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Saturday, May 30, 2009
I Want to Bang My Head: A Rant
Well, he wrote another book. Now, my college wants to bring him back to speak because someone saw him at some local event and thought that he had some "interesting new information on the subject." Somehow, I doubt it.
When I first wrote about this writer -- who, sadly, gets reviewed in the NYTimes instead of actual historians on the same subjects who write better and more original books -- I also complained of another "historian" who wrote a book about women's history that would have been out of date 20 years ago. Yet, everyone at our college went on and on about what fresh, new work she had done.
I bang my head at this not out of jealousy. I have no pretentions to the NYTimes or of being considered original and fresh. I bang my head at this because these are not trained historians. They are hailed as "fresh" because they have "archival research," as if "archival research" were some revolutionary activity. They don't acknowledge that many of their ideas are build upon a foundation of other people's work; or, if they do, those parts are cut out of the book.
I don't despise them personally, nor do I begrudge them the joy of writing or consider them the root of all evil. I do see that they serve a sort of function; but I still have a huge problem with a system that keeps the work of actual historians marginalized as "too academic" (not to mention the way that actual historians are supposed to be out of touch with the "real world" in the "ivory tower") while anyone with the time and independent wealth (which often buys time) ends up with best sellers and speaking engagements from books that churn out the same ole same ole as if it were original to that writer and new to the study of history.
At my school, I bang my head because, in a city with a gazillion universities and agencies that employ a gazillion more historians, educators who should know better are turning to non-historians to speak on historical subjects.
Then, I read the last line of the e-mail. This particular writer is a married to a county council woman. As in, this writer is married to one of the people who approves funding for the college.
It all makes sense, now!
11 comments:
- Belle said...
Oh, that sound you hear from the west? That's me howling as an accompaniment to your head banging.
Just a silly question: since we are 'required' by professional standards to present our research as scholarly and thus in scholarly language, is that what makes our work 'too academic?' Are we putting ourselves out of reach by the kinds of language and structures we use?
When I was working with some British trained historians, they were thrilled that I, as an American-trained historian, didn't succumb to academese in my writing. I had to re-learn academese when I returned to US-centric writing.
- 10:48 AM, May 30, 2009
- Susan said...
Oh, gee. We're not cynical are we? So we headbang. You could give an advanced assignment to find out where non-historian got ideas from?
One of the privileges of tenure in my book is that you can write for a somewhat wider audience. I still do footnotes, but I write for an intelligent reader who is not engaged in all the debates.
- 6:23 PM, May 30, 2009
- Clio Bluestocking said...
Me? Cynical? Always!
I think part of the headbanging comes from that conundrum of being both professionals while also wanting what we have learned to reach a wider audience, and often having that not happen for decades -- then having some other person get the credit.
As professionals, we do use specialized language and we do engage with one another more than a wider audience. There isn't a thing wrong with that. Every profession does that. The next step becomes bringing that to the public, which involves a whole separate set of filters than those in academia. That may be why journalists -- such as Nathaniel Philbrick or Cokie Roberts -- are usually the "historians" who become popular (if they aren't already). They are essentially reporting the work that historians have done.
Susan, I'd actually like to know more about your experiences as an academic writing for a wider audience. I've written the academic book, but I've also written a book that I refer to as the "tourist book." The "tourist book" was, obviously, written for a very popular audience; and some of the problems that I had in the publishing process had to do with decisions made by the marketing department of the company, not the editorial department (although there were sufficient problems there). These involved dispensing with most of the aparatus that made my research transparent, anything that demonstrated my debt to other historians on the subject, and pretty much anything else that "distracted" from the straight-ahead narrative in X-number of words or less (seriously!). I often wonder if others who try to straddle the academic/popular divide have similar difficulties, and what reasoning they have encountered in regard to this aversion to the aparatus that shows the research trail.
I also wonder who I'm really trying to criticize here -- is it the writer and his/her genuine lack of understanding of historical research, is it the publisher, or is it the whole game of publishing? What makes the work of historians seemingly so inaccessible that, years later, we have non-historians publishing the same stuff that makes them either seem ignorant of what historians have already written or unable to show their debt to those historical debates?
I do like how you describe what you do, "writing for an intelligent reader who is not engaged in the debates." I was told by that popular press that the public doesn't want all of that footnote stuff. Yet, in that book group that I facilitated on "Mrs. Lincoln," the participants (for all of the failings of the male members) appreciated that Clinton had referred to the debates -- not in great detail, but enough to make them aware that Mary Lincoln's story had been one about which people disagreed. They also like the footnotes because they, in a vague sort of way, wanted to know a little more about the process of historical reseach -- or at least that a process was going on!
That's a great idea on the assignment. I would pursue it if our school had a more academic collection. To give you an idea of the current obstacles in creating such an assignment: I myself wanted to read Jill Lepore's book on King Philip's War, so I went to our college library. They did not have that book, but they did have Philbrick's "Mayflower." Two copies, no less. So, before I get to that type of assignment, I have to work with the librarians on the types of history books that they might want to include in their collection. That's a much bigger project!
To be fair to the librarians, they don't have subject specialists, and we have only had 1 1/2 historians at most on faculty for ages. With budget cuts and being a 2 year college and such, our librarians make decisions differently than those at the state university down the road. In fact, they only agreed to subscribe to J-Stor because all of the faculty demanded it, not because they saw it as being of use to students in the first two years of college. A cc is a weird hybrid in many unexpected ways -- much like public history!
- 7:55 PM, May 30, 2009
- profacero said...
I head bang re the same phenomenon.
- 10:50 PM, May 30, 2009
- Bavardess said...
I sympathise with your frustration. I have the same reaction sometimes watching programmes on the History Channel that present highly controversial and debated interpretations as if they are a done deal.
To an extent, though, I think the historical profession (at least in some countries/ 'schools') has brought this on itself by deliberately using highly specialised and sometimes almost impenetrable language to create a sort of mystique - kind of like what Belle notes about the differences between British and American historical writing.
- 11:32 PM, May 30, 2009
- Ann said...
Jon Meacham and Cokie Roberts?
- 11:22 AM, May 31, 2009
- Ann said...
I think the dubbing of journalists dabbling in history "historians" is more about celebrity and marketing than anything else. People like the dabblers you describe already have a big name and a built-in audience, and publishers are much more willing to publish their reheated pap than they are well-written, cutting-edge research by excellent although obscure writers like you and me.
But--if you've taken a look at those books--would you really want "Clio Bluestocking" to get the credit for them? My beef is that that's what gets sold as "history," so it's no wonder that most people claim to hate history. But the demands for authors to already be well-known and have a built-in audience make publishers unwilling to take chances on the brilliant but obscure.
- 11:31 AM, May 31, 2009
- Clio Bluestocking said...
Ann: David O. Stewart and Cokie Roberts. Stewart just discovered that slavery was part of the Constitution, and Roberts just discovered that elite women during the Revolutionary and Early National periods had opinions about the the government -- and wrote about them! Who knew? That is, aside from every student who takes a U.S. history survey class.
Bavardess: Don't get me started on the History Channel! I have a great bag from the OAH, which sadly has a HUGE History Channel logo on one side. The bag fits everything that I need, so I use it, but I hang my head in shame and try to keep the logo out of sight.
When I was in a refernce class in library school, a classmate wanted to know if the History Channel was a good reference source. The instructor was hopeless in this regard, so I gave a list of reasons why you should never use the History Channel as a reputable source for any historical research. I backed it up with anecdotes from historians I had known who had been asked to be talking heads and discovered that they were supposed to follow a very simple script. There I go again, opening my big mouth. The whole class turned against me. How dare I criticize the great and mighty History Channel!
Profacero: I can't begin to imagine what you encounter with your Latin American focus. You get the intersection of Amerocentrism ignorance and historical ignorance -- and in Louisiana with that governor. (My aunt, who lives in BR, deploys the F-bomb with every syllable of his name.)
Everyone, go to Professor Zero's blog where she links to a petition to keep k-college funding in Lousiana. You can sign the petition even if you aren't a resident.
- 12:06 PM, May 31, 2009
- Clio Bluestocking said...
Ann: we must have posted our comments at the same time.
You flatter me by including me in the scope of cutting edge researchers like yourself!
Yeah, you are right, except for the money and fame, I'm not sure that I would really want credit for those books! I read them and think, "hell, I could have written this -- I give it as a lecture every semester" rather than, "wow, I wish I could have written this."
I think you are right that the pre-existing fame of the writers, and fame begetting more fame much in the way that money attracts more money, means that they get the big book deals and the publicity. So, the problem is more in the economics of publishing. You need a sure thing with little to no risk, and a celebrity name as author guarantees the sure thing with the built-in fan base.
Whenever I see a celebrity dabbling in some field outside of their own -- be it an actor or musician writing a book (other than their own memoir), or an actor trying to be rock star, or a rock star trying to be an actor, or an Playboy centerfold trying to be a doctor -- I can hear a million screams of people who have studied and worked to be experts in that field. There has to be some sort of work ending -archy to describe this phenomenon.
And it's not that I'm looking for the fame myself. I have this naive fantasy that, if the real historical work gets out there sooner, then good chunks of the public at large will become more educated about history and about the process of historical research, and that this will ultimately make our jobs as teachers easier and the world at large a more thoughtful and intelligent place.
(For the record, I don't smoke dope or wear tie-dye -- not that there is anything wrong with that.)
- 12:30 PM, May 31, 2009
- Ann said...
Ha-ha! I love this: "Whenever I see a celebrity dabbling in some field outside of their own -- be it an actor or musician writing a book (other than their own memoir), or an actor trying to be rock star, or a rock star trying to be an actor, or an Playboy centerfold trying to be a doctor -- I can hear a million screams of people who have studied and worked to be experts in that field. There has to be some sort of work ending -archy to describe this phenomenon."
The fakeiarchy? Famearchy? A related pet peeve of mine is the way in which the path to success is smoothed for children of the famous (for whatever reason). You know, Sophia Coppola, Jakob Dylan, anyone named Kennedy, etc. Why take a chance on all of those NYU and UCLA talented film school grads when you can just produce a movie by someone named "Coppola?" (She's talented, but so are a lot of other people whose work will never get a second look because their last name isn't Coppola.)
Too bad my name isn't C. Van Historiann, or Elizabeth Fox Historiann, or E.P. Historiann, eh? I should have changed it before I published my first article! Maybe my children, if I have any, will go on to become historians who can profit by my name! (I can just imagine the whispers in the corridors of the 2033 AHA: "Don't you know that Mini-storiann and Mini-storianndrew are the daughter and son of Historiann?!!?")
I should get to work building my professional legacy TODAY.
- 12:49 PM, May 31, 2009
- Clio Bluestocking said...
Yes! Brilliant! We could breed a whole new generation of historians! I have no babies, but I have nephews and they do share my last name. I must get get working on them in greater earnest!
- 4:38 PM, May 31, 2009


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Home sweet remodeled home.
Almost all of us love to have a bright and cheery home. In colder climates, we love the fact that if we orient the long direction of our house facing south we'll have light and the sun's warmth in the house all day. The unfortunate reality is that every single part of every home is degraded by ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Plastic becomes more brittle, wood actually loses elasticity and flakes away, paint begins to become brittle and powder, and all your interior surfaces (unless you have an anti-UV coating on your windows) begin to bleach out.
When renovating a house, it's very easy to get excited about making big changes: raising the roof, making a façade symmetrical, or angling out a wall. But with an existing shell that's comfortable in its own skin and has systems that are closed circuits (plumbing, electricity, HVAC), it's much more cost-effective to think about alternatives to expanding your house.
Picture yourself looking in a mirror. If the mirror is small, you have to get very close to it to see your face. If the mirror is hung too low, you have to bend at the knees to see your face. If the mirror is too high, you have to stand on your toes to see if your belt buckle is on level.
Many times additions layer onto homes, so you have to walk through the archeological history of your home's history to get to a new space. Investigate the cost of simply removing walls and doing a smaller addition rather than a larger addition that bypasses an existing space.
It stands to reason that something that takes a lot of thought takes more time to execute than mindless activity. Similarly, something that needs to be precise takes more preparation and control to execute. Time is money. Demolition is imprecise and takes precious little mindfulness--but it's not risk free. There are three things that can get you into trouble in demolition:
It is always less expensive to drop a beam below a floor than it is to set it up into the floor cavity. Laying floors on top of beams requires less thought, precision, and planning. It is always cheaper to have columns set under beams than have a long open span. It always costs more to have one big beam above a window wall than to have structural supports between the windows breaking up the span. Whenever you try to make gravity "disappear" in the design of a building (this is often the great allure of Modern homes), costs rise. If you can allow things like columns and beams to show themselves things get less expensive.
Gutters and leaders are devoutly to be avoided. They make construction more expensive now and in the out years. Gutters do control most of the water that runs off your roof, but not all of it. Most gutters are set an inch or two higher than the leading edge of the roof line and form a perfect scoop that holds all ice and snow in place, ultimately forcing water to back up underneath your roof shingles and into your house. More propitious for installers, the weight of snow and ice terminally bends or rips off gutters on a regular basis. If gutters are installed correctly (lower than the roof edge), heavy rain water will sheet off the edge of the gutter and erode the ground plane around your facade. They do control water that might otherwise get in your basement, but that is a last-ditch effort when regrading has failed.
Architects and interior designers are quite clever and can see around corners and visualize the way things will look. But no one can visualize exactly what a home's interior is like, despite all computer program promotions to the contrary. There's nothing like walking into the full-size, reality-based interior of your home and seeing how the natural light comes in and what the walls shield and reveal to completely change any lighting scenario that might have been drawn.
The vast majority of American homes are sited on their lots without any thought to the views. This is because most American homes are built from stock plans that assume a flat site that has a street in front of it and a yard behind it. When you ram a simple rectangular box into a hill that flies off to one side, all kinds of weirdness can happen: Decks launch out into space, windows face hillsides, great views are unseen, and rainwater flows where it shouldn't. There are ways to make your house connect better with the existing site's topography, trees, views, and so on, but it takes a lot more effort than simply removing a wall or adding a bay window.
Whoever you are is what your house should be. If you don't like yourself, your house will not make you like yourself any better. If your family is dysfunctional, a new home will not pull it together. So any renovation you attempt as a psychological balm is destined to fail. Know that what makes your family and friends love you is you, not who you want to be, not what you could have been, and definitely not what your home should be. The best remodels are the ones that take whoever you are and celebrate it
Although huge houses offer factual elbow room, houses that embrace greater than expected ceiling heights, larger than expected openings, and greater connection between spaces can give the same sense of openness, freedom, and delight as their larger, more expensive, and probably energy-wasteful counterparts offer up. Design can conquer construction, both visual and functional.
Foundation plantings can do a lot to beautify your home, but they can grow very quickly and cause more harm than good. The first danger is that the constant shade cast on your siding material (except for inorganic, brick, stone, or stucco) serves to rot wood, remove paint, and otherwise create perfect harbor for insects as well as provide condos for any number of little animals that may end up coming into your home when things get cold. Second, when bushes and plants get big enough, they actually come into contact with the surface of your house (including windows and doors), scraping away whatever paint might be present, damaging vinyl siding.
In every way possible eaves save money. They boost your home's ability to resist decay from the sun, the rain, and anything else that is flying around in the atmosphere. The presence of eaves increases the time between repainting or residing, or repointing mortar between stones or bricks. By pushing the water away from the perimeter of your foundation, and keeping the sun away from your walls, eaves preempt the UV decay, water intrusion, and extreme temperature variations that stress out your siding, windows, and doors.
Permanent light fixture locations are a straightjacket, so when remodeling it's always a good idea to provide a few too many. Installing three "extra" lights during a full rehab costs as much as one retrofit into finished space. Similarly that extra outlet that goes unused has only its initial installation as part of its price tag, so having too many outlets is not necessarily a bad thing (given the fact that you'll probably change the way your room is furnished and used several times over 20 years).
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Eventually, one uses both the technique and it's supplementary energetic qualities for self-preservation, both in combative contexts, and in regular life. However, the hurdle for any student is the wuwei method of practice, which is simply by rote. One practices the same thing in a loop format, until eventually the body does it without stopping to think, making one able to move without thinking. The ability to move at the speed of thought is the idea.
This seems to be a distinction between "internal" and "external" styles. Internal boxing consciously controls the body to conform to the appropriate frame in the moment as it is occuring, while external boxing encodes itself with frames that automatically react at the appropriate angle. Nejia styles use one movement and change within it to adapt to many circumstances, while Shaolin has many movements to adapt to each situation; so there are many forms to display the frames to defend against different situations in different ways.
In both internal and external styles, lineage disciples of a master usually must pass an initial test of single-minded practice, both to test a potential inheritor's strength of character, and to provide the laoshi a foundation to layer more things on at later stages of instruction. However, when these stories are passed on, we sometimes see them as reasons to listen to instructors for sentimental reasons. Really, it is the only way to ascend the "holy platform" of zhuan zhang (baguazhang). The first phase of training is softening and loosening the bodies skeletal and connective tissues, both for increased energetic conductivity, and for increased range of movement within and around the joints.
Bagua's character trait is elusive footwoork to create dodges, neutralizing palm maneuvers, entrapped foot strikes, hip throws and trip tosses. It also has the ability to uproot and discharge like taijiquan, and to strike with explosive power, like hsing-i chuan, the sisters to the style.
The single palm change focuses on changing direction towards the inside of the circle (it's centerpoint being the adversary). The double palm change focuses on changing the direction to the outside, while simultaneously splitting one's force to both directions. All styles of bagua (zhuan zhang) have versions of at least these two techniques, plus many supplementary stationary training sets, two person patterns, and melee training. The Song Yongxiang style's forms are rarely seen. Until the laoshi doesn't have to worry that a solid foundation hasn't been laid through the single palm rote, the other choreographies remain untaught. The Song style is practiced by some of the members in the Beijing Bagua Research Association, and at Ditan Park.
Song Bio
WWW.8GUA.INFO: Song Changrong - was born to a wealthy family in Beijing. His family was somehow associated with Prince Su, the retainer of Dong Haichuan, and from the young Song was introduced to the founder of Baguazhang. Dong took a liking to the child and would visit his home on a regular basis. He would train Song in the courtyard, but trained him in various skills and exercises to increase the youngster's strength and balance. When Song was about twelve years of age, Dong began teaching him the art of Baguazhang. Given the foundation what was built in the early years, Song excelled in the training and was considered as a child prodigy in the art. He became highly skilled in the lower basin palms. Dong trained him the use of the Seven Stars pole and Song became an expert in the use of the weapon. Song developed a very high level of skill in the Baguazhang. He was a friend with many of Dong's other students, in particular Chang Chankuei. This was partial due to Song's position in life; having grown up in the Imperial section he had only limited contact with the common people from outside the walls of the Forbidden City. This resulted in him having very few students. Gao Yisheng was once a student of Song, but after years of intense basic foundation practice asked his instructor for additional training. The dispute ended with Gao leaving in search of another instructor. After the death of Dong Haichuan in 1882, Song became head of the Bagua practitioners in the northern section of Beijing. Song Shutang was the nephew of Song Changrong and is reported to have carried on his teachings in Song Style Baguazhang. Additional research is needed to identify any of Song's disciples: WWW.8GUA.INFO
Because Liu is a common Asian name (such as action star Lucy Liu for example) there are several Liu styles within the bagua lineages, such as:
Liu Jingru Liu Feng Chun Liu De Kuan Liu Hung Chieh Liu Baozhen Lu Shui Tian Shi Liu, (Shi Chih Tung, Shih Chi Tung, Shi Ji Tong, Shi JiTong, Shi Ji Dong, Shi JiDong, Shi Shi)
Guoliang gives a demonstration of Shi Shi styles pattern sets on YouTube. The late Wang Peisheng, gives a demo of the DeKuan version of linear bagua forms. Both the Gao and 9 dragon families have linear patterns as well. The Song style has not been demonstrated on youtube.
Shi Ji Tong Bio
WWW.8GUA.INFO: Shi Jidong (1837-1909) - was the third disciple of Dong Haichuan. He was from Cheng Si Shao Zhai village, Ji County in Hebei Province. Liu Sui, in his book Orthodox Baguazhang, states that his direct ancestor, Shi Jidong, was the third disciple of Dong Haichuan. He became Dong's adopted son-in-law, when Dong adopted his wife, who was reportedly a relative. After leaving service with the Imperial Family, Dong taught his art in the homes of many of his students. Shi Jidong offered Dong to stay with his family and he accepted. It was custom of that time for people without relatives to adopt an adult person to enable them to be cared for and attended as they aged. They would live with the adoptive family and the family would supply their clothes, food, and expenses. It was customary for them to ensure that they received a proper burial as well. This relationship allowed Shi Jidong to learn a high level of art from Dong Haichuan, one that was greater than many of the other disciples. Shi Jidong was a cousin of Yin Fu, the top disciple of Dong Haichuan. Sometime between 1875 and 1882, Yang Janfeng, a disciple of Yin Fu, got into a fight with Yin Fu's cousin, Shi Jidong, and beat him badly. The beaten Shi came to Yin Fu and asked if he could become one of his students and study Baguazhang. Yin thought that it would not be right for Shi to kowtow to him, since they were cousins, and instead took Shi to meet Dong Haichuan. At the request of Yin Fu, Shi was accepted as Dong Haichaun's third disciple. His branch of the art is known as Shi Style Baguazhang. Shi Jidong had several disciples to include Yang Rongben and Han Fushun .
Han Fushen - was from Cheng Nanpeng Village in Ji County, Hebei Province. He was illiterate and worked as a blacksmith at the Yi He Lumberyard in Beijing, which was owned by Shi Jidong. He was described as sincere, honest, diligent and conscientious. Out of concern for the people of his community, he desired to learn Baguazhang. Shi Jidong accepted him as a student and also received instruction from Dong Haichuan, who was living with the Shi family at that time. He was also known as Han Liu. Little more is known about Han other than he produced one student that had an impact on the art of Baguazhang. That student was Wu Junshan, who is responsible for promoting Wu Style Baguazhang. Any additional information is welcome.
Yang Rongben - little is known about Yang Rongben. He is noted for having three primary students that carried on his teachings. His notable students were Cao Rongting, Di Zhaolong (he authored Secret Wudang Baguazhang), and Peng Zhaokuang: WWW.8GUA.INFO
The Shi (Shi Shi, not Cheng Shi) style is taught in the Altai Mountains, Basargino Russia. The late Di Zhaolong also has other students thriving with the style. In BK Frantzis main work on the nejia boxing arts, he describes how Dong Hai chuan taught some of his students how to refine there movements to have the applications of an entire kua in a small movement. From reports on how Song Yongxiang was trained, he may have also received such style of instruction, as well as Shi Liu (aka Zhenbeng). Daos have a profound understanding of change. Dong Hai Chuan had an ability to recognize what different echelon martial artists would be able to change and what would be dificult to change. So rather than attempt to eradicate past martial knowledge from the body and build a new foundation, he would take what you already knew and add baguas principals to greatly enhance ones abilities, while strengthening ones weaknesses. Song solely learned bagua. Shi Liu apparently practiced continuous kicking. Probably a chines version of Tang Soo Do traditions. In fact, similar to the Emei Baguazhang manual, which has a wealth of collective Daoist zuan zang theory, the Shi style has a carbon copy format of one of its many texts (translated by Joseph Crandall from Di Zhaolongs scrolls) ie, the 3 year 36 songs and the ten year 48 songs. Unfortunately, bagua cannot be learned over night. Fortunately, he has already posted the text on the internet, and it can be found here at wiki as well:
Shi Ji Dong (Shih Chi Tung, 1835-1908) was nicknamed Zhenbang. People called him "Shi Liu" (Shi the 6th). He was born in Jxian county of Hebei province. He was Yin Fu's cousin. During childhood he studied tantui and was skillful in continuous kicking. Yin Fu advised him to study from Dong Hai Ch'uan and became Dong's third student. At the end of his life Dong lived in his house and his wife became an adopted daughter of Dong. --from http://www.geocities.com/ottawakungfu/250Bagau002B.htm
[The following is from --http://trinity.psnw.com/~dlmurray/classic.html]
Shi's 36 Stanzas
Joseph Crandall sent these over a period of time to the Bagua List. The following is a forward by him and some additional information from Jarek Szymanski sent to the Bagua List.
Forward: This is something I translated a long time ago and just dug out of my files. To redo the mandarin would be too much work at this point. If you are really interested I might scan the characters and send them out as a jpeg. The lineage of Shi Jitong Bagua has a 36 Stanza poem and a 48 Stanza poem similar to the ones promulgated by the Liang and Cheng lineages. These stanza come to us courtesy of Di Zhaolong, the current (I think) authority on this style. Shi Ji Tong was a nephew of Dong Haichuan.
-Joseph Crandall
Shi Jidong (not Shi Jitong) was Dong's adopted daughter's husband. Actually Shi arranged that his wife became Dong's adopted daughter so that she could take good care of the old master. Dong spent last years of his life in Shi's house in Beijing (Shi was one of the wealthiest disciples and owner of Yihe Timber Mill).
-Jarek Szymanski Shanghai, China
Epilogue: This song has 36 stanzas. Bagua's true significance is contained herein. Memorize and try to understand them and practice hard. Skill and hard work will not fail the conscientious person. Practice hard and practice harder. Over a long period of time, its value is lasting. You will become stronger and never stop gaining skills. Raise the martial spirit to be cheerful and healthy.
-Joseph Crandall
1. The head is held up. The chin is tucked in. The body is held straight. Depress the waist. Swell the belly. The steps are empty and full. Sink the shoulders. Hang the elbows. Reach with the front arm. Turn the wrist. Straighten the palm. Pull back the index finger.
2. One arm pushes out straight. One arm is bent. The eyes gaze at the tiger's mouth of the straight arm. The straight arm pushes and seizes. The bent arm pulls the bowstring. This is like using a bow to shoot a big vulture.
3. The tiger's mouth is curved. The palm is hollow. Pull back the fingers. Straighten the palm. The fingers are held upwards. Push and seize. Pull the bow. Defend the chest and lungs. The practice of bent knee stepping trains the leg skills.
4. Bend the knees and bow the legs. The steps are like walking in mud. In walking the circle, the outside foot turns inwards and the inside foot moves straight. Turn the waist. Depress the waist. Raise up the anus. The form is like pushing a grindstone round and round.
5. Turn the waist. Turn the neck. Depress the waist. Swell the belly. The foot grips the ground. The knees bend and the legs bow. The body follows the steps and the turning hands follow the body's movements. Weave together inhaling and exhaling and then transform them to chewing up and spitting out the enemy.
6. In walking, the palm and body should not lean to the sides. Do not lean forwards or backwards. Turn the waist and tighten the lower abdomen to connect the limbs. In stepping, the steps sink and the body has the appearance of being even and steady.
7. Moment is practiced on the left and right sides, Reciprocating without breaks or stopping. Aim for being stable and full. Become level and true. The spirit can tranform and grow from immature to mature.
8. In the piercing palm, the hand goes out under the elbow. Avoid the full and draw near the empty to achieve skill. The foot treads the center gate and searches out the way. The corner become the sides, enter and flow with the person's movements.
9. The hand method of the piercing palm must be remembered well. The rear hand pierces out and the front hand retracts. They must be mutually coordinated and complement each other. Mobility and agility display your talent.
10. In walking the circle, persue three levels in your stepping practice. First practice the upper level frame, which is high. The middle level bends the knees and the posture gradually squats. The lower level stresses getting the thighs level with the knees.
11. The tongue sticks to the upper palate. Inhale and exhale through the nose. The qi sinks to the dantian like being guided. Movement must be coordinated with the breathing. They complement each other and create agility.
12: Skill and talent smoothly follow the waist and leg movement; The stepping method transforms the walking with many turns; Upper and lower coordinate and become one thing; Mobility and agility must be harmonized.
13: The toe-in stepping form makes a triangle. The toe and kneecap are aligned. The toe-out stepping form makes an eight character shape (/ ). The toe and the heel meet together.
14. In the Upper Step (shang bu), the rear foot steps past the front foot. In the Advance Step (jin bu), the front foot moves to the front. In the Withdraw Step (che bu), the front foot steps past the rear foot. In the Retreat Step (tui), the rear foot moves to the rear.
15. Esteem virtue, do not esteem strength. Esteem wisdom, do not esteem courage. If you esteem strength and esteem courage; Sooner or later it must fall into the void.
16. The body is like a swimming dragon, a wild goose leaping into the air. It is like a tiger strikes, a turtle swims, a snake's movement. Vary the postures continuously without stopping. Move to the corners and sides, advance and retreat, talk and laugh in the center.
17. This palm is mysterious in walking the circle. The stepping method causes victory, the foot is strong and skilled. Toe-out, toe-in, arcing and turning, people cannot fathom it. Look to the front and now to the rear. Leave no fixed trail.
18. The foot treads the central gate and searches out the way. The hands follow the enemy's condition and flow in the opposite direction; Rise and do not fall, occupy the center; The enemy's preparations are in vain and he finds it diffucult to defend himself.
Here is another. This one is a toughie, a bit esoteric. I took some time going over it again and changing some of my original work, but I can't guarentee total accuracy on this one.
19. The outgoing hand must be one, it must not be two. The idea of many overcoming the few must be followed. If you can understand, you can get this central idea. Superiority is commonly had in grasping the center.
20. The outgoing hand techniques follow the man. To seal the enemy requires a lot of skill. The triangle pattern steps are very subtle. The hands in the cross shape form are beneficial to attack
21. The out-going hand flows with the enemy's intention. Rise to defend, attack to the left and right. If the enemy retreats, your front foot advances. If the enemy advances, your rear foot moves.
22. When the enemy advances, I move to evade his attack. I give up my position and cause him to fall into emptiness. I turn back and with one strike invariably cut to his center. To defeat the center and take the victory requires skill.
Here is #23. I must confess that it does not make much sense to me. My confusion revolves around the interplay between two characters zheng (true, upright, correct) and qi (wonderful, suprise). I have seen these two characters used together before and the best that I could guess based on the context was a sense of coming and going. However in this poetry the meaning is much more difficult for me to grasp. If anyone has a clue I'd appreciate some enlightenment.
23. The enemy is true, I am true suprise; The enemy is suprise, I am suprise true. A soft body pulls the rudder. Flowing water drives a light boat.
24. A strike comes to my right and my left responds. A strike comes to my front and my back responds. I coordinate my response with my breathing. If I do this others find it difficult to respond to me.
25. Close and roll, defend to the left and right. Turning back the head in retreat turns into an advance. If pressed close, move farther away. Commit to a strong body form.
26. The flicking palm conceals the body as you advance. Use the hooking palm as you retreat and then advance. Attack the enemy's front side as you advance. The flick and hook, up and down, aid and support each other.
27. An arm stretched out from the side of the body reveals an empty space. The chest exposed to open air induces people to attack. Draw out the enemy to take the advantage and advance. Bind, mix, seal, insert, and strive to master the movement.
28. With the overturning body palm method, defense becomes the attack. Overturn, roll, arc and turn to follow the man's motion. Submit to the objective, ignore the subjective. Pierce, grip, hang, and float, agile functions.
29. The Baguazhang method is not a blocking frame. I wish to choose flowing from my center. The outgoinh hand must choose the way to approach. I issue later but arrive first cannot be successfully defended against.
30. Touch and stick, continuously follow, don't loose the lead. Don't block, don't frame, flow with the enemy's nature. Yeild the position and strive for mastery of motion. Moving supports motion, moving supports stillness
31. The man is hard, I am soft and completely rely on walking; Bring about the condition to deprive him of the first hand; Turning and entering I flow to the man's back; Soft turns to hard and sticking becomes issuing.
32. When hardness is presented first then softness must be concealed inside. When softness is presented first it must be coordinated with hardness. Hardness conceals softness in its center, softness contains hardness. Hardness and softness are transformed in the stepping.
33. The eyes are linked to the hands which are linked to the waist which is linked to the legs. When the whole body is harmonized and coordinated, then when you issue stength it is whole. Regardless of whether your movements are straight or curved, the walking must be stable. When you get the power and get the posture, then you will be able to control the enemy.
34. When jing and shen are connected with qi, the posture will be filled. You will then be calm and composed, not terrified. The eyes detecting the enemy's emotion is the first point. The brain is the master and takes charge of the movement.
35. For the hands to attack the enemy, the waist and legs must be quick. Advance and retreat completely rely on the feet. Understand that walking be transformed by turning has many meanings. The true significance of Bagua is contained within this.
36. Bagua's true significance is not a mystery. Go smoothly, understand transformation, and walk the circle many times. Don't block, don't frame, don't lose the lead. Sacrifice your own interests for the sake of flowing with the enemy's emotion.
Shi Style Baguazhang Oral Traditions: The 48 Skill Methods
Forward: Here are some more goodies from Shi Style Baguazhang. Please bear in mind that I am probably not the best qualified to translate this stuff, but no one else seems to want to do it. Chinese characters often have more than one meaning. In choosing the best meaning I must rely on my own experience with the art and with fighting. Someone else might have another interpretation based on their experience. The martial arts has its own jargon, characters will be used in a martial context that will never show up in a common dictionary. Unless one is privy to the martial meaning of the character, the sentence ends up making no sense. Unfortunately I make mistakes in this area, so you will have to bear with me. Because of the varying ways in which Chinese texts can be interpreted it makes sense to read as many translations as possible in order to sort through the chaff and pick out what pearls may be within. I would encourage anyone with alternate translations to publish and compare with what I submit so that we may all grow in knowledge in the arts.
-Joseph Crandall
1. Shen Fa -- The Body Method:
The body is like a swimming dragon, a wild goose soaring in the air. Zigzagging, curved and straight, it moves like a snake. Overturn, roll, revolve and turn are dominated by the waist. Move to the corners and side-to-side, advance and retreat, talking and laughing in the center.
2. Mu Ce - Range Estimation:
To resist the enemy when you cross hands, you must first estimate the range. If there is no movement, gaze at the man's shoulder. Calmly and carefully examine his posture. Seek out the way to go. Reconnoitre and reflect. Only the eyes look forward.
3. Yanming - Sharp Eyes:
The heart's emotions are reflected in the eyes like a mirror. See the situation create the emotion, then the posture responds. If you are very fearful and the mind is confused, your eyes will not follow. The hands will be occupied, the feet confused, and you will lose your cleverness
4. Xianxing - In Advance:
The eyes first seek out the enemy's condition. The four sides and eight directions need to be observed clearly. Allow your movement to change irregularly many times. What enters my eye, I instantly understand.
5. Shen Shi - Careful Posture:
The eyes watch the four directions, form and posture are understood. The ears hear in eight directions, movement and stillness are known. The feet tread the eight trigrams, walk the complete circle. Look ahead and behind, capture the enemy's emotion.
6. Bu Fa - Stepping Method:
If you wish to move the extremities, the root must move first. Quick hands are inferior to agile stepping. Turning, moving, entering, yeilding only require half a step. The outer boundary is peaceful, the whole form changes.
7. Ta Zong Men - Tread the Center Gate:
Stride forward like a tiger and with the aspect of a hero. Advance and retreat, look around, look for the enemy's trace. The feet tread the center gate and interlink with the enemy's path. The enemy has to defend against strikes to the center.
8. Xie Chu Cheng Ru - Diagonal Leaving, Straight Entering:
With footsteps firm and stable, seek adroit movement. By advancing, retreating, turning, and shifting, seek out the enemy's path. Walking follows the triangle. The toes grip the ground. Diagonal leaving, straight entering, is wonderful and unlimited.
9. Xu Jin - Continuous Advancing:
Develop an offensive posture, the enemy can not move back. Continue advancing with strikes that are difficult to evade. Step and advance the body, then step to the front. The hands, feet, and body must be one and arrive together.
10. Lian Zhui - Continuous Chasing:
I advance. If the enemy retreats, I must follow. One step or two steps, I am continuously stepping to follow. Closely press the enemy so there is no way for him to flee. Continuously advance, victory comes in one step.
11. Xu shi - Empty and Full:
For agile movement in the legs, empty and full need to be understood If you relax the rules then you will be double weighted and sluggish. With changing movements and turning movements the empty foot is agile. With the weight in the full foot, steadiness is preserved.
12. Jin-tui - Advance and Retreat:
The enemy retreats, I advance with my front foot first. The enemy advances, I retreat by moving with my rear foot. The stepping method of advancing and retreating must be agile, Turning, changing, and transforming in accordance with the enemy's emotion
13. Zhang Fa - Palm Method:
In attack and defence, both palms must be lively. The rear palm goes out and the front palm returns. The tiger's mouth and ox's tongue work together: "Follow the curve to arrive at the straight", understand the body's peril.
14. Gong Fang Xiang Ji - Mutual Attack and Defence:
In mutual attack and defence you must remember firmness. My hand goes out, and defends against the man's strike. Advance to attack, defend and ward-off, turn and transform quickly. When you can attack and be successful in defence, your skill starts to become high.
15. Gong Fang Huying - Attack and Defence Working Together:
The hands, going out and blocking, have to work together. Issuing is not correct and yet it is not presumptuous to issue. The postures of attack and defence change many times. Issuing is not the main thing. You must defend against the opponent's issuing.
16. Zhao Fa - Technique Method:
The front arm reaches straight, forming the tiger's mouth. The rear arm hides the ox tongue. Swallowing and spitting, opening and closing, flow with the enemy's emotion. Work together with change, close the enemy's posture.
17. Fa Jing - Issuing Energy:
Store up energy till plentiful, like a bent bow. Issue energy like an arrow, swiftly away from the bowstring. With a single purpose, in one direction, strength issues from the back. Have a sunk appearance, be relaxed completely, qi ought to be first.
18. Yin Shi Li Dao - Adroitly Guiding Action According to Circumstances:
If he is high, strike him low. If he is low, strike him high. With a fat man, strike at him from either corner. If you meet someone long and thin, press toward the inside. The old man cannot move to block.
19. Jie Zhao - Make Contact and Gesture:
The enemy man comes gesturing. Don't block or frame him. Flow with his incoming posture only once. Moving or still, quick or slow, you must close and slap. Follow curve, move toward the straight, multiply his defects.
20. Jie Na - Explaining Seizing:
Qin Na must use a double hand motion. Both hands seize, oneself is empty. No matter what, Qin Na flows with his motion. Pierce the nose or jab the eyeballs and the enemy's posture relaxes.
21. Jie Na - Explaining Seizing:
He seizes me and the flowing posture moves. The flowing posture moves and the seized posture is empty. Even if his Qin Na is very adroit, My movement follows the man and the seize has no skill.
22. Bu Zhong Qin Na - Do Not Stress Seizing:
The Bagua palm method does not stress seizing. If both your hands, seize you suffer a setback. You are only seizing the man and it is not like striking. Depress and bend the man over, many changes are not advisable.
23. Feng Bi - Seal and Close:
The issuing hand flows and follows the enemy's intention to move. To seal and close the enemy I need a lot of skill. If I can seal firmly the posture of the enemy, Victory employs having my hand in the center.
24. Feng Bi - Seal and Close:
Perhaps he has weapons in both hands and is quick like the wind. With one coming and one going, he displays remarkable skill. Close his left hand then his right hand is not used. Both hands coming at the same time is emptyness.
25. Huan Zhao - Returning Techniques:
Sealing and closing strongly is a technique for 'defending the body'. Vigorously seal the man's techniques and do a technique in return. Stick continuously, following and leading the enemy's techniques. Be neither too close nor too far, flow with the enemy's techniques.
26. Yi Gao Yi Zhao - High Skill of One Move:
The strong are victorious over the weak, and their strength shows off their ability. The quick strike the slow, and their skill is in their speed. In these cases the High Skill of One Move is very much needed. Bind their hands and bind their feet to control them.
27. Rangkai Gong Shi - Defend by Getting Out of the Way:
If the other party has the strength of 1000 pounds, issue quickly. If his incoming posture is as violent as a mountain slide, Get out of the way and attack, take advantage of his gaps. Be decisive and mobile, swiftly do a technique in return.
28. Xie Shan - Diagonal Dodging:
The enemy comes in straight and quick like an arrow. First issue to control the his brave and fierce posture. Only meet this emotion, it is not appropriate to retreat. Diagonally moving, dodge and yeild like a spirit.
29. Bu Lan Bu Jia - Don't Block, Don't Frame:
Even when the enemy's posture is ruthless, you have no fear. He strikes at you and you defend against him. Toe out on the diagonal, the way is close. Don't block, don't frame, only once.
30. You Di - Lead the Enemy:
When the enemy doesn't attack, I use motion to draw him out. When his attack comes, I walk to the empty space. I do not rely on hand methods, I rely on stepping methods. Enticed to advance, he falls into air and is subject to my control.
31. Hua Jie - Transformation Understood:
Vertical can understand horizontal, horizontal understands vertical. When a split comes from an oblique angle, I split him. When a leg comes, if the leg is understood, you understand and then attack. The hands and legs go out and steps turn many times.
32. Yuan Xing Hua Jie - Circular Transformation Understood:
He surrounds me and I surround him. With circular turning and walking he can only attack air. Surround, surround one posture, the trail is not fixed. Completely rely on the stepping method and powerful walking.
33. Xie Zheng Huan Hua - Diagonal and True Transformed:
There is straightness within diagonal and diagonalness within straight. The diagonal/true transformation truly is wonderful. When you meet a strong enemy, a strong attack is demanded. Hide suprises within suprises, and the enemy falls into a trap.
34. Zhi Ren - Control the Man:
To control a man, one ought to pierce up towards his eyes. If both eyes suffer damage, then the enemy will be in a bind. The importance of the damage suffered, though small in degree, is not understood. A poke in the eyes is a victory of 1,000 techniques.
35. Dong Jie - Movement Understood:
Use stillness to control motion, leisurely await the work. Use motion to control stillness, rely on skill. The man doesn't know me, but I know the man. Meet strength with wisdom, seek the weak with flaunting techniques.
36. Kai He - Open and CLose:
If you desire to close, the correct form is to open first. Observe that open defends, and closed can know the power. Open is in the center of closed and closed is in the center of open. They can meet at the origin and instantly know minutia.
37. Qu Shou You Zhun - The Outgoing Hand Is the Standard:
It does not matter if he has 1,000 techniques and quickness in 1,000 things; If he is not able to be centered, his effort are in vain. Not stopping is important and not sending out hand. The outgoing hand must instantly be in the enemy's center.
38. Shulian: Skilled/practiced/proficient:
Attack and defend, advance and retreat, because the postures are different. 100 refinements make steel, bitter practice makes you complete. First aim towards being firm and solid, seek to be level and straight. Spiritual wonder is transformed, skill is created in the center.
39. Lingmin - Sensitive/keen/agile/acute:
If the mind is sensitive, its tranformations are inexhaustable. If the eyes are sharp, they can make out the enemy's emotion. If the stepping is agile, the mechanical power is adaptable. If the hand is keen, controlling the enemy is the standard.
40. Tu Na - Giving and Receiving:
Inhaling and exhaling, giving and receiving, are controlled from the nose. First it flows throught the Du Mai. Then continues to the Ren Mai to complete the cycle. Qi moves through the body, the will directs its motion.
41. Lizheng Zhudong - Work Hard for the Initiative:
When fighting, you must be able to endure the enemy's atttack. First seek to be invincible, then return the attack. If the posture and surroundings are inferior, toe out and escape. The center having moved, strive for the initiative.
42. Ceshen - On Ones Side:
In the Snake Form Palm, the posture the body overturns to the side. The body must have a twisting movement to use the Snake Form. Both arms go out straight to protect the skull. Expanding and contracting, turning sideways, Snake Spits out its Tongue.
43. Niu Yao - Twist the Waist:
When the enemy attacks, I stick to his body. My hands and feet return to defend and transform him. Turning and revolving, left and right, the waist twists and turns. Take a turn for the better and be out of danger; defeat demands victory.
44. Dang Ji Ji Fa - Prompt Issuing:
The mind takes charge of life, the eyes gaze. The hands and feet coordinate for carefull attack and defence. Search for the man's gaps, strive for motion. Issue promptly, don't hesitate.
45. Bi Shi Ji Xu - Avoid the Enemy's Strength, Strike at his Weakness:
When the enemy punches at your face, Take the lower way and instantly open up. Take him by suprise, unprepared for the attack. Avoid his strength and attack his weak points, victory comes.
46. Ji Ting - Avoid Stopping:
The chaotic original one qi walks heaven's limits. Walking, but not walking too far, the feet change and transform. Bagua's functional movement consists of the walking movements. Standing fixed when convenient becomes fallen flowers.
47. Luo Kong Bu Wen - Fall into Emptyness No Disorder:
Stepping must be lively and the gestures must be accurate. Then, to use 'Falling into Emptiness', the mind must not be disorderly. Curves interlink with curves and are never used up. When there are circles within circles, transformation is created.
48. Li Yi Wei Xian - Ceremony and Righteousness take Precedence:
Esteem virtue, esteem ceremony, don't esteem strength. Esteem wisdom, esteem righteousness, don't esteem bravery. Esteem strength, esteem bravery, strength is the core of strength. When your skill is high, then with one touch, your enemy falls into emptiness.
Assisting Song:
In Martial Arts, techniques come from theory. If the theory is
substantial, then skill can advance. They supplement each other and
both can rise high. Constantly improve, have no fixed bounderies. The
Inner Gate leads the way, the teacher transmits the instruction.
First, toward the firm and stable, seek the level and true. The
martial sea has roads, diligently use the boat. Spiritual wonder is
transformed and practice is halfway complete.
Baguazhangs Siblings
Within the pantheon of Chinese Martial Arts, the three Orthodox internal martial sciences are Laosandao (Taijiquan), Zhongnan Shan Boxing (Xing Yi/Hsing-i), and zuan zang (baguazhang/pa kua chang). Sun Lu Tang coined the phrase Three Sisters. The students of each train together for many reasons, one being that it is a priority not to hurt or be hurt by your kongfu brothers and sisters in class training. Of course, outside of class is ones own business. One has to study for thirteen years, maybe 15 years for regular civilians, in order to acquire the specialized bagua skill of moving like a ghost. This sounds esoteric, but when one learns to float omnidirectionally almost simultaneously through seemless miscellaneous footwork, one can slip into the blindspots of a persons consciousness to appear and reappear in front or behind an attacker. Fortunately with the health benifits of these standing yoga-like arts, one extends ones life span. Hsing-i tends to square off, wait, invade space, and shoot like a cannon at point blank range. Taichi tends to wait while holding ground, absorb or magnetize to the force of attack, and bounce one away like a bran new trampoline that barely moves. Though bagua has the densest tactical arsenal of the three, taichi (laosandao) encapsulates the pentultimate nejia skill. Both hsing-i and bagua have almost parallel techniques, but the eerie dynamic of taichi masters, which carries over to the other two sisters, is that at its highest level of defense and attack, the proponent barely moves ones body because theres so much internal stuff going on. However, the effect on the attacker is literally being sent flying. Event 10-20 feet. This is hard to believe, considering a solid football hit dislodges the body and suspends it in space, but it wont move more than several feet. And they are running at full speeds. With these yin techniques, the initial contact is not too brash, but the ground and the environment come fast. Usually only lineage holders have these abilities, and top notch students who have no life but kongfu. Hsing-i has the most immediate self-defense success ratio. One of the most famous expressions within taijichuan circles is: In Taichi, to win, first you must lose! You must lose any adrenalized will towards an attacker through hi level yielding and neutralizing of elses actions, and you must be enthusiastic about losing your balance from being uprooted by superior skilled taiji brothers. Because of its linear physics training, Hsing-i masters hit once. Bagua hits from several confounding angles while trapping and throwing. This is necessary to defend against many attackers. Using one attacker to defend against many. Bagua employs waves and the vortex of multidimensional spirals, and Taiji employs the unified force of contracting and expanding spheres. Out of Malaysia, I Liq Chuan seems to be making itself known as the new baby brother to the three sisters, while Liu He Ba Fa (water Boxing) is an encyclopedia of the three sisters, and is usually studied after basic mastery of the three. Shaolin also has internal styles, and internal external hybrid styles such as Wing Chun and Mei Hua Chuan (Plum Flower Fist)
Dantian Cultivation
It is imperative to note, that discussing these martial skills for societal awareness via hard and soft copies of writings and actually acquiring these abilities are two different scenarios. Especially considering that individual practitioners of these styles practice them for different personal reasons. More often than not, practitioners of these styles tend to practice them for health or meditative purposes, rather than wanting to fight a lot. There are only so much herbs, so Tradition Chinese Doctors prescribe martial arts for rejuvinative means. Combative purists promote the martial side, because they were kept secret for obvious reasons for so long. Like most martial arts that have lasted generations, they can be fatal or hospitalize. Some of the best fighters started learning martial arts because they were frail with sickness in their youth. Out of their humanitarian compassion, masters taught them, and they eventually became not only healthy, but strong even with thin bodies.
Allthatwithstanding, without the dynamic of tranquilty during application and practice, the dantian abilities cannot come in to play, hence internal power cannot fully come into play, and using these styles to actually fight without gong or dantian cultivation practice would be like trying to cut wood with a soup spoon. One is better off practicing for meditative reasons first, and learning self-defense later on.
For more info, check out
chinafrominside.com zhuan falun geocities ottawa kung fu history pages beijingbaguazhang.com the bagua library jiulong bagua pa-kua.com hsing-i institute yinfu bagua


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Imagine a baby born out of the marriage of Chandramukhi and Arundhati. You feel it's got them all and can thrive. Alas!! The tables turn and what they deliver is a baby with congenital deformities. Now that it finds some place on earth, everyone tries to nurture it. The nature also does its part and thus evolves an amateur kid, err, plot. The kid grows into an adult, but his deformities always pull him back. That's what happens when you are loaded with creative ideas but can't showcase them to perfection on screen. Like many other films, Oo Kodathaara Ulikki Padathaara also falls prey to such an act of naivety.\r
The movie starts with a premise borrowed from RGV / Quentin Tarantino / Sergio Leone films. Here our hero Manchu Manoj plays the role of a "Man with no name.†If that rings a bell and if you are taken to the 60s Spaghetti Western classics of Clint Eastwood, please switch off the time machine mode and come back to present. Though the premise shows a lot of promise, for that matter it can be called a promising premise, the story meanders through some uneven terrain and culminates at abyssal depths.\r
OKUP teaches some formulaic lessons in film-making: It does not matter how modern you are in your thoughts and outlook - a socio-fantasy should consist of antiquated paraphernalia; designer wear for men and women; swords and horses; and above all, an obligatory MAHAL!! If the director is not content with them, he will put some blood to give it a fantasy touch.\r
If you remember, Nagarjuna in Manmadhudu gives a perfect recipe to make Onion Dosa. I wish the makers have made OKUP by taking some cues from that recipe but now the final product is an oily dosa with lot of onions supplemented with bland chutney. Some creative touches, like the hero's flashback song that generates laughter despite its gory story-telling, can be applauded but that alone can't ward off the dark clouds mongering over the movie's success.\r
There are some good shades in the film: impressive visuals; a bit of comedy; great camera work; trendy and foot-tapping music; decent performances; and loads of creative elements. But it would have been a memorable watch without certain elements: forcefully induced doses of melodrama at places; graphic violence; heavy downpour of different characters with miniscule roles; chewing gummish finale between good vs. evil.\r
Nandamuri Balakrishna looks elegant in his role and plays it with aplomb. It's high time; he should cherry-pick roles that suit him rather than donning a lover boy's role or pull some gravity-defying stunts. Hope others follow him soon. Manchu Manoj pumps loads of exuberance into the film with his witticism, and his character's multiple hues shine all through the movie. He's aggressive in the first half and turns submissive later doing everything to tickle your funny bone. Deeksha Seth, with her lackluster presence, consolidates her dumb-witted damsel's spot in Tollywood. Finally Manchu Lakshmi speaks proper Telugu. May be she's attending accent neutralization classes that helped her sail through troubled waters.\r
Bottom-line:UKUP is an ambitious project from Manchu entertainment but it may turn into a damp squib owing to heavy downpour of unwanted and painfully dragged elements. Watch it for its creative shades and some stupendous moments of film-making and also be ready to pay the price for a predictable plot and a thin story-line that may bore you to death.\r
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What's so good?
By Brontë Martin | Nov 23, 2012 | Total plays: 80,134
Most of Dream Koala's tracks (including the one I have chosen to feature, titled "Roofies") musically radiate without relying too heavily on vocals. When whimsical lyrics are present, they are minimal and feature DaSilvia's distinct voice.
Having released many highlight tracks since about ten months ago, including his groundbreaking XXYYXX "About You" remix, Dream Koala has arrived at his first EP, BLUR. Composed of five dreamwave, electro and shoeglaze compositions, DaSilva's electro approach is smooth, fluent and tranquil.
When did your interest in music begin?
Since as long as I can remember my parents always had music on at home. Until today, it has never been silent at home. I started making music by tackling the guitar about five years ago. I then began playing in a group called I The Omniscient with my bros, which lead me to start my own endeavor. I decided to start Dream Koala because of inspiration I acquired through listening to guys like Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, Flying Lotus... and now, here I am!
In a few words, how would you describe your aesthetic style?
Well... It's always been very difficult to describe myself as a musician. I tend to gravitate to a lot of guitar use and organic elements in my tracks so I don't know if I can call it electronic. I consider my BLUR EP like a kind of shoegaze-influenced beat music. With that said, I can't tell you how my sound is going to transgress in the future. I'd like to stay as open minded as I can and welcome change. I like to think I have my own genre.
Do you find that your young age is a drawback or an advantage in the industry?
When you're eighteen in the music industry, I find it has helped to motivate people to talk about Dream Koala. I think since Tyler The Creator and various blogs are constantly looking for young talent, it's been beneficial. But its kind of ridiculous when everybody jumps to talk about your age before even commenting on your music.
What is life like right now for you? Are you in school? Is it difficult to juggle work with music?
I dropped out of school this year. I couldn't stand it anymore, I found it to be so boring. When I stopped school, I found myself always wanting to make music. Since now I don't have to wake up at a certain time, I'm able to work on my own schedule. Right now, I'm beginning to work with a manager and a booking agency, which is a huge step for me. I'm really grateful that I'm now able to travel, tour and meet amazing people on my own time. It all came so quickly but I'm so glad it's happening. I'm definitely feeling 2013. I stay positive, thank you Based God.
BLUR has recently been released. What are your thoughts on the EP now that it's out for everyone to hear?
I've had some really cool feedback about BLUR. Thank you to all the people sharing that shit! I recorded this in my room with only my computer and my guitar with no expectations in my mind. Never did I think that I would play live shows and have that much support. It's crazy.
What are some musicians/artists that inspire you?
I like artists who are open minded and who have their own genre like Coltrane, James Blake, Flying Lotus and Toro Y Moi. I can say The Number Twelve Looks Like You is my favorite band this moment. Right now, I'm also all about that Captain Murphy stuff.
Do you plan on touring across the pond in the future?
I hope I'll be able to do a full blown tour soon! I love performing live in a place I am so comfortable in, but the thought of traveling to play in a place you've never been before is indescribable. When I envision performing in front of people who only know me through Dream Koala... It's some magical stuff.
Do you have any hobbies that influence your music?
I don't have any hobbies. I'm so lazy, but I think not having any hobbies influences my music. I love dinosaurs and talking shit on Twitter.
What song thus far are you most proud of?
I have no idea. All my tracks are very different to me, even if it may sound the same to people. My favorite tracks have not been released yet. You'll hear it soon guys!


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Find the perfect hotel in Poole using our hotel guide provided below. Search for the cheapest discounted hotel and motel rates in or near Poole, United Kingdom for your upcoming personal or group trip. We show the best Poole motel and hotel rooms. Browse the Poole area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Poole hotels. Coordinating a group? Get Poole Group Hotel RatesThe Poole center is about 4 miles from Bournemouth Town Hall and 4 miles from Bournemouth International centre.
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You must download the 2015 entry kit for all information about entering the awards and the categories.
CLICK HERE for the entry kit
CLICK HERE to enter!
Who can enter
The PRWeek Awards are open to corporate communications and marketing communications teams, PR agencies, public affairs firms, IR agencies, publicists, nonprofits, PR educational professionals, and government PR teams, as well as solo practitioners. Outside contractors, vendors, and non-PR professionals may also enter certain categories where indicated. All Awards categories relate to work executed in the US by a US or Canada-based company or office. The only exception is the Global Campaign of the Year.
Questions? Please contact Nicole Marshall at email@example.com or (646) 638-6059.
Eligibility period
Entries must be for work conducted between October 7, 2013, and October 3, 2014, unless otherwise specified. Some of the work must have occurred during this time, but it does not necessarily have to have been started or completed during the eligibility period.
Entry form
All entries must be submitted online. The entry form will vary for each category. Please refer to each category for specific information required. Basic information includes:
Category entered
Title of entry
Agency or company submitting the entry
Client name/suppliers
Vendors involved in the campaign*
*Budget is an essential consideration of the judging process. Failure to include a strong and honest indication of this could affect the score the judges give you.
*This is mainly a factor for the Campaign categories and certain Technique categories, but it similarly is an important elemnt to include as it relates to judging considerations.
Support material
Similarly to last year, all support materials are to be submitted digitally. We've done away with binders and physical materials to streamline the process for entrants and judges.
Images (mandatory)
As part of your entry you must upload two key images as JPEG files. IMPORTANT: your key images are mandatory parts of your entry. Please note that failure to submit two key images or to comply with the instructions below will result in your entry not being submitted to the judging panel for evaluation. Your images must comply with the following:
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Tackle your home improvement wish list with these categories.
As soon as we wake up, we're hurled into the madness of the morning rush. Take charge of whirlwind mornings with these simple, time-saving ideas.
Never underestimate the jar. These versatile containers can be used to store, display, organize and most of all, gift! And the neat thing about jars is they can be transformed over and over again.
Time to get the kids ready for an experience they'll never forget—summer camp! Pack up the bug spray, and check out these neat ideas to make this summer something they'll always remember.
It's that time of year, when ghosts and goblins of all ages scare up some fun at their favorite Halloween party. To make sure your party is a scream, we've brewed up some easy ideas to help you add some hair-raising hijinks to your fright fest.
Escape the daily grind and unwind by taking a fun-filled staycation instead— no airport hassles or hotel check-ins to deal with, and you'll get to stay in the relaxing comfort of your own bed at night.
It's summer—what better excuse to throw an epic party? Make yours a celebration to remember with fun, personalized accents on all your entertaining essentials.
Summer break is a great time for your children to make the most of the long days ahead by starting their first job. Here are three ideas to inspire your young, budding entrepreneurs.
Are your kids getting those back-to-school jitters? Check out these fun projects and cool ideas to get them excited about the new school year.
Ready or not, here comes tax time. Try these simple steps to help make filing a little easier.


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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
© Copyright 2015 Gwinnett Daily Post
LAWRENCEVILLE - Police believe alcohol and speed contributed to a wreck that killed three people early Saturday.The crash occurred about 3:07 a.m. when a white 2001 Chevrolet Camaro crossed into the path of a BMW while the driver of the Camaro was trying to negotiate a curve on Collins Hill Road near Logan Way. Both cars spun out, with the BMW coming to a rest off the roadway, according to a press release from Gwinnett Police. The driver of the Camaro, Christopher B. Phillips, 23, of Sugar Hill, and his passenger, Brittany Hopkins, 26, of Sugar Hill, died at the scene, police said. Elmore Dudley III, 42, of Lawrenceville, who was the driver of a black 1992 BMW 935i, also died at the scene. His female passenger, who has not been identified, was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for treatment of serious injuries. Police said she is expected to survive. With members of the Gwinnett County Police Accident Investigation Unit continuing to probe the accident, Cpl. Illana Spellman said, "it appears at this time that speed and alcohol were contributing factors in this accident." Toxicology results for both drivers are pending.
More like this story
- Victim of fatal crash ID'd as Sugar Hill man ( April 11, 2012 )
- Cops trying to ID two killed after leaving AA meeting ( July 3, 2012 )
- Loganville man charged with vehicular homicide ( April 18, 2012 )
- Driver ID'd in early morning single-car crash ( May 24, 2010 )
- 19-year-old dies in one-car crash ( February 18, 2011 )


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Vigorous family "discussion". Are chiletepin and chili piquin the same pepper?
Hello Jan:
Piquin is a C. annuum pod type. Chiltepin is a variety within that pod type.
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10th October 2008
Homophobic 'tattoo' vicar keeps newspaper column 8
4:04 PM — A Church of England vicar who wrote a homophobic rant on his blog and then tried to claim he has "nothing against" gay people will not be sacked from his regular column in a local newspaper.
Portugese parliament rejects gay marriage proposal 8
3:34 PM — Gay and lesbian couples in Portugal will continue to be banned from getting married after the main government and opposition parties joined forces.
Post debate bump puts Obama 11% ahead
2:54 PM — The latest Gallup poll of the support for the candidates for President of the United States indicates that Barack Obama has widened his lead over John McCain.
Matthew Shepard's mother hits out at prejudice and ignorance, ten years on 2
2:34 PM — Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, released the following statement as she marks the tenth year since his death on October 12th 1998.
Fundraising appeal attracts donors as Liverpool gay teen is buried 1
2:25 PM — A new fund in memory of Michael Causer has been established and more than £1,000 has already been raised.
Insurers are inconsistent over Hep C 1
1:46 PM — The British insurance industry has a poor understanding of Hepatitis C and life assurance policies for people living with the virus can vary considerably.
BBC rejects complaints about EastEnders gay kiss 19
1:19 AM — More than 150 people who complained after two gay men kissed on BBC soap EastEnders have been told by the corporation that they treat gay and straight relationships in the same way.
Victory for Christians as McDonald's gives in over gay rights 27
12:48 AM — Christian and conservative Americans are claiming they have forced one of the world's best-known companies to withdraw from National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
Russian mayor blocks gay rights protest 1
12:24 AM — A municipal leader in Russia has said that a planned protest against homophobia by gay rights activists cannot go ahead.
Children of lesbians 'at risk' due to prolific sperm donors 2
12:12 AM — A health official in South Australia has warned that the state's rules on sperm donation could put the children of some lesbians at risk.
Grey's Anatomy star donates to California gay marriage defence fund
12:02 AM — Hollywood star TR Knight has donated $50,000 (£29,000) to help defeat a proposal to remove the rights of lesbian and gay Californians to get married.


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Henry F. Long Jr., a boys soccer coach and state champion who owned a window-cleaning business, died of cancer Tuesday at Gilchrist Hospice Care. The Perry Hall resident was 54.
Born in Baltimore and raised in Sparrows Point's North Point Village, he began playing sports at Battle Grove Elementary School. He was a 1976 graduate of Sparrows Point High School, where he wrestled and was a three-time state champion in soccer. He attended Essex Community College and earned a bachelor's degree in sports management at West Virginia University, where he was captain of the men's soccer team.


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The 1960s are swinging back into style this season.
isdom in traveling with a pet can be summed up in a single word - containment.
Whether it's a dog or a cat, a leash in the hand is better than a chase after an errant animal.
Texas Tech University's livestock judging team and wool judging team took first place honors last week at the Houston Livestock Show, making it the second time in school history Tech's teams swept all of the judging at the annual event.
South Plains College's 15th-annual Scholarship Gala at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Physical Education Complex will feature a variety of interesting mementos during its silent and live auctions.
Texas Tech's Meat Judging Team enjoyed a 96-point victory Monday at the Southwestern Livestock Exposition's Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in Fort Worth.
NCAA Football
East-West Shrine Game
At St. Petersburg, Fla.
Writing letters to pen pals may be a dying art, but not only are students at Crestview Elementary School writing letters, a few were lucky enough to meet their correspondents Wednesday morning.
YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY - Advancement in your chosen field of endeavor is a strong possibility in the year ahead. Your rise in position and status could come about through a unique turn of events.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec.
SAN ANGELO - D'Maujeric Tucker is used to playing just three quarters in a football game and racking up huge rushing yards in the process.
But his time off usually came at the end of Tiger games during the regular season.
Bounce houses are a hit at kids' parties, but the number of injuries is soaring.
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The Sports Network
DATE & TIME: Saturday, December 8, 3:05 p.m. (et)
FACTS & STATS: Site:ASU Convocation Center (10,038) -- Jonesboro, Arkansas. Television: None. Home Record: SBU 3-0, ASU 2-0. Away Record: SBU 1-2, ASU 2-3. Neutral Record: SBU 1-0, ASU 0-0. Conference Record: SBU 0-0, ASU 0-2. Series Record: Arkansas State leads, 1-0.
GAME NOTES: Taking a break from their Sun Belt Conference schedule, the Arkansas State Red Wolves welcome the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure to the ASU Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon.
ASU had a strong opening to the season against non-conference foes, winning four in a row after kicking off 2012-13 with a loss to Dayton, but Sun Belt foes have not been nearly as kind. In fact, the Red Wolves are already 0-2 in league action after bowing to FIU in the conference opener, 80-61, and then being tripped up by Florida Atlantic last weekend, 72-65.
As for the Bonnies, members of the Atlantic 10 Conference, they've delivered five wins in seven opportunities, posting back-to-back victories over Buffalo and Siena in the last week. The meeting with the Saints on Tuesday night represented St. Bonaventure's top defensive effort of the season as it held Siena to a mere 43 points in a 15-point win.
The Red Wolves won the only other meeting between these two teams with a 58-52 victory on Feb. 1, 2011.
Even though the Saints have one of the best interior players in the country, the Bonnies still held a 30-18 scoring edge in the paint in their most recent win. Then again, turnovers probably had a major influence on the outcome as well with the hosts losing possession a mere five times and Siena turning it over 17 times. Marquise Simmons registered a double-double for the Bonnies with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Demetrius Conger accounted for 14 points, eight boards, four assists and a couple of blocked shots, followed by Chris Johnson with 10 points and seven rebounds. Johnson is responsible for a team-high 15.3 ppg over seven games, shooting 50 percent behind the three- point line and 51.4 percent from the floor overall. Conger (14.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg) has managed to hand out 22 assists which is tops on a team that has slightly more dishes (95) than turnovers (93) at the moment.
Arkansas State held a slight three-point lead at the break, extending it to six points in the opening minute of the second half against FAU, but after that it was all downhill for the visitors as they shot just 32.3 percent from the field in the period and 9-of-15 at the charity stripe. Kendrick Washington and Marcus Hooten both finished with 12 points, while Raeford Worsham came off the bench to deliver 10 points and seven rebounds and Brandon Peterson logged 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the setback. Ed Townsel, who played 17 minutes in a reserve role and was held to just five points on 1-of-7 shooting, is still the leading scorer for ASU with his 15.3 ppg mostly coming off the bench. Townsel is the three-point sniper that the Wolves turn to, his 22-of-49 accuracy on the outside serving as a significant piece of the unit's perimeter attack. Peterson (11.0 ppg) is the one who handles the action in the paint with his 10.1 rpg, but still the group is beating opponents on the glass by just 1.2 rpg.
With early success this season, the Bonnies have been building up their confidence and against a team like ASU that effort should shine once again.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: St. Bonaventure 68, Arkansas State 64


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HTC Droid Incredible
Info Photos Reviews 82 News Forum
google maps 3d!!???
Is there a setting or something like that u have to do in order to view in 3d? Couldnt figure it out!! TIA
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Originally written on Fox Sports Detroit | Last updated 10/14/12
The Detroit Lions quite possibly saved their season Sunday with a fourth-quarter rally and a 26-23 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. For more than three quarters, the Lions looked down and out and headed to their fourth straight loss and a 1-4 start. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was playing like anything but the face of a franchise, misfiring on passes and unable to sustain drives with any third-down conversions. The Lions were sloppy and undisciplined, leading to 16 penalties, the most by any team in the NFL this season. But the teams much-maligned defense, bolstered by the return of safety Louis Delmas, kept them close enough until Stafford, Calvin Johnson and offense finally came to life. Jason Hanson kicked a 19-yard field goal to tie the score with three seconds remaining in regulation and then added a 45-yarder to win it in the overtime. This teams resilient, Lions coach Jim Schwartz said during a post-game radio interview. We had to battle through some stuf...
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Home: USA : Ohio
Ohio WebcamsOhio is a fantastic destination for a family vacation and even it is not an exotic destination with a rich culture or history, the entertainment opportunities are limitless and will please every single person travelling with you. Financially speaking, this destination is also one of the most affordable in the country. So if you are planning a weekend getaway or a longer holiday you should not miss the Buckeye State of Ohio, a perfect resort for all the ones you love. Other than this, there are literally hundreds of places worth exploring, including waterfalls, hidden castles, fantastic museums, caves, theme parks and even lakes. But if you want to see something really eccentric you should not miss the house made of garbage as well. All in all, if you are looking for some ways to spend some quality time without having to spend a fortune Ohio is a perfect destination.
Live traffic and weather cams with continuous traffic reports
Stats - (Added: 16-Sep-2004 | Clicks this year: 143)
YourRadioPlace's SkyCam
The AVC Communications SkyCAM is located atop College Hill in Guernsey County, Ohio and is usually positioned towards the Eastern skies directly over Cambridge
Stats - (Added: 5-May-2007 | Clicks this year: 143)
2 live views of the skyline and downtown Cincinnati, Ohio
Stats - (Added: 15-Dec-2003 | Clicks this year: 138)
Live view of Cincinnati from the 600ft tower of WKRC-TV 12
Stats - (Added: 15-Dec-2003 | Clicks this year: 135)
University of Cincinnati
View from 6th floor of Geology/Physics Bldg on the University of Cincinnati campus looking west. Western Hills in background, Clifton Avenue in foreground.
Stats - (Added: 10-Oct-2006 | Clicks this year: 135)
Celina Cam
Tower cam in Celina, Ohio, overlooking the town
Stats - (Added: 23-May-2007 | Clicks this year: 131)
Live view of the skyline in Cincinatti
Stats - (Added: 15-Dec-2003 | Clicks this year: 128)
DCCTrain Tech Bench Cam
Live Robotic Cam. Watch the repair of HO locomotives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Stats - (Added: 17-Nov-2005 | Clicks this year: 128)
OWU JAYwalkCAM
User controllable camera located in the campus of the Ohio Weslayan University. Several views available.
Stats - (Added: 3-May-2007 | Clicks this year: 125)
Leger Family's Long Cove Cam
Images of Long Cove, OH, brought to you by Stuart, Lupa, Brian and Leland
Stats - (Added: 26-May-2007 | Clicks this year: 125)


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Featured Series: Routledge English Language Introductions
The series aims to provide students with everything they need to grasp the basics and develop their skills for further study within the chosen area. Assuming no prior knowledge, each book offers an accessible overview of the subject, providing activities, study questions, sample analysis, commentaries and key readings. Built around four sections - introduction, development, exploration and extension - the book offers flexible learning, enabling students to read across sections and gradually build on the knowledge gained.


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Parents can learn about transitional kindergarten, how to advocate for their children, how to help them at home, and what it will take for them to graduate high school and be ready for college at a free Saturday event for African-American families.
The African American Spring Parent Conference, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, is at Bret Harte Middle School, 3700 Coolidge Ave, in the Laurel District.
OUSD's Office of African-American Male Achievement is hosting the event, which includes breakfast and lunch. You can register here.
In February, OUSD held a similar day of workshops for Latino families, a conference co-sponsored by Educational Coalition for Hispanics in Oakland, and there have been others, as well.
Have you attended a parent workshop recently? Did you find it useful — and in what way?


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The Nine Day Festival Of Navaratri
Since the Navaratri thrill is on, so here we would talk about the places to explore and celebrations during this time across the country. Navaratra is among the most celebrated festival among Hindus. It begins on the first day of Ashwina and goes on for nine long days. Navaratra is known to be the period of celebration of Goddess Durga.
Durga and her Symbolism:
Durga means the one who eliminates the sufferings. Thus, Hindu devotees believe that Goddess Durga helps them to face and get over all sufferings in life. There are many forms of Durga like: Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, Java, Rajeswari, etc. It is believed that Goddess Durga united the divine powers into one (herself) and killed the immortal demon "Mahishasura".
Like Shiva, Goddess Durga also posses the 'Third eye" on the forehead. The third eye is said to have the fire. Durga also has eight to ten hands signifying the then directions in Hinduism. This suggests that she is a protector of devotees from all directions. Durga stands on her vehicle 'Lion" signifying fearlessness.
This festival is celebrated by all Hindus across the country, but in different ways. In Northern India, people generally celebrate it by rigorous fasting and celebrations. In Eastern India, people celebrate Durga Puja starting from the 6th day of Navaratri. In Southern India, it celebrated with a lot of fanfare. In Western India, various forms of dances and prayers are performed during this time. We will elaborate further on the celebrations of Navarata here:
Eastern India:
In Bengal, Navaratri basically means Durga Puja. Festival of Durga Puja is the awaited festival for Bengalis. They shop throughout the year and look forward for this puja. It takes place in the last four days of Navaratri and is followed by a grand farewell to the idol of Durga on the tenth day called as Vijay Dashami or Dussehra.
During this time huge decorative structures called as Pandals, where the worship of Goddess takes place are seen everywhere. The earthen idol of Durga is accompanied by Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Laxmi. Goddess Durga is bid an adieu by a grand farewell on Dussehra and the idol is submerged in any nearby water body.
Western India:
People in western India are inclined to celebrate Navaratri is a very joyous way. In Gujrat, spend nine days of festival in dance, music and merriment where women and men dress up in colourful attires and dance gracefully in a formed circle called as 'Garba'. Besides Garba, 'Dandiya' is also a sort of dance in which men and women dance using decorated bamboo sticks. The dance has a complex rhythm and people have to match up their beats.
Ras Garba and Dandiya dance forms has been extracted from the Krishna stories from Saurashta and Kutch. The focal point is the shrine placed in the centre around which the dance takes place. Each night puja is performed worshipping Goddess Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati. In case you are fond of dances and want to enjoy this joyous festival then Gujarat is the place to be in Navaratra.
Northern India:
In Northern India, the festival of Navaratra is celebrated by fasting rigorously for nine days. Devotees of Durga celebrate this festival with full faith.
On the 8th day or Ashtami people tend to break their fast by treating young girls with Puri-Halwa at home and worshipping them alike as Goddess. On the ninth day or the Navaratri signifies the end of the holy period.
In places like Varansai and other parts of Uttar Pradesh, Navaratri collides with Ramlila. Ramlila is the depiction of stories from the holy Ramayan in the form of play. It goes on for nine long days which covers the whole story of Ramyana and ultimately ends the killing of Ravana on the 10th day or Dusserhra.
In places like Kullu, special tradition of carrying Lord Raghunath is experienced. It is thought to be a very special form of celebration in Northern India.
Southern India:
In South India, people set up steps and place idols on them. This is known as golu. In places like Karnataka, Ayudha Puja, the ninth day of Mysore Dasara, is celebrated with the worship of implements used in daily life such as computers, books, vehicles, or kitchen tools.
Mysore is well known for the festivities that take place during the period of Dasara, the state festival of Karnataka. The Dasara festivities, which are celebrated over a ten-day period, were first introduced by King Raja Wodeyar.
In Kerala, three days: Ashtami, Navami, and Vijaya Dashami of Sharad Navarathri are celebrated as Sarasvati Puja in which books are worshiped. The books are placed for Puja on the Ashtami day in own houses, traditional nursery schools, or in temples.
Navaratra is a festival that can be enjoyed by all. If you are one who wishes to have world class experience during Navratri, then find your suitable property from The Other Home and roam around the whole country.
If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.