<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Hi,</DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I was reading up on the fish symbol and found all kinds of interesting references, some of whih i'm enclosing below.</DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <STRONG>1. </STRONG></DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The Fish in Sri Lanka</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The fish was one of the emblems of royalty in India, Among the Hindus, the fish was regarded as a sacred animal. "One of the principal articles of the Hindu faith is that</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> </DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">relating to the ten avatars or incarnations of Vishnu. The first and earliest is called the Matsya-avatar, that is the incarnation of the god in the form of a fish" (Dubois Hindu Manners Customs and Ceremonies.)</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> "The Matsya-Purana opens with an account of the matsya or fish . . . and deals with the creation, the royal dynasties, and the duties of the different orders," ( Dutt. Civilization in Ancient India.)</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> A people called the Matsyas figure prominently in the wars of the Mahabharata, and the reigning family of Pandya claimed to be a branch of the Matsya-vansa; hence the origin of fish as the special emblem of the Pandyan Kings.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> The Dravidian word for fish is Min. The Pandyan Kings of Madura took the title of Minavan or " He of the Fish or Fisher". The Pandyan tutelary goddess was Minakshi, the fish-eyed goddess ( of, the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, and the Etruscan Minerva ), to whom a temple was built in Ceylon by Vijaya when he married a Pandyan princess. A coin of Devanampiyatissa, found at Tissamaharáma, bears the fish, torch, and trident. The fish (often in conjunction with the torch), occurs as a royal emblem on a series of rock inscriptions in Ceylon, described and deciphered at length by Neville in the Taprobanian, and by Parker in Ancient Ceylon. On one of these inscriptions, discovered at Lower Bintenne, the fish appears to be particularly complete, being clearly drawn, according to Neville, with " pectoral and dors al fin, tail, eye, and gill."</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> "The use of the royal arms," observes Neville, referring to the fish and torch emblems, "is unknown to me, to occur anywhere except in grants of the paramount reigning princes" (Taprobanian June, 1886).</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> The famous Stone Lion, from Polonnaruwa, now in the Colombo Museum, which formed part of the Lion Throne at Polonnaruwa, bears an inscription stating that the throne was built for Nissanka Malla, Lankeswara or Overlord of Ceylon, and terminating with the figure of a fish, in token of paramount royalty.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><B><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">2.</DEFANGED_SPAN></B><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <EM>From the Matsya Purana</EM></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"></DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">There used to be a king named Manu. He was the son of the sun-god.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In fact, in every era, there are fourteen manus. The Manu mentioned here is the seventh in the present era and his name was Vaivasvata Manu. He was the son of the sun-god Vivasvana.)</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">When it was time for Manu to retire to the forest, he handed over the kingdom to his son. (The son’s name is Ikshvaku.) Manu then went to the foothills of Mount Malaya and started to perform tapasya (meditation \ austerity). Thousands and thousands of years passed. After some time Brahma appeared to him</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">I am pleased with your prayers, said Brahma; "what ever you like you can have just ask".</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">I have only one boon to ask for, replied Manu. Sooner or later there will be a destruction (pralaya) and the world will no longer exist. Please grant me the boon that it will be I who will save the world. Grant me this service.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Brahma readily granted this boon.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Days passed. On one particular occasion, Manu was performing ablutions in a pond near his hermitage. He immersed his hands in the water so that he might offer some water to his ancestors. When he raised his cupped hands, he found that there was a minnow (shafari) swimming around in the water. Manu had no desire to kill the minnow. He placed it carefully in his water-pot (kamandalu).</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">But the minnow started to grow and within a day, it was sixteen fingers in length. Save me, king. said the fish. This water-pot is too small for me.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Manu then placed the fish in a jar. But the fish continued to grow and, within a day, it was three hands in length. Save me, king. said the fish. This jar is too small for me.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Manu put the fish in a well, but the well soon became too small for the fish. Manu transferred the fish to a pond, but the pond was also too small for the fish. Manu now removed the fish to the holy river Ganga, but even this was too small for the fish. Finally, Manu transferred the fish to the ocean. There the fish grew so much that it soon occupied the entire ocean.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Who are you? asked Manu. I have never seen or heard of such wonders. Are you a demon that is deluding me with its illusions? No, I do not think that you are a demon. Perhaps you are great Vishnu himself. Please tell me the truth and satisfy my curiosity.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Vishnu then revealed that it was indeed he who had adopted the form of a fish. He told Manu that the earth would soon be flooded with water. Vishnu had a boat built by the gods. When the earth was flooded, Manu was to place all living beings in the boat and thus save them. Vishnu would himself arrive in his form of the fish and Manu was to tie the boat to the fish’s horn. Thus the living beings would be saved. And when the waters of the flood receded, Manu could populate the world and rule over it.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">Vishnu disappeared, and for a hundred years there was a terrible drought on earth. The drough led to famine and people died of starvation. Meanwhile, the sun blazed in fury and burnt up the entire world. When everything had burnt to ashes, dark clouds loomed in the sky. These are the clouds that appear at the time of destruction and there are seven classes of such clouds, known as samvarta, bhimananda, drona, chanda, valahaka, vidyutapataka and kona. >From the clouds, rain began to pour and soon, water engulfed the entire earth. The land mass was flooded. As instructed by Vishnu, Manu gathered together living beings inside the boat. And when the fish appeared, he tied the boat to the fish’s horn.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">While the boat was being dragged around by the fish, Manu asked Vishnu several questions. The answeres that Vishnu provided form the text of the Matsya Purana.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN><STRONG>3. </STRONG>From <EM>The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, by Major F. Yeats-Brown</EM></DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">Chapter 17: </DEFANGED_SPAN><I><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">The Festival of the Fish-Eyed Goddess</DEFANGED_SPAN></I><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">We are colonizers and traders<BR>not wet-nurses<BR>we are only a drop<BR>in the ocean of this humanity<BR>if united India wants us to go<BR>our tradition would remain<BR>for India never forgets</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">At that the jackals began howling<BR>and we returned to our hotel for dinner</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">and now to Madura<BR>where the Festival of the Fish-Eyed Goddess<BR>is in progress</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">dark blue elephants<BR>yellow sand<BR>green trees<BR>pavonine tinsels and fans and shawls<BR>under a turquoise sky<BR>which stuns the eyes<BR>a crowding and a crying<BR>a scampering of sacred cows</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">If I could know who built<BR>this terrible place<BR>or even why Minakshi had three breasts<BR>yet what could I learn<BR>of the people's heart so far from mine<BR>if I were six years old<BR>I might understand it better<BR>but now....</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">somewhere in the temple<BR>a parroquet is screaming <BR>as if satan were pulling his tail-feathers<BR>but where or why I cannot tell<BR>for I may not set foot beyond the threshold <BR>indeed <BR>I do not want to<BR>I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">blue elephants<o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">Fish-Eyed Goddess</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">three breasts</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">sacred cows</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">six years old</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">wet-nurses</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">united India</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">I am afraid<o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-LEFT: 24.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 24.75pt"><B DEFANGED_style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">4.<DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </DEFANGED_SPAN></DEFANGED_SPAN></B><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">The Christopagan history of the fish symbol:<DEFANGED_SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </DEFANGED_SPAN><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">The fish symbol has been used for millennia worldwide as a religious symbol associated with the Pagan Great Mother Yahwehdess. It is the outline of her vulva. The fish symbol was often drawn by overlapping two very thin crescent moons. One represented the crescent shortly before the new moon; the other shortly after, when the moon is just visible. The Moon is the heavenly body that has long been associated with the Yahwehdess, just as the sun is a symbol of the Yahweh. </DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt">The link between the Yahwehdess and fish was found in various areas of the ancient world:</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In Greece the Greek word "delphos" meant both fish and womb. The word is derived from the location of the ancient Oracle at Delphi who worshiped the original fish goddess, Themis. The later fish Yahwehdess, Aphrodite Salacia, was worshiped by her followers on her sacred day, Friday. They ate fish and engaged in orgies. From her name comes the English word "salacious" which means lustful or obscene. Also from her name (Aphrodite) comes the name of our fourth month, April. In later centuries, the pagan christian catholic church adsorbed this tradition by requiring the faithful to eat fish on Friday - a tradition that was only recently abandoned.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In ancient Rome Friday is called "dies veneris" or Day of Venus, the Pagan Yahwehdess of Love. The fish symbol "was so revered throughout the Roman empire that pagan Christian authorities insisted on taking it over, with extensive revision of myths to deny its earlier female-genital meanings. Sometimes the pagan christ child was portrayed inside the vesica, which was superimposed on Mary's belly and obviously represented her womb, just as in the ancient symbolism of the Yahwehdess."</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In China, Great Mother Kwan-yin often portrayed in the shape of a fish.<o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In India, the Yahwehdess Kali was called the "fish-eyed one."</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In Egypt, Isis was called the Great Fish of the Abyss.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In the Middle East, the Great Yahwehdess of Ephesus was portrayed as a woman with a fish amulet over her genitals.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">In Scandinavia, the Great Yahwehdess was named Freya; fish were eaten in her honor. The 6th day of the week was named "Friday" after her.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P DEFANGED_style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt">The symbol itself, the eating of fish on Friday and the association of the symbol with deity were all taken over by the early catholic church from Pagan sources. Only the sexual component was deleted.</DEFANGED_SPAN><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P class="MsoTitle" DEFANGED_style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><FONT face="Arial Unicode MS"><B>5</B>. At the Court of the Fish-eyed Goddess Queen<DEFANGED_SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </DEFANGED_SPAN>by<DEFANGED_SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </DEFANGED_SPAN>William Dalrymple at<DEFANGED_SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </DEFANGED_SPAN><A href="http://www.travelintelligence.com/wsd/articles/art_50.html">http://www.travelintelligence.com/wsd/articles/art_50.html</A></FONT></P>
<P class="MsoTitle" DEFANGED_style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><FONT face="Arial Unicode MS">- I'm not sure yet how any or all of this is going to inform my film, but i'm sure it will.</FONT></P>
<P class="MsoTitle" DEFANGED_style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><FONT face="Arial Unicode MS">soudhamini</FONT></P>
<P class="MsoTitle" DEFANGED_style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><FONT face="Arial Unicode MS"></FONT> </P>
<P class="MsoTitle" DEFANGED_style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><FONT face="Arial Unicode MS"></FONT> </P>
<P><DEFANGED_SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></DEFANGED_SPAN></P>
<P class="MsoNormal" DEFANGED_style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><DEFANGED_SPAN style="COLOR: black"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></DEFANGED_SPAN></P><BR>
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