736 Were the Daemon Women guarding Sita, Indian Natives or Not? Why they were uglified so much?

At our blog post No. 734 (Click to go to post No.734) , we have discussed how male supervisors were banging on the toilet doors of female workers asking them to come back and work on the bench. In that particular blog post, I have by my natural instinct, compared the male supervisors guarding the female workers to the daemon orgesses guarding Sita in the Ashoka Gardens of the Lanka. While this is the 21st Century scenario of SEZs in India, I am tempted to present to my Readers, the State of Affairs of Ancient India. The verses describing the daemon women guarding Sita, as seen by Hanuman, in Book 5 Sundara Kanda, Chapter 17 --sarga 17--, verses 5 to 18) may not represent the true depiction of the Daemon Women. The verses might or 'might not ' have been the work of the Sage Valmiki. They might have been later-day insertions or interpolations by those who were so fanatic to deface and uglify the Indian Natives, as a contrast to the Aryan Masters.

Another Context:-

There was a turbulant discussion in Indian Parliament, about the Goddess Durga and the Daemon Mahishasura, slain by her. Readers may recollect the exchange of conversations which took place between Ms. Smriti Irani, the Union Minister for Human Resource Development and the Opposition Benches. Ms. Irani's view was that Goddess Durga was insulted.

FIRST EPIC OF INDIA, THE VALMIKI RAMAYANA, SANSKRIT LANGUAGE, Vol. 5 Book of Beauty "Sundara kAnDa", Chapter 5, Verses 5 to 18. Every two lines make a verse. The first line is marked with "|", and the second line and the end-of-the-verse is marked with "|".

ekAkshImekakarNAm cha karNaprAvaraNAm tathA |
akarNAm ShankukarNAm ca mastakOchchhvAsa nAsikAm || 5

atikAyOttamAN^gIM cha tanudIrghashirOdharAm |
dhvastakeshIm tathAkeshIm keshakambaladhAriNIm || 6

lambakarNalalATAm cha lambOdarapayOdharAm |
lambOSThIM chubukOSThIM cha lambAsyAm lambajAnukAm || 7

hrasvAm dIrghAm ca kubjAm vikaTAm vAmanAM tathA |
karAlAm bhugnavaktrAm cha piN^gAkshIm vikR^itAnanAm || 8

vikR^itAH piN^galAH kAlIH krOdhanAH kalahapriyAH |
kAlAyasamahAshuulakuuTamudgadhAriNIH || 9

varAhamR^igashArduulamahiSAjashivAmukhIH |
gajOSTra hayapAdIshcha nikhAtashirasOparAH || 10

ekahastaikapAdAshcha kharakarNyashvakarNikAH |
gOkarNIrhastikarNIIshcha harikarNIstathAparAH || 11

atinAsAshcha tiryaN^nAsA anAsikAH |
gajanannibhanAsAshcha lalATOcchvAsanAsikAH || 12

hastipAdA mahApAdA gOpAdAH pAdachuuLikAH |
atimAtrashirOgrIvA atimAtrakuchOdarIH || 13

atimAtrasyanetrAshcha dIrghajihvAnakhAstathA |
ajAmukhIrhastimukhIrgOmukhAH suukarImukhIH || 14

hayOSTrakharavaktrAshcha rAkshasIrghOradarshanAH |
shuulamudgarahastAshcha krOdhanAH kalahapriyAH || 15

karALA dhuumrakeshIshcha rAkshasIrvikR^itAnanAH |
pibantIH satataM pAnaM sadA mAM sasurApriyAH || 16

mAmsashONitadigdhAN^gIrmAmsashONitabhOjanAH |
tA dadarsha kapishreSThO rOmaharSaNadarshanAH || 17
skandhavantamupAsInAH parivArya vanaspatim |

CONTEXT IN VALMIKI RAMAYANA:- Sita was abducted by daemon King Ravana and kept in a Garden called "Ashoka vanam". Hanuman, at the instance of his vAnara king Sugriva went in search of Sita. After a futile search in the Ravana's Palace, and other palaces in Lanka, he found her in the Ashoka Garden. Sage Valmiki (priests using his name) was/were describing the daemon women who were guarding the Ashoka Gardens under orders from their King Ravana.

Adjectives used to describe the Rakasha women who were guarding Sita: EkAkshi = one eyed.
Eka karNam = one ear.
akarNam= without ears.
karNa prAvaraNam= ears covering entire body.
Shanku karNam = conch shaped ears.
mastakOchchvAsa nAsikAm = with (huge) noses extending to head
tanu diirgha shirodharaam = one with a lean and long neck;
dhvastakesiim = one with disheveled hair;
akeshiim = one without hair;
keshakambala dhaariNiim = one with hair like a blanket;
lamba karNa lalaataam cha = one with hanging stomach and breasts;
lamboshhThiim = one with hanging face;
chubukoshhThiim = one with lips at chin;
lambaasyaam = one with hanging face;
lambajaanukaam = with hanging knees;
hrasvaam = one who is short;
diirghaam = one who is tall;
kubjaam = hunch backed one;
vikaTaam = one who is distorted;
vaamanaam = one is dwarf;
karaalaam = one with high teeth;
bhugna vaktraam cha = and one with crooked mouth;
piN^gaakshiim = one with green eyes;
vikR^itaananaam = one with a horrible face.
piN^galAaH = dark complexioned ones
krodhanAH = angry ones
kalaha priyAH = those who like quarrels
kAlAyasamahA shUla kUTa mudgara dhArinIH = ones wearing big darts, mallets and clubs of iron
varAha mriiga shArdUla mahishhA shivA mukhIH = with faces like those of pigs, deer,tigers,buffaloes,goats, she-foxes
gaj-OshhTra hayapAdIH = with feet like those of elephants, camels,horses
nikAta SirasaHa= with heads sunk into bodies
eka hastaika pAdAshcha = with a single hand and those with single foot
khara karNyasva karNikA = those with donkey ears and horse ears
gokarNIH = those with cow ears
hasti karNIHi = with elephant ears
hari karNIHi = with monkey ears
a-nAsAHa = without nose
ati nAsAsca= with big nose
tiryaj-NAsAH = those with horizontal nose
vinAsikAH = those with crooked nose
gajasannibha nAsAshcha = those with elephant-like nose
lalATocchvAsa nAsikAH = nose in forehead
hasti pAdAH = with feet like those of elephant
mahApAdAHa = those with big feet
gopAdAH = those with cow like feet
pAda cULikAH = those with hair on their feet
atimAtra shiro-grIvAH = those with big heads and necks
atimAtra-kuc-OdarIH = those with big nipples and big stomach
atimAtrA-asyanetrashca = those with big mouths and eyes
dIrghajihvA nakhAH = with long tongues and nails
ajAmukhIH = those with face like that of a she-goat
hastimukhIH = those with elephant like face
gomukhIH = those with face like that of a cow
sUkarI mukhIH = those with face of a she-pig
hayo-oshTra-kharavaktrAshca = with faces like those of horses, camels, donkeys
ghoradarshanAH = horrible to see
shUla mudgara hastAshcha = carrying pikes and clubs in their hand
karALAH = those with high teeth
dhUmra kesIshca = with hair color like that of smoke
vikrutAnanAH = horrible faced
sadAh pibantIH panam = always drinking liquor
mAmsasurA priyAH = desiring meat and liquor
mAmsa shoNita-digdhAN^gI = with body smeared by meat and blood
mAmsa shoNita bhojanAH = with meat and blood as food
romaharshaNa darsanAH = whose appearance made hair to stand up

Source of these meanings: kind courtesy-- valmikiramayan.net.

Where did these women come from? They were very much the natives of India. Then, why they were described so horribly, as though they were having faces of horses, camels, donkeys, and with bodies smeared with meat and blood. It was the European way of describing blacks, calling them niggers. It was the Aryan way of describing their enemies, whether black or white.

In Volume I, the Book of Children (bAla kAnDa), Chapter 26 (sarga 26), Verse 9, i.e. 1-26-9, in the context of slaying of the Daemon TATaka by Rama, at the instance of Sage ViSvAmitra, similar ugly description of tATaka was made.

tAm dR^iSTvA rAghavaH kruddhaam
vikritaam vikrita AnanAm |
pramANEna ati vriddhaam ca
lakShmaNam so abhyabhAShata || 1-26-9

vikritAm= ugly bodied; vikrita AnanAm = ugly faced; pramAnEna ati vriddhAm = huge sized in terms of body. According to this Chapter 26, tATaka was a Yakshi (a sort of 50% demy-Goddess, at an intermediate stage between humans and 100% demy Gods-Goddesses. In Jainism, yakshiNis are appointed by the Head of Demy Gods Indra, as protecting Goddesses for Jain Gurus such as Neminatha, ParSva nAtha.

ybrao-a-donkey's additional comments: Comparing the Ramayana Period, and the Mahabharata period, we may find that there was some softening of attitude towards demons. For example, in Mahabharata, Bhima married Hidimbi, belonging to a clan of daemons, and begot GhaTOtkaca as his son. GhaToktkaca was depicted as noble in Mahabharata.

Shall finish shortly.

(To continue. और लिखने का है। ఇంకా వ్రాయాల్సింది ఉంది.

734 (Part 3/100) of DILEMMAS AND ENIGMAS OF INDIAN ECONOMY - Review of One Eyed King Statement of Shri Raghuram Rajan - Frog Kings on Joy-rides

This is in continuation of our blog posts Click to go to post 724 (part 1/100), and Click to go to post 732 (part 2/100), of India's Economic and Financial Dilemmas and Enigmas, a sequel of comment by RBI Governor Shri Raghuram Rajan, that India is like 'a one-eyed king', whereas the world is full of blindness. We are, now, taking up the part 3/100. India's Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of State, People's Representatives, everybody 24/7/365 assure people that foreigners will start new industries in India and give employment to thousands of people. Prompted by these assurances, people day-dream that by becoming employees of Multi National Companies (MNCs) they can have all comforts and luxuries in the world. We shall, now see, one live example of one such Employment Generator called Brandix Apparel City in Achyutapuram, near Visakhapatnam.

Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, has allocated 1000 acres land to the Brandix Apparel City, on a lease of Re. 1 per acre. That means, the Brandix Apparel City will be paying Rs. 1,000/- as rent for 1000 acres. This is nothing but giving 1000 acres FREE.

Question: What additional concessions / freebees are given to SEZs?

Concessional income tax rate of 20% for a period of 15 years from the date of commencement of commercial production as against present corporate tax 32.45%.

Units can import goods without payment of duty for manufacturing and operation purpose.

Services tax is exempt.

Procurement of goods from Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) without payment of duty.

DTA sales are permissible (subject to duty), provided net foreign exchange earner.

50% exemption on Stamp Duty, Registration Fee on transfer of lands meant for Industrial use in the Special Economic Zone area.

Complete exemption of stamp duty and registration fee for loan agreements, credit deeds, mortgages and hypothecation deeds executed by the SEZ Units for assets in the SEZ in favour of banks or financial institutions.

Other state taxes including sales tax, VAT, luxury tax and entertainment tax and state duties on transactions within SEZ. Sale tax and other State Taxes on inputs (goods and services) made to SEZ units from Off Zone suppliers within the State.

The State exempts Power in SEZ from Electricity Duty and Tax.

Captive Power will be allowed in SEZ. Exemption from wheeling charges and grid protection charges levied on Captive Power.

NO requirement of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) approval.

---

After giving numerous concessions in a gold platter, how should an SEZ function?

As per the MOU the Brandixapparelcity entered into with the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, the SEZ has to provide employment to about 60,000 persons. But, it is reported to have provided employment only to about 16,000 persons. Leaving aside the quantity of employment generation, the "quality of employment" also warrants attention of the Law Enforcing Authorities in INdia, and the State Andhra Pradesh.





I.L.O. = International Labor Organisation. Its organ, International Labor Office, has an ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV). In March 2012, they have got a report prepared by Pallavi Mansingh, Suneetha Eluri and Sreejesh N.P., Centre for Education and Communication (CEC), New Delhi. A pdf copy of this report can be downloaded from the following link:- Click to download the ILO Report in pdf. It has 56 pages. It contains not only Brandix SEZ, Achyutapuram, but also other SEZs in India. ‎

Here is an extract from the ILO Study, Page 50 of the total 56 pages, which shows the State of Affairs, apparently prevailing at Achyutapuram SEZ.

3. Atchutapuram SEZ, AP: Yet another SEZ under operation in Visakhapatnam is at Achutapuram; 9200 acres of land were acquired for this SEZ alone. There are 20 units, which employ a young workforce between the ages of 20 and 40 years. Brandix India Apparel, which is a textile factory, employs 16,000 workers in this SEZ.

Most of the workers are women and they are forced to work continuously for eight hours in a standing posture. Several cases of harassment have been reported to CITU. There are restrictions over women workers even going to toilets. Women workers are asked to attend the call of nature within a stipulated time of 5 minutes. If any worker fails to report back in the said time, male supervisors bang on the toilet doors. Several cases of sexual harassment are reported from here and women workers are not allowed maternity benefits.

Whenever workers revolted, the management used to file false cases against them. The police resorted to intense repression in many instances. Once, when CITU leaders asked the police why there was this kind of an unusual response to workers, they responded by saying, “What can we do? The orders are directly coming from CM’s office!” Even the police is helpless as there are strict orders from higher offices to curb the struggle by all means.

In spite of the huge repression, CITU has been able to register unions in some of the SEZ units. But there are several restrictions: no pamphlet can be taken inside the gate, no one can distribute pamphlets at the gate, and no trade union leader is allowed within one kilometre of the SEZ. Workers come to work from distant places, even 30 to 40 kilometres away. The company arranges their transport in order to prevent workers from interacting with anyone. Buses pick up the workers from their homes and directly drop them at the company door. All these workers are paid very less. This company releases polluted water with chemicals into the sea. There is a direct pipeline from the factory to the sea. Because of this polluted water, the fisherfolk of Pudimadaka are losing their livelihood as the contaminated water is killing the fish. When the fisher community of that area raised this issue, the company entered into an agreement with them. As per the agreement, the company has to employ 3,000 fishermen who lost their livelihood. So far, though, only about 600 fishermen have been given work in the factory. Management pays them Rs 70 to Rs 80 per day, whereas they used to earn Rs 300 to Rs 400 per day as fishermen. When they demanded a wage increase, all of them were retrenched. The agreement is null and void now.

If the above was the situation prevailing in 2012, the situation ought to have improved by 2016. But, apparently not. Now, the situation has culminated, to a strike by its Women Workers.

Another picture, kind courtesy BrandixApparelCity's Brochure.



It appears that the Employers at the ApparelsCity seem to be paying THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM REQUIRED BY LAW (MINIMUM WAGES ACT or whatever else it is), OR something slightly above it, so as to avoid prosecution. Branded Apparels command premium prices in the world, not to speak of India. That means, the Manufacturers in the SEZ should have been earning super-profits by charging high prices to the consumers, and paying low wages to the Laborers. The Manufacturers are also swallowing all the concessions given by Central and the State Governments.

Karl Marx's Theory of Value should immediately come to our mind. According to the Theory of Value, the "Value Addition" made by the Workers to the merchandise, and recovered from the consumers by charging Skimming Prices from them, are knocked away by Manufacturers.

"Male Supervisors banging on the toilet doors of the Women's Toilets" !!! Even prisons may not have this type of conditions. We cannot blame the Male Superviors themselves personaly because, they might have been acting under the orders of the Manufacturers and the SEZ Owners. Like the oggresses who were entrusted the duty of guarding Sita in Ashoka Gardens by the Ten Headed Ravana, the Male Supervisors who banged the doors of the female toilets must be under direct or indirect pressure from their employers.

The ILO's Report clearly shows the helplessness of the Police, because they get direct orders from CMO (Chief Minister's Office).

Now, our readers can appreciate why our Rulers can be compared to "Frog-Kings". India is not a "one-eyed king" as made out by Mr. Raghuram Rajan, RBI Governor. Our Rulers are the FROG-KINGS who are taking joy-rides on the FOREIGN INVESTOR SERPANTS.

TAIL PIECE धुमकेतु తోకచుక్క

Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh will be performing the House Warming Ceremony of the Temporary Secretariat Building of the Andhra Pradesh Government, at Velagapudi Amaravati Capital Region, on the early morning of 25th April 2016. Why such a hurry? The State was separated in 2014. The Government slept upto Oct. 2015 without deciding on setting up a temporary Secretariat in a leased building, or constructing a temporary Secretariat building.

The construction of the building has not reached any stage of completion. It may be completed, as per schedule by June-August 2016. Hurrying up the builders to speed up construction, if done beyond a limit, can be extremely dangerous. They may compromise on quality. They may compromise on "minimum waiting period" required at different stages. If floors are raised on "raw - moist" pillars / foundations, scaffoldings may collapse. When Cement Concrete Mixtures are used, minimum time and curing is to be given for the chemical reactions which have to take place between limestone and sand. Engineers to oblige Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu, may say "yes" every wish of his, and his astrologers.

But, Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu is under an addiction of conforming to the dictates of self-styled astrologers.

According to astrologer, there are no auspicious days ahead in the year, for performing house warming ceremonies and entering new buildings. Next six months, there are not going to be any marriages performed in Andhra Pradesh.

ANDHRA PRADESH AND INDIA are BEING RULED BY ASTROLOGERS.

Subject to corrections and deletions. To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.