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winterlogysblog · 1 month

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Fairy Scents ft. Kiane Kids Scent Headcanons

It's well established that each fairy has a scent that is associated with a flower or a herb. So far we have confirmed scents for each notable fairy we have been introduced to.

So after some quick research I found some info about these flowers and their scents

King - Gold Osmanthus

Osmanthus Wine tastes same as I remember, but where are those who share the memory XD

Origins: China

In the language of flowers, they carry the meaning of love and romance, symbolising true love and faithfulness

Smells like a mix of juicy peaches, ripe apricots with soft leather or suede.

Elaine - Lavender

Origins: Mediterranean

Represent purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace, and calmness.

Biblical meaning of lavender symbolizes purity, devotion, and love

Delicate, sweet smell that is floral, herbal, and evergreen woodsy at the same time

Helbram - White Rose

Origins: Ancient Greece

Symbolize loyalty, purity, and innocence.

Combination of floral and fruity notes, with hints of honey and jasmine

Fun fact: A White Rose is what King used to kill Helbram (the first time) it turned red because of the blood

Gerheade - Mint

Origins: Mediterranean

Symbol of Hospitality and Wisdom

Gloxinia - Ginger

Origins: Maritime Southeast Asia

In many cultures, ginger is considered a symbol of love

Used in religious rituals to symbolize cleansing, protection and blessing.

Warm and spicy, with a hint of sweetness

Lancelot - Lemon

Origins: Unknown (said to be first grown in Northeast India, Northern Myanmar, or China)

Symbol of purity and cleansing

Headcanon Time

Since Nakaba hasn't spoken out about their scents I'll give my thoughts on the matter.

Lancelot introduced fruits into the mix of scents and Gloxinia smells like Ginger which is a root so I went ham with this.

Nasiens - Oleander or Sunflower

Oleander are toxic which is very fitting for our Mad Herbalist

Smells like Vanilla

Oleander symbolizes love, beauty, and resilience

I want one of Kiane's kids to smell like Sunflowers cause you know... Sunflower

Sunflowers also don't have a distinct smell so it's actually fitting for Nasiens since he grew up thinking he's human so there's really no natural fairy-like smell he could have detected from himself

Sunflower represents longevity, lasting happiness, adoration, and loyalty

Sixtus - Peach

Since Sixtus looks extremely like King I think it's only fitting if his scent is close to King's as well

Peaches symbolizes longevity

Belte - Jasmine

Belte gives Helbram energy and he kinda looks like him too so his scent also needs to give Helbram energy

Jasmine stands for purity, simplicity, modesty and strength.

Zana and Zillian - Blackberry and Raspberry

Since they're twins I want their scents to match

Blackberries are mild, sweet and slightly acidic scent, with earthy and woody nuances.

Some believed that blackberries contain properties of abundance and prosperity

Raspberries are fruity, sweet and slightly acidic

Raspberries are symbol of kindness in Christian art.

Tioreh - Pink Hyacinth

Phao - Lily of the Valley

Symbol of purity, joy, love, sincerity, happiness and luck,

Has a floral and green scent, with fresh and slightly sweet notes

I want one of Kiane's kids scents to come from the earth, something underground. There's an underground Orchid but it smells bad so that won't do so I specifically looked for a flower that has an earthy scent. I also want it to be PINK for Tioreh

Sweet, robust, and earthy

Pink hyacinths symbolize playful joy.

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g0j0s · 9 months

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rambheem-is-real · 1 month

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Gold Rings and Black Roses Pt 4

pt 3 here

On the fourth day Aadhya tries her luck in going outside. It’s been a while since she’s been exposed to direct sunlight, staying inside the house all these days. She walks up to the main door cautiously, but the men standing guard don’t even look at her. Now or never, she thinks, and takes a step outside. When she isn’t immediately shot, Aadhya slowly makes her way down the steps outside of the mansion until she gets to the gravel road. Here she notices the outside guards staring at her, but they make no move to bring her back inside, so Aadhya keeps walking, turning to see the mansion from the outside.

Somehow it looks a lot less scary now than it had when she was first brought here, though that was because Aadhya had thought she was being led to her death then. She’s no architecture buff, but she thinks it’s beautiful. She’s also more familiar with the inside of the mansion now, both in terms of the layout and the people. Aadhya’s made friends with some of the women working for Radha Rama, especially the tall one that gives her clothes to wear for the day, Sara. She’s spent a few hours every day talking to Sara and the other women about her life in America, and listening to their stories of Khansaar. She’s come to the conclusion that Khansaar seems like a terrible place to grow up, what with the constant threat of being murdered, but maybe Aadhya’s just soft. Sara had spoken of it with barely concealed longing, and Aadhya had sympathized with being stuck in a place far from home. She didn’t sympathize with the rest of it, though.

“I miss Khansaar’s government,” Sara had said last night. “Here in India, there’s way too many laws against killing people,” she scoffed.

“...I think that’s the case in every other country in the world actually,” Aadhya had replied.

Aadhya thinks about the rest of the conversation as she walks around the building, taking in the sights around her. She had gotten Sara and another woman working for Obullamma, Rohini, to spill about Radha Rama’s ex-husband.

“It was a political marriage, Bhaarava was a powerful warrior and Raja Mannar wanted him in his control,” Rohini explained.

Sara nodded. “And of course ammagaru didn’t oppose the marriage, she was willing to do anything for her father.” Rohini gave her a look. “Well, she wasn’t opposed to Bhaarava either,” Sara continued cautiously, looking like she was nervous of Radha Rama appearing behind her. “He was attractive, competent, and knew how to play the game of politics. Ammagaru… really liked him.”

Aadhya frowned. “Then what happened? Did he die?”

“Well yes, just after he was exposed as a Shouryanga spy,” Rohini spits.

Aadhya perks up at the familiar name. Was this man related to her too??

“But Deva killed him and many of his soldiers in his quest to hand Varadha the throne.”

Oh. Probably not, then.

“Good riddance,” Sara says. “He betrayed our ammagaru, that pig. Even before he went for the throne, he sided with Rudra against her during the ceasefire.”

So Radha Rama probably only felt resentment towards her ex-husband, Aadhya thinks as she makes it to the other side. She gasps as she realizes the back of the building is a huge garden, plants clearly only recently trimmed and wrangled into place. Delighted, she runs over, examining the different plants. She has no idea about the differences between the flowers, but she thinks they’re very pretty. Further along the path are ornate benches to sit on, and carved statues. There seems to be a fountain in the distance, in the center of the garden.

Aadhya loves it.

She spends the next hour exploring, and just enjoying the fresh outside air. Towards the end of the hour, she spies a cluster of beautiful black roses. The petals of the roses are pitch-black, looking almost alien amongst the rest of the white lilies and jasmines surrounding them. As she brushes her hand through them, Aadhya’s reminded of the black saree that Radha Rama wore on the first day she saw her, before she changed into the yellow one. She tilts her head, considering. Actually they remind her of Radha Rama in general. She knows there’s probably a superstition about black roses somewhere, that they represent mourning and loss, but beyond that Aadhya can see the elegance and mystery that surrounds the flowers, much like Radha Rama herself. Even though she was in mourning, and had been for the last seven years over her husband, her kingdom, and her father, Radha Rama had stayed strong throughout, still managing to be so regal despite her situation.

“Aadhya Krishnakanth.” Aadhya jumps as she hears a voice behind her, turning to find a bored man looking at her. “You are expected for lunch in ten minutes.”

“Oh, I’ll be there then,” Aadhya says, and it looks like the man is satisfied as he walks away.

She turns back to the flowers. Has Radha Rama ever received a bouquet of flowers in her life? Was Bhaarava the type to pamper her? Aadhya frowns as she thinks back to what she’s heard about the man. Probably not. She makes her decision, plucking a handful of black roses from the ground. She looks around and spots someone that looks like the gardener, digging a few yards away from her. Aadhya makes her way over to him.

“Hello!” She attempts a friendly greeting. The man, who was muttering angrily to himself, turns to look at her.

“What do you want,” he sneers.

Aadhya’s taken aback by the blatant hostility emerging from this man, but soldiers on regardless. “So sorry to bother you, but could you please dethorn these roses?”

The gardener stares at her. “...Aren’t you the kidnapped girl?”

Aadhya squirms. “Yes?”

He looks at the roses in her hand, then back up to her face. “Who the fuck are the roses for? You’ve been here for less than a week and you want romance?”

She blushes. “Radha Rama, actually.” He stares at her some more, then a grin spreads across his face.

“I want to see this play out. Give me the roses.” He pulls a device out of his back pocket, overflowing with other gardening tools, and proceeds to clip and dethorn the stems of the roses. He hands them back to Aadhya when he’s done. “Here you go. Hope you go out quickly.”

“...Thank you,” Aadhya says, and tries to walk back inside as fast as she can. She knows she’s impulsive, but hopefully this doesn’t backfire on her as much as the gardener clearly thinks it will.

Aadhya enters the dining room with the flowers held behind her back, wanting it to be a surprise. Radha Rama is already seated at the other end of the table as is their usual arrangement, scrolling through her phone. Aadhya had successfully convinced the older woman to download a few social media apps yesterday, but not before Radha Rama had gone through every sentence of the terms and conditions for each app.

“I am not giving a random businessman my private information,” she sneered. But Radha Rama had seemed to find Twitter funny, which Aadhya counted as a win, as she believed getting the older woman on the Internet was the best way to integrate her into general society. She wasn’t royalty anymore, and it wasn’t healthy for her to hold onto that grudge for so long. Aadhya hoped Radha Rama would learn to have some fun soon.

Radha Rama looks up at Aadhya’s entrance, raising an eyebrow at Aadhya’s hidden hands. “Are you going to try to shoot me?” Aadhya… decides not to be offended at how relaxed she is under the assumption that Aadhya has a gun behind her back.

“Nope. I brought you a gift.” Radha Rama blinks in surprise, and Aadhya shoves her nerves down. She presents the loose bouquet of black roses, holding them out in front of her like a shield.

When Radha Rama keeps staring at the flowers, Aadhya shifts on her feet. “I got you some roses from the garden. They’re black, and I thought of your saree, and also how cool you are…” Aadhya trails off as the older woman looks up at her, eyes piercing through her.

“You got me roses?” Radha Rama’s voice is hoarse. “Because of… how cool I am?”

“Well yeah. You haven’t killed me yet, and you’re mysterious and beautiful just like these roses.”

Radha Rama lifts her arms to take the bouquet, gently stroking one of the roses as she inspects the flowers.

“Radha Rama?” Aadhya asks. “Do you like them?” Aadhya hasn’t ever seen Radha Rama this unresponsive, and she’s nervous.

“Rama.” The older woman says, and there’s a hint of a shy smile on her face now. “Call me Rama. It’s what my dad and-” she stops herself. “It’s what my dad used to call me, and it’s the name I prefer.”

“Ok,” Aadhya says, relieved that Rama doesn’t hate the gift. “Rama, then.”

“I like the roses,” Rama says mildly, but Aadhya can see the blush high on her cheeks. Oh. Aadhya had done that, had put that blush there. Her heart starts to beat faster as she realizes her crush may have the remote possibility of being requited.

Rama turns her head to the doorway. “Obullamma!” she calls. When the woman comes in, Rama hands her the flowers. “Put these in a vase in my room.”

Obullamma gingerly takes the flowers and leaves, not before shooting Aadhya a look, a mix of jealousy and bewilderment. Aadhya tries not to do anything as childish as sticking her tongue out at Obullamma.

Rama turns back to Aadhya, then sits back down, gesturing for Aadhya to take her seat. “Let’s eat,” she says, smiling. Aadhya obeys, feeling very much like she’s accidentally rolled a Nat 20 on a charisma check.

The lunch tastes exceptionally good that day, Aadhya thinks.

Bilal finds Aadhya in her room sometime in the evening.

“You gave flowers to WHO?” he asks incredulously as he enters.

Aadhya sets aside the book she was reading, a political text that Sara had given her. She found it boring, but apparently it was a childhood favorite of Rama’s. Aadhya can unfortunately see that, all the talk about authoritarianism and the duties of a centralized government was right up Rama’s alley.

“I gave them to Rama.” She shrugs, but can’t help the flush that runs through her at the thought of Rama’s smile at the gift. “She liked them.”

Bilal stares some more. “Is this my life then? Am I to spend the rest of it running after Shouryangas who fall in love with Mannars?”

“Bilal!” Aadhya blushes. “No one’s in love with each other.”

Bilal scoffs, clearly disbelieving. “Uh huh. And you’re secretly Amma’s favorite child. Right.” He sits at the edge of her bed, keeping a respectable distance. “Whatever you’re doing to keep Radha Rama on your good side, keep doing it, but don’t get too close. Do whatever you can to get yourself out of here, then run. Don’t look back. Don’t come back. Forget about Khansaar and your biological family.”

Aadhya frowns. Her first instinct is to defend Rama, but she remembers that she’s here because Rama did have her kidnapped. But that was only to get Deva here, right? “Well, what’s the update on Deva? I’m here because of my brother, right? When’s he supposed to get here then?”

Bilal shrugs, looking uncertain. “I’m not sure, thalli. But when he does come, you should escape with him. He’s not going to let Radha Rama live when he realizes she’s kidnapped his little sister.”

“You assume he’ll care,” she mutters under her breath, but Bilal hears it. “Oh no, thalli. If Deva truly sees you as his, he’ll protect you in any way he can. He’ll tear Radha Rama to pieces if he needs to.” When Aadhya looks up, ready to protest, Bilal sighs, and lifts a hand to stop her. “You can’t protect her from him, Aadhya. You only know her good side. Deva has seen her at her worst, and if he realizes she was initially trying to set him up to kill Varadha, he’ll be even more angry.” Aadhya remembers what Bilal had told her days ago, about how Deva had beheaded a lord for daring to grip Varadha’s collar. “Think about it. That’s all I ask. Try to save yourself, Aadhya. If not for yourself, at least for your father who’s probably very worried.”

Once Bilal leaves, Aadhya lapses into thought. Deva, with his history, has every right to kill Rama, and it would be the smart thing to do for her to use the opportunity to escape. But Aadhya realizes, with a jolt, that she really doesn’t want Rama dead, that she’ll truly miss the woman. She resolves to try to negotiate with Deva, whenever he shows up, bargain for Rama’s life somehow.

Late that night Aadhya goes back outside. The skies are clear and she wants to see the stars, suddenly feeling homesick. As she tilts her head up to the sky, letting the vastness of space calm her down, she spots a familiar figure sitting on the roof. What was Rama doing up there? She wonders, but if Rama’s up there it means the guards will let her go up there. Aadhya finds the stairs that lead to the balcony of the mansion, giving an awkward wave to the unamused man standing on patrol near the staircase. She climbs up the stairs, then climbs up the ladder that leads to the rooftop.

Rama turns her head to the side slightly at Aadhya’s approach, but seems to realize who it is and relaxes, facing forward again. Aadhya takes the opportunity to observe Rama from the back.

The older woman is still in the red Banarasi saree she was in this morning, patterned with silver diamond designs. Aadhya absentmindedly wonders what her pajamas look like, or if she sleeps in the sarees she wears all day. Rama’s thick curls are gathered into a french braid, falling beautifully down her back, and Aadhya blushes as she realizes one of the black roses she picked this morning was carefully placed in the center, surrounded by silver earring chains. Rama’s still sitting as straight-backed on the roof as she does in chairs, but the set of her shoulders seems more relaxed than usual. As Aadhya sits next to her, crossing her legs, Aadhya’s breath catches as she observes the way Rama’s face gleams in the moonlight. The soft white light turns the hair in the front silver, making it look almost like a crown.

Rama glances at her, brown eyes shining from the moonlight. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“I wanted to see the stars, so I came outside. Then I saw you up here, so I came upstairs,” Aadhya explains.

Rama nods. “The stars are beautiful tonight.”

Aadhya just barely stops herself from responding to that the way she really wants to. “Yes, they are,” is what she replies with instead. “Is this a habit of yours? Coming outside to stargaze at night?”

“I never did anything as simple as stargazing in Khansaar, no.” Rama sighs. “I was too busy for things that weren’t related to politics. It was always ‘Rama, there’s a rebellion that needs to be put down in one of our territories, authorize the military’, or ‘Rama, can you go sort out whatever’s wrong with your brother’, or ‘Rama, your husband didn’t show up to the lords meeting today, find out what happened’. I was my father’s finest weapon, and I’m proud of it. But in the grand scheme of things, does all that I did even matter? If the owner of the weapon is dead, then what good is the weapon?”

She leans back a little, closing her eyes. “That bastard brother of mine didn’t even give my father an honorable death. Decapitated him right in front of everyone, then went and sat on the throne like it was his birthright. Of course that boyfriend of his slaughtered everyone on his way to the throne, then offered the crown he picked off my father’s corpse to my brother.” She swallows, and Aadhya can hear a deep bitterness in her voice. “It was still stained with my father’s blood when your brother crowned mine, did you know that?” Aadhya can only shake her head. “All those years Raja Mannar still kept that boy in his heart, even after he threw away my father’s greatest gift. He wanted to make him a lord, was willing to upset the Ghaniyars for it. And what did Varadha give him in return? Nothing. He kept taking and taking until he took what mattered most to my father.”

The two sit in silence for a few seconds, Aadhya thinking about her response. She doesn’t want to anger Rama, doesn’t want to ruin the vulnerable mood between them, but as a neutral observer she thinks Raja Mannar is also very much in the wrong.

“Your father shouldn’t have punished him so harshly for what he did as a child,” Aadhya says hesitantly. Rama looks at Aadhya sharply, but Aadhya decides to keep going. “Not to mention killing Varadha’s friend’s entire family, and turning a blind eye to Varadha’s suffering all the years after.”

Rama scoffs, quickly standing up, and Aadhya’s stomach turns. Oh, now she's done it. All the times she kept pushing, hoping that Rama would be charmed by her instead of offended, and now the worst has actually happened.

“Of course you’d take his side,” Rama hisses at her. “You’re one of them Shouryangas too. I don’t know what I expected from you.” This is the first time Aadhya has seen Rama angry, and the shock is made worse by the fact that it’s directed at her.

“Rama wait! I have nothing to do with the Shouryangas, I just got here! And I can’t just blindly take your side either,” Aadhya tries to explain.

“No.” Suddenly the anger is gone, replaced by sadness. “No you can’t.” Rama wraps her arms around herself after a sudden cold gust of wind, and Aadhya’s horrified to realize that she looks close to tears. “No one takes my side, not even my own brothers, and not even my own fucking husband.”

“Rama…” Aadhya trails off, not knowing what to say.

Without another word, Rama turns and descends the ladder.

Aadhya stays up there for a few more hours by herself, feeling miserable and even more homesick than she was when she first came outside.

@illusions-of-serendipity @just-a-lazy-person @nini9224 @recentinterest @omgdontlookatmeuniverse @greatkittykoala @theimmortalprince

#salaar #ramaadhya #ramaadhya fic

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ramayantika · 10 months

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~ The one deceived

»»————> ◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐◐<————««

O lovers, enchanters of your sweet maidens, must you keep in mind to never displease the queen of your hearts.

'She who adorns herself in fine silks and jewels, awaits you at night hiding from the entire town in the heart of the forest where fierce beasts lay, she must never be kept await for long and certainly must not be left alone if ever your eyes droop for a night. Who knows someone else might snatch the beauty away?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫

With dark eyes not blue lotus

she fashions a welcome garland.

Petals she strews—

not various species of jasmine

but smiles.

Water she offers from ripe

moistened breasts

rather than ceremonial jars.

With only her own body

she makes for her

lover an

auspicious welcome.

~ Erotic Love Poems from India

A tightly knotted braid pinned by jewelled pins moves like a serpent by her waist. She carefully arranges flowers in her hair, just the way he likes. She spent months apart from him, and now is the time to bring long lost romance back into their lives -- of sweet nothings, stolen kisses, teasing words and the bliss of just being around your lover.

The morning was spent in perfuming the hair and the body. His favourite scent: the rain perfused soil. It always enchanted him when she passed by the busy market place in front of him. She usually preferred a light scent of roses, but today she has to make him heady as soon as he catches a whiff of air around him.

A necklace decked with moonstones sits on her making her look dazzling. Her wrists are adorned with glass bangles, and a shy smile teases her lips when her friends tease her on the various ways glass bangles can be broken tonight.

"Quiet. You must not speak like this. He's a gentle lover," she admonishes them with a stern look that soon melts into a beautiful blush and her friends once again start teasing her.

"You look perfect now. If you decorate yourself anymore, your dazzling form shall blind him as soon as he enters the house," says a friend, dabbing a kohl dot behind the jewelled maiden's ear to ward off the evil eye.

»»——⍟——«« ♧♧ »»——⍟——««

The letter in betel leaves 🥀

Handmaiden bears a large plate on her tender hands.

Soft silks from lands far and wide,

jewels crafted in nothing but perfection,

perfume extracted from only exotic flowers and oils,

But what pleases the bejewelled beauty?

A silver box revealing a richly stuffed Kaushal paan.

'In separation I have burned for several moons, and my heart wailed in agony. Where do I carry this ocean of love when you are the shore that binds me to you? Oh, my dearest, my lovely moon, it is you I desire. Come meet my by the riverside near the sweet-smelling jasmine bower.'

.・。.・゜✭・»»——⍟——««.・✫・゜・。.

झांझर झमके सुन झमके आधी रात को

उसको तोको न रोको तोको न रोको

आधी रात को।

𝐎𝐡, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭,

𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬,

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭.

𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞,

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬...

'We sipped on moon-gleam at midnight.

And the moon rose in our eyes, at midnight.'

-- Delicate as the moonstone, bangle laden wrists

alert the love god who stands ever ready with love arrows.

She traverses down the narrow forest path,

Her feet leave behind fresh red footprints on earth,

And jingling anklets make the serpents steer off her way.

-- The jasmine bower fresh and fragrant as ever,

Fireflies adorn the bushes like earthen lamps in a house's courtyard.

The moon unveiled shines on the resplendent maiden

And like the chakora, she fills her eyes with the moonbeams,

In each, a vision of the man prisoned in heart.

-- The forest grows still.

Doe eyes search for him in every corner of the forest.

Is he playing games today? Must I walk and search for him now?

The love god too has dozed off, his bow and arrows discarded beside.

The garland around her neck now frail,

Tiny buds fall down and mingle with the earth...

»»————>○○○○○○○○○○○○<————««

And, rasikas, here we behold a man who did not keep his promise. Sends the extravagant betel leaf and promises of giving a beautiful night, but gives in to the sweet embrace of slumber while the beauty awaits in the forest, her once radiant face now pale in fear and annoyance.

Oh, the pain of shattered dreams filled of love, sweet words, passionate touches and long nights. How can one scorn a woman this way after long nights of loneliness?

Chuckle in mirth my friends, for the man dreams of kissing her lips in his sleep. Who shall tell him about his lover's wrath at dawn break tomorrow?

*******

Breathing hard into the lotus calyx

Annoyed at his care less actions,

She wipes an angry tear from her soft cheek.

Tosses away the wretched droopy garland,

Flings the silver anklet far across the room.

Red lips that should have been kissed curse the sun.

Arms that should have been curled around his neck

Lay bare bereft of bangles on the silken sheets.

Her bosom that should have carried drops of perspiration from a sweet night of love

That should have been kissed tenderly, Adorned with a chain of bites

Now heave in anger, wanting a respite.

The love god scoffs at the man yet deep in sleep

Who makes love the scorned woman in waking.

The love goddess pitifully caresses the heart broken girl,

And winces when the moon-like beauty sends

A silver box encasing an empty betel leaf and a lone anklet

»»——⍟——««

Tags: @ratna-the-furball @swayamev @inexhaustible-sources-of-magic @pulihora @arachneofthoughts @krishna-priyatama @yehsahihai @reallythoughtfulwizard @ketchup-jar-ka @manujanolavu @morally-gayy @celestesinsight @desi-cleopatra

I used a lot of references from kamasutra for this and probably this is one of my in a way most explicit lol

#samridhi writes #love poems #ancient Indian aesthetic #nayikas #indian academia

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hinducosmos · 2 years

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Lotus Harvesters of Manipur, Loktak Lake

Ashik aseem | India wrote : Lotus harvesters of Manipur: Loktak lake is India's largest fresh water lake and is rich in vegetation. Here is an evening visual of a local lady harvesting Lotus flowers from the lake to sell in the market. #ashikaseem - May 2022

(via Instagram: Ashik aseem | India)

#Manipur #Lake #nature #India

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talonabraxas · 2 months

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Madana Gopala “God of Love” Talon Abraxas

The form of Krishna known as Madanagopala is to be found in the sculptural programme of several Vaishnava temples of the Vijayayanagara era (fourteenth to eighteenth century) in southern India and, in particular, Tamil Nadu.

Madana is sweet enchantment, the seducer of the mind, and Gopala is the youthful herder of cows. In this form, Krishna has absorbed and subsumed the qualities of the god of love and sexual passion, Manmatha or Kama. The heats of lust and infatuation have been transformed into the rich rasa of transcendental love. Madanagopala sweetly sings and plays His flute, calling all to approach this exalted disposition – entering His world of luscious, enlightened duality where manifest form is the scintillating vibration of His eternal love play.

Madanagopala may be ten- or eight-armed and is depicted standing or seated upon a hexagon. As well as His flute, He carries various implements. Starting at the deity’s top right is the solar discus or chakra, the elephant goad/hook (ankusa) and then the flower arrow. From the top left, he holds the sacred conch (sankha), the three corded noose (pasa), and the sugarcane bow (ikshukodanda). The flower bow and arrow are both implements normally carried by Kama and his consort Rati, the goddess of pleasurable sensual enjoyment. Here, however, they are depicted as devotees of the Lord and they offer a garland of wild flowers from all seasons (vanamala). The single arrow held by Madanagopala is representative of Kama’s five powerful arrows of desire, each arrow representing a unique aspect of passion: excitement (unmadana), heat (tapana), drying up (sosana), paralyzing of normal bodily functions (stambhana) and full infatuation (sammohana).

The god of sensual love, Kama, is known by various epithets – Manmatha, Kandarpa, Madana, and Mara. Here He is shown on Krishna’s right. He holds aloft his standard – the makara banner from which Kama gets the additional name of Makaradhvaja, meaning that his flag is marked with the makara. It is symbolic of potent creation and fertility. Kama’s skin colour (nupura) is red, though variant forms are green or golden yellow. His father is Vishnu. The most famous mythological episode involving Kama is his having been burnt to ashes by Siva, whose meditation Kama had sought to disturb. Kama went on to be reborn as Krishna’s son, Pradyumna. He has two consorts, Priti (delight) and Rati (pleasure).

Rati is depicted on Madanagopala’s left. She is the daughter of Daksa Prajapati and her presence is likened to the youthful unfoldment of Vasant (spring) and with it, the longing in all nature for procreation. She is exceedingly attractive and well versed in seductive arts. Her hair is piled up into an elaborate ornamental knot (kesabandha), secured with a golden band decorated with fresh spring leaves and flowers. These impressive south Indian coiffures are to be seen on the figures of queens, princesses and high-ranking temple patrons.

As a pair, Kama and Rati are carved on pillars leading to the garbha griha. Their animal vehicles (vahanas), the goose, swan or parrot, are interchangeable. Lovely forms can be seen in the 17th century marriage hall (kalyana mandapa) in Kanchipuram’s Varadaraja temple. Outstanding even in the superlative world of Vijayanagara sculptural art are the splendid examples in Sri Villiputtar’s Andal temple complex. Here Rati sits astride a goose, admiring her own reflection in a mirror held aloft in her left hand, while the right holds a kohl stick.

Seated in the center at the bottom of the painting is Vishnu’s chief vahana, Garuda. He is shown as per his description in the Vishnu-dharmottara, with a body the color of an emerald, fierce bulging eyes and an eagle beak. There are many variant forms of Garuda – in North India one does not tend to see Garuda associated with Krishna, however, in the south, it is more frequent. In Vaishnava temples, Garuda is installed in a small shrine facing the garba griha (home of the main deity), or on a high pillar within the temple compound, or just outside the main entrance, as in Puri’s celebrated Jagganath temple.

Forming a canopy over Madanagopala’s head is the lush foliage of a Kalpakataru or wish-fulfilling tree. The tree boasts many types of flowers and fruits and is perpetually in bloom. It is a feature of the god’s celestial realms. Nestled within its foliage are several kili (parrots) and a mayil (peacock). Krishna cherishes both types of bird and is said to have several as pets. Midway to Madanagopala’s right is his favorite tree, the kadamba. It bears small, globular orange/yellow flowers with a beautiful perfume. In season, the flowers are much favoured for use as garlands. Growing at the Lord’s feet are a profusion of flowering sacred tulasi, a plant considered an incarnated goddess. Tulasi leaves are used as offerings to all Vaishnava deities and its wood is favoured for use in malas for mantra sadhana.

The two brown decorative panels at the sides of the arch display kinnaras. The term kinnara translates as something like ‘what are these?’ as they are a bizarre and beautiful com-posite of various creatures, animal, human and divine. They are usually shown playing musical instruments – especially, the veena. Kinnaras have intoxicating siren-like voices, but are aus-picious in nature and loving by disposition. They are often carved in light relief on temple pillars.

Lastly, within the orange border are two decorated friezes of the Vaishnava sectarian marking or Namam. The Namam is worn on the forehead and is typically of two forms (of course, there are variants). The form depicted on the upper strip is the Vadagalai which is U-shaped. The one on the lower strip is the Tengalai which is Y or V shaped. The central stripe between the U or V is known as the Tiruchurnam and is traditionally made of a lime and saffron mix or red ocher. The meaning of the Tiruchurnam is the same as that of the bindu: the whole-ness of divinity and the point of utmost potency from which all manifests. The wearing of the Namam is a highly important preparation for all kinds of ritual action or worship within the Vaishnava fold and is considered to be sanctifying for both the wearer and observer.

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freshflowerindia · 2 years

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Celebrate This Rakhi With Beautiful Flowers!

It is the special event of Rakshabandhan, one of the most awaited of the year when you can make your siblings or cousins feel special about themselves by reminding them what they mean to you. Brother-sister relationship is one of the most auspicious bonds and hence this day is a very exciting day that is just meant to be celebrated with family. From the deepest corners of our hearts, we wish and believe that you will have an amazing time. While nothing can beat spending time with you brothers and sisters on this day, but for far-off cousins or siblings, gifts are much appreciated. To begin with, one of the timeless gifts is a bouquet of their favourite flowers and a lovely message.

Rakshandhan with www.freshflowerindia.com

Celebrating Rakhi with brothers and sisters, who are not near you, can be really depressing but you can always make them feel special with a bouquet of flowers. No matter which part of India you stay in, you can order fresh blooming flowers for your friend from www.freshflowerindia.com. With a variety of options to choose from at an affordable price, Fresh Flower India is one of the biggest flower franchisees in India delivering in over 210+ cities.

Sending flowers as gifts, be it for any special occasion or just simply, has been a tradition which never goes out of style. While distances and busy schedules make it difficult to meet them in person and hence online greetings with gifts are taking their roots, the idea of gifting flowers will never grow old or boring. They are relaxing, they are beautiful and aesthetic, and will be a constant reminder of your love for them. Therefore, wait no more and personalize a bouquet and gift your friend with their favourite flowers. Do not forget to tag a message with it.

#fresh flower #celebrating rakhi #chocolates #flowers lovers #send flowers #gift hamper #online gifts #fresh fruit #gift for sister🎁#gift for brother #fresh flower india

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finexbright · 10 months

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Soni, I was having a larry breakdown and I just need to ask something. I feel like louis and harry love each other extremely much and would do/give up anything to save their relationship/ marriage. I feel like they love each other much more than 'normal' couples, do you agree? Because i feel like I might be putting them on a pedestal or something. But I mean that they were so young and decided to get full body tattoos for each other (a life long bond, louis said that), they have written countless of love songs for each other, they had to actually fight for each other, they found home in each other and they have a bond they understand. Not to mention the fact that Harry literally said in an interview that he loves love and he loves the fact that after falling in love you are a team (he loves it more than the actual falling in love process). Then the protecting each other’s solitude quote and is you're best friend 'just do it" (get married). Like??? Normal couples don't have THIS deep type of love right? So am i exaggerating here or not?

If i'm exaggerating it's probably because I have indian parents and they never show each other love🥲

the way i see it, they met when they were teenagers, when you feel too much of everything and amidst the chaos of the band and the fame, they felt safety and comfort within each other and clung onto it. it's like in a world of screaming colours and sounds, they became each other's quiet solitude and felt calm. nothing about their relationship is "normal" given the fame aspect of it but they navigate through it using the only way know : through songs. and as i said, there's always an exaggeration and hyperbolic hint to it.

i do think that sometimes we put their love story on a pedestal because it does seem a bit cosmical, but at the end of the day, it's just two boys who met when they were very young and fell in love and never looked back.

above everything else, we need to always remember that whatever they do - tattoos, songs and the quotes - they're doing it for themselves and not for us. it's their way of expressing love for each other and we're all just bystanders. it's as simple as going to a farmer's market and you glance around your surroundings and see that the world is filled with love. and harry and louis happen to be two simple people in love. i think it's very important to remember that it's their life and we're just witnessing it and that all of the things they do aren't necessarily for us, we're just lucky enough to be along for the ride.

as for normal couple and love, i think everyone has their own idea of expressing love and navigating through a relationship. my friend's boyfriend brings her flowers every single time he comes by, and now that they live together, he still makes sure that the flower vase is never empty. we don't normally get gajra (jasmine) in delhi so everytime my dad goes to south india, he makes sure to go to shops right before leaving for the airport to get fresh gajra for my mum. my friend's girlfriend loved orange lays and so everytime he went to see her, he'd get a packet for her. i think what i'm trying to say is, while some people give flowers, others write songs and it's still love and it's still just as deep and it's still strong.

#non non #i went off tangent but oh well 🫣

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eikaebana · 22 days

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Bring timeless beauty to your celebrations with our Artificial lily flower bunches. Perfect for birthdays, weddings, or any special occasion, these blooms exude sophistication and charm. Shop now at Eikaebana to add a touch of elegance to your event!

#lily #lilies flower bunch #flower bunch #flower arrangement #fresh flowers #flower shops #delhi #india #eikaebana flower shop #lilies flower

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hesperioae · 8 months

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To Agni On His Birthday

Agni x reader, Agni x oc. Female s/o. Mostly head-canons and reader-insert.

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.

Rabindranath Tagore

You certainly spend some time thinking and wondering about Agni’s birthday before making up your mind. You observe him, ask some questions here and there… You clearly do not wish to pressure him, to look imposing in any way. You know there are cultural differences, and you must respect his customs… You also have the strong feeling he welcomes you in his life, and he is happy to experience different things with you.

It has been almost a year since you found him in the library that evening, at the Phantomhive’s manor. He was alone checking up some books before Soma’s lesson the next morning, and you had been ruminating a work problem, a letter that Ciel had entrusted you to write.

The circumstances in which you two interacted for the first time and how long it took you to feel attracted to each other do not matter now. But that night in the library, Agni gave you an idea for your letter without realizing it, and you decided to reward him with an experience, a walk to the gardens to witness something special in the middle of the night. He considered consulting first with the prince whether to exit the manor into the gardens that late at night, alone with you, but after seeing prince Soma sleeping soundly, Agni decided not to disturb him and accompany you.

You gently and mysteriously escorted him through. After a while, he asked with his calmed deep voice: “It is good that you know the way, my Lady. I have never been to the gardens at night. Do you come here often, after dark?” As the night breeze played with your hair, and the moon light produced a rather refreshing effect on your skin, you replied: "I do. The gardens at night give me a comfort I can hardly find elsewhere. This way, please." You said entering a small greenery tunnel and accessing the forest.

Agni was curious as to why the gardens at night brought you comfort, since he enjoyed so much the explosion of colors in daylight. He asked, so that he could better appreciate the same sights. Agni followed you carefully, matching your pace despite his very long legs, so that he would not be ahead or behind you. "I guess... It is the quietness? It is quiet to all my senses. I am a bit oversensitive and... daytime, though endearing, sometimes overwhelms me." You said thoughtfully as you two passed by a creek.

Agni understood how the quietness could allow us to appreciate the many other senses that were not usually focused on due to the noise of the day. And he could see how daytime could be overwhelming for someone who was sensitive.

You then accessed a clearing and a group of bushes with tiny tubular flowers that looked almost like small stars and had a fresh sweet perfume. The Night Blooming Jasmine or Lady of the Night were open in the evening and would close the next morning. “Tonight, they flourish for you, Agni. Thank you for joining me and indulging me." You said taking a sit on a rock as stylishly as you could.

Agni sits down next to you, and looks at the beautiful flowers, admiring their color and shape and thinking about how wonderful they were. “We call them Raat Rani in India, Queen of the Night. I had not seen this happen since I was a kid. It would have been a shame to miss them. It is a very special gift. Thank you so much.” He said in a low voice.

"I thank you also for trusting me." You replied. "This manor is beautiful and dangerous. Thank you for not thinking I was trying to lure you into a trap or something. We first met rather recently, after all."

“Trust is a mutual agreement.” He said with a smile. “You have been kind to me and my prince. It is true that the manor can be dangerous, especially at night, and I hope that we are not attacked. But no, I feel I can trust your favor. It is beautiful here.”

"Beauty can be dangerous, but not necessarily." You said protecting yourself from the mild night cold. "You and your master are lucky to have each other."

“I do feel very blessed to be my prince's trusted khansama and friend. I was very lucky to have met him, and it still does not feel quite real to me. You are correct, we are indeed very lucky.”

The night was still blissful, but darker. A firefly took refuge on your shoulder. The sky turned into a sea of black and blue with shining sparks.

Agni felt truly fortunate to have been able to come out and see all this with you, and the night only grew more peaceful for him. He hoped the firefly would stay there for a long time, it was very beautiful and fitting to him that it had chosen to land where it had.

“Did you find your partner, Agni? Or you feel you are still looking for them?” You asked looking at the firefly.

He looked saddened for a moment, and it took him some time to answer “It… it appears I still want some forgotten things. Some very old dreams still haunt me, for better and for worse.”

You took Agni's left hand and placed the firefly in it softly. You caressed his hand carefully.

“You are so kind to me. I do not deserve these things. You are giving me too much. There are many better people you could be giving all this kindness and care, but... I must say it is quite nice to be so cared for. There is something so very calming about you…” He said a bit shakily with his rich voice.

You made sure to thank him as well for his compassion and kindness. And then you came closer to him and kissed his lips.

He was slightly taken aback at your gesture and did not immediately return it, though he did not pull back his head or try to repel it. You could almost feel the tension and the struggle in him.

After a moment, he gently placed his hand against your face, slowly bringing you closer as the kiss grew more passionate.

He suddenly woke up some hours later. A firefly glinted by his window and a soft perfume of minty jasmine was lingering... He had a joyful demeanor, but the kind of happiness you had brought to him scared him. That was the night of his birthday.

The next day, your silky high-pitched voice made him turn around in the middle of a corridor. You approached him radiantly and as you walked next to him, you told him Ciel needed to come to France with you for a while, to La Province, where you currently live. You extended the invitation to Agni and Prince Soma, to stay there for a season or two with you. You spoke gently but clearly, your eyes showing an inner glow.

Agni's eyes widened slightly as you spoke, and he stared at you for a moment, looking quite shocked by your proposition. After a moment, he cleared his throat and spoke.

"This is a surprise. To think such an offer would be extended to us... well, we are humbled by it, that's for sure."

He smiled at you warmly. "I shall speak to my prince, and we shall see what he thinks. If he agrees to it, then I shall gladly come with him."

Many aspects of his destiny were connected to that of his prince. You knew that. You had planned to snatch both Agni and his prince away from the dangers of the underworld, to provide Agni with help and support in the task of assuring the achievement of Soma’s best potential.

You came closer to him and promised to make them feel as comfortable and safe as possible. You also asked him playfully and enticingly if he or the prince spoke a bit of French.

Agni flushed somewhat as you came closer and spoke like this. But he tried his best to stay composed and maintain his professionalism, and he replied without losing his warm and kind attitude.

"I do know some basic words and phrases of French, but my knowledge is a bit lacking, I must admit. I shall try to improve and learn more before we come - if we come," He added, looking at you with a grin. "And my prince is a very quick learner, he will no doubt pick up the language in no time."

You smiled visibly pleased and told him you lived in a small castle near a medieval city, that there was much nature around, but people had cosmopolitan tastes as well. You could possibly find some of his spices in the big market, and some others you could import, to a certain extent. You knew cooking was a huge topic for him. You raised your hand softly to his cheek and dared to caress him.

After some hesitation, Agni leaned into your touch, allowing himself to relax and take it all in. He looked at you with a fond expression.

"Your home sounds beautiful. My prince is quite a lucky person to have a lady who is so kind, and thoughtful on his side... Not to mention so charming," He added, slightly blushing as he spoke the last part. "And, yes, I do love to cook for my prince. I take it that you also enjoy good cuisine and fine food?"

You smiled affectionately to him and explained you did. However, some experiences in your life had made your meals more and more plant based with time. You added a bit sheepishly that you were not actually used to hot-spicy food.

He smiled at you, and his expression remained warm and genuine. He explained there were many plant-based options in Indian cuisine, that Brahmins in Bengal were mostly vegetarian and sometimes ate fish, that there was a wide variety of flavors, and many dishes could easily be made for those who preferred a softer seasoning. “We are very adaptable, and we can always adjust to suit your tastes," He replied in a friendly and knowledgeable fashion. "Now, is there anything else I could be helpful to you, my lady? I am always happy to be of service.”

That was a little too tempting to hear. You looked around and subtly stretched up all you could to reach his ear and graze it with your lips. "I much look forward to being of service to you," You whispered, and then looked at him intently.

Agni blushed and blinked a bit nervously, but he remained calm and composed, and he spoke with a warm and kind demeanor as always.

"As do I. There is no doubt that it will be a wonderful experience to come to France with you. I shall be forever grateful for this opportunity."

He looked at you and smiled. "I look forward to showing you around Bengal someday and introducing you to our culture as well."

Your eyes sparked genuinely since you could not be more excited. You found his culture very interesting and had already started to learn Hindi.

"I shall be sure to tell my prince of your beautiful invitation. And I do not doubt that he shall take it seriously, as we both very much appreciate kindness and generosity.” He smiled at you warmly. "Now, is there anything else I can help you with, my lady?"

"There is much you can help me with, dear Agni. But that will have to wait." You replied gently while you walked away towards Ciel, who was requesting your attention at that moment.

Agni watched you with an adoring expression as you walked away, and he could not help but feel a bit of sadness as you left. But at the same time, he knew he had to behave professionally, and so he bowed his head respectfully and gave you a friendly smile, before turning to return to work.

You had first addressed him as Monsieur Agni. He had politely and swiftly insisted on dispensing with the title, since he preferred you called him simply Agni. He had insisted, however, on always calling you “my lady”, despite your friendly disposition to be treated less formally. It would be a long time before he finally whispered your name some months later between the sheets and at a rather heated moment.

It has been a year since that, and it was Agni’s birthday again.

Even when Prince Soma could change his mind any time soon, the Black Perigord forests had watched him grow fond of the colors, the light, the people, the subjects he was studying… You did your best to surround him every now and then with artists, scientists, and philosophers from different countries who visited your place. He even made good friends with your son, who was a bit older than the prince. You thought they could be a good influence on each other.

Of course, sometimes people talked about the solitary widow who looked far too young for her age, who often locked herself away in her forest where hunting was banned, and had now the company of a foreigner from the far East. Those things did not disturb your mind if Agni and your family had not been disturbed. He was thriving, though. He had made everybody in your small castle like him and be pleased to work with him. And despite his past, his life was growing a bit more and more balanced now.

The morning of his birthday, among the quiet stony walls of your chateau, Agni accepts -despite those many years when his birthday was just another day of work- and lights some lamps. He prays and meditates early. He thanks Kali, his star Dhanishtha, and his mother. He then goes along with you and Soma distributing food and presents in Sarlat-la-Canéda. You accept enjoying daylight with him this time. You two go alone and visit the forest in the afternoon. Your hand in his larger one, you walk calmly taking in the splendor. In the evening, you feast with him, Soma and your other loved ones.

A quiet simple life you hope will last for many years to come.

...

I apologize for any mistake because English is not my first language and I had not written fanfiction in a very long time.

Everything for this lovely fictional man on his birthday. August 24th 2023.

#agni #kuroshitsuji agni #black butler agni #agni x reader #agni x you #agni x female reader #agni's birthday #agni x oc #agni kuroshitsuji #agni black butler

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eatmangoesnekkid · 10 months

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Simple Ways to Increase the Aura of Your Home: One of the main purposes of home is to help our bodies recover from overt chemicalization of our world. The world is flooded with a constant force of harmful chemicals that degenerate physical and mental vitality, therefore our home life should be a passionate haven where those heightened chemical variances are limited to non-existent. Therefore consider eliminating or greatly reducing chemical cleaning products and chemical beauty products which will enhance your digestion, your gut microbiome (the main factor that effects our the 7 systems of the body, hormones, mind health, and quality of life) and thereby increase your home's frequency. You want to create a home that supports the healthiest fullest expression of your gut microbiome, the center of your reality. A well-loved microbiome supports an essential resource that grows your life force energy. It supports healthy hydrated longevity that gives you more choices in life, mainly because it supports you in procuring naturally expanded human experience. A healthy gut microbiome helps you to master ways of thinking, feeling, intuiting, and perceiving. Be intentional in actively welcoming in details of beauty all around your home— plants, books, art, well-made candles, music and the musical, macrame, hanging fabric or beads, color, etc. Invite in the sacred and the edges of the universe into your home--pour libations, chant, sing mantras, and whatever other ritual, divination, cosmic and grounding aesthetics, and ancestral intelligence. Clear clutter in closets and underneath beds and chairs and clean often and with thoughtful detail and intention, place special attention to windows, doors, toilet bowl, refrigerator, sinks, floors, and corners Dance around your home while infusing love into each room; more and more love and tactile loving acts Take out trash often -unpleasant smells distill unpleasant energy Resort your refrigerator daily or every other day-no spoiled food Open windows daily first thing in the morning, even in Winter briefly Ritualize washing your floors and walls every new season with a quality lime or orange essential and water solution, Florida water, and some of concoction that clears energy Mind your recurring thoughts --if you have been thinking in negative ways, no worries--just open windows an air out the energy and clean up around you Air out your bed linen daily Replace plastic with glass It's a living energy .....pray over your home Refresh water on most fresh flowers daily Light an oil lamp, ghee lamp or candles nightly Find a place for everything, and put everything in its place. Get into the habit of donating what you don't use or no longer matches your frequency often Create more white clear space Keep something sacred items by the front door that help clear energy e.g. hanging bells on the door knob Invest in quality kitchen supplies Home is a safe oasis where we repair our energetic relationship with living in an overly masculine, exhausted, mentally chaotic world. How does your home reflect the nourishment and nuturance of feminine energy? How does it inspire rest, regeneration, love, passion, creativity, arousal, playfulness, joy, prosperity, or living more inward-facing rather than externally-focused? India Ame'ye

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gemsofgreece · 11 months

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Hello!!! I was reading this post of yours (for my research) and i'm truly wondering how did Byzantine princesses wanted to take a bath?? Do you have a post for that?

I don't but I managed to find a few pieces of information about the general habits of Byzantine bathing and grooming, and particularly that of the empresses and the princesses.

"The wealthy and noble women of the empire were concerned with their looks and Christianity cast no pall on the baths nor the sale of cosmetics and perfumes. (...) Byzantine gardens, therefore, had areas set aside for aromatic flowers from which could be distilled some of the more fragrant oils. (...) Mirrors, tweezers and similar hygiene equipment would have been commonplace in a Byzantine home. (...) Michael Psellos wrote that (Empress) Zoe turned her chambers into cosmetics laboratory in which she created cosmetics and ointments to preserve her beauty well into old age. (...) Byzantine women did not use as heavy cosmetics as their earlier Roman counterparts. (...) For eye liner and darkening eye brows and lashes, kohl was very popular."

Source: http://gretchenbrownauthor.com/2018/04/08/cleanliness-and-hygiene-among-the-byzantines/

"Women washed their hair in special fragranced solutions that naturally lightened it, including saffron, turmeric, fern roots and citrin-colored sandalwood and rhubarb. The cloths they wrapped their hair in were usually brushed with perfume. People made their own scents at home. Lotions and creams were made fresh from natural sources and had to be used in a few days. (...) There were many public baths; the Byzantines - even monks and nuns - bathed frequently. One was expected to bathe twice a week. (...) The Byzantines had a wide variety of cleaning products for bodies and clothes."

Source: https://www.pallasweb.com/deesis/daily-life-in-constantinople.html

"Byzantines in the capital city of Constantinople developed public baths similar to those found in Rome, and public bathing was a daily ritual for many. (...) Unlike the Romans, who used a lot of makeup and cosmetics, the Byzantines avoided heavy preparations for their skin. Instead, they developed rich perfumes using ingredients obtained in trade from China, India, and Persia, modern-day Iran. Perfume making was developed as an esteemed trade."

Sources:

Baltoyianni, Chryssanthi. "Byzantine Jewelry." Hellenic Ministry of Culture. http://www.culture.gr/2/22/225/22501/225013/e013intro.html (accessed on July 29, 2003).

Cosgrave, Bronwyn. The Complete History of Costume and Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day. New York: Checkmark Books, 2000.

"Let us now place ourselves in the second half of the 11th century, when a Byzantine princess arrives in Italy again; not in Rome but in Venice, although with the same nuptial purpose. This time she is Theodora Doukaina, daughter of Emperor Constantine X Doukas and Eudokia Makrembolitissa (the niece of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius) who is to marry Doge Domenico Selvo. (...) The Byzantine stravaganza of Theodora was reflected not only in the colossal retinue she led or the impressive tiara she wore at the ceremony (the one worn by her brother Michael VII, who had just inherited the imperial throne) but also in her own daily behaviour, which included such whims as bathing in the dew that his servants collected or – and here is what interests us – the refusal to touch food with her hands, so that she made use of a golden fork to prick the bites that her eunuchs had previously cut off."

Source: https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2020/06/how-two-byzantine-princesses-scandalized-europe-by-using-a-fork/

"While the Germans like Theophano, many of them thought her odd. The Byzantine empire was known for its luxurious, decadent ways, and Theophano was a product of that 'decadence'. She talked too much, she bathed every day, and, strangest of all, she used a two pronged utensil to bring food to her mouth (aka a fork), instead of eating with her hands like everyone else."

Source: http://www.thathistorynerd.com/2017/07/damn-girl-holy-roman-empress-theophano.html

Check here for a great link with detailed description of Byzantine public baths, how they worked and how they were taken

Peter Damian, the Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, wrote a chapter entitled "De Veneti ducis uxore quae prius nimium delicata, demum toto corpore computruit" ("Of the Venetian Doge's wife, whose body, after her excessive delicacy, entirely rotted away.") about an unnamed Byzantine princess whose manners he considered scandalously lavish and which brought to her a horrible death as a divine punishment. This woman has been mistakenly (since Damian died 1072) identified with Domenico Selvo's wife by later Venetian chroniclers (incl. Andrea Dandolo and Marino Sanuto the Younger) followed afterwards by various modern authors; however since the work in which Damianus' chapter is contained is dated ca 1059 it refers probably to Maria Argyropoulaina who had died a half century before.

From Wikipedia. Irrelevant but Maria Argyropoulaina might be the most modern Greek name I have seen in a medieval woman ever.

When, three days after the wedding, the new empress left her rooms to take her bath in the Palace of Magnaura, the court and the commonwealth gathered in queues behind her in the gardens. And when the empress passed with the servants who showed off the robes, the boxes with the perfumes, walking first, accompanied by three ladies of waiting who held apples decorated with pearls, as a symbol of erotic love, the commonwealth would cheer, the jesters of the court would make inappropriate jokes and the most important officers of the empire would escort the empress all the way to the entrance of the bath, where they waited for her to finish, and escorted her back to her bridal chambers.

Source: From The History of the Byzantine Empire by Charles Diehl, translated by me here.

They don't go into great detail as you see but I guess they are enough to give you an idea. Reminder to check the link I added above about the detailed description of the public baths - it is very interesting!

#history #middle ages #byzantine empire #byzantine culture #eastern roman empire #greek history #byzantine history #greek culture #anon #ask

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