04-15-2007, 09:39 AM
I am loathe to intruduce expressions that I conceived of on BRF although some are invaluable.
One such expression is piskology and I bring it up in the context of the Hindu narrative.
One of the things I have notioced on the internet is a far greater sense of despondncy and loss among NRI Hindus than I feel. I am not saying 'NRIs are wrong, I am right" and I do not mean for one minute to suggest that Hindus and Hinduism is not under threat.
But I believe that the topic of "reviving" or "rescuing" Hinduism from sloth by strengtheining the narrative is somewhat akin to either getting a patient better from an illness, or recovering a plane in a spin.
In both these examples it is important to recognize the "current state" of the entity under threat.
Hinduism is far from dead and there are signs of new life everywhere. But that new life may actually hide the assaults that have been documented on here. I sometimes wish I could carry a webcam as I walk into Lalbagh in the morning to document the innumerable signs of life, signs of the Hindu narrative being lived every moment.
I could carry my low res phone camera - but it is likely that at least in some instances I wil be spoiling or interfereing in someones personal "tapas" by the vulgarity of taking a photograph. However - I will try.
The important thing is to write the narrative to give meaning to the ritual.
Why do people stand in Lalbagh and face the sun and pray?
I was taught to wake up in the morning, turn Eastwards towards the rising sun, and then to cup my palms and look at them and say :
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><i>
Karaagre vasathe Lakshmi
kara-madhye Saraswathi
Kara-moole stithe Govindah
Prabhaate kara darshanam
</i><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Another prayer my Grandmother used to associate with the morning - which will be familiar to millions courtesy MS Subbulakshmi
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><i>Uthhishta Uthhishta Govinda
Uthhishta Garudadhwaja
Uthhishta Kamala kaanta
Trai-lokyam mangalam kuru.</i>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
One such expression is piskology and I bring it up in the context of the Hindu narrative.
One of the things I have notioced on the internet is a far greater sense of despondncy and loss among NRI Hindus than I feel. I am not saying 'NRIs are wrong, I am right" and I do not mean for one minute to suggest that Hindus and Hinduism is not under threat.
But I believe that the topic of "reviving" or "rescuing" Hinduism from sloth by strengtheining the narrative is somewhat akin to either getting a patient better from an illness, or recovering a plane in a spin.
In both these examples it is important to recognize the "current state" of the entity under threat.
Hinduism is far from dead and there are signs of new life everywhere. But that new life may actually hide the assaults that have been documented on here. I sometimes wish I could carry a webcam as I walk into Lalbagh in the morning to document the innumerable signs of life, signs of the Hindu narrative being lived every moment.
I could carry my low res phone camera - but it is likely that at least in some instances I wil be spoiling or interfereing in someones personal "tapas" by the vulgarity of taking a photograph. However - I will try.
The important thing is to write the narrative to give meaning to the ritual.
Why do people stand in Lalbagh and face the sun and pray?
I was taught to wake up in the morning, turn Eastwards towards the rising sun, and then to cup my palms and look at them and say :
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><i>
Karaagre vasathe Lakshmi
kara-madhye Saraswathi
Kara-moole stithe Govindah
Prabhaate kara darshanam
</i><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Another prayer my Grandmother used to associate with the morning - which will be familiar to millions courtesy MS Subbulakshmi
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><i>Uthhishta Uthhishta Govinda
Uthhishta Garudadhwaja
Uthhishta Kamala kaanta
Trai-lokyam mangalam kuru.</i>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->