In Indian mythology their are some million gods (hey we like variety) and each typically has their favorite ride to get around.
If you could compare them to today's human incarnations and try to draw a parallel (or some lines or parabolas) in terms of what Americans consider their favorite rides it lends itself to some pretty interesting observations -
1. Ganesh or Ganpati or Heramba or Vinayaka by far is the most conservative of drivers - what with a small mouse to get around - that compares to today's Prius or Smart car drivers. As it should be since Ganesh - the god of learning does seem to have a lot of smarts.
2. Durga Mata - or the Goddess Kali - btw these gods and godesses did also have many alternate names to confuse the invaders and tyrants I think so they never knew what hit them - anyway - Durga preferred to ride a lion - that would be like today's muscle car - like a Corvette or Dodge Charger V8 to get from zero to sixty in a nifty.
3. Dattatraya - or the 3 headed one - this guy was intellect and all knowing but hung out on a cow - more like someone riding a Chevy Caprice - all smooth and steady.
4. Lord Ayyappa (this guy was commonly found in the south of India) preferred to ride a Tiger - real stealth and agility was what he needed like someone today might ride a tricked out Mustang or a mighty Lamborghini (zero to sixty in a blazing 3 seconds)..
and finally -
5. Ganesh's dad or LORD SHIVA - the supreme leader - preferred to ride a powerful bull - don't know how he did in the equities market but clearly was charging forth like someone would in a Humvee today, taking care of business and putting out any terrorism that prevaded their times.
This autumn the weather gods cooperated as we took a family trip in the northeast to see six states that qualify or makeup what is known colloquially in America as New England. Mass, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island (tiniest state in the union). The outing helped tally up the states we either lived in, visited or have worked in to 47. Guess which three have eluded this intrepid traveling family. Any rate the drive was all in about 1,800 miles and included some memorable geographic wonders or points of interest. Easternmost part of state of Massachusetts being one. Furthest drivable road east in Mass being another. Visit to all Ivy League schools (term harkens to a collegiate athletics conference and generally regarded as elite academic institutes of some repute worldwide) is another random bucket list item of which this trip afforded the chance to knock two more of the list. Dartmouth in Hanover, NH and Brown (and its sister institute the RISD - school f
Yamraj (God of Death) had a buffalo- that might be mapped on to a Tata truck!
ReplyDeletehe he - although ideally comparable to a 'Yama'ha - motorcycle with many cylinders (those were vehicles of death in college days)
ReplyDelete