http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/30/baital-pachisi-an-indian-vampire-meta-story/ experiments in refactored perception Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:00:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/30/baital-pachisi-an-indian-vampire-meta-story/#comment-3407 Venkat Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:49:12 +0000 http://www.ribbonfarm.com/?p=1331#comment-3407 Thanks Shiela, that is very interesting stuff. I am not as up on mythologies of the world as I'd like to be, and these connections/nuances are illuminating. Thanks Shiela, that is very interesting stuff. I am not as up on mythologies of the world as I’d like to be, and these connections/nuances are illuminating.

]]> http://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/30/baital-pachisi-an-indian-vampire-meta-story/#comment-3406 shiela choudhri Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:40:34 +0000 http://www.ribbonfarm.com/?p=1331#comment-3406 The reference to the head exploding derives from the Brahmoyuddha tradition mentioned in Sama Veda etc. Essentially the notion is that the loser in a debate must lose his head. This was part of the consecration rites of a King. This tradition of debate is carried on by Tibetan Buddhists. The vetala as a truly horrific figure- rather than an Academic examiner- is best represented by the churel. The shape-changing spirit- her feet turned backwards- who died in childbirth. The Irishman who authored 'Dracula' knew very well that 1) absenteee landlords had sucked the blood out of Ireland. 2) in the literature of resistance to the Sassenach, the woman drinking the blood of her lover slain by the British was a symbol of the ever renewed vigor of National Spirit. These elements are missing from the story of Vikram and the Vampire. Interestingly, there are a number of such stories in Hyderabadi lore which I, personally, remember from Grannies and old retainers who came from that part of the Deccan. The reference to the head exploding derives from the Brahmoyuddha tradition mentioned in Sama Veda etc.
Essentially the notion is that the loser in a debate must lose his head.
This was part of the consecration rites of a King.
This tradition of debate is carried on by Tibetan Buddhists.
The vetala as a truly horrific figure- rather than an Academic examiner- is best represented by the churel. The shape-changing spirit- her feet turned backwards- who died in childbirth.
The Irishman who authored ‘Dracula’ knew very well that
1) absenteee landlords had sucked the blood out of Ireland.
2) in the literature of resistance to the Sassenach, the woman drinking the blood of her lover slain by the British was a symbol of the ever renewed vigor of National Spirit.
These elements are missing from the story of Vikram and the Vampire.
Interestingly, there are a number of such stories in Hyderabadi lore which I, personally, remember from Grannies and old retainers who came from that part of the Deccan.

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