If I had a gun, there'd be no tomorrow

[venta]

One of the few interesting things to look at when driving on a motorway is bridge graffiti. There's a surprising wealth of pro-hunting graffiti on M1 bridges at present.

However, I've noticed in the past that there are a few bridges (on the M40, I think, and possibly one on the M1) which say "Gouranga" on them. Rather than uneven spraycan letters, the word tends to be written in neat caps, possibly even pre-written on tiles and stuck on the bridge (driving past at 70 doesn't give you an awful lot of time for careful examination). Anyway, I've seen Gouranga enough times to be vaguely curious.

I've just received my first ever bit of spam to my 'real' email address. It comes from an AOL address, and wasn't picked up by my spam filter.

It reads:

Call out Gouranga be happy!!!
Gouranga Gouranga Gouranga ....
That which brings the highest happiness!!

Curious now, so I googled.

That explains that, then.

Comments

[kissifa.livejournal.com]

That's truly a wonderful word. :)

It's certainly brought a smile to my face.

Perhaps invented by suicidal yet well-meaning Krishnas?

[hoiho.livejournal.com]

There's also a lot of "Gouranga" on the M6 & M56 round Manchester. I don't think those ones are painted, I think they're pasted-on printed letters.

[venta.livejournal.com]

I could believe some of the ones I've seen are pasted letters, too. Nice to see a bit of organisation and thought going into graffiti these days :)

[zotz]

Alternatively

Back when I was involved with the Edinburgh Uni SF society, we were considering putting out posters that said "Call out Y'Golonac be happy". We decided it would be unkind (and anyway, too much of an in-joke).

[motodraconis.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've been wondering about it for some time. I drive under a Gouranga'd bridge every working day.

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

You have not encountered the Gouranga Monks? They used to hang around in Newcastle and give us sweets if we would say Gouranga. The Hare Kristnas claim the sound of it makes you happy. I put the happiness down to the sweets we got.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Nope, I've never met them.
I daresay they didn't brave visiting Darlington, as they would probably have been beaten up by mobs of five year olds after the sweets.

Hmm... If you say the word very slowly, then it's very easy to turn the "ran" syllable into a smile. So maybe it does make you happy :)

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

I think there was a community of them in Newcastle. They used to dance down the high street all wearing orange (apparently orange is a very energising colour of something) with cymbals and drums. Certainly they always seemed very happy (despite having to wear orange all the time).

[bloodnok.livejournal.com]

We get them around Glasgow, where they seem to sell CDs. I once threw money at one to make him go away, and he gave me a nasty little wallet. Now I just tell them to **** off when they hassle me in the street. Now that makes me happy.

[stegzy.livejournal.com]

In parts of Liverpool there is similar bridge graffiti. Most notably announcing "THE PIES"

I thought it was an advert for Greggs the bakers until someone more hip and trendy than I pointed out that "The Pies" are a local band. Still, it beats seeing the usual "Barry is a gayer" graffiti plastered all over the university bogs...

[venta.livejournal.com]

What a great name for a band. Any idea what they sound like ?

[stegzy.livejournal.com]

No idea. Though they have been around for ages. I imagine they sound a bit like the La's or the Farm. as they all came out round about the same time....

Though

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/entertainment/previewsandreviews/tm_objectid=14985965&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=jail-house-rock-name_page.html

probably tells you more....

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of those hot cats sashaying around, eating dogs, getting their own back for all that terrorising and chasing-up-trees.

[dmh.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it's up and down parts of the A1 as well, or at least I'm sure I see it when travelling to Whitby, etc.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

I read one of their free books once, and it said that women were base and unspiritual and a true master wouldn't have them in the house, and gay people should be banished to the wilderness. I'm not entirely sure why they bothered giving me the book to be honest. What if I contaminated the holy giving out books man?

[marjory.livejournal.com]

I recall that Lenny Henry used to have a comedy African character who ran around shouting "Gouranga! Be happy!" and my junior school bookshop sold badges of this character with the "Gouranga!" catchphrase on them. This was the early eighties, mind...