I was privileged to see Aaj Tak's coverage of this story today. It was (I suppose this was to be expected) hilariously interspersed with clips from the televised Ramayana.
Around this time last year Aadisht was planning to write a post on swayamvars in general. He spoke at length on how the modern Indian method of arranging marriages was against our culture. Did Draupadi, he asked, travel to Indraprastha and serve chai? She did not! What happened to making the man do all the work - the breaking of bows, the shooting of fish in the eyes? Tragically the post never got written.
Sadly, the IANS report of the event (picked up here, here, and here, among others)could not be bothered to find out the bride's name (Annapurna), though her father's and her bridegroom's names are given to us. Oh well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
So, you mean Theodore Sturgeon DID NOT MAKE UP the whole concept of Pon Farr? He STOLE it from the Ramayana? Wow, live and learn.
Damn, isn't that appropriation? :P Even Star Trek isn't exempt from cultural imperialism! Well, I guess that is sort of what the whole story is about, come to think of it, only on a planetary level...
Daisy - I'm not sure how you'd make a Pon Farr connection here, really. Swayamvaras were arranged so groups of men could compete to marry a (rich, or what would the point be?) girl - the most impressive performer would win. Think whatsername in Greek mythology who would only marry a man who could out-run her. Or all the stories where the king offers "the hand of my daughter" to the man who will rid the kingdom of a dragon/giant/reality show. (I suspect the bride herself had very little choice most of the time).
I have it on excellent authority, though, that Pon Farr was stolen from an episode of Futurama. :P
whoa. I didn't know this was happening. I mean... at least know the name right? How can you get married to someone when you don't even know their names...
Does your culture say, I timothy take you... **errr hehe... to be my lawfully wedded wife??
"Did Draupadi, he asked, travel to Indraprastha and serve chai? She did not! What happened to making the man do all the work - the breaking of bows, the shooting of fish in the eyes? Tragically the post never got written."
Hilarious.
Post a Comment