Oh God. This Is Disturbing.

I love seeing such parallels. It gives so much perspective to look at things. And identify the flaws in how information is just fed to us.

‘India-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’ is like saying ‘Israeli-Occupied West-Bank’, it delegitimises indigenous sovereignty over their traditional lands.

‘Pakistan’ is just like ‘Palestine’ in that it was a lie made up to ensure Islamist domination of the regions they were losing control of.

Kashmir is India the same way Judea is Israel

All Eyes on Kashmir

It just did. Pakistan did violate the ceasefire. I heard from a friend from Jammu.

New development.

It is highly likely that Pakistan agreed to de-escalation and ceasefire due to pressure by China and USA. India taking down multiple F-16 among others may have put USA in China in a very awkward position

This was an overall win for India as India took down their air bases and bunch of terrorists. it is likely that Pakistan may break the ceasefire again or try to commit another terror attack in Indian territory. India has already announced that any further terror attacks in Indian territory will be considered an act of war.

Mata Durga temple at Manali Mall Road

I loved the daffodils that were offering to Mata. Loved the little art on the gold plates.

The maati(soil) of Awadh

Awadh exists in the same region as the ancient Kaushal kingdom with Ayodhya as its capital. Which was for some time moved to Shrawasti and later moved to Lucknow. People in Awadh region speak Awadhi.

The word "Awadh" comes from Ayodhya (must have heard the song "holi khele raghubeera awadh me, holi khele raghubeera")

The Awadhi language belongs to the prakrit family of Indic languages. It differs widely from the other languages spoken in Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring Bihar.

For more context, Bhojpuri belongs to the language family in which you'd also find Bengali, Odia, Assamese and Magahi, Maithili and others.

Also, want to make it clear that Awadhi is not a dialect of Hindi. It is a language of its own.

It has a wide variety of artforms that still exist to this day like bhakti geet, bhajans, plays and storytelling, various forms of dance forms, various forms of lok geet and lok sangeet.

Understanding Hindu Scriptures-

Hinduism consists of an extensive collection of ancient religious writings and oral accounts that expound upon eternal truths, some of which Hindus believe to have been divinely revealed and realized by their ancient sages and enlightened individuals. Hindu scriptures (such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Agamas, and Puranas), epics (the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana), lawbooks, and other philosophical and denominational texts, have been passed on for generations through an oral and written tradition.

Since spiritual seekers have different levels of understanding, scriptural teachings are presented in a variety of ways to provide guidance to all seekers. Scripture in Hinduism, however, does not have the same place as it does in many other religious traditions. While the Vedas and other sacred writings are considered valid sources for knowledge about God, other means of knowledge, such as personal experience of the Divine, are regarded highly as well. Some Hindu philosophers have taught that these other means of knowledge should be seen as secondary to scripture. But other Hindu philosophers have taught that religious experience can be considered equal or even superior to scriptural teachings.

Hindu scriptures are classified broadly into two categories: Shruti and Smriti. The word Shruti literally means "heard", and consists of what Hindus believe to be eternal truths akin to natural law. Hindus believe these truths are contained in the vibrations of the universe. It was the ancient sages, Hindus say, who realized these eternal truths through their meditation, and then transmitted them orally. The term Shruti is generally applied to the Vedas and includes the Upanishads, which constitute the fourth and final part of the Vedas. These texts are revered as "revealed" or divine in origin and are believed to contain the foundational truths of Hinduism. Eternal truths are said to be realized by those with open and spiritual minds.

The second category of scripture is Smriti, which literally means "memory," and is distinguished from Shruti in terms of its origin. These texts are designed to help Hindus "remember" the teachings of Shruti. For many Hindus, all other scriptural texts are loosely classified as Smriti. Teachings in Smriti texts are meant to be read and interpreted in light of changing circumstances over kala (time), desha (land), and guna (personality). These texts are intended to create structure for society, and must be flexible in response to changing history, geography, and communities.

Although there is variation across Hindu denominations in regard to what is classified Shruti or Smriti, a discussion of the major Hindu scriptures follows.

Shruti Texts -

Vedas:

The word Veda means "knowledge". There are four Vedas: Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva, of which the Rig Veda is the oldest. It has over 10,000 mantras that deal with a wide range of topics. Some Hindus see the Vedas as texts expounding on rituals and Gods, whereas others see them as teaching metaphysical and spiritual truths about God and the soul. While there is general agreement that the Vedas are at least over three thousand years old, there is little agreement on just how old they are. Evidence is scarce and estimates of their age vary widely, from 1200 BCE to thousands of years earlier than that.

Upanishads: These texts contain an extensive exploration of the methods of understanding the self, God, and the nature of the world. There are more than a hundred Upanishads. The Upanishads, along with the Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras, constitute the primary basis for the practice of Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge.

Smriti Texts -

Upavedas: The Upavedas consist of four main texts. The first text deals with ayurveda, the science of health and life, and outlines how to cure disease and prevent it. Dhanurveda is about the science of warfare. Gandharvaveda is the study of aesthetics, and delineates art forms such as singing, dancing, writing poetry, creating sculptures, etc. The Arthashastra deals with public administration, governance, economy, and politics.

Vedangas: There are a number of auxiliary texts known collectively as Vedanga- some of them are considered Shruti, but they fall under Smriti for the most part. They cover a range of topics: oral chanting of scripture (shiksha), grammar (vyakarana), prosody (chhandas), etymology (nirukta), astronomy (yotisha), and obligatory rituals (kalpa).

Puranas: Stories in the Puranas translate the meanings of the ancient Shruti scriptures and teach them to the masses by explaining the teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads through stories and parables. There are eighteen major Puranas (Mahapuranas) and many minor ones (upapuranas) that have compiled stories and narratives over many centuries, Each Purana tells stories around a principal character- either about a specific form of the Divine (or God) or a sage. They cover a wide range of sacred and secular topics such as the manifestations of God; teachings on dharma, karma, death, and rebirth; the use of mantras and other religious observances; the significance of sacred sites for pilgrimages; the importance of service; genealogies of kings and sages; cosmology; ayurveda; and astrology. Ancient, modern, and contemporary Hindu beliefs and religious practices are derived in large part from the Puranas.

Ramayana: This popular epic tells the life story the noble prince named Rama, whom Hindus believe to be an incarnation of the Divine. Prince Rama suffers year of exile and many hardships while destroying powerful demons before returning to rule his kingdom. This epic portrays several characters who embody ideal qualities and conduct. Among them are Rama himself as the ideal man; Sita as the ideal woman and emblem of strength; Hanuman as the ideal devotee of Rama; and Lakshmana and Bharata as devoted brothers. There are numerous versions of the Ramayana, of which the most well-known are those by the original author Sage Valmiki and the poet-saint Tulsidas. These texts are recited by devoted Hindus at the home and in devotional gatherings, and are also the basis for popular children's stories, dances, and dramatic performances. Additionally, many consult the scripture for guidance on everyday life. Homages to the Ramayana can be seen all around Southeast Asia through architecture and dramatic renderings of the epic.

Mahabharata: With over 100,000 verses, the Mahabharat is a historical epic, and is the longest poem the world has known. It is seven times the combined length of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Based on an extended conflict between two branches of the Kaurava family, the Mahabharata is a trove of stories and discourses on the practice of Dharma. As a scripture, its primary messages are the importance of truth, justice, self sacrifice, and the upholding of Dharma, the need for complete devotion to God, and the ultimate futility of war. Embedded in the Mahabharata is a text of special scriptural significance -- the Bhagavad Gita.

Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad Gita is a primary scripture for Hindus. Although it is a tiny part of the Mahabharata and technically classed as a Smriti text, it is traditionally accorded the rank of an Upanishad. The Bhagavad Gita is believed to divulge a number of truths and life lessons by Krishna, who Hindus believe to be an incarnation of the Divine. Krishna is speaking to Arjun, a warrior prince, who is in the middle of a battlefield trying to decide whether it is dharmic or not to fight in a war with his family members, friends, and teachers. Krishna describes to Arjun why it is dharmic for him to pick up arms in this situation, and fight the force that is disrupting peace for citizens all over India. Though fighting goes against the idea of ahimsa, or non-violence, Arjun's dharma as a prince is to use his skills to fight injustice to make his kingdom a safe and peaceful place for all his citizens. The Bhagavad Gita is meant to help one understand that upholding dharma can be challenging, especially in situations where there is not a clear right or wrong. In modern times, many people, including non-Hindus, have read the Gita.

Dharma Shastras: This class of texts that explains how Dharma is maintained in daily life. The texts deal with a wide range of topics: the responsibilities of each ashrama (stage of life), civil and criminal law, dietary rules, festivals, pilgrimages, charity, etc. Since these texts are part of Smriti, not Shruti, their teachings are subject to re-interpretation to suit differences in time and place. There are numerous texts composed by various authors over many centuries.

Darshana Shastras: These are six philosophical texts that are the basis for the six major schools of Hindu philosophy. Two of the most widely studied are the Brahma Sutras by Sage Vyasa and the Yoga Sutras by Sage Patanjali.

Agama Shastras: Ancient and numerous, including many that have been lost over the centuries, these texts deal with practical aspects of devotion and worship, including personal and temple rituals and practices.

Bhakti Texts: From ancient to contemporary times the teachings, poems, and songs composed by saints in regional languages have been a major source of inspiration. They convey simple messages of devotion, dharma, and spiritual practice through the language of the local people throughout all parts of India and beyond

The plethora of scriptures is not as bewildering as they might appear at first sight. Most Hindus receive their religious education from family traditions and discourses by spiritual leaders. Individual Hindus follow the prayers and teachings of the sect to which they belong and possibly the more specific teachings of a guru (spiritual teacher). Few directly access the Vedas and Upanishads that provide the foundation for all other scriptures in Hinduism, many read commentaries about these scriptures instead. The stories from the Puranas and epics and songs composed by saints are the most common vehicles of religious education.

Key Takeaways-

• The Vedas are the foundational texts of Hinduism

• Hindu scriptures are numerous and diverse and are meant to provide a guide to each individual on their unique path

चैत्र नवरात्रि

सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।

शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

the love of my life, the queen of my heart, the very essence of my being, my salvation, my dearest, my beloved, may each breath comes out of me be an offering to your lotus feet.

Just like they entered Mumbai and attacked on 26/11

Ever since I posted about India's attack on Pakistan, my replies have been flooding with people coming ton defend India. so this is for all of you.

firstly, let me start off by saying that I do condemn the Phalgam attacks and believe that it was an act of insanity and cowardice done by mentally deranged individuals who think that killing innocent people based on their religious beliefs is Islam. I can assure you, it most decidedly is not. Islam tells us to fight only those who are fighting us, hence, the only form of fighting allowed in Islam is self defense. So, whatever those individuals did in the name of Islam was a contortion of what the religion is all about.

Now, coming on to what India did, and how the people in my replies are tripping over themselves to defend it.

On may 7th 2025, India launched a series of missile attacks on Pakistan, hitting the cities of Bhawalpur, Muzzaffarbad, and others, targeting mosques and civilian areas in the dead of night. This attack took the life of an innocent child, and two civilians.

their reasoning for this attack? Pakistan organized the Kashmir attack, and the mosques targeted were housing terrorists. Firstly, HOW THE FUCK DID INDIA'S SECURITY DROP SO LOW ON THE LINE OF CONTROL THAT "PAKISTANI" TERRORISTS WERE ABLE TO CREEP IN?

And secondly, if India is so fucking sure that it was Pakistani Terrorists, WHERE THE FUCK IS THE PROOF THAT THEY ASKED FOR? WHERE THE FUCK IS THE INVESTIGATION THAT PAKISTAN ASKED FOR? HOW THE FUCK DID INDIA KNOW IN LITERAL FIVE MINUTES THAT IT WAS PAKISTAN?

Everything about this screams an unfounded and utterly baseless claim that Pakistan is housing Kashmiri terrorists.

But coming back to causalities, where, if I may remind you, were not terrorists found. There was not a single piece of evidence that proves the housing, or even the existence of terrorists in those civilian areas.

The only thing that those attacks achieved was that they proved the inhumane nature of the Indian civilians. All night on twitter, the Indian side was up in arms, loudly and boldly celebrating the death of a child.

This is exactly what Israel did in Palestine. They claimed that places in Gaza were terrorist bases, and the leveled the entire city. They said that there was a terror base under AL Shifa hospital and bombed it. And guess what? THEY DID NOT FIND A SINGLE TERRORIST UNDER THE HOSPITAL. They said that there was a terror base in the elementary school. they bombed it to ashes. and guess what? THERE WAS ALSO NOT A SINGLE A TERRORIST IN THE SCHOOL, JUST INNOCENT CHILDREN. Now, the entire city is leveled, not a single building left standing.

That is what India plans to do with Pakistan. And we will not let that happen.

चैती गीत

Let's talk about Chaiti (चैती)

It is a folk song genre sung in Awadhi and Bhojpuri in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Nepal and neighbouring areas.

Chaiti is specifically sung during the month of चैत्र—or as we call it in Awadhi, चैत—where it gets its name from. The most important aspect of a chaiti for me is the usage of रामा. I have never heard of a chaiti without it.

There are devotional songs—especially sung during राम नवमी and चैत्र नवरात्र. There are songs about the season itself—the koel’s call, the flowers that blossom in spring, and mango trees, the changing weather. And then there are the songs of yearning (बिरहा), sung by a बिरहन, a woman in longing. Why? Because spring is here, but the one she wants to experience it with is not.

Like this one here by the brilliant Girija Devi ji -

I don't really lean towards either left or right. Because there are times when the left is right about some things and the right is wrong about some things.

But some of the people on the left need to leave indigenous people's business to them. Don't try to fight their battles for them. Especially not when you are literally trying to frame them as the villain, without knowing the truth.

The left only wants validation from others for always supporting the right thing while being blissfully unaware of what the right thing actually is.

So go ahead and assume I'm a right wing Hindutva activist if I follow hinduism, do not like the abrahaic religions because of their teachings, and acknowledge the atrocities hindus have faced in the past, and are facing in the current timeline.

Atleast, I'm talking about people who have similar views and beliefs as me, people who really need a voice, people belonging to a place I belong to, people who look like me, talk like me, worship our gods and the nature like me, while you are still crying about a place that you have no business talking about, aka Gaza. If you really cared about people, you'd acknowledge that Hindus in Bengal are going through the same thing that islamic people are "supposedly* going through in Gaza.

This is exactly why I started sharing posts/screenshots from tumblr. Yes I branded it as "in my activist era✨" because yes I wanna voice out my opinions and views. Not just about Hinduism, hinduphobia, but also feminism, and LGBTQ issues, and environmental issues.

I have many followers who are good friends and support Gaza and are leftists. But if I have still stayed friends despite not agreeing to their views, they do have a choice to be friends with me if I have different opinions than them. So yes so far I haven't lost any followers/friends over it. And I hope I don't.

Some conversations I’ve had with Hindus: “I can’t post about hinduphobia because I don’t want to upset the friends who follow me-”

Me: first of all why are you friends with people who would be upset with you for posting about Hinduphobia? And why do their opinions matter to you more than fellow dead Hindus?