I won't make an apology for writing infrequently, rather, a confession. I was stuck in the worst job in the world (other than perhaps, being a trainee Somalian pirate or trainee mujahideen in the NWFP). Therefore, the lifespring of inspiration now springs unhindered by negativity & witch craft like evil energies !
Let me start with my first love, reading. I am absolutely enthralled a new book - The Palace of Illusions- by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. While I have never read the author before, a friend recommended this account of Draupadi's Mahabharata to me. Daunting subject matter to tackle, this lady writes with the simplistic flourish of a normal human voice, without any of the pretentious Thesaurus like similies that plague modern Indian writing in English.
But my connect with this Mahabharata is perhaps a lot deeper than just this book. As a child, when the monsoon breeze would make the betel nut trees around my maternal grand mother's house sway, and twilight console us despite the power cuts, she took us through vivid descriptions of the Mahabharata's classic tales. Wide eyed, & absolutely silent, I absorbed each & every one of them, even as my brother & cousins would twitch & get restless, at the direct risk of getting thumped or whacked. The women in the family often gathered around my grand ma too, taken by her photographic memory of the epic. The Ramayana too was taught to us in the same manner. And both epics remain carved in my memory to date.
Ever since then, I have been fascinated by the epic proportions of these two tales & the various interpretations that one could give to the characters in these. The arena was always real life & the scope of their actually having played out, equally realistic. And since then, I had promised that whatever be the changes forged by time & technology, I would teach the children in our family these tales just like my grand ma. Only, they would be my version of them.
What I now write might be viewed by insolence or even blasphemy by some. But please, bear with the logic & give the argument space to breathe. Besides, I have always been thankful for Hinduism's inherent Sanatan culture of tolerance. Thank god, the khakee wearing, sociopathic, policers of this Dharma, haven't been able to dilute that so far.
The three stories that stood out to me as unjust & untrue are those of Draupadi, Karna & most of all, Lord Rama.
Lord Rama - defined as an epitome of ruling laws, social norms, obiedience & all things good. Often described in texts as tall, fair skinned, well built, blessed with sharp features & gentle mannered. Yet, despite all his sacrifices, even as a child, my mind considered Rama a weak man. I never articulated this, for fear of a backlash from the elders. (You see, I was always the kid who scoffed at pandits, snorted when neighbourhood women spoke about 'meaning well' & generally, made a face at rules. )
Yet, my father once surprised me, by articulating my thoughts. He argued that, Rama could never have defeated Ravana without the Asura king's blessings. A stream of the Ramayana, circulated in folklore in the North East of India & South India, describes how, Ravana was the most learned Brahmin (read scholar) & greatest devotee of Lord Shiva, thereby attaining near invincibility. The wily Ram, counting on his scholarly status, sent his younger brother Laxman, the day before the ultimate day of battle to ask Ravana to bless him. Despite knowing that letting Laxman in during his evening prayers would mean his death, Ravana blessed his adversary. He also taught Laxman Nyayashashtra (rules of governance) before dying, on the battlefield.
Besides, some historical texts integral to Sangam literature clearly state that Ravana's sister's nose being slashed, is actually a sly half truth in the Ram Charit Manas. Suparnakha's nose being cut off by Ram's brother Laxman, actually meant her rejection due to her dark skin color & 'non Aryan' look. That's what had enraged Ravana. That is what prompted him to kidnap Sita, whom, you must note, he never forced into anything improper. Ravana being a Southern king, this tale too points towards 'India's eternal prejudice against typical North Indian looks.
Next, the tale of Karna. I don't think anyone who knows even the basics could believe that this man isn't the protagonist of the Mahabharata. A tale of the generous war hero, who spent his life battling ignominy due to a selfish mother & then forgave all his brothers & let them believe they were victorious - there has been no tragic hero like him, not even Macbeth.
As for Draupadi, Divakaruni's new book gives the woman a real flesh & blood perspective. The Mahabharata doesn't elaborate on this wronged queen's feelings in much detail, post her shaming in the royal court. Actually, despite it's many fatalistic hints at a woman's destiny, most of the Mahabharata doesn't play up the role of the women (Gandhari, Hidimba, Madri, Subhadra, Bhanumati ) or their influences. Perhaps, because, the Mahabharata was entirely written by a collection of male sages. Nor does it objectively look at the lust of the gods, demi gods & the priests. Most of the folly in these books happened due to this very lust, but it's pretty much forgiven.
While purists would agree, that all leading characters in the Mahabharata are humane & faulty, I believe the original text is lost & what now goes around, is chauvinistic.
Draupadi's role in shaping the Great War can't be ignored, nor can her unforgiving attitude towards those who wronged her. Kunti's iron grip over her 5 sons & her failure to justify Karna can't be ignored as the turning point, nor can anyone deny that Duryodhan's mother Gandhari, not blessing him with victory before the Battle of Kurukshetra, indicates how the Kaurava women didn't support the war for empire.
But the tragedy of Draupadi's life- from being distributed amongst 5 husbands, then being nearly undressed in court & then the 13 years of exile -encapsulate the failure of 5 incompetent, over hyped warriors. The biggest failure being, Yudisthir, who hid behind the veil of justice at every turn. In comparison to the complaince of the Pandavas, Duryodhan & Karna emerge as real war heroes, wild but combative & brave.
My evenings spent dwelling on these epics as a child often make me refer to them to current situations. (As some of my ex colleagues in my last job will sympathise with, I often felt like Abhimanyu entering the Padma Vyuhu formation at office !). There are lessons to be drawn & a certain referencing to it's morales or logics all throughout. Of course some might say, that I have a fertile imagination. Even otherwise, learning these stories cant harm, can they?
I Don't think Indian generations of the future should lose track of these unmatched epics. They will, I assure you, they will for sure. If the pace at which computer games, Wii game sets & Playstation is turning them into flesh pounding soldiers, or reality tv is numbing their brains these days, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them consider the Mahabharata a good Indian restaurant chain.
Leaving religion out of it, teaching or studying these stories, or parents & elders narrating these to teenagers & children will have a profound impact of them. They learn, they marvel & then they interpret these tales in their terms. The tales are a reference sheet to human behaviour that comes in handy in future life. And telling these stories, is easy for most Indian homes. They also create an old fashioned bond between families.
Otherwise, Harry Potter isn't a bad alternative either. The victory of good over evil is pretty well enunciated in J K Rowling' world.
So long as Rihanna, Justin Bieber & Rebecca Black isn't the only poetry or lyrical glory that dominates their imaginations.
Let me start with my first love, reading. I am absolutely enthralled a new book - The Palace of Illusions- by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. While I have never read the author before, a friend recommended this account of Draupadi's Mahabharata to me. Daunting subject matter to tackle, this lady writes with the simplistic flourish of a normal human voice, without any of the pretentious Thesaurus like similies that plague modern Indian writing in English.
But my connect with this Mahabharata is perhaps a lot deeper than just this book. As a child, when the monsoon breeze would make the betel nut trees around my maternal grand mother's house sway, and twilight console us despite the power cuts, she took us through vivid descriptions of the Mahabharata's classic tales. Wide eyed, & absolutely silent, I absorbed each & every one of them, even as my brother & cousins would twitch & get restless, at the direct risk of getting thumped or whacked. The women in the family often gathered around my grand ma too, taken by her photographic memory of the epic. The Ramayana too was taught to us in the same manner. And both epics remain carved in my memory to date.
Ever since then, I have been fascinated by the epic proportions of these two tales & the various interpretations that one could give to the characters in these. The arena was always real life & the scope of their actually having played out, equally realistic. And since then, I had promised that whatever be the changes forged by time & technology, I would teach the children in our family these tales just like my grand ma. Only, they would be my version of them.
What I now write might be viewed by insolence or even blasphemy by some. But please, bear with the logic & give the argument space to breathe. Besides, I have always been thankful for Hinduism's inherent Sanatan culture of tolerance. Thank god, the khakee wearing, sociopathic, policers of this Dharma, haven't been able to dilute that so far.
The three stories that stood out to me as unjust & untrue are those of Draupadi, Karna & most of all, Lord Rama.
Lord Rama - defined as an epitome of ruling laws, social norms, obiedience & all things good. Often described in texts as tall, fair skinned, well built, blessed with sharp features & gentle mannered. Yet, despite all his sacrifices, even as a child, my mind considered Rama a weak man. I never articulated this, for fear of a backlash from the elders. (You see, I was always the kid who scoffed at pandits, snorted when neighbourhood women spoke about 'meaning well' & generally, made a face at rules. )
Yet, my father once surprised me, by articulating my thoughts. He argued that, Rama could never have defeated Ravana without the Asura king's blessings. A stream of the Ramayana, circulated in folklore in the North East of India & South India, describes how, Ravana was the most learned Brahmin (read scholar) & greatest devotee of Lord Shiva, thereby attaining near invincibility. The wily Ram, counting on his scholarly status, sent his younger brother Laxman, the day before the ultimate day of battle to ask Ravana to bless him. Despite knowing that letting Laxman in during his evening prayers would mean his death, Ravana blessed his adversary. He also taught Laxman Nyayashashtra (rules of governance) before dying, on the battlefield.
Besides, some historical texts integral to Sangam literature clearly state that Ravana's sister's nose being slashed, is actually a sly half truth in the Ram Charit Manas. Suparnakha's nose being cut off by Ram's brother Laxman, actually meant her rejection due to her dark skin color & 'non Aryan' look. That's what had enraged Ravana. That is what prompted him to kidnap Sita, whom, you must note, he never forced into anything improper. Ravana being a Southern king, this tale too points towards 'India's eternal prejudice against typical North Indian looks.
Next, the tale of Karna. I don't think anyone who knows even the basics could believe that this man isn't the protagonist of the Mahabharata. A tale of the generous war hero, who spent his life battling ignominy due to a selfish mother & then forgave all his brothers & let them believe they were victorious - there has been no tragic hero like him, not even Macbeth.
As for Draupadi, Divakaruni's new book gives the woman a real flesh & blood perspective. The Mahabharata doesn't elaborate on this wronged queen's feelings in much detail, post her shaming in the royal court. Actually, despite it's many fatalistic hints at a woman's destiny, most of the Mahabharata doesn't play up the role of the women (Gandhari, Hidimba, Madri, Subhadra, Bhanumati ) or their influences. Perhaps, because, the Mahabharata was entirely written by a collection of male sages. Nor does it objectively look at the lust of the gods, demi gods & the priests. Most of the folly in these books happened due to this very lust, but it's pretty much forgiven.
While purists would agree, that all leading characters in the Mahabharata are humane & faulty, I believe the original text is lost & what now goes around, is chauvinistic.
Draupadi's role in shaping the Great War can't be ignored, nor can her unforgiving attitude towards those who wronged her. Kunti's iron grip over her 5 sons & her failure to justify Karna can't be ignored as the turning point, nor can anyone deny that Duryodhan's mother Gandhari, not blessing him with victory before the Battle of Kurukshetra, indicates how the Kaurava women didn't support the war for empire.
But the tragedy of Draupadi's life- from being distributed amongst 5 husbands, then being nearly undressed in court & then the 13 years of exile -encapsulate the failure of 5 incompetent, over hyped warriors. The biggest failure being, Yudisthir, who hid behind the veil of justice at every turn. In comparison to the complaince of the Pandavas, Duryodhan & Karna emerge as real war heroes, wild but combative & brave.
My evenings spent dwelling on these epics as a child often make me refer to them to current situations. (As some of my ex colleagues in my last job will sympathise with, I often felt like Abhimanyu entering the Padma Vyuhu formation at office !). There are lessons to be drawn & a certain referencing to it's morales or logics all throughout. Of course some might say, that I have a fertile imagination. Even otherwise, learning these stories cant harm, can they?
I Don't think Indian generations of the future should lose track of these unmatched epics. They will, I assure you, they will for sure. If the pace at which computer games, Wii game sets & Playstation is turning them into flesh pounding soldiers, or reality tv is numbing their brains these days, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them consider the Mahabharata a good Indian restaurant chain.
Leaving religion out of it, teaching or studying these stories, or parents & elders narrating these to teenagers & children will have a profound impact of them. They learn, they marvel & then they interpret these tales in their terms. The tales are a reference sheet to human behaviour that comes in handy in future life. And telling these stories, is easy for most Indian homes. They also create an old fashioned bond between families.
Otherwise, Harry Potter isn't a bad alternative either. The victory of good over evil is pretty well enunciated in J K Rowling' world.
So long as Rihanna, Justin Bieber & Rebecca Black isn't the only poetry or lyrical glory that dominates their imaginations.
i loved TPOI....now read jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik..facts of mahabharata in a differetnt level! awesome...
ReplyDeletelove reading yr blog btw..aru sakori kio erili!!!