India's Latvian Connection (Folklore)

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India's Latvian Connection

Baltic societies, whose folklore is very similar, seem eager to

forge new ties

 

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=133469

[Edited for brevity]

 

SUBHASH AGRAWAL

The Financial Express (India)

Posted online: Tuesday, July 11, 2006

 

Vaira Vike-Freiberga is not a name that triggers instant

recognition or connection, either in India or in western nations,

at least in the mainstream media. But it is a sure bet that the

world will hear more and more about this formidable lady in

coming months.

 

She is an expert in ethnology of international standing, the

author of several books, a passionate global campaigner against

autocratic rule, and was recently named as one of the 50 most

powerful women in the world. She is also the President of

Latvia, one of the few women heads of state in the male-

dominated politics of eastern and central Europe.

[....]

 

But the real interesting link [between Latvia and India]

historical. Latvian scholars have, for the past century, been

slowly rediscovering their pre-Christian faith and ancient texts,

which include a collection of mythologies and folklore that

bear starting similarity to Vedic culture. One of the most

precious of these texts is 20 volumes of four-line verses, called

dainas, that contain spiritual wisdom on life's every aspect.

The dainas also speak of the worship of sun, fire and nature,

and they refer to a pantheon of deities, including Laima, the

bearer of good fortune, which sounds very similar to the Hindu

goddess, Lakshmi.

 

Linguistically, Latvian is considered among the oldest of all

Indo-European languages, and a fair sprinkling of Hindi-

sounding names and words have survived. The President's

daughter's name is Indra.

 

Given this background, I [the interviewer] thought I could take

my chances with a tongue-in-cheek question: When are you

coming home, Madame President? Instead of the usual

diplomatic reply, she looked at me straight in the eye and said,

"Anytime. I am simply waiting to be invited." I hope our

external affairs people are reading this.