Talk:Banai (goddess)/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: Ugog Nizdast (talk · contribs) 09:39, 11 February 2015 (UTC)

Nominator: Redtigerxyz (talk · contribs) 12:37, 30 December 2014 (UTC)

Hello again, I'll do this. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 09:39, 11 February 2015 (UTC)

GA review – see WP:WIAGA for criteria

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As usual, article looks good overall. Sources, images and in general everything is fine. I'll do a last prose check and see if I need to comment below. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 10:54, 13 February 2015 (UTC)

1. Is it reasonably well written?

   A. Prose is "clear and concise", without copyvios, or spelling and grammar errors:

   B. MoS compliance for lead, layout, words to watch, fiction, and lists:

2. Is it factually accurate and verifiable?

   A. Has an appropriate reference section:

   B. Citations to reliable sources, where necessary:

   C. No original research:

3. Is it broad in its coverage?

   A. Major aspects:

   B. Focused:

4. Is it neutral?

   Fair representation without bias:

5. Is it stable?

   No edit wars, etc:

6. Does it contain images to illustrate the topic?

   A. Images are tagged with their copyright status, and valid fair use rationales are provided for non-free content:

   B. Images are provided if possible and are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions:

7. Overall:

   Pass or Fail:

   Article passes, it meets all criteria. 12:57, 28 February 2015 (UTC)

Comments

• The entire para "Banai is an antithesis.. together they aid the god-king Khandoba." doesn't closely paraphrase the source right? Why the quotation marks just for culture and nature, is there a need to attribute a quotation here?

"culture" and "nature" were used with quotations in source so are reproduced in the same formatting. 2-3 paras are summarized in the para. --Redtigerxyz ^Talk 19:15, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

Hmm, about those quote marks let's discuss below. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:49, 27 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• Isn't there an alternate story about the marriage where the sheep belong to Indra instead? Is that relevant here?

No. The sheep is said to belonged "Banai's father", by extension, to her. Banai's father is always interpreted as her Dhangar foster father (if explicitly not mentioned), rather than her celestial father Indra. I have not found any RS saying they belonged to Indra. --Redtigerxyz ^Talk 19:15, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

Oh, must have confused myself reading the source. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:49, 27 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• "In Karnataka, the second "wife" is called Kurbattyavva and is a Kuruba.", don't think it's necessary to write wife or the quotation marks since it's already mentioned previously they regard her as a concubine.

Done. --Redtigerxyz ^Talk 19:15, 22 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• "According to Sontheimer", full name please.

Done. --Redtigerxyz ^Talk 19:15, 22 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• "make them increase their number" is used in many instances, perhaps a better word? 'breeds' or any better ideas?

Done. --Redtigerxyz ^Talk 19:15, 22 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• In the para, "Khandoba is described as doing odd jobs under Banai's orders." I don't get the context of "Their vanity is crushed." and " Khandoba kills all her sheep and lambs to curb the pride of the shepherds and Banai." To punish her and the shepherds for their pride, he kills the sheep? Then simply stating it like this would do. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 14:32, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

• "The shepherds are astonished how a single old man can handle all the animals. Their vanity is crushed." The Dhangars pride themselves of taking care of their numerous animals; when a man did what they collectively did - their excessive pride in their accomplishment of controlling many animals is destroyed.
• "Punish" IMO will not be appropriate. His aim is to humble them.

Okay, I see the context now. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:49, 27 February 2015 (UTC) Y

Thanks for the review and copyedit, Ugog Nizdast. --Redtigerxyz ^Talk 19:15, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

• This needs to be simplified: "In Maharashtra, Banai's temple is inside the village, but outside the chief temple as Mhalsa - who is installed in the main temple - resists the arrival of the new wife, as in Khandoba's chief temple at Jejuri." I'm confused whether Mhalsa's inside or outside, what/who resists the arrival, etc.

Ugog Nizdast, Better? Redtigerxyz ^Talk 16:08, 27 February 2015 (UTC)

Yes, I get it now. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 12:57, 28 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• These type of instances with quotation marks are something which always catches my eye. I try to fix this wherever I see it so correct me now if I'm wrong. This hasn't got much to do with the GA criteria. Tell me, in the following three instances, what is the need for them? These aren't quotations to anybody, nor are usual places in the MOS where we add those marks (and they aren't scare quotes I hope).The Varkari saint Sheikh Muhammad (1560-1650) disparages Khandoba in his Yoga-samgrama and calls him the "mad" god that searches for Banai due to "sexual passion"... Here, we get the need for quote marking mad and sexual passion, since its attributed to that Varkari saint. Let's take those three instances now. The marks should be removed right? -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:49, 27 February 2015 (UTC)

I tend to use quotation marks when a word conveys multiple meanings and is copy-pasted from the source. To convey that these key terms are from the reference. Redtigerxyz ^Talk 15:58, 27 February 2015 (UTC)

Okay, that makes sense. This anyway has nothing to do with this review. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 12:57, 28 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• • "While Mhalsa is from the high-caste Lingayat merchant (Vani) community, Banai is described as a Dhangar (shepherd caste), representing the "outside" and associates Khandoba with non-elite herding castes like Dhangars, Gavli and Kuruba (Gowda) who live in the forest."

"outside" denotes various meanings. Redtigerxyz ^Talk 15:58, 27 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• • "Mhalsa represents "culture" while Banai "nature"; together they aid the god-king Khandoba."

Simply, because the source uses quotes for the words.Redtigerxyz ^Talk 15:58, 27 February 2015 (UTC) Y

• • "While traces of Banai/Balai's association with the folk god Biroba as a "mother" remain." Also, can more about this association be explained here? -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:49, 27 February 2015 (UTC)

"mother" does not a biological mother, but a symbolic mother. The reference calls her a "fictitious mother". There are 1-2 ovis in which she is called Biroba's mother.Redtigerxyz ^Talk 15:58, 27 February 2015 (UTC)

This is a bit tricky. Just quoting mother like this leaves the reader without the context. I leave it to you whether to expand upon it or not. -Ugog Nizdast (talk) 12:57, 28 February 2015 (UTC) Y

Okay, the article passes. It meets the criteria and in addition to that, these minor comments have been addressed. Congratulations, another gets added to your collection. Good day, Ugog Nizdast (talk) 12:57, 28 February 2015 (UTC)

Thanks Ugog Nizdast. Redtigerxyz ^Talk 13:18, 28 February 2015 (UTC)