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Showing posts from June 5, 2009


Lord Ram is Abusive and Lord Hanuman is Slave for The Brooklyn Rail

As a child I used to listen to my Grandmother and Grandfather chanting Rama Rama Pahimam, Rama Padam Cheerane Mukunda Rama Pahimam, prayer dedicated to Lord Ram. Nowadays, in the morning I wake up listening to Jai Jai Shri Ram… of my neighbor. Similar prayers are chanted in millions of Hindu homes and Lord Ram is worshipped by millions of people around the world. But for an overenthusiastic writer who is ignorant of Hinduism at The Brooklyn Rail, Lord Ram is abusive and impotent, and Hanuman is a slave and a buffoon. The Brooklyn Rail publishes critical perspectives on arts, politics and culture. Lisa Moricoli-Latham was reviewing Sita Sings the Blues, an animated film, which is a personal interpretation of the epic Ramayana by Nina Paley. The animator, Nina Paley, was abandoned by her husband by e-mail. She finds parallel between her situation and that of Mata Sita. This animated film is in news for more than four years and recently it got a few awards, ran into a copyright

Champak Chaturdashi Vrat

Champak Chaturdashi Vrat is observed on the 14th day during the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon in Jyeshta month (May – June). Champak Chaturdashi is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is believed that observing the Vrata will help in curing lung related problems. This belief is more popular in Bengal and eastern parts of India . In 2024, the date of Champak Chaturdashi is June 21. Champak Chaturdasi is observed the day before Jyestha Purnima – full moon day in Jyeshta month. A clay idol of Shiva is created and the deity is offered champak flowers and other usual items related to Shiva puja.