#live in relationship tamil

[rightnewshindi]

बिना तलाक लिव-इन रिलेशन में नही रह सकते विवाहित लोग, पुनर्विवाह की भी अनुमति नहीं; इलाहाबाद हाई कोर्ट

बिना तलाक लिव इन रिलेशन में नही रह सकते विवाहित लोग, पुनर्विवाह की भी अनुमति नहीं; इलाहाबाद हाई कोर्ट

Allahabad High Court: एक लिव-इन जोड़े ने इलाहाबाद हाई कोर्ट में सुरक्षा अपील दायर की, लेकिन इसे अस्वीकार कर दिया गया क्योंकि दोनों ने पहले से ही अन्य लोगों से शादी कर ली थी और उनके संबंधित विवाह से तलाक का कोई दस्तावेज नहीं था. जस्टिस रेनू अग्रवाल की बेंच ने कहा कि अदालत इन अवैध साझेदारियों को नज़रअंदाज़ नहीं कर सकती और चेतावनी दी कि ऐसा करने से सामाजिक व्यवस्था ख़राब हो जाएगी. अदालत ने इस बात…

[lunar-serpentinite]

AU where the Potters are actually South Asian and their earliest ancestor, Linfred of Stitchcombe, was actually an immigrant from what is now known as Tamil Nadu. He came from a family of potioneers and healers who were known for their relationship with snakes and their ability to understand the language of serpents (known within Europe as Parseltongue) but their variant of Parseltongue was believed to be a blessing from their patron deity Aravan.

The Descendants of Nandhini

The Descendants of Nandhini, more commonly known as the Descendants of Aditya by outsiders, refer to a family of Tamil wix who occupy a heavily warded and hidden territory within part of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, India. They are traditionally healers and agriculturists who work closely with snakes of both Magical and mundane origins. Their affinity and bond with snakes lead them to develop the Magical ability to speak and understand the language of serpents. 

They are named after the first member of the family who mastered the language of serpents, Nandhini. Nandhini was a Tamil witch who lived at the height of the Chola Empire, specifically during the mid-900s. Nandhini was her parents’ third child and only daughter. When Nandhini began to display perfect fluency in the language of serpents, it was viewed as a sign of favour from their patron Aravan and Nandhini was then announced as the family’s next head. However, she was to disguise herself as a man and go by the name Aditya as well as take on a wife for the rest of her life.

From Nandhini, new traditions were developed. One tradition was the secretive way of succession for the title of family head. While the family head remained a male in official records and to anyone who asked. But in reality, a woman held the actual title of family head. The hereditary Magic and Relics of the family was bestowed upon the eldest daughter of the main line, which she would then pass down to her eldest daughter when the daughter came of age. This is one of the family’s best kept secrets and is still kept close and hushed up to this day.

Another tradition was keeping long-living Magical serpents as familiars and protectors of the family and carriers of hereditary knowledge. These serpents were regarded around the same level as the family’s elders and the family often spoke with them for advice or knowledge.

The descendants of Nandhini, like the other Magical families of Tamil Nadu at the time, lived in harmony with their mundane neighbours. Mundanes were aware of and lived with Magic despite being unable to wield it themselves. This carried on until the start of British colonization in India. The Magical families of Tamil Nadu escaped colonization by a breath’s width by using Magic to completely hide themselves from the rest of the world. The descendants of Nandhini in particular worked with their snakes to “camouflage” their biggest family compound within the Western Ghats, with the snakes themselves acting as the living “boundaries” of their territory who also act as natural deterrents for anyone who comes too close.

The Magical families remained isolated from the outside world for the entirety of the British’s colonization of India and even lasted a couple of decades after. However, they have managed to reestablish connection with the other Magical families as the years passed by. During their time of isolation, the caste system was slowly dissolved and forgotten and many Magical Tamil families abandoned their castes and titles in favour of simply calling themselves the descendants of their oldest recorded ancestor. In the present time, Magical Tamil Nadu are large joint family groups scattered geographically but are well-connected by an intricate communication system set up by their ancestors. They are still mostly disconnected from the rest of the Magical World but not as much as it was during the colonial era.

The descendants of Nandhini in the present time mostly use the language of serpents, Tamil, and Sanskrit as their main languages. However, their members also show fluency in Middle Tamil and Classical Sanskrit. The latest generation of the descendants are currently learning present-day English.

BRITISH BRANCH — THE POTTERS

During the 1200s right as the Chola Empire began to decline, a group of the descendants of Nandhini led by someone now known as Linfred of Stitchcombe found their way to the British Isles. Though considered “eccentric” by his British neighbours, Linfred was nonetheless well-liked due to his helpfulness and affable nature. He and his family were known for their excellent healing remedies and strange plants, but they were warned by their ancestral snakes and the local snakes to hide their affinity for snakes and their knowledge of the language of serpents for their own safety. 

This branch eventually adopted the surname of Potter by demand of the British Ministry of Magic, though there wasn’t any significant reason behind the choice of surnames. Though they are Potter on paper, they still proudly refer to themselves as descendants of Nandhini and would often use Nandhini as another surname in addition to Potter. They kept in contact with the main branch throughout the centuries until the main branch seceded during the British colonial period.

Despite their positive reputation in the British Magical community and their position of being essentially Purebloods, the Potters preferred to marry within their South Asian community. The other British Pureblood families attempted to marry into the Potter family for generations especially after the Potters rose to the top of their respective industries, but they remain unsuccessful to this day. It is because of this refusal to marry into the British Pureblood society that the Potters were exempted from the Sacred 28, not that they cared anyways. 

The Potters amassed wealth, prestige, and influence through their revolutionary contributions and breakthroughs for British healing magic and potions. Eventually, they also started to build up a business in Magical pottery and ceramics. The potions they sell are often packaged in custom ceramic bottles made by their own company. Their business partners are exclusively businesses owned and run by South Asians and South Asian immigrants and have recently begun to open their connections to other BIPOC-owned businesses as well. As of the present day, the Potters are one of the leading names in both the potioneering and Magical pottery/ceramics industry.

The Potters usually send their children to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where they would usually be Sorted into either Slytherin or Gryffindor. However since they have reestablished their connection with their main branch in Tamil Nadu, the recent generations have been considering sending their children to their ancestral home for schooling instead.

During the mid-18th century, the Potters began to republicize their affinity and connection with snakes and their usage of the language of serpents as a way of preserving their connection to their family back in their motherland and as a silent protest against the growing negative perception of snakes and serpent-speakers in the United Kingdom. It was noted by Magical linguists that the language of serpents that the Potters knew were far different than what Europe had called “parseltongue”. This variant of “parseltongue” became known as Potters’ parseltongue amongst the European populace, though the family themselves have never used the term themselves.

Despite having lived away from their main branch for centuries, the Potters still maintain almost all of the family traditions. The family is patriarchal on paper but matriarchal in practice. Their family manor in Gloucestershire had an entire green space for the ancestral snakes that they have brought from Tamil Nadu and their other snakes that they have adopted and bred. They continue to revere their patron deity Aravan, whose image decorates sacred spaces within the Potter family estate. 

In the latest generation, the Potter family is closely connected with the other Magical South Asian families within the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. They also have close ties with the Black family who claims ancestry from ancient Egypt and Persia. The current heads of the Potter family, James and Lily, have both married Regulus Arcturus Black who is the second son of Orion and Walburga Black. James also considers Sirius Orion Black his best friend and the couple have appointed Sirius as the godfather of their eldest child Hariharan "Harry" James Potter.

[ineffable-opinions]

Love In the Air is getting a Japanese adaptation.

Things have come a full circle for MeMindY in a way. It was while traveling through Japan in November 2018 that MAME decided to start a production house to film series based on her novel in her own way.

Looks like it is a fan project of sorts based on what creators has to say on the project website, so it makes sense that it is MeMindY’s project that gets Japanese adaptation. (If not, it would have been GMMTV, BOC or some other government-supported production company that engaged in Thai government’s Commerce Ministry department facilitated “BL as soft power” negotiations with their Japanese counterparts.

more on this here)

This adaptation is not surprising considering the crowd that showed up at MAME’s Japanese fan-meet consisted of older folk too. It reminds me of Chen Hao producing Stay with Me. While I would be happy to have more bottom-up, demand-driven productions rather than top-down, supply-driven ones, it makes me worried too. I had previously expressed my wish for popular BL manga and novels to get live action adaptation. Now, we have a handful of live action based on works that have won Chil-chil awards but those adaptations have been disappointing to say the least.

source

I am a little worried about production quality. Hopefully, they’ll manage to balance cost and quality since this project’s return on investment would be a signal to future initiatives. I am excited for Shoma who gave an excellent performance in the unfortunately gelded adaptation of the super-popular manga 25 Ji, Akasaka de. I am eager to know who will play Saifah (hopefully they'll retain that character) and Chai.

My Insane Wishlist: Non-Thai adaptation of MAME’s BL

Breath – Japanese live action adaptation TulHin was one of the side couples in Love by Chance 2 but I want an adaptation that stays true to the spirit of their story. In addition, it will be really nice to see Hin in violet rope shibari in the hotel getaway scene. All the shibari scenes we got so far in live action BL has been fleeting and of very little consequence. Japan should attempt adapting this into period piece set in Taisho or early Showa era. The novel is well suited for an adaptation set in that period with rapidly changing position of the aristocracy in the society, conflict between old and new orders, nouveau riche industrialists, feudal households with retainers performing multiple functions, specific forms of xenophobia, grand balls, arranged marriages, intergenerational power struggle, familism and ample space for intrigue. Also, Japan has a good track record of being sincere in their depiction of complexities of androphilic male x androphilic female interactions – they can make Tul's struggle heart-wrenching to watch.  

OatShin from Test Love and OatShin Diary – Tamil-Marathi bilingual movie adaptation with Harshvardhan Rane as Shin, Arjun Das as Oat and Suriya as Akira (Shin's cousin brother). In the novel Love Storm from which Love in the Air is adapted, it is Oat and not Prapai who is the best street racer in their circuit. Saifah, Oat and Saifah's girlfriend are in fact friends and classmates from college - depicted in Test Love. Oat's boyfriend Shinji was his junior in college. Shin is friends with characters from Love By Chance. Their relationship starts at the end of Test Love and in OatShin Diaries we get to see them navigate long distance relationship, familial acceptance and work-life balance as salarymen. OatShin has a very cute dynamic - they are a riba CP (reversible couple) with a lot of push and pull. Shin is super sly and sensitive and I can see Harshvardhan teasing the hell out of whoever he is paired with. Arjun Das probably can't do racer very well - so just get him that ATV from Por for added illegality. He would be perfect as Oat and very adorable too.

Try Me: Chai Win – Japanese manga adaptation with minimal censor bars – Chai’s pearlings needs to exist in 2D version.

Try Me: Chai Win – Turkish live action adaptation – I think Pawit-bey has a nice ring to it and I would pay to listen to it for 40 episodes of 2-hour length each. Maybe some over the top honorifics would be more suitable coming from Chai’s mouth like efendi. Mert Yazicioglu or Ali Yagci as Win and Can Yaman as Chai.

Chai appeared in Love in the Air as a crucial minor character who comes to Phayu's rescue. He has a love story of his own with Pakin's civilian* cousin brother, Pawit aka Win, that is complicated by duty and obligations and extortive meddling by Pakin's dad (the kingpin).

[* not in the mafia]

[stxrrynxghts]

Facts about Subhadra

Subhadra is one of my favorite characters of the Mahabharata. I have a somewhat different perception of her personality than most ppl do, but that is kind of fine. So, I am here to share some facts about our Yadava princess :D

According to Bhagavat Purana, Subhadra has 45 LIVING elder brothers. Vasudev apparently had more sons apart from Balarama and Krishna.

She is also said to have a full blooded elder sister, named Tara.

Subhadra is 19 years younger than Krishna is, according to Bhagvata Puran

So she is probably 20-21 years younger than Balarama, and 18 and a half year younger than Arjun

The Northern and Southern recension of the Mahabharata have somewhat different versions of her love story with Arjun. The northern version shows him abducting her, and in the southern one, their love story is very much elaborated.

However, in both, her consent is there, in the Northern one, she doesn't say anything while abducted, but is actually smiling when she returns, so she is most likely happy

And we all know, she and Draupadi had a lovely relationship together #sisgoals

Subhadra is directly related to Nakul's wife, Karenumati, as Karenumati's grandmother and Subhadra's father are siblings.

Speaking of grandmothers, Subhadra's grandma is Marisha, a descendant of Vasuki, through whom Subhadra's descendants have Naga blood.

Subhadra's marriage paves the way for the full blown Yadava-Pandava friendship imagine the Yadavas and their 50,000 relatives spending summer in Indraprastha

Since Subhadra is so young compared to her brothers, her sisters-in-law must have been very present in her childhood. why am I imagining baby Bhadra sitting in Balarama's lap during his wedding

Subhadra is mostly known for sleeping during the chakravyuha thing, but it is mostly folklore i.e. not present in any authentic versions (Correct me if I am wrong)

She is very heavily worshipped in Jagannnath Puri , and is perhaps the most widely worshipped female character from Mahabharata (Draupadi is worshipped in some parts of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, Hidimbi is worshipped in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttara is worshipped in some parts of Rajasthan).

In authentic versions, she has only one kid, Abhimanyu, though certain folk tales show multiple children of hers.

Subhadra's mourning is very much highlighted in the aftermath of Abhimanyu's death (Which is a normal thing, Vyasa loves to delve into the mother/wife's pain after someone's death).

After the war, Yudhishthira handed over the kingdom to Yuyutsu, but also requested Subhadra to "take care" of Parikshit and Vajra oh god, she is probably the only one from the elder gen left apart from Yuyustu at that point

A folktale suggests that Arjun drowned Subhadra before leaving for the Himalayas, and I am sorry to say that I hate it a lot. Why you making my man commit uxoricide?

She most probably retired to the forest after sometime, and passed there only.

[vhstown]

pavitr prabhakar ★ general headcanons

content/warnings: implied/mentions of death (his parents+uncle), mentions of bullying, gayatri x pavitr, written by a coconut who is not indian PLS CORRECT ME!!

a/n: the sunny boy himself... (ugly crying) I LOVE HIM. loosely based off of the scraps of canon that i could find. maybe a little projection... (i am desi) atsv version pavitr! written at midnight and not very edited 💀

For some background, Pavitr was born in Southern India (likely Tamil Nadu or Kerala) so one of his first languages was Tamil! A village / small town boy at heart.

After his parents passed at a young age he moved to Mumbattan with his Aunt Maya and Uncle Bihm (of course) and it is very very different!!!

Obviously Pavitr has to learn Hindi and Marathi properly in order to fit in AND English my boy has to be multi-lingual from the start...

Even from early on Pavitr was bullied because he didn't fit in with the city kids. Gets called pagal Prabhakar (crazy Prabhakar — a bit like puny Parker?) and a slew of other names because of his accent, how he mixes up the languages, and the fact that he lives with his aunt and uncle rather than his parents.

Eventually by the time he's in his early teens he "assimilates" in terms of the language and culture but he's a scrawny kid so he still gets bullied... kids are ruthless bro don't you got the JEE to study for 💀

God forbid if anyone found out about his emo phase at that time... Pavitr's just getting onto social media and when he sees the emo subculture he just takes it and runs. (He stops out of embarassment when his Aunt Maya finds out why he's stealing her kajal... There are photos out there somewhere.)

Also meets Gayatri during his lil emo phase. Definitely a chill popular girl and definitely sticks up for him (it's giving Indian Forest Gump... does anyone know about that adaptation 😭)

He's a bit hesitant about Gayatri at first since the popular kids kind of dogpile on him all the time but eventually they become a little duo and he crushes HARD

Enter hopeless romantic Pavitr he is the embodiment of the song "Love Spell" by Param Pannu (Spotify link it's a BOP)

Plus you know he's in love when he admits he had an emo phase to you... in the middle of his emo phase. (Gayatri has all those pictures saved by the way.)

Then comes Mumbattan Visions Academy!! (according to the wiki that's where he goes.)

Of course we know that Pavitr is quite naturally smart so the entrance exam is no problem (RAFFLE BOY like Miles 😊😊😊)

But he is so super concerned about getting in with Gayatri so a few weeks before the exams they're studying together (doing anything but study)

My girl Gayatri is trying to help him out and he has no idea what she's saying and she's so smart and literally knows twice the amount of info you need to know so my boy Pavitr is sweating BULLETS the day before (exam is so easy he thinks he's sitting the wrong one LMAO)

Pavitr does NOT want to stay at the dorms he'll defo miss his auntie and uncle too much (and his auntie's cooking) but he begrudgingly goes anyway...

Enter NADEESH (his universe's Ned counterpart I totally just made up...)

They're roomies and Nadeesh is from Bengal and they actually bond quite easily considering they're not from Mumbattan he's a STEM boy and has a love/hate relationship with it (super smart though maybe just not at school... gadget stuff 😱)

Pavitr doesn't know a LICK of Bangla but Nadeesh teaches him some perhaps to rizz up Gayatri... (they're all vulgar or swear words or words Pavitr picked up from hearing Nadeesh's mum speak on the phone 💀)

SPEAKING OF GAYATRI yeah she's slaying school and also has a lil modelling thing going on too. STEM girlie and fashion girlie and knows multiple languages (her father knows a couple considering he's an officer)

Pavitr is a hopeless romantic but he's just hopeless when he asks her out in Bangla trying to be cool and doesn't realise he called her a whore... (he's so going to kill Nadeesh.)

She finds it HILARIOUS though and they start dating and everyone lived happily ever after and NO ANCIENT YOGI TIME MY BOY IS SPIDER-MAN NOW 🤯🤯🤯🤯

I think Pavitr's initial approach to being Spider-Man is very... impractical. Given he's just gotten his powers and gotten his naturally buff abilities and always amazing hair (yes that is part of his powers) (yes he asked the yogi for it), he's very spontaneous and disorganised. He probably has the stupidest most impractical suit and sweats like HELL in it (kind of like the one in the comics?) My boy's grades kind of take a hit and so does his little freshman year relationship with Gayatri.

My guy Nadeesh is chill though he knows instantly like Pavitr isn't subtle about it... (they're both night owls and Nadeesh is like cramming asf and Pavitr swings in without thinking and he's just like... "okay dude I have a physics exam tomorrow idgaf 😭 wait but that so cool though can I help—")

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a— Okay his Uncle Bihm dies. You know how it goes.

Gayatri breaks up with him (it's exam season and she wants to "take a break".) His uncle is dead. He's flunking school (for real this time) Emo phase 2? Maybe not...

Pavitr ends up spending a lot more time with Maya and while he's a little irrationally spiteful he learns the importance of taking care of the little family he has left. Pavitr doesn't have the privilege of that multi-generational village household he had back when he was young, or parents like the rest of his classmates. It's just him and his aunt in that little apartment, a speck in the whole of Mumbattan, the place he has to protect and call home now.

Okay that got sad real fast but HE CHERISHES HIS AUNT hence why he always makes time to have chai with her, no matter how busy he is or how emo he's feeling.

His uncle Bihm had a couple traditional pieces of clothing and Maya makes him try them on. He feels a bit silly especially since he's gotten used to pushing away his culture and mainly speaking English at his new school but then his aunt starts tearing up and he starts tearing up and "you look just like your chacha" and UGH

After a while Pavitr gets himself together and decides to design himself a new suit. He takes inspiration from a couple of his uncle's fancier pieces and also Gayatri's first advert feature (my girl is going places!!!) so his outfit has a lot of meaning to him.

We gotta go BACK for the yo-yo though y'all. I'm so certain that Gayatri had a yo-yo when they were younger and he learnt it just to impress her... SO HE HAS A YO-YO AS PART OF HIS GEAR 😱😱😱

Of course these little signs add up and Gayatri is like half-sure he's Spider-Man (but not entirely cause when she's saved in the film she's a bit taken aback when he hugs her... my girl is smart but you always got a lil uncertainty!!! Maybe she figures it out after that though...)

Obviously he flunked those exams considering he was NOT studying while he was grieving and when Gayatri checks up on him he's of course not doing the greatest despite his little comeback. However...

"I can help you review if you want?" she asks him. Pavitr's smile comes back that day.

But my boy STILL CANNOT CATCH A BREAK because Gayatri's father gets promoted to Police Captain and is suddenly very protective of his daughter

There's a lot of awkward moments where Pavitr has to play off his association with Gayatri (puts the hopeless in hopeless romantic yet again.) No, she never told him they were dating before (and those pictures are in a SAFE trust) though they're not exactly dating now.

Gayatri is pretty indifferent about it all, to be fair. She doesn't exactly care if her father finds out (and hopefully she can tell him soon) but she also doesn't want her dad to be disappointed in her considering she looks up to him a lot.

A BIT OF GAYATRI HEADCANON but I feel like she's very academically gifted but doesn't exactly want to go into STEM? Fashion is her thing and she eventually might want to go into acting (like this girl in her classes called Meera Jain... OUUU rivalry but not really they're besties I fear)

Gayatri definitely gossips and gushes to Meera Jain about Pavitr like how he gossips and gushes to Nadeesh. They both give the other contrasting advice (they're still not together... SITUATIONSHIP 💀💀💀)

It's not as bad as when Pavitr called Gayatri a whore by accident but getting together again is definitely awkward when they go to get lassi at that very overpriced store that opened up that Pavitr most definitely cannot afford (smiles and fights to pay while a part of him dies inside)

Though their relationship is stronger this time! Pavitr does still have his secret as Spider-Man, but things are looking up! Especially when he finds out that he's not the only Spider-Man (ENTER ATSV CANON STORYLINE 😱😱😱)

Endless high school antics I love this dude and his lil friends

That's it for now I think THANK YOU FOR READING!! I so wish there was more content on him but I had to take matters into my own hands...

🕸️💫🪀

y'all better stop sleeping on pavitr now... HES SO AHHHH I LOVE HIM YOU DONF UNDERSTAND HES THE DUDE EVER

don't talk about my other wips. or why im uploading this at midnight.

ALSO if you are desi (particularly indian) please correct me OR FEEL FREE TO ADD ON i am so whitewashed and my boy needs to be done justice

reblogs so super appreciated! if you wanna read the rest of my atsv stuff click here :p

[rrcraft-and-lore]

Gender Fluidity, non-heterosexual, and gender variance behavior in mythology.

For the purpose of this thread, and keeping it short cuz even though this is my off month to finally rest from burn out, I've got publishing obligations, signings, and stuff to do -- we're keeping-- this to South Asian mythology:

I've already done a thread about third sex/intersex and trans (Hijra) in South Asian culture and the portrayals in a pop culture IP recently - Monkey Man by Dev Patel --

This is a short primer really:

Harihara - the union representing totality/oneness of all existence is the being born of the union of Shiva and Vishnu (who at prior to this morphs into Mohini, the female celestial temptress who Shiva becomes besotted with and tries to get intimate with), Vishnu changes back amidst this and the two fuse into a being. The ability of celestial beings | gods | goddesses to morph, change shape and gender in Vedic to Hindu mythology is well-established/normal. But there are many legends about Mohini, including the birth of her (Vishnu, his female avatar form being Mohini) son, Shasta, with Shiva. Mohini is also known as a femme fatale archetype, seducer, temptress, as well as someone known for destroying/seducing demons to their doom.

One thing to remember is that the Vedic religion and its stories are old, older than our records because the stories, songs, poetry of it all existed before written records and were transmitted orally. There are also varied versions of the epics, such as Tamil recountings of Mahabharata for example, in where one such example exists.

Krishna also takes the form of Mohini to marry Aravan (in Tamil) Iravan otherwise to give Aravan the chance to experience love before his death. There is a festival celebrated to this in the month of Chitrai (April/May) at the Koothandavar Temple dedicated to Iravan during which, Hijras (the third sex, transgender, intersex, and or eunuchs as well) celebrate Krishna/Mohini marrying Aravan and then mourn Aravan/Iravan's death as he sacrificed himself.

It must be noted that there is artwork and mention throughout the wide spread of Vedic upwards stories (and how many interpretations, takes, and varies stories there are) of same sex and yonic/non-vaginal sex relationships, births, and more.

There's also inter-being...?

Erotica/romance authors help me out here? Inter...celestial sex?

Apsara, devas, asura, humans, demigods. Look, lots of sex of all kind happens, and it's normal.

There's also the story of Arjuna to consider: when he refuses the seductive advances of Urvashi, she curses him to be a Klba, or member of the third gender. Later when Arjuna adopts the name of Brihannala, the curse takes effect as Arjuna dresses in women's clothing, and because of this, Arjuna is able to gain entrance to the kingdom of Virata in the Padma Purana and teach the high arts of music, singing, and dance, to the king's daughter and princess. Later, he is turned into a woman when he wishes to take part in Krishna's mystical dance which only women may attend.

Then there is Ila, a character cursed by Shiva and Parvati to change genders each month.

NOTE: there are MANY versions of the story of Ila, but it is canonical they changed gender -- known as Sudyumna as a woman, and Ila as a man.

Ilā is considered the chief progenitor of the Lunar dynasty of Indian kings – also known as the Aillas.

Continuing. In one story, Ila marries Budha (not Buddha the former king and founder of Buddhism), but Budha that is the god Mercury -- Budha is aware of Ila's origins as a man and changing status, but only marries Ila in his feminine state, and honoring that part of them as his wife and only when Ila is in that state. He does not enlighten Ila to the changing effect as each gender is unaware of the other and those lives.

The tale of Ila's transformations is told in the Puranas as well as the Indian epic poems, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

This is just a little thread. Anyways, I'm off now to sign nearly 2000 pages (won't finish today) and have an achey hand while I do more research and trying to improve the prose style I want for book three of Tales of Tremaine.

❤️ thank you. Remember, be kind.

[tamblr]

Intro to Tantric Shaivism

Shiva as a god is someone who has been deeply influential in my personal spiritual journey. From watching both Lord Ram and Ravana pray to him to seeing the relationship between Shiva and Shakthi, I was always intuitively fascinated by him and that led naturally to intellectual curiosity. In the previous write up I had summarised the meaning of Tantra, this is a small introduction to Shaivism. 

Shaivism is the worship of Lord Shiva as the supreme being. It is an ancient Hindu sect that is an amalgamation of pre Vedic and Vedic traditions. As such, some scholars have dated the sect to the Indus Valley civilisation at 2500-2000 BCE. 

Shaivism has many schools of thought, two of the most popular ones being: Saiva siddhanta and Kashmiri Shaivism from which we will draw most of the metaphysics, philosophy and cosmology from but first…

Who or what is Shiva? 

The answer to this question itself could be a series all on its own but here’s two etymologies from two of the most ancient languages: Tamil and Sanskrit.

I was reading this incredible novel called Kottravai where the author describes the etymology of the word, Sivam, this is my very rough translation of the tamil text, “from the word meaning, life (Siivam), the people named their lord sivam”. From sivam comes siivan, more predominantly pronounced as jiivan meaning soul or living being. 

Indeed, one of the most ancient names of the lord is pasu-pati, lord (pati) of animals (pasu). In Saiva Siddhanta, pasu is has a further meaning of soul so the lord of souls. 

According to Monier-Williams, the Sanskrit word "Shiva" means "auspicious, propitious, gracious, benign, kind, benevolent, friendly". The root words of shiva in folk etymology are śī which means "in whom all things lie, pervasiveness" and va which means "embodiment of grace”.

While the Tamil etymology talks about who he is, the Sanskrit one gives a description of his characteristics. 

But what is he? 

He is sat-cit-ananda (being-consciousness-bliss). Or more succinctly, the universal consciousness. Kashmiri Shaivism talks about the universal consciousness as having two characteristics: prakasa (light) and vimarsa (reflective awareness) and talks about the universal consciousness as being the efficient cause whose effect is the vibration of consciousness (spanda). Here it should be noted that cause and effect are reciprocal processes where cause leads to effect and effect back to cause.

While we talk about Shiva as masculine, it is important to note that Shiva and Shakthi are a dual principle, like two sides of the same coin where Shakthi is the instrumental cause whose effect is pure energy (kundalini Shakthi). Symbolised in Ardhanadishwara.

Similarly, while Shaivism and vaishnavism are at odds with each other in many aspects, the old name for Visnu in the Tamil was Mayon, the personification of Maya (material reality, illusion) and Shaivite traditions agree that Maya is another aspect of Shakthi. The duality of Shiva and Vishnu is symbolised in Hari-Hara.

Proof of existence 

Saiva siddhanta, a school popular in South India is a philosophical school that is based on theistic realism and therefore offers a rational argument for why the universal consciousness should exist. The proof first begins with 3 laws:

All existing things have arisen and must at some time be destroyed. 

Law I, to the thesis that the world in its entirety must have been created at one point of time, and, again at one point of time, will in its entirety be destroyed; the world has a beginning and an end. 

Everything that gets destroyed must arise again; something that exists cannot become a nothing. 

Law 2, that the world's history will not end with its destruction, but that after a certain time it will be created anew out of itself; a new world-creation will follow a world- destruction. 

Whatever arises must have existed before; a nothing can't turn into an existent something

Law 3, that an eternal living something must form the basis of this world, out of which it was created, and into which it will at some time be resolved, and from which it will at another time again be created.

But why Shiva?

Why is Shiva the personification of the universal consciousness? The answer given is quite simple. 

There is a popular Tamil saying: ‘Anbe Sivam’ which means ‘love is Shiva’ or ‘shiva is love’. To quote from Saiva siddhanta: “You must worship what engages your love, you disciples of advaita.” Advaita means non-duality of subject and object and talks about the relationship between the individual soul and the divine. So from their perspective, anything that fuels your love is your personification of the divine and for Shaivites due to the history, culture and religion, Shiva is who engages their love and hence their devotion.

This is where the idea of Tantra comes into play. ‘The exploration of the inner cosmos is Tantra that helps one discover the inner architecture of one’s self and its relationship with the outer world.’ Tantric Shaivism is essentially the exploration and recognition of the soul and its relationship to Shiva, the personification of the universal consciousness.

Why use a personification?

the soul has three faculties: knowledge, will, action 

it needs something to lean on, which it then imitates and assimilates

its faculties need to be set in motion by some impulse from outside.

When you love something, you desire to understand it, be with it and you immerse your thoughts in it. In other words, you develop devotion. This is what you lean on. The qualities of the personification of the universal consciousness as being auspicious, benevolent, full of grace enable the soul to be able to imitate it and assimilate with it. This love is fuelled by culture, mythology and other personal experiences unique to each individual so theology helps set in motion the faculties of the soul. 

Knowledge - Knowledge can roughly be of two types: intellectual knowledge and instinctual knowledge. Instinctual knowledge is brought about by faith and the faith is strengthened through intellectual knowledge gathered from reading scripture, philosophy etc. Sometimes instinct can give rise to intellectual curiosity and other times intellectual exploration can give rise to a deity that is instinctually recognised by the soul. 

Will - the will is simply the ability of a person to concentrate completely on the divine and is fuelled by devotion and resilience of one’s faith and this initiates action.

Action - action is the performance of inner (meditation, chanting mantras) and outer (puja, yoga) rituals acting as a symbolic union from which the actual union with the divine occurs

One of my main resources was the book Saiva Siddhanta: An Indian School of mystical thought in addition to other resources which I would be happy to link if anyone is curious.

[fishyyyyy99]

OK, I seriously can't believe someone actually thinks this about season 4 of Never Have I Ever:

"In 2023, the message of the show suddenly turned into *"racism, white supremacy, patriarchy, and class inequity doesn't exist anymore. Devi did a Bollywood dance, got into Princeton, and a racist white guy said he loves her at the last minute, so everything is going to be okay (for Gen Z)."*

This is the opposite of the premise that the show started with in 2020, which acknowledged the brutal unfairness in the world."

Firstly, it wasn't a Bollywood dance. They danced to the Tamil dubbed version of a song that is originally Telugu. Tamil cinema is known as Kollywood, and Telugu cinema is known as Tollywood. Maybe people who comment so much on racism should learn a little more about not clubbing all of Indian culture together. As a Telugu woman who lives in Tamil Nadu, I'd like to say that I was really happy with the dance number. I was especially happy because it wasn't a Bollywood dance (season 1 just used Hindi songs, and that really annoyed me because Devi is Tamil).

The show literally acknowledged that Devi ("our little hothead from the valley") was happy in that moment. There was no claim about everything being okay forever. It's just that she is better equipped to deal with problems now. She will continue to grow non-linearly, just like she did throughout the show.

Of course, the show became less about dealing with intense grief as it went on - time heals. But they did portray that grief still lingers, despite that.

Also, the portrayal of familial relationships was great - Devi talking about how it's cool to live with three generations of women in her house, Nalini having to deal with empty nest syndrome, Nalini talking about her own struggle with having to start over in the US after being a top resident in India (but of course, the last season does not acknowledge how brutally unfair the world is /s) and how she was just trying to protect Devi from being devastated, Devi setting her mother up (showing how much she had healed and grown since season 2), Kamala being too attached to her family to move away and Nalini telling her that change is good (and even Kamala's coping mechanism of becoming overprotective of Nirmala), Kamala and Devi's sweet moments, the family's acceptance and joyous celebration of Nirmala finding love again, Nirmala calling Nalini out for being mean to Devi, and of course, the heartwarming scene of Nalini helping Devi pack and telling her she's proud of her. Devi's final monologue focused primarily on how much she cares about her mother. Did all of that mean nothing to some people?

Never Have I Ever is not an unproblematic show. But I still can't believe it's being reduced to this. I. Seriously. Just. Can't. Devi was so much more comfortable in her skin than when the show started, and was no longer obsessed with external validation. Her relationship with Nalini had improved greatly. She embraced her culture so much more. She was okay with not getting into Princeton, and realised that she'd always be connected to her father no matter what. I don't mind that she didn't completely give up on her Princeton dream. I don't think she needed to, to show that she had healed. She was able to tell her dad's story in a way that felt true to herself, and did not feel exploitative (she reclaimed her power from a racist white guy). She was truly happy when she prayed to the gods before leaving to Princeton. She was surrounded by people who cared about her and loved her, as she said. And she was happily in the middle of a fun game of Never Have I Ever before Ben showed up. She had learned to love herself and her life. The show having a happy (for now) ending does not equal them saying that everything is going to be okay forever. The world is still brutally unfair. Devi is just a little better at dealing with it.

I don't know who needs to hear this but Never Have I Ever had a TEAM DEVI ending! Just because Devi was not single at the end of the show/ended up with someone you dislike, it doesn't mean that the ending wasn't a win for team Devi.

TEAM DEVI FOR THE WIN! AND THAT'S WHAT WE GOT.

I'll acknowledge that there were issues with the show throughout all four seasons. But I can't see such an empowering show being dismissed in such a ridiculous way.

[bbgnyx]

tamil love songs | skz

-> pairing: skz x fem!reader

-> word count:

-> a/n: ok so these are some of my favourite songs in tamil and I matched it up to each skz member. It brings me immense joy to be sharing my native language songs with you, hope you enjoy it as well! i attached the spotify link with the song title, so when you click it you will be directed to listen to it! if you don't have spotify, please just type in the song name in yt if you want to listen to it. I also wrote down my fav line from these songs that resonate with the members the most and also most importantly I'm not pressuring anyone to listen to the songs, if you don't want to you don't have to, that's completely fine!! I just wanted to share a bit of my origin culture with youu. I hope you can enjoy and share my appreciation for my native language! any questions about the songs are welcome!

->feedback and reblogs are appreciated

->ty @xhavxv for the dividers!

BANGCHAN - 'Nira'

-> The exact translation of this means "Color"

-> Synopsis: The entire song is from a male’s perspective talking about a girl who is the love of his life and how she makes his life glow like the colours.

-> I honestly feel like Chan is the type to totally adore you to death and keep praising you and talking about how important you are to him so this song totally fits! I can even imagine him singing this to you and it sounds magical ✨ Chan is totally a first love trope and this is exactly that kinda song.

-> My favourite line: “Unai Theeramal Pidithen, Uyirin Ulle Maraithen”

-> Meaning: “I engraved your image within me, from head to toe I hid you in the depths of my heart.”

MINHO - 'Seramal Ponal'

-> The exact translation of this means "If we aren't together"

-> Synopsis: It’s basically a song where the guy is telling how without her his world is nothing and that there is no purpose in his life without her by his side and how amazing it would be with her

-> Ok this screams Minho to me in so many ways, its such a beautiful song and Minho is definitely the type to sing a song like this. I feel like once he loves he can’t stop and that you will be his entire world and everything. Minho doesn't usually express his feelings a lot but if he is ever to get in a relationship he would definitely put his all into it by showing how much you mean to him.

-> My favourite line: “Neer Indri Vannum, Van Indri Neeyum, Irundal Ulagathil Yedhadi, Penne Purindhu Kolladi”

-> Meaning: “Water without the sky, Sky without the water. There is no such world, so baby please understand that my love for you is like that aswell”

CHANGBIN - 'Neeyum Nannum Anbe'

-> The exact translation of this means "You and Me"

-> Synopsis: So in this song the guy tells how he and her together can do many wonderful things and be in love happily. In the pre chorus part also he tells how she means a lot to him and that together they can do anything and if they aren't together he will break apart. Its kinda like let's just be together and face the world

-> Binnie always strikes me as the soft or subby type for sure. So I feel like all he'll ever want is to cuddle by your side and not anything else. He will feel satisfied as long as you are there with him. He's such a sweetheart and will love you till death just like how the song says.

-> My favourite line: “Neeyum Naanum Anbe, Kangal Korthukondu, Vaazhvin yellai sendru, ondragaa vazhalam”

-> Meaning: “You and I, my love, lost into each other's eyes, Come Let's live our life together at life's horizon"

HYUNJIN- 'Adiye'

-> The exact translation of this means "Oh Girl!"

-> Synopsis: Basically a song in males perspective talking about how much he loves this girl and desperately needs her touch and needs to be around her. He wishes the night won't ever end so he can just be with her. Its kinda a song dedicated to the girl sorta

-> Hyunjin is definitely a hardcore lover who would want to always be by your side and craves your touch constantly and this song is exactly that in the form of lyrics. Honestly, it will be so cute to see him all wrapped around your finger hehe.

-> My favourite line: “Adiye Neethaanadi Enn Bothai Thene Mutham Konju”

-> Meaning: “Oh girl, you are my drug, please shower me with kisses"

JISUNG- 'Senjitaley'

-> The exact translation of this means "She knocked me off my feet"

-> Synopsis: one of my fav songs ever from my fav actor! this is such a cute song about the guy talking about how the girl he loves totally swept him off his feet and keeps captivating him with her beauty and charm.

-> Han is totally a subby guy who would be completely charmed by you from the start. He's honestly the epitome of "love at first sight" according to me. He would also show how much you mean to him and how much you've charmed him with sweet gifts or songs written for you!

-> My favourite line: “Unna Thedi Thedi Thedi Nenju Alladuthe,”

-> Meaning: “My heart has gone crazy searching for you"

FELIX- 'Unakaga'

-> The exact translation of this means "For you"

-> Synopsis: such a sweet song tbh, it is from a girls perspective at the first and then the boys perspective but it fits felix so much! the song talks about how the girl and boy would do anything for each other and how much she/he loves him herto give him/her his/her entire life also and basically how she/he lives just for him/her at this point.

-> Felix is another case of being totally charmed by you! he would absolutely do anything for you and your happiness. All that matters to him is that your happy and with him. I can just imagine him braiding your hair while you eat his sweet brownies while chit-chatting. hehe

-> My favourite line: “Oru nooru varusham, pesa nenachi, tholil thoongiduven”

-> Meaning: “Wanting to talk to you for the next 100 years as well, I will peacefully lay resting my head on your shoulder"

SEUNGMIN- 'Un Vizhigalil'

-> The exact translation of this means "In your eyes"

-> Synopsis: another one of my favs! the song talks about how the boy's life has become better since he laid eyes on the girl and how she is an angel to him and being with her together every day is merely enough for him to live in peace and happiness.

-> Seungie might seem tough on the outside but I believe he's such a softie on the inside who would love you to pieces and would def worship you since you came into his life. He would shower you with gifts and whatnot to show his life.

-> My favourite line: "Nee thenam siricha podhume, vera edhume vendame penne”

-> Meaning: “It's enough even if you smile every day for me, I'll be smitten babe"

JEONGIN- 'Sirikkadhey'

-> The exact translation of this means "Don't Laugh"

-> Synopsis: fun fact, this is from the same movie as the song I chose for Jisung! gives the same vibes tbh, the song talks about how the boy loves the girl so much and how she is everything to him and can't be without her and her simply laughing is easy to mesmerise him

-> Ayen is absolutely a darling and innocent (*wink*wink*) guy and would love you to bits but would be shy to show it. This song perfectly can be matched with him cause I feel like every little move you do is sure to captivate him and bring him so much joy

-> My favourite line: "Un Peyaril En Perai Serthu, Viralodu Uyir Koodu Korthu, Oor Munne Ondraga Namum, Nadandhal Enna"

-> Meaning: " Adding my name with your name. By threading together our fingers and life. What if we walk together in front of the world"

[thereader-radhika]

An analysis of Nandini - Veera Pandyan relationship and answering some questions

The relationship between Nandini and Veera Pandyan is something that has perplexed Ponniyin Selvan readers for almost 70 years. Were they married? Were they living together as lovers? Was Veera Pandyan Nandini's father? Were they in an incestuous relationship? Did they have a son?

There are enough reasons for this confusion. Nandini tells Karikalan that Veera Pandyan is her lover. Aabathudavigal too call her his wife and Queen. Nandini tells "Veera Pandyan's son' that she is his mother.

So, what was the relationship between Nandini and Veera Pandyan?

Nothing. It might be surprising, but there was absolutely no relationship between Nandini and Veera Pandyan when Veera Pandyan lived.

(There is a possibility that he was Nandini's father. Nandini believed so but any physically strong person could have taken advantage of a lonely heartbroken mute woman like Mandakini)

A little bit about Nandini's life before meeting Veera Pandyan . . .

Nandini never explains her life story to anyone. We get a picture of Nandini's life through others. Their stories are pretty consistent across the books, except some omissions like Alwarkadiyan not telling Vanthiyathevan that it was he himself who took newborn Nandini to his village.

After being forced to leave Aditha Karikalan, Nandini decided not to marry anyone else. Remember that Nandini was not a financially independent woman from a progressive family. There must have been immense pressure on her to get married, especially after the marriage of her sister (yes, she had an elder sister who is mentioned only once).

So Nandini took refuge in the only outlet she had - devotion. His sister becoming a saint like Andal was acceptable for Alwarkadiyan too. Nandini renounced worldly life, wandered with her brother and sang devotional hymns in different temples across Tamil Nadu.

One time, around the time of the sister's delivery, Nandini stays back at their home and Alwarkadian leaves for Thiruvenkadam (Tirupati). Pandya Aabathudavigal brought an injured Veera Pandyan to Nandini's hut. Nandini treated him for a few days.

Why do Aapathudaivikal call her their Queen and Veerapandyan's wife?

Veera Pandyan, injured and delirious, told everyone that Nandini is his queen, he is going to marry her and place her on the Pandya throne with him.

We know that Mandakini and Nandini shared a strong resemblance and Veera Pandyan had a connection with Mandakini. Karuthiruman later says that Veera Pandyan paid him a lot of money to bring Mandakini to Madurai. In his last days, Veera Pandyan was not in a condition to recognise that around twenty years have passed and the girl before him is a different person.

Hell, he was not in a state to get up from his bed when someone came to kill him.

Why was Nandini alone with Veera Pandyan?

Aapathudaivikal who were with Veera Pandyan somehow got last minute information that Aditha Karikalan is coming. Nandini, who felt pity, promised to save him and asked them to hide. She must have told them that Aditha Karikalan once loved her and wouldn't reject her request. Ravidasan, their ever pragmatic leader, recognised that letting the girl use her charm is better than all of them dying. As I said earlier, Veera Pandyan himself was grievously ill and couldn't move from his bed. 

Why does Nandini say that Veera Pandyan is her lover? Couldn't she have said that Veera Pandyan is her father?

Killing or defeating enemies and marrying their daughters was very common in that period. There is a living example in the Chola royal family itself - Sundara Cholan's mother Kalyani, whom Arinjayan married due to her unparalleled beauty was the daughter of a defeated vassal. Vanthiyathevan reminiscens about her when he thinks about the inconsistent enemity and friendship between royals.

Killing your own family wasn't uncommon either. The close relationship of Cholas and Rashtakutas turned into enemity because Paranthaka I was crowned as Aditya I's successor instead of Kannara Devan, the son of "munnam pugunda mita deviyar" (senior queen) Ilangon Pichchi, the daughter of the Rashtrakuta Emperor Krishna II.

Why did Aapathudaivikal try to burn her on Veera Pandyan's pyre?

They were angered by her failure to save Veera Pandyan and wanted to punish her.

Why does Nandini address Veera Pandyan's head as "my lover"? By now, Nandini had deducted that Veera Pandyan is her father. Still, why does she treat "him" like her lover?

Trauma

Some stranger with armed guards telling you indecent things when you are all alone with them in itself is pretty traumatic. After his murder, Nandini was destined to spend a lot of time with an even older man who sees her as a sexual object- Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, her husband.

He often asks her about living as 'husband and wife', but she uses saccharine words, empty promises and excuses to postpone their consummation. Then she realised that Veera Pandyan could have been her father which was even more traumatic.

What Nandini hears as Veera Pandyan's words are the result of her trauma - a mix of Veera Pandyan's own (mis)behaviour and Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar's constant questions about Nandini's reluctance to sleep with him. What she uses against him are only tools Nandini has in her arsenal against lecherous men - sweet words.

She has already decided to commit the murder-suicide. With "eyes gleaming with hate", she is asking what she sees as Veera Pandyan's ghost to leave her alone. Alright, she will kill Karikalan and die. Will Veera Pandyan leave then? There are many beautiful women in heaven. Can't he go to them?

They are the same words she use when Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar compels her to share bed him. There are many high born women in his anthapuram (Nandini is his 9th wife) , why can't he leave her alone?

Nandini was not Veera Pandyan's lover or wife. She wasn't proclaiming her undying love and loyalty. She was just desperately pleading him to leave her alone.

P.S. What about the young child who is crowned as the Pandya Emperor? Isn't Nandini his mother?

Nandini is manipulating the child so that he won't choose anyone else to kill Karikalan. It works- the child chooses Nandini.  Nandini has no idea about the identity of the child. Ravidasan brought the kid from somewhere and she just played along.

What do you say?

@willkatfanfromasia, @sowlspace, @vibishalakshman, @harinishivaa, @thelekhikawrites , @hollogramhallucination , @chiyaanvikram , @thegleamingmoon, @whippersnappersbookworm, @rang-lo @curiousgalacticsoul , @rapunzels-stuff , @nspwriteups , @balladedutempsjadis , @dosai-maavu , @ @jukti-torko-golpo , @ragkee

[late-to-the-magnus-archives]

True - a Magnus Archives fic

A group chat.

A bad realization.

A good realization.

A beautiful moment, much deserved.

A Magnus Monsterverse fic.

P.S. This is my 100th fic on AO3! Of course, I had to make it TMA.

AO3

---------------

Here’s the thing about handling cosmic horror that the movies simply never seemed to address: you still have to live life. Shower and shave, shop for groceries, do the dishes. Wash the linens, work the job, walk the streets.

I’d been so trapped in the cycle of it all before, when I was human, that I’d barely recognized it for how absurd it was, but now? After spending damn near a thousand years as a cosmic horror, and suddenly slammed back into it all while still dealing with the mess? Pardon my whine, but this was really unfair.

Martin had to go to work, delivering baked goods. I didn’t want him to, but he did.

I had to go to work. I didn’t want to, and… maybe could have gotten away with not doing it (Callum’s idea of finding lost treasures was a really solid one), but I knew I needed proper income, and that pesky socialization aspect, and… I wanted to make Martin proud.

All of that to say I had to wash our sheets and dry the dishes before I even left for work, and I grumped like an idiot the whole time.

The Eye finally found a way to turn my mood, and kept me occupied with the fascinating history of the yazh—a stunning harp in the shape of a mythological yali from ancient Tamil tradition—which had been extinct in my world, but here become a  major instrument in classical and jazz performances. It even featured heavily in rap. They came in all shapes now, but most still bore the original: a fascinating combination of part lion, part elephant and part horse.

Glorious stuff. Delicious trivia. It lifted my mood even as I headed out, locking the door, and took my trek to work.

Quiet London was one I couldn’t fully understand. But then, I hadn’t fully understood my world, either—hadn't known just how much of everything was determined, driven, fueled by fear. Everything everyone did back then was for fear; fear of being alone, of being unloved, of being hated, of being chased, of being found out, of being sick, of being blind, of being controlled… it was so damned obvious, now that I saw it clearly. The Fears had already ruled our world, though it still felt more balanced than this.

But here… no. Here , that was not the case.

This society was entirely built on guilt. It wasn’t the same thing as fear of being caught or found out, or fear of being followed, or fear of being seen hunted. It was the absolute certainty of current, unavoidable guilt. As if they’d all, to a one, murdered their grandmothers, and nothing could ever make it right.

I did a little peeking as I walked. Infants felt terrible (how? Their brains weren’t developed enough!) and so cried less than they ought. Children played quietly, with minimal eye-contact, as though hiding terrible family secrets. Teenagers sullenly trudged through schooling and career plans, knowing they deserved nothing, fearful of adding more to their unexplained debt.

And I could see the results. Yes; crime was very low. Injuries happened rarely—guilt can often lead to caution. The world was very green. Environmental exploitation would not happen while those with power had enough on their consciences without adding ruining the natural world to the mix. 

I was so bloody torn. So many things were so much better than where I’d come from. How could I fault a quieter world, a more respectful human, a healthier ecosystem?

I could definitely fault the side-effects. The stunted relationship, the tainted happiness, the poisoned peace. Is there really no true joy? I asked the Eye. In response, it gave me fiction, and I suddenly knew.

I’ve never fully grasped the love of fiction. Simply learning things was escapism for me, no matter how dire my topic. But for most, I understand, they need fiction as an escape from life.

It isn’t a bad thing. Even elephants daydream; somehow, our development into sapience involves the survival skill of imagination, stories, fiction. Here, though… here, it was not mere pleasurable escape. Here, it was desperately needed medicine.

They could not know pure and simple love; it would always be tainted, and sticky with secrets they felt too shamed to share. They could not even bring themselves to love outside the ways current societal norms claimed as right.

But fantasy could.

Fantasy romance could be open, without secrets, without shame. Could love and share and experiment without fear of censure or guilt; could live a life of actual smiles, real, meeting gazes without hesitation, with nothing to hide. Or, even if they did, nothing that would destroy anyone.

This went beyond just romance, of course, but this particular aspect was hitting me so hard because… I had that. I had the fantasy relationship. I had the fictional love. What I had with Martin was, in this world, impossible.

Fear spiked for a moment. Was it too good to be true? Was it wrong? Were we somehow lying to each other?

No. I knew we were not. And I suddenly also knew why: the first thing Martin had done when I’d come to myself enough to speak to him in Sasha’s hospital was forgive me for forcing him to kill me.

And it hadn’t even been me he’d killed—but I’d taken it as forgiveness for myself. I had taken it, and wrapped it around me, and soaked it into my skin, and without meaning to, made myself immune to the terrible god that ruled this world.

And I did that because Jonah was right: I am something other (though I will not use the word 'god'), and could do that with what I’d been given. Then, because I can make changes, I did it to other people, too.

I freed them. Freed them from guilt, because I had been freed. And now, a dead, fake Nikola had asked me to do the same for the whole world. (So had Jonah, but I didn’t really want to think about him, so.)

And to think: all of this happened because of the love of Martin Blackwood.

I wore a goofy smile as I entered spooky Owlwood library, and Spider Martin knew better than to mess with me today. He just nodded and closed his office door.

That’s right. You’d better leave me alone at the moment. I wanted to think about Martin and decide my next steps.

But mostly, think about Martin.

#

My phone began blowing up about half an hour from shift’s end. 

I hid between stacks to see what on earth made it constantly buzz, and was startled to discover some kind of weird messaging app I’d never seen before. (I had not, to be fair, explored the phone. The Eye assured me this app had been on there the whole time. Ah, well.)

It was some group chat. I’d not been added before, so this got confusing very quickly.

SwirlyEyes: Did you have to?

RainyGrave: Yes. Hi, Sims.

MoreSwirlyEyes: He’s not going to answer you. He’s about as technologically apt as that tree.

SwirlyEyes: Don’t be rude.

Wriggles: Jon, if you’re reading this, we need your advice. We have a situation.

LightningStrike: Really? Just putting it out there like that. Really?

Wriggles: What? It’s not like anybody can read this who isn’t added.

FuckYouAll: Somebody change his username to Cataracts. Because old.

SwirlyEyes: LOL!

MoreSwirlyEyes: Oh gods yes.

RainyGrave: that’s just mean, Cal. Five stars.

Wriggles: Can we please focus? Some of us have work in an hour.

What on God’s green earth? Dare I answer? Did I want to get into this? What the hell?

Wriggles: Please, Jon, I’m absolutely certain you’re reading thi

A moment of silence.

FuckYouAll: You okay, Jane?

Wriggles: Sorry. Damn spider got my fly. I can’t see him anymore, but I swear he was looking at his phone.

LightingStrike: At work? Gasp! Untenable! Unacceptable use of company time!

Cataracts: What on earth are you all blabbering about?

RainyGrave: There’s the man. Hi, Jon. Sorry to bother you like this, but we have a conundrum.

Silence.

Damn it. They were waiting for me to reply.

Well, they could bloody wait. I had work. I—

Spider Martin leaned around a shelf. “It’s all right, Jon. I’ll still pay you, of course, but go ahead and take off.”

I stared at him. “Well, that wasn’t creepy whatsoever.”

“Do you want that raise, by the way?” he said.

I faced him, hands on my hips. “I swear to hell, if you’re spying on me and Martin…”

He put his hands up. “I swear I’m not. Just… well, suspected you’d realized sometime last night that you really weren’t getting paid enough for what we were asking you do to, so I’m offering.”

I rubbed my face. Could I really be that predictable?

Yes! said the Eye happily, and offered to show me snake facts.

Later, I told It, because I did like snake facts, but this wasn't the time. “Fine.” I left the cart right where it was (take that!) and headed to the bathroom.

#

This place hadn’t been updated since the sixties. The tile was an absolutely hideous pink.

They’d continued without me.

LightningStrike: You scared him away.

RainyGrave: We didn’t. Give him a minute. I trust him.

MoreSwirlyEyes: You shouldn’t. He’s a coward.

Cataracts: Excuse me?

MoreSwirlyEyes: Gotcha.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

Cataracts: What do you people want?

LightningStrike: Martin’s birthday is next week. We’re trying to plan something that won’t spook him, won’t be too much people-shit, but still shows we all care.

Next week? His birthday wasn’t—

Cataracts: (is typing)

And I froze.

My Martin had been born in March. This Martin had been born in February. 

Numbness crept over me. 

Cataracts: I don’t know how to navigate that yet. Could I get back to you with a prompt reply?

FuckYouAll: HAHAHAHA

RainyGrave: Be nice.

FuckYouAll: (a gif of a decrepit old man, walking shakily with a cane)

What had I done to deserve that? Pfft.

(Born in February.)

I genuinely wasn’t sure how to reply.

(Not born in March.)

Cataracts: If you’re willing to give me a day or two, I can provide an answer, but I will require patience.

(February not March Februrary not—)

FuckYouAll: (gif of a gravestone with R.I.P on it, and a foam “#1” hand rising out of the soil like some weird, cheerful zombie)

SwirlyEyes: Sure, but hurry. It’s not easy to plan these things. We need time.

Cataracts: I thank you for your patience.

FuckYouAll: HAHAHA

I put the phone on silent, leaned on the pig-pink sink, and hid my face in my hands.

#

He was Martin.

He loved me.

I loved him.

At this point, if we didn’t, it would have fallen apart.

This was not the Martin I knew.

I…

Might have cried, a little. After all, now, I had to grieve.

The Eye had known all along. Martin is dead.

No, no, I…

No, he wasn’t dead, he was waiting for me in our flat. He…

Sobs wracked my body, whatever the hell my body was. Tears and snot came in volume. What the fuck were my tears made of, anyway? Melted eyes? Did it matter?

My Martin was dead. Really. He was.

But this was my Martin. He… was now?

I don’t recall sitting on the floor, my back to cold and pig-pink tile, wrapping around my legs and sobbing, but that’s where I was when Spider Martin found me.

He was the last person I wanted to see. “Oh, gods, go away,” I said through a stuffed nose and hoarse voice.

Instead, he sat across from me, cross-legged. “Thought you’d reach this point later, to be honest.”

“What?” I said.

“He’s yours. You’re his. You’d die for each other. You love each other. All right? All of it is real.”

Oh, hell, I couldn’t play his games right now. He knew everything, anyway. “Mine… he died.”

“A version of him did. But this is still him. You know it is. I mean, go ahead and cry it out,” said Spider Martin as if being merely practical. “But don’t dismiss the life you’ve built here over months because of this hard fact.”

I shook my head, over and over, a denial. “I don’t know how to navigate this!”

“Do you love him?”

My heart did not hesitate. “Yes!”

“Then?” Spider Martin gestured.

I stared at him.

“He. Killed. You,” Spider Martin said slowly, each word a nail. “But he loves you, just the same, and you forgiving him for that is everything.”

“But he didn’t kill me. ”

“He did.”

Was I really getting relationship counseling from an agent of the Web? “Why are you in here?”

“As I said, you hit this sooner than we expected,” said Spider Martin.

Which meant I was probably being watched by some spider somewhere. Ugh. There are always spiders somewhere.

Do you want to see where? the Eye chirped.

No, I did not want to see where. “I can’t do this.”

“Does Martin love you?” said Spider Martin, fully acknowledging they were not the same being.

Again, my heart knew. “Yes.”

“Then you can. That’s what you need. It’s not for everybody, but you? You need someone to fight for. You need connect. You need to be loved, and you have it in him.”

My fists clenched. “Which I suppose you arranged. ”

“Didn’t have to. He came that way.”

I looked away.

“Jon,” said Spider Martin, almost gently. “This isn’t about you, as horrible as it is. I know you’re grieving. I’m sorry it happened. But you need to focus on where you are now, or that thing will get you.”

“That… what?” I looked up.

“You lost your Martin. Right? How does it make you feel?”

“What the f… how could you ask me that?” I cried.

“Guilty?” he said.

I stared.

“Grieve,” said Spider Martin, “like he already has, because he had to. But then don’t stay there, or all is lost.”

“Why is there only one of me?” I suddenly blurted, because that was implied in what he’d said, that I was the only chance, though damned if I knew why.

“I don’t know. The Mother doesn’t know—but it’s disturbing,” said Spider Martin. “It’s a piece we haven’t figured out how to fit into the puzzle yet.”

“But you have ideas. You have a guess.”

“Just guesses, Jon, nothing substantial.”

“Tell me.”

I didn’t mean to make him. It wasn’t my intent. I was just… trying to be… I wasn’t trying anything. I was just demanding as one wounded, weeping human does.

His whole body jerked as if I’d snapped his spine, and spiders crawled in his mouth, and his eyes briefly rolled back, and then the Mother stopped fighting. “Ow,” Spider Martin said a moment later, all back in order again like that hadn’t happened. “Did you have to do that?”

I stared.

He answered me, anyway. “Our guess is whoever this guilt-god is, it hates you personally. It has gone to lengths—we think—to ensure none of your versions survive; and any Manuela has found died before she could rescue them. The simple fact is that you were too powerful for it to off, and that gives us quite a bit of hope.”

“But that would mean it can reach into other worlds and influence them,” I said, horrified. 

“Yes, it would, wouldn’t it? Which maybe it couldn’t normally, but Manuela has pierced the Veil.”

“What is the bloody Veil?” I said.

“Think of it like the lens of the eye. A clear shield between worlds: inside sight, and outside of it.”

That shouldn’t make sense to me, but by Georgie, it sort of did. I stared.

Spider Martin shook his head. “You need to get home. Ground yourself. Focus.”

“I…”

“He loves you. You love him. He’s grieved you. You need to grieve him… but don’t stay there. All right?”

“You’re just upsetting,” I said quietly.

“Yes, well. That comes with the territory,” said Spider Martin with great and terrible cheer. And then he left. Just got up and left. 

Which was good. I couldn’t stand looking at him for one more moment. Just another not my Martin.

Human minds and hearts couldn’t handle this. Mine couldn’t. But I… I wasn’t human. 

“Does he love me?” I whispered, though I already knew.

And It showed me.

Showed me Martin’s soft smile as he came from his little studio, just smiling at my back though I couldn’t see him, because my presence made him happy.

Showed me his anxiety, pacing, as I lay in Sasha’s hospital before I’d even come back to myself, weeping and dealing with everything alone.

Showed me his horror when I’d collapsed.

Showed me his joy when I was able to sleep (and I’d no idea he’d watched me doing that like it was the most wonderful thing he’d ever known).

Showed me Martin talking to Peter Lukas. It’ll weaken you, Lukas was saying. I mean, it’s your choice, so if that’s what you want to do, then by all means do it, but know the cost.

As if the cost matters, Martin had said. I love him. I love him with all of me. That’s worth any bloody cost, Peter.

Peter had nodded. Best of luck. I hope it makes you happy.

It already has, he’d said, with that smile.

I knew his soul. I knew his taste. I knew him. And it finally hit me: whether or not he was the one I'd known, he was my Martin now. He knew my soul, too, and we had chosen each other.

I didn’t understand how this worked, but we had a love between us that this world literally had never seen, and I would not let it go. I sat in that for a long moment, trying to grasp it, trying to see; were we meant to be? Inevitable attraction? Were other people just ferrous metals to me?

It didn't matter. What did was my Martin, whom I loved. I suddenly knew what that party would be about, and I pulled out my phone to send the group chat a message.

SwirlyEyes: Oh my fuck. Really?

RainyGrave: That’s beautiful. I’m in. Right, Mike?

LightningStrike: Shut up.

RainyGrave: Never.

FuckYouAll: Flirting stays out of the chat, for fuck’s sake.

I smiled. Washed my face. I had a stop to make before getting home.

#

Martin had baked. 

He did it all the time, of course, since it was the job he’d cobbled together, including delivering orders around London, but this wasn’t that kind of baking. This was nervous baking, because I was late, and he wanted to cling to me, and knew that wouldn’t help either of us, and was trying to be an adult.

I loved him so damn much. “I’m home.”

He wore the pink frilly apron. He’d gotten chocolate smears on it. He pulled me in for a kiss and I melted even more than the chocolate had. “What happened?” he said. “You’re two hours late.”

I sighed. “First off, know that they’re all planning a party for your birthday next week.”

He made such a face. “I hate those.”

I laughed lightly. “I know, but… I’ve done what I could to mitigate, so it won’t be too bad. But that’s not why I’m late.”

His eyes widened. “Please tell me something else didn’t attack you.”

“No.” And I’d planned it the whole way home, and rehearsed it in my head, and now my heart was racing (or whatever I had in there), and my knees were weak (eye-balls instead of joints, for all I knew), and I almost wanted to throw up, but I would not do that now. I would not.

I got down on one knee.

He stared. “Jon?”

It had taken an hour to choose the ring. I showed him now, opening the case, and ignoring how badly my hands shook. “Martin K. Blackwood.” My voice broke, but I would not be deterred. “Will you marry me?”

My teeth chattered just a little. The nerves were unreal.

He put his hands over his mouth. Tears spilled. “Really?”

“Really. I found this for you and everything.” It was a beautiful ring. White gold, forged with subtle ocean waves all around it. “I love you. Please say yes.”

“Of course I’m saying yes, you absolute…” He couldn’t figure out what word should follow, but fell to his knees and pulled me in and kissed me so much that I dropped the ring, and we had to crawl around to find it, and we were both laughing and both crying, and I put it on him and we both kissed and cried some more and got each other very wet, and didn’t even get off the bloody floor for twenty-three minutes.

He’d said yes.

Because he was mine, and I was his. This was here. This was now.

Martin said yes, and he was mine.

----------

Notes:

Happy 100th fic for me! I HAD to go sappy with this one, even though it's also angsty. (Come to think of it, that's sort of my brand.) Anyway. :D Want to hear the yazh?

[incoldbloodsblog]

The Dark Side of Honor Killings: Cases that Shocked India

Honor killings remain one of the most disturbing forms of violence in India, highlighting the clash between age-old traditions and modern legal and moral standards. Rooted in rigid concepts of family honor, caste, and patriarchy, these heinous acts often target young couples who defy social norms, such as inter-caste or inter-religious relationships. What makes honor killings even more tragic is the involvement of the victims' own families, driven by the belief that they are restoring honor through violence.In most cases, the victim is a woman, although in several cases the man/boy is also targeted. The victims in some cases are also those belonging to the queer (LGBTQ+) community.

Several cases of honour killings from India’s urban and rural pockets go unreported. The National Crimes Record Bureau’s report for 2020 revealed that 25 cases of “honour killing” were reported in the preceding year. In the previous years, the reports stated that only one incident each took place in 2018 and 2017. But Evidence, an NGO, revealed in November 2019 that as many as 195 known cases of honour killings were reported from Tamil Nadu alone in the past five years.

India has witnessed several brutal cases that shook the nation’s conscience, raising awareness of the deep-seated cultural norms that perpetuate this violence. [1]

5 Recent Brutal Murders: A Closer Look

1. The Keelvenmani Murders (2021)

In another heart-wrenching case from Tamil Nadu, a Dalit boy, Nirmal Kumar, and his lover, Subhashree, from the dominant Vanniyar caste, were brutally murdered by Subhashree’s family for eloping. The couple, aged just 21 and 20, had sought refuge from Subhashree's relatives who opposed their relationship due to the caste divide. Despite fleeing for safety, they were tracked down and killed in cold blood.This modern-day horror reignited debates about casteism in India, as Subhashree's family faced no remorse for taking the lives of their own kin and her partner. The media coverage and outrage that followed demonstrated how honor killings transcend mere family dynamics and are deeply rooted in India's hierarchical social structure. [6]

2. Afsana Case (2020)

Afsana’s case was yet another painful example of how interfaith relationships can become lethal in India. Afsana, a young Muslim woman from Uttar Pradesh, fell in love with a Hindu man, which led to escalating tensions within her conservative family. Afsana’s family disapproved of the relationship, fearing that it would bring shame to their community.In a brutal turn of events, Afsana was strangled to death by her own father and brothers to preserve the family's so-called honor.Afsana’s murder was one among several interfaith love stories in India that faced a similar fate, amplifying the communal tensions surrounding interreligious marriages. Her death not only reflected the patriarchal control over women’s bodies and choices but also pointed to the growing religious intolerance in the country.[5]

3. Ilavarasan-Divya Case (2013)

The tragic love story of Ilavarasan and Divya from Tamil Nadu exposed how caste continues to dictate relationships and, in extreme cases, lead to honor-based violence. Ilavarasan, a Dalit man, married Divya, a woman from a higher Vanniyar caste, defying the rigid caste system in rural Tamil Nadu. Divya's family and her community could not tolerate their marriage, and her father was accused of driving her to leave Ilavarasan after intense pressure.Soon after, Ilavarasan was found dead near railway tracks, in what many believe to be a planned murder disguised as a suicide. The case caused widespread protests across Tamil Nadu, exposing the caste-based discrimination that still plagues rural India. Ilavarasan’s death was a grim reminder of how deep-rooted prejudices continue to determine the fate of young couples in love, often ending in tragedy. [4]

4. Manoj-Babli Case (2007)

The infamous Manoj-Babli case from Haryana became a turning point in India's fight against honor killings. Manoj and Babli, who belonged to the same "gotra" (clan), defied societal norms by eloping and marrying. Their marriage enraged Babli’s family and village elders, who deemed their union incestuous, even though it was legal by Indian law. The Khap Panchayat, a local caste council, ordered their murder, and the couple was abducted, tortured, and killed by Babli's relatives.This case was significant as it led to the conviction of several members of the Panchayat, as well as Babli’s family, making it the first time an Indian court had handed down such a severe punishment for an honor killing. The case exposed the authority of Khaps in rural India, which often override state laws, and underscored the urgent need for legal reform to protect young couples. [3]

5. Nitish Katara Murder Case (2002)

Another chilling case is that of Nitish Katara, a young businessman who was brutally murdered by Vikas Yadav, the son of a prominent politician, because he was in love with Vikas’ sister, Bharti Yadav. The Yadav family, a powerful political dynasty, opposed the relationship as they felt Nitish did not belong to their caste or social class. Nitish was abducted, beaten, and burnt to death in a gruesome crime that shocked the country.The long legal battle for justice was a testimony to how honor killings are often connected to the powerful political class, where perpetrators use their influence to evade justice. The Katara family fought relentlessly, and in 2016, Vikas Yadav was sentenced to life imprisonment, marking a major victory against entrenched social inequalities and caste hierarchies. [2]

Laws to Deal with ‘HONOUR KILLING’

In India, honor killings are not governed by a specific law but are prosecuted under general criminal laws, particularly those dealing with murder, homicide, and violence. However, there have been legal measures, court rulings, and proposed bills to address the unique nature of such crimes. Below is an overview of the legal framework and key court interventions in dealing with honor killings:

1. Indian Penal Code (IPC)

Honor killings are generally prosecuted under the following sections of the IPC, which deal with murder and other violent crimes:

Section 302 (Murder): Punishes the crime of murder with life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Section 307 (Attempt to Murder): Applies to cases where the victim survives the attack.

Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy): Used when multiple people are involved in planning and executing the killing, such as family members or community leaders.

Section 34 (Acts Done by Several Persons in Furtherance of Common Intention): Often used when several people collectively carry out the crime.

Section 364 (Kidnapping or Abduction in Order to Murder): Applied when the victim is kidnapped before being murdered.

Section 376 (Rape): In some cases, sexual assault is also part of the violence related to honor crimes.

2. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

While not specifically designed for honor killings, this act provides civil remedies for women facing violence or abuse, including threats of harm related to "family honor." In cases where women are threatened with honor-based violence by their families, they can seek protection under this law.

3. The Indian Constitution

Article 21 (Right to Life): The Supreme Court of India has held that honor killings violate the fundamental right to life and personal liberty enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.

Article 14 (Right to Equality): Honor killings, often motivated by caste or gender-based discrimination, are seen as violations of this article, which guarantees equality before the law.

Article 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination on Grounds of Religion, Race, Caste, etc.): In cases where caste or religious differences motivate honor killings, Article 15 is cited.

4. Key Court Judgments

The Supreme Court of India has played a crucial role in addressing honor killings through its judgments, recognizing them as a serious violation of fundamental rights.

Shakti Vahini vs. Union of India (2018): In this landmark judgment, the Supreme Court strongly condemned honor killings and directed state governments to take preventive, remedial, and punitive measures. The court issued guidelines aimed at curbing the influence of Khap Panchayats (traditional caste councils) that often sanction such killings.

Arumugam Servai vs. State of Tamil Nadu (2011): The Supreme Court declared that any person or organization supporting or encouraging honor killings would be subjected to harsh penalties, including the death penalty in certain cases.

5. Proposed Legislation: Prevention of Crimes in the Name of 'Honor' and Tradition Bill, 2010

This proposed bill, introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2010, sought to address honor killings specifically. Although the bill has not yet become law, it aimed to:

Criminalize the intimidation or harassment of couples who marry against societal or familial norms.

Penalize acts of violence, harassment, or coercion by family members or caste councils (Khap Panchayats).

Impose stricter penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for those found guilty of such crimes.

Criminalize the act of forcing a person into marriage to restore "family honor."

The bill has not been passed, and honor killings continue to be prosecuted under existing criminal laws.

6. Law Commission of India (2012) Recommendations

The Law Commission of India, in its 242nd Report, recommended a specific legal framework to deal with honor crimes. The report called for:

The introduction of a new Section 300A in the IPC to criminalize honor-based crimes.

Recognizing crimes committed in the name of honor as a distinct offense, with special provisions for harsher punishment.

Creating a legal mechanism to tackle the involvement of village or caste panchayats in sanctioning honor killings.

7. Preventive Measures

Police Protection: Courts can direct the police to provide protection to couples who fear for their lives due to the threat of honor killings.

District Magistrate’s Role: The Supreme Court has directed district magistrates to take preventive measures, such as keeping a watch on areas where such crimes are prevalent, and ensuring that couples who marry out of choice are protected. [7]

8. Death Penalty for Honor Killings

While Indian law does not provide a specific provision for the death penalty in honor killing cases, courts have imposed the death sentence in some cases under the "rarest of the rare" doctrine. This doctrine allows for the death penalty in cases where the crime is deemed exceptionally brutal or heinous, as in many honor killing cases.

Honor Killings: The Larger Picture

The common thread in these cases is the deep-seated social structure in India that prioritizes family honor, caste purity, and community approval over individual freedoms and personal choices. Honor killings often occur in rural areas but are not limited to them. The influence of caste-based councils, or Khaps, is still strong in many parts of the country, where they wield unofficial but significant authority, often leading to such heinous crimes.

The Legal Struggle

Despite the growing awareness around honor killings, India does not have a specific law addressing this form of violence. Such killings are prosecuted under general murder laws, but activists argue that these laws fail to address the cultural and social factors that fuel such crimes. Several attempts have been made to pass a comprehensive law targeting honor-based violence, but progress has been slow.

Conclusion

Honor killings reflect the darkest aspects of India’s social fabric, where archaic traditions collide with modern values of personal freedom and choice. The cases of Manoj-Babli, Nitish Katara, Ilavarasan-Divya, and others serve as tragic reminders of the lives lost to this outdated concept of family and social honor. As India continues to evolve, the need for legal reforms, societal education, and support systems for young couples becomes ever more critical to prevent such atrocities in the future. Although India does not have a dedicated law for honor killings, the existing legal framework provides several avenues to prosecute and punish offenders. The judiciary has been proactive in addressing the issue through landmark judgments, while civil society continues to push for specific legislation that acknowledges the unique social and cultural dimensions of honor crimes. Until a comprehensive legal framework is enacted, honor killings will continue to be prosecuted under general criminal laws, and the battle against these brutal practices will rely heavily on enforcement, awareness, and education.

2. www.newindianexpress.com

Sources:

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/

3. https://blog.ipleaders.in/

4. https://blog.ipleaders.in/

5. https://www.thehindu.com/

6. https://www.rediff.com/

7. www.britannica.com

[lunar-serpentinite]

Lily Evans Potter

Matriarch of House Potter

Faceclaim: Sobhita Dhulipala

Lily Jayalalita Evans Potter, formerly known as Lily Jessamine Evans and famously as Voldemort's Vanquisher, is the Matriarch of the Potter family, the Lady of Nagaraja Hall, and Senior Unspeakable of the British Department of Mysteries' Brain Room. She is the wife of James Potter and Regulus Potter, and the mother of Harry Potter and Madhuri Potter.

More information below the cut

What's in a Name?

Jayalalita जयाललितायै

— Lily's birth name that she reclaimed after she reunited with her Telugu family

जया Jaya – victory, one of the 108 names of the Hindu goddess Durga

ललितायै Lalita – She Who is Pleasant, Charming, Desirable, one of the 108 names of the Hindu goddess Durga

An Ode to Growing Up "Other"...

Lily knew she was different long before Severus told her about her Magic. She didn't look like her parents nor her older sister Petunia. Mr. and Mrs. Evans had adopted her from a family in India out of the goodness of their hearts. However, they went into it thinking all they needed to do was love and care for Lily enough in order to make up for their inability to keep her connected to her heritage.

There is something to be said about growing up and trying your best to fit in anywhere but every time you find a way to be more comfortable with one facet of your identity, you become ostracised with another facet. You could never be everything at once in the eyes of society. You have to be one, or the other. And even then, you will never be enough.

When Lily met Severus and was introduced to the world of Magic, it had cost her Petunia who couldn't follow her and who decided to cope with the loss of Lily through hatred. And when Lily grew closer to James and Sharanya and her Telugu identity, Severus coped with the change in a manner that was simply too reminiscent of Petunia.

...And Finding Your Way Home

Lily's transition from childhood to adolescence was marked by two major losses and one big reconnection. Her first experience with people who actually looked like her happened when she was first Sorted into Gryffindor. In her new House, she met James Potter, who laughed at Severus' appearance and poverty but offered to teach her about her culture in the same breath.

While James Potter introduced her to the broader Indian culture, C. Sharanya of Ravenclaw and her future best friend made her aware of the diversity of the Indian subcontinent. James' Tamil culture was different from her Kannadiga culture, as was Paresh Patil's Marathi culture. From there, Lily wanted to discover her own.

In the midst of her studies and crumbling relationships with Petunia and Severus, Lily slowly reconnected with her own Indian identity. And then one day James Potter approached her again. This time not with another plead for a date, but a name and an address.

"You can meet your birth family this summer, if you want. I can take you. Or pay for the trip. Or something." "You know this wouldn't make me say yes to you, right?" "I didn't do this for brownie points, my dear Lily. I did this because I wanted to help you." "Oh."

She was Telugu. She had biological, living family in Telangana, the land where she was born.

They had given her the name Jayalalita (victory, desirable. They loved and wanted her.). They wanted to meet her.

It felt like coming home at last.

Collected Miscellany

Little bits of extra information/headcanons for her. This section will be updated from time to time.

Was adopted as a baby by the Evans family, a white British couple who lived in Cokeworth, England

Her biological family, who are all mundane, hails from Telangana. Her parents died when she was a baby and her relatives could not afford to take care of her so they were forced to put her up for adoption

Struggled to connect with her peers as a child due to being the only POC in the area and, later on, being Magical

Severus Snape was her first friend

Completely cut contact with him when he insulted her Muggleborn and Indian identities during an argument between the two of them

Prior to this, Lily had attempted to rein in James and his friends’ bullying and reconcile both sides since she considered them both her friends and she didn’t want to see them hurting each other

James did eventually mellow out, but Snape on the other hand chose to stew in bitterness. He saw her friendship with James as a great betrayal, insisting that Lily didn’t need James since she had Sharanya to teach her about Indian culture instead

Another factor that added to the strain in their relationship was Snape adopting bigoted views and ideas. Snape insisted she wasn’t “one of the bad ones”. 

Her alma mater is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where she was Sorted into Gryffindor

She was made Head Girl in her seventh year, with James as Head Boy

James was her first actual connection to her culture. Though she disliked him at first, James was able to get on friendlier terms with her when he realised Lily was disconnected from her Indian identity and offered to help her reconnect

Fell for James for real when he spent several summers relentlessly tracking down her birth family for her and his efforts bore fruit on their sixth year. James brought Lily with him to Telangana so she can meet them at last 

Lily possesses prodigious skills in Potions, Charms and Transfiguration. Out of the three, she chose to pursue a Charms Mastery.

In addition to her position as the Potter family Matriarch, Lily is also an Unspeakable in the Brain Room of the Department of Mysteries 

Fluent in Tamil and Telugu, conversational in Sanskrit, Middle Tamil, and Classical Sanskrit

Considered sending Harry and Madhu to Tamil Nadu for their education but ultimately decided to let them attend Hogwarts since the children wanted to

Befriended Andromeda Black and Narcissa Black through Sirius and Regulus

Befriended Alice Fawley and C.(Chirayu) Sharanya (Patil twins’ mother) in Hogwarts

Befriended Pandora Lovegood (nee Malfoy) at work as an Unspeakable

More information on the Descendants of Nandhini / the Potters Back to the family directory of this AU

Please feel 100% free to drop some comments in the reblogs, replies, my askbox etc. ! 🥰🫶

[ineffable-opinions]

Unknown - Review

An adaptation that worked better for me than the source work, to an extent.

Priest is a highly regarded danmei author. When I discovered the author through fans, I really wanted to partake in all that awesomeness too. But time and time again, Priest’s writing style failed to resonate with me. I could never immerse myself in any of her works, truly get into them, be moved by characters and their action. Nothing Priest ever wrote seem to impact me. I always felt like I was at bus stop waiting for a bus that would take me to a destination that everyone else seemed to be able to reach and praise so highly about. I would board every bus that said it would take me to my destination but somehow, I couldn’t reach there.

When live-action adaptations came out, I chased them, in multiple languages (I tried Mandarin, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam in that order; Indian language dubs can be found on MX player). But then even Malayalam dubbed version of Word of Honor was a chore and I gave up.

When I heard of Unknown based on 大哥 (da ge; Big Brother) (a work I found reprehensible at certain points due to pretty normalized racial and heterosexist psychological depictions) I had no interest in checking it out. Things couldn’t be so simple. I heard Huang HongXuan (Kurt) was going be in it. Now, I must watch it for he had rizz in spades in VIP Only and I wanted more of that. (Spoiler alert – I think the Unknown by focusing on Wei Qian missed out on cashing that sweet charisma except for glimpses of it in the last few episodes.)

That’s how I ended up watching Unknown in the first place. It is safe to say I am glad I did. I never thought Da Ge will become something like this. I am impressed by the meticulous cultivation that source material underwent. That little carp really crossed the gate to become a dragon.

Da Ge is a popular and critically-acclaimed work. IMHO, it was for most parts a classist, 金手指 (golden finger) plot with half-baked versions of then popular danmei tropes. For context (I don’t want to say comparison), 弟弟 (didi; younger brother) by 人体骨架 came out in 2011, two years before Da Ge. In BL, newer don’t necessarily mean better. 

What Unknown managed to do was tone down the golden finger bits and keep things realistic to an extent.

Wei Qian got the funds he dearly needed not from killing and snitching on gangsters but from gang-boss Le ge who was Dr. Lin’s senior. Le ge defied some gang codes and sorta wronged his own underlings to that the plot can turn in favor of Wei Qian. The whole triad bit was decent enough that I didn’t mind the snitching part much – I chose to ignore it.

Removed three female characters who were there for man-pain purposes in the novel. Instead gave Wei Lili, pavam xiao baobao, time to shine.

Did not airlift Wei Qian into the waiting arms of a benefactor with sufficient connections in Mainland who would rescind everything in grief, right when Wei Qian could take over and reign. Instead, Unknown let Wei Qian build a company with San Pang and Lao Xiong which fits right into Taiwan’s SME-heavy capitalism.

Didn’t include anything that I found reprehensible in the novel.

Gave relatively explicit intimate scene.

Toned down novel Wei Qian’s Valliettan-aura to build a warmer, more sensible relationship between the Wei siblings.

Made passing mentions of novel events, in ways that was more connected and believable.

Didn’t make villains into caricatures who loose brain cells to benefit Wei Qian. Instead fleshed out Le ge and his relationship with both his underling and his junior. Made him interesting.

Got us a character with blacked out tattoos. I have listed this one at the last but this is the best thing about Unknown for me. Here’s why…

While organized crime is a popular setting in BL, it is rare for BL characters to have visible evidences of their criminal pasts after leaving it for a civilian life. Usually, they either hide it with full-sleeves and what-nots. But here’s a character in a BL with blacked out tattoos trying to make a living through street-vending. Tattoos are customary, ceremonial and meaningful in the context of organized crime, triad in this case. While involved in the triad, tattoos signal trust and loyalty, etched into skin. But it is a burden too. It is part of the cage that leaves no way out. As Le ge’s underling emphasizes, it is not easy to get away having once involved oneself with the triad. Moreover, the tattoos evoke fear among civilians – so ex-gangsters can forget prospects of finding jobs. Even if one is to be self-employed, tattoos doesn’t signal anything good and are effective in scaring customers away. In Unknown, the blacked-out tattoos signal a dark past he has shut door to; all symbolisms that meant something in the context of triad has been wiped out by ink.

There are points where I felt Unknown was rush through the plot, some others which I felt drag. But overall, it was a good BL and a surprisingly enjoyable adaptation of a source novel I didn’t enjoy at all.

[puredoesnotmeankind]

ILITW!MC Profile

I saw quite a few MC character profiles floating around and decided to make my own. And ofc I made it for MC of all-time.

More headcanons under the cut

-ENFJ, 6w7

-Dating Noah Marshall

-He has a Peruvian Father and Indian (Tamil specifically) Mother

-Doesn't have a super close relationship with parents. He loves them of course, and vice versa but they're often busy and don't have much time for him. Even apart from that, they struggle to understand him and he gets the impression that they're disappointed in how he turned out.

-Is clever, intuitive and quick-witted and has picked up many skills (first aid, hair-dressing, photography, sewing, sketching) but has never truly excelled in any particular area and lacks academic intelligence

-Lacks passion which is a source of insecurity for him and feels he'll never get anywhere in life

-Loves gifts, both giving and getting, and really gets into trying to select the perfect gift for friends

-Alternates between soft grunge and goth aesthetic, and is rather particular about clothing

-has dyed hair several times and experimented with different hairstyles, to the point most people forgot how it actually looks. After ILW, he finally let's it grow out

-Has multiple piercings (tongue, eyebrows, navel, several on ear, including helix, industrial and tragus)

-Has several beauty marks scattered across face and dimples

-Has a nice singing voice and has performed small-time gigs, but doesn't consider it seriously

-Had a small crush on Noah when they were younger which dies out after Jane's death (although some feelings resurface after they become friends again)

-Alternatively, every friend except for Lily, has had a crush on Devon at some point. They revealed this during a game of Never Have I Ever, and joke it's basically a rite of passage

-When Jane died, a kid joked about her death, implying that one of Devon's friends killed her, which led to Devon punching them and being suspended for a week. That incident cemented him as a social outcast and his peers completely stopped interacting with him afterwards

-Has a savior complex where he thinks it's his duty to save everyone, and take on any hurt if it meant sparing others. However, this leads to him having little regard for himself and often deciding what's the best for others even if they wouldn't want him to be hurt on their behalf

-Stubborn, sarcastic and sharp-tongued, all traits which get him into trouble, or make troublesome situations even worse. Can best be described as a 'would look Death in the face and spit at it' type of person

-More in tune with others' feelings than his own, always knowing just what to say and is great at giving advice. However, can often be hypocritical in this regard (example: telling Noah he can't blame himself for Jane's death)

-Chose to become the shadow monster both because he felt like he needed to make up for not saving Jane in the past and Noah needed to live, in his eyes, actually live and become someone more than the brother of a dead girl

-Has multiple scars, on his wrist and neck from his encounter with Redfield!Jane, a shallow but long cut from when possessed!Noah tried to kill him, and some marks that appeared after his resurrection

-has a rather weak heart post-ressurection (due to died by heart-related reasons by Jane)

-Has a rather messed up sleeping schedule, which only becomes more shitty post-resurrection

-Jocelyn and Devon had a tense relationship even after ILW, but slowly became more civil and friendly after a few months of working together.

-Apart from Noah, ILW!MC and Connor, Devon gets along most with Lincoln due to being rather similar (both didn't/don't go to college, have a similar sense of humor, Lincoln gives him advice on how to control power). Lincoln also did several tattoos for Devon (tree branches on shoulders, Noah's name on wrist)

-He and Noah aren't sure they'd ever actually marry, that they're already partners in every way they can be and don't need a ceremony for it, but that doesn't mean it's not a possibility in the future

-Likes: The woods, friends, trying out new things, Noah's cooking, collections, animals, music, podcasts, rain, jewelry and accessories

-Dislikes: Bullies, loneliness, cooking, closed spaces, certain fashion trends, over-thinking, fights, strange textures, studying

[chroniichorror]

leela ananya rajan

[ SIMONE ASHLEY, 29, CIS WOMAN, SHE/HER ] Welcome to Antioch, LEELA ANANYA RAJAN ! Local sources report that you’ve been in town for 4 YEARS and are known to be PATIENT yet SELF-CRITICAL. Others have dredged up rumors that you’re involved in the DEAD TO ME SKELETON as THE GRIEVING FIANCE, but most know you for your work as an ENGLISH TEACHER at ANTIOCH HIGH SCHOOL We’ll see you around town soon ! 

Character Name: Leela Ananya Rajan Nickname (s): Leels, Lilu, Ani Face Claim:  Simone Ashley Birthday: April 27 Place of birth: London, England Sexuality: Heterosexual Zodiac: Taurus Sun MBTI: INFJ Moral Alignment: Lawful good Occupation: English teacher Place of work: Antioch High school Subplot affiliation: Dead To Me as the Grieving Fiance 3 positive traits: empathetic, resilient, patient 3 negative traits: self-critical, guarded, emotionally reserved Languages: English & Tamil Love language: Acts of service Biography (optional): 

Leele Ananya Rajan was born in London on April 27th into a close-knit British-Indian Tamil family. Her parents, originally from Tamil Nadu, India, instilled in her a deep appreciation for her cultural heritage. Her mother was a social worker & her father was a university professor. She has a younger sister, Priya, who she shares a close bond with. She was an introspective & academically inclined child, developing a passion for literature early on.

She pursed her Bachelor's degree in English Literature at a prestigious university in London. During her undergrad studies, she participated in a study abroad program, where she met Aaron at a university literary event. The two shared a love for literature & education, & their bond grew quickly. Aaron was immediately captivated by Leela's intellect, her passion for literature, & her cultural heritage. Their conversations flowed effortlessly, revealing shared values & interests. His gentle demeanor & thoughtful nature resonated with Leela, sparking an immediate connection.

After completing her Bachelor's degree, Leela earned a Master's degree in Education, specializing in secondary education & curriculum development.

Aaron was an Antioch native & wanted to return home after his graduation & receiving his degree in Environmental Engineering. And five years ago, Leela moved there with him & it seemed like the perfect place to settle into her environment & start a family. She embraced her new community, appreciating the slower pace of life compared to bustling London.

On their second anniversary of meeting, at a scenic overlook in the Oregon countryside where they often went for natural walks on stargazing, Aaron proposed. A serene, secluded spot overlooking a valley filled with wildflowers; this place had been where they had spent countless hours talking, dreaming, & growing closer to each other. It had also been the place where they had their first serious conversation about their future together. Aaron had incorporated elements from both their cultural backgrounds into the proposal. He laid out a blanket with traditional Cherokee patterns & decorated the area with lanterns & flowers. He prepared a picnic with a mix of traditional Tamil dishes & Indigenous cuisine, reflecting their combined heritage & the blending of their lives. Knowing how much she loved literature, he gave her a. beautifully bound journal filled with his handwritten notes & reflection on their relationship throughout the years, along with passes from their favourite books.

After settling into their new lives, they welcomed their first born son, Ravi, & later their first born daughter, Lila. Aaron was a devoted & loving father, deeply involved in the upbringing of his children He took every opportunity to teach them about their diverse heritage and the importance of environmental stewardship.

On the evening October 5, Aaron was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident while walking home from the store, having bought something for Leela, who was pregnant with Lila at the time. The driver fled the scene, leaving Aaron seriously injured. Emergency services arrived promptly, but despite their efforts, Aaron succumbed to his injuries before he could be transported to the hospital. She had been waiting for him at home, Ravi next to her on the couch, ready to say goodnight to his father. The usual routine. Instead, there was a knock at the door & two policeman with sorrow on their faces to inform her of the murder of her fiancé. The sudden and violent nature of the accident left Leela in shock when she received the news late that night. The news of Aaron’s death shattered Leela’s sense of normalcy. She was overwhelmed by grief, compounded by the responsibility of caring for their young children, Ravi and Lila. In the days that followed, Leela faced a whirlwind of emotions and practical concerns. She was thrust into a legal battle as she worked with local authorities to find the perpetrator. The tragedy left her grappling with profound loss and the weight of her new reality.

Leela's Children:

Ravi

Age: 3 years old Birthday: July 19th Personality: Ravi is an energetic and curious toddler. He has a vibrant personality and a natural curiosity about the world. His laughter and enthusiasm for life bring joy to Leela and their home. Connection with Leela: Leela shares a deeply affectionate bond with Ravi. She is attentive to his needs and is dedicated to nurturing his development. Their relationship is characterized by a strong sense of love and mutual support. Leela often engages Ravi in activities that stimulate his creativity and learning, such as reading together and exploring nature.

Lila

Age: 6 months old Birthday: October 7th Personality: Lila is a calm and endearing baby. She has a gentle demeanor and is often observed gazing around with a sense of wonder. Her presence is soothing, and her smiles bring comfort to her family. Connection with Leela: Leela has a nurturing relationship with Lila. Despite the difficulties she faces as a single mother, Leela finds solace and joy in caring for Lila. She sings lullabies and shares stories with Lila, blending Tamil and English traditions to foster a sense of cultural heritage.

Headcanons

Secret Poet: Leela has a hidden talent for poetry. While she primarily focuses on prose in her teaching and reading, she writes poetry as a personal outlet to express her deepest emotions and reflections, often using it as a way to process her grief and experiences.

Cultural Fusion Cooking: Leela enjoys experimenting with fusion recipes that blend Tamil cuisine with local American ingredients. She often creates unique dishes that celebrate her heritage while incorporating new flavors from her life in the U.S.

Gardening Hobby: To find peace and a sense of accomplishment, Leela maintains a small garden in her backyard. She grows herbs and vegetables, and often involves Ravi in the gardening process, teaching him about plants and nature.

Favorite Spot in Nature: Leela has a favorite secluded spot in a nearby park where she goes to think and reflect. It’s a place where she feels a deep sense of connection to her surroundings and can escape the demands of her daily life.

Tales of Her Childhood: She often tells Ravi and Lila stories from her own childhood in London, weaving in elements of Tamil folklore and her family's traditions. These stories become a cherished part of her children’s bedtime routine. She'll share with them stories Aaron told her of his life & his culture.

Book Club Leader: Leela is an unofficial leader of a local book club for parents and educators. She organizes monthly meetings where they discuss literature and share their own writing, fostering a sense of community and intellectual engagement.

Custom Journals: Leela keeps a collection of custom journals, each dedicated to different aspects of her life—one for personal reflections, one for teaching ideas, and one for memories of Aaron. She decorates each journal with meaningful quotes and sketches.

Music Ritual: Every Sunday evening, Leela plays a mix of classical Indian music and soft rock while preparing dinner. It’s a ritual that brings her comfort and helps her unwind from the week.

Artistic Touch: Leela has a knack for creating handmade decorations for her home, particularly around the holidays. She enjoys crafting items that bring a touch of her Tamil heritage into her American home.

Dreams of Traveling: Despite her busy life, Leela dreams of taking her children on a trip to India one day, to introduce them to her family’s roots and show them the vibrant culture and history of her heritage.

Counseling: Leela attends grief counseling groups after the passing of her fiancé, Aaron.

Wanted Connection #1: Babysitter ( 0/2 )-- someone to watch Ravi & Lila when she has late school days. Happens at least 5-8 (3-4/person) times a month & she pays the best she can, plus feeds you each time. Maybe you watch the kids together, maybe you watch them at separate times & that's why there's two of you. Wanted Connection #2: People who knew Aaron ( 0/? ) -- Leela & these people would be somewhat friends who constantly check on her after the passing of Aaron. Chances are, they were closer to Aaron then Leela, but they still have respect & appreciation for the woman. Wanted Connection #3: Book club members ( 0/? ) -- self explanatory.