JEAN PAUL SARTRE AND THE BHAGWAD GITA..

                                   

JEAN PAUL SARTRE AND THE   BHAGWAD GITA..

( Above Three  Photos ... Avtar Mota at the tomb of Jean Paul Sartre inside Montparnasse cemetery in Paris ..2023 )

"An individual chooses and makes himself."....( Jean Paul Sartre) 

"Man is condemned to be free."..... (Jean Paul Sartre )

"There is no reality except in action." (Il n'y a de réalité que dans l'action.) ...( Jean Paul Sartre )

Jean Paul  Sartre's existentialism and the Bhagwad Gita might seem worlds apart, but there are some interesting parallels .While American transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau were influenced by Bhagwad Gita in the 19th century, this interest was largely separate from the 20th-century French existentialist movement. And many  modern scholars often draw comparisons between the two ,  particularly on topics such as freedom, action, responsibility, and the nature of selfhood.

Both ,  Sartre and the Bhagwad Gita emphasise individual freedom and choice. Sartre's "existence precedes essence"resonates with the  Bhagwad Gita's idea of detachment and doing your duty without attachment to outcomes. Both  nudge an individual to take responsibility for  his actions.

Sartre's "Il n'y a de réalité que dans l'action" (There's no reality except in action) vibes with the Bhagavad Gita's emphasis on "Karma" (action) and "Nishkama Karma" (action without attachment) .The  Bhagwad Gita's  concept of  Karma  (action) without attachment to its phala (fruits) resonates  with Sartre's "cry for action born of choice"

Both, Sartre and the Bhagwad Gita say that reality unfolds through our actions, and it's our choices and deeds that give life meaning .The Gita encourages acting with detachment, while Sartre's existentialism leans into freedom and responsibility in action .

Although Bhagwad Gita expounds it's philosophy on a total theistic platform acknowledging the existence of supreme reality , Sartre developed his philosophy purely on a atheistic principles. Yet the similarities convince a serious reader that Sartre did have some basic study of the Bhagwad Gita .

Noted Bengali scholar Pathik Basu writes this :-

 " Within  the confines of a  capitalist-centric State, one frequently experiences  a shift from  " Self " to "Other " . This phenomenon has been astutely  observed  by Jean Paul Sartre. The Bhagwad Gita also illuminates this transition revealing the intrinsic nature of the work itself and a reversal from  "Other " to "Universal Self "  through the path of selfless action ." 

Will add more ...Working on it ..

( Avtar Mota )

PS

Jean-Paul Sartre and his lifelong companion Simone de Beauvoir are  both buried in Montparnasse cemetery in Paris under one tombstone. 

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INCREDIBLE TERRACOTTA ART: THE TEMPLES OF BISHANPUR ,WEST BENGAL

                                           

INCREDIBLE TERRACOTTA  ART: THE TEMPLES OF BISHANPUR ,WEST BENGAL

Bishanpur is about 135 km from Kolkata. Falling in the Bankura district of West Bengal,   Bishnupur's  famous terracotta temples were built by the  kings of Malla dynasty, between the 10th and 17th centuries,. The Malla rulers were  ardent followers of Vishnu and established Bishnupur initially known as Vishnupur. The town was a great  centre  for Vaishnavism. These temples also showcase  Bengal's unique architectural style and highly  evolved terracotta artistry. 

These temples can be classified into three categories. Most of the temples that still exist combine both the north Indian nagara style and the Orissan rekha and pidha deul styles. Second, there are the hut-style temples which include the bangla and the chala types. The chala and the bangla type temples are fashioned in the style of Bengali huts with sloping roofs joined at curvilinear edges and ending in arched cornices. Two chala structures can combine to form an ekbangla, two banglas can combine to form a jorbangla and so on and so forth, and it can be extended for up to 12 chalas. Third, the Indo-Islamic variations found in this area which include both the ratna (pinnacle towers over a flat roof) and the domed style.

Among the Malla kings, Raghunath Singha was the greatest patron of temple architecture, and reigned approximately between 1643 and 1656. He is also known for patronising Indian classical music. The three temples constructed during his reign—Shyamrai, Jorbangla (1655), and Kalachand are considered the best of the Bishnupuri temples. The pancharatna Shyamrai temple is the most exquisite of them all. It is situated next to the fort, north-west of Rasmancha.

Some prominent  builders  from this dynasty include  King Raghunath Singh (Shyam Rai Temple, Jor Bangla Temple) , Adi Malla, Jai Malla and King Bir Hambir Singh  (Rasmancha Temple ), reflecting their deep devotion to Vaishnavism . Made from terracotta and bricks , the temples have  intricate terracotta art depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata  epics and  Sri Krishna Leela. The temples are known for their elaborate terracotta panels.Most of the temples have a pyramidal roor. The Madan Mohan Temple is a  beautiful example of ekratna (single-spire)  temple architecture.Bir Hambir was the first Malla king to convert to Gaudiya Vaishnavism, founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and that brought a huge change in the cultural fabric of the region. 

Apart from the temples, terracotta pottery, artefacts and even jewelry made in this very traditional material are famous. The most famous of the terracotta products are the handmade jars, and disks and the more famous of them are the terracotta horses, elephants, Ganesha, and Nataraja.

The Malla kings  brought glory to Mallabhum (the Malla kingdom)  until its decline in the 18th century .The Malla dynasty's rule ended with the British East India Company's control in the late 18th century, though a titular king, Maharaja Kalipada Singha Thakur, remained until 1983.

These  temples are on the watch list of UNESCO World Heritage monuments .

( Avtar Mota)

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CIRCULATION OF BLOOD AND CHARAKA SAMHITA

                                             

( Sylvain Levi (1863-1935))

                        ( Maharishi Charaka )

                                          

                  ( Susruta, the ancient surgeon)

CIRCULATION OF BLOOD  AND CHARAKA SAMHITA

We know  in the in 1628 CE,  William Harvey first gave the  exposition of blood circulation in the Western System of Medicine. However, many among us do not that the ancient Indian Medical System clearly possessed a sophisticated conceptual understanding of this physiological process thousands of years earlier. The Vedas and Ayurvedic Samhitas, describe a concept of the circulation of blood and nutrient fluids throughout the body, driven by the heart, long before William Harvey.The texts refer to the heart (Hridaya) as a central pumping organ. The Sanskrit etymology of Hridaya itself is described in the Shatapatha Brahmana as "Hri" (to receive), "Da" (to give), and "Ya" (to go or move), which accurately reflects the heart's function of receiving, giving, and circulating blood. Ancient Ayurvedic masters like Charaka and Sushruta documented different types of vessels: Dhamani, Shira and Srotas. Dhamani means vessels that pulsate (arteries) and carry Prana (oxygen) and Rasa (nutrient fluid) from the heart .Shira means vessels that carry contents without pulsation (veins) and return the fluid to the heart. Srotas are finer channels or capillaries through which diffusion and osmosis take place at the tissue level.

About our circulatory  system, the Bhela Samhita mentions that Rasa (nutrient fluid/blood) is ejected from the heart, distributed to all parts of the body, and then returns to the heart through the Shira vessels.  The Charaka Samhita uses the analogy of a rotating wheel to explain how the entire body is nourished in a circular fashion.

The purpose of this circulation was understood as carrying Prana (vital air/oxygen) and nutrients to the tissues, which aligns with modern understanding of blood's function. 

The Charaka Samhita, a foundational text of Ayurveda, was originally compiled by Agnivesha under Punarvasu Atreya's guidance but was revised, annotated, and renamed by the physician Acharya Charaka, with the existing version completed by Dridhabala. And then it is interesting to know in respect of Charaka Samhita  that both the original author Charaka and the crucial reviser Dridhabala are strongly associated with Kashmir. Many Western scholars  believe that Dridhabala completed the version we know today from a Kashmiri Pandit's home. This establishes  Kashmir as a significant center for Ayurveda and Sanskrit literature.   Sylvain Levi  (1863-1935) ,'Professor of Sanskrit Language and Literature' at the Collège de France and director of studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), is of a firm opinion that  Charaka was a native of Kashmir. 

He and many Western scholars are  also of a  firm opinion that the  editing of the Charaka Samhita in the 9th century was done by Dridhabala, a Kashmiri Pandit from Panchanadapura , near Srinagar.  Dridhabala  added missing chapters to Charaka Samhita.

In ancient India, surgical practices were a part of the treatment. Susruta has been a great Ayurvedic surgeon. It was Susruta's belief that for one to be a skilful and erudite surgeon, one must first be an anatomist. In the Susruta –Samhita we read this :-

‘The different parts or members of the body as mentioned before including the skin, cannot be correctly described by one who is not well versed in anatomy. Hence, any one desirous of acquiring a thorough knowledge of anatomy should prepare a dead body and carefully, observe, by dissecting it, and examine its different parts. "

I conclude this post with a couplet of Mirza Ghalib about  circulatory system :

"Ragon mein daudte phirne ke hum nahin qaayal, Jab aankh hi se na tapka to phir lahu kya hai."

(In the veins, the running and roaming, I'm not convinced

If it doesn't flow from the eyes, then what's this  blood for ?)

( Avtar Mota)

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THAKUR KASHMIRIS OF CHINIGAAM, KISHTWAR

                                           

                                                 

                                                                                   

( Chinigaam)

                                                                 ( Sinthan/ Simthen pass)

                                         

THAKUR KASHMIRIS OF CHINIGAAM, KISHTWAR

Prakash Thakur, the owner of the  Kashmiri bakery shop, said this to me :

"Chinigaam is located on the Kishtwar -Sinthan( also spoken as Simthen ) highway and about 40 km from Kishtwar town. I am not a baker. Since there are no jobs, I learnt this activity here in Jammu at a Kashmiri bakery shop. I have done graduation from IGNOU . I belong to Chinigaam in the Inderwal area of Kishtwar. It is just below the Simthen pass that connects Kashmir with Kishtwar by bus. We reach Srinagar in 4 hours. We speak Kashmiri. I am actually Raina. We came to these mountains during the dark days of Afghan rule in Kashmir. My grandfather has told me that we are from the Anantnag district. We became Thakur here. We perform Shivratri Puja like Kashmiri Pandits using walnuts. Many Kashmiris write Sharma now. There are Thakur Rajputs as well in our area.

The Chingam Nallah flows through our Village. This stream joins the River Chanderbagha or Chenab near Bhandarkoot. At Bhandarkoot, another river coming from the Marwah and Warwan valleys and originating from Nunkun glacier joins the Chenab River. So, Bhandarkoot Sangam is very sacred for us. We used to call it Ganga Prayag. Shiva is worshipped by us. We have the Ashtadasha Bujha Mata Temple in the Parna village. She represents child Durga.

We prepare Roth like Kashmiri Pandits on Ganesh Chaturthi. In our marriage functions, we prepare Dam-alu, Rajmah, Yellow Paneer, Roganjosh, Yakhni, Mutsch and almost all Kashmiri dishes. Nadru, we don't have over there. We observe Janam Saptami, Pitra Paksha and Shraddha. Our ladies didn't wear the Dejhur, but now many young women wear it. We have family priests. We perform Mekhla like Kashmiri Pandits.  We go to Mattan on Mal- Maas/ Bhaan- Maas or to perform Pind-daan. When there was no road, our elders would go on foot. It was a 9-hour journey.  We have special Rajmah in our area. We have walnuts, fruits and   Chinar trees. We have snowfall in winter.  In our village, we have some  Kaul families apart from Raina and Razdan. I know some Zutshi families also. We use Kangri during the winter season. We also grow Monji-haak( Kohlrabi ) in our kitchen garden. The Muslims in our Village also speak Kashmiri. Most of them have come from Anantnag district villages during famines. Unfortunately, many people think that we are only bakers, cooks and domestic help. "

Prof R L Shant has this to add:

"Chingam was just a hamlet of a few mud houses in 1983-4, during a foot hike to Daksum- Kishtwar along with my teacher-colleague Prof. TN. Bhan and a group of students of A.S.College during our trans-state-hike. We sat to relax by a rock outside the village, chatting with curious children and their elders and distributed some medicines like paracetamol, cough syrups and digestive pills among them, most of whom were "old Kashmiri Pandits" and were " very neglected" by the "ruling party".We smelt tobacco smoke coming from a group of women chatting a few yards away. They wore like dogra folks and spoke some dialect, that I guessed, was Kashmiri heavily mixed with dogri...Yes they are remnants of our fleeing ancestors during the last 500 years of torment and persecution meted out to us in Kashmir."

( Avtar Mota )

PS

Sinthan Pass, or Sinthan Top, is nestled at an altitude of approximately 3,748 meters (12,300 feet). Located on the border of Anantnag district (Kashmir Valley) and Kishtwar district (Chenab Valley), the pass is one of the most stunning yet unexplored mountain passes in Jammu and Kashmir. The road passes through snow-draped peaks, winding roads, and vast alpine scenery while acting as a vital link between the two culturally and geographically distinct regions. There are no shops, eateries, or shelters at the top. Sinthan Pass is a remote location and demands proper preparation. Petrol pumps are available only in Anantnag or Kishtwar. 

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THE REGAL CINEMA OF SRINAGAR

                                    

                                         

THE REGAL CINEMA OF SRINAGAR 

“Relating a person to the whole world: that is the meaning of cinema” …Andrei Tarkovsky 

 It was in 1932 when Palladium Talkies was opened at Lal Chowk in Srinagar city by Bhai Anant Singh Gauri, an enterprising Sikh gentleman from Punjab.  Bhai Anant Singh Gauri was a philanthropist who donated more than 50 Kanals of land to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, in 1978. Run by "The Kashmir Talkies Ltd.”, the first sound picture, Alam Ara, released in 1931, was also screened in this cinema hall.  The Palladium was burnt in a terrorist related violence in 1993.

The opening of the Palladium Cinema was immediately followed by the opening of the Regal Cinema in Srinagar city by the Bal brothers, another Punjabi family who were also state subjects of J&K State. The Bal brothers, Amresh Bal, Prakash Bal and Mahinder Bal, were great entrepreneurs who ran cinema halls in Lahore, Srinagar and Gulmarg run by their company, "The Universal Pictures Ltd. " For their cinema business, the Bal brothers focused on the European audience initially. Gulmarg cinema was exclusively opened for European visitors, and some of the popular Hollywood movies were shown there. This Gulmarg cinema opened only during the tourist season or the summer. The Bals had opened a bar as well inside the Regal Cinema in Srinagar city.

In 1940, the Bal family built another cinema hall near Regal Cinema, naming it Amresh Talkies. It was exactly on the Residency Road at the entrance of the Regal Cinema in the building housing various shops like Bata, Kohli Brothers, SK Selections, Excelsior Tailors, etc. The Bal family used to live on the first floor of the Amresh Talkies. The Bal family had a bungalow at Gupkar Road in Srinagar and another house at Raj Bagh apart from other properties in the Kashmir valley. In the 1950s, both Regal and Amresh cinemas were purchased by Bakshi Abdul Majid, brother of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, from the Bals brothers for 1.50 lakhs. Both the cinema halls were set ablaze on 28th December, 1963, by an infuriated mob protesting against the mysterious disappearance of the holy relic (Moi e Muqaddas) from the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. The new owner of the two cinema halls reconstructed the Regal Cinema in 1966-67 after the fire incident, and it was the biggest cinema hall in the State in terms of seating capacity of 1340 visitors. The new Regal Cinema was thrown open to the public in 1967. On the opening day, Raj Kapoor's film," Around the World in Eight Dollars" was screened with the entire hall packed to capacity. Regal cinema was thronged by youngsters, generally students from nearby S P College, Govt College for Women (MA Road) and youth from other localities of the city who thronged the fashionable Residency Road. Amongst some classical movies based on epic stories, Bharat Milap and Ram Rajya were first time screened at the Regal Cinema. This writer  has been told by many elders that the 1963 movie,"Ye Raaste Hain Pyar Ke", which had Sunil Dutt and Leela Naidu in the lead roles, ran for many months at this cinema hall. Another movie that attracted large crowds  at the Regal Cinema in Srinagar was ,'The Lion of the Desert:Omar Mukhtar'  . It had Anthony Quinn in the lead role. Once, the roof of the ticket counter also collapsed in the Regal cinema as crowds went up the roof to try getting tickets. Once, the police had to intervene when some hooligans misbehaved with girls from the Women's College (MA Road) who had come to watch a Rajesh Khanna movie. The cinema had to be shut down after 1990 due to a ban on video parlours, liquor and cinema halls in Kashmir by now defunct Allah Tigers, a terrorist outfit active in the valley at that time. However, in 1999, the then government, headed by Farooq Abdullah, tried to open cinema halls amid tight security arrangements in 1999. The government even gave rupees forty-five lakhs interest-free loans to cinema hall owners under this revival initiative. However, on the very first day of its opening, a terrorist organisation hurled a grenade at the crowd that was coming out of the Regal Cinema hall. One person was killed, and 12 others were seriously injured in this grenade attack by terrorists. Pyar Koyi Khel Nahin was being shown on the opening day at the cinema hall. The movie had Sunny Deol and Mahima Chowdhary in the lead roles. The cinema was closed later.

Presently, Regal Cinema has been demolished by its owners, and a multi-story complex has come up at the venue.  Although the Regal Cinema does not exist now, Kashmiris have kept Regal alive as Regal Chowk continues to be a popular place to hang out and a fashionable spot for youngsters.

Mahinder Bal was a great golf player who once won the prestigious Amateur Golf Championship Trophy for the J&K State. Rama Bal was active in various social causes. In 1990, the entire Bal family shifted to Delhi. Rohit Bal, the well- known fashion designer, belonged to this family. Rohit studied at Burn Hall School in Srinagar and later at DPS, Mathura Road, New Delhi. Rohit rose to astronomical heights of popularity after he designed the wardrobes of leading Hollywood stars like Uma Thurman, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell ,Pamela Anderson and many more. Along with his brother, Rajiv Bal, Rohit opened many stores in the country selling fashion apparel. Rohit died in 2024 due to a heart ailment.

 ( Avtar Mota)

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

                                 

MERRY CHRISTMAS..

Oss ne jalti huyi peshaani pe jab haath rakha,

Rooh tak aa gayi taseer masihaayi ki.... Parveen Shakir

( When he   put his hand on my burning forehead,

A feeling of Christ like healing rushed down to my very soul ) 

The core message of Christmas is compassion , healing  and selfless love . It is about spreading joy and goodwill to all . It is about giving without expecting anything in return .It is about renewal of hope and coming together with loved ones . 

In Hindi / Urdu literature,  especially poetry, Jesus Christ  has been presented as a sympathetic healer full of compassion. The progressive poets ( influenced by Marxism ) have also mentioned  Jesus  as a powerful symbol of suffering, sacrifice, and the hope of resurrection/redemption for the oppressed and downtrodden masses. I have found him in the poetry of Jaishankar Prasad, Nirala, Mahadevi Verma, Ghalib, Firaq , Parveen Shakir, Sahir  and many more. I quote :-

Ibn e Mariyam huva kare koyi 

Meray dukh ki dawa kare koyi......(.Ghalib)

Jis ki furqat ne palat dhi ishq ki kaaya Firaq ,

Aaj oss Issa nafas damsaaz ki baatein Karo....(.Firaq)

Wishing  my friends and followers joy, and warmth this Christmas ! May kindness and hope fill our hearts.  Merry Christmas! 🎅❤️"

( Avtar Mota )

.
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THE FORGOTTEN BIOSCOPEWALA

                                            

THE FORGOTTEN BIOSCOPEWALA 

 ( Photo  by Avtar Mota inside Sadda Pind Amritsar)

The bioscope was a significant form of  travelling  entertainment in rural India . It was a source  of wonder and news for  communities living in far flung areas before the arrival of television and the internet. It holds a unique and now vanishing place in the cultural landscape of the country .

The Bioscopewala or the operator would travel from village to village with a portable wooden box, having  magnifying lenses  in multiple viewing holes  to show a sequence of static images or short, looping silent film clips. The arrival of this showman was a highly anticipated event, a break from daily life and work.

For rural populations ,the bioscope offered glimpses of distant cities, historical events, religious stories, and even snippets of early cinema. It acted as a powerful medium for connecting remote communities with the broader national and global landscape. The  operator's narration added a personal, interactive layer to the viewing, blending visual storytelling with oral tradition.

It was brought to  India by British colonisers in the early 19th-century and was re-invented numerous times before it integrated completely into the Indian landscape. Presently, the bioscope is  remembered as a  vintage slice of rural India's heritage. 

                                             

I vividly remember Mumtaz dancing around a Bioscope in the song ," Paisa phenko tamasha dekho" in 1971 movie Dushman. Again  the Indian film with a song featuring a bioscope was the 2018 Hindi-language drama film titled Bioscopewala. Based on Rabindranath Tagore's classic short story Kabuliwala, but this film story  changes the protagonist's profession from a dry fruit seller to a Bioscopewala   who travels around showing films to children through his bioscope . Bioscope remained a great entertainment in rural Punjab of yester-years . Popular folk songs sung by Surrinder Kaur,and Assa Singh Mastana were also played by the operator of the Bioscope while people watched still pictures through the lens fitted windows .Not only children but village elders too watched it 

  The  Bioscopewala would be paid in cash and kind by villagers .

( Avtar Mota)

..
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