I´m back from India for two weeks now and I just keep
wondering, what was it in India that I just love so much? India is the
most controversial place I´ve ever been and still so energetically balanced. Arranged weddings on the one hand and so spiritual and beautiful
traditions on the other. But maybe that´s why love really lives in India. It
lives there, in the Indian traditions, in the Indian people, in the poor street
life. I´ve thought why the hippies love India so much? Beaches are not so
beautiful there, it is dirty, the traffic is loco. The only rule is-, that there are no rules.
But, there is one very special thing in India,- your mind is free there. It is
mystical! Yes, your heart has to be open to feel it. But, if you feel it once,
you are addicted to it. And I just love the stories behind the traditions.
-My
first love: henna (mehndi). There certainly is a secret and fascinating history
to henna. Much more than just the hand adornment, henna has an extensive and
splendid history. It was used by Cleopatra to seduce Mark Anthony, it has been
used to treat infections and headache, the Egyptians used it to protect their
skin from the sun. In the North and Western parts of India, the desert areas
where the henna plant grows, henna is a very important part of the wedding
ritual and ceremony. As the story goes, the deeper the colour obtained on the
skin, the longer the love between the couple will last. Hence, the belief
that a proper henna application is tantamount to a prayer to the gods for
everlasting love and a successful marriage. There is something deeply
satisfying for an Indian bride to have her hands and feet painted on the day
before her wedding with beautiful intricate henna designs. She is revered by
the wedding party and henna is used as means of idealize her. She is not
allowed to do any work before or after her wedding until all the stains have
disappeared.
My second love: bindi. Bindi is
a visually fascinating body decoration. Hindus attach great
importance to this ornamental mark on the forehead between the two eyebrows - a
spot considered a major nerve point in the human body since ancient times. In Southern India, girls choose to wear bindi, while in other parts of India it
is the prerogative of the married woman. A red dot on the forehead is an
auspicious sign of marriage and guarantees the social status and sanctity of
the institution of marriage. The area between the eyebrows, the sixth chakra
known as the 'agna' meaning 'command', is the seat of concealed wisdom. It is
the centre point where all experience is gathered in total concentration.
According to the tantric cult, when the latent energy rises
from the base of the spine towards the head during meditation, this 'agna' is the probable outlet
for this potent energy. The red dot between the eyebrows is said to retain
energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration. It is
also the central point of the base of the creation itself — symbolizing
auspiciousness and good fortune.
These pictures were captured in Taj Mahal. The
magnificent monument which stands at the heart of India has a story that has
been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj has been
visible. A story that ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the
form of the Taj and is considered a living example of eternal love. An
English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as "Not a piece of
architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor's
love through in living stones. But to find out more, you have to go to India ;)
Love lives in you, just set your mind free :)
and if you give everything to the world, you get it back twice as good. Thank
you so much Hedit for patiently capturing some of these pictures. My DNA is Scandinavian and the attitude bohemian, so Don´t mind my English please :D.
................................................................................................................ ♥ ................................................................................................................
