Hello Artur,

Thanks for identifying the rishi.

We shouldn't talk about "multiple Ramayanas",…………

Well, Nepal doesn’t function under the sign of Hindutva, so I’d surmise that few there would object to the “many Ramayanas” idea.  The friend who sends me these announcements of Kathmandu festivals has a sense of humor—he usually gets the puranic and epic posters from Eden. However, it is worth noting that during the Indra jatra in Kathmandu taking bhang (as well as booze) is part of the ritual. It’s a rite of reversal, anthropologically speaking.

Regards,

Joanna

From: Artur Karp [mailto:karp@uw.edu.pl]
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 10:48 PM
To: Jo
Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] FW: Vivaha Panchami (Nov 29)

Dear Joanna, 

Looks like it's rishi Vishwamitra. 

But I find the combination of the picture and the text below much more interesting, culture-wise.

While celebrating the divine Vivaha, 

<<Let us take higher. 

Eden Hashish Centre 

Oldest &  Fovourite Shop in Town Serving you the Best Nepalese Hash & Ganja 

(Available Wholesale & Retail)

Come Visit Us Any Time For All Your Hashish Needs>>

We shouldn't talk about "multiple Ramayanas", but we can, it seems, freely link the Ramayana tradition to the local narco-business(es). 

Regards, 

Artur