Mythology of Hinduism #3

Allan Watts seems overly intellectual. How he said that if we could dream any dream we wanted to is very stupid, because i can already do that! What if I don't want to rescue princesses from dragons? I already think things are real when i dream forgetting that i am actually dreaming, so asking what if is sort of pointless! Plus i am not God! So thinking if i was him is complete crap. And when he said "And so this is the basis of the hindu view of the universe and man" I didnt even understand what he said it was, so how am i supposed to know the basis of the hindu view of the universe and man!!!! The metaphysical and mythological levels of hinduism is dumb also. Metaphysical isnt always negative, nor is mythological always positive. Illusion is a plauge??? A stage plauge? Something that ill be drawn into and ill be caught in it, but if im not pursuaded then how is it a plauge? I like how he compared dancing and music to be the nature of the world, playful and not serious. Even though i liked it I do not agree with him. The world is not playful, if it was, wouldnt you think that the people would be more light hearted... We have to face it, the world is not a very nice place. Plus he skipped aroud so much, expecting me to follow him. It drove me completely insane!

Mythology of Hinduism

This would not work for me! very frustrating

Final Reflection

This was a pretty good book. It made me a lot more aware of how women are treated in Afganistan. They have practically no rights at all and they can get executed for just being suspicious for something random. I also learned things about the taliban. At first, I knew nothing at all, but I learned that they are a controlling group of people who put strict laws on the people of Afghanistan. I liked the storyline and how the two couples joined together. It was a different way, but i liked it. This book also had an end which is a good change of pace from my other books. It didnt keep me thinking, except about how good I have it in my own life. My favorite character was Zunaira. She stood up for herself when she needed to even though she was a bit stubborn. I also liked Musarrat the way she loved Atiq enough to let him go. I did not like Atiq, he was crazy. I also didnt like Mohsen, he seemed a little distraught and he changed a lot since the taliban took over. I guess the people were forced to change though. All in all this book gets a thumbs up.

Chapter 15

Musarrat and Zunaira switched places. Then when Atiq thought he was in the clear, Qassim asked him to join him at the stadium, where many public executions were taking place, along with his wife. I felt bad for Atiq when he was pressured into taking his "wife" to the stadium. Musarrat was killed while Atiq was at the stadium and it was sad the way the author described it. At the end of the ceremony, Atiq was trying to find Zunaira and he couldnt. He searched for her and found blood. So hurt he screamed out her name. I feel soo bad for him! He lost both of the women in his life. Atiq then was a nobody who wondered the streets after he was haunted by a crazy dream. Then he went to the cemetary to sit by his wife's grave, but i think he was mourning both his wife and Zunaira. Then he went crazy, thinking that he was seeing Zunaira, not being able to accept the fact that she was dead. Atiq pulled the burqas off of women searching for her. In the process, stones and sticks are thrown at him and his clothes are ripped off. Then he dies. I pretty much figured he would go crazy.

Chapter 14

Musarrat is a very respectful woman. She sees that her husband is slumping around and she tries so hard to snap him out of it, but every time she gets near Atiq, he runs away from her. Finally they had a conversation after she realized his heart was into Zunaira. She told him to go to her and let his heart talk. To tell her that they could make it over the mountain before sunrise. Musarrat is amazing in how she could tell what was bugging her husband and that she would do anything to make him happy, even if it means not being with him. Atiq fell asleep so he didnt go and run away with Zunaira, but he woke up to Musarrat in her Burqa. She told him that she was dieing and that the few days or weeks that she had would be of pure suffering. Musarrat told him to switch her and Zunaira. She would hide in his office till she was stoned. What a noble thing! She is willing to go through so much pain. I respect Musarrat soooooo much!

Chapter 13

Atiq finally talked to Zunaira and he realized that she is innocent. Even though, she was sentenced to be publically excecuted. Atiq gets himself so wrapped up in this. He even goes to Quassim Abdul Jabbar and told him she was innocent with no evidence to back him up. Well he did say that she told him she was innocent, but when i thought about it, how can you trust a prisoner? Whenever his wife tried to talk him out of it, his temper revved up like a racecar. He grabbed her by the neck and shoved her against the wall. I've come to the conclusion that i do not like Atiq. He doesnt respect anyone especially his wife. He got so mad whenever she told him that he was acting crazy! Two words for him ANGER MANAGEMENT. Then whenever he opened the door so Zunaira could leave, she wouldnt budge. She said she had no where to go. She told Atiq that everyone here has already been killed and I believe she is right.

Chapter 12

I feel very bad for Musarrat, but she is not jelous or mad at all. She is just happy that somebody made Atiq feel with his heart. He was so mesmorized by Zunaira that he missed morning prayer. He even bought her food from the market and watched her for hours. Why can he not see this beauty in his wife? I think it is because he has been with her for so long. Atiq explains how Zunaira is the first woman he has seen the face of for a long time. Her beauty leaves him austruck. I can not believe he told Musarrat about her, he must really love her and want to tell her the truth, unlike other men from Kabul who have many wives. Musarrat brings up the question, "Why is she being executed?" This comes as a shock to Atiq because he didnt even think about it. Then Musarrat tells Atiq that she will make rice for Zunaira and Atiq is puzzled because he thinks she should be mad. Musarrat tells him that she would do anything to make Atiq happy. She is a very faithful wife and she loves her husband dearly. I respect her greatly.

Chapter 11

Atiq is still depressed. I guess he has just become another man in Kabul who has no purpose in life. Zunaira is going to be publically excecuted on Friday because she killed her husband. I really am hoping that she doesnt get killed. That would make this story even more sad, but i guess it is supposed to be a sad book. Kabul is going down hill and there is nothing anyone can do. Even if they would try to fight back, the taliban would definately kill them first. It is kind of strange that in Kabul you can hear battles taking place. That would be very scary but i guess if people can deal with the taliban watching their every move they can probably deal with a distant battle and detonations.

Chapter 10

Wow..... I feel so bad for Mohsen! Zunaira is very stubborn. Is she mad at Mohsen because he didn't defend her in the streets? If i do believe he did try but he was whipped twice and he was hit with a club. I realize that Zunaira was publically humiliated and that she should be mad at Mohsen but not talking to him for 10 days is crazy. It is childish and she needs to see that he is her husband. A man who will admit that he is wrong is more of a man then many of the taliban ever will be. He was so upset he even cried in front of her. That seems like it would be unheard of in Kabul. I hope Mohsen isnt dead, but something is telling me that he is. How could Zunaira live with herself. I surely wouldnt be able to. Maybe Zunaira will fight for womens rights now and use all of that negative energy towards something useful.

Chapter 9

Quassim Abdul Jabbar and his driver talked about their mothers on the way home from Quassim's mother's funeral. I feel bad for Quassim because he never really got to know his mother, but i guess it would have been hard because she was deaf and mute. The driver really wanted to get to know Quassim. I was very surprised at that. Whenever Quassim was buying the driver's meal he saw Atiq who was trying to get away un noticed. Quassim told him that he was acting strange lately and that he should snap out of the mode that he is in. Atiq listens but i do not think he really heard what Quassim was telling him. I also feel bad for Mussarrat. Atiq treats her so badly. He even seemed dissapointed that his wife was still alive when he got home. How could he be "trying to peirce it with his eyes" when he has lived many years of his life with her and she has saved his own life. In my eyes Atiq is worthless.

Chapter 8

Mullah Bashir is annoying. I didnt like his sermon at all. He has complete tunnel vision, not seeing a lot of other factors in the world. I also feel bad for Mohsen because he was forced to go to the sermon and he had to sit there with a worry for his wife. He even got caught looking back at her. Even though, at the same time i feel bad for Zunaira because she had to be publically humiliated for 2 hours while the sermon was going on. She had to sit on the steps in fear of the taliban. One false move and she could be accused of something that she might not have done. She also had to sit there with her face covered. That is enough humiliation in itself. I think that Zunaira and Mohsen should leave Kabul still because it is bad for their relationship and their lives. I still hate the taliban.

Chapter 7

What happened to Atiq? It seems as though the taliban has taken a huge tole on him, as well as many other people in Kabul. Is he going to be the next crazy man in the street? He used to want children, but all the children are in the streets. Sick from the trashy state of the city and the negative attitudes of everyone around. What is he still doing in Kabul? Zunaira and Mohsen ran into Atiq when he was shoving through everyone with anger. I think it is stange how these two people keep bumping into each other, but there is not conversation. Mohsen was laughing in the street and a man from the taliban hit him with a club telling him that the streets were not a circus. The taliban makes me angry. They are total fun suckers. To limit a person from laughing is like taking their life away. They also hit Mohsen with a whip when he tried to tell the taliban what he was doing with his wife in the street. The taliban made Mohsen separate with his wife and go to the mosque to see Mullah Bashir preach a serman. If i were Mohsen i would be afraid to leave my wife. Especially with the taliban everywhere.

Chapter 6

I like Zunaira. She sees that Mohsen needs her support but also is not afraid to tell him how she feels. The women of Kabul are now nothing. The taliban has put some harsh rules against them showing who they really are. The can not hold hands! They must wear a burqua in public, not showing their face or hair. Mohsen wants things to be like they were but Zunaira believes that that is not possible. He wants to go for a walk but Zunaira feels that would degrade her in ways that, back in the good times, would not be possible. Was Zunaira fired from her job because of the taliban? Even though, Zunaira goes on a walk with Mohsen because she loves him and he needs her. I agree so much with Zunaira and i hope that her and Mohsen can somehow become what they once were. Kabul is such a horrible place.

Chapter 5

After praying at the mosque, Atiq goes to the jail instead of his home. While he is there, Nazeesh, a man who once was a mufti in Kabul comes to talk with Atiq. Naseesh and Atiq both do not want to go home for different reasons. Naseesh is sick of his one hundred year old father around the house. He says his father will not shut his mouth. Atiq doesn't want to go home because of his wife. He doesn't understand that she loves him and thinks he should be more stern with her. Nazeesh says he is going to run away, but Atiq convinces him that he is not going to because he has been saying that he is going to run away but never does. Nazeesh says how Kabul is full of widows and orphans. He also says that everyone is dieing here and that no one can be saved. Atiq adds that it is the taliban too. I think that the taliban is the main problem here. Kabul could be saved but with people being killed by the taliban and disease, it seems almost impossible now. I feel very bad for the people in Kabul.

Chapter Four

I hope that the position of being a jailer in Kabul is not hardening the once soft Atiq. He seems to be angry and tense to everyone around him. I also want Atiq to be more loving toward his wife because he gets annoyed with everything that she does. He even stalls to go home because he does not want to see his wife, especially in the shape she is in and the messy house. Even when he goes home and the house is clean, he still has a huge temper. I feel bad for Musarrat because when she tries to talk to Atiq he doesnt listen. It seems as though the men in Kabul are more lost then the women. I now feel bad for Mohsen because Zunaira is mad and avoiding him because of his actions. Sure, stoning the woman was wrong, but i think that Zunaira should try and be there for her husband in this confusing time.

In the begining when the veteran was telling his story, it seemed kind of strange to me that mujahideen do not stink whenever they die. Why is that? Were the men in Tamreez's group not true mujahideen, Is that why they stunk?

Chapter 3

Wow, Mohsen Ramat is crazy. He loves his wife and respects her. That is a lot different from what the usual islamic people do. I wonder if he is islamic or if he is christian? I cant believe that he helped stone the woman in the square. That is so wierd because his wife said it was not his ways. If i were the wife i would be scared of Mohsen, even if i loved the guy. He even told her that he felt good when he threw the rocks at her and he cheered for blood. Is the want for blood in Kabul contagious?

Chapter 2

Atiq Shaukat is obviously sick of his life. He doesnt like his job at the prison and he doesnt like going home to his dying wife who doctors have given up on. He must have a lot of pressure on him and is out of it because he almost got hit by a truck. After that, Atiq sees and talks with one of his old friends. His name is Mirza Shah. They have tea and talk about Atiq's wife and how she is sick. Mirza tells Atiq to divorce his wife, telling him that women are worthless when they are not serving men. The way Mirza talked about women was kind of apauling, but i guess that is the culture. Their talk is ended with awkwardness as they realize that they shouldnt be talking about this in front of a store by a street.

Vocabulary

Fatihah - the first or opening sura of the Quran which is the central prayer of Islam and is used on all special occasions as well as during the five daily prayers





Burqas - n. A loose, usually black or light blue robe that is worn by Muslim women, especially in Afghanistan, and that covers the body from head to toe.





Taliban - a Muslim fundamentalist group in Afghanistan.





Mullah - a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches, or expounds the sacred law.





Muezzin - the crier who, from a minaret or other high part of a mosque, at stated hours five times daily, intones aloud the call summoning Muslims to prayer.





Qur'an - The sacred text of Islam, considered by Muslims to contain the revelations of God to Muhammad





Mujahideen - Muslim guerrilla fighters





qazi - a judge ruling i accordance with Islamic religious law

The Swallows of Kabul: Chapter 1

In this chapter, it is shown how the people of kabul react with death. A woman is stoned to death because she is a prostitute. If that were the case in america, there would be a lot less people. I was surprised to see that the people of kabul are excited to kill this woman who has really not done much wrong, but i guess that customs and traditions are different all over the world. Also, I am wondering who these militia men are and if they have anything to do with these public executions. Since it is the begining of the book, i am a bit confused about everything that is happening. Atiq Shaukat seems as though he is the prison keeper, Mohsen Ramat is a person living in Kabul, who disagrees with these killings, and Quassim Abdul Jabbar is the transporter of the prisoner. It made me laugh when I read Abdul Jabbar because he is a basketball player, but i realized that is not who they are talking about here. I cant help but feel bad for the woman because i do not think she deserved to die that way.