Musalman: The Moviegoer’s Nightmare

Hi,

I am a Hindu living in Canada and just loved your review/criticisms of deficiencies in current Pakistani films, I think the same applies to Bollywood. I definitely think the media plays a powerful role in inciting misunderstandings and promoting one dimensional characterizations of the people from both nations.

You are a very witty writer, I laughed my head off.

S

I am doing a research on patriotic films on both the sides of the border(Indo-Pak). Could i get info on some other films as well.

Thanks

Arti

Ref anarayan #: 251

[Hanuman is said to have leaped a 100 yojanas across the sea to the island city of Lanka. How much is 100 yojana? If we refer to Surya-Siddhanta, the diameter of the earth is given to be a clean 1600 yojana. That makes 1 yojana = approx 5 miles. And therefore Lanka was at least 500 miles from the Indian shores. That seems to rule out SriLanka.]

Forget the inconsistencies. When India was mostly forested and there was not much connection between the North and the South (the Vindhyas would have prevented crossing to the South), a landbridge connecting India and Sri Lanka was described in the Ramayana to have been constructed by Lord Rama. The location and description of this landbridge coincides with today`s geographical realities accurately.

If some description of a fetus in the Qur`an is indication that it was divinely revealed to Prophet Muhammad, why is it that this landbridge is not the construction of Lord Rama as described in the Ramayan?

It is all a question of what BS (Belief System)you choose to follow.

Author`s idea to work for country`s improvement by all the ways is very good and impressive. I also watch Pakistani movies for the above reasons, but i enjoyed and laugh very much during the movie specially in tregidic scenes which are far humourous than comedy scence..

Anyway, Keep it up!!

Thanks.

rsridhar #252 ``We know that Australia and Asia were all a single landmass until they drifted apart. Perhaps some other chowk members can enlighten us.``

Far be it for me to consider myself knowledgeable enough to further enlighten you or anyone else on chowk, but here is my two khota paisa worth on this question:

I believe a landbridge is supposed to have connected mainland Asia with Australia during the ice ages (when the sea level was lower, since the water was locked up in ice). So, some emigrants from Asia may have simply walked across to Australia. They did not have passports and visas back then, I am told (joke).

Re:Reply #: 251

anarayan,

Your observations are very interesting. There are many scholars in India who seriously doubt if present day Srilanka is actully the Lanka referred to in Ramayana. Some place it within the main Indian landmass. However, the point to ponder over will be: if present day Srilanka is not the real Lanka, why is Ravana a hero there to the present day. For many years now govt. of Srilanka would officially protest to GOI whenever effigy of Ravana is burnt during Dashahra in the North. Also, we are not certain when the epic actually took place. Is it possible that Srilanka was farther apart then? Mahabharatha mentions Kambhoja(present day Cambodia)as being part of the mainland. We know that Australia and Asia were all a single landmass until they drifted apart. Perhaps some other chowk members can enlighten us.

Just some thoughts.

harimau, Aamir, rsridhar,

My 2 cents:

True, the geographical descriptions in the ramayana and actual places seem quite accurate. However if we consider the present day SriLanka to be the original Lanka, there are problems.

Hanuman is said to have leaped a 100 yojanas across the sea to the island city of Lanka. How much is 100 yojana? If we refer to Surya-Siddhanta, the diameter of the earth is given to be a clean 1600 yojana. That makes 1 yojana = approx 5 miles. And therefore Lanka was at least 500 miles from the Indian shores. That seems to rule out SriLanka.

The other point is that the island city of Lanka was also a very important astronomical reference point in ancient Indian textbooks. It is stipulated to be EXACTLY on the equator.

Now, putting these 2 points togather, we ask 2 questions:

1) Is the equator 500 miles from the southern tip of India - answer is approximately yes (570 miles).

2) Is there any Island on the equator directly south of India - answer is no.

However, a little to the west, are the Laccadive islands. A few of these are exactly on the equator. Could one of these have been Lanka ?



Aamir, the Ramayana according to the legend, took place at the end of the treta yuga - thats about a million-and-half years ago, not 6000 years ago.

The Mahabharata`s date is 3102 BC, thats 5000 years old.

regards,

Ref rsridhar #: 247

[It may surprise you to know that there is a lake called ``Ravana Tal`` near Manasarovar (Tibet)]Rakshas Tal, not Ravana Tal, but the meaning remains same.

Ref Aamir #: 246

[NEITHER BABRI IS IN THE PLACE OF RAMS BIRTH ,EXCATLY NOR BRIDGE EXISTED BETWEEN LANKA & TAMIL NADU OTHERWISE THERE WOULD BE LAND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO.]

The waters in the Palk Strait connecting India and Sri Lanka are so shallow that the ships of the East India Company with an average displacement of 650 tons could not pass through. So, we are not talking about a few ``stones`` haphazardly placed in the sea in 1995 to prove the story of Rama. To this day, the sea has not been dredged and at low tide you can indeed walk and swim along the length of the so-called ``Adam`s Bridge``, which is shown on atlases of the world, and go from India to Sri Lanka.

[as far as abraham existence is endorsed not only by muslims but jews & christians ,there by lies the credibility of more than one eye witness.]

I suppose the Qadianis also believe in Abraham but somehoe you don`t want to include them in your list of ``eyewitnesses``.

[i rest my case]

Only you believe you have a case.

Is it really important for religious stories to be facts or myths? The existance of historical figures is no proof of the holiness of their teachings or existance of God. It is all about hero worship, mythical or real. Perhaps, truth about religious historical events lie somewhere between reality and myth. Another factor overlooked is borrowing facts/ myths from other groups, as in languages, and relating them to your own religion.

The importance of past can not be more than the importance of present and future. The twisted or exaggerated interpretation of past (non-scientific) is a fair game if useful in the present or future.

Re: Reply #: 244

harimau,

Most hindus believe in the existence of SriRam as a reality. The epic was written by Valmiki by in Ram`s own lifetime. Sita as you know lived in Valmiki`s ashram when she was exiled by Ram. All the historical places mentioned in the epic exist to this day. It may surprise you to know that there is a lake called ``Ravana Tal`` near Manasarovar (Tibet)where Ravana is said to have bathed everyday while he propitiated Shiva. When Rama came back after slaying Ravana, he propitiated Shiva at Rameshwaram. There is a temple there at the very site. I can go on and on. The point i am trying to make is noone could have gone to the extent of fabricating a fantastic tale and yet made sure all the things said were accurate historically. That this really happened is not in doubt. What really matters in the end is the faith. About close to a billion hindus believe in Ram. That is good enough for me. If some Pakistanis do not believe in that as far as i am concerned they can take a hike.

sridhar

Aamir1 ``Harimou your questions are Rhetorics Ali`s question are factual.``

Please step before a mirror, and repeat this with a straight face. If you dont burst out laughing, slap your face. Then try again. Repeat until you realize the total idiocy in your statement, and instead of a straight face you roll over on the floor, laughing. (Dont be offended, you are in serious need of knowing how to think logically).

Dear Ibrahim Khalil,

I just read an article in the urdu Jang about some information pertaining to the cinema/movie industry.

The taxes these provincial governments have placed seem exhorbitant. They range from 55% to 80% -and come into effect if 20% of the cinema seats are filled up. On average, only 25% of the cinema seats get filled up which basically kills any possibility of gaining revenue. In return, unlike other countries/states/provinces, pakistani provinces provide no support for the betterment of the film industry.

Since 1977 (the year mard-e-momin, mard-e-haq came to power) seems like the beginning of downhill for Pakistani cinema/movies. Since then cinemas and movies have been cut by half. Open air cinemas have been reduced by a larger percent.

However, the army has decided for fight for the pakistani cinema! The new policy will eliminate the high `entertainment tax` along with providing other incentives.

As far as `number dho` movies go, we`ll have to live with those even if things improve.

However, the artcile doesn`t dwell upon whether the censor board will be eliminated or not. I don`t think Pakistani writers lack all imagination to produce innovative movies on the varying conditions of the nation. The censor boards tend to dent any possibility of making the writers dreams into a form of reality.

Till then, keep watching Pakistani movies!

Ref AAmir #: 242

[Harimou your questions are Rhetorics]

Not so.

You guys slaughter millions of goats on bakra-eid evry year because Prophet Abraham was told to sacrifice a goat when he was prepared to sacrifice his son at God`s command.

So, was Abraham/Ibrahim real?

You also believe Isa was a prophet.

Did Jesus actually exist?

Eyewitness accounts of Prophet Muhammad exist, according to you.

Factual evidence of the land bridge constructed by Rama between India and Sri Lanka exists. So, why is Rama a fiction but Muhammad a fact?

Except that Prophet Muhammad is part of your BS (Belief System)?

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Ref ali1 #: 186

[Relax doc, I am just trying to increase my knowledge. I am surprised that you and other so called hindoos believe that that rama really existed.]

Did Abraham, he who sacrificed his son at the command of God, exist?

Did Moses, he of the Ten Commandments, exist?

Did Jesus exist?

There are some doubts.

Did Prophet Muhammad exist?

You show us a grave in Medina and say the Prophet Muhammad is buried there.

Why should I believe that?

It could be the grave of any bedouin.

So, why should I believe that your belief system (BS) is actually correct?

Or that your BS is better than my BS?

As regards Rama`s existence, have you seen Allah lately? Has ANYBODY seen Allah EVER?

[I have read an Urdu translation by Mulla Popalzai published in Peshawar in 1903. It says that ravan the devil had 12 phalluses and he raped sita with all twelve of them with the result that she felt like 12 years have passed instead of one. Comments?]

You could only find a book on the Ramayan by a mullah? I am sure you will be soon quoting Goebbels on the Jews.

I remember distinctly the discomfort I brought to all of you pious Muslims when I quoted authentic Islamic debates on Hazrat Ayesha`s age when she was married to Prophet Muhammad.

I don`t have to make up anything about Prophet Muhammad, if you know what I mean.

[[``If you do not want to,just shut up.``]

awww... thats not fair!]

I think that was good advice to you. You obviously lack the brains to understand it or accept it.