[ad_1] When the Constitution of India was first published, over 75 years ago, it included many artworks. Amongst them was one showing Kubera, Ravanaâs brother and the king of wealth and yakshas (nature spirits), fleeing from Lanka. It is often mistaken for Hanuman burning Lanka, but there are no flames of a burning city or a monkeyâs…
[ad_1] A sati-stone at Veerabhadra temple in Andhra Pradesh In Europe, Christian clergy burnt alive women suspected of being Satan-worshipping witches. In Arabia, the âPeople of the Ditchâ were martyrs who chose death by fire rather than giving up Islam. The theatre of death in matters of faith is very much part of human culture….
[ad_1] Stories of the folk goddesses of India are often lost in myriad oral versions. Which ones do we consider authentic? A common thread is some form of sexual violation followed by brute violence. We can say these are tales of (almost) marriage and (almost) murder. Are these to be taken literally or metaphorically? In…
[ad_1] The Tamil poet-saint Andal is identified by the parrot in her hand. The bird is the symbol of Kama, the god of love, lust and sensuality. The same god who in Buddhist works is called Mara, the enemy of Buddha. The same god who is burnt alive by a glance of Shivaâs third eye,…
[ad_1] Thai artists get ready for Khon, a theatrical dance performance that showcases the story of the Ramayana, at Wat Chaiwatthanaram temple in Ayutthaya. | Photo Credit: Getty Images In Thailand, there is another Ayodhya, known locally as Ayutthaya. It is a ruin now, full of tall pagodas and temples made of brick and stucco,…
