vietnamization:

India, also called Hindustan or Bharat, officially declared war on Nazi Germany in September 1939. The Provinces of British India, being colonies of the United Kingdom, were by default, a part of the Allied Nations and sent over three million troops (who volunteered) to fight alongside Allied Forces against the Axis powers. Indians fought with distinction throughout the world; in the European theaters of Germany and Italy, in the deserts against Rommel and in the Asian region defending the Indian Homeland against the Japanese

(via firebombing)

centuriespast:

Sarasvati

India, 10th-11th century

This sculpture once stood in a niche in a Hindu temple. Sarasvati is the name of a river and of a goddess-a goddess who embodies the power of speech, of music (she is playing the stringed instrument known as the “vina”), and of learning (she holds a manuscript in her lower left hand).

Walters Art Museum

A child dressed as Hindu God Krishna kisses another dressed as Krishna’s consort Radha during a fancy dress competition held as part of Krishna Janmashtami celebrations at ISKCON Temple in Bangalore. (Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images) #

Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess. She is most always seen with Lord Krishna. It is described that She is the Chief Associate and devotee of Lord Krishna, and topmost of all Goddesses. Her name means the She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna. However, She is also an expansion of the Lord’s energy. Since She is also an extension of Krishna, She is the feminine aspect of God. Thus, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, God is both male and female. They are One, but Krishna expands into two, Himself and Radharani, for the sake of divine loving pastimes. If They remained as One, then there is no relationship, there are no pastimes, and there can be no dynamic exchange of love. (Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 4.55-56) Actually, if we all remained merged or amalgamated into one single force or light, then there is no further need of anything else. There certainly would be no need for the material manifestation to provide the innumerable conditioned souls with the means to seek out the way to satisfy their senses, minds, emotions, desires for self-expression, intellectual pursuits, and on and on.

So, similarly, the spiritual world is the manifestation wherein all souls have the opportunity to engage in a multitude of pastimes in loving relationships in full spiritual variety, without the many hindrances we find in this material world. The only difference is that the spiritual world is centered around the Supreme Being. And that Supreme Personality has expanded Himself into Radharani for exhibiting the supreme loving relationship, in which so many others assist Them.

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows:

devi krishna-mayi prokta

radhika para-devata

sarva-lakshmi-mayi sarva

kantih sammohini para

“The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.”

To explain further, Srimati Radharani is also the source of the other goddesses, who are expansions of Her. Just as Lord Krishna is the source of all other expansions and incarnations of God, Radharani is the source of all other expansions of the energies of God, the shaktis, or other goddesses. Thus, Vishnu, Rama, even Shiva are all expansions of the one Supreme Being, and similarly Lakshmi, Sita, and even Durga are all expansions of this Supreme Feminine form of God, Radharani.

-Radharani

A girl wearing face paint at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, August 21, during an open day for pilgrims to celebrate ‘Janmashtami’ - the birth of Lord Krishna. (Facundo Arrizabalaga/AFP/Getty Images) #

Who is Sri Krishna?

Krishna is God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This fact is stated and corroborated in the Vedic scriptures and by various authorities. Lord Brahma in Brahma Samhita says, “Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes” (BS 5.1). In the Bhagavata Purana Krishna becomes the chief object of devotion. After describing various incarnations of the Lord such as Rama, Balarama, Vamana, Nrsimha, and Vishnu, Srila Sukadeva Goswami states, “All of the above mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead” (SB 1.3.28). Lord Shiva in Gita Mahatmya, states that “only one God - Krishna, the son of Devaki” (Verse 7). In the Padma Purana it is stated, “By scrutinizingly reviewing all the revealed scriptures and judging them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and thus He alone should be worshipped”. Similarly it is said in the Skanda Purana, “In the material world, which is full of darkness and dangers, combined with birth and death and full of different anxieties, the only way to get out of the great entanglement is to accept loving transcendental devotional service to Lord Vasudeva. This is accepted by all classes of philosophers”.

The position of Krishna as God is confirmed by great personalities like Narada, Asita, Devala, Vyasa, Parasara, Brahma and Shiva. Finally Krishna Himself confirms this fact in the Bhagavad-gita to His friend and devotee, Arjuna. He clearly says that He is “the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods” (BG 5.29), that “there is no truth superior to Me” (BG 7.7) and - “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me” (BG 10.8).

- Krishna

Indian Hindu devotees form a human pyramid to break the ‘dahi-handi’ (curd-pot), as part of celebrations of ‘Janmashtami’ which marks the birth of Hindu God Lord Krishna. Scores of Hindu devotees of Lord Krishna take part in the dahi-handi celebration, where a large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey and fruits and suspended from a height of between 6 to 12 metres (20 to 40 feet). Participants then come forward to claim this prize by constructing a human pyramid until the pyramid is tall enough so that the topmost person is able to reach the pot and claim the contents after breaking it. (Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images) #

An Indian schoolboy is dressed as the Hindu God Krishna. (Rajesh Kumar Singh/Associated Press)

Indian Hindu devotees throughout the world celebrate Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Hindu God Lord Krishna with enormous zeal and enthusiasm. Children and adults dress as the Hindu God Krishna and his consort Radha in bright, elaborate costumes and jewelry. Human pyramids form to break the ‘dahi-handi’ or curd pot. The large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey and fruits and is suspended from a height of 20 - 40 feet. Participants come forward to claim this prize by constructing a human pyramid, enabling the uppermost person to reach the pot and claim its contents. — Paula Nelson

The Goddess Durga as Slayer of the Buffalo-Demon Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini), 14th–15th century
Nepal
Gilt copper alloy, inlaid with semiprecious stones

This is one of the finest Nepali depictions of Durga known. The eighteen-armed Hindu goddess Durga, an aspect of the Great Goddess Devi, is depicted in the act of slaying the demon Mahisha. After the gods had been defeated in battle by the all-powerful Mahisha, they created Durga to serve as their champion and turned over to her their weapons. With the force of the collective might transferred by the gods to her, Durga slays the demon, who had transformed himself into a ferocious buffalo. Originally, this Durga was part of a larger ensemble. She stood on the back of the buffalo-demon, supported on a pedestal.

Source: Goddess Durga as Slayer of the Buffalo-Demon Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini), The [Nepal] (1986.498) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

bythegods:

Prajapati

In Hindu mythology, Prajapati is the master of created beings. Now: let me stop right here, and say that Hindu mythology is a complex thing, with several layers of religious texts written in different periods and locations, often conflicting (not that this is any different than most religions). I don’t personally have the confident grip on it that I do with other cultural mythologies, but hey: I’m workin’ on it.

Back to ol’ Prajapati. In the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, he is the protector of the sexual organ (not the worst job). 

He produces a number of children including a daughter, Ushas (“dawn”) who he then attempts to do a lil’ incest on/with. Now, when Ushas sees Prajapati coming at her in a lustful rage, she transforms herself into a deer and hauls ass out of there. Prajapati, to match her speed, turns himself into a stag, and catches up to do the deed. The offspring they have, predictably, is a baby deer. This cycle repeated itself not once, not twice, but 200-bajillion times; every time Prajapati got the urge, Ushas would pick a different female form and run, and Praj’ would pick the corresponding male form, catch her, and make a baby in said form. In this fashion, Prajapati and Ushas gave rise to all living creatures, including man. 

Another myth tells how Prajapati rose, weeping, from the primordial waters. His tears that fell to the water became the earth, whereas those that the god wiped away became the sky and air. Prajapati then created the night and day, the seasons, death, and people to relieve his loneliness. This story conflicts with other Hindu stories, such as the creation by Brahma. The name Prajapati, however, sometimes refers to a variety of gods, including Indra, Shiva, Garuda, Vishnu, Krishna, and Brahma. Brahma, specifically, is often attributed with myths that later became associated with Prajapati. Whether or not it’s viewed as a title for the master of sex organs/the creator or a specific deity’s name depends on which text you’re looking at.

(Source: bythegods)

Indians dance in the streets amid blasts of color in Gauhati on March 20. (Anupam Nath/Associated Press.)

Every year, Hindus greet the turn of winter into spring with a splash of color — in some areas, a geyser of color. They call their celebration the festival of Holi, and Hindus across India and throughout the world share prayer, camaraderie, special food, and a general sense of mischief as they douse each other in dyes and colored water. The large festival has roots to many Hindu legends associated with the triumph of good over evil. One of the best-known stories tells the tale of the demoness Holika, who tried to kill Prahlad, the son of the demon king Hiranyakashyap, for refusing to worship his father. Instead, Holika is consumed in flames, which is replayed each year with bonfires and effigies, before the celebrants break out the hues and cries of the festival. - Lloyd Young

Really, I just remembered the The Big Picture blog the other day, and Current Culture/Tradition is awesome to me too, plus pretty pictures!~

adventuretravelindia:

The image of Hanuman on a rock somewhere in rural Himachal Pradesh. Hanuman is an ardent devotee of Lord Ram (Ramayana).

(source - link)

Hanuman (Sanskrit: हनुमान्,Kannada: ಹನುಮಂತ, IAST: Hanumān, Indonesian: Hanoman, Javanese: Anoman, Lao: Hunlaman, Malay: Andoman, Tamil: அனுமன், Telugu: హనుమాన్)^[1] is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Sri Rama in the struggle against the demon king Ravana.

Known also as Anjaneya(Kannada:ಆಂಜನೇಯ), Maruti, Pavanputra, Anjaniputra, Bajrang Bali and Hanumat, Hanuman’s exploits are much celebrated in a variety of religious and cultural traditions,^[2] particularly in Hinduism, so much so that he is often the object of worship according to some bhakti traditions,^[3] and is the prime deity in many temples known as Hanuman Mandirs.

The Childhood story for him is pretty great, listen:

As a child, believing the sun to be a ripe mango, Hanuman pursued it in order to eat it. Rahu, a Vedic planet corresponding to an eclipse, was at that time seeking out the sun as well, and he clashed with Hanuman. In the nature of Rahu, the Tamas Guṇa predominated. To convey a message to the universe that Satva Guṇa always prevails, Hanuman goes to take sun in his abode.^[7]Indra, king of devas, was approached by Rahu with disappointment, enraging Indra, who responded by throwing the Vajra (thunderbolt) at Hanuman, which struck his jaw. He fell back down to the earth and became unconscious. Upset, Vayu went into seclusion, taking the atmosphere with him. As living beings began to asphyxiate, Indra withdrew the effect of his thunderbolt, and the devas revived Hanuman and blessed him with multiple boons.^[8] A permanent mark was left on his chin (हनुः hanuḥ “jaw” in Sanskrit), explaining his name.

On ascertaining Surya, the Hindu deity of the sun, to be an all-knowing teacher, Hanuman raised his body into an orbit around the sun and requested that Surya accept him as a student. Surya refused, claiming that as he always had to be on the move in his chariot, it would be impossible for Hanuman to learn effectively. Undeterred by Surya’s refusal, Hanuman enlarged his body, placed one leg on the eastern ranges and the other on the western ranges, and with his face turned toward the sun made his request again. Pleased by his persistence, Surya accepted. Hanuman then moved (backwards, to remain facing Surya) continuously with his teacher, and learned all of the latter’s knowledge. When Hanuman then requested Surya to quote his “guru-dakshina” (teacher’s fee), the latter refused, saying that the pleasure of teaching one as dedicated as him was the fee in itself. Hanuman insisted, whereupon Surya asked him to help his (Surya’s) spiritual son Sugriva.^[9] Hanuman’s choice of Surya as his teacher is said to signify Surya as a Karma Saakshi, an eternal witness of all deeds. Hanuman was mischievous in his childhood, and sometimes teased the meditating sages in the forests by snatching their personal belongings and by disturbing their well-arranged articles of worship. Finding his antics unbearable, but realizing that Hanuman was but a child, (albeit invincible), the sages placed a mild curse on him by which he became unable to remember his own ability unless reminded by another person. It is hypothesised that without this curse, the entire course of the Ramayana war might have been different, for he demonstrated phenomenal abilities during the war. The curse is highlighted in Kishkindha Kanda and Sundara Kanda when Jambavantha reminds (the quietly wondering) Hanuman of his abilities and encourages him to go and find Sita. The specific verse that is recited by Jambavantha is:

पवन तनय ब्ल पवन समाना

बुद्धि विवेक विज्ञान निधाना |

कवन् सो काज कठिन जग माही

जो नहि होय तात तुम्ह पाहीं ||

You are as powerful as the wind (Hanumanji was the son of Pawan, God of wind);

You are intelligent, illustrious & an inventor.

There is nothing in this world that’s too difficult for you;

Whenever stuck, you are the one who can help.

Text via Wikipedia

I realize this guy is a god, and everyone else has been real (albeit perhaps a bit legendary in their own rights) but I thought giving context to the stone painting would be more interesting that me just blogging “Look, old stone painting, isn’t it awesome?” In the case of this particular blog, history becomes relevent with context. :)