Thursday, October 25, 2007

Guwahati, the capital of the state of Assam

Guwahati means "areca nut market," which is a literal, commerce-oriented name for a city that serves its economic function well enough, but doesn't have a lot of charm to spare.


Below is a picture of the Brahmaputra, the enormous river that led people to settle in Assam long ago. It really looks more like a lake, it is so massive.


There is supposedly a temple to Shiva in the middle of the river and a temple for Sati, one of the incarnations of his wife Parvati, on the far shore. But I couldn't see either from where I was. "Sati" is also the name of the custom of widow burning, in reference to a myth about Sati self-immolating in rage after her father insulted her new husband, Shiva. (Although, in her father's defence, how many people really hope their daughter will bring the destroyer of the universe home for dinner?) Shiva, in his grief over Sati's death, walked around India carrying her ashen corpse, and there is a temple every place a bit of her is supposed to have fallen. Assam's temple is where, well, Sati's girl parts fell.

How is it I feel both somewhat abashed about being too risque here, what with my exposed ankles, and also like I am constantly being exposed as a total prude, what with my squeamishness about a religion making reference to charred genitals?

Anyhow, the only really interesting tourist spot in Guwahati was Nehru park, which featured some typically patriotic things, such as this column bearing the symbol of India:


And a garden with bronze statues posed as if performing various traditional North East Indian dances:


And a colorful statue of a dragon, perhaps out of some local folktale...


About a dragon fighting a Tyrannosaurus Rex...


Even as both of them are being stalked by some sort of zombie bear...


Or ape, or maybe even a dog. And this zombie has a really impressive set of dentures.

10 comments:

p said...

Thanks for the pictures. I think it comes down to the definition of "risque" and "prude", but it is an interesting dynamic.

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