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La vita è come una stoffa ricamata della quale ciascuno nella propria metà dell'esistenza può osservare il diritto, nella seconda invece il rovescio: quest'ultimo non è così bello, ma più istruttivo, perché ci fa vedere l'intreccio dei fili.
(Arthur Schopenhauer)
Of the many bizarre and strange customs and festivals observed in India, the Koothandavar festival of Koovagam is one among them. The very basis of the festival, its associated rituals and the people involved make it the weirdest possible celebration on earth. A celebration of love and death, of sacrifice and life.
The small hamlet of Koovagam is present in the Vizhuppuram district of Tamil Nadu, making it virtually a ‘nothing’. However, once a year this tiny village turns into the biggest camp for transgenders from all over the country. They gather in flocks to take part in the rituals of the festival which lasts for 18 days, culminating on chitra pournami (april-may).
Story behind this
A festival which has its base rooted into the depths of the Mahabharatha war, Krishna’s cunningness and the noble nature of a very valiant young man.
War between the Pandavas and Kauravas was imminent. There was no way that a war could be averted, thus saving millions of innocent human lives. Krishna, as the protector of the universe was worried about the outcome of the war. It was true that he could intervene with his divine powers and avert catastrophe, but humans are required to decide their own fates. That’s what the vedas and shastras say. But still, he wanted the Pandavas to win the war, for he was on their side and their doings were just and moral. This would be the ultimate “Good wins over Bad” story if it went along as he desired.
Having no choice, he goes to Sahadeva who is blessed with the talent of accurately forecasting the future and reading horoscopes, Sahadeva rolled his Shozhi (shells used to help in prediction) and after several calculations looked up and said “To attain victory in the upcoming war, you need to sacrifice a man filled with all the good qualities of Valor, strength, bravery, beauty and such, to the goddess of war, Kali. He who first performs this sacrifice will gain the blessings of Kali and win the war”,
All along his way back his mind was filled with a single thought, “Is there anyone… Anyone else, other than Arjuna who can match the requirements of sacrifice? Anyone at all?” He pleaded, only to be met by a stunning silence. Krishna’s heart shattered at the thought of losing a dear friend. He felt light headed and started to sway with dizziness, when a voice cut through his haziness.
“Am I eligible to be sacrificed?” the voice asked. Looking for the source of the voice, Krishna’s eyes land on a very handsome man, dressed as a warrior and bearing resemblances to Arjuna. “Who are you, may I know?” questioned Krishna, as hope revived in his heart.
“I am Aravaan, the son of Arjuna, born to the Naaga princess Chithrangadha, through an illicit wedlock. I have come here to help bring victory to my father and his brothers. And if I can indeed help them win by sacrificing myself, then I am ready to die.” he proclaimed.
Krishna is flooded with relief. Using his divine powers, he comes to know that Aravaan is indeed a warrior par excellence, full of good qualities and excellent character. “He would make the perfect sacrifice to Kali”, Krishna thought and he beckoned Aravaan to come with him. He introduced Aravaan to the Pandavas including to Arjuna, his father (what weirdness!!!) and praised the sacrificial qualities of Aravaan. “So you will be sacrificed to the Goddess at the dawn of war, tomorrow. Purify yourself mentally and physically and prepare for the day. Long live your sacrifice”, Krishna told Aravaan and turned to leave.
“One moment my lord, I have but a few wishes to be granted before I die. Will you grant them?” Aravaan asked Krishna. “Why don’t you try me?” Krishna winked mischievously at Aravaan.” My lord”, began Aravaan,” I have had the good fortune to enjoy much in life, but before I die, I would like to enjoy the heat of a woman. I wish to die a married man, my lord.” Krishna is stunned. Which woman would marry a man who is going to the sacrificial altar the very next day? Probably none. No woman is crazy to throw her life away.”We will manage that”, he assured Aravaan, “Anything else?”.”Yes my lord, I would like to witness the entire war unfold, in my physical body and I would also like to fight on the Pandava side for a minimum of three weeks. Is that agreeable?”
It was here that the jealousy of Krishna kicked in. He knew that Aravaan was an excellent warrior and if he was allowed to fight there would be no need of any of the Pandavas or Krishna himself. “ParthaPuthra, what is ‘three weeks’ to a man like you? You can probably crush the entire enemy forces in three and a two third minutes. You will be able to fight on the Pandava side for those three and a two third minutes.” Aravaan agreed, charmed by Krishna’s flattery and speech. “If that is all, you can follow me to meet your bride, who will be your wife tonight and your widow in some days.” Krishna commanded.
Aravaan followed Krishna to the interiors of the palace. There, in the presence of the Pandavas and a few close friends, Krishna did the unbelievable. He transformed himself into Mohini, a form so beautiful that even Shiva had fallen for it, and in the presence of the elders, married Aravaan. That night Aravaan got his first wish fulfilled. Mohini seduced him with all her sexuality. All through the night, Aravaan was confused if he was with a man or woman. The smell of butter and milk reminded him of Krishna, but at the same time he couldn’t come out of Mohini’s clutches. The night passed and the day of the war dawned.
Aravaan was taken to the battle field and was made to stand at the center. There he tore off his skin from his arms and offered them to Kali. Kali, ever thirsty for blood, pounced on it and gave her blessings to Pandavas. The war began. Over the course of the 18 days, Aravaan kept Kali satisfied, stripping pieces from his body and offering it to her. On the final day when his allotted 3 and a two-third minutes of time came up, he realised that he had been tricked. He just had his head and his skeleton intact. A fat lot of use they would come to.
Conetemplating, he assumed his Vishwaroopa form and with his head as a large stone, he rolled over the enemy forces killing millions and badly hurting himself. The war was over. The Pandavas had won and the cause for it all, Aravaan, was lying, all alone on the Kurukshetra field. During his final moments on earth, when his life was ebbing away, he heard the high pitched wail of a woman. Turning towards the source of the wail, he sees Krishna, as Mohini, beating her breasts and wailing, the very picture of a widowed woman grieving her husband. With that final sight, his spirit soared heaven-wards and joined the other immortal heroes in warrior heavens, forever shining upon the brave warriors of yore. Aravaan had passed on, a happy man.
This chapter in the Mahabharatha forms the central theme of the 18 day festival at Koovagam. The small shrine at Koovagam is dedicated to none other than Aravaan himself and he is worshipped as Koothandavar. The 18 day festival celebrates the final days of Aravaan’s life, right up to his brave sacrifice on the 18th day. The highlight of the festival happens to be the marriage of Aravaan. The transgenders who gather here are the self-proclaimed brides of Aravaan. They claim themselves to be incarnations of Krishna, who was a man trapped inside a woman’s body, when he seduced Aravaan, just like the transgenders themselves. The first 15 days of the festival pass in dancing, singing and merrymaking, the transgenders putting up colourful and lively performances. All through the 18 days, a gigantic head of Aravaan is made and painted with the greatest care within the temple precincts
On the 17th day, the priest does special poojas to the idol of Aravaan and bringing upon the power of Aravaan on himself, he ties the mangalsutra (the sacred marital thread) around the neck of all the transgenders present there. They are now the wives of Aravaan, just for the night. A gala feast is organised which is followed by a night full of merrymaking, laughter and dance. The gigantic head of Aravaan is mounted on a chariot and taken around the village.
At the dawn of the 18th day, the air is ripped by sharp wails, as Aravaan is beheaded, widowing all his one-day-old wives. Following the traditions, the widows of Aravaan rip the Mangalsutraa from their necks, tear flowers out of their hair, throw away ornaments, and remove all cosmetics from their faces, wailing loudly, beating their chests, just like Krishna mourned for Aravaan long, long ago. They did a holy dip and wear a white saree (widow costume). And till that day arrives, they have to rely on the grace of Aravaan to take them through the rough times to come.
Shree Maruti Mandir is located at Aquem locality of Davorlim census town near Margao (also spelled Madgaon or Madagav) belongs to South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa.
Maruti (or Marut Nandan) is another name of God Hanuman, meaning son of Marut-Vayudeva, the Hindu wind God Vayu. Marut is said to have two sons; Hanuman-the bachelor God of Ramayan era and Bhima-the second among Pandava brothers of Mahabharat era.
Maruti name was called by his mother Anjana Devi during Hanuman’s childhood.
Bhagwan Hanuman is blessed that his followers will be safe from the wrath of Mangal and Shani, the personification of planetary powers of Mars and Saturn. Hence, Tuesdays and Saturdays are observed as the special days for worship of Lord Bajrang Bali. Millions follow him as 'one who removes fears'.
‘Spice it up’ that remains Margao's mantra. The town, located on the banks of River Sal in Salcete taluka and serves as the administrative headquarters of South Goa district, celebrates arts, films, festivals, food, music, sports and theater like no other in Goa thus earning itself as tag of ‘The Cultural Capital of Goa”.
Margao tourism is known for its huge Portuguese style mansions. In Portugal today, people buy Margao, a brand of spices and aromatic herbs.
Places of interest near Margao-Goa:-
(1) Calangute beach
(2) Colva beach
(3) Dona Paula beach
(4) Baga beach
(5) Church of Our Lady of Springs
(6) Mallikarjuna temple
D+B office tour to observe construction progress on the historic building and the assembly of the tilt-up panels for the new addition which will house the Planetarium dome.
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Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture’s design for the Powerhouse Science Center re-envisions a historic riverfront structure as a hub for science education, exploration and promotion in the City of Sacramento. On the banks of the Sacramento River, the Science Center grows out from an abandoned power station building. As a principal component of the Riverfront activation, the Powerhouse Science Center anchors Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park and borders the southern terminus of the 32-mile American River Bike Trail.
Vacant for over half a century, the structure undergoes a complete historic rehabilitation and the construction of a new floor level inside. A new two-story addition projects from the east side, containing a lobby, classrooms, offices and a cafe. A 110-seat planetarium is prominently on display with a zinc-clad hemispheric dome rising above the building’s mass. As representation of our place in the universe, the facade and building mass is sectioned by multiple planes, creating continuous vector lines that extend across the building and site. From satellites to world landmarks, the lines form connections with local and global points of interest.
The original PG&E Power Station B was designed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts Style by architect Willis Polk and was formally closed in 1954. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historic Places and the Sacramento Register of Historic & Cultural Resources. The Powerhouse Science Center is designed to achieve a USGBC LEED Rating of Silver.
The Weapons Storage Area (WSA) at the outskirts of Mather Air Force Base (AFB) in Rancho Cordova, California was the munitions storage facility for the United States Air Force, 320th Bombardment Wing.
This facility was built for the secure storage and maintenance of the nuclear and conventional weapons for the B-52 Stratofortress bombers, which were stationed at Mather and were always ready in case of attack by the USSR during the Cold War. The WSA was to supply these bombers with nuclear weapons in a matter of minutes.
On December 5, 1977 a breach of operational security took place at the Mather WSA, in which a reported for Atlanta based Cox Newspapers was able to gain access to the facility by posing as a fencing contractor and examine the safety and security measures in place, talk with security personnel about their roles and responsibilities in case of an attack on the facility and observe and photograph the facility, including entry controls and weapon storage areas. The reporter was also able to obtain blueprints of the WSA.
Later, a series of articles about the Air Force's lack of security were published in the Washington Star newspaper as well as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, much to the consternation of Air Force commanders.
The WSA was controlled and guarded by the 320th Security Police Squadron from February 1, 1963 until September 30, 1989. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the thawing of Cold War hostilities, this facility was decommissioned and abandoned.
Today, the WSA area belongs to the County of Sacramento, the bunkers are shuttered and much of the facility has been destroyed by time and vandalism.
Even with this condition, this facility still serves as a reminder of the Cold War and the readiness of our military to respond with nuclear offensive capability during those tense times.
All photographs appearing on this page are the property of Golden Republic Photography. They are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws, and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Golden Republic Photography. © 2015-2016 Golden Republic Photography. All Rights Reserved.
OBSERVE Collective
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Sydney Customs House has changed quite dramatically since I last visited 5 years ago. No longer an entirely open public building, its vast atrium is now shrouded by draped sheer cloth hanging down 5 storeys, providing a unique perspective to watch the people moving around below. The architectural images are photos of Harry Seidler buildings printed on see-through banners, part of an exhibition about his architectural contributions to Sydney.
Circular Quay, Sydney, 2006
Meet the next tour guide for Tunisia, Mr James Marston. Here, James is observing the frequency of olive trees and the lack of plants around them, the reasoning behind which is known only to the very, very wise.
atrévete a viajar conmigo
atrévete a vendar los ojos
atrévete a las cosas nuevas
y en esa quimera me propongo yo ♥
Chelsie observes coral communities at French Frigate Shoals during the Reef Assessment and Monitoring program expedition in 2014. Photo by: Courtney Couch/Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, 2014
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In this strange abandoned lonely place there is a temple -- new plastered and nearly empty. Mark investigates the temple under scrutiny.
OSAN AB, Republic of Korea - Key Resolve is primarily a command-post exercise with computer-based simulations that focus on deploying troops and equipment to Korea in the event of an attack. Foal Eagle includes a series of field exercises. Both exercises have U.S. troops training with South Korean servicemembers.
The purpose of the NNSC tour is to verify that the Key Resolve exercise is defensive and deterrent in nature and oriented on maintaining compliance with the Armistice Agreement.
Members of the NNSC were from Sweden and Switzerland.
Locustella certhiola
Found in Vankalei Sanctuary, Mannar. Very active bird and it becomes very sociable if you observe the behavior mutely.
Press "L" to view Large in better quality and full screen mode
The Peppermint Stick Insect (Megacrania batesii) has a very small and patchy distribution along some beach areas in Cape Tribulation, Etty Bay and Mission Beach. They range in colour from bright green to turquoise and they feed only on a few species of Pandanus plants and these spikey-leaved palms also provide some shelter from predators. The Peppermint Stick Insect spends all its time on the Pandanus, feeding, sheltering, mating and laying its eggs on the leaves where they roll down to the tight-fitting leaf axil to 'incubate'. Why is it called the Peppermint Stick Insect? As a defense mechanism, it sprays an irritating fluid at any predators (which include curious tourists) and this fluid smells like peppermint. This is a strenuous act for the frightened stick insect so if you are lucky enough to find one in your travels through the Wet Tropics, please don't try to touch it.
Tour operators, especially at Cape Tribulation, have been observed pulling back leaves and poking the insect to provoke a minty reaction. Nature lovers say this stresses the insect and damages the pandanus.
Most species of stick insects live in the trees, feed on the leaves and look just like a branch. The easiest way to pinpoint one is to look for a branch that seems out of alignment to the other branches or a branch that appears to be attached to the outside edges of leaves.
The female's body is much larger than the male's and both have wings - but the males' wings are larger. Females don't travel around much and emit a hormonal perfume (called a pheromone) to attract the males to them for breeding. The males have larger wings to enable them to fly longer distances in search of females.
Although the stick insects are well camouflaged to aid their invisibility to predators such as birds, their wings provide a backup defence system. Normally, their wings fold up very neatly along the body but the stick insect can spring the wings out suddenly. The colours of stick insect wings can be vivid colours which can startle a potential predator momentarily - just long enough to enable the stick insect to fly away.