R. Radhakrishnan's Blog, page 7

The Indian Mix.

Happy Independence day.

Who am I or in this case who we are is a question that’s often in our minds. History is a search for our roots, so is archeology.

In the last few years there have been some very exciting discoveries and people have tried to answer some of the questions.

One way of looking for our roots is to know where our ancestors came from and DNA analysis has some answers to age old questions. The mystery is not completely solved but we seem to be on the right road...

Hastinapur and the second wife.

Hastinapur was celebrating. They were soon to have another Queen,  one who was said to be the most beautiful woman in the land.

The palace was decorated and the servants hurried about rushing to finish last minute tasks. Only in one part of the palace was there no joy. In Pandu’s personal quarters there was tension and anger. The servants went about in fear  trying to avoid being noticed.

Kunti was in rage, an anger that was beyond expression. She sat silent and her large eyes were fille...

What gender is the Divine? Ardhanarishwara.

The concept of God or divinity in classical Hinduism is very different from most other faiths. God in Hinduism is formless and without attributes and to help us visualize we give different forms to the divine. The stories of Ardhanarishwara tell us this. Ardhanarishwara is Shiva and Parvathi fused as one. One half is Shiva, the macho male and the other half is Parvathi,  the female Shakthi. Together they represent the divine. One such story is of Rishi Bhringi.

Rishi Bhringi was a great devo...

Madri

Madri stood at the window gazing at the distant mountains. She wondered what was beyond those tall guardians.

She was tall and well built girl like most of the women in the Kingdom. Fair with large melting eyes she was a woman who would attract attention wherever she went.

She knew she was beautiful and most men did not look beneath the beauty. They did not know that behind that pretty face was a strong and determined woman. Madri, like most women in the Kingdom, was not well educated i...

Hastinapur: The need for an heir.

So came the Emperor Pandu to Hastinapur with a beautiful bride who was welcomed with pomp and happiness by everyone.

The young couple soon settled down. Any misgivings Bhishma had about the new queen vanished in a few days. Kunti was all he had hoped for. She treated him and Satyavati with respect. She seemed genuinely attached to Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. She loved and was loved by Pandu. She was kind and considerate and the citizens of Hastinapur loved her.

The young couple soon beca...

Kunti’s wedding

The day dawned bright with a gentle breeze. Kunti prayed to the gods for a happy marriage as the maids decked her out to look her best.

The Sun god sighed as he saw her step out,  if things were different he could have married her and claimed his son. Even the gods wish for sons in this unfair world.

Pandu debated whether to dress up in the finery of kings but decided to keep it simple. All the Kings and nobles would be dressed in their best,  if he wanted to stand out he would have to b...

Protected: The Passionate Photographer: Gopinath Kollur.

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Kunti meets Pandu

Kunti was in a dilemma, she had lost her trust in people since losing her son. She had given up her child but he occupied her mind. She feared for him and also feared what would happen if the truth was told. She was still a child with a child’s outlook and fear of the world.

The capital was full of kings,  princes and other nobles who had come for the swayamvara. They were richly dressed and went around with a large entourage. They were proud and boastful and a nuisance.

Seeking peace fr...

A temple lost in the mists of time. Melthiruvenkatanathapuram.

We are always on an existential quest. Searching and wondering who am I?

The Utsav Murtis at the temple.

The family deity or Kul devta or Kul devam as we say in Tamil is an attempt to remember and connect to our roots.

My father travelled around the world as a sailor in the Royal Indian Navy during WWII. But when he did tell us stories from his past it would mostly be about the place he grew up in, southern Tamil Nadu. There would be a wistfulness in his voice and a faraway look in ...

Pandu sets off for the swayamvara.

Let us leave Kunti and the baby Karna and consider Emperor Pandu.

Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, is crucial to the Mahabharata. Yet he is a pale and shadowy character when we compare him with Kunti, his wife, or the Pandavas, his sons. Much like his appearance.

Pandu was a stalwart warrior, the best archer of his generation, and undefeated in battle. He conquered and subjugated many kingdoms by the strength of his arms.

He was well-versed in the scriptures and was loved by the...