Rishaba vahanam & north tamilnadu desi breeds

Structural comparison with native cattle breeds of Northern TamilNadu and Temple Rishaba vaganam. During the annual festivel on the fifth day of the celebration is very important as the presiding deity of the temple Lord shiva use to come out in the Rishava vahanam.The disciplined bull, which is calm and docile, symbolizes Dharma, an image of controlled power.The white color of the bull symbolizes purity and justice. Generally in thondaimandala (northern TamilNadu )style rishabam vaganams were use to be  designed as short and majestic with a broad forehead and short horns similarly which will look like indigenous breed ( kanchipuram kuttai /Thondainadu kuttai ).

Here in this comparison we had taken some prominent temple vahanas in northern Tamilnadu like #Mylapore, #kanchipuram and #Tiruvannamalai. In the other hand we could see the pictures of the native bulls of the northern tamilnadu which is commonly know as Thondainadu kuttai / kanchipuram kuttai is a desi breed and excellent drought variety This is short breed grows to 80-100 cms in height. It can withstand the hot humid and sultry climate of North coastal Tamil Nadu. This is very docile and amiable and it has an average milk yield of 2to3 litres/day.  Generally they are Red, White, Black and mixed colours. This breed is endangered and there are only a 600 - 700 cows available currently and they face an imminent threat due to artificial insemination and lack of interest in protecting and preserving this breed. These indigenous breeds were commonly found in Chittoor, nellore in (A.P), Velur, thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Chennai, kanchipuram, Vilupuram and Tiruvannamalai districts of Tamil Nadu.

----Ramu.Rm.N

Traditional baby carriers

Babywearing techniques include wrapping the child on the chest attaching them to the side of the body with slings that range from traditional, colorful fabrics passed down through generations to generation. According to the region the way of carrying may vary like baskets, cradle boards, cloths and in certain regions carrying them on the back.

Here in this sculpture we could see a two armed Mother Goddess ( Brajut / hariti ) holding a elder one in his hand and carrying the Youngest in a Shoulder sling. This was 9 th century sculpture of the goddess Brajut / hariti from desa Claket_Jabung, #Indonesia is included here to show the way some traditional baby carriers are  been used historically and this way of carrying exist in the rural parts of south Asian countries. Here in this collage we could see the simalar way of baby carried in the shoulder sling made of fabric which were from India and Bali, Indonesia. The #Balinese Mother and Children Carrying the Youngest in a Shoulder-sling and holding the elder one in his hand.

In the other half we could see the similar sculpture from #Madurai meenakshi Amman temple in south TamilNadu, India. This sculpture was made during nayaka period in this we could the mother with her three childern. She hold her elder one in his hand carries her younger one in her shoulder and she carries the other in her shoulder which looks like the Indonesian women ( hariti ) sculpture however the way of carrying the children was almost similar. In the other side we could see a recent picture of tribal woman from the #Kondh_tribe with her child in a sling shopping vegetables in the Koraput market in #Odisha, India.

The mythology of #Hariti is Buddhist in origin and dates back to Gandhara period (3rd century of the common era). The concept was popular in Northwestern India and the adjacent areas of Pakistan and #Afghanistan. The spread of the concept/mythology and the fact the story and form have remained unchanged for such a long time worshipped as the protector of children.

Hariti married to #Yaksha Panchika lived in Rajagriha with her five hundred children. But she used to eat other children in Rajagriha. When Buddha was informed of what is happening he hid one of Hariti’s children. When distraught Hariti met Buddha and she narrated her story of her missing child.#Buddha pointed it out if missing one of five hundred children can cause so much mental agony what would be the case of mothers who lost her only child. With that Hariti realized her mistake and wanted to be the protector of children, easy delivery and happy child rearing, while her negative aspects include the belief of her terror towards irresponsible parents and unruly children.

--Ramu.Rm.N