In Tamil folk religion, the spirits of martyrs and warriors are called into ceremonies through trance-inducing songs, where artists exclaim, "Odi Vada!" (Come quickly!)—which is also the title of this piece (Al-Ajal!). Once, a few years ago, I dreamt of Imam Mahdi on an Ayyanar-style horse, his eyes bloodshot and angry. This piece thus cross-culturally combines the imagery of the wronged martyr trope with that of the apocalyptic knight, blending past and future in recognition of a communal suffering and yearning for eventual justice for all oppressed peoples.
In Tamil folk religion, the spirits of martyrs and warriors are called into ceremonies through trance-inducing songs, where artists exclaim, "Odi Vada!" (Come quickly!)—which is also the title of this piece (Al-Ajal!). Once, a few years ago, I dreamt of Imam Mahdi on an Ayyanar-style horse, his eyes bloodshot and angry. This piece thus cross-culturally combines the imagery of the wronged martyr trope with that of the apocalyptic knight, blending past and future in recognition of a communal suffering and yearning for eventual justice for all oppressed peoples.
