Cheryl Snell's Blog, page 30
July 11, 2011
July 10, 2011
If You Liked That, Maybe You'll Like This...
In the wedding scene in Shiva's Arms, one of the aunties says of the newlyweds, "The elephant should not marry with the mouse." Ever wonder where that came from? Here you go.
The Elephant and The Mouse
The elephant and the mouse fell in love and decided to get married.
When the elephant told her father, he said 'Don't be silly, an elephant cannot marry a mouse.'
When the mouse told his mother, she said 'Don't be silly, we mice do not marry elephants.'
So the elephant, who was very musical, became a pianist, and the mouse, who had a good voice, became a singer. They toured the world together for many years, giving concerts and bringing pleasure to everyone who heard them.
Moral: There is more than one way to live in harmony.
The Elephant and The Mouse
The elephant and the mouse fell in love and decided to get married.
When the elephant told her father, he said 'Don't be silly, an elephant cannot marry a mouse.'
When the mouse told his mother, she said 'Don't be silly, we mice do not marry elephants.'
So the elephant, who was very musical, became a pianist, and the mouse, who had a good voice, became a singer. They toured the world together for many years, giving concerts and bringing pleasure to everyone who heard them.
Moral: There is more than one way to live in harmony.
July 9, 2011
Koopa Manduka
In Ray's 'Apu Triliogy", one of the characters chides another about his lack of ambition in the wider world. "Do you want to be the frog in the well always?" The question reminded me of the kiddie story the character was referencing: Koopa Manduka. It goes like this:
There lived a frog in a nice, deep well. Born & raised in the well, this frog lived on worms and insects also living in the water.
One day, a frog from sea came to the well. Our well frog was very happy to have a friend and gladly shared its worms and insects.
As the sea frog dined, the well frog asked, "Where did you come from?"
"From the Sea," answered the sea frog.
"The sea! How big is it? Is it as big as my well?" The well frog took a leap from one side of the well to the other.
"My friend", said the sea frog, "Sea is very big, and you cannot compare the sea with your little well!"
Then the well frog took another leap and asked, "Is your sea this big?"
"What nonsense, to compare the sea with your well!"
The well frog got furious, and said, "Nothing can be bigger than my well; there can be nothing bigger than this. You are not my friend but a liar. Leave this well and go back to your sea."
The term Koopa Manduka can also be used as an insult, to narrow minded people who only see what's in front of them.
There lived a frog in a nice, deep well. Born & raised in the well, this frog lived on worms and insects also living in the water.
One day, a frog from sea came to the well. Our well frog was very happy to have a friend and gladly shared its worms and insects.
As the sea frog dined, the well frog asked, "Where did you come from?"
"From the Sea," answered the sea frog.
"The sea! How big is it? Is it as big as my well?" The well frog took a leap from one side of the well to the other.
"My friend", said the sea frog, "Sea is very big, and you cannot compare the sea with your little well!"
Then the well frog took another leap and asked, "Is your sea this big?"
"What nonsense, to compare the sea with your well!"
The well frog got furious, and said, "Nothing can be bigger than my well; there can be nothing bigger than this. You are not my friend but a liar. Leave this well and go back to your sea."
The term Koopa Manduka can also be used as an insult, to narrow minded people who only see what's in front of them.
July 5, 2011
July 3, 2011
July 2, 2011
Ratha Yatra
One of the ways character is revealed in Shiva's Arms is through the characters' rituals. When Shiva reminisces with her grandson about a shrine in a huge wooden-wheeled chariot, she is talking about Ratha Yatra, a major festival that takes place at the Jagannath Temple in Orissa at this time of year.
Jagannath, the wood god residing in the temple, is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu. The festival participants act out a story from the Hindu Rig Veda in which the god and two of his god-relatives decide to go on a trip. In the Veda, they go to the home of Jagannath's aunt, but here the three gods are pulled through the streets in highly decorated chariots by thousands of devotees. The main chariot carries Jagannath, and is usually about 45 feet high. It has 16 wheels. A juggernaut, the British called the spectacle of the unstoppable force when they first saw it.
Jagannath, the wood god residing in the temple, is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu. The festival participants act out a story from the Hindu Rig Veda in which the god and two of his god-relatives decide to go on a trip. In the Veda, they go to the home of Jagannath's aunt, but here the three gods are pulled through the streets in highly decorated chariots by thousands of devotees. The main chariot carries Jagannath, and is usually about 45 feet high. It has 16 wheels. A juggernaut, the British called the spectacle of the unstoppable force when they first saw it.
At the close of the ten day festival, the chariot is broken up and sold as religious relics. A new chariot is built every year.
I'll leave you with a recipe for one of the festival dishes, khechedi. The soft rice is cooked in the temple kitchen, and after being offered to the gods, this prasad is served to the crowds.
Boil 2 cups basmati rice mixed with lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup channa dal in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes. Add ghee or butter. Top with nuts and raisins.
July 1, 2011
Inside you
Poets.org has a nice selection of red, white and blue poems for the holiday, such as Immigrant Blues Hear the author read it by clicking this.
Gerald Stern has said that"what characterizes [Lee's] poetry is a certain humility... a willingness to let the sublime enter his field of concentration and take over, a devotion to language, a belief in its holiness."
Curious? Check it out.
Gerald Stern has said that"what characterizes [Lee's] poetry is a certain humility... a willingness to let the sublime enter his field of concentration and take over, a devotion to language, a belief in its holiness."
Curious? Check it out.
