The Scent of India

This is an interesting little travel journal that sheds about as much light on the subject of India as the Italian author's background. There are bits of western-centric thinking throughout the book and it's hard in these hyper vigilant times to see past that. I'm not generally too upset by it, but it's rather noticeable in this particular book. However, if one can overcome that drawback and accept the book as something as a product of its time, then you see that Pasolini did enjoy his time in India and seems to recommend the trip. It probably focused too much on the poverty of India in a way that felt almost voyeuristic, as I think that a slum tour of Mumbai would do today. But like the slum tours, which provide the residents with income that would not come otherwise, the book is useful in that it shines a light on the subject of India. As we prepare to head there in April I'm glad to have read the book, though India's modernization in the past fifty years may see our trip as having a very different look to it than that of Pasolini's. However, I think that what Pasolini set out to do was to provide an impression of his trip and the fact that he focuses on the feel of the environment and the assault on the senses that India provides, it may be a very similar trip. "That smell of poor food and of corpses which in India is like the continuous powerful air current that gives one a kind of fever. And that odour which, little by little, becomes an almost living physical entity, seems to interrupt the normal course of life in the body of the Indians. Its breath, attacking those little bodies covered in their light and filthy linen, seems to corrode them, forcing itself to sprout, to reach a human embodiment" (Pasolini, 51). In this short passage you see the observations that seem to cement his view of India as being dirty and poor and the environment being the natural conditions to produce a dirty and poor society. But, you also get the feeling of the overwhelming power of the land and his recognition of its power. Overall it was a good read and I'm not upset for having discovered Pasolini by mistake in a dollar bin at a book store.

Travel Guide: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur

Goodreads:

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur
Anuradha Chaturvedi

Travel books are intrinsically difficult to rate until one has traveled. While I think Rick Steves' setup in his books is the clearest and easiest to follow of all the travel books I've read, this one has made me excited to go to Delhi. That's what it is supposed to do. It's real success will be measured when I go.

The Hellenistic World

The History of Western Philosophy
Bertrand Russell

Ch. XXV The Hellenistic World

History of the Greek speaking world can be divided into three periods:
1) The free City States (freedom and disorder)
2) The Macedonian domination (Hellenistic Age)
3) Under the Roman Empire

Alexander tried to meld Greek and barbarian customs into one. But the Greeks were not very impressed with Alexander whom they considered semi-Greek to begin with and not fans of barbarians at all.

After the death of Alexander the Hellenistic world was split into three separate dynasties between some of Alexander's generals: Antigonus controlled the European part, Ptolemy the African, and Seleucus controlled the Asiatic parts.

Ptolemies and the Seleucids ruled as military tyrannies. Ptolemy held sway in Egypt for a time, but it took only two centuries for the Seleucids to fall apart at the seams being gobbled up by Rome and Persia.

India even received a bit of Hellenization, but Asoka (264-28 BC) tried to proselytize the Greeks with Buddhism.

Babylonian and Syria (minus Judea) were completely Hellenized in the urban populations. Only in Judea where the Greeks and the Jews faced off did Hellenization meet stiff resistance.

While Hellenization brought wealth and some stability, it didn't guarantee any individual security. Small dynastic squabbles could up end a populace and its local gentry and leaders instantly. It is no wonder that the religious life of the age found the cult of the goddess Fortune or Luck to be very popular.

"There was widespread social discontent and fear of revolution. The wages of free labour fell,
presumably owing to the competition of eastern slave labour; and meantime the prices of
necessaries rose. One finds Alexander, at the outset of his enterprise, having time to make
treaties designed to keep the poor in their place" (Russell, 225). This was all done to discourage any revolution at a time when civil unrest was ready to burst because of the inequities.

While Hellenization dramatically impacted everywhere the Greeks conquered, the Greeks were themselves conquered in a way by the superstitions of the east. Astrology coming from Babylon took a preeminent role in Greek thought at the time to detriment of Greek thought.

The instability of the age led to a lack of virtue in men. When wealth is only acquired through adventurers despoiling others and that wealth can disappear just as quickly by a stronger adventurer then it becomes almost expected for men to turn bad. Menander notes, "So many cases I have known of men who, though not naturally rogues, became so, through misfortune, by constraint" (Russell, 228).

Bhagavad Gita

From Goodreads

Bhagavad Gita
Translated by Barbara Stoler Miller

I've been on a bit of a mythology kick. This led me to the path of the Mahabharata. While interesting and philosophically impressive, I was expecting something less Scriptural and more action packed. It felt a lot like reading Proverbs when I was expecting Genesis. I understand that this is the fault of the reader and not a reflection of the writer, but had this been a longer text it might have kicked the mythology bug right out of me.

Chapter 7 - Pocket Guide to World Religions

(Originally written February 18, 2007 in Book 14)

Pocket Guide to World Religions
Win Corduan

Chapter 7 - Hinduism

Name

Hinduism is a Western created word to encompass the religious and social system of India.

Hindus refer to their religion as the dharma, which means "the way" or "the religion".

Numbers and Distribution

There are approximately 900 million Hindus worldwide.

The largest numbers of Hindus live in India, including the 300 million "untouchables" who are considered Hindus, but cannot fully participate in the religion.

Symbols

Symbols play an important role in Hinduism.

The most universal symbol is the Om. Om is a sound that has no literal meaning but that is supposed represent the totality of the spiritual universe.

The swastika is also a prevalent symbol in Hinduism, but is not displayed in the West. It represents prosperity and good fortune in Hinduism.

History

Hinduism began as the religion of a group of people migrations to the Indian subcontinent from central Asia. These people are called the Aryans (not to be confused with the racist ideology of Hitler's race). The Aryans migrated around 1500 BC. They worshiped a few gods with animal sacrifice.

The priests of the Aryans were called Brahmins. The Brahmins recorded prayers and sacrificial formulas in books called Vedas. The Brahmins introduced new rules and regulations, altering Hinduism dramatically.

The Caste system developed and the belief in reincarnation became a vital part of Hinduism.

This early form of Hinduism is sometimes referred to as "the way of works" because of its emphasis on the Brahmin ritualistic and legalistic emphasis.

Around the 6th century BC the people reacted against the Brahmin legalism. Buddhism and Jainism emerged out of this reaction, and a new understanding of Hinduism emerged.

"The way of knowledge", the process of finding God within one's self replaced "the way of works". But, "The way of works" and "the way of knowledge" coexist and influence one another.

By the 8th century AD, "the way of devotion" had emerged. This interpretation of Hinduism focuses on one particular god or goddess.

Modern Hinduism blends all three ways but "the way of devotion" is the major influence.

1. Way of Works - based on sacrifices and rituals
2. Way of knowledge - based on finding God within one's self
3. Way of Devotion - based on a person's relationship with a particular deity.

1. Way of works is called Brahmanism or Vedic Hinduism
2. Way of knowledge is called Vedantic Hinduism
3. Way of Devotion is called Bhakti Hinduism

Scriptures

Hinduism has many writings that are organized into two main categories:

1. Shruti - writings "heard" from the gods by holy men (richis)
2. Smriti - writings handed down by tradition

The Smriti contain mostly stories, so average Hindus pay the most attention to them.

The Shruti contain thoughts and beliefs and are usually confined to priests and scholars.

Many Hindu scholars believe that the Scriptures were only written down a few centuries ago and that they were passed down orally for generations.

Shruti:
1) Vedas
2) Brahmanas
3) Sutras
4) Law of Manu
5) Upanishads

Smriti:
1) Mahabharata
2) Bhagavad Gita
3) Ramayana
4) Puranas

Major Beliefs

Hinduism has no mandatory set of beliefs but most agree on certain concepts.

What most Hindus agree on:

1. Life is hard and full of suffering
2. Reincarnation
3. What you come back as is based on what you have done in previous lives. (Law of Karma)

Hinduism, in all its forms, attempts to find a way out of the never-ending cycle of lives, deaths and rebirths.

What many Hindus agree on: ritual obligations

A large number of Hindus consider it important to maintain fundamental rules of life.

Hindu culture is woven into the fabric of Hindu  society and Hindus cling to ritual obligations regardless of their religious convictions.

What many Hindus agree on: Vedantic Hinduism

The most important problem of all human beings is that they have forgotten they are living in an unreal world.

The is a true reality: the Brahman.

The Brahman is the spiritual being that is ultimately beyond understanding or description.

If we treat our experiences (maya) of the world as real, we will remain trapped in the cycle of reincarnation. If we realize that deep within ourselves there is a self (atman) that is identical with Brahman we are on the way to escaping the never-ending cycle of reincarnation.

What many Hindus agree on: Bhakti Hinduism

Some Hindus believe that all gods are manifestations of the Brahman, others believe that their specific god or goddess is the supreme being.

There're are 300 million gods in Hinduism, but not all gods are equal in importance.

The are 3 main gods (traditionally)

1) Brahma - creator of the universe
2) Vishnu - the preserver
3) Shiva - the destroyer of the world.

Each of these gods has a female counterpart, a shaky, who brings out his power

1) Brahma - Sarasvati, the goddess of learning
2) Vishnu - Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune
3) Shiva - Parvati, his devoted wife
 - Durga, the goddess of death
 - Kali, the destroyer of evil

Vishnu is extremely important because he occasionally incarnates himself to restore order. His most prominent incarnations (avatars) include Krishna and Rama.

Gods:

Deity/Function/Depiction

-Brahma, the creator, four heads
-Saraswati, Brahma's wife, goddess of learning, stringed instrument
-Vishnu, preserver, blue, conch shell, discuss, staff
-Lakshmi, Vishnu's wife, goddess of fortune, Blue conch shell
-Shiva, destroyer, trident, three horizontal stripes
-Paravati, Shiva's wife, depicted with Shiva
-Durga, goddess of death, eight or ten arms, long spear, riding a lion
-Kali, destroyer of demons, black grimaced face, skull necklace rides a tiger
-Rama, avatar of Vishnu, ideal king, Green with a large bow
-Krishna, Avatar of Vishnu, cowherd, Dark blue or black with a flute
-Ganesha, son of Shiva, remover of obstacles, Elephant head
-Hanuman, Grand vizier of the monkeys, green monkey, often with Rama

Subgroups

Subgroups can be distinguished by their devotion o a main god. There could be countless subgroups, but there are three main ones:

1) Vishnavites - Vishnu is head god
2) Shaivites - Shiva is head god
3) Shaktites - Kali or Durga is head god.

Some groups of Hinduism practice yoga to liberate one's spirit from their body.

Another way of grouping Hindus is the caste system. While the caste system is a social construct, it has a profound impact on religious life.

Brahmins - Priests
Kshatriyas - Warriors or rulers
Vaishyas - Merchants, landowners
Shudras - workers
Dalits - outcasts

Worship Practices

Worship is performed before statues of gods in the home and temple.

Hindus believe that the god/goddess live in the statue as long as the statue is properly cared for.

The worship is called puja. Puja can be simple at home and last for only a few minutes. It can also be very ornate in temple settings.

Religious buildings

A Hindu temple is often highly decorated and dedicated to a specific deity.

Temples normally have a statue of the main god in the most prominent palace, and a statue of Ganesha to the right of it.

Home Practices

Traditionally, a Hindu house hold has a statue of a god that must be worshipped daily.

Women have a special duty to make pilgrimages for their family.

Women also decorate the front door with Kola diagrams. Kola diagrams are designed made of colored rice to be eaten by ants as an offering to gods and spirits.

Clothing

Little of traditional Indian dress is considered intrinsically religious.

Masks on the face or forehead can be very significant.

Devotees of particular deities will rub ash on their face after worship. Shaivites mark their forehead with three horizontal stripes. Vaishnavites make two vertical lines that converge on the bridge of the nose.

The red spot on the forehead of women is called the bindi. Bindi means "little drop". The Bindi lets the world know that the wearer is a Hindu and a married woman.

Some unmarried girls have a spot on their forehead to protect against the "evil eye".

Diet

Hindus do not eat beef because the cow is considered sacred.

Many Hindus are vegetarians, but not all.

Calendar

Hindus follow a lunar calendar.

Festivals are put on the full full moon, 10 fall in the middle of the moth.

Because of sectarian and regional differences the same festival is celebrated to different gods on a regular basis.

Some important celebrations:

1. Diwali (late October/Early November)
- most important and most widespread of all Hindu holidays
- honors a godess, usually Lakshmi
- sometimes considered New Year's Day

2. Pangal (January)
- primarily a South Indian celebration
- Some times considered a New Year's
- festival of fertility, not devoted to a specific god
- women make kola diagrams, men fly kites
- cows are adorned with garland

3. Taipusam (late January, early February)
- entirely a South Indian holiday
- dedicated to Muruka, the son of Shiva
- devotion expressed through acts of austerity and self-immolation

4. Holi (late February, early March)
- honors Krishna
- honors his pranks played as a youth
- 5 days of high spirits
- on the 5th day people throw buckets of colored water on one another

Every deity has his or her own birthday or day of descent.