Etiquette in Orthodox Tradition

August 25, 2022

Etiquette in Orthodox Tradition

Padmini Arhant 

Politics defining culture for others to follow often vary between political speech and action. In other words, politics invariably never practice what it preaches society. Politics introduce and impose laws on society while hold themselves above law on everything in adherence to political hypocrisy.

Politics deploy all means and resources to humiliate tarnish and incarcerate their targets. At the same time facts based positive and constructive criticism on political decisions and actions affecting millions of lives are never tolerated by politics.

The presumptuousness misinterpreting electoral mandate as authority and entitlement to authoritarianism besides extension of power in extra judicial execution are exercised as political prerogative.

The political diktat is not limited to governance involving tax payers money and service via policy and planning which are by and large abysmal reflected in status quo.

The orthodox conservative political stance lecturing on women issues such as attire and social moral behavior citing own historical epic like Mahabharata’s female lead protagonist Draupati despite the latter driven into such situation by force not by choice in terms of marital status highlighting Indian Aryan culture adapted by then and current descendants.

The present RSS run BJP government and leadership at the helm assertion on Hindu religion and cultural traditions are anachronistic to say the least exposing the otherwise flamboyant unorthodox mannerism in public engagement.

Either one is orthodox and traditional as propagated to be and expected of others who is not even remotely connected to the league or anyone joining the chorus in any shape or form.

Or they are beatniks rejecting the norms of conventional society.

What is witnessed from Indian politics and leadership contrast that of yet another conservative tradition from foreign leadership as seen in the following images when dealing with opposite gender. 

The supposedly Hindu orthodox in name only never miss the opportunity to mock and ridicule their obsessed targets is an irony by definition and reality.

Ax always actions matter than words and rhetoric.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

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Courtesy : Public domain – Thank you. 

UAE President meets Emirati Students and Doctors in France 

Juxtaposed the contradictory manner from the much touted so-called culturally oriented traditional representative is self-explanatory.

India – Cultural Heritage

May 11, 2022

India – Cultural Heritage

Padmini Arhant

India’s cultural religious diversity and dynamism sparks controversy and interest in abundance.

The religion drawn into political angle is the real problem. The society represented by multi-dimensional aspects considering India’s ancient civilization neither understood well nor interpreted properly especially in terms of India’s rich advanced and far sighted contributions in human modern development in math, science, medicine, language, literature, arts, humanities studies, urban civilization, with well structured town planning… going back to at least 5000 years and even earlier.

These are the reasons that attracted positive and negative causes towards Indus valley civilization. India as the birth place of many religions is also the land of spiritual inspiration for many genuine enlightened souls like Lord Gautama Buddha, Saint Guru Nanak, Saint Guru Gobind Singh, Saint Tirthankar of Jainism followed by Mahavira and more in the positive trend unlike the fake and fraudulent Godmen, Godwomen and the so-called Sat Gurus staged and paraded with domestic and massive foreign publicity promoting unscrupulous agenda discarding the entities consistent human rights and environment violations. 

Negative aspect is related to relentless invasion, occupation and colonization of the country since time immemorial prevalent until now.

No invasion of a country worldwide is possible without internal collusion, complicity, capitulation and treason from insiders aiding and abetting invaders for personal and fiduciary interests. India is no exception in this regard.

The invasion and occupation by external forces from anywhere facilitated and tolerated by those in position of power and authority often lead to subjugation of nation and hegemony. India is experienced in colonization by foreign power near and far and continues to face challenges in the modern time.

In the national front, the nation witnessed and encountered religious melt down over Babri Masjid ( Mosque) dispute in Ayodhya acknowledged as Hindu religion Lord Ram’s nativity. The contentious issue might have been settled with Indian Supreme Court decision though not necessarily to all sides’ satisfaction which is an expected situation.

Similar dissension has risen with world renowned Taj Mahal raising a question on the mausoleum though suspected to be a cenotaph (possibly without the remains of the deceased) from Mughal King Shah Jahan for his queen Mumtaz.

Taj Mahal cited as world heritage site by UNESCO and noted as one of the seven human made wonders of the world is confronted with Ayodhya like contention.

The locals in Agra, Uttar Pradesh and many Hindus nationwide as well as overseas reportedly believe that Taj Mahal is a refurbished palace housing a Hindu God Shiva Temple known as Tejo Mahalya on the premise dating at least 250 years back prior to the construction of official date of Taj Mahal in 1653 i.e. 17th century.

The reference Taj Mahal is claimed to have been derived from the God Shiva temple Tejo (Taj) and Mahalaya (Mahal) meaning palace notably built and owned by then Indian Hindu Maharaja and later Hindu King Man Singh and grandson King Jai Singh referenced in inheritance. The leading argument is the 22 rooms at seven story Taj Mahal remain closed for decades barring public view or maintenance of the integral part of the prominent architectural edifice. The 22 rooms apparently hold Hindu idols and artifacts. 

On a personal level unbeknown to me, I had to deal with a very awkward moment during my latest visit to Taj Mahal with my sons in 2016.

Although I have been to Taj Mahal many times before at least five times having grown up in New Delhi, India, I wanted to share the pleasure of seeing the extraordinary architecture marvel with my sons in 2016. In all those years I visited Taj Mahal since teen years with my parents and early adulthood with relatives and family friends, there were never any hassles or obstacles in entry to Taj Mahal until 2016. The time with BJP government in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh proudly embarked as Hindu religion stalwarts and authority. 

In 2016, despite our early arrival at 5.30 a.m. to capture the glimpse of Taj Mahal at sunrise, the crowd gathering was least surprising. The security protocol had to be complied with which in India like elsewhere was intense. Not to mention the body search exceeded into groping by female security guards was yet another dilemma. The male and female security in police uniform at Taj Mahal entry rummaged my hand bag and having found nothing of any concern were about to hand over my purse to me. Then suddenly an over enthusiast female security personnel grabbed my hand bag from the colleague and then pulled a Shiva image that is part of me.

The female security guard authoritatively confiscated the holy figurine and my bag stating my personal belongings had to be left in their custody. Then as usual the security team comprising male and female staff  gathered and told me that I could not have the Shiva image in my bag and took the item away from me. They also withheld my hand bag regardless of security clearance. They categorically stated that Shiva image and any symbols in semblance with Shiva is prohibited in the Taj Mahal periphery and premise.

I patiently tried to explain to them that the image is placed deep inside the hand bag with no exposure of any kind whatsoever and there wasn’t going to be any issue with a personal guarantee in that regard.

What baffled me the most was the Supreme entity behind creation of all beings including the Mughal King Shah Jahan and Queen Mumtaz is barred from entry to Taj Mahal. I conveyed the message to the deniers to this effect. Obviously, politics is the fundamental reason behind the restriction.

Since I was completely unaware of the Taj controversy at that time and having visited the monument several times in my lifetime earlier with no such fuss or farcical, I was taken aback at the startling restraint on the most revered God Shiva. Our tour guide then briefed me on the brewing Taj Mahal and God Shiva Temple claims with media hosted heated debates and discussions on the matter.

On my part, I let the security team know that I understand their obligation to perform the duty in accordance with official guidelines that are never without political motives and social discord.  I also expressed my disappointment in religious freedom and spiritualism held hostage in the otherwise peaceful resolutions available on any issue.

I decided not to enter Taj Mahal without Shiva’s image being allowed in my personal belonging and requested them to return my personal item.  I relayed the uninhibited message to them that God in mage or thoughts refused access in the world created by the Supernatural force is the ultimate straw in the dark age – Kaliyug.  More so for a nation declared the world’s largest democracy.

Then there was a change of heart and mind among senior decision makers involved in the rather prolonged entry approval process. They let me have the image and returned by bag. I was able to visit the Taj Mahal or Tejo  Mahalaya in God Shiva’s esteemed company.

Interestingly, yet another architecture symbol and historic wonder Qutab Minar in the capital Delhi has surfaced with contradictory facts and findings from many different sources in the social media.

God, religion and spiritualism persist in the politically charged social discourse that are best spared with exclusive relevance to archeology, architecture and historic timeline premised on logic and verifiable document evidence.

Padmini Arhant 

Author & Presenter 

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Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.con 

Greetings from Asia

April 30, 2022

Greetings from Asia

Padmini Arhant

The social greetings in Asia connects the people and nations with love and humility. The commonality is expressed in the culture.

Here are few examples of Hello in similar manner. The nations represented here are Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Nepal and Tibet in cultural variety. 

Myanmar (Burma) – Min-ga-la-ba shin (Greeting)

Singapore  – Tamil Greeting – Vanakkam – வணக்கம் !

Thailand – sawadee kah

Malaysia Tamil – Vanakkam – வணக்கம் !

Malaysia – Malay – ucapan itu

Cambodia Greetings and Etiquettes – Choum reap sor

Indonesia – Javanese – Greeting

Vietnam – lời chào

Laos – Saibaidee –  ສະບາຍດີ

Philippines – Kumusta ka

Tibet – Tashi deleg (བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས)

Nepal, Kathmandu – Namaste / Namaskar – नमस्ते / नमस्कार 

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com

Human Nature

February 14, 2022

Human Nature

Padmini Arhant

Hate, prejudice, misogyny, body shaming (the latest trend in misogyny), questioning natural intelligence and all form of discrimination is unfortunately human nature. The difference being those harboring ill-feelings, jealousy and other negative traits express and exercise hatred excessively towards those whom they target and even obsessed with much to self-detriment.

When human life is wasted in such engagement, the result harm the source and origin drastically and sometimes to the point of no return.

Reiterating the fact, life is a learning center. The lessons throughout life journey is a reminder to change course accordingly. The negativities in human qualities are carcinogenic and virulent with adverse impact on the minds affecting the body and soul.

The human characteristics are drawn into likes and dislikes in many variations with the latter often transformed into extreme reaction prompting provocative and sometimes violent behavior.

These attributes emanate from ignorance and disinformation with propaganda serving the objectives to satisfy destructive thoughts and false perception.

The submission to hate, isolation and marginalization of others also stem from acute self-esteem evolving into deep insecurity raising impulsive assumptions about anyone or anything as threat in the absence of reason and rationale.

Individuals and collective forces abuse as entitlement is the tradition. The reversal educating and refining own belief and convictions with proper understanding of anyone or anything could dispel misconceptions and erroneous judgments. The process could also liberate own mindset from unnecessary inward turmoil leading to inner peace permeating outside.

The sense of powerful status while having no control over inner violations promoting harm and injury not necessarily restricted to physical attacks rather extended into denying fundamental rights and inalienable human liberty is self-contradictory.

Human form is an opportunity to rise and elevate internally developing ability to understand issues from perspective other than own that shape better relations overall. In doing so, the innate human consciousness allow positive values replacing dominant negative ones releasing the mind from captivity.

The counterproductive human nature is acquired and inherited from influence and indoctrination. The power and superiority complex intoxicate human mind driving the mental energy into spreading toxins in the environment.

In a nutshell, the power is best demonstrated not in external status as authority, affluence and prominence.  The power is well defined in maintaining the balance within averting deterioration of goodness and distinguishing right and wrong.

The biggest challenge for the stray mind is abandoning the lost cause and exploitative purpose.

The human nature adaptation to tolerance, acceptance and appreciation could make life a blessing for self and all around.

Padmini Arhant 

Author & Presenter 

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com 

Definition of Beauty

December 16, 2021

Definition of Beauty

Padmini Arhant

Complexion Complex – Skin Politics

The above article shed light on misplaced priorities and directed focus on inner-self representing the entire profile. The contemporary era is more driven towards pseudo life. The normal life is invalidated and replaced with unrealistic standards and impractical lifestyle.

The superficial norms and fake existence are imposed by those having tasked themselves to approve or disapprove anyone they deem inconvenient to them.

Not to mention the identity politics infused identity crises for impostors and fake personalities in particular absorbed in falsehood shunning originality. Life is indeed rather difficult for them in imitation and impropriety.

The identity complex could be related to lack of courage and integrity to own personal legacy and values regardless with responsibility and modesty submitting to introspection.

The control mindset among the  presumptuous powerful exerting authority and extending parameters in invasion of individual life, rights, home, privacy slighting civility evidently diminish their self-respect with vulnerabilities reflecting self-indignation.

The worship of deception and fraudulence glorifying the negative and counterproductive exacerbate individual well being promoting scandalous indulgence.

In the present time, personal health, finance, communication, education, religion or non-religion and critically individual peace and liberty are not tolerated with snoop gate surveillance via controversial Pegasus spyware and other technological means deployed to pry on citizens near and far under the guise of national security by those abusing the political privilege in perversions.

Unfortunately, these forces engaged in misguided espionage by default are existential threat to society, nation and humanity at large.

Amidst these exciting times, the beauty pageant is held each year to showcase precisely the above enunciated characteristics i.e. false persona, rehearsed choreographed performance and relevantly beforehand scripted answers highlighting disingenuousness by the apparent winner.

The beauty pageant aimed at objectifying women as objects of voyeuristic pleasure in nuanced and blatant portrayal is misogyny reeking chauvinism with egotistical tone especially in recent times denigrating womanhood as entitlement laden with pride and prejudice despite emergence into the world from a mother’s (woman) womb by either gender.  

Ironically for these members and participants in the charade, their mindless pursuits with fixation on body over mind and heart quintessentially place them in spotlight for wasting precious time on earth and squandering life in self-deprecation.

The beauty pageant is a sham and farcical.

Many young lives such as girls are lured into the misty metamorphosis of glamor subjecting them to starvation in the name of diet and/or artificial temporary make-believe beauty concepts including medical treatments ranging from Botox injections to facelift procedures, augmentation of prominent parts and mechanical adjustments in the anatomy. The transformation from practical looks to plastic orientation is presented as ideal attraction.

Needless to say, these extreme makeovers disproportionately proved harmful leading to serious health issues and long term repercussions not barring physical, mental and emotional agony for many drawn into the vortex of appearance appealing to others matters more than individual acceptance of natural beauty within shining outside. 

The organized event like beauty pageant is a mere component in the intrusion and intervention of human psyche in evaluation of real beauty declining due credit to far more important aspects viz. mind, heart, spirit and the ultimate SOUL

The politics running deep everywhere deeper than the blood in the vein, the cultural decay is integral in the edifice of human civilization destruction.

The beauty pageant is monetization in degrading women. The gala perpetuate dogma in denial of human intelligence and powerful attributes among women.

The tradition of condescendence, patronization towards female gender projecting strength and tenacity in self-defense as masculinity is a travesty. The practice discard the pertinent fact i.e. the infant male and female from conception to birth and until the age to feed on general food gains preliminary health, stamina, vigor and vitality lasting the rest of lifetime from the mother.

The patriarchal parochial view ignores women’s genuine position as smart, diligent committed primary caregiver of life and stalwart in nurturing sharing personal talent and potential to continue the proud heritage.

Notwithstanding the woman in her own rights is individually ingenious, intelligent and accomplished role model independent of societal authentication determining the present and future of society.

Accordingly, the politically motivated disposition and isolated opinion about anyone targeted incessantly in the prevalent cancel custom is outdated and old fashioned in the modern age. Inversely requiring  those trapped in the decadence rubble to rise and develop human values defining inner and outer beauty.

The trend inarguably cast those behind the manifestation in irreversible deterioration affecting the source and catalysts to the point of no return.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com 

India – Untouchability Atrocities Impetus Proselytism

October 26, 2021

India – Untouchability Atrocities Impetus Proselytism

Padmini Arhant

The man made hierarchy in the social structure falsely attributing the abhorrent untouchability custom in Indian society as God’s will is primitive and pejorative.

The tradition initially conceptualized and imposed  by brahmins – the foreign invaders’ descendants displacing the native population in Tamil Nadu, India – the origin of life and cultural bastion having established civilization long before the emergence of other continents on earth.

The brahmins declaring themselves the chosen ones to serve God adopted the title priesthood and placed their identity on the top tier in the hierarchy fraudulently citing the caste orientation as Vedic inscription. They conveniently placed the rest in the lower tiers of the hierarchy and exerted control over the religion they adopted upon arrival in India following the conclusion of Indus Valley Civilization.  The word Hindu and accordingly Hinduism is a foreign named identity.

It has nothing to do with the ancient sacred spirituality presided by God Shiva – the Supreme Soul epitomizing the light, energy and sound encompassed as audible, visual and sensed energy within. The sacred symbol and syllable OM originating at the dawn and creation of the universe epitomize the interconnectivity of light, sound and energy experienced in five sensory organs of sight, hearing, breathing, taste and touch.

The mantra OM is related in other religions as AUM and Amen in acknowledgment of the Soul within in connection with the Supreme Natural Phenomenon. Similarly, the greeting salaam or As-salamu alaykum in Islam ending in OM sound and in Judaism the greeting Shalom has OM meaning Peace.

The hideous casteism in Indian society was sowed by foreigners as Aryans and Kazhar Ashkanazi Jews claimed as such by the brahmins in Indian society. The duality of Aryan and Jewish traits maintained by them to sync in with contemporary International syndicate and win favors from all sides known as the Chanakya tactic.  Chanakya – a controversial brahmin advisor in Chandra Gupta Maurya period in history.

The dravidian concept is yet another political spin from the notorious factions like Periyar and Dravida Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu posing as atheists, typically the alter ego fomenting and fostering brahminic ideology in exploiting religion and society for personal, political and vested interests.

The insidious prejudice practicing untouchability and outcasts until today were further promoted and institutionalized by the corrupt criminal and scandalous political class in India post-independence as they lack legitimacy in governance and usurp to power via rigged election as foreign puppets and proxy.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com

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