Indian Newslink October 15 2016 Digital Edition

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32 Diwali 2016 Special OCTOBER 15, 2016 Ganga the Mother, Ganges the River Staff Reporter info@indiannewslink.co.nz The Ganges River flows, often in calm dignity and sometimes in angry turbulence and violent torrent, through the expanse of India in the northern Gangetic Plains. The River, it is believed, is actually a Hindu Goddess. The Goddess is shown in white, wearing a white crown, sitting on a crocodile, holding in her right hand a water lily and in her left hand a lute. The Rig Veda mentions the name Ganga only twice but in the later puranic period, Ganga assumed great importance as a Goddess. She is called Mandakini in the heaven and Bhagirathi in the underworld. The Puranas declare that the sight, the name and touch of Ganga takes away all sins and that bathing in Ganga bestows blessings of the highest order. Hindus consider it propitious to cremate dead bodies at the banks of the River Ganga and then immerse ashes of the dead in its waters. ‘Gangajal,’ the water of Ganga, is considered very sacred and is used in Poojas. Puranic Reference A popular belief is that Ganga lived on Kailasa (a mountain peak in the Himalayas, The Mighty Ganges River compared with the Greek Mt Olympus and believed to be the abode of the Gods) and flowed with genteel grace for the sole pleasure of the Gods. Had it not been for Bhagiratha (a powerful Hindu king and sage), she would not have visited earth. Bhagiratha had a prolific ancestor who sired 60,000 sons. With a progeny so large, he ruled the world and invaded the nether regions, home of the hermit, Kapila. This army of young men could not but upset the meditation of the hermit-saint who, in a moment of divine rage, reduced them to ashes with a mere glance. The souls of the deceased, denied the purification that only water can give, struggled for peace and haunted Bhagiratha. The King beseeched the Gods to prevail upon Ganga to descend the earth to pacify the souls of his ancestors and bridge the passage from the present to the future. Gods appeal The Gods pleaded Bhagiratha’s cause to Ganga but she had no desire to leave Kailasa. Bhagiratha then prayed to Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvathi. Parvathi convinced Shiva to receive the violent and angry currents unleashed by the feisty Ganga upon his head and divide the falling waters into a myriad of harmless streams through the locks of his hair. This accomplished, it became easy to guide the River to the center of the earth, pacify the 60,000 restless souls and lead the River to the ocean. Filtered through Shiva’s hair, Ganga emerged from the heavens bearing all the reviving powers of the Universe. Temple cities dot her meandering course, the most important being Varanasi (also known as Banaras and Kashi). Here, at the break of dawn, hundreds of devout Hindus flock and await a special moment when Indra, the Ruler of the Heavens, unites with the sacred, purifying and reviving waters of Ganga. Mahabhalipuram Tale A pictographic or rather, sculptural representation of the story of the descent of the Ganga can be seen carved in the rock sculptures of Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), near Chennai, on the south eastern coast. The astonishing intricacy and detail of the sculpture depicts the joy of Gods and Goddesses, demons and angels, snakes, water nymphs and animals watching the Ganga flow through Shiva’s hair while, Kapila remains serene in his meditation. Another legend has it that Ganga came down to the earth in human form and married King Shantanu, an ancestor of the Pandavas of Mahabharata on condition that he would not question any of her actions. She yielded seven children but threw them back into the River. Shantanu intervened when the eighth child, Bhishma, was about to be the thrown into the River. Ganga leaves the king since he breached the agreement. Bheeshma played a pivotal role throughout the period of the Kauravas in Mahabharata. Unlimited remittances free of service charge every month to account holders
OCTOBER 15, 2016 Diwali 2016 Special 33 The Saree: unique in style and universality Nitin Kumar & Venkat Raman Of all the dress materials worn by women in the world, the Indian Saree is unique in that it is the only garment that could be worn by any person, anytime, anywhere in the world. It also remains the only garment that would conform to any cultural, age or income group in India and the rest of the world. The saree is also perhaps the only garment that could be worn to preserve the traditional values of a religion or society or reflect the modern trend of exhibitionism and glamour. The saree is tailored as costume by performers of Indian classical dances, including Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi. Such costumes can be worn generally by the person for whom they are specifically made. Show business, including the film and modeling industry, has glam- ourised the saree, which according to some, has gone beyond the legitimate limits of decency. The Beginning Stated to be more than 5000 years old, the Indian saree has been mentioned in the Vedas as a form of draping to extol the virtues of a woman. There are several references to the fact that for a long time in South India the saree was one piece of material that served as both skirt and veil, leaving the bosom bare. Even today in some rural areas it is quite common for a woman not to wear a choli (blouse). In North Indian miniature paintings, (particularly Jain, Rajasthani and Pahari schools from the 13th to the 19th centuries), it seemed to consist of the diaphanous skirt and an equally diaphanous veil draped over a tiny bodice. This style still survives as the more voluminous lehanga of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Gradually, this skirt and veil were amalgamated into one garment, but when and how this happened is not clear. Some costume historians believe that the men’s dhoti, which is the oldest Indian draped garment, is the forerunner of the saree. Till the 14th century, the dhoti was worn by both men and women. Thereafter, it is believed that the women’s dhoti started to become longer, and the accessory cloth worn over the shoulders was woven together with the dhoti into a single cloth to make the sari. Versatile garment The saree has undergone a revolution in colour, texture and quality, with its price ranging from Rs 200 ($5) to Rs 300,000 ($6900). Some sarees, specially made for the opulent and for film stars in lavish productions are said to have cost more than Rs 500,000 ($11,500) each. Sarees can be of simple cotton material or intricate in design with gold and silver linings, embellished with mirrors, pearls, diamonds and other precious and semi-precious stones. The Saree length varies from five yards to 9.5 yards tied loosely, folded and pleated or set to special styles. Saree materials are today converted into suits, corporate and evening wear, party dresses, Salwar Kameez and even accessories. Nitin Kumar is the Editor of exoticindia.com based in India. The above article appeared in our November 1, 2012 Diwali Special reproduced in view of renewed readers’ interest. The photograph on the left shows Anamika Singh, Miss Inidanz 2012; on the right is a display of one of the most expensive sarees ever produced. the season of light... the perfect reason for getting together CELEBRATE DIWALI RESPONSIBLY Oh Calcutta 149-155 Parnell Road, CBD ohcalcutta.co.nz
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