------------------------------------------------------------------------ **** http://www.GOANET.org **** ------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRI Continental Film Festival - Dona Paula, Goa, Sep 28 - Oct 2, 2007 http://www.moviesgoa.org/tricontinental/tricon.htm For public viewing Registration at The International Centre Goa Ph: +91 (832) 2452805 to 10 Online Media Partner: http://www.GOANET.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear Martin, The Indian rite mass exists and is sees attendance at places like Gnyan Ashram, Mahakali Caves Road, Andheri East. It also takes place in convents, Christians ashrams, novitiates, aspirantates, seminaries, and in homes. Jyoti tumhare sadaath jalein (May your Flame (light) forever burn) Aaya hum ujalla le nein (I am here to take (bask) in your warmth (love) Swami aaya ujaala le nen (Lord, Guru I am come to be in your love) To some, it can be visually overwhelming, as happened to my mother at my wedding in Gnyan Ashram, I had prepared her for it, but she was not ready for the experience. I immediately realized that I had taken things for granted. It had begun with the a dancer doing the aarti. Cecilia's family was totally in it. The thirty or so nuns were expressed their approval, as almost all the invited congregation, which was huge. The con-celebrants wore bhagwa (saffron) shawls over their cassocks. Many in the congregation. were in their their best Indian outfits. In this case there was no sitting on the floor. Too many people would have had to be rushed to hospital! Vericose veins and all..... But the interest reached a high during the pherya (steps) around the. Not all seven though. Ise ekapadi, urje dwipadhi, rayasopaya tripadhi... The discomforture has to do with the cognitive dissonance which should be expected considering that the music, the ambiance, the readings, the poshak of the priest (vestments), decoration (often rangoli) appears unlike anything at a regular Latin rite. It is not as if there are similarities with a known Hindu ritual (which few have experienced), it appears Hinduized to the extenst that many cannot hold it all together to get through the mass! So the congregant has to be able to move into this communion, which is not easy for the majority. The music may be the pethi (harmonium), chimta (clappers -- sort of though not exactly like bhakti saints used), tabla, dhol, cymbals, sometimes a flute, etc., besides some melliflous voices. Depending on the facility of the priest or the congregation the readings can get very interesting and revealing, and may be culled from the Dnyaneshwari (Duritanche timir vyavhe.. praani jaath), the Gayatri mantra, the Gita, Upanishads, various sutras, Asatoma sath gamayah (from Untruth lead us to Truth) Tamasomah jyotirgamayaha (From Darkness to Light) Myrtyorma amrutam gamayam (From Death to Life Everlasting) I have noticed something over the years. For many of the West--non-Indians looking inwards at Indian ritual--by and large any phenomenon that is from the other; as long as it has some colors, sound, silence, fragrance, it is an event, a happening to be experienced. I mean it in the sense of phenomenology. For people like my dear mother, or some of my relatives (not all) any change from the normal, has to have a well articulated reason, if the image they carry into their futures should not I presume here--sprout confusion, errant questions or demons. They are settled in their practice of religion and radical spectaculars jarr their equilibrium. I think the same is largely the case in the western mind, again based on their experiences, interests, secularisms, being and time, and understanding of their own beliefs whatever they may be, to include agnosticism, atheism, stoicism, or being emptied. In a Goan vein, as Asha Bhonsale sings about Manguesh (Shiva) in the film in the compilation cassette, Mogara Phoolala (the song if from the film Mahananda: Maghe Ubha Manguesha (Behind (me) is Mangesh) Phuddhe ubha Manguesha (Infront of me (Facing, as in Casting his eyes upon me) Mangesh Mazya kaddhe dev maza pahato (aa)ye (My Lord is looking towards me) This song to me is a perceptual device in seeing ones beliefs (to be enconced in them, believing in a path) or God in a broader light. Venantius Martin Van camp - Duarte wrote: > When I was in the Bandra Convent in december 1969 I was invited to witness a > "squatting Mass". An ugly name for a lovely thing. The priest does not get > Does this still exist? > Or does this not really mean a thing, not now and not in those days? > > I was just curious what some of you might say/find of this? > Let me know, > > al the best, > > Martin Van Camp - Duarte > Belgium, Europe