Carl Griffin and I are visiting Kolkata. Rev. Subodh Mondohl acts as our host in Kolkata. One afternoon, he and his friends Probal Dutta and Rev. Mohan Lal take Carl and me to the Kali Temple. Statues and photos of Kali show a fierce feminine deity. She has swords in her arms and a necklace …
Category: India Memories
816. Visiting Professor Thomas Thangaraj: Tamil Nadu Christians
Upon receiving notice of my acceptance in the Fulbright seminar, I know that I want to meet Emory's Professor Thomas Thangaraj. Although my doctoral degree is from Emory, I had not met him during my years of course work. Graciously meeting me, he invites me to visit him in his hometown of Madurai since he'll …
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814. What Not to Do at a Classical Dance
Like all religious systems, Hinduism tries to make sense of what harms a person and how a person can harm others. Like other religions, Hinduism can focus upon intentions. The Bhagavad-Gita describes the intentions which are recommended. Classical texts such as the Law Code of Manu list the behaviors which should be adopted. Some behaviors …
813. Rural India
Before the formal Fulbright seminar begins in Madras (Chennai), we learn about rural India. In our particular seminar “The Geography and Culture of India”, one of the major goals is to familiarize its participants with the people and the land of the host country. While we all have stereotypes of Indian cities and slums, approximately …
811. Early Morning Walks
Garbage Beneath Build A Healthier India What does one do at 5AM? I know that it will be hot as the day goes along; I know that the group schedule will leave little free time. I go for my walks. In Delhi, the morning after our arrival, I leave our hotel around 7 or 8 …
810. Bhakti, Religious Festivals, and Devotion
I hoped to learn about Hinduism. Being an academic, I thoroughly enjoy the earlier lecture about classic textual Hinduism as expressed in the Bhagavad-Gita and the Ramayana. Because Sunithi, one of our seminar organizers wants us to learn about "lived" Hinduism, she leads several of us to Mylapore’s Shaivite “Peacock Temple” as well as the …
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809. Women’s Roles and Status
Not only the seminar's women, but also the men, want to understand women’s roles and status. While we all realize that there is a complexity to this set of issues, we also could not forget ancient texts, older practices, and current exploitation. At its extreme, classical and parts of contemporary India encouraged women’s inequality, subservience, …
808. The Working Women’s Forum
Massive suffering brings responses. Since women’s roles and status are often dismal, there are organizations which seek to rectify the situation as best as it can. One such organization is the working Women’s Forum. Because of a 1978 flood in Madras (Chennai), Ms. Jaya Arunchalam formed an organization to help women of the slums. The …
807. Trying to Understand Varna, Jati, and Caste
There are many terms for the traditional Hindu social stratification, varna, jati, and caste. My own seminar goal is to familiarize myself with Hinduism and some of the basic features of religious life in India. Remember: I’m new to studying Hinduism. Obviously, one of the features to understand is the historically influential varna, jati, or …
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806. Everybody Knows This Man: Gandhi
Everybody in the world knows Gandhi. While our seminar organizers provide a wonderful selection of speakers, one of our most appreciated speakers is Professor K. Swaminathan, the 94-year-old editor of the Collected Works of Gandhi. Upon receiving a master’s degree from Oxford and becoming a professor at Presidency College in Madras (Chennai), he became the …
Journeys: Explorations in Body, Mind, and Spirit 