The Wanderer at Home: Recent Episodes
JAG
There are stories to be told and retold, impressions to express, poems to be recited, shared, felt...there is so much out there and, also, within. This podcast will share all this and, maybe, more. There will be English, and Hindi or Urdu and brave attempts at reaching out to some other languages as well. I will try, but, my pronunciation may not be impeccable and i hope that my listeners will bear with me.
Father's Day Special
I consider this story a gift from a friend I spoke to after ages. We go back to the late 1980s when we did our graduation at Allahabad University. This story comes from her childhood collection of Russian books which she and her brother received as a gift from their parents when she was in the fifth grade in Ranchi. It carries memories of happy childhood days when her parents used to read the siblings so many stories. This book is a particular favourite as it is sprinkled with memories of so much laughter and fun.
Alexander Raskin's 'When Daddy Was A Little Boy', translated from Russian by Fainna Glagoleva, is a bagful of stories about his own childhood which the author narrates to his little daughter. I found the author's note for his little readers so hard to skip that I am sharing it here with you all.
A Happy Father's Day to All the Superdads Out There!
Alexander Raskin's 'When Daddy Was A Little Boy', translated from Russian by Fainna Glagoleva, is a bagful of stories about his own childhood which the author narrates to his little daughter.
Daddy was a kid once too! So what did he want to do when he grew up?
Let's listen!
In the last episode today, we see Uddhava going to Gokul for the second and last time. He has been chosen by Krishna to inform Radha that he has dropped his physical form. Shri Dinkar Joshi has beautifully painted Radha as the essence of devotion and surrender. This remains my favourite chapter in the novel.
Today, we read about Draupadi. Both Arjun and Draupadi, along with the other Pandavas, have decided to set out together on the last journey of their life on earth. In this conversation with Arjun, Draupadi is inconsolable at not having been able to seek Krishna's forgiveness for so many things that she had done. It's a Draupadi we have never seen before.
In today's podcast, we read about Uddhav. While returning from Dwarka, with all the yadu women and old folk to Hastinapur, Arjun is waylaid and defeated by common robbers. He could not even lift his famous gaandiv (bow) as the thieves are able to defeat him and even snatch away some of the women.
It is at this point that the scene opens when the remaining yadu women and old folk are camping on the banks of the Bhagirathi river on their way to Hastinapur.
The word Krishna evokes myriad emotions. It is very difficult to define what he means to his lovers. What each one shares is a very personal, sacred space... just like his dance with the gopis. The love is so special, the experience so precious.
And yet, those who lived in his times, who received the warmth of his presence, the comfort of his guidance and love, are looked upon as truly blessed. Indeed, their stories have been celebrated through songs, music, dance, poems, stories, plays and paintings through the ages.
There is one such story that I read a long time back which which left an indelible impression on me. It was a novel by Gujarati Sahitya Akademi winner Dinkar Joshi, which was carried in a serialised form by a Hindi weekly magazine, Dharmyug, more than 25 years ago. 'Shyam, Phir Ek Baar Tum Mil Jaate' (Shyam Ekvar Avaone Angane in Gujarati) is a heart-rending rendition of the pain of each one of the characters, so dear to Krishna, when they come to know that their beloved, is no more.
Over the next four days, I will read from the chapters introducing you to the characters who resonated with me the most -- Arjun, Uddhav, Draupadi and Radha.
In today's podcast, we read about how a distraught Arjun, who is being taken to Dwarka by Krishna's charioteer, Daruka, battles with the crushing thought of returning to a Dwarka bereft of Krishna.
Ma Siddhidayini, or Siddhidatri, is the ninth form of the Mother Goddess. In this form, the goddess removes ignorance and blesses the devotee with knowledge to realise the Absolute Truth. Ma Siddhidhatri is worshipped as the creator of the entire universe and the siddhi that she offers is the realisation that only She exists.
Mahagauri is known by many other names such as Shwetambardhara (one who is dressed in white clothes), Vrisharudha (one who rides the bull), Chaturbhuji (one who has four hands) and Shambhavi (one who bestows bliss and happiness).
The seventh form of the goddess is he fiercest and most violent amongst all forms. According to one legend, Parvati removed her golden skin in this avatar to slay the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. The meaning of 'kaal' is time and death, and Kalaratri is the one who is the death of Kaal. Ma Kalaratri puts an end to ignorance, bringing light into the dark.
Ma Katyayani is the sixth form of the Goddess Durga. There are several stories about Ma Katyayani. One of them is from the Karveer Mahatmya ( a collection of legends about Karvir, now known as Kolhapur in the state of Maharashtra in India. According to the Mahatmya, Goddess Mahalaxmi went with her army to Karvir to fight against the demon Kolhasur. Raktabeej, an ally of Kolhasur, had a boon that whenever a drop of his blood fell on the ground, another Raktabeej would be born at that spot (rakta means blood while beej means seed). In the battle that ensued between the goddesses and demons, Goddess Katyayani swallowed all of Raktabeej’s blood to prevent it from falling on earth.
There is a temple Kolhapur which celebrates the victory of Goddess Katyayani, along with Bhairav, over Kolhasur.
Ma Skandamata is also known as the Goddess of Fire. The fifth form of the goddess is that of a mother of a powerful and gifted child who restored peace and harmony in the world. It is said that her worship is twice blessed. He who worships her, also worships Lord Skanda, or Kartikeya, who sits in her lap.
Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on the fourth day of Navaratri. It is believed that Ma Kushmanda created the entire universe with her divine smile. She is the ultimate energy who is behind the creation of the world. It is said that she is the origin of various types of heat and that she also holds the entire universe in her divine womb. The light and aura of all the living and non-living beings is only because of her energy. She is the embodiment of divine light. This is the reason why she is also known as 'Jagat-Janani' (the mother of the universe) or 'Adi-shakti' (the first Supreme Energy). It is with her blessing alone that living beings not only perceive light but also obtain foresight.
This avatar of Ma Durga shows that she can be both -- compassionate towards her devotees and terrifying towards her enemies. Ma Chandraghanta is one of the most powerful forms of Goddess Durga and is also known to offer relief from suffering and distress.
Goddess Brahmacharini is the second aspect of Goddess Durga. However, unlike Durga or Kali, Brahmacharini is not worshipped as a single deity. She is worshipped along with her consort Shiva. This symbolises the penance, or tapasya, she did to be one with Shiva. Hence, Shiva has to be worshipped with full faith and devotion to please Ma Brahmacharini.
Here is the story of goddess Shaelputri who is worshipped on the first day of the nine-day festival of Navratri.
Chaitra Navaratri marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. In an agrarian country like India, it has traditionally been a time for thanksgiving after the harvesting of the rabi or winter crop. It is also a time to revere the Mother Goddess Durga in all her nine forms and welcome the birth of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
A few days ago my elder daughter, now in her early 20s, shared a YouTube-video narration of Irish writer Martin Waddell's Owl Babies. Though she stays 1,000s of miles away, I could literally hear screaming with sheer excitement.
"Mumma, do you remember, do you remember this book?"
And I, like most amnesia-struck mums, obviously, couldn't.
But the cover of the book pulled a faint memory string.
'Mumma, you used to read this story to me, don't you remember?"
Just to feel good I asked, who was a better story teller... the one narrating in the video or I?
"Haha, you!"
Well, in short, that's the inspiration for this podcast.
And, in case, you want to hear what inspired author Martin Waddell to write this story, click on the link below:
https://youtu.be/h8vR_FRDor0
Listen to the magic an eight-year old sees in the sea. This is Anaaya's first poem. It just took my breath away!
This is an excerpt from the legendary Urdu poet Firaaq Gorakhpuri's (1896-1982) intensely personal nazm or song, 'Jugnu'. Written at the age of 20, the poet bares his soul as he longs for a mother he never saw, a mother who died before she could hold him in her arms. The emptiness of Firaaq's childhood flows relentlessly through the searingly painful words which pour out the agonising yearning of a child's longing for a mother.
The festival of Diwali is one of the most popular festivals in India. It is celebrated over five days during amavasya, or no moon day, in the month of Kartika (between mid October and mid November). Diwali is celebrated by the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities. Each community has a different story associated with the festival of lights. In this podcast, I have narrated the story associated with Choti (small) Diwali which falls one day before the main Diwali festival. Choti Diwali, traditionally known as Narakachaturdashi, is celebrated as the main festival in the southern and eastern parts of India. The version that I have narrated is just one of the many versions of the story mentioned across different post-Vedic texts such as the Brahma, Vishnu and Kalika puranas.
In this episode, I have selected a story by Basava , also known as Basavanna (1106–1167). He was a philosopher and a social reformer, who fought against social evils of his time such as caste system and the ritual practices of Hinduism. The cornerstone of his movement was the firm monotheistic belief in God as the absolute and universal supreme Self identified as Lord Shiva, and the equality and dignity of all individual beings irrespective of their social and gender status.
He started a literary revolution by introducing Vachana (sayings, prose) Sahitya (literature). Basava’s path later gave birth to a new tradition (sampradaya), which became popular in South India as the Lingavanta Dharma or Lingayata movement.