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iphigeniacomplex · 2 months

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লিখি লোৱা, মই এজন মিঞা ("Write Down 'I am a Miyah'", 2016) by Hafiz Ahmed, translated from Assamese to English by Shalim M. Hussain, began a movement of resistance poetry among Assamese Muslims of Bengali descent, referred to as Miya Poetry after a slur used to describe this community. From Abdul Kalam Azad, for Indian Express ("Write...I am a Miya", 2019):

This poem went viral and other young poets started responding to him through poems. The young poets also started reclaiming “Miya”, a slur used against us, as our identity with pride. This chain of Facebook posts continued for days, reiterating the violence, suffering and humiliation expressed by our community. As time passed, more poets wrote in various languages and dialects, including many Miya dialects. The nomenclature ‘Miya Poetry’ got generated organically but the poets and their associates have been inspired by the Negritude and Black Arts movements, and queer, feminist and Dalit literary movements, where the oppressed have reclaimed the identity which was used to dehumanise them. The trend transcended our community. Poets from the mainstream Assamese community also wrote several poems in solidarity with the Miya poets while some regretted not being poets. Gradually, this became a full-fledged poetry movement and got recognised by other poets, critics and commentators. The quality and soul of these poems are so universal that they started finding prominence on reputed platforms. For the first time in the history of our community, we had started telling our own stories and reclaiming the Miya identity to fight against our harassers who were dehumanising us with the same word. They accused us of portraying the whole Assamese society as xenophobic. The fact is we have just analysed our conditions. Forget generalising the Assamese society as ‘xenophobic’, no Miya poet has ever used the term ‘xenophobic’ nor any of its variants. The guilt complex of our accusers is so profound that they don’t have the patience to examine why we wrote the poems.

Amrita Singh, writing for The Caravan ("Assam Against Itself", 2019), detailed the political backlash against Miya Poetry, in particular the above poem.

On 10 July this year, Pranabjit Doloi, an Assam-based journalist, filed a complaint at Guwahati’s Panbazar police station accusing ten people of indulging in criminal activities “to defame the Assamese people as Xenophobic in the world.” Doloi claimed that the ten people were trying to hinder the ongoing updation of the National Register of Citizens, a list of Assam’s Indian citizens that is due to be published on 31 August. The premise of Doloi’s complaint was a widely-circulated poem called, “Write down I am Miya,” by Hafiz Ahmed, a school teacher and social activist. “Write. Write down I am a Miya/ A citizen of democratic secular republic without any rights,” Ahmed wrote. The police registered a first information report against Doloi’s complaint, booking all ten persons for promoting enmity between groups, among other offences. [...] At the press conference, Mander emphasised that people in Assam are in distress because of the NRC’s arbitrary and rigid procedures. “One spelling mistake when you are writing a Bengali name in English … that is enough for you to be in a detention center, declared a foreigner,” Mander said. “If you are not allowing this lament to come out in the form of poetry, then where is this republic of India going?”

Ahmed's poem is influenced in structure by "Identity Card", a 1964 poem by by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish which uses the symbolic figure of the Palestinian working man to confront Israeli occupiers. Darwish's identity card, a symbol of Israeli subjugation transformed into a cry of Palestinian national identity, is reshaped by Ahmed into the National Register of Citizens for Assam and the accompanying fear of statelessness and disenfranchisement for the Miya people.

This solidarity between writers from oppressed groups is, of course, not one that ends with Darwish and Ahmed, nor with the Black, queer, feminist, and Dalit influences of Miya Poetry. As long as there is oppression, there will be companionship and recognition reflected in art and activism. On December 13, 2023, Black Agenda Report reprinted Refaat Alareer's "If I Must Die", acknowledging the connection between Alareer's poem and "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay, written in 1919 in response to the Red Summer white supremacist riots. In 2000, Haitian community activist Dahoud Andre translated "If We Must Die" into Kreyòl, and the Black Agenda Report editorial honors Alareer in a similar way, reprinting "If I Must Die" with an accompanying Kreyòl translation. (POEM: If I Must Die, Refaat Alareer, 2023.)

Transcripts under the cut.

[Hafiz Ahmed Transcripts (Assamese and English):

লিখি লোৱা, মই এজন মিঞা

লিখা, লিখি লোৱা মই এজন মিঞা এন. আৰ. চিৰ ক্রমিক নং ২০০৫৪৩ দুজন সন্তানৰ বাপেক মই, অহাবাৰ গ্ৰীষ্মত জন্ম ল’ব আৰু এজনে তাকো তুমি ঘিণ কৰিবা নেকি যিদৰে ঘিণ কৰা মোক?

লিখি লোৱা, মই এজন মিঞা পতিত ভূমি, পিতনিক মই ৰূপান্তৰিত কৰিছোঁ শস্য-শ্যামলা সেউজী পথাৰলৈ তোমাক খুৱাবলৈ মই ইটা কঢ়িয়াইছোঁ তোমাৰ অট্টালিকা সাজিবলৈ, তোমাৰ গাড়ী চলাইছোঁ তোমাক আৰাম দিবলৈ, তোমাৰ নৰ্দমা ছাফা কৰিছোঁ তোমাক নিৰোগী কৰি ৰাখিবলৈ, তোমাৰে সেৱাতে মগন মই অনবৰত তাৰ পিছতো কিয় তুমি খৰ্গহস্ত? লিখা, লিখি লোৱা মই এজন মিঞা গণতান্ত্ৰিক, গণৰাজ্য এখনৰ নাগৰিক এজন যাৰ কোনো অধিকাৰ নাইকিয়া মাতৃক মোৰ সজোৱা হৈছে সন্দেহযুক্ত ভোটাৰ যদিও পিতৃ-মাতৃ তাইৰ নিঃসন্দেহে ভাৰতীয়

ইচ্ছা কৰিলেই তুমি মোক হত্যা কৰিব পাৰা, জ্বলাই দিব পৰা মোৰ খেৰৰ পঁজা, খেদি দিব পাৰা মোক মোৰেই গাঁৱৰ পৰা, কাঢ়ি নিব পাৰা মোৰ সেউজী পথাৰ মোৰ বুকুৰ ওপৰেৰে চলাব পাৰা তোমাৰ বুলড্‌জাৰ তোমাৰ বুলেটে বুকুখন মোৰ কৰিব পাৰে থকাসৰকা (তোমাৰ এই কাৰ্যৰ বাবে তুমি কোনো স্তিও নোপোৱা) যুগ-যুগান্তৰ তোমাৰ অত্যাচাৰ সহ্য কৰি ব্ৰহ্মপুত্ৰৰ চৰত বাস কৰা মই এজন মিঞা মোৰ দেহা হৈ পৰিছে নিগ্ৰো কলা মোৰ চকুযুৰি অঙঠাৰ দৰে ৰঙা সাৱধান! মোৰ দুচকুত জমা হৈ আছে যুগ যুগান্তৰৰ বঞ্চনাৰ বাৰুদ আঁতৰি যোৱা, নতুবা অচিৰেই পৰিণত হ’বা মূল্যহীন ছাইত!

Write Down ‘I am a Miyah’ Hafiz Ahmed, 2016 trans. Shalim M. Hussain

Write Write Down I am a Miya My serial number in the NRC is 200543 I have two children Another is coming Next summer. Will you hate him As you hate me?

write I am a Miya I turn waste, marshy lands To green paddy fields To feed you. I carry bricks To build your buildings Drive your car For your comfort Clean your drain To keep you healthy. I have always been In your service And yet you are dissatisfied! Write down I am a Miya, A citizen of a democratic, secular, Republic Without any rights My mother a D voter, Though her parents are Indian.

If you wish kill me, drive me from my village, Snatch my green fields hire bulldozers To roll over me. Your bullets Can shatter my breast for no crime.

Write I am a Miya Of the Brahamaputra Your torture Has burnt my body black Reddened my eyes with fire. Beware! I have nothing but anger in stock. Keep away! Or Turn to Ashes.

]

[Mahmoud Darwish Transcripts (Arabic and English):

سجِّل أنا عربي ورقمُ بطاقتي خمسونَ ألفْ وأطفالي ثمانيةٌ وتاسعهُم.. سيأتي بعدَ صيفْ! فهلْ تغضبْ؟ سجِّلْ أنا عربي وأعملُ مع رفاقِ الكدحِ في محجرْ وأطفالي ثمانيةٌ أسلُّ لهمْ رغيفَ الخبزِ، والأثوابَ والدفترْ من الصخرِ ولا أتوسَّلُ الصدقاتِ من بابِكْ ولا أصغرْ أمامَ بلاطِ أعتابكْ فهل تغضب؟ سجل أنا عربي أنا اسم بلا لقبِ صَبورٌ في بلادٍ كلُّ ما فيها يعيشُ بفَوْرةِ الغضبِ جذوري قبلَ ميلادِ الزمانِ رستْ وقبلَ تفتّحِ الحقبِ وقبلَ السّروِ والزيتونِ .. وقبلَ ترعرعِ العشبِ أبي.. من أسرةِ المحراثِ لا من سادةٍ نُجُبِ وجدّي كانَ فلاحاً بلا حسبٍ.. ولا نسبِ! يُعَلّمني شموخَ الشمسِ قبلَ قراءةِ الكتبِ وبيتي’ كوخُ ناطورٍ منَ الأعوادِ والقصبِ فهل تُرضيكَ منزلتي؟ أنا اسم بلا لقبِ! سجلْ أنا عربي ولونُ الشعرِ.. فحميٌّ ولونُ العينِ.. بنيٌّ وميزاتي: على رأسي عقالٌ فوقَ كوفيّه وكفّي صلبةٌ كالصخرِ... تخمشُ من يلامسَها وعنواني: أنا من قريةٍ عزلاءَ منسيّهْ شوارعُها بلا أسماء وكلُّ رجالها في الحقلِ والمحجرْ فهل تغضبْ؟ سجِّل! أنا عربي سلبتُ كرومَ أجدادي وأرضاً كنتُ أفلحُها أنا وجميعُ أولادي ولم تتركْ لنا.. ولكلِّ أحفادي سوى هذي الصخورِ... فهل ستأخذُها حكومتكمْ.. كما قيلا!؟ إذنْ سجِّل.. برأسِ الصفحةِ الأولى أنا لا أكرهُ الناسَ ولا أسطو على أحدٍ ولكنّي.. إذا ما جعتُ آكلُ لحمَ مغتصبي حذارِ.. حذارِ.. من جوعي ومن غضبي!!

Identity Card Mahmoud Darwish, 1964 trans. Denys Johnson-Davies

Put it on record. I am an Arab

And the number of my card is fifty thousand I have eight children And the ninth is due after summer. What's there to be angry about?

Put it on record. I am an Arab

Working with comrades of toil in a quarry. I have eight children For them I wrest the loaf of bread, The clothes and exercise books From the rocks And beg for no alms at your door, Lower not myself at your doorstep. What's there to be angry about?

Put it on record. I am an Arab.

I am a name without a title, Patient in a country where everything Lives in a whirlpool of anger. My roots Took hold before the birth of time Before the burgeoning of the ages, Before cypress and olive trees, Before the proliferation of weeds.

My father is from the family of the plough Not from highborn nobles.

And my grandfather was a peasant Without line or genealogy.

My house is a watchman's hut Made of sticks and reeds.

Does my status satisfy you? I am a name without a surname.

Put it on record. I am an Arab.

Color of hair: jet black. Color of eyes: brown. My distinguishing features: On my head the `iqal cords over a keffiyeh Scratching him who touches it.

My address: I'm from a village, remote, forgotten, Its streets without name And all its men in the fields and quarry. What's there to be angry about?

Put it on record. I am an Arab.

You stole my forefathers' vineyards And land I used to till, I and all my children, And you left us and all my grandchildren Nothing but these rocks. Will your government be taking them too As is being said?

So! Put it on record at the top of page one: I don't hate people, I trespass on no one's property.

And yet, if I were to become hungry I shall eat the flesh of my usurper. Beware, beware of my hunger And of my anger!

]

#it speaks!#re: the tag on my last reblogged post. decided to make that point its own post!#this is long obviously and im employing proper capitalization for ease of reading #obligatory im monolingual disclaimer & cant vouch for translation quality; i chose the johnson-davies translation because ->#<- it is the one i see most commonly spread. i take responsibility for any deficiencies.#going to use some tags because im personally interested in this poetic movement & connection & maybe other people will be too!#palestine #palestinian poetry #assam #miya poetry #political poetry #poetry

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cartoonistnituparna-blog · 2 years

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(via আন্দোLOAN)

#loan movement Assam

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somerabbitholes · 14 days

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Books you would recommend on this topic? Colonial, post colonial, and Cold War Asia are topics that really interest me. (Essentially all of the 1900s)

Hello! An entire century is huge and I don't quite know what exactly you're looking for, but here we are, with a few books I like. I've tried organising them, but so many of these things bleed into each other so it's a bit of a jumble

Cold War

1971 by Srinath Raghavan: about the Bangladesh Liberation War within the context of the Cold War, US-Soviet rivalry, and the US-China axis in South Asia

Cold War in South Asia by Paul McGarr: largely focuses on India and Pakistan, and how the Cold War aggravated this rivalry; also how the existing tension added to the Cold War; also the transition from British dominance to US-Soviet contest

Kennedy, Johnson, and the Nonaligned World by Robert B. Rakove: on the US' ties with the Nonaligned countries during decolonisation and in the early years of the Cold War; how US policy dealt with containment, other strategic choices etc

South Asia's Cold War by Rajesh Basrur: specifically about nuclear buildup, armament and the Indo-Pak rivalry within the larger context of the Cold War, arms race, and disarmament movements

Colonialism

India's War by Srinath Raghavan: about India's involvement in World War II and generally what the war meant for South Asia politically, economically and in terms of defense strategies

The Coolie's Great War by Radhika Singha: about coolie labour (non-combatant forces) in the first World War that was transported from India to battlefronts in Europe, Asia and Africa

Unruly Waters by Sunil Amrith: an environmental history of South Asia through British colonial attempts of organising the flow of rivers and the region's coastlines

Underground Revolutionaries by Tim Harper: about revolutionary freedom fighters in Asia and how they met, encountered and borrowed from each other

Imperial Connections by Thomas R. Metcalf: about how the British Empire in the Indian Ocean was mapped out and governed from the Indian peninsula

Decolonisation/Postcolonial Asia

Army and Nation by Steven Wilkinson: a comparative look at civilian-army relations in post-Independence India and Pakistan; it tries to excavate why Pakistan went the way it did with an overwhelmingly powerful Army and a coup-prone democracy while India didn't, even though they inherited basically the same military structure

Muslim Zion by Faisal Devji: a history of the idea of Pakistan and its bearing on the nation-building project in the country

The South Asian Century by Joya Chatterji: it's a huge book on 20th century South Asia; looks at how the subcontinental landmass became three/four separate countries, and what means for history and culture and the people on the landmass

India Against Itself by Sanjib Baruah: about insurgency and statebuilding in Assam and the erstwhile NEFA in India's Northeast. Also see his In the Name of the Nation.

I hope this helps!

#anonymous #answered #book recs #india #south asia #historyblr

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bongboyblog · 10 months

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A walk through Bengal's architecture

Bengali architecture has a long and rich history, fusing indigenous elements from the Indian subcontinent with influences from other areas of the world. Present-day Bengal architecture includes the nation of Bangladesh as well as the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam's Barak Valley. West Bengal’s architecture is an amalgamation of ancient urban architecture, religious architecture, rural vernacular architecture, colonial townhouses and country houses, and modern urban styles. Bengal architecture is the architecture of Wind, Water, and Clay. The Pala Empire (750–1120), which was founded in Bengal and was the final Buddhist imperial force on the Indian subcontinent, saw the apex of ancient Bengali architecture. The majority of donations went to Buddhist stupas, temples, and viharas. Southeast Asian and Tibetan architecture was influenced by Pala architecture. The Grand Vihara of Somapura, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the most well-known structure erected by the Pala rulers.

The Grand Vihara of Somapura

According to historians, the builders of Angkor Wat in Cambodia may have taken inspiration from Somapura. Bengal architecture became known for its use of terracotta due to the scarcity of stone in the area. Clay from the Bengal Delta was used to make bricks.

The temple architecture has distinct features like the rich wall decoration, often known as the terracotta temples, which was one of the remarkable elements of Bengali temple architecture. The double-roofed architecture of thatched huts was replicated by Bengali temples. Square platforms were used to construct the temples. Burnt brick panels with figures in geometric patterns or substantial sculptural compositions served as the temples' adornment.

Dochala style

These served as models for many temples that were built in undivided Bengal. Construction materials used in ancient times included wood and bamboo. Bengal has alluvial soil, so there isn't a lot of stone there. The bricks that were utilized to build the architectural components were made from stone, wood, black salt, and granite. Bengal has two different types of temples: the Rekha type, which is smooth or ridged curvilinear, and the Bhadra form, which has horizontal tiers that gradually get smaller and is made up of the amalaka sila. Mughal architecture, including forts, havelis, gardens, caravanserais, hammams, and fountains, spread throughout the area during the Mughal era in Bengal. Mosques built by the Mughals in Bengal also took on a distinctive regional look. The two major centers of Mughal architecture were Dhaka and Murshidabad. The do-chala roof custom from North India was imitated by the Mughals.

Jorasako thakurbari

The Rasmancha is a heritage building located at Bishnupur, Bankura district, West Bengal.

Influence of the world on Bengal architecture: Although the Indo-Saracenic architectural style predominated in the area, Neo-Classical buildings from Europe were also present, particularly in or close to trading centers. While the majority of country estates had a stately country house, Calcutta, Dacca, Panam, and Chittagong all had extensive 19th and early 20th-century urban architecture that was equivalent to that of London, Sydney, or other British Empire towns. Calcutta experienced the onset of art deco in the 1930s. Indo-Saracenic architecture can be seen in Ahsan Manzil and Curzon Hall in Dhaka, Chittagong Court Building in Chittagong, and Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad.

Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad

The Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, designed by Vincent Esch also has Indo-Saracenic features, possibly inspired by the Taj Mahal. Additionally, Kolkata's bungalows, which are being demolished to make way for high-rise structures, have elements of art deco. The 1950s in Chittagong saw a continuation of Art Deco influences. The Bengali modernist movement, spearheaded by Muzharul Islam, was centered in East Pakistan. In the 1960s, many well-known international architects, such as Louis Kahn, Richard Neutra, Stanley Tigerman, Paul Rudolph, Robert Boughey, and Konstantinos Doxiadis, worked in the area.

The Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban

This iconic piece of contemporary Bangladeshi architecture, was created by Louis Kahn. Midsized skyscrapers dominate the cityscapes of contemporary Bengali cities, which are frequently referred to as "concrete jungles." With well-known architects like Rafiq Azam, architecture services play a key role in the urban economies of the area. Overall Bengal architecture was influenced by various contemporaries of their time and continues to evolve.

Gothic architectural style seen in St. Paul's Cathedral in Kolkata.

Zamindar era buildings in ruin.

Belur Math in Howrah

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jaesmart · 1 year

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The Putrescent Tea-Purveyor sits perched on a leaning stack of shipping crates, it’s many limbs folded neatly beneath it. Wreathed in shadows, you can barely tell that the Purveyor’s neck glistened with the movement of a thousand tiny organisms.

The maggots took its eyes long ago, but its crest of bony phalanges is riddled with olfactory orifices that can detect the subtle scents of oolong and assam. Their house-made tea, however, has a bitter note that coats the palate like an oil slick. It lingers and tastes of unrequited love, or perhaps orange pith.

#my art #art #fantasy art #horror art #artists on tumblr #digital illustration #wouldst thou like some tea?

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fatehbaz · 1 year

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Yes, it is critical to acknowledge the centrality of Britain to the world economy in order to understand how Chinese and Indian tea fitted into it. [...] Asian tea relied on forms of employment [...] such as independent family farms in China and indentured ‘coolies’ in India. [...] It would be very difficult to explain how and why Asian tea became driven by the modern dynamics of accumulation then, unless we connect China and India to the broader global division of labor, centered on the most cutting-edge industrial sectors in the north Atlantic. [...] But I also wish to reframe the idea of British capital as “protagonist,” because when we think about capital, agency is a weird thing. [...] Nothing about accumulation is inherently loyal to this or that region, though it has been concentrated in certain sites, such as nineteenth-century Britain or twentieth-century US, and it has been territorialized by nationalist institutions. Thus, although British firms drove the Asian tea trade at first, by the twentieth century Indian and Chinese nationalists alike protested British capital [...].

Most economic histories were focused on whether other countries could ever develop into nineteenth-century England. For labor historians, Mike Davis recently wrote, the “classical proletariat” was the working classes of the North Atlantic from 1838-1921. These modular assumptions jump out when you flip through the classics of Asian economic and labor history, almost always focused on some sort of textile industry (silk, cotton, jute) and in cities such as Shanghai, Osaka, Bombay, Calcutta. By contrast, I was really inspired by a field pioneered by South Asia scholars known as “global labor history” — especially the work of Jairus Banaji — which has been critical of the centrality of urban industry in economic history. Instead, these scholars reconsider labor in light of our current world of late capitalism, including transportation workers, agrarian families, servants, and unfree and coerced labor. These activities have enabled global capitalism to function smoothly for centuries but were overlooked because they did not share the spectacular novelty of the steam-powered factories of urban Europe, US, and Japan.

As far as how tea production worked: in simple terms, Chinese tea was a segmented trade and Indian tea was centralized in plantations known as ‘tea gardens.’ The Chinese trade relied on independent family farms, workshops in market towns, and porters ferrying tea to the coastal ports: Guangzhou (Canton) then later Fuzhou and Shanghai. By contrast, British officials and planters built Indian tea from scratch in Assam, which had not been nearly as commercialized as coastal China or Bengal. They first tried to replicate the ‘natural’ Chinese model of local agriculture and trade, but frustrated British planters ultimately decided to undertake all of the tasks themselves, from clearing the land to packaging the finished leaves. [...] Indian tea was championed as futuristic and mechanized. [...]

In India [...] the tea industry’s penal labor contract became one of the original cause célèbres of the nationalist movement in the 1880s. The plantations later became a site for strikes and hartals, the most famous occurring in the Chargola Valley in 1921. But even though tea workers chanted, “Gandhi Maharaj ki jai” at the time, Gandhi himself had allegedly visited Assam and declined to see the workers, meeting instead with British planters to assure them they were safe. While Indian nationalists had politicized indenture in Assam tea, their main complaint was the racialized split between British capital and Indian labor. Their remedy was not to liquidate the tea gardens but to diversify ownership over them. The cause of labor was subordinated to the nationalist struggle.

---

Words of Andrew B. Liu. As interviewed by Mark Frazier. Transcript published as “Andrew B. Liu - Tea War: A History of Capitalism in China and India.” Published online by India China Institute. 23 March 2020. [Some paragraph breaks and contractions added by me.]

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birlwrites · 11 months

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scrapbook snippet: seventh year

this is a warm-up i did, sort-of-vaguely set in the atfhv universe but i don't think it'll make any sort of actual appearance, just based on my general writing process.

featuring: soft established rosewater, talking about the future (referencing complications due to both of them being set up to inherit control of different noble houses), THE CHAISE

It's alarmingly easy to accept Evan's silent offer, sink onto the chaise in the space at his side. Regulus used to think of himself as more... well, independent. Desks and armchairs and twin beds. But the allure of this took hold of him around the same time that Evan did—sofas and loveseats and a chaise longue big enough for two, if they keep close.

A sofa is simpler, a bed more comfortable, but Regulus has a soft spot for the chaise. It was a gift from Hogwarts, after all.

Besides, he wants to keep close. Sometimes that's the only thing he knows for sure.

Evan's fingertips are light as they run through his hair, his voice soft. "My parents are giving me the townhouse as a graduation gift. If you wanted to know."

"I didn't know you had one." The Rosiers certainly don't spend any time there.

"That's what makes it such a good gift—now the upkeep is my responsibility instead of theirs. And someone gets some use out of it."

Regulus doesn't have to be a genius to figure out why Evan is bringing this up now. NEWTs are approaching, and then graduation will bear down upon them like a freight train, and their neighboring beds, their shared meals, even Regulus's office—they'll all vanish, relegated to a bygone era of their lives.

He knows what it's like to wake up without Evan nearby. There are the summer and winter holidays, after all. But they don't feel real in the way that Hogwarts does. They've always been temporary.

"What will your policy be on callers?" he says, because it's easier than what he wants to say.

Even as recently as fifty years ago, people got married younger—right out of Hogwarts. That was when they were beginning their adult lives, after all, and they wanted companions for the journey. They don't really do that anymore—there's no traditional flurry of proposals in the spring of seventh year, no flood of weddings every July and August.

Even if there were, it wouldn't be simple. Not for two heirs.

"Well, you can come over whenever you want," Evan says comfortably, and as expected as it is, Regulus still feels a little warmer because of it. "There'll be a private Floo in the drawing room. I'll give you the address. You'll just need to come over an hour or so before mealtimes if you want food."

"Very practical."

"And I'll make sure there's Assam."

Regulus is already pressed against Evan's side, but he's momentarily swept away by the urge to press even closer, impossibly so—he has to content himself with hooking one leg over Evan's, pressing his lips to Evan's collarbone maybe a little too hard, and Evan stops stroking Regulus's hair to hug him almost tightly enough.

"Get a chaise too," Regulus says to Evan's neck, just to hear him laugh.

"Consider it done." He loosens his hold, goes back to stroking Regulus's hair—it's practically habitual for Evan at this point. "Purple again, or shall we branch out?"

"How are we meant to choose furniture colors when we haven't seen the rooms?"

"Oh, I'd redecorate if necessary." Like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Even if I said I wanted bright orange and green stripes with silver trim?"

"You came up with that design concerningly fast."

"You are, as ever, tactful about your instantaneous rejections."

That makes Evan laugh again. "If you really wanted that, I'd at least take you to a Healer for a health screening before saying no."

"How reassuring."

A few breaths pass, soft, even, before Evan says quietly, "We could pretend you lived there too."

Regulus has to shut his eyes.

"I know you can't, not really," Evan says, and the gentle movement of his fingers through Regulus's hair seems restless rather than absent-minded, or maybe neither. "But we could pretend."

Regulus pictures it—a townhouse, new to them both, a master bedroom meant for two and two only, a pantry full of whatever they want, invitations addressed to both of them, a fabulously ugly chaise longue photographed for posterity before being completely reupholstered however Evan wants it, because really, Regulus doesn't care. He wouldn't care even if it were utterly hideous. He'd just look at Evan instead.

He'll just look at Evan instead.

"It's not impossible," Regulus says, because it's easier than I'll make it possible. "Just very, very complicated."

Evan hums in agreement. "Is now when I'm meant to say that you do like complicated, or were you not setting up a punchline?"

"I like complicated." Regulus kisses Evan's collarbone again. "We'll figure it out."

#birl writes #birl's scrapbook #dark lord wip #hp

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imperfectorange · 1 year

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Celebrating Makar Sankranti in India

Every year Makar Sankranti falls on the 14th or 15th of January, and there’s a good reason for that too. The term “Sankranti” refers to the movement of the Sun from one Zodiac to another, so there are a grand total of 12 Sankrantis. What makes Makar Sankranti special? During Makar Sankranti, the Sun moves from Sagittarius or Dhanu Rashi to Capricorn or Makar Rashi, in numerous ways this signifies a new beginning. The Sun which moves into the Northern Hemisphere leads to longer days and the end of the Indian Winter. It falls during the harvest season, with freshly cut crops offered to gods and subsequently eaten. The period signifies “fertility” and bursting into action after the slow and delirious winter season. It ushers in the “auspicious” part of the year which lasts until Karkata Sankranti which falls somewhere in July. It is also the only festival celebrated going by the solar calendar. The contrast between the cozy western holiday season and the vibrant onset of Hindu fertility is an abrupt transition but goes perfectly with the hopeful nature of the new year.

All over India, Makar Sankranti is celebrated in different ways with each one doing their own thing. 14th/15th January signifies not one or two but many festivals.

In Tamil Nadu, the festival is known as Pongal, which translates to “to boil, overflow” and freshly cut rice is cooked with milk and jaggery. The Tamil version can be traced back to the Chola empire, so roughly around the 9th to 13th century. Spread over three days (and a lesser-known fourth day), each day has its own significance. The first day is known as Bhogi Pongal or Indran and focuses on cleaning the house, as each member dusts and scrubs until every surface is squeaky clean. The second day is called Thai Pongal or Surya Pongal and is the most important day, the Pongal is made and first offered to the gods, then the cattle, and only after that are the family members allowed to have it. The third day is spent grooming and worshipping the cattle.

Uttayaran in Gujarat can only be defined by one word, “vibrant”. Strewn across skies are kites that made for a tapestry. There is an industry revolving around this particular time of the year, as kite sales skyrocket (pun intended) and officials from different countries come to participate in kite competitions. The reason behind flying kites is that being out in the Sun after the winter helps kill germs and be more exposed to Vitamin D. Dishes like Undhiyo that are nearing the end of their season are relished for the last time.

If we go farther North, we come across Lohri, the Punjabi variant of Makar Sankranti. The folklore attached to Lohri is of a man known as Dulla Bhat, who lived during the reign of Emperor Akbar. He used to steal from the rich and distribute it among the poor. In his honor, people sing “Sundar Mundriye” during Lohri. This story is different than the religious and godly myths surrounding the other festivals, and it’s fascinating how a festival honors a man who worked for the needy. Punjab is a largely agrarian state, so the festivities are rooted in harvesting crops. People get together around huge bonfires and eat everything from Chikki to Saro ka Saag.

There are tons of other festivals on this day, in Assam it's called Magh Bihu with games like tekeli-bhonga (pot-breaking) and buffalo fighting taking place. In Bihar, locals have chuda-dahi (beaten rice and yogurt) and a portion of gur (jaggery), and in Bengal, it’s called Poush Sankranti and have sweets like pithe, patishapta, etc. with rice and palm jaggery.

- Priyanshu

Painting Credits: Ladies on a Terrace Kite-fighting, circa 1775.

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arup-saikia · 11 months

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BIHU:ORIGIN ,TRANSITION AND MODERNITY By Arup Saikia

India is land of festival. Culturally regional nationalism is main uniting thread of socially, politically diverse country like India. Bihu is national festival of entire Indian state of Assam.

Nobody knows when or how bihu was created ,but it is invariably confluence of three major cultures of Austro-Asiatic,Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman.Later many immigrants from India and abroad including Muslims imbibe the Assamese culture and subscribe to flourish Bihu syncretizing with their own cultural elements and finally attained today's form.There is three different types of Bihu-Kati,Magh and Bohag celebrated in three agricultural period of life.

BIHU WORD:Deori people called Bihu as BISU(excessive joy). With historical evidence Bihu was carried by Deori, Chutiya and Kachari people from late twelve century in Sadiya based Chutiya Kingdom.But other Bodo kachari tribes like Tiwa,Rava,Mikir,Dimasa celebrate Bihu as Busu,Pisu,Busy Dima or Dumsi etc.But Bodo has uniquely address Bihu as Baisagu.Later simplified and partially sanskritised name popularly became Bihu.

RELIGIOUS ORIGIN OF BIHU: Bihu has been celebrated by various tribes of Bodo-kachari origin since ancient times. But as stated above mediaeval Bihu is started from Sadiya Kingdom led by Chutiya.Copperplate inscription was found in Lakhimpur district (Erstwhile part of chutiya empire). Where, clearly mentioned,king Lakshminarayan on 1401AD granted land to Brahmins on auspicious occasion of Bihu.

Bihu performance started from first week of Assamese month CHOT to last intervening night until start of month BOHAG.On the floors of THAAN(temples) dedicated to KECHAI-KHATI,DIKKARAVASINI or KOLIMOTI.Youngsters danced throughout night until last intervening night of CHOT.Being performed in night, this is called Rati(night) bihu. Very vigorous dancing postures of dancers believed to be attributes of Goddess.This is considered as indication of Goddess (Kolimoti)descended from heaven. Urukuwa or uruka start after perceived arrival of Goddess Kolimoti or Kechai-khati on earth in the end of month chot.Urukuwa or uruka is Sadiya-Kachari term means to end.

Next day of Uruka is Goru(cattle)bihu.On night of Goru bihu young people again danced in temples sacrificing animals to Deity.Then young people in folk visited village households to perform bihu which is called HUSORI.The tradition of starting HUSORI from temples by Sadiya-Kachari and other Tibet-Burma people gradually replaced by NAMGHAR(Assamese prayer house)for Arayan influence.Human sacrifices were also done on altar of Sadiya.But on occasion of Bihu it's clearly not known.

THEME OF BIHU:

Bohag or Rongali bihu is originally dance-centric natural platform for youngsters to express love and joy. First lyrics of bihu were called 'Bonoriya Geet 'i.e wild song of young hearts longing for lovers. 'Bonoriya Geet'(wild song)or bihu rooted its origin in paddy fields, jungle while grazing cattle far away from human settlements- suitable place to express suppressed longing and craving through these songs. Therefore songs have erotic undertone.

BIHU AND BHAKTI MOVEMENT:

During bhakti (devotion)or neo vaishnavite movement from 15th century onwards under Assamese polymath,social reformer Saint Sankerdeva and teachings of his newly created religion EK SARAN(Motto-one supreme soul in universe)more energetically synthesized Assamese society breaking strict age old boundaries of caste or class system.

Although there was no direct influence on bihu for social renaissance-Sankerdeva has initiated by preaching his revolutionary religion (EK SARAN or devotional movement).But way and outlook of bihu perfomance had been changed dramatically. Some spiritually refined words and name of some hindu Gods taken in HUSORI(one kind of male bihu).Praying and blessing in the name of hindu Gods in Husori is effect of Bhakti movement.

ROYAL RECOGNITION OF BIHU :

During heyday of Ahom dynasty on 1696 Ahom monarch Rudra Singha patronized bihu for the first time by inviting or permitting to perform in courtyard of Ranghar (house of joy).Immediately once considered a low key festival celebrated by few in riverbank or cultivation field,became widespread festival embraced by all people traversing different ethnic groups, caste and communities. Consequently a new form of Assamese cultural nationalism had emerged.Songs are changed from erotic or sensuous to panergyric type i.e-song sung praising king and his deeds.

PARTICIPATION OF FEMALE:

Exact date isn't known when male and female allowed to dance together, which once considered social taboo.It's probably after royal recognition under Ahom monarchy,both sexes were started to participate together in bihu.

BIHU UNDER BRITISH RULE:As a result of treaty of yandaboo(1826)signed between British and Burma, British entered and began to rule Assam. Before advent of British,Assam was politically ruled by two administration-one by Ahom dynasty in almost upper Assam upto Nowgong and lower Assam from Nowgong onwards by koch kingdom .British virtually unified Assam and cultural exchange began between two prior disbanded state.Eventually popularity of bihu spread to lower Asssm also and incarnated as festival of whole Assam.

However in nineteenth century some new english educated Assamese intelligentsia like Haliram Dhekial Phukan, Anandaram Dhekial Phukan, Gunabhiram Baruah, Kamalakanta Bhattacharya demoralized Bihu as dance of vulgar and barbarian. But by grace of cultural maestro Jyoti prasad Agarwala, literateur Lakshminath Bezbaruah, Poet Raghunat Choudhury, social worker Radha Govinda Baruah, Bihu had been widely promoted.

TYPES OF BOHAG BIHU:The most popular unique show of Bohag bihu is dance ,variably associated with different kind of bihu.

(I)HUSORI=Performed on courtyard of villagers started in 1896 in the courtyard of Ranghar (house of joy).Previously male only troupe, but now females also participate.

(II)MUKOLI BIHU =Performed in open space, boys and girls mingling together.

(III)JENG BIHU/RATI BIHU=Traditionally it is direct counterpart of men only HUSORI. Performed by women folk only.In JENG bihu no musical instrument is used.RATI Bihu is supposed to celebrate at night away from men's eye symbolizing women liberation. Repertoire is the same of JENG bihu.

(IV)GOS TOLOR BIHU=Bihu under a banyan or big tree.It is previous version of MUKOLI bihu.

(V)FAAT BIHU =Prevalent modern postures of Bihu dance imitated from Faat bihu.Celebrated in Mohguli Chapori near Charikoriya river of Dhakuwakhana. It is one of the oldest Bihu of Assam.Faat means trading place or torn out. It's believed that traders from different places assembled there for bihu celebration.Moreover sections of people dispersed from Sadiya for Ahom-Chutiya conflict believed to be main motivational force behind this festival.For uncontrolled excitement and gaieties performers clothes were torn into strips and musical instruments were cracked. So this Bihu may be named as FAAT Bihu.

DIFFERENT DANCE AND ORCHESTRA

(I)KHUPAT DHORA DANCE =Female bihu dancers dance swaying to orchestra of Dhol(drum),Tal(cymbals) Hutuli(made from mud),flute, Toka and Gogona(both are made of bamboo).This dance posture is to place dancers' hands at the nape of their neck.

(II)TAKURI GHURA NACH=Dancing very speedily and pirouetting at the same place,dancers partially became invisible.

(III)POKHILA URADI NACH=Dancing like butterfly. Hands move like wings of a butterfly.

DIFFERENT FOOTSTEPS IN DANCE :

(I)MOKORA BULONI=Dancers move their feet like a spider.

(II)PORUA BULONI=The feet motion of a dancer is like an ant,goes in row to particular direction.

PRESENT BIHU =Bihu survives since time immemorial through many socio-cultural upheavals changing its form as time demands. Starting from farmland ,Bihu reached digital world via stage, will remain alive as long as Assamese live.

ABOUT WRITER:Arup Saikia is an alumnus of Delhi University. He is noted cultural activist, actor, scriptwriter and poet-authored two poetry books namely SILPI SATTA and SABDA.As director ,actor and translator he has performed BHAONA in English language for the first time from Assam in India and abroad.

email [email protected] phone -+919954050690

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drfoxdoeshistory · 13 days

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This is the first week where I’ve almost felt like I knew what I was doing. I finally finished the fox model and have the reference pictures for the locations, so those are going to be the bulk of what I spend my time on. The rigging/ animation process is interesting; rigging is a very delicate process where you want to adjust the character to match the skeleton/ rig as much as possible. Putting that in looked simple but it took forever because everything had to be very precisely lined up in order for the body to move in the proper places. A really bizarre issue was that after syncing the material and the rig, I’d move the legs and the skeleton would be visible underneath. Now here’s where some stupid stuff happened: the visible skeleton prompted me to restart more than once, and come to find out it’s because I didn’t clear the metra rig. Now, what the heck is the meta rig? The best way I can describe it is to say that’s like when a snake sheds its skin; when the rig gets joined with the character materials, a hollow rig is left behind and needs to be deleted. So all of those times I cleared out the rig after seeing the ghost rig were for nothing.

Once the rig was in, I started experimenting with animation, and it’s fairly straightforward but time consuming. You can go frame by frame and move the figure around like stop motion, which is a great amount of freedom, but it requires a lot of delicacy and patience. I’ve got the head nods, tail movements and some waving down pretty well but the walking around will need practice. I also have my reference images to build the locations. I have two maps for background, a college library checkout, a picture of the fields in Assam and then a couple back up pictures. They won’t look perfect but people should at least be able to tell what they are. Grant has a snowy village type location he does a tutorial for that will be the fox home but whether it’s in the first iteration of this short will depend on time. I haven’t investigated how to do the voiceover so that’ll be the next thing I figure out. This MIGHT be possible. MIGHT.

#academia #history #filmmaking #british history #foxes

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shivshaktimachtech · 1 month

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Front and Back Labeling Machine

Front and Back Labeling Machine: Company Overview: Shiv Shakti Machtech operates as a Manufacturer, Exporter, and Supplier of Front and Back Labeling Machine in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. These versatile machines cater to sectors such as pharmaceuticals and food packaging, among others. Specifically designed for labeling bottles, boxes, or containers, they ensure consistent results in diverse manufacturing environments. The Front and Back Labeler Machines are known for their innovative design and reliability, crafted with meticulous attention to detail. The machines combine precision and efficiency, employing advanced sensors and servo motors for accurate label placement. Customizable settings allow adaptation to different product shapes and sizes. Streamlined process execution from product entry to label application embodies operational excellence. Features: Adjustable settings accommodate various product dimensions. The user-friendly design ensures seamless operation. Robust construction ensures longevity. Precision label placement underscores commitment to excellence. Technical Specifications: Programmable Logic Controller (PLC): Yes Gap between Two Labels: Maximum 3mm Country of Origin: Made in India Brand: Shiv Shakti Machtech Direction Of Movement: Left to Right Dispensing Motor: Servo Motor Label Roll Diameter: Outer Roll Dia - Maximum 300mm Conveyor Height: 850mm I Deal In: New Only Bottle Type: Flat Bottles and Containers Automation Grade: Automatic Usage/Application: Sticker Labeling Shiv Shakti Machtech is the Supplier of Front and Back Labeling Machines in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, and various locations across the country, including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. For further details, please feel free to contact Shiv Shakti Machtech Read the full article

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