Category Archives: Mythology

Day Three after my father’s passing

Posted on May 24, 2017 by rumachak

“নৈনং ছিন্দন্তি শস্ত্রাণি নৈনং দহতি পাবকঃ ন চৈনং ক্লেদয়ন্ত্যাপো ন শোষয়তি মারুতঃ” ~ গীতা The soul is – That which cannot be severed by sword nor burned by fire That which cannot be dampened by water nor dried by wind. … Continue reading →

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Daryar Panch Pir

Posted on October 1, 2016 by rumachak

Dariyar Panch Pir, Badr, Badr! Anyone who has read stories about the boatmen of Bengal will remember the invocation they call out to the five Pirs to protect them against stormy weather as well as Portuguese and Arakan pirates from … Continue reading →

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Shiladitya, Rajkahini: Abanindranath Tagore’s tales of the Rajputs

Posted on July 1, 2016 by rumachak

Long before Shiladitya’s birth, when the last king of Kanaksen’s lineage was still ruling at Ballavipur, there was a great tank in that city whose waters were said to be very sacred indeed. This was known as Suryakund or the … Continue reading →

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Rajkahini, Abanindranath Tagore’s tales of the Rajputs

Posted on June 30, 2016 by rumachak

‘When Maldev brought Hambeer to the court where his father and his father’s father had ruled their kingdom from, one cannot begin to describe what was going through Hambeer’s mind. He felt as though all the brave men of the … Continue reading →

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Another Arjun, one with a thousand arms

Posted on June 10, 2016 by rumachak

Kartavirya Arjun was a Haihaya king who was so powerful that he was given the name Sahasrabahu or the One with a thousand arms. As always the gods were never too far from these tales of impossible numbers of limbs … Continue reading →

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Mahalaya, tarpan and the eldest Pandava

Posted on October 13, 2015 by rumachak

I had a eureka moment on Sunday the 11th of October on the eve of this year’s Mahalaya, as I suddenly realised that the word Tarpan came from the same root as the word Tripti which means satisfaction and fulfillment. … Continue reading →

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The story of Madhu and Kaitabha and how Vishnu took care of them

Posted on August 29, 2015 by rumachak

00:52 Once there was a time when there were no people, no animals nor plants and not even soil for them to grow from. According to the gods’ reckoning, Brahma had completed one of his days after fourteen seasons of … Continue reading →

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Mahabhisa and Ganga

Posted on June 11, 2015 by rumachak

And so it came to pass that King Mahabhisa of the Ikshvaku line became a Rishi after much penance and sacrifice. One day, as all the gods and the Rishis were worshipping Brahma, the river Ganga approached the Grandfather (Brahma) … Continue reading →

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