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Kali: The Duality of Deity and Demoness in Hindu Mythology
By: Wazma Rahmani A widely practised form of worship in India is that of the Great Mother or the supreme divine power in various forms, with one of the most popular being Kali’s (Chaudhuri, 1956, p. 123). Kali is a Hindu goddess linked to death, time, and doomsday and is often connected with themes of…
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Comparing and Contrasting Moderation in Buddhism and Islam
By: Zeina Hussain Imagine a pendulum. The two extremes at which the pendulum swings can be likened to self-indulgence and self-discipline as human nature. On one side, a life dominated by self-indulgence is focused on sensory pleasures, attachment to worldly sentiments, and materialism. On the opposite side, a life dominated by self-discipline involves strict control…
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Divinity, Ardhanarishwara, and Gender
City of Intersections Note: Digital art created June 26, 2024. Text on roads: “gender” & “religion”. Author’s work. By: Alex Lepa (they/he) Politics, gender, money, race, and religion are conversation topics to be avoided at polite, stereotypical patriarchal dinner tables. Although this blog post won’t delve into all those topics, I intend to demystify stereotypes…
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Would the Real Kali Please Stand Up?
By: Fatima Khan Kali, standing over Shiva, published by the Calcutta Art Studio. Hyperlink for the image of Kali : https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2022-07/Kali-Calcutta-Art-Studio-994×1280.jpg?itok=0ewanlhl (Image set as the featured image for this post) Abstract The goddess Kali Ma, or Kali, carries a story of transformation and bloodlust, where her identity of destruction and death creates many openings for…
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Equine Figures in Islam: Al-Buraq and Haizum
By: Ayishah Hasni From the ancient world to the modern day, horses have played a role in almost every society, not only because of their versatility, but because of the remarkable bonds which they are able to form with their human riders. It is no wonder, then, why they also have multiple mythological counterparts that…