Classics Retold

Scythe is a traditional agricultural hand tool used for mowing grass or harvesting crops like grains. It consists of a long, often curved wooden handle called snath and a curved steel blade attached at right angle.  Scythe was not common in Indian subcontinent.  Sickle was the tool for  harvesting of grains in Indian subcontinent. Scythe was widely used in Europe from 8th century, primarily for haymaking, hay being the winter fodder for livestock. In Indian subcontinent's tropical climate livestocks were driven freely for grazing.  Harvesting in Indian subcontinent involved grabbing a handful of stalks and cutting them precisely with sickle to avoid wasting grains, whereas scythe uses a broad sweeping motion.  Interestingly, scythes are currently being promoted in states like Uttarakhand and Assam through government schemes to help farmers to stand upright and increasing harvesting speed.  Scythe was largely unsuitable for wetland paddy cultivation, which i...

Lammas sky refers to the atmosphere and celestial events surrounding the festival of Lammas which marks the first grain harvest on  1st August in the Northern Hemisphere.  It is characterized by the twilight of summer featuring high summer heat and the begining of the Sun's slow descent as days start to shorten.  The sky often displays golden yellow, orange and amber light reflecting the ripening wheat fields. The atmosphere is hazy with the scent of dust and hay, and shadows stretching longer across the hills as the light grows softer. It is a threshold between the fire of summer and the cooling of Autumn.  This time is highlighted by the presence of Spica, the star of abundance and Arcturus, the bright star.  It is an occasion to perform rituals of gratitude for the harvest. Lammas may also bring heavy and unpredictable rain causing flood, and becomes a distress for harvest. The rituals include setting up of harvest altars decorated with sunflowers and wheat s...

"Running a rig"  or "running such rig" is a phrase often associated with the 18th century poem The Diverting History of John Gilpin by William Cowper, meaning to play a trick, engage in a frolic, or suffer a ridiculous, chaotic, or unexpected adventure.  In the poem, John Gilpin is a linen draper, who goes on a disastrous horse ride, of which the narrator says, "He little dreamt, when he set out, of running such a rig. A rig here means a sportive trick, a frolic, or a rowdy mocking or deceptive act.  It describes someone experiencing an, unexpected, messy, or embarassing situation. A young person, an urchin etc.  In Far From The Madding Crowd the situation that Bathsheba Everdene faces when he went in search of Sergeant Francis Troy to inform him of Boldwood's Fury and warn him of some untoward incidents to Gilpin's Rig.

Cracked and mouldy halls of Bathsheba's house.  Maryann was was the lone occupier of the halls.  The church clock struck eleven. The village of Weatherbury was quiet as a graveyard.  Maryann turned in her bed with a sense of being distributed. She was in the midst of sleep.  A dream was the cause of her awakening: something had happened. She sat up in the bed, and walked towards the window and looked out.  The paddock touched this end of the building.  She could just discern the uncertain gray moving figure approaching the horse that was feeding there.  The figure seized the horse by the forelock, and led it to the corner of the field.  Here stood a vehicle.  Minutes later, which she thought was spent in harnessing, she heard the trot of horse mingled with the sound of light wheels.  Maryann feared it were robbers.  She hastily slipped on clothes, stumped down the disjointed staircase with its hundred creaks, ran to Coggan's the nea...

Born as Ramachandra Pandurang Tope (also called Tantia Tope) around 1814, he was a member of  Deshastha Brahmin  community who had access to the ruling elite of Marathas including Peshwa (Chief Minister) of Maratha confederacy based at Poona. His father Pandurang Rao Tope was a court official in the service of Peshwa, Baji Rao II, of Maratha confederacy. After the Peshwa was defeated by East India Company he was forced to move to Bithoor, and Tope family moved along with him. This gave Tatya an opportunity to get familiar with Nana Saheb and other Maratha nobles.  He was not a mercenary outsider, but an insider of Maratha royal and witnessed the decay of it.  Even though he was not a member of the royal class he was attached to administrative and military class. They enjoyed status, education and proximity to power. He took pride in the glory of the Maratha Empire and grieved over loss of its political presence. He was committed to restore the lost glory of Marathas....

Hindu Brahmin subcaste originating from Maharashtra and North Karnataka belonging to Pancha Dravida group known for their scholarly contributions.  They are concentrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telagana and Andhrapradesh; with Marathi and Kannada as common mother tongues. Historically engaged in priesthood, agriculture, and administration.  They were always a part of ruling elite and held positions like Peshwa and Divan.  Deshastha means resident of the land or country.  The valleys of Rivers Krishna and Godavari and the Deccan plateau were their ancestral home.