Reading Notes: Pattanaik's Calendar Art, Part A

This video covered so many topics dealing with the foundations of Hindu faith. I really do like the metaphysical representations of earth and heaven throughout the religious texts. Ganesha is a very interesting example of this. Although he has a human body and spirit, he has an immortal, divine head. This also represents his parents' conflicting wishes for material and spiritual attainment. I feel most people have experienced this strain in their life, and I know that I certainly have, so it's nice to see a story acknowledge this struggle.

My favorite goddess discussed in this video was Bahuchara, goddess of the hijras. I have learned about the hijras and other transsexuals in a sexual deviance course that I took last year. This topic is especially close to me because one of my best friends in high school went through their transition senior year of high school. I like the idea of having a goddess for these people to pray to because it must have been hard growing up in the hetero-normative culture during which these stories take place. However, Bahuchara's origin story leaves more to be desired. I was hoping that it would be someone wanting to swap genders out of their own will instead of their father's.

Bibliography: Pattanaik's Calendar Art, Part A
Image: Bahuchara Devi, Wikimedia Commons