#like they have their diwali celebrations

[garneneva]

Headcannon that in star trek they celebrate all the religious festivals and not just Christmas/ Christian holidays. I think that this idea is neat.

[stardustanddaffodils]

christmas brings up a few dilemmas that i prefer to just simply Not Think About

[like-butterflies-and-glitter]

is it just me or is the explosion of orange flags making anyone else super uncomfortable

[burst-of-iridescent]

South Asian and Hindu Influences in ATLA (Part 1)

disclaimer: i was raised culturally and religiously hindu, and though i've tried to do my research for this post and pair it with my own cultural knowledge, i'm not an expert on hinduism by any means. should i mess up, please let me know.

please also be aware that many of the concepts discussed in this post overlap heavily with religions such as buddhism and jainism, which might have different interpretations and representations. as i'm not from those religions or cultures, i don't want to speak on them, but if anyone with that knowledge wishes to add on, please feel free.

it's well-known that atla draws from indigenous, east and southeast asian influences, but something i rarely see discussed in the fandom is the influences the show takes from hinduism and south asia, and there are actually far more than i think people are aware of.

so here's a (non-exhaustive list) of the main inspirations atla drew from south asian culture and hinduism, starting with...

The Avatar

the title of the show itself is taken from the ancient language of sanskrit, often considered the sacred tongue of the hindu religion. in sanskrit, the word "avatar" means to "descend" or "alight".

the concept of the avatar is a very old one, referring to the physical incarnation of a powerful deity or spirit. the idea of the avatar is most often linked to the god Vishnu, one of three supreme hindu gods collectively called the trimurti, or trinity. the avatar is said to manifest upon earth primarily in times of great need, when balance must be maintained between the forces of good and evil.

atla borrows heavily from this idea in having aang be the incarnation of a divine spirit who returns to the world during a time of immense strife, and is tasked with defeating a great evil to bring balance back to the world. and though i don't know if it was an intentional reference, it's interesting to note that Krishna, the most famous incarnation of Vishnu was also reborn amidst a fierce storm and carried through a raging sea to a new home where he would be protected from the king who sought to kill him. sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?

Agni Kai and the Philosophy of Firebending

the word "agni" derives from the sanskrit name Agni, the god of fire, though it can also generally mean "fire".

the concepts of lightning bending and the sun being the source of firebending are likely also taken from the idea of Agni, since he's said to exist simultaneously in three different forms on three different dimensions: as fire on earth, as lightning in the atmosphere, and as the sun in the sky.

Agni is a significant aspect of many rituals, including marriage rites, death rites, and the festivals of holi and diwali. the concept of Agni is one of duality: life and death, rebirth and destruction. hindu rituals accept and celebrate both aspects, revolving around the idea that destruction is not separate from creation, but rather necessary to facilitate it. the cremation of the dead, for instance, is seen as purification, not destruction: burning away the physical form so the soul is unencumbered, set free to continue the reincarnation cycle.

this influence can be seen in the firebending masters episode, which discusses the idea of fire being vital to life. the sun warriors safeguarding the original fire and demanding that zuko and aang bring fire to the dragons as a sacrifice could also reference the ritual of Agnihotra - the ritual of keeping a fire at the home hearth and making offerings to it. the purpose of this ritual differs depending on which text you refer to, but it is generally believed to purify the person and atmosphere in which it is performed, similar to how zuko and aang must make offerings to ran and shaw and survive their fire before being deemed worthy and pure.

Agnihotra is said to serve as a symbolic reminder of the vitality and importance of fire as the driving force of life, a lesson that zuko and aang also internalize from their encounter with the dragons.

Bumi

bumi's name is taken from the sanskrit word "bhumi", which means "earth". it's also the name of the hindu goddess of the earth, bumi or bhudevi.

one of the things the original animation didn't do and which i really enjoyed about the live action was that they made bumi indian and added desi inspiration to omashu. it makes perfect sense for a king whose name is as hindu-inspired as they come.

NWT Royal Palace

chief arnook's palace in the northern water tribe takes inspiration from the gopurams of hindu temples, massive pyramidal structures that served as entrance towers to the temple.

gopurams were built tall enough to be seen for miles around, beacons to signal tired or weary travellers who wished for a place to rest that a temple was nearby. it's a nice touch that the chief's palace is located in front of the spirit oasis, a similarly symbolic entryway to a sanctuary housing otherworldly deities.

Betrothal Necklaces

to preface: i doubt this was an intentional reference, and this great post talks about other cultures that could have inspired the water tribe betrothal necklaces. given the desi influence in the nwt architecture however, i figured it was worth mentioning.

the idea of betrothal necklaces being given to women by their male partners is similar to the thaali, a necklace given to hindu wives by their husbands. during hindu weddings, grooms tie the thaali around their brides' necks to symbolize their marriage. once given, wives are expected to wear their thaali till the day they die, as doing so is believed to bring good luck, health and prosperity to their husbands.

Chi-Blocking

though chi-blocking takes primary inspiration from the art of Dim Mak, it is also influenced by the south indian martial arts forms of adimurai and kalaripayattu, both of which include techniques of striking vital points in the body to disable or kill an opponent.

kalaripayattu also shares parallels with firebending, being a very physically demanding, aggressive martial art that emphasises the importance of discipline and mental fortitude. control of the mind is essential to control of the body, a philosophy similar to that espoused by iroh across the show.

Wan Shi Tong's Library

the library draws inspiration partly from the taj mahal, the famous mausoleum constructed by shah jahan during the mughal empire as a monument to his beloved wife, mumtaz mahal.

i'll end this post here since it's getting too long as it is, and the following section will be even longer. for while atla treated the concepts in this post with respect, the same unfortunately cannot be said for its depiction of guru pathik and combustion man - both of which we'll be discussing next.

[gothhabiba]

why is happy holidays a silly phrase?

Like “BCE” and “CE” for “BC” and “AD,” it seems not Christian on its surface (because it doesn’t explicitly mention “Christ”), but it is still implicitly very Christian in how it considers time (i.e. setting Jesus’ birth as year 0, or assuming that early winter is ‘the time for big holidays’)

That is, it’s based on the idea that Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa are equivalents, or at least holidays of equivalent weight (like, Chanukah is the “Jewish Christmas”). This isn’t true—Chanukah is not the most important or second most important holiday of the year. And very few people celebrate Kwanzaa like that. And there is no Muslim holiday that is tied to the wintertime (though Ramadan being in the winter for a while did confuse a lot of non-Muslims on this point, who said “happy Ramadan” during the winter for years afterward….)

So the phrase owes its currency to this very liberal-multicultural-pluralism-diversity-and-inclusion idea of the “big three” holidays that we were taught in elementary school in the U.S. All broader criticisms of liberal pluralism apply here

The phrase allows Christians to pretend that the timing of breaks from school and work (for certain people) is not entirely dependent on Christmas. But it clearly is. And if Diwali has definitely occurred by November and Chanukah is over by December 15, what do you mean by saying “happy holidays” on December 20th…?

I think the usage of the phrase can actually be a ‘microaggression’ as the kids say. Like why say “happy holidays” to me while I hand you a Christmas present and make plans with you for Christmas Eve dinner and tell you “merry Christmas.” What are you trying to say. Lmao.

Also!!! If people are saying “happy holidays” to me specifically based on how they’re racialising me (as opposed to people who just default to it with everyone), then um. Which holiday do they mean? No Muslim holidays tied to December!!

Imo, if you don’t know anything about the person you’re talking to, just say “have a good day” or something. You don’t actually have to assume that everyone else’s experience is the same as your’s while putting on a thin veneer of pretending that that’s not what you’re doing.

[writingwithfolklore]

Creating Fictional Holidays

     Happy Holidays everyone!

     Like mythology or folklore, holidays can add an extra bit of realism and magic to your fictional worlds, and provide for an interesting setting to portray characters, culture, or even family dynamic.

      While you can use real world holidays and adapt them to your worlds, you may also want to create your own! Here’s a few things to consider:

1. What does your holiday celebrate?

Typically, holidays come from historical events or events believed to have happened by religious groups. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Diwali celebrates the victory of light over darkness, or good’s triumph over evil. Passover celebrates Israelites’ escape from slavery. This would be a great chance to delve into the history of your world, and how it forms and influences communities.

Otherwise (and as well as), holidays can be expressions of important cultural values such as community, hard work, or family. The Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos) is the celebration of honoring passed family members, Labour day is held to honour the struggle for unionization by working people. What does your holiday say about the society or community that created it?

2. How has your holiday adapted?

As much as holiday is entrenched in longstanding tradition, there is no escaping modernization and adaption to contemporary norms. As much as Christmas is a religious holiday at its roots, for many, it’s a celebration of family and gift giving. Rather than being a saint, Santa has become the jolly toy-maker separated from religion entirely.

If your holiday began to celebrate say Harvest season, but in modern times ‘harvest season’ is no longer regularly recognized, how does this society continue to celebrate this holiday? Where does tradition and modern standards intersect?

3. How do people perceive the holiday?

Even joyous, wholesome holidays are going to have haters. Just think of Valentines Day coming around every year—there are people who love it, people who hate it, and people who see it as a superficial excuse to fund capitalism and consumer culture. What do the people of your world believe about the holiday, or what groups/communities are invited or left out?

4. What rituals go into celebrating your holiday?

During Christmas, many families bring in a tree, wrap gifts to put under it, and bake cookies for a secret intruder in the night. A ritual is just a way people honour something—it doesn’t necessarily have to be cultish or ‘evil’. What longstanding rituals go into the celebration of your holiday?

Maybe gifts are exchanged, candles are lit, cards are given out, money is donated, certain foods are given up or certain times limit eating (such as fasting), families gather, parties are held, etc. etc. There are thousands of ways people celebrate what’s important to them. Consider how each family or character in your story might take a slightly different spin on the same rituals.

I hope no matter what or how you celebrate this year, you get time to spend with your loved ones <3

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for refusing to buy my friend gold? 

I (f/33) have a very good friend (f/39) who is Hindu and an Indian immigrant, and this year she invited me and my wife (33) to celebrate Diwali with her. My wife and I are white canadians and not religious. We’ve been friends with her for almost a decade, but in the last few years have become very close and now she is basically family. We happily accepted.

We brought over food and the stuff to make paper lanterns, and we had a lovely time. The problem came when near the end of the night, when my friend told me that it’s been so long since she had people to celebrate Diwali with, and she was getting excited for presents. I didn’t know Diwali included presents so I hadn’t brought her anything, besides the craft supplies and food, she said that was fine and we could get her something next year.

I asked her what sort of gift she would like, and she said gold was the traditional gift and, I quote “but make sure it’s above 10 karat or it’s basically tin, I’d just throw it away.”

I thought this was a joke at first so I laughed, which made her confused. I explained that I would never give anyone gold as a gift, I’ve never even gotten my wife gold, we couldn’t even afford wedding rings. When she still looked confused I tried to clarify, and asked how much is a gift of gold, traditionally (since I’ve never bought gold, I had no idea how much it would cost.)

She told me a minimum of 500 dollars.

At this point is the behaviour I think might make me an asshole, because I was laughing in complete disbelief very openly. I told her that was completely insane, and I would happily spend every Diwali with her and get her a gift, but there was no way I was buying her 500 dollars worth of gold, ever, especially not if it was a yearly thing.

I know that in India, my friend was of a pretty high caste socially and her family is well off, and here in Canada she is an accountant who owns her own condo, and is looking to buy more property and become a landlord. My wife and I live frugally, we’re blue collar and both from working class families. An average amount I spend on a Christmas or birthday gifts for someone I’m close to would be about 20-50 bucks.

After I’d explained all this to her, I could tell she was disappointed and it had made her sad and confused. Part of me feels bad for laughing at her tradition, especially since she made the effort to include us and has no family here to celebrate with. But it honestly boggles me, and makes me a bit mad, honestly, which I know is unfair since it’s just differences in how we grew up, but I can’t help feeling annoyed and like she’s not seeing her privilege.

This has been compounded by the fact that for Christmas, which we also celebrated with her, she actually gave us gold, worth quite a lot, in the form of a special coin. We’re not the type to display fancy stuff, so it just sits in storage now. But I’m worried she may expect tit-for-tat, even though the only way we could possibly afford to give her gold back in exchange is if we sold what she gave us which we are definitely not supposed to do.

We still hang out constantly and we will continue to do so, she is a for-life friend for a lot of reasons, and I’d love to make her holidays and celebrations special, but this is just a sticking point for me, and I find myself feeling/acting like a prick every time it’s brought up.

So, AITA? Does anyone have suggestions for this situation?

[forallnumbersosc]

Do Algebraliens have holidays?

Typically we do, yes! Holidays usually vary between each playground of algebraliens in the universe as we bond with the cultures that we settle on. If a holiday really sticks out to a group of us, most likely we will integrate it into our own society, as, well... holidays are usually really really fun! And we REALLY love fun...

For example, the playground here on Goiky loves to celebrate stuff like Easter, Valentines, St. Patty's Day, New Years and Halloween, but we even celebrate holidays like Carnival, Diwali, Mardi Gras, and Pride Month!!

Our favorite by FAR, however, has to be, of course,

Christmas!!!!!!!

I don't think there's a SINGLE Goikian Algebralien that doesn't celebrate Christmas, even Fifteen gets into the spirit sometimes!!

[padme-amidala]

so my silly little blog has reached 3,000 followers!! i am truly grateful for every single one of you, thank you for supporting my gifs and giving me motivation to keep creating them 💜 to express my gratitude i've decided to have another follower celebration! if you'd like to participate simply send me:

🖤 + a show or a movie for a colorful gifset of said show/movie

and because i want to show my mutuals some extra appreciation, an option for mutuals only:

💌 for a personalized gifset based on your interests

i'm gonna tag some of my lovely mutuals under the cut to boost this <3

@labyrinth @saws2004 @commander-codys @edwards-teach @morgana-pendragon @mcbride @piperhaliwell @cal-kestis @matthew-lillard @killianglyndon @kitconnor @ughmerlin @zoya-nazyalenskys @pedro-pascal @jakeyp @diwalis @bixcaleen @hellshee @fireplceashes @captain-hen @cate-dunlap @dindjarism @lady-arryn @frodo-baggins @calkestis @yennefer @usergirlfailure @starfighters @the-force-awakens @mcgregor @obiwan @arabellas @elizascarlets @yasminkahns @hayden-christensen @kbishop @mayahawkins @moirainesedai @revengeofthesiths @jamietarrt @henry-alex @wandasmaximofffs @sansastarkr @ronandreams @cityscreams @avasillva @bottoms-movie @heroeddiemunson @yenvengerberg @dani-clayton

[strwbi-laces]

I’ll leave the light on - the diwali fic

James sits on the pavement in his back garden with his son in his arms, listening to the crackle of fireworks and longing for it. They’d celebrated Diwali, the three of them, the best they could while in hiding. Him and Lily had strung up enough fairy lights and lit enough diyas to rival the sun. But only after installing blackout curtains to ensure the house stayed dark from the outside.

He won’t complain. If it kept his family safe then he’d do it. He’ll let Harry’s first Diwali go by in the dark. This precious boy in his little red onesie Lily had dubbed it his ‘Diwali onesie’. Effie had left it to them while Lily was still pregnant. She’d left a lot when she died; books, clothes and an entire culture James had to make sure Harry knew when he wasn’t sure knew it himself.

“James.” Lily’s calls break him out of his thoughts. “Why are you on the floor? Your kurta’s going to be filthy.” Words like ‘kurta’ always sound special when she says them, the Yorkshire accent not letting them come out quite right. He pats the spot next to him where she gingerly sits down.

“Harry and I are trying to see the fireworks. You can hear them, can’t you? Some uncle trying to entertain all the kids at the party.”

“I can. Did you see anything yet?” Lily asks, playing with the red thread on her wrist. Her right wrist.

“Wasn’t it left last year?” Lily watched as James tied the Moli, having just tied one on him.

“Yeah but,” His grin was wide enough to hurt. “The right hand is for married women.”

“No, not yet. Bloody house is in the way,” he laughs and tries not to let his disappointment show.

“Well, I know it’s not the same,” James looks at her, surprised. “But when you asked Sirius to bring the sweets over, I may have asked him to get these too.”

Lily pulls a packet of sparklers out of a pocket far too small to fit them into. “We could do them in the house. It’ll probably be fine.”

James has to remind himself of the baby in his lap to keep from launching into her. They light the sparklers in the kitchen, closing their hands over Harry’s, helping him hold it.

Harry’s first Diwali is not like the celebrations James grew up with. Huge explosions on an old cricket pitch are now three bodies in a circle on the kitchen floor. But the way his eyes light up when the first sparks appear; that’s familiar.

James will have to keep that memory safe. One day, when Harry’s a moody git of a teenager who doesn’t want to celebrate with his parents, James will lament about how cute he was as a baby. So sweet and pure.

“You’re going to hear about today so much, it’ll be one of those stories you groan at,” James whispers as he tucks Harry into his crib. “Like nooo Dad not the Diwali story again.”

All he gets in response is a sleeping face.

“Alright kanna, good night.”

He mutters a quick prayer and leaves the night light on.

[asexual-squidward]

Other positives of the hotel:

Operating seasons. All hotels, especially ones on the countryside, have quiet periods where very few (if any) guests stay. That means the ghosts are able to have free run of the rooms without being walked through.

History/ghost tours. Alison canonically made sure the paintings were hung up around the hotel, so she would also insist on some historic tours and talks about the different eras. If Julian or Robin are bored then they can occasionally do something just so there is enough plausible deniability that there’s ghosts (but not enough to prove it)

Some hotels have live-in residents (often older people in retirement), so there would be some consistency in who they see.

There’s always people around for celebrations. Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Diwali etc.

Also plenty of weddings.

Golf.

Basically the hotel is like a massive daycare for the Ghosts

[dying-marshmallo]

☆ The rottmnt celebrating diwali but they forget to light the diya's and they scramble to do so before it hits six o'clock (insert awesome and funny sequence of them using their ninpo to do it quickly)

~☆ Adding on with smaller headcanons (unless I ramble in which case I am sorry!)

~☆ Leo has accidentally stepped on a lit diya atleast once or twice on accident because he's not used to them being there + he rarely pays attention since he's always on his phone or reading his comics.

~☆ Raph eats the sweet meats that Mikey makes and Mikey scolds him for it because they are supposed to save some to share with family! (Draxum and April)

~☆ Donnie and Leo's favorite sweet meat is Gulab Jamun! Raph likes drinking the syrup (always chokes on it because it's sweet)! Mikey likes Burfi!

~☆ Mikey and Leo usually play around with fireworks and sparklers during Diwali! I don't think NYC celebrates Diwali with any festivals or parades, so I imagine they have their own personal celebration (or they portal anywhere that does celebrate it!)

[mrsbuckybarnes1917]

IMAGINE inviting Bucky to a fireworks display

It's your idea; you want to share the Diwali celebration with him, and you love the fireworks displays, the beautiful colors created by the ignition of different elements mixing together.

Bucky is quiet. Quieter than normal. He clutches your hand like it's his only lifeline. He startles at every explosion, every bright light makes him twitch, and the crowds make him feel like he is being suffocated.

It's only after he squeezes your hand harder than he intended that you notice the distress on his face. The way his eyes dart from side to side as if he is waiting for someone to pounce.

You have a pair of your earbuds in your pocket, which you slip into his ears, pairing them to your phone and turning up the volume until he can no longer hear the loud bangs.

He lets you lead him to the back of the crowd where you sit down and enjoy the rest of the show with his arms wrapped around your waist.

When it's all over, he holds you close. "Sorry about that. I know this is important to you."

"No, Buck, I'm the one who should be sorry," you apologize. "Next time, we can do something different."

[nidhi-writes]

Deepavali - Great power comes with great responsibility

Growing up in the southern Indian state of Tamilnadu, where Deepavali is celebrated cause of Narakasura’s Defeat by Krishna. Each year I heard the story of how and when it happened, why Krishna killed Narakasura, and how cruel he was.

As the adult age struck I started to work with people from many parts of India, surprisingly that's when I heard that the story of Deepavali/Diwali which they celebrate is very different from the one I did.

Some specified that it celebrated the cause of Lord Rama and Seetha’s return to Ayodhya

Some Specified that it was celebrated cause of Ravana’s Defeat by Lord Rama.

They were surprised when I said in Tamilnadu it is celebrated for the reason I mentioned above, some were quick to point out how wrong I was and how one should know one's true culture and blah blah blah.

It was hard to explain culture and practices vary throughout our country and that's the beauty of it, there is no right or wrong cause every path and every practice leads to the same destiny. Our paths may vary but the destination is one.

So I wanted to read more about this one-line story I heard about how Krishna defeated Narakasura and the origin of it. And man if I say it made me cry, weep.

To dive into this story we have to travel from Kaliyug to Krita(Sathya) Yug

When the earth was in the hands of destruction by the asura Hrinyaksha and to save the earth and defeat Hrinyaksha, the almighty Vishnu took in the form of Varaha, as both Hrinyaksha and Varaha fought, Varaha overpowered Hiranaksha and at the end defeating him and also restored the earth to its original position in the universe

Varaha defeated Hiranaksha with ease and his only exertion was a drop of sweat, which fell to the ground. From that drop, a young warrior rose, his name was Naraka.

Is that when Bhoodevi and her heartbeat as a mother, her eyes watered at the scene of her son rising from her Swami’s drop of sweat. How could she not love him as he is her son, with love Bhoodevi hugged her son and smiled at how strong and a warrior he was. Bhoodevi turned and asked her Prabhu Varaha that her son should be invincible. Varaaha pulled out one of his tusks and gave it to Naraka saying he could use it as a weapon whenever he was in great danger.

Naraka accepted the weapon provided by his father and felt immensely blessed and ready to go to seek his fortune, as his father provided him advice on how to use the power to do only good.

‘Uphold Dharma’ said Varaha and Bhoodevi blessed her son as happy tears fell from her lotus-like eyes.

Just like any mother, her heart is filled with love and confidence for her son. She does not doubt her son becoming powerful in all three worlds and being just like her Swami. Varaha looked at Bhoodevi and smiled at her nodding his head as if he knew what she was thinking, but his smile didn’t seem to be filled with confidence.

Varaha smiled, his son will be powerful but the question is will he uphold the dharma to do good things, will he use his powers to be righteous, cause great power comes with great responsibilities.

As the yugas rolled one by one from Krita(Sathya) to Treta, to Dwaparyug. Lord Vishnu again came down to earth in the form of Krishna, Yadava. He vanquished his Uncle Kamsa and continued to restore dharma on the earth.

Just like the yugas rolled down, Naraka also grew very powerful, as he conquered everything from heaven and earth, he was drunk with power. That's when he snatched the celestial earrings from Aditi, the mother of Devas.

Amid the chaos, Indra the lord of devas sought Krishna’s help to vanquish Naraka. Upon hearing this Satyabama, one of the wives of Krishna, who is none other than Bhoodevi herself, got devastated and her heart ached along with anger boiled on how her son turned out. Her confidence in her son now made her feel like crying a river but as a Bhoodevi she had a job first that is to accompany her swami and solve this problem.

Both Krishna and Sathyabama left Prag-joyitisha-pura on Garuda. But entering the Prag-joyitisha-pura was not easy as the capital has four layers to its defence, The chief defender of Naraka’s capital was Mura, who was so confident that no one could penetrate the defence he had set and was relaxing deep down at the ring of defence.

But can anything be against Parandhaman himself? Krishna took down each defence layer at ease thus causing violent ripples in the water. Mura woke up from his slumber, enraged rushed out to defend and attack Krishna. Mura fell fighting against Krishna who then earned the name Murrari, the enemy of Mura.

Upon hearing the chaos outside Naraka Narakasura himself came out and started to fight against Krishna. The fight went on day and night causing extreme chaos and it became very difficult to say who was winning. As Naraka still had the weapon provided to him by his father Varaha, he took out the deadly tusk and threw it on Krishna, who got stuck by the tusk into his chest and fell unconscious. Naraka let out a victory cry but an enraged Satyabama picked up the bow and started to fight Naraka with so much anger. Naraka was shocked and continued to fight Sathyabama not knowing her real identity just like he did with Krishna.

Sathyabama’s eyes turned red flashing anger and her love for her son was now completely overshadowed by the monster he had become. Amidst the fighting, Krishna woke up and saw Sathyabama fighting and smiled at her. Naraka is shocked to see how Krishna is now awake, no other being can able to be alive after being struck by the deadly weapon, if Krishna is alive then he must be none other than Lord Varaha himself, his father.

Naraka fell on his knees and his father's words rang into his ears ‘Uphold Dharma’. He realized that he had failed his father's words and surrendered to Krishna, who used Sudarshana chakra at Naraka.

As his life slowly leaves Naraka he subconsciously surrenders himself to Krishna and Sathyabama. Sathyabama who was Bhoodevi born again, rushed to him and held him. The cries of sorrow, hurt, love, anger everything heard in her. As she helplessly held her son whose life slowly leaving him, Krishna silently watched the reunion of mother and son. As the tears fell on his body he found light in his dying moment. The darkness has been lifted as the dawn broke.

That day is celebrated as the festival of lights, Deepavali or Diwali, which signifies that we have to emerge from darkness to light.

@whippersnappersbookworm  @harinishivaa @thelekhikawrites  @willkatfanfromasia  @yehshuhua  @arachneofthoughts  @vibishalakshman @nspwriteups  @thirst4light  @hollogramhallucination   @celestesinsight ​  @curiousgalacticsoul  @themorguepoet @tranquilsightseer

[earthdoves]

transcript:

A few days ago, I received an invite from the Biden administration for a Diwali event being held by the VP on Nov 8 2023. I'm surprised this administration finds it acceptable to celebrate Diwali, when their support of the current atrocities against Palestinians represent the exact opposite of what this holiday means to many of us.

Diwali is celebrated by people of South Asian heritage worldwide. In the Hindu & Jain traditions, Diwali is the celebration of righteousness over falsehood and knowledge over ignorance.

In the Sikh tradition, during the time of Diwali, our 6th guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, helped free 52 fellow political prisoners from unjust imprisonment. We call this day Bandi Chhor Divas. I have always used this day to reflect on what it means to fight for freedom against oppression.

Today, the American government is not only funding the bombardment of Gaza, they continue to justify this genocide against Palestinians-regardless of how many refugee camps, health facilities, and places of worship are blown to bits. They reject the call for a humanitarian ceasefire- a baseline action being demanded by the United Nations, organizations like Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, and a majority of countries. Over 10,000 Palestinians have been killed. The UN says 70% of the dead are women and children. We have seen Israel use white phosphorus bombs, which Amnesty International says must be investigated as a war crime. We've seen footage on CNN of Israeli settlers kicking out and occupying the homes of Palestinians in the West Bank. (Cont'd...)

I implore my South Asian community to hold this administration accountable. As a Sikh woman, I will not allow my likeness to be used in whitewashing this administration's actions. I refuse any invitation from an institution that supports the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population-50% of whom are children.

As a community, we cannot remain silent or agreeable just to get a seat at the table. It comes at too high a cost to human life. Many of my contemporaries have told me in private that what's happening in Gaza is awful, but they aren't going to risk their livelihood or "a chance at creating change from the inside". There is no magical change that will happen from being on the inside. We must be brave. We must not be tokenized by their photo-ops. The privilege we lose from speaking up is nothing compared to what Palestinians lose each day because this administration rejects a ceasefire.

When a government's actions dehumanize people anywhere in the world, it is our moral imperative to call for justice. Do not be afraid. Stand with the world and demand a humanitarian ceasefire. Many voices will join you when you speak. Let us sign petitions. Attend protests. Boycott. Call our reps and say- stop the genocide.

- rupi kaur

[harrysmimi]

Still Want You

Synopsis: Harry wants a restart but YN still feels guilty for what happened

More of my work | Based on this ask

I really hope you like this anon. Took me pong enough to write this.

PS. I haven't edited this cuz I am too lazy. I'm sowwyyy :(

Harry was nervous knocking on the door. He tugged on the neckline of his t-shirt as he dripped the small bouquet of red and white roses, a box of chocolate covered almonds and a small pack of cat treats.

He was there to see his favourite girl and his favourite boy ever.

It's been almost a year he has seen YN. He was finally ready to start over and get his life together, since past ten months he's had a great tour, released a new album and was back on a little break.

YN and Harry have been together for well over two years, inseparable and madly in love with one another. Harry loved the fact that she was his little secret that he so selfishly wanted to keep with him. Which unfortunately was one of the reason which drove them apart.

His breath hitched when she opened the door and first thing a white fluffy cat with big green eyes came to greet him. That was Prince, the cat he adopted for her for her birthday, he was (and his) their son. Prince loves Harry deeply to say the least.

"Harry?" Her voice was barely audible but he hear her nerves getting through her just loud enough. She is an anxious person, he knows that.

"YN!" He greeted her with a pleasant yet sad enough smile. She moved aside so he can come in and closed the door when he did.

It was a new place, just three streets away from the place he rented for them to move in together, as a surprise. It was small, just enough for a person and a pet. Everything looked dull and gloomy, there was just a bed with a pillow, and a sofa seperating the room into a living area and a bedroom. It was like her old flat she first moved into, but a little smaller and two rooms less as she shared that one with a roommate, there was a seperate living room at least.

YN got him a glass of water the first thing as he took a seat on the sofa. He could see she had set up her laptop up on the coffee table with a dozen unread emails and half eaten plate of Rice and Daal with a side of raw mango pickle. She sat on the other side of the sofa waiting patiently for him to start the conversation.

"I wanted to see you." He started to which she just smiled. "YN look I am sorry for what happened, but let's start all over again please!"

"I should be the one apologising." She looked at him with the same guilt he saw all those months ago.

It was months ago YN and Harry were starting have little arguments here and there. It was unusual for him. Yes, YN would have her bursts of frustration and anger here and there but Harry always made sure to be the mature one understanding the circumstances of situation. He'd be the one sitting her down and making her talk her mind and heart and share the same when she'd unknowingly hurt his feelings. He's always been patiently wonderful with that.

But they were both particularly bitter about the situations which were coming up one by one. It started with when YN wanted to bring home with her for her Diwali break. Even though her and her family did not celebrate it, they were willing to meet up with him and spend the holidays, even one of her cousin was getting married right after Diwali. It was a huge thing for YN, he knew that. But he had chosen to back down.

A festival and a wedding means there would be people, and where there are people, means there would be countless pictures and with his lifestyle, he prefers to keep his private life private. It means he wouldn't have been able to keep his dreamy little secret, a secret. He wanted to meet her family but in private. While her intentions were never vile, he knew the internet would ruin her mental peace.

But soon after they had to stop going out together on dates, to eat out. She had to stop being seen with him. Which made YN feel hurt.

She wanted to everything with Harry. Yeah, she was willing to endure everything given what came to be with him, hell she was even sceptical for weeks after he asked her out for the first time for the same thing! But once she was all in, she was willing to risk it all. She even put on an armer and spoke to her very strict brown parents about him.

YN was angry at him for months.

All she wanted was share what they had with not having to constantly look over their shoulders. And him protecting her got no where, still to this date she recieves nasty comments online. Even her LinkedIn profile is not safe for her to log into gor work.

Though she feels guilty for what she did. Despite her annoyance and frustration what she did was not right in any sense.

She was out with her colleagues and had kissed her colleague Harry hated the most, to which she came clean after whole three weeks. Just when Harry had cooked her an amazing meal and bought her favourite flowers to apologise for being so overly protective and to ask her to move in with him. She wasn't drunk that day, she has never touched alcohol in her life.

Just as YN was about to say something, her work phone started ringing. He somehow forgot she works from home most of the time and it wasn't a weekend. She excused herself to answer the ohone to ask to person to postpone whatever she had to do.

"I'm sorry about that," she placed the phone face down on the coffee table to look at him. YN still hasn't been able to forgive herself for what she did. She should have been mature and talk to him.

Since their time apart her life had a big down fall, and it's falling down in the blackhole some hell universe. She had switched her job, her family back home was going through hell and she couldn't go back because who would help her family if she went back home. Her grand dad had passed and their family business was crashing each passing day. Her dad and his brother could do so much with handling biggest loss of their life. She was going through a lot in that moment. But that does not justify her actions what so ever!

Harry told her, he needed some time. And by some she never thought it was be more then ten months and few rebounds later. They never officially broke up or even had that conversation. She deserved to see all that, she made herself believe that. She was more upset with herself than she was to be with him when they never actually called off anything. That was that.

"Have taken me long enough to come in and say that I accept your apologies." He spoke as he carefully tried to move closer to her. He doesn't want her to move away. "I was equally responsible for hurting you after the same."

Harry could see her relax a bit but stiffen up again, so he carefully moved closer to her. "Look we can at least be good friends." He softly spoke as he took her hand, still remembering the feeling like it was yesterday. Her hands still held that warmth he never forgot and they still felt tiny against his own.

YN let out a shaky breath. She have been trying. Trying so hard to get over little heartbreak, it was more harder than when she had her heart broken for the first time. She thought about being friends with him and actually trying to reconcile just so she can have a great person like him in her life again.

Alas she is a jealous person, and she can see him with anyone else. She don't want to be that toxic friend to anyone, so she had made up her mind that if Harry didn't wanted to be back with her she'd never ask to be at least his friend. She looked up at him through her lashes as tears filled her eyes.

"I can't." She admitted.

"Hey, come here!" He whispered as he wrapped his arm around her.

YN never thought she'd be so vulnerable after seeing him again. She had been preparing herself to be strong and act like she has grown much mature and not breakdown, but she did. "I am so sorry!" She started chanting in muffled voice, guilt of hurting him stil felt so saw like it happened just a minute ago.

"Hey, hey, you're fine, you're fine." He gently smoothed her hair as he rubbed her back.

"I still, I still can't get that out of my head!" She muffled again his shirt.

"It's gonna take time." He admitted, "but if you give us a chance, we can make it work. I promise will try my best love. It's been so hard to breathe without you."

"I cheated on you. I don't deserve you, you deserve someone so much better than me." She broke from the hug, a little frustrated maybe. At herself to be exact.

"So did I." He admitted too. Maybe it's not right to get together back again but he have seen being get through so much worse together. Maybe, just maybe they can work it out. Yes, they can work it out. "Told you need a break and did the same. Maybe this is wrong, to get back together. But maybe we could make it the best thing ever. I promise I won't try so hard to protect you from every little thing which comes with my profession."

"I still haven't forgiven myself, Harry," corners of her mouth quivered, "I haven't."

"You want some time, take as much time as you need. Still want you, my love. That's all."

She just nodded and they sat in silence for what felt like ages until YN broke the silence with her sniffles, she wiped her tears and looked at him. "You want some daal chawal?" She knows how much he loves that.

He let out a soft shy chuckle, "you know I am not going to say no."

"I'll get you a plate." He nodded and walked to the kitchen.

......................................................................

It was four months later. YN and Harry started to talk more recently and back together officially, giving one another time they need.

It wasn't until just just on Sunday YN agreed to go on a date with him for next weekend, her day off. He was going to take her see Niall at the Wembley. It was Monday and Harry couldn't wait already.

Waiting for Saturday and going to studio like a torture to him for the first time. He haven't got to see YN much since he visited her, she had been busy with her work. Apparently she was getting a promotion, she'd be the youngest senior manager at her firm and the pressure was too much so he did not wanted to be in her way. But they spoke, stayed on phone calls on her lunch break and texted throughout the day as both of them got free time. Late replies did mot seemed so bad after all now.

It was finally Saturday and Harry was there to pick up YN at her flat. He was all stocked up on the water bottles as it was hot, he knew she wanted to stand in the merch line and buy almost every single thing even though she can get everything delivered to her doorstep on her one command. She is a true Niall fan. He still remembers the first time she got to meet Niall, she was freaking out and now they've become best of friends.

"Hello my love." He greeted her as she opened the door.

"I am so sorry, I forgot to send this important file that why I am late." She anxious ran to her bathroom to where he followed her.

"It's alright love, the show doesn't start for next six hours." He assured her. "And knowing Niall, it won't start for next ten, so don't worry about it." She laughed at that comment.

She was wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a large white shirt keeping it simple and cute, should he add. She had her hair in a braid and put on a pair of silver hoops. And they were ready to go. "Oh we're matching!"

"Oh yeah!" He realised.

She rolled her eyes, "when are you going to stop copying me." He just chuckled and walked a step forward to place a soft peck on the back of her head.

"Never." He mumbled taking in the smell of her shampoo."You look very pretty, love when you wear Kajal."

"I am going to look like a panda real quick." She grabbed her glasses off the counter and put them on.

"A gorgeous panda, might I add." He added and recieved a elbow to his rib before they both fell in fit of laugh. She grabbed her sling bag on the way out. But Harry stopped her at the exit of her building.

"Before we walk out, I have to tell you something." He let out a anxious breath. "We are taking Sam with us, just to be safe, okay? Don't want anyone of us getting hurt unknowingly."

"Okay." She nodded. Well that's understandable, if not for her, for him at least. No one knows her there but every fucking one knows him there. Once they walked out of the building, he found he even got a chauffeur for the day.

"Oh yeah, one more thing." He reached the back pocket his jeans and pulled out a tennis bracelet.

It was the Tiffany bracelet he got her one random day just because, and she wore it every single day no matter if it went with her outfit or not since then. He recieved that back when she returned all his stuff back to him with all of his hoodies and the tad bits of gift he gave her.

"You still kept it?" She looked rather surprised.

"Of course I kept it, know how much you cherish this." He gently grabbed her hand and placed the bracelet around her wrist, he tried to approach her with a kiss but she cuddle close to him swiftly dodging the moment. He just needs to give her some time so he settled with placing a gentle peck on her head.

They reached the venue in half an hour, stood in the line to buy the merch and just making it in time for lunch with Niall. YN did not expect Harry to get VIP passes, even though the performer is literally his best friend. She still did not expected to go to a concert with VIP passes. Yes she saw Harry perform multiple times but it was with his family in the privacy box standing by the side of the stage. This was whole knew experience for her. They were going to the VIP tent there with Niall's mum and girlfriend.

"Be careful here." Harry grabbed her hand as he guided her through the metal walkway around the stage to the pit area where the tent was. He knows these things are nasty slippery even through they have little bumps on them which are supposed to be slip resistant.

The whole evening Harry wasn't afraid of how people would treat the girl he loves so much. He wasn't afraid of hold her thinking about all the nasty things people might say. He sang and danced all evening along with her with his best friend performing there. It was when Niall was playing This Town with his guitar trapped on, at the end of the cat walk.

Harry's got his arms around the girl he adore so much to sing along, just so she can hear him. "If the whole world was watching, I'd still dance with you. Drive highways and byways to be there with you, over and over the only truth, everything come back to you." That made her turn her head around to look at him, he couldn't hold back the bright smile as he placed a kiss on the apple of her cheek, "you still make me nervous when you walk in the room, them butterflies they come alive when I'm next to you, over and over the only truth everything comes back to you, hmmm!" YN leaned into him there. She could start crying.

"You wanna take a picture?" He suggested as the song ended.

"Oh yes!" YN pulled out her phone from her bag and the posed for a few selfies and Harry clicked a few pictures of her while Niall was in between set change.

After the show, Harry her took her to her favourite place for dinner. And that was about the night before he drive her back to her place with all the merch she bought.

......................................................................

It was a few more months later.

YN mostly worked from home, she only ever had to go to work if there was a meeting or briefing to be done. It was one of those days for her, but more important somehow. Her day at work ended at three in the afternoon as she was early reporting to work. She had taken in a cab there as her car at the service centre. So Harry decided to go pick her up.

Harry waited for her outside her work building as he couldn't go in because the security won't let him in without an ID. He don't have that obviously, because he is not an employee there and he knew YN was done anyway so he didn't mind waiting for her by his car. He was dressed all comfy in a pair of sweats and puffer with a beanie on his head. It was November already and getting colder already.

YN did not liked Mondays, that's what he knew really. But this particular Monday she was very giddy and got up at six in the morning and reported to work at eight sharp. He wasn't sure what was so special about today but she seemed very ecstatic about it.

"Harry!" He hear his name as she ran out of the door, dressed in a baby pink suit and her black coat on top of it with her laptop bag slung around her right shoulder. The first thing she did was jump in his arms to place a firm kiss on his mouth. Taking Harry by utter shock. It was the first time they kissed, he did not mind it, he rather loved it actually. "I. Got. The promotion!" She squealed stomping like a little toddler. He could see little tears of joy in corner of her eyes.

"Oh my goodness!" He was surprised to hear that too, she has been after this promotion for so long, "I am so proud of you baby!" He pulled her in a warm hug. He had seen her obsess about this project wanting it to be perfect for one of the biggest clients in her firm, followed by which she would happen her promotion.

"You are?" She cooed, sounding like she'd cry.

"Yes baby, I am!" He exclaimed as he squeezed her tighter, "so, so, so proud of you my love!" He carefully pulled apart enough to look at her. "You deserved it." He placed a kiss on her forehead. She just buried her face in his chest.

"I need to call Mumma." She chuckled as she pulled away to wipe her tears.

"Yeah?" He smiled, "give me this, call you mum." He grabbed her laptop bag and proceeded to place it on the back seat as she made her way to the passenger seat calling her mother already.

They had the day planned out already, they were going to go to his place. The new place he got just a month ago in a more gated area with more security for her personal safety.

"You kissed me." Harry said as he closed his front door, she had already taken off her coat. His puffer was already off in the car itself.

"Yes..." YN nodded anxiously, "I am sorry if you didn't wanted me to."

"Are you kidding me? I've been dying to kiss you my love!" He took a big step towards her as he grabbed her by her waist to place a gentle kiss on her mouth. "Oh I've missed this!" He place another feathery kiss on corner of her mouth, he could feel her melt in his arms there as her knees almost gave in. With his arm on her back and behind her knees he picked her up as he spun her around.

......................................................................

It was another day of celebration for YN as she was able get another big project in to the firm just a year after her promotion, her superior arranged a little dinner party for her. It was a very formal event, with the CEO and all the vice presidents present there. Of course she took Harry with him.

Harry had drove YN back to her place his place as they planned last minute on spending the weekend in at his. They both changed into some comfy clothes.  Luckily Harry kept all of her clothes as they were.

They both got comfy on the sofa. "Need some water." Harry got up from his place and walked in the kitchen. The kitchen at his new was surprised put of sight from living room and it was weirdly quite at his, except Prince snoring next to her. Harry was watching him for the day while YN was at work. He had a blast the three hours Harry was at the dinner with her, running around the house that he passed out on the sofa there.

Harry came back, acting a bit fiddly. He watched as YN flipped through Netflix. He knew he have to do this. He wants to do this.

He placed a kiss on her mouth before he got on both his knees with her hands in his, their laced finger layed on her lap. He had to resist himself from giving her get another kiss or he would forget to say what he is going to say.

"What happened?" She asked looking at him confused.

"I've got say something." He started with a bright smile and flushed cheeks. "Rather I've got something to ask you."

"If you're asking me to move in, then not until—"

"We get married, I know." He interrupted her, "I actually wanted to ask you, will you marry me? You don't have to answer now, take as much time as possible. As long as it takes, I still want you." He could feel his heart thumping in his ears.

"You are serious with this?" She asked in a low voice, not believing what is happening, as her eyes welled up with tears. "You want to get married?"

"Yes, I am damn serious about this." He announced. "I want to get married."

"Yes, I will marry you Harry!" She exclaimed as pulled him in for a hug. Suddenly there were claps heard from the kitchen as her family and Harry's family walked out. "What the—" she hid her face in Harry's shirt as she knew her kajal was all messed up already, Gemma was recording this. Harry laughed as he looked at her face and helped her fix her face, wiping her tears with the sleeve of white shirt he wore.

"It's okay, your cute panda face is just for me to see." He whispered to her making her chuckle.

"It's official now!" YN's mum announced. It was just their immediate family. Harry's parents and his sister, her parents and her brothers. And they knew there was going to be a proper engagement ceremony done, not today but someday.

Harry wanted to give YN a heads up, given the fact how their relationship took a turn and how hard it was mend things and beat the odds. He didn't expected her to say yes then and there but he was prepared with a ring. Anne handed him the ring he had custom made just for his girl.

"Want to make it official, official." He opened the box to reveals a beautiful ring, which he took time in sliding onto her finger.

"Even we have a surprise for you." YN's brother announced as he handed his sister a box too. It was a platinum band in there. Just a cultural thing where it is permissible for men to wear gold or jewels, Harry respects that. He knows they are going to have a proper engagement ceremony planned out in future all abiding by her cultural rituals. This was just for family and their eyes only.

She slid the ring on his finger too. And they were officially, officially engaged now.

This wasn't something Harry imagined would ever happen.

......................................................................

N O T E :

Well... Had this in my inbox for a while while now. I am so so so sorry this took forever to post! 🤧 Hope you liked it. Ik I'm a bit rusty that I haven't wrote anything since like January.

I love you xx