by Tapati Radha and Krishna My 18th birthday came and went in December. We didn’t celebrate birthdays, although I’d made a cake for Mike’s birthday in September. I was disappointed that he did nothing for mine. I was used to celebrating it every year in some way. I began to talk about having a baby. It seemed like many of the women were having babies in New Dwaraka and the more time I spent with moms, the more I wanted a baby of my own. While there was no expectation that we would have lots Full post …
Tag: Hare Krishna
Patriarchy Across Cultures: I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)
October 6, 2009
by Tapati Kiss me once again Don’t you never, never, never say that we we’re through Cause I ain’t never, I ain’t never I ain’t never, no, no, loved a man The way that I, I love you –Ronnie Shannon (sung by Aretha Franklin) Sri Sri Rukmini-Dwarakadhish Once we arrived at my mom’s apartment, our relationship was on fast forward. We spent a few weeks together every waking moment, with my mom at work and the run of the place. We cooked together, with Mike teaching me a lot about Indian cooking. He’d been hanging Full post …
Patriarchy Across Cultures: Magic Man
September 26, 2009
by Tapati Chicago, Illinois Cold late night so long ago When I was not so strong you know A pretty man came to me Never seen eyes so blue I could not run away It seemed we’d seen each other in a dream It seemed like he knew me He looked right through me –Heart Previously I described how I left the Chicago Hare Krishna temple. I was headed for my friend Suprabha’s apartment. I had her phone number and address written down, and knew which El stop to look for. When I got off Full post …
Patriarchy Across Cultures: Over The Rainbow
September 4, 2009
by Tapati Srimati Kishori, a vision of Radharani, Krishna’s consort, during Her teen years, at the Chicago temple. Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true. Someday I’ll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far Behind me. –E.Y. Harburg, Wizard of Oz Once again I was on my way to St. Louis, grateful to be leaving my mother behind. I no longer considered whether or not I loved her; I just knew I had to get away. When I Full post …
Patriarchy Across Cultures: All Things Must Pass
August 15, 2009
by Tapati Keokuk is in the southeast corner of Iowa “All things must pass, none of life’s strings can last.” –George Harrison Previously I described how my mom and Aunt Gin came to take me back home to Keokuk, Iowa. I rode in the backseat, resigned, tearful, but filled with resentment. I had been assured by our temple president, Makanlal, that he would challenge my mother in court for custody. She didn’t know it yet but I hadn’t given up on going back to the temple for good. Back home I tried to pick up Full post …
Patriarchy Across Cultures: Summer of Transcendental Love
August 7, 2009
by Tapati Japa or rosary beads made from the wood of the Tulasi plant, a sacred relative of basil. Devotees of Krishna chant the mahamantra on each of 108 beads, keeping track with the “Krsna” or 109th bead. Each day a devotee is required to chant 16 rounds on the japamala, an ancient form of meditation. I was so relieved to be on the bus, headed for St. Louis. We passed through Hannibal, home of Mark Twain. I barely noticed because my mind was filled with memories of my brief visit to the temple back Full post …
Patriarchy Across Cultures: Living in the Material World
July 19, 2009
by Tapati Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield, used on album by George Harrison I can blame it all on George Harrison. I and my friend Carolyn were teenagers of the early 1970s, devoted to the music of the Beatles and of George Harrison in particular. We were also searching for the meaning of life, like countless others before us. We combed the library for information on various religions and encountered books like A Soul’s Journey by Peter Richelieu (unfortunately out of print now). We learned about reincarnation, astral bodies, karma, and transmigration of Full post …
Connecting The Dots: Patriarchy Across Cultures
July 12, 2009
by Tapati Hare Krishna temple in St. Louis, 1975. Tapati is in the center front row in a blue print sari. When a friend referred me to the blog “No Longer Quivering,” she knew why I would resonate with the posts I found there. Like me, she had once belonged to the Hare Krishna Movement, though years after my own involvement. We immediately saw many parallels between the lives of Christian women following the Quiverfull teachings. Vyckie and Laura described their past lives in ways that sounded like many of the young Hare Krishna Full post …
Michelle says, Never enough babies!
