR BAGGAGE WAS FULL AND YET I COULDN’T REFUSE IT. THUS WAS A MARKER SET ON MY CARRY-ON LUGGAGE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. IN LONDON MY CARRY-ON LUGGAGE WAS SUBJECT TO DETAILED SEARCH, WHILE MY HUSBAND’S WASN’T. BLAME IT ON THAT STUPID LITTLE TOY KRISHNA!

SUCH IS THE POWER OF FILIAL LOVE THAT I DIDN’T THROW IT UNTIL YEARS LATER. BY THEN THE DAMAGE WAS THEN! EVIDENCE OF RELIGIOUS PLAYBOOK!!!!

LOOKING AT MY PICTURES FROM THIS TIME IT’S FUNNY TO NOTICE HOW MUCH WEIGHT I WAS GAINING AROUND MY UPPER TORSO – I GUESS ANGER WAS BUILDING UP BUT I WAS NOT AWARE OF IT – I ONLY SENSED IT AS MORE AND MORE STRESS THAT FREQUENT MASSAGES WITH TEEL DIDN’T ALLEVIATE. TEEL GIFTS ME WITH MAYAN RELIGION SLANTED SPIRITUAL BOOK THAT SHE SWORE BY. AGAIN I AM UNABLE TO REFUSE.

ON OUR RETURN FROM INDIA I LEARN ABOUT YASSI’S NEW STUDIO IN RICHARDSON. I GIVE IT A TRY, FIND IT CONGENIAL AND SIGN UP FOR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP. DID I MENTION THAT ITS WALLS WERE A DARK BLUE IN COLOR? AND ITS HEIGHT SUFFICIENTLY HIGH THAT THE SENSATION OF HEAT BUILDUP SEEMED LESSENED? THAT WAS THEN. AS YOU WILL FIND OUT IF YOU READ MORE OF THIS TIMELINE THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY OF A BIKRAM YOGA ROOM OPERATING AT 105 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND 30% HUMIDITY PROVED TO BE NOTHING COMPARED TO THE STRESS AND DEHYDRATION FROM INCREASING CONFLICTS OF A RELIGIOUS AND MYSTICAL NATURE.

Posted by  |  March 6, 2015 | Categories: Bikram Yoga is Hatha Yoga, Evangelical Tendencies, Religious Tendencies | Comments Off

IS THERE A TRUE BIKRAM YOGA STUDIO LEFT IN NORTH TEXAS?

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

I SIGN UP FOR ONE MONTH OF BIKRAM YOGA AT DALLAS MOCKINGBIRD STUDIO. UNTIL NOW I HAD NOTICED THAT THE LAST CLASS IS AT 6:30 PM. AFTER THE FIRST ONE OR TWO CLASSES (NOT TAKEN SEQUENTIALLY) I REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE A CLASS AT 8:15 PM. I FIND OUT BY ACCIDENT BECAUSE I FORGET THE AVAILABLE TIMES BETWEEN ITS TWO LOCATIONS – WEST VILLAGE AND MOCKINGBIRD STUDIOS – ON A WEEKEND, WHEN THE TIMES ARE NOT COINCIDENT WITH THE WEEKDAY TIMES.

IS IT A CASE OF MY RE-ATTENDANCE COINCIDING WITH SUDDEN INCREASED MEMBERSHIP? FLATTERING AS THE THOUGHT MAY BE, IT SMELLS FISHY. DURING ONE OF THESE EARLY CLASSES CO-OWNER, KAREN BUCKNER ASKS ME TO ATTEND THEIR WEEKLY ADVANCED CLASSES HELD EVERY SATURDAY FROM 12 NOON TO 2:00 PM. I AM RELUCTANT TO ATTEND REMEMBERING THE EXPERIENCE FROM THE LAST TIME I ATTENDED SUCH A TRAINING ABOUT SIX MONTHS EARLIER. SHE CAUTIONS THAT THE FIRST TWO WEEKS WERE ALLOCATED TO SOME VISITING JIG OF SYNERGY OR PARTNER YOGA SHIT.

I THANK HER FOR HER INVITATION, THINKING IT MAY A GOOD THING TO DO SO. IF I HAPPEN TO REMEMBER WHEN THE TIME COMES.

DURING THESE FIRST TWO CLASSES, BOTH ATINA PEGRAM AND JULIE BENDIN EXHORT NEW STUDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR A 30-DAY CHALLENGE (THAT ALLOWS ONE DAY OFF EVERY WEEK, HUH?) TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL MONTH FOR FREE. I DON’T BITE. I PRACTICE DAILY AT HOME IN THE MORNING AND I WANTED TO KEEP THESE MORNING SESSIONS PRIVATE. I ONLY WANTED TO ATTEND STUDIO FOR THE 6:30 PM CLASS – TO BREAK MY PERSONAL RESISTANCE TO THAT TIME FOR PRACTICE.

THIS MONTH IS BUSY SO I MISS A FEW DAYS. I FORGET WHAT DAY IT WAS. END OF SECOND WEEK I END UP ATTENDING A FRIDAY CLASS AT 6:30 PM TAUGHT BY JULIE. HMM! SHE IS CONFUSED. SHE IS EXPECTING THIS CLASS TO BE OF 60 MINUTE DURATION AND IS UPSET AT FINDING IT TO BE 90 MINUTES LONG. HUH! A HOLLOW FEELING IN THE PIT OF MY BELLY. TURNS OUT THIS 8:15 PM CLASS IS ONLY ONE HOUR LONG, ENDING AT 9:15 PM. I HAD BEEN LIED TO. WHAT DID I EXPECT FROM HER?

I ATTEND THE FOLLOWING WEEK AT 4:30 AND 6:30 PM. I HAD NO INTENTION OF LANDING IN THAT 60 MINUTE ABOMINATION. THE THOUGHT REMAINED THAT IT WAS GEARED TO SUNSTONE STUDENTS WANTING A SOUPCON OF BIKRAM WITH NO RESPONSIBILITY. IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I UNDERTOOK A BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLE 90 MINUTE CLASS. IT GOES FINE. I SWEAT BUCKETS. I AM STRONGER IN THE SECOND CLASS. I RETURN AGAIN THE NEXT DAY FOR THE SAME EXPERIENCE.

AT THE END OF THIS CLASS I SEE THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THAT 60 MINUTE EXPRESS YOGA. THEY ARE OLD AND DECREPIT. AH! I THINK! IT’S AN IMITATION OF THAT WANNA BE BIKRAM STUDIO IN A MINNEAPOLIS SUBURB, EAGAN, I THINK, THAT CATERS TO OLD PEOPLE. SOME DAY I’LL WRITE ABOUT THAT STUDIO AND WHAT I SAW THERE. SURE IT WAS CALLED BIKRAM YOGA. BUT MANY YEARS AGO, IT WAS THE FIRST INSTANCE OF WHAT I CALL THE OLD-PEOPLE-DON’T-WANNA-WORK-HARD YOGA.

THAT DOUBLE IS THE LAST TIME I ATTEND. WORK WITH MY HUSBAND SEEMS TO GET BUSIER AND BUSIER. I FORGET WHAT DAY IT IS. BUT WE MAKE GOOD PROGRESS TOGETHER. AND LET’S NOT FORGET. THE WHOLE REASON I STARTED BIKRAM YOGA WAS FOR MY HEALTH. THOSE FEW CLASSES I ATTENDED THIS LAST MONTH SHOWED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MISSING FROM MY PRACTICE. IF ANYTHING THE STUDENTS WERE WORSE THAN BEFORE. THEY WANDERED IN AND OUT WHEN THEY PLEASED. THE TEACHERS ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. THERE WAS NOTHING THERE FOR ME ANY MORE. WITH THE SNOW DAYS WE’VE HAD IN NORTH DALLAS, THIS LAST WEEK WAS GOING TO BE MOSTLY A WASHOUT ANYWAY.

AND YES, THERE WAS ONE GIRL WHO WAS STAYING TO DO A “DOUBLE BACK-TO-BACK” CLASS AT 6:30 PM AND 8:15 PM. THAT WAS CHEATING I THOUGHT. HOW CAN A 60 MINUTE CLASS COUNT TO A CHALLENGE? BUT WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT SUCH ELEVATED CONCEPTS! JULIE ACTUALLY ASKED IF I’D LIKE TO STAY FOR A TRIPLE CLASS. OR WAS IT ATINA? I CAN’T RECALL. SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN. THEY ARE WELCOME TO LIE TO THEMSELVES.

I DON’T.

MARCH 4, 2014

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF MY ONE MONTH BIKRAM YOGA BOUGHT WITH LOVE FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY BY MY HUSBAND FOR ME. I WONDERED IDLY HOW MIGHT I BE CHEATED, HOW MIGHT WE BE CHEATED OUT OF THIS GIFT! THIS IS HOW. THANKFULLY I SPLIT THE COST OF THIS GIFT.

IT AIN’T EVEN THE IDES OF MARCH YET, PRECIOUS-ES!!!!! REMEMBER THAT CAESAR WAS STABBED BY BRUTUS ON THE 15TH OF MARCH! CAREFUL OUT THERE!

AS FOR BIKRAM YOGA RICHARDSON – THEY STILL PARTICIPATE IN YOGA COMPETITIONS. THE LAST TIME I CHECKED.

Posted by  |  March 4, 2015 | Categories: Bikram Yoga is Hatha Yoga, Evangelical Tendencies, Religious Tendencies | Comments Off

EVANGELICAL INFLUENCE OVER AYN RAND’S LEGACY – PART 1

MARCH 2, 2015:

AT LUNCH TODAY MY HUSBAND STARTS ACCUSING MY MOTHER OF SNOBBERY BECAUSE
1. MY GRANDMA CHANGED HER LAST NAME FROM TUNGA OR THUNGA (ANGLICIZED TUNGA V/S INDIANIZED THUNGA, POONA V/S PUNE, TANJORE VS THANJAVUR, MADRAS VS CHENNAI, CALCUTTA VS KOLKATA) TO RAO;

2. MY MOTHER EXPECTED HER OLDEST DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TO SWEEP THE FLOOR, JUST AS I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND MY MOTHER STILL DID UNTIL HER STROKE WHEN WE VISITED THEM IN 1998 FOR THE YOUNGEST BROTHER’S MARRIAGE. DID HE FORGET HER SWEEPING THE FLOOR WHEN WE VISITED THEM IN BOTH HOMES, THE OLD TENEMENT AND THE NEW APARTMENT? WAS THAT JUST HIS DUES AS A WHITE AMERICAN REPRESENTING CHRISTIANITY? INSPITE OF NUMEROUS REPETITIOUS EXPLANATIONS THAT HE IS AN AGNOSTIC AT BEST? IT’S CALLED THE ACT-STUPID TACTIC EMPLOYED BY EVANGELICALS EVERYWHERE.

WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS.

1. BOTH NAMES, TUNGA OR THUNGA (SIMILAR TO THE ANGLICISED TANJORE AND INDIANIZED THANJAVUR, POONA V/S PUNE, TANJORE VS THANJAVUR, MADRAS VS CHENNAI, CALCUTTA VS KOLKATA) AND RAO ARE APPROPRIATE LAST NAMES FOR KOTA BRAHMINS IN THE SOUTH. THEY INDICATE THAT WE ARE KOTA BRAHMINS,** THOSE THAT FOLLOW THE SMARTA TRADITION.*** THESE FOLKS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST LIBERAL AMONG THE HINDU BRAHMINS. AT THE SAME TIME THEY RECITE SANSKRIT HYMNS. A DISTINGUISHING FEATURE OF SMARTA TRADITION IS THAT THEY EMPHASISE THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTAINANCE OF ONE’S MEMORY. HENCE THEY RECITE WHAT THEY RECALL OF THEIR PAST ON A REGULAR BASIS. KOTA BRAHMINS ARE SAID TO BE BROUGHT TO SOUTHWESTERN INDIA BY PARASHURAMA.**** FURTHERMORE HE RECLAIMS THE LANDS KNOWN AS GOA, KARNATAKA, KERALA, KONKAN AND MAHARASHTRA FROM THE ARABIAN SEA, SO THAT THESE LANDS ARE CALLED PARASHURAMA KSHETRA, OR LAND OF PARASHURAMA.

2. PART OF BEING ACCEPTED INTO A FAMILY IS ADOPTING ITS DAILY PRACTICE. EVERYDAY AFTER LUNCH IS SERVED, EATEN AND CLEANED OUT, MY MOTHER HAS SWEPT ALL ROOMS OF OUR HOUSE, BENT ON HER KNEES. LATER I WOULD DO SO. SO DID SOME OF MY BROTHERS. IT IS HOW MY MOTHER MAINTAINED HER WAISTLINE WELL INTO HER 50s, WAS ABLE TO CLIMB ROPE NETS BETTER THAN ANY OF US, SWING HIGH ON SWINGS WITH AND GENERALLY KEEP UP WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN’S GENERATION. NO OTHER FAMILY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD SWEEP THE FLOOR LIKE SHE DID. IT COOLED THE CONCRETE FLOOR SO THAT WE COULD ALL HAVE AFTERNOON NAPS UNDER THE CEILING FAN. AJAY SHUKLA, GURU TO THE MANEK SONS, WOULD COME TO OUR HOUSE AT THAT TIME. SO WOULD JYOTI SHAH AND OTHER NEIGHBORS, WHEN THEY WANTED TO SEW OR MAKE HANDCRAFTED PURSES, BAGS, CLOTHES, ETC. WITH MY MOTHER. HMM! THE NAPS WE HAD ON THAT COOL FLOOR WITH THE FANS WHIRLING ABOVE!

SO WHEN MY HUSBAND ATTACKS MY MOTHER OUT OF THE BLUE – I HAVE NOT EVEN PUBLISHED THE ESSAY ABOUT THE EVANGELICAL GAME PLAN AS IT APPLIES TO EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN INTENTIONS IN THE SOUTHERN US STATES, IN AFRICA, IN CHINA, IN INDIA – WHAT DO YOU THINK IS HAPPENING? ESPECIALLY WHEN AT THE END OF MY EXPLANATION ABOUT THE LOWER SOCIAL STATUS OF OUR FAMILY IN BOMBAY, MY HUSBAND FELT COMPELLED TO APOLOGISE TO ME, AFTER REGURGITATING THE CRAP PEDDLED BY CHATEAU HEARTISTE (SECULAR ROISSY VS EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHATEAU HEARTISTE) ABOUT MEN NOT SAYING SORRY… COMBINE THIS WITH THAT EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY LIVING ON OUR STREET, AND YOU SEE WHAT IS BEING FORCED ON MY HUSBAND. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT NOTE THE CHOICE OF TITLE FOR THE WEBSITE, ESPECIALLY THE WORD CHATEAU, MEANING PALACE. YOU GET THE DRIFT? OR AS BIKRAM CHOUDHURY WOULD SAY, YOU FOLLOW ME?

CODA:

I REALIZE THESE THINGS BY RECITING THE PRAYERS TAUGHT BY MY MOTHER, WHO WAS TAUGHT BY HER FOSTER PARENTS. THE PRAYERS BEGIN BY INVOKING THE BLESSINGS OF GODDESS SHARADA, LIVING IN KASHMIR, AND INCLUDE ONE COMPOSED BY ADI SHANKARACHARYA***** ON THE ROLE OF GURU AND MAHALAKSHMI, NAMED GURUSTOTRAM AND MAHALAKSHMASTATAMSTOTRAM. YOU MUST REALIZE THAT IT TOOK GREAT COURAGE AND RELENTLESS DEDICATION TO THE SEEKING OF TRUTH FOR ADI SHANKARACHARYA TO WRITE THE HYMNS DEDICATED TO MAHALAKSHMI. INCIDENTALLY WHILE SHARADA IS ALLOTED THE TITLE ‘DEVI’, MAHALAKSHMI IS NOT. WHICH IS WHY HIS COURAGE AND PURSUIT IS DOUBLY COMMENDABALE FOR THOSE DAYS. THESE DAYS SHARADA IS SOLD IN BROTHELS (THAT NEIGHBOR OF MINE WHO DIED OF AIDS) AND MAHALAKSHMI (HINDU TEMPLES OUTSIDE INDIA) REVERED IN TEMPLES. GO FIGURE!

I END THESE BY RECITING THE GAYATRI MANTRA TO RECALL MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER’S STRUGGLE TO RETAIN HOLD OF HER MIND IN THE FACE OF RELENTLESS CHALLENGES THAT LED TO HER DEATH AT THE AGE OF FORTY EIGHT. WOMEN IN THE TUNGA LINE DO NOT ENJOY A LONG LIFE. IF THEY REMAIN HEALTHY OF BODY THEN THEIR MINDS COME UNDER ATTACK. WITNESS THE BRAIN ANEURYSMS SUFFERED BY MY COUSIN SISTER, MY MOTHER AND, MAYBE, THE AFOREMENTIONED GRANDMA. OTHER WOMEN DIED FROM BEING DEVOTED TO THEIR HUSBANDS, SUCH AS MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER WHOSE SARI PALLO CAUGHT FIRE AS SHE WAS REACHING OVER TO REMOVE THE COOKED FOOD TO SERVE HER FIVE CHILDREN; SUCH AS MY PATERNAL GREAT-GRANDMOTHER WHO WAS BLIND, WHOSE MEANS OF DEATH IS UNCLEAR BUT IT IS KNOWN THAT SHE DIED WITH HER HUSBAND WHEN GRANDPA TUNGA WAS NINE YEARS OLD. THEIR DEATH PAVED THE WAY FOR FINANCIAL SHENANIGANS. BEING BLIND DIDN’T PREVENT HER FROM RAISING A SON WHO GREW UP TO BE A SCHOOL TEACHER AFTER FIGHTING OFF NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS ON HIS LIFE.

NOTES AND REFERENCES: (SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA)
I SUSPECT THE IMAGES ARE NOT ATTACHED TO THE APPROPRIATE PARAGRAPH. SO I HAVE NOT COPIED THEM HERE. I FOUND THIS OUT WHILE REVIEWING THE HISTORIES OF THE NATIONS THAT FORM SOUTH ASIA, MAINLY INDIA AND PAKISTAN AND BANGLADESH (EAST PAKISTAN).

** ABOUT KOTA BRAHMINS:

Kota Brahmins hail from the Kundapur and surrounding areas of Udupi district in Karnataka, Bantwal and Puttur Taluk in Mangalore District, Kasargod District in Kerala. Originally thought to have been brought to Kota (Udupi Taluk) and adjacent areas from northern India by Parashurama, they speak a Kannada different from the other regional dialects.

Kota Brahmins who had been originally concentrated in the villages of Kota, Saligrama, Koteshwara and Kundapura of Udupi district have apparently spread to other areas.

ORIGIN

The Kota Brahmins remained as bhasma (ash)-dharis and followers of the Smarta

tradition.

SurNames
Sharma, Adhikari, Adiga, Aithala or Aithal, Alse, Athri, Baasri, Bhat, Biliya, Gota (Koteshwara), Hande, Hathwara (Koteshwara), Hebbar (Madhwa, Koteshwara), Herle, Holla, Ibhat, Karanth, Kedlaya or Kedilaya, Madhyastha, Maiya or Mayya, Manja, Nakshathri, Navada, Rao, Somayaji, Thunga, Udupa (Kandavara), Upadhyaya, Upadhya, Urala, Rao, Bayar.

Caste

Kotas are the subsect of Brahmin caste of Hinduism.

THUNGA IS THE MODERN INDIANIZED SPELLING OF TUNGA. THERE IS NO ‘H’ SOUND WHEN PRONOUNCING THE NAME.

*** ABOUT SMARTA TRADITION:

Shankara and Advaita Vedanta
The majority of members of Smarta community follow the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Adi Shankara Acharya. Smarta and Advaita have become almost synonymous, though not all Advaitins are Smartas.[7]

Traditionally, Shankara (8th century) is regarded as the greatest teacher and reformer of the Smarta.[1][20][2] According to Hinduism-guide.com:
Not all Brahmins specialized in this Smriti tradition. Some were influenced by Buddhism, Jainism or Charvaka tradition and philosophy. This did not mean that all these people rejected the authority of Vedas, but only that their tradition of worship and philosophy was based not on smriti texts. In time, Shankaracharya brought all the Vedic communities together. He tried to remove the non-smriti aspects that had crept into the Hindu communities. He also endeavoured to unite them by arguing that any of the different Hindu gods could be worshipped, according to the prescriptions given in the smriti texts. He established that worship of various deities are compatible with Vedas and is not contradictory, since all are different manifestations of one nirguna Brahman. Shankaracharya was instrumental in reviving interest in the smritis.[7][note 3]

According to Hiltebeitel, Shankara established the nondualist interpretation of the Upanishads as the touchstone of a revived smarta tradition:
Practically, Shankara fostered a rapprochement between Advaita and smarta orthodoxy, which by his time had not only continued to defend the varnasramadharma theory as defining the path of karman, but had developed the practice of pancayatanapuja (“five-shrine worship”) as a solution to varied and conflicting devotional practices. Thus one could worship any one of five deities (Vishnu, Siva, Durga, Surya, Ganesa) as one’s istadevata (“deity of choice”).[8]

The Sringeri Sharada monastery founded by Adi Shankara Acharya in Karnataka is still the centre of the Smarta sect.[1][2]

**** ABOUT PARASHURAMA:

Beating back the Arabian Sea
Puranas write that the western coast of India was threatened by tumultuous waves and tempests, causing the land to be overcome by the sea. Parashurama fought back the advancing waters, demanding Varuna release the land of Konkan and Malabar. During their fight, Parashurama threw his axe into the sea. A mass of land rose up, but Varuna told him that because it was filled with salt, the land would be barren.[13]

Parashurama then did a tapasya for Nagaraja, the King of Snakes. Parashurama asked him to spread serpents throughout the land so their venom would neutralize the salt filled earth. Nagaraja agreed, and a lush and fertile land grew. Thus, Parashurama pushed back the coastline between the foothills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, creating modern day Kerala.[13]

The coastal area of Kerala, Konkan, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, are today also known as Parashurama Kshetra or Land of Parashurama in homage.[14] Puranas record that Parashurama placed statues of Shiva at 108 different locations throughout the reclaimed land, which still exist today.[15][16] Shiva, is the source of kundalini, and it around his neck that Nagaraja is coiled, and so the statues were in gratitude for their baneful cleansing of the land.[17]

Then he took a winnowing basket, or Surpa, and threw it at the sea. The water retreated, and from the place the basket fell at Gokarna, land rose again. This land is called Kerala, or ‘Siirparaka’ (Brahmanda Purana, Chapters 98 and 99). It is also said that while beating back the sea, Parashurama fired an arrow from his mystical bow that landed in Goa at Benaulim, creating Salkache Tollem, or ‘Lotus Lake’.[6]

*****ABOUT ADI SHANKARACHARYA:

Sannyasa
At the age of 8, Shankara was inclined towards sannyasa, but it was only after much persuasion that his mother finally gave her consent. According to legend, he received her consent in a very interesting manner too. While bathing in the river Poorna one day, a crocodile caught hold of his leg and appeared to be about to devour him. Shankara appealed to his mother, who had arrived at Poorna, asking for permission to become a sanyasi at least in these last moments of his life. His mother finally gave consent, only to have the crocodile let go of young Shankara. A crocodile had never been found in Poorna ever since[20] Shankara then left Kerala and travelled towards North India in search of a guru. On the banks of the Narmada River, he met Govinda Bhagavatpada the disciple of Gaudapada at Omkareshwar. When Govinda Bhagavatpada asked Shankara’s identity, he replied with an extempore verse that brought out the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Govinda Bhagavatapada was impressed and took Shankara as his disciple.[21]

The guru instructed Shankara to write a commentary on the Brahma Sutras and propagate the Advaita philosophy. Shankara travelled to Kashi, where a young man named Sanandana, hailing from Chola territory in South India, became his first disciple. According to legend, while on his way to the Vishwanath Temple, an untouchable accompanied by four dogs came in the way of Sankara. When asked to move aside by Shankara’s disciples, the untouchable replied: “Do you wish that I move my ever lasting Ātman (“the Self”), or this body made of flesh?” Realizing that the untouchable was none other than god Shiva himself, and his dogs the four Vedas, Shankara prostrated himself before him, composing five shlokas known as Manisha Panchakam.[22][23]

At Badari he wrote his famous Bhashyas (“commentaries”) and Prakarana granthas (“philosophical treatises”).[24][25]

Meeting with Mandana Mishra
One of the most famous debates of Adi Shankara was with the ritualist Maṇḍana Miśra. Maṇḍana Miśra held the view that the life of a householder was far superior to that of a monk. This view was widely shared and respected throughout India at that time.[26] Thus it would have been important for Adi Shankara to debate with him. Madana Mishra’s guru was the famous Mimamsa philosopher, Kumārila Bhaṭṭa. Shankara sought a debate with Kumārila Bhaṭṭa and met him in Prayag where he had buried himself in a slow burning pyre to repent for sins committed against his guru: Kumārila Bhaṭṭa had learned Buddhist philosophy from his Buddhist guru under false pretenses, in order to be able to refute it. Learning anything without the knowledge of one’s guru while still under his authority constitutes a sin according to the Vedas.[27] Kumārila Bhaṭṭa thus asked Adi Shankara to proceed to Mahiṣmati to meet Maṇḍana Miśra and debate with him instead.(Mahishmati is on the banks of the holy river – Narmada, in Madhya Pradesh. Mahishmati is now known as Mandala. Mandala finds mention in Pauranic literature as the capital of Sahasrabahu Kartyaveer Arjun who had obstructed the river by his thousand arms by his frolicking, at his capital Mahishmati).

After debating for over fifteen days, with Maṇḍana Miśra’s wife Ubhaya Bhāratī acting as referee, Maṇḍana Miśra accepted defeat.[28] Ubhaya Bhāratī then challenged Adi Shankara to have a debate with her in order to ‘complete’ the victory. She asked him questions related to sexual congress between man and woman – a subject in which Shankaracharya had no knowledge, since he was a true celibate and sannyasi. Sri Shankracharya asked for a “recess” of 15 days. As per legend, he used the art of “para-kaya pravesa” (the spirit leaving one’s own body and entering another’s) and exited his own body, which he asked his disciples to look after, and psychically entered the dead body of a king. The story goes that from the King’s two wives, he acquired all knowledge of “art of love”. The queens, thrilled at the keen intellect and robust love-making of the “revived” King, deduced that he was not their husband, as of old. The story continues that they sent their factotums to “look for the lifeless body of a young sadhu and to cremate it immediately” so that their “king” (Shankracharya in the king’s body) would continue to live with them. Just as the retainers piled Shankracharaya’s lifeless corpse upon a pyre and were about to set fire to it, Shankara entered his own body and regained consciousness. Finally, he answered all questions put to him by Ubhaya Bhāratī; and she allowed Maṇḍana Miśra to accept sannyasa with the monastic name Sureśvarācārya, as per the agreed-upon rules of the debate.[29]

Philosophical tour
Adi Shankara then travelled with his disciples to Maharashtra and Srisailam. In Srisailam, he composed Shivanandalahari, a devotional hymn in praise of Shiva. The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam says that when Shankara was about to be sacrificed by a Kapalika, the god Narasimha appeared to save Shankara in response to Padmapadacharya’s prayer to him. As a result, Adi Shankara composed the Laksmi-Narasimha stotra.[30]

He then travelled to Gokarṇa, the temple of Hari-Shankara and the Mūkambika temple at Kollur. At Kollur, he accepted as his disciple a boy believed to be dumb by his parents. He gave him the name, Hastāmalakācārya (“one with the amalaka fruit on his palm”, i.e., one who has clearly realised the Self). Next, he visited sringeri to establish the Śārada Pīṭham and made Sureśvarācārya his disciple.[31]
After this, Adi Shankara began a Dig-vijaya “tour of conquest” for the propagation of the Advaita philosophy by controverting all philosophies opposed to it. He travelled throughout India, from South India to Kashmir and Nepal, preaching to the local populace and debating philosophy with Hindu, Buddhist and other scholars and monks along the way.

With the Malayali King Sudhanva as companion, Shankara passed through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha. He then started towards Karnataka where he encountered a band of armed Kapalikas. King Sudhanva, with his Nairs, resisted and defeated the Kapalikas. They safely reached Gokarna where Shankara defeated in debate the Shaiva scholar, Neelakanta.

Proceeding to Saurashtra (the ancient Kambhoja) and having visited the shrines of Girnar, Somnath and Prabhasa and explaining the superiority of Vedanta in all these places, he arrived at Dwarka. Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara of Ujjayini, the proponent of Bhedābeda philosophy, was humbled. All the scholars of Ujjayini (also known as Avanti) accepted Adi Shankara’s philosophy.

He then defeated the Jainas in philosophical debates at a place called Bahlika. Thereafter, the Acharya established his victory over several philosophers and ascetics in Kamboja (region of North Kashmir), Darada and many regions situated in the desert and crossing mighty peaks, entered Kashmir. Later, he had an encounter with a tantrik, Navagupta at Kamarupa.[32]

Accession to Sarvajnapitha
Adi Shankara visited Sarvajñapīṭha (Sharada Peeth) in Kashmir (now in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir).[33] The Madhaviya Shankaravijayam states this temple had four doors for scholars from the four cardinal directions. The southern door (representing South India) had never been opened, indicating that no scholar from South India had entered the Sarvajna Pitha. Adi Shankara opened the southern door by defeating in debate all the scholars there in all the various scholastic disciplines such as Mimamsa, Vedanta and other branches of Hindu philosophy; he ascended the throne of Transcendent wisdom of that temple.[34]

Towards the end of his life, Adi Shankara travelled to the Himalayan area of Kedarnath-Badrinath and attained videha mukti (“freedom from embodiment”). There is a samadhi mandir dedicated to Adi Shankara behind the Kedarnath temple. However, there are variant traditions on the location of his last days. One tradition, expounded by Keraliya Shankaravijaya, places his place of mahasamadhi (leaving the body) as Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur, Kerala.[35] The followers of the Kanchi kamakoti pitha claim that he ascended the Sarvajñapīṭha and attained videha mukti in Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu).

Posted by  |  March 3, 2015 | Categories: Ayn Rand, Bikram Yoga is Hatha Yoga, Evangelical Tendencies, In Praise of Men, Practitioner Tendencies, Religious Tendencies | Comments Off