sentimental pious attachment to all the rivers in India. The Narmada is one of the most sacred rivers of the seven holy rivers, originates from the Maikali ranges at Amarkantak in MP and flows between the mountain ranges of Vindhya and Sathpura. Gita Mehta, a post colonial writer, meticulously weaves the stories and connects the lives of the characters to the holy river the Narmada in her book, ’A River Sutra’.’Sutra’ means thread that connects, ’River Sutra’ means river that connects. Throughout
Snakes and Ladders by Gita Mehta is a book that celebrates India and its history. The author provides many short stories that try to show how India is trying to develop as a nation. She tells about the complex religious system, as well as cultural diversity, and the corruption of India’s government. She shows the reader many aspects of the experience of living in India, which Mehta clearly shows that she loves, but she attempts to remain neutral about the issues that she discusses. When the Indian
idea of reincarnation derives from the Bhagavad-Gita. There are three four verses imparticular, the first one talk about the soul not ever being born or dying that it is always alive and it is therefore the body which dies. “It (the self) is not born, and It does not die; nor is it ever that this One having been nonexistent becomes existent again. This One is birthless, eternal, undecaying, ancient; It is not killed when the body is killed.” - Gita Ch. 2 Verse 20 The second verse related to reincarnation
In Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children,” Saleem Sinai clings to his silver spittoon inlaid with lapis lazuli (the spittoon given to his mother, Amina Sinai, by Rani of Cooch Naheen for her dowry) as a sort of personal talisman. The spittoon, responsible for his temporary memory loss (after hitting him in the head during an air raid), remains a symbol of his former life, a symbol he cherishes even when he is incapable of remembering what it means. The spittoon represents the former wholeness of
each stanza is a Zen koan waiting to be meditated on and puzzled out. Even Emerson called Whitman's poetry "a remarkable mixture of the Bhagvat Gita and the New York Herald" ("The Whitman Project"). Song of Myself contains multitudes of passages that express Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist thought. Hinduism is an ancient religion of India and the Bhagvat Gita mentioned above, is among its holy texts. Meditation is emphasized in Hinduism and the point of meditation is explained in a famous metaphor:
long-lasting of which are Buddhism and Jainism. Hinduism, which coalesced about a millennium later, included concepts of world-renunciation in the Varnashrama Dharma and other texts, but its best known treatise on world-renunciation is the Bhagavad-Gita. Within the umbrella of Hinduism, the Saiva and Vaisnava sectarian traditions provide distinct ideas of world renunciation, through modeling Siva’s asceticism or through acting in devotion to Krsna and Rama. Reacting against the authoritarian injunctions
Indian-Canadian director Deepa Mehta 's film based on Salman Rushdie 's novel Midnight’s Children is a clear example of a post-colonial work. Midnight’s Children follows two children, both born at precisely midnight, on the exact day that India gained independence from Great Britain. Shiva is born to wealthy parents, while Saleem enters the world as the son of a beggar, but a nurse switches the two boys at birth. Throughout the film, the narrator, Saleem, explains both families’ histories, and in
Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children’ 1 Introduction This paper will try to show how Salman Rushdie uses narrative technique, genre and the concept of history in a very new way in Midnight’s Children in order to place his story outside the euro-centric tradition of literature, narrative and history. These traditions, appearing in the colonial period, have constructed a notion of universalism in literature where the ‘classics’ of the western canon have set the order of the day (Ashcroft 91-92)
Midnights Children Salman Rushdei 1. Comment on the author’s style and characterization. Are the characters believable or paper cutouts? Comic or tragic or both? Are their dilemmas universal to human nature or particular to their situation? - Rushdie's narrator, Saleem Sinai, is the Hindu child raised by wealthy Muslims. Near the beginning of the novel, he informs us that he is falling apart--literally: I mean quite simply that I have begun to crack all over like an old jug--that my poor
The Teachings of Bhagavad-Gita The Bhagavad-Gita teaches many things, and amongst these, morality and moral law are developed for the Hindu religion. What Krishna, the primary Hindu god, declares in this somewhat epic poem to be the "basis of good in this world" (stanza 3, pg. 620 of text) is for people to take action. Action, as he goes on to state, is within the very nature of our beings to do. Krishna even states that "without action you even fail to sustain your own body" (stanza 8, pg
When discussing the controversial authors of Indian literature, one name should come to mind before any other. Salman Rushdie, who is best known for writing the book “Midnights Children.” The first two chapters of “Midnights Children” are known as “The Perforated Sheet”. In “The Perforated Sheet” Rushdie utilizes magic realism as a literary device to link significant events and their effects on the lives of Saleem’s family to a changing India. In fact, it is in the beginning of the story that the
Bhagavad Gita is a timeless example of how Hinduism can be applied and seen in Indian life. It also enforces the example of how Hinduism is the heart of India by demonstrating the qualities of ancient Indian culture. These beliefs although outdated, are also seen manifesting in many important values, such as Buddhism, which will be discussed later. It is in this document that both sets of beliefs which provide the foundation of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs are combined. In The Bhagavad Gita Arjuna
Confessions vs. Gita When ancient people look to understand religion, it is easier for them to relate to a higher power, also known as a god. Throughout the world and through time, there have been hundreds of different religions that have been established, and in the writings by people of these various groups there are often stories about conversation with the gods. This helps other people in understanding and conforming to the same beliefs. Two of such examples of this style of analyzing what gods
separation from the world and a constancy of mind that is not found in the normal clamor of daily life. Hinduism Hinduism has a pluralism of gods, but in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism, Vishnu is proclaimed supreme and the Gita is almost monotheistic in its tone. According to Geoffrey Parrinder, the Bhagavad Gita "teaches union with God, but in the context of love to God and love from God…." Meditation is the chief method of achieving experience of or unity with the deity, as prescrib
"everyday role" of women. According to the Bhagavad Gita, "...those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth -- women, vaisyas (merchants), as well as sudras (workers) -- can approach the supreme destination." (Bhagavad Gita, 9:32) This places women in a spiritual role similar to that of men. However, because of the place of women in traditional Indian society, women are thought to be inferior. This is clearly expressed in the Gita in a number of chapters. Women are thought to
Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita This modern day translation of the Bhagavad Gita, written by Barbara Stoller Miller, focused briefly on Krishna’s Counsel in Time of War. It was a fairly short yet in depth description of Hindu beliefs and the conflicts that humans encounter when deciding which path to follow. The translation is in poetic form, and is divided between eighteen teachings, or chapters if you will. Each teaching focuses on one discipline of the mind, revealed through the Hindi god Krishna
The Bhagavad-Gita begins with the preparation of battle between the two opposing sides: on the left stands the collected armies of the one hundred sons of Dhritarashtra and on the right lies the soldiers of the Pandava brothers. Warring relatives feuding over the right to govern the land of Kurukshetra, both forces stand poised and ready to slaughter one another. The warrior Arjuna, leader of the Pandava armies, readies himself as his charioteer, the god Krishna, steers toward the opposition when
India is a pure land where gods reside in the beautiful plains of Ganga including those enchanting Himalayas. The assumption that Dalits also known as untouchables are different from a normal individual is infecting the country. Imagine that one day a person asks someone his/her name and then moves on asking if he/she is a Dalit. What would the person’s reaction be? Such a question will not only offend the upper class but also the Dalit. Dalits have not committed any sin, have they? Does the Dalit
In The Bhagavad Gita there are many references to the caste system, or Varnas. It explains the way men and women of ancient India should act and behave according to Hinduism. Throughout the book there are many examples of the things Hindus are expected to do. These pieces of advice range from anything to the jobs certain people have to the way they are allowed to dress. The Varna is one of the earliest known mentions of a caste system, where the human body is used to depict the structure of Indian
The Hare Krishna Movement The Hare Krishna movement can be described by using Ninian Smart's six dimensions of religion. This is a series of six different dimensions that are present in any religion. They are doctrinal, ethical, mythical, experiential, ritual, and social. Each dimension is different, but is a necessary part of religion. In this report I will discuss how the Hare Krishna movement falls into these categories, but first allow me to provide some background information. Hare Krishna