Happy Diwali

Deepavali started today. Today is Naraka Chaturdashi, tomorrow is Amavasya - Lakshmi Puja, and the day after is Bali Padyami.

In our Bhavasar Kashatriya community, we have a cold-blooded tradition on the evening of Bali Padyami. All male family members sit cross-legged side-by-side in a line wearing new clothes. The female family members perform aarati to each man/boy. First they apply kumkum (vermilion) on the forehead and place a flower garland across the neck of the man/boy (as if to the beast which is about to be sacrificed.) Then a silver plate having two lit oil lamps is waved in front of his face (I am sure, women are masters of hypnosis) and while doing so, they sing a jingle in sync (to keep the beast calm, I suppose,) it is in Marathi which is as follows...

Adi pudi jaunde
Balee cha raaj eende
Koti Dasara Koti Diwali
Heere maanik owali

Bhendewali mhaisi kaali
Koti Dasara Koti Diwali
Heere maanik owali

Raamaa cha raaj eende
Raajaa cha raaj eende
Koti Dasara Koti Diwali
Heere maanik owali

Daridra Lakshmi bhair jaunde
Bhagya Lakshmi aat eende

After the aarati is over, the person who got it done has to present the ladies with gifts or cash (yes, I know, it is terrible but true.) At the end of this ritual each lady/girl will have amassed a solid amount of money, all at the expense of poor men who are foolish enough to feel pampered. But it is the womenfolk who have the last laugh (aah, kaise bakra banaaya.)

Later everyone goes out in front of house to waste more money by bursting crackers. This is an annual custom from which men cannot escape. Diwali is supposed to bring wealth and prosperity to everyone. In our community though, it is true only for women.

Happy Diwali!

Bombe Mane Pictures

Bombe Mane is an annual exhibition of dolls started by Ramsons Kala Pratishtana in 2005 on the occassion of Dasara. This year's Bombe Mane was inaugurated by well known theatre personality, Smt. Prema Karanth in the presence of senior journalist, Sri Krishna Vattam on 5 Octber at Pratima Gallery. Here are a few pictures from this year's Bombe Mane. Hope you enjoy them.

This picture shows the main arrangement of three steps. The topmost step is reserved for pattada gombe, Raja-Rani, the traditional dolls which represent king and queen. On the lowermost step the brass icon with a scimitar and a serpent in hands is the demon king Mahishasura who was slayed by goddess Chamundeshwari. Mysuru gets its name from this demon. This icon is a miniature replica of the stucco sculpture, installed atop Chamundi Hill, the unofficial mascot of Mysuru.

This arrangement depicts the model of Mysore palace (Amba Vilasa) in front of which are small wooden figures of yogis in various yogasanas (yoga postures). The Dasara procession in the foreground is an assembly of dolls that have been crafted after the murals in the Karikallu Thotti of the palace.

All these dolls are in the collection of Ramsons Kala Pratishtana.

Bombe Habba - Doll Festival

Human race is fascinated with dolls since time immemorial. Every civilization has entertained its young ones with dolls crafted from clay, wood, stone, fabric and metal. A common perception is that dolls are only for children, to play with, but it is not unusual for many adults to get attracted to them.

Dolls evoke varied emotions in different persons. A doll can be a friend, companion, a close confidante, a partner in mischief, a lovable cuddly, a plaything or even an object of reverence. Dolls are also worshiped and it is more so south of Vindhyas where they have an entire ten day festival for themselves.

The tradition of doll festival is mostly found in cities that were once the seat of royalty. The festival is celebrated, usually, by arranging dolls on a stepped platform with a pair of male-female dolls, King and Queen, occupying the topmost step while other dolls are placed on lower steps. This is celebrated with traditional fervour during Dasara as Gombe Habba of Mysuru, Bommai Kolu of Tanjavur and also Hinamatsuri of Japan on March 3rd. In north India, a unique display of dolls of Krishna leela is arranged at houses during Janmashtami.

In days gone by, kids visited houses enquiring 'ree gombe koorsideeraa...?' (hello, have you arranged dolls...?) Inviting oneself, thus, they went in excited, ogled at dolls, praised/criticised aloud, and finally scooted away with gombe baagina (presents of savouries or sweets) given to them. The display changed everyday for novelty. A pair of Keelu Gombe (dolls with joints), would be dressed as Krishna-Radha one day, next day they’d be Lakshmi-Narayana in Vaikuntha, another day they became Krishna-Arjuna in Kurukshetra and so on.

These traditions are no more practiced and over the years the excitement of doll festival has been on the wane owing to non-availability of dolls. Mysuru was once a famous centre of doll making; the tradition is long extinct now. We’ve to keep at least the tradition of doll festival alive. It’s our heritage, our pride.

Arrange dolls, keep Bombe Habba alive.

My previous post on dolls is here.

Feel The Music

He is plucking the strings of my heart. Tears are welling up. I am getting goosebumps. My heart is crying.

Oceans apart, day after day...
Right here waiting for u
I will be right here waiting for u...

I am really crying.

I taste the tears
But I can't get here you now...
You've got me going crazy
Waiting for u...

I can't see the keys, tears are blurring my vision. They are rolling down, my tears... I love u sweetie...

Oh can't u see it baby
Wherever u go
Whatever u do...
Whatever it takes
I will be right here waiting for u...
Waiting for u..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQF9kpwupeU

The Middle Name Meme

Sandy Carlson tagged me with the Middle Name Meme:RULES: You have to post these rules before you give the facts. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

Well, my name is 'H.S. Dharmendra'. 'H' stands for 'Halale' which is the name of my clan, 'S' stands for my father's name 'Shankar' and 'Dharmendra' is my given name. My namakarana (naming ceremony) was celebrated along with my kid brother's. I was about three years old when it happened. Until then I was being called by various pet names like 'Gunda,' 'Gundu,' 'Unda-bhaakri,' etc., but I was more popular as 'Raghu' (named after saint 'Raghavendra'). I am still known as 'Raghu', more so than 'Dharmendra.'

I've been called by other names, some normal and some weird. My granny called me 'Satya Narayana' after my dad's Ishta Devata. My class mates called me 'Dharam' or 'Dharma.' My PUC classmates called me 'Bond' (I wonder why?) After getting busy with my work, I was not visiting a friend's house often as I previously used to, so his mom christened me 'Vajpayee' after the then Prime Minister of India.

Inspite of so many names, I do not have a middle name. Well, no issues! I would give myself a middle name - 'Mani' after my mom 'Manonmani.'

Dharmendra...
Mysorean to the core;
Art lover;
Non-vegetarian;
In love with his camera;

I'm tagging
Claytonia at Drishyanvesh,
Raaghu at Me, Myself and I,
Vikster at I heart Bombay, Boston,and
Rubic_cube at Gift of Gab

You're Beautiful

Song: You're Beautiful
Artist: James Blunt
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y7WDWP8WMs

I was listening to this song this morn. The initial sound of guitar is haunting, romantic. I was busy, but as soon as I heard the guitar, I glanced up and like dawn a smile broke on my lips.

The way Blunt sings you're beautiful, you're beautiful, you're beautiful, it's true is dramatic. He sounds as if he's convincing the girl with his compliment. Sweet.

Later I found myself humming that song over and again, it was like this stubborn tune stuck in my head not budging a wee bit. I was enjoying the intra-cerebral hum; and after a zillion days I was completely musick (Musick: Sickness caused due to overdose of music; Creator: yours truly.)

Anyhow, the song made me think, made me mushy. I wished some one could say something similar. Oh no! I don't want to be told that I am beautiful, rather I prefer being told that I am handsome, intelligent, creative or whatever but with sincerity and love.

Shucks... I have patience no more, to wait for someone to come along, get to know me, understand my index of romance, lure me, capture my imagination and finally sing me praises. I'd sing it to myself and get over with. Here I go...

I'm dutiful, I'm dutiful,
I'm dutiful, it's true....

Yeah, I know, it's not the same, but it does rhyme well, isn't?

Limerick

Junior 'n White had a little fight,
'Go to hell' she told him uptight;
'Okay baba I'll go to hell...
You go to heaven' when he did tell,
'What is heaven' wondered Ms. White.

Four years back I was in this hotel room; woke up next morning and was about to open the door when I heard a little boy and a girl (may be siblings or cousins) fighting outside, next door. I couldn't control my laughter as the girl wondered aloud, what was heaven, with all her innocence. They soon sped away and I couldn't see the two little imps.

I wanted to immortalise this funny incident someway and tried to draw a comic strip (a la Calvin n Hobbes) but failed. Few days later, I read a limerick and regretted never writing one myself. Suddenly, I remembered the incident and wrote one based on it. Though the kids were Indian I gave them western names because it goes well with the rhyme.

The original was written in 2003 and the names were Johnny and Kim. I changed the names and rewrote it now. It sounds much better.