Thoughts inspired by Atheena Wilson's booty shaking anti-bachelorette tea party with wine. The journey of womankind from being ripe for the marriage market to become the goddess. All in Frida Kahlo style.
When Atheena Wilson invited me for her wedding, I was amused and thinking about her series of articles 79 IN TIME, where she asked her grandmother: “When will I wear a saree?”
Grandmother answered: “You wear a saree only when you become a woman.” Atheena have sarcastically commented on it: “It sounds like a sentimentally wise thing to say, but let me break it down to you. In other words, it also meant, “When you’re ripe enough for the marriage market.”
Here she is! God gave her imperfect irresistible beauty, which graduates every time you meet her. Plus, as she admitted, she had stolen from her grandmother’s shelf of knick-knacks a spoonful of pickle and some sweet and sour sarcasm to become a writer. Not only “ripe for marriage market”, but also ready to break the strict south Indian social rules and marry the man, she loves. Rolling with her big intense eyes, which could belong to kathakali actress, telling me, we are going to have a fun and her “anti-bachelorette tea party with wine” will be in Frida Kahlo style.
Invitation stated:
I accepted the challenge with the Frida’s words in my mind and slowly painted my own reality. I desperately needed to add some colours in my own life. All happened very fast and within few hours I was standing at URU art harbour in front of Anand Rakesh camera.
And yet, again, I remembered Athena’s words about the beauty, which she wrote about her grandmother:
“Growing up with someone brutally honest, I knew she always wanted to teach us beauty lay in how content we were with ourselves not the one that thrived in compliments. In the end, another person’s opinion of how you look never mattered if you don’t know how you look. So then I, with a naked face, began to look into the camera, unafraid.”
Next day in St. George Church, George and Atheena, invited us to be part of wondrous chapter of their life and have officially let the universe conspire and gift them the indelible story. The Gods of Small Things blessed them and watched how she wore flowers in her hair and carried magic secrets in her eyes.
I spoke to no one, but this time I heard the royal words of Her Highness Princess Gouri Parvathi Bayi, which she told me almost one year ago: “But, Zuzana, female and male, they are complimentary. There is no life without the male and the female. We have a tendency to see it as sort of competition. It is not a competition. They have to melt, they have to go together to be of use to the society.”
And she continued: "There are a lot of talks about 'Woman Empowerment'. What exactly is this 'Woman Empowerment'? We are what we are! There is 'Shakti' in us. I do not think we need any extra empowerment. We have to be aware of the 'Shakti' that is within us. We should bring it out and use it in the sensible way."
“We, humans, we are not much evolved. In our scriptures, we say, that the power of God is everywhere. There is a saying: "The God exists in the pillar, in the piece of rust, in the stones, in the thorns and in me and in you." The God is only one and we were given the freedom to worship the power, which is God, in any form you like. So that freedom to choose, that the God has no gender."
Founder & Director of Ayurveda Trails, healing collection of (extra)ordinary people and their stories, whose experiences are transferred into various trails shared by travelers.
Run parallel, meet at intersections, skip a few lines, the line of thought has journeyed across a few latitudes and longitudes. To more miles before the big sleep. Cheers, Atheena
The Travancore Kingdom Royalty are considered the descendants of the Gods and ancient Cheras, Venad, Pandya and Chola dynasties, who brought the philosophy of ayurveda to the world.
He calls himself The Lone-traveller. In section about him is written: Don’t have a clue yet. He silently stalks Kochi Muziris Biennale artists and transform their visions into photographs.
While he is searching for the right frame, he believes, that art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. Perhaps he is lost in Pondicherry or found in Cochin.
THE TREE, THE HERMIT & THE WOMAN
The old legend says, that when the forest dwelling Hermit dies a seed is planted in his mouth. He is buried vertically in the earth from where an ancient tree begins its life all over again…But what if the soul of old Hermit reborn in a place, where are no roots?
Lakshmikutty Amma is called Vanamuthassi, The Grandmother of the Jungle in Malayalam. Her mission is to preserve the healing traditions of Kaani tribe, settled in the deep forest of Kallar in Thiruvandrum district in Kerala.
The 50-year-old farmer, who won the State government’s award for the best horticulturist in 2013, was barely four years old when his father, V. K. Karthikeyan, a veteran agriculturist now aged 90, acquired the 10 acres of seaside land, much to the bewilderment of his well - wishers.
Sacred geometry ascribes symbolic and sacred meanings to geometric shapes and proportions. It is associated with the belief that a god is the geometer of the world. The geometry used in the design and construction of religious structures.
A flurry of auto drivers rushed to us chattering away in Tamil. Dawn seeped in, the sun rose fairly early at Pondicherry. It was another day of sun, but there was a sweeping wind of laziness that suddenly slowed down time.
At some point, everyone must encounter life, what we in India call ‘ayus’. My first experience with real life came from meeting with various spiritual teachers. After many years, I found out that the best piece of wisdom I had learnt was; “Do not hurt yourself…”
On our first day at Pondi, we imagined cycling through Rue Suffren till Paradise Beach, rather we found ourselves going around in circles. Riya and I never got our hands on bicycles, but we had a better experience with the rickshaws.
THE TALK Nº1:
Ayurveda in Kairali
The Kairali Ayurvedic Group was established in 1989, when we opened the first ayurveda center in Delhi. We pioneered in setting up the center, at a time when ayurveda was nearly fading away and people of India also was not aware of subject, what is ayurveda.
THE TALK Nº1:
What is Ayurveda for you?
Ayurveda is the science of helping a common individual to understand how to live comfortably throughout his life. Using what is available in this universe. I call it as a universe because Ayurveda is universal. Ayurveda is me and I am Ayurveda.
The vibration of AUM symbolises the manifestation of God. AUM is the reflection of the absolute reality, it is said to be Adi Anadi, without beginning or the end and embracing all that exists. The mantra AUM is the name of God, the vibration of the Supreme.
Sambhar is one of the most popular and healthiest south Indian dishes. There are many ways how to prepare it, but Mrs. Gita Ramesh, founder of Kairali Group, in her ayurvedic cookbook believes, that it taste the best, if it is cooked with love!
What is ayurveda? How is this ancient medical system connected with yoga, meditation, healthy food, relaxation in nature and modern life style? Ayurveda Trails is dedicated to everyone, who would like to travel and search answers to these questions.
TALK 01: Holistic Approach To Ayurveda Diet
At CGH Earth Kalari Rasayana Ayurveda Hospital, the journey to healing is filled with many discoveries. Zuzana Zwiebel in her talk with Dr.Poornima Sreelal tried to unravel the path to healthy eating habits and focused on holistic approach to ayurveda diet.
Thoughts inspired by Atheena Wilson's booty shaking anti-bachelorette tea party with wine. The journey of womankind from being ripe for the marriage market to become the Goddess. All in Frida Kahlo style with blessings of Her Highness Princess Gouri Parvathi Bayi.
I hesitated for publishing this story quite late, but there’s a beauty in rewinding. Makes me appreciate how all those days have become of me. The clever fall of dominoes of life events that led me to still standing. A very happy new year to all!
The lotus blossom represents heart opening, growth and enlightenment. The lotus is rooted in mud and darkness, grows up through water and blooms beautifully above the surface. Through experiences we grow toward the light.
