Washington’s ‘Yayati myth’

Devayani is a character of Indian mythology. She lived even before legendary ‘Pandavas’. She was married to King Yayati and had two sons – Yadu and Turvasu. Yadu was source for ‘Yaduvansh’ in which Krishna was born. 

The mythological Devayani had trouble with her servant, Sharmishtha. Sage Shukracharya, while giving her daughter Devayani in marriage to King Yayati, also gave a strong warning to the latter: never share bed with servant girl who would be there as Devayani’s dowry. Hence Sharmishtha lived in a distant hut. But in later course, it inevitably happened that Yayati fell in secret love with the servant girl. They also got three sons: Druhyu, Anu, Puru. Later when she knew about this, Devayani was shattered. Shukracharya in a rage of fury cursed Yayati to lose all his youthfulness and fall aged. And the curse worked. A devastated Yayati frantically ran and requested each of his three later sons to exchange youth with him. Nobody heeded except Puru, who gave his youthfulness to his father and became aged. Untimely aged, Puru became the King. 

Over thousand years, Yayati enjoyed all worldly sensual pleasures. When he came to know about the futility of such lasting enjoyments, he gave back his youthfulness to Puru and received back his old age. He went into a forest in total renouncement to reach the almighty. 

Today, ironically, a servant lady became the source of trouble for Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Deputy Consul General of India in New York. Led by her servant’s complaint, the USA is behaving to Dr. Devayani like Yayati, in full hegemony and glamour. Every action has a reaction, India proved admirably by stopping all special priorities and preferences for the American emissary institutions and individuals. Now no more canteen sales with US embassy in Delhi; no more priority on Indian roads for US embassy vehicles; and no more ‘big-boss’ treatment on Indian airports for US embassy staffs. Else, why should these rubbish special priorities among countries? Why should some countries be such ‘sacred’! Dignity should be equal, unless enmity spoils the sport.  

The American indecency to Indian diplomat has brought to my mind two names: Immanuel Wallerstein and Peter Berger. Wallerstein conceived the World-System whereas Berger elucidated World-construction. 

According to World system, the so-called Third World produces and supplies raw materials and the so-called First World manufactures prolifically using these cheap supplies; and market products with hefty prices. So perpetuates the First World. The so-called Third World also creates huge source of cheap labour for the so-called First World, who cleverly alters its immigration policies so as to ensure that there is enough supply of cheap labour. This system creates ‘big-brothers’ among world nations. Decency, democracy, secularism, socialism, and market - everything revolves round the will of these ‘big bosses’. The decency you may learn at your primary class won’t be the one told for these big bosses! They would behave like ‘unclad emperor’; and you should praise their celestial costumes!  

Berger through his interesting idea of ‘world construction’ elucidated nicely on the ‘egg-chicken’ riddle related to human societies.  ‘Society or man was first?’ Society is a product of man; whereas man is in turn a nice product of society. Society was there before a person’s birth. Society prevails even after a person’s death. Still, society is designed and made by persons – through norms, values and systems conceived by individual members. Thus originate capitalist societies, theological societies, and communist societies. Hence it comes that countries like India, Ethiopia, the USA are all creations of man. 

Considering the above two aspects, I don’t want to criticize the USA, the country, for the thoughtless attitude towards a diplomat. Instead the world-view and disposition of the USA as a country is bridled by a handful of individuals, to whom my apprehension is. Criticism is upon those who steer power to decide how USA should behave in front of the world.  With their latest approach towards a senior lady diplomat, these individuals have definitely blemished the US celebration of being a repository of all democracy, egalitarianism, civil rights and social decency. How could they be such crazy disfiguring their own country’s glory, like this!

Twice interrogation even to former president of India; confiscation and questioning of Bollywood superstar... Such intolerable, inexplicable misbehaviour is always followed by ‘regrets’ and ‘apologies’. These would only tarnish a country’s image – the practitioners should know. 

Such acts have no place in American popular perceptions. Enlightened majority of America uphold the ideal of ‘give respect, take respect’. America was opulent of guiding luminaries who genuinely stood for values. After the Second World War, some of the US troops were stationed in India. Then a section of racially ‘exclusionist’ Congressmen introduced ‘literacy test’ for sifting and keeping away Asian immigrants especially from India and China. Then president of the US, Roosevelt wrote to the Chairman of House Committee on Immigration stating that ‘Statutory discrimination against Indians now serves no useful purposes and [is] incongruous and inconsistent with the dignity of both our peoples’. Annual quota of 100 for Indians, was just a beginning. 

Since 1960s, by virtue of non-racial immigration policies, more and more Indians reach the US. Indian immigrants now shine as the ‘model minority’ there. Considering these shining terrains of truths and the huge lot of popularity Obama has got among Indians, the recent incident is a sheer mismatch.  Who would teach that ‘misbehavior to a Deputy Consulate General would serve no useful purposes and damage the dignity of both countries’? Obama, won’t you, please? 

It’s already time that countries that play the role of Yayati, enjoying all the wealth and bounty of world’s resources should exhibit more prudence in their behaviour. There should not be always a Puru, who would sacrifice his wealth and health for Yayati’s well-being. Devayanis should get legitimate consideration, also.  

Tail end: After knowing about the recent Indo-US emissary issue, one of my Ethiopian friends exclaimed why an excellent leader like Obama hadn't yet resolved the issue. Due to my inward love for Obama I replied “Obama must not have known this yet”. And that made my friend laugh aloud.  

Butterflies

(A story based on imagination that doesn't have any real life contexts or individuals)

It was on a full moon night that Alok gave last kiss to his love, Anamika. Their saga of love was full of obstacles and challenges, as usual with majority of lovers. If caste was the issue for old members of the family, lesser assets possessed by Anamika’s parents, was the chief concern for parents of Alok. In a traditional north Indian village, these were more than enough to set ablaze all canopies of love that youngsters build. Alok received double brunt – from both the families. Alok had to receive physical assaults at least twice from the uncles of the girl; and had made narrow escapes from attempts to his life more than twice. Thanks to Anamika’s timely scoops on her uncles’ plots that significantly saved Alok’s life. Then, how could it happen that their kisses ended on that full moon night? Death. Unexpected demise of Alok. How did he die? It was a snake bite. If to say precisely, that night he was returning after planting several sweet kisses on her love’s cherry cheeks and receiving back enough over his eyes and chin. He was just imagining Anamika and humming his favourite Hindi song, when he got the snake bite. But who knew it was a bite from a ferocious viper! 

Even not Alok, who was in a romantic thrill thought he got wounded by some thorny plants that was fencing a leading zamindar’s vast property. He washed the wound with soap water, but the blood was still oozing. In front of the sweet memories he had with Anamika, no pain was a pain. He just wrapped the wound with a piece of cloth and went to bed. Before sleeping he deeply concentrated on Anamika. He practices this deliberately before sleep. He needed sweet dreams in which his darling heart alone comes as a heroine and no other mundane thoughts disturb those alluring moments. Not sure whether he started dreaming or not, in the mid of the sleep, but he was taken to the castle of death. Alok’s mortal body became simply an object for death rituals. He became an agonizing memory for poor Anamika... 

Image courtesy: www.fanpop.com

In between, a very significant thing happened. Alok’s soul left his body and was liberated into the air in the form of a gentle breeze. When the breeze touched red roses in his garden, it became a globule of pale red colour. When it passed over freshly bloomed jasmine, it gathered all the scents of heaven. When Alok, sorry, the globule met the rising sun in the morning, it received a celestial sheen. Right at 8am the globule with all its sheen, shine and enticing scent reached ‘Christ Mission College’ on the side of Sraavan Sarai. It hooked itself over a bright sunflower and remained there... In fact it was the garden spot where regularly Alok used to wait for Anamika; and now the former’s soul is waiting... No she’s not coming. The globule looked at the college clock: time is already 9am – making it evident that Anamika won’t come to college that day. 

Then the globule went afloat in the air and travelled like a spot of light to all places where Alok used to wait for Anamika – cafeteria, tuition centre, bus stop, her close friend Jollin’s portico... But nowhere was a hint of Anamika. 

That night as usual in the moonlight, Alok’s soul, the shining globule went to Anamika’s house. Her beastly uncles were crowded on the veranda. While passing them the globule hit the nose of one of the ferocious men. Suddenly Alok’s soul reversed and waited for an angry reaction. But the man was there as if nothing has happened. Alok’s soul could understand that in the form of soul, nobody would see him or experience him. He, the globule,  entered the front hall and turned to Anamika’s room. It was closed. The globule tried to give gentle hit over the door... but without any effort it could pass through the thick wooden doors. Then Alok’s soul did understand that no obstacle is an obstacle in front of souls!

Anamika was lying on her right side, crouched and clasping both her hands between legs. She was trembling lightly and her hair was unusually disordered. Her eyes were bulged, reddish and overflowing. Alok’s soul didn’t need another second to note that she’s is in deep grief.  

The soul went near Anamika and waved gently all over her face, eyes, nose, red lips... There was no reaction! Alok’s soul was in utter distress. It could not leave Anamika in that pathetic state. It needed the old Anamika, who only knows to smile at Alok, tease at Alok and make petty quarrels with Alok. But  now what is happening! Anamika lying on bed on a moon lit night, not sleeping, but weeping!! Alok’s soul could learn another lesson: communication can be between souls, but not between human beings and souls. 

Souls react to situations far faster than human beings.  In no time, Alok’s soul got into Anamika’s body. It examined all the corridors of her mind, all the annals of her memory, all the entangling meshes of her thoughts... There Alok’s soul found one of her most painful experiences – death of Alok; another thing found was one of the most cherished wishes of Anamika – to join Alok!   Inside the intricate settings of Anamika’s mind, Alok’s soul was utterly confused for a while. If Anamika should join him, she could do that only in the form of a soul... If that happens, her life ends in this present form... Should I do it or not, should I steal her soul out of this mortal body or not... Finally Alok’s soul took a decision: it would enjoy seeing her in her present body and in this present world. In no seconds, Alok’s soul came out of her love’s body. Gathering all celestial shine and grace, it lulled all over Anamika’s face, especially over her cheeks. 

At the daybreak Alok’s soul went inside a beautiful butterfly’s body. Inside the butterfly’s mind and thoughts, Alok found an enticing abode. What a life was it! From one flower to another, one garden to another... And whenever needed, just getting into Anamika’s body and enjoying an extraordinary experience of meeting his love! Thus a soul got literally a soulful sojourn.  Time was passing like a cascade. The moon continued waning and waxing. On one full moon night, Alok saw Anamika peeping through her room’s window. The butterfly that was invaded by Alok’s soul was not nocturnal. It was sleeping, bringing together its angel wings, bending together its limbs into a narrow cluster and adeptly clinging itself under fragrant leaves of a plant. Without bringing the least disturbance for the creature, Alok’s soul came out and flew as a bright globule to reach the red lips of Anamika. From that day onwards, this became a practice on almost all full moon days. 

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Alok’s soul had already lived in innumerable butterflies. Anamika got married to Harichand, a handsome, well-off gentleman. Sometimes Anamika would stay at her husband’s home when Alok’s soul would follow her. She became mother of two brilliant kids. Even at her husband’s home, Anamika used to peep out into moon lit nights. And Alok’s soul would reach her lips. Years passed like this. Age drew mischievous cripples on Anamika’s face. Harichand is already dead. Children are married and settled in some foreign land. By now Anamika is a grandmother, too. 

Anamika’s natural death came on a dark, rainy night. When her soul got liberated, it was at first carried away by a cold breeze. Then it was hit by three rain drops. It got a tryst with Tulsi flowers before getting into the form of a shining, graceful globule – the soul globule! Myriads of rain drops reflected the shine of that globule and the dark of night was turned into full of lights. Like a piece of iron to a magnet, Anamika’s soul was drawn to a red rose where Alok’s soul was taking a respite within a butterfly. Anamika’s soul invaded the butterfly and met Alok’s soul. Thus the cute little butterfly’s tiny mind became a big world for the meeting souls. Between souls, there is no hugging or kissing. What would generally happen is souls see each other, identify each other, join, mix, merge and transcend together.  

While transcending out of the butterfly’s body, the sleeping insect seemed a bit disturbed. It fluttered its wings and flew into the light of Anamika’s house. There it landed on the dead body of Anamika kept with all ritual mourns. On seeing the butterfly on the corpse, some hushed: “see the butterfly... how it could come at this time!: The listener added: “May be the soul of Anamika”. Hearing this, two giggling globules hovered over and made an eternal transcend into thin air.  

- K.P. Sivakumar