Kumbhakarni

𝕬𝖛𝖆𝖙𝖆𝖗 𝖇𝖞 𝖂𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖆𝖒 𝕲𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖗𝖉 𝕳𝖔𝖋𝖐𝖊𝖗|| 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗 𝖇𝖞 𝕾𝖊𝖗𝖌𝖊𝖞 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖓||

[kumbhakarni]

This past year has been a struggle. Point being that I have not forgotten and a certain someone's mood board lies in wait of being posted.

[kumbhakarni]

If you're currently residing in Kolkata, could you kindly please fill out this questionnaire for me. It's a survey on the noise pollution in Kolkata. It's results will be used for purely academic purposes. Won't take up more than 20 minutes.

Here is the link 👇🏽

NOISE POLLUTION SURVEY

THIS SURVEY IS BEING COLLECTED FOR PURELY ACADEMIC PURPOSES. QUESTIONS WITH OPTIONS IN SQUARE BOXES ALLOW MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO BE SELECTED.

[akajustmerry]

I'm far from an expert on greek mythology but the shipping culture around Hades and Persephone on this site has always fascinated me, particularly in how there seems to be many ppl in that fandom who, I think, romanticise Hades and Persephone to the degree they do because they don't actually engage with the details or nuance of the myth itself. A myth that, ironically, is all about balance and that darkness/light and good/bad etc are symbiotic. Hades/Persephone shippers seem to love the aesthetic of this symbiosis but don't ever apply the deeper implications of it to the relationship. I've been on this site for over a decade and so often posts do numbers where the sentiment is either a) Persephone is in love with Hades by choice and therefore Everything Is Fine And Lovely Actually or b) Persephone is Miserable, hates that guy, is a prisoner, etc. She's either gatekeeper girlboss girlwife or Doomed™ and honestly I blame so called Dark Academia culture and the popularity of the Percy Jackson books for this weird reductive dichotomy. I'm not saying ppl aren't allowed to have their fun or their cute ships or whatever, but personally the lack of maturity with which people on this site discuss greek mythology or any mythology on here is grating. I remember making a glib post on here over a decade ago where I joked, "where's the cute florist shop Hades/Persephone au fanart where Hades does coercive control of his niecewife" and bitches were in my inbox for days like WELL ACTUALLY THEY'RE IN LOVE OKAYYY!!!!!! and it made me realise that a lot of ppl really think that the presence of love between people literally de-moralizes everything else in their relationship, love is a magic spell to youse that renders everything bad good, and my god it's such a boring childish fucking way to approach stories about relationships. And the most annoying thing is that there are so many ppl who want to insist that telling a version of Hades and Persephone where she Actually Chose Everything And Loves Him and minimising the conflict of it all is somehow super feminist. It's super feminist, apparently, to take a story that was very much about patriarchy and misogyny and the horror of it, and saying "it's actually so beautiful when you choose to exclusively look at it beautifully", as if that's not the antithesis of the myth? Idk I think it frustrates me because this popular reductive interpretation of Hades and Persephone as a romance shows how a lot of ppl think feminism is seeking out the right to be comfortable and happy in a cage they let you decorate. ftr I know there are definitely ppl in that "fandom" who subscribe to more nuanced understandings but man oh man.....not the majority innit

[grendelmenz-deactivated20200929]

[grendelmenz-deactivated20200929]

CW// Rape, violence, abuse

This isn’t very popular but I’ve already gotten a lot of asks/tags/comments about how “different and interesting” my take on Persephone and Hades is or how my adaptation is a neat approach or wrong or whatever.

I know this is long winded, but knowing the truth of this is very important to me.

In media the myth around Persephone and Hades is incredibly romanticized. The actual myth is called “The Rape of Persephone”. There was no love, no consent, no nothing. Hades asked Zeus if he could have Persephone because he was enamored with her. He enchanted away her strength with a flower and dragged her to the Underworld. He silenced her. Tricked her mother into straying or not paying attention, etc. Her friend Cyane (a nymph- who are so weak that some don’t even have enough power to ensure immortality) was so terrified for Persephone she tried to fight Hades, and when she lost she was so torn that she cried so much she turned into a puddle (or hades turned her to water it depends on the translation). Persephone called out to Zeus, to her mother, to a hundred other people and no one helped her. She was terrified.

In modern media The Rape of Persephone is bent and broken. Her mother Demeter is so often the villain or a bad person in book/comic interpretations, even though she just wanted to save her child who had been kidnapped and forced into a relationship she had no say in.

I know Percy Jackson or Lore Olympus or whateverill informed, cherry picked interpretation of Greek mythology you find (especially on this site, where Hades is portrayed as this soft boy at the mercy of his bullying brothers) often leads you to thinking that women were just as or more powerful than men in these legends- but that’s not how it was.

The brutalization and dehumanization of women is a fundamental aspect of so many Greek myths. It was (and still is) so hard, exhausting, and terrifying to be a woman. Nymphs (which means wife) cry themselves into trees and stones over being ignored by men or violated. The Goddess witch Circe is overpowered and left groveling at the feet of a mortal man. Demeter, who lost her daughter to a rapist, is constantly made villainous for wanting her back. Women are regularly beaten, raped, killed, and debased. The Greek pantheon’s patriarch himself is cruel and foul.

I wasn’t trying to make a feminist horror story out of the true love between Hades and Persephone, because it wasn’t true love in the first place. I was trying to depict the myth as what it really is.

“…[Hades] with his immortal horses sprang out upon her–the Son of Kronos (Cronus), Polynomos (He Who has Many Names).

He caught her up reluctant on his golden car and bare her away lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her father [Zeus], the Son of Kronos, who is most high and excellent. But no one, either of the deathless gods or mortal men, heard her voice, nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hekate (Hecate), bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaios (Persaeus), heard the girl from her cave, and the lord Helios (the Sun), Hyperion’s bright son, as she cried to her father, the Son of Kronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the gods, in his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings from mortal men. So he [Haides], that Son of Kronos, Polynomos (Of Many Names), Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) and Polydegmon (Host of Many), was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal chariot–his brother’s child and all unwilling.

And so long as she, the goddess, yet beheld earth and starry heaven and the strong-flowing sea where fishes shoal, and the rays of the sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother and the tribes of the eternal gods, so long hope clamed her great heart for all her trouble.”

(Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th or 6th B.C.))

[grendelmenz-deactivated20200929]

I’m so sorry for making this post even longer but let me hopefully respond to this in order and sort of literately?

I’m not a historian or a deep studier of Greek Mythology, so if anyone who actually DOES know about The Rape of Persephone want to weigh in with more knowledge than what’s on YouTube or online encyclopedias please do. Professional insight would be a blessing. I’m a 17 year old with access to google, Jstor, and a library which helps a lot but isn’t a degree.

I get there’s not a one direct translation of Persephone and Hades- esp Roman mythology convolutes it even more- but the general and most widespread consensus, whether it’s from encyclopedias, academic journals, websites, or from whatever else I’ve found (because I didn’t want to draw the comic based on one translation) usually depict some sort of violation of Persephone’s rights.

I know that the widespreadedness of Christianity often leads to the “oh this is just this culture’s [biblical reference]” and in this case Hades is often seen as some sort of demonic or Satan-esk figure. I don’t believe that’s accurate to what Hades is, and I hopefully what I depicted and said about him didn’t imply that I thought he was the Devil.

I read and respect the PJO series for its diversity, writing, and for making mythology interesting to a wider audience. I’m not trying to invalidate the softening of the gods since the interpretation of myth and manipulation of it isn’t an invalid thing to do (in Greek Mythology specifically) and the books tell an intriguing and clever story. Not every story can be honest, especially when directed towards kids and I support what Riordan did.

However, the fact that Hades in many translations and many myths beyond Persephone is consistently immoral can’t really be overlooked (in my opinion). Another thing that should be accounted for is how the time period these Ancient Greek myths were written in treated women. Interpreting these stories through a modern lense or a rose colored one is easy to do and can be interesting, but going factually women in Ancient Greece were treated like shit, not just in legend but in actuallity. It’s important to see the thought surrounding these when they were written because context is important for accurate interpretation. Women, no matter what, hold less power than a man. It’s seen in the society, it’s seen in the pantheon, it’s seen in the myths. The likelihood of Persephone being equal in their relationship or more powerful from the jump is so iffy simply because religion is so often for men and by men and I don’t think that would fly.

Medusa is the villain, not the god who raped her or the man who slayed her for protecting herself. Helen caused the war, not the men who first declared it. It’s the same story over and over again and it yells “men are not the villians” and it’s wrong. Hades participated just as much as anybody. He wasn’t soft.

Again, this is my personal take and I’m not a historian, so I could be wrong. I just think that even without the story of Persephone Hades has too much cultural and scriptural evidence to be so consistently coddled and infantilized.

[grendelmenz-deactivated20200929]

In defense of Demeter (who seems constantly villainized in recent interpretations)

[elizastrange]

I like the recent retellings of Persephone because it gives her agency.

But I also like this.

[mycuppaoftea]

Agency? Why give Persephone agency in such a terrible story? To do such would be erasing all the terrible things that happened back then and her story.

Myths were created with certain intents- to explain creation, why some things in nature were the way they were, reinforce the rules of obeying your father (which is why Persephone stays with hades, because Zeus, the deadbeat dad of the century but still her father, gave her away) and honouring the gods. That’s the reason why the Greeks made the myths. And the myths aren’t meant to be bedtime stories either, they show the cruelty of the time (not that the Greeks found this particularly wrong, they just needed a good way to explain spring).

This modern obsession of giving agency to Persephone and saying she wanted to go with hades strips away at her character. Don’t respect Persephone because you want to believe she went down to the underworld out of free will. Respect her because she, like so many women in history, was put into a horrible situation and survived nonetheless.

[grendelmenz-deactivated20200929]

This explains so much of my own thought!

Needing Persephone to be strong through her love and freedom erases or implies that by just surviving as a woman in this situation (or in most situations, esp in Ancient Greece) she was not already strong. 

In theory, I am fine with modern retellings. Culture and stories adapt. 

The issue with the Persephone myth is that the story is not adapted to give Persephone freedom, but to relieve Hades of wrongdoing. Sometimes I feel it’s intentional in the retelling, sometimes I feel it’s more subconscious. 

People like the aesthetic of the relationship, they like love, and they like male protagonists (we’re so used to putting ourselves in the shoes of men it’s only natural that we gravitate to their characters and try to defend them). Hades is made pitiable in retellings. Persephone is made into his girlfriend who wants to unlock his trauma and take care of him. This is a common trope in media, powerful yet broken or sad men being tended by younger and kinder women (off the top of my head think 50 Shades of Grey). People focus on his trauma, even make up trauma for him, and sweep the trauma of the women in the original story under the carpet. See? Hades isn’t bad! He’s misunderstood and abused by his brothers and is a kind and gentle man. Look! He didn’t kidnap her! She loved him and they planned it, or maybe he did but it was accidental. Notice! Hades is not abuser! In fact, Persephone is the boss of him, and takes care of him like a strong and good (and stereotypical) wife!

If the story was really about giving strength to women, then Demeter wouldn’t be constantly written as a one dimensional obsessive mother. In the myth Persephone begs for her mother to save her, because the Greek men of myth are scary and usually violent rapists (Demeter is even raped herself by Poseiden while looking for Persephone). Turning a story’s villain(s) from an abusive father and husband as well as a hoard of onlookers (like Helios) who do nothing to save a young woman from abduction as she screams out for aid, into an overprotective mother is not a change that’s empowering, but one that is sexist and wrong.

I haven’t seen an adaptation, or at least a popular one, that makes the story about a mother and daughter having to be clever, smart, and secretly powerful in order to return to each other after being forced apart by men who find their needs for sex, for women, for dowery, for anything and everything more important. A retelling like that would give strength to women. Maybe Minthe could be rewritten as something else than just another jealous bitch, or as Persephone’s secret girlfriend who tries to relieve her from Hades’s constant need and attention, or as literally anything else. 

I don’t think it will happen though because (TLDR) the story isn’t retold for women.

[curtwilde]

[violentdevotion]

[kumbhakarni]

!!But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if her soul in that one word she did outpour.

Nothing farther then she uttered—not a feather then she fluttered—

  Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow she will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”

            Then the bird said “Nevermore.”!!

[kumbhakarni]

Manifesting Sriya Reddy as Draupadi in the upcoming Palace of Illusions movie. This goddess got both the acting chops and the looks, Suzhal bears testament. Divine powers, please let it happen. Please

[kumbhakarni]

Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we!

For such as we are made of, such we be.

.......

O time! thou must untangle this, not I;

It is too hard a knot for me to untie!

[goryhorroor]

i think at this point everyone can agree that asian horror will always have a superior hold on paranormal horror. demons, ghosts, and etc are just way scarier coming from any asian country. good for them

[kumbhakarni]

Except the ones from Bollywood....they manage to be so cringey with that unnecessary comedy that you forget you're from the continent mastering horror. Indian mainstream cinema doesn't seem remotely interested in exploiting or even aware about the rich local horror myths. Regional cinema on the other hand delivers well but they are far and few.

[mysharona1987]

I do maintain that partly why Israel is losing the PR war is that they can’t stop the IDF acting like fucking idiot monsters on instagram and tiktok.

Makes you wonder what would have happened if social media had been a thing during the Iraq war.

[mysharona1987]

Genocide porn is a thing now, apparently.

[mysharona1987]

“Oh, I helped out in bombing hospitals, mosques, refugee camps, Christian Churches, Catholic Churches, nuns, schools, shooting journalists who exposed our crimes and killing UN members.”

“But at least I look good on the beach.”

The banality of evil.

[fellow-hooman]

The “they don’t even deserve it” line bothers me so much

[kumbhakarni]

Exactly that last line in her post was more of a last nail in triggering fury-induced aneurysm in me.

[laughableillusions]

Say what you will about Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra movies but they know how to write SRK characters in a way that is so gentle and loving that I’ve never seen before in my life and nobody else can do it like them GOD DAYUM

[kumbhakarni]

This ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!!!! Absolutely!

I mean Veer Pratap Singh, even before his patient suffering in imprisonment, set the standards for true love and respect in a relationship for me.

No hate towards Kjo's writing, but Kal ho na Ho's boi doesn't come as close.

Also agree on the other two. Haven't watched DDLJ, can't comment.

[albaharu]

Hey dola re dola re dola re dola

I am discovering the world of indian movies and im loving it. Here you go some Paro and Chandramukhi from Devdas request of @safehousebooze <3 ty for showing me the movie

[kumbhakarni]

It's chandramukhi who Paro is goggling at, her hithertho latent stirrings NOW at their unstoppable best.

@albaharu maybe you didn't intend a sapphic au but you don't know what you've unlocked. Thank yooouuuu.

[kumbhakarni]

॥ सिन्दूरारुणविग्रहां त्रिनयनां माणिक्यमौलिस्फुरत्

तारानायकशेखरां स्मितमुखीमापीनवक्षोरुहाम् ।

पाणिभ्यामलिपूर्णरत्नचषकं रक्तोत्पलं विभ्रतीं सौम्यां

रत्नघटस्थरक्तचरणां ध्यायेत्परामम्बिकाम् ॥

//She who is hued in vermillion

Who is three-eyed

Whose crown rubies bejewel

And the crescent moon adorns

She who mesmerizes with a

compassionate smile

She of shapely limbs

Cupping a bejeweled vessel abounding in nectar in one hand

And a crimson lotus in another //

@pastel-aesthetichaotic (so I checked out two translations and derived my own from them. Nope, I don't understand Sanskrit, only a smattering of Hindi)

[kumbhakarni]

THE

..REASON...

...WHY...

..I..

..SHALL..

...FOREVER..

...REMAIN...

...SINGLE.

[kumbhakarni]

HONORARY MENTIONS

[kumbhakarni]

THE

..REASON...

...WHY...

..I..

..SHALL..

...FOREVER..

...REMAIN...

...SINGLE.

[kumbhakarni]

MO GHRÀIDH

Ohoh we're going full blown Lady of the Lake here. Woohoo

Dearest Ninianne / Ninienne / Nimue / Vivianne, make way for Mommicent.

All the tears on you can't make up for your woe's sum.