All around is there is silence, even the coconut trees are waiting. The drummers begin, creating a tempo that increases quickly, whipping themselves and the air around into a frenzy. The ‘god’ then appears and begins his dance, moving around in circles, at once quickly and then slower, swinging his sword in slow deliberate movements.
Category: Mythology
Dhanushkodi and the Bridge of Rama
The dark grey skies and slow drizzle adds to the sense of melancholy as one reflects on the unpredictable fury of nature. What must it have been like to live here, so far from anything else, so close to the edge of land, at the mercy of the ocean. What would have possessed the inhabitants of Dhanushkodi to persist, on this thin sliver of land, surrounded by salt water, braving the elements, with what would surely have been an omnipresent threat of annihilation hanging over their heads? Could it have been the faith that they would be protected by their lord, or was it simply that they had lived there for centuries and it was home.
Of Sadhus and Sins
One of the largest religious gatherings in the world, the Kumbh Mela is also the largest outdoor party for Sadhus or Hindu priests. Held every three years in 4 different locations across Northern India, the Kumbh is the Hindu version of Sunday confession. Every three years people gather, from all across the world, to pay…