Need to change the name/title again. It's been almost two weeks.
Via Google News, a Reuters AlertNet story:
05 Sep 2002 06:30 Nepal rebel says "won't allow" November electionA Maoist leader fighting Nepal's constitutional monarchy was quoted on Thursday as saying that rebels will not allow the nation to hold an election set for November.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in May dissolved parliament and ordered the election, 18 months ahead of schedule, amid a row over the extension of a state of emergency allowing soldiers a free hand in trying to crush the revolt that has claimed over 4,700 lives.
"We will not allow the polls to be held," Maoist leader Bikalpa (eds: one name) told the Kathmandu Post in an interview.
The newspaper said Bikalpa was in charge of guerrilla operations in Kathmandu where rebels have set off a wave of bomb blasts since emergency rule expired last week.
For those of you just joining us, the constitutional monarchy, which is supported by neighboring China in their struggle with Maoist insurgents, has been. . . no, I can't follow it either.
Anyone know where I might have heard the name Parvati? Could have been someone I knew, might have popped up in some film/book/comic/tv show. Devi, I know, was the main character in I Feel Sick by Jhonen Vasquez. Uma, we all know. Determining what these names have in common is left as an exercise for the reader.
The Art Institute in Chicago has an extensive collection of Asian Art, and since paying for the upcoming trip is no longer a problem, I'm looking forward to checking it out again. I'm still fairly clueless about Buddhist iconography, but at least I know the term mudra now.
The varada mudra is the gesture of bestowing compassion. Give it a try next time you feel yourself getting pissed. Hard to make a fist, hold a weapon or type flames when you're trying to get that right. Couldn't hurt, might help.
Want to know more? See November 2000's Article of the Month, Green Tara and White Tara - Feminist Ideals in Buddhist Art, and try to figure out if feminism is the right term to apply to Buddhism in any way, shape or form.
The story of Tara's origin, according to the Tara Tantra, recounts that aeons ago she was born as a king's daughter. A spiritual and compassionate princess, she regularly gave offerings and prayers to the ordained monks and nuns. She thus developed great merit, and the monks told her that, because of her spiritual attainments, they would pray that she be reborn as a man and spread Buddhist teachings. She responded that there was no male and no female, that nothing existed in reality, and that she wished to remain in female form to serve other beings until everyone reached enlightenment, hence implying the shortfall in the monk's knowledge in presuming only male preachers for the Buddhist religion. Thus Tara might be considered one of the earliest feminists.
I dunno, I gots my own reading to do.
Jeannine Parvati Baker? She writes all sorts of stuff about feminism and childbirth. You might have heard of her in your studies.
Oh, and alright alright! I'll get that zine to you as soon as I can pry this child from my arm. (meaning sometime in the next 18 years.)
AND the Art Inst has a collection of furoshiki on display right now, too! Japanese textiles, rah!
'm still not convinced about feminism in Buddhism, though- at least not in its Chinese or Japanese variations- too much Confuscianism running around there.
And back to pop culture . . . Parvati Patil is one of the twins that Ron Weasley and Harry Potter end up taking to a dance in the fourth Harry Potter book.
Yes, of *course* I'm properly embarassed.
Originally, the Hindu Goddess in Her aspect as wife, right?
Consort of Shiva, yes. And that was the reference floating in the back of my brainmeats. Thanks.
Suppose this is slightly better than only associating the name Madonna with Mrs. Guy Ritchie. . .
Neo, I am clearly too ignorant to address anything on this issue. Or most issues, if it comes to that.
Dru, no worries.