20120211

Forever 16 (BH:D95)

November 6, 2011


Yesterday afternoon, Achan, Amma and I sat on the verandah like the famous trio Mizaru, Makazaru and Mazaru. Except that we were not squatting and we were seeing no evil. Holding steaming cups of cardamom tea, we were focused on the female sunbird snacking on the little red ixora fruits. Most of the fruits were too big for her. Holding those bright red fruity beads in her mouth, she reminded me of the emaciated dancer girls in seedy Mumbai bars with their cheap lipstick. 

This bird had clearly not heard the adage of biting only what one can chew. May be she had heard it in English but missed out on the meaning which is more explicitly avian in the proverb's Malayalam version that reads "Kokilothungunathe kothavu" (peck only what your beak can hold). She would crush the fruit slowly between her mandibles, flattening it, while she flitted among the branches of the jasmine-like tree. She managed to ingest the first one. Then went for another, still larger one. This time, she had to give up on the flitting business. She was too tiny for me to make out if her eyes were watering from such a full beak. I guess such gluttonous tears are restricted only to humans. Birds don't cry. Well, they do, just not the teary kind. 

After a couple of minutes, she decided it was beyond her, dropped the fruit, half crushed, and flew away. Suddenly Amma burped. As if on cue, Achan followed. I was caught unawares. "is this a burping relay?," I asked, "I am not prepared!"

Though she didn't realize that it was Bakrid, Rema aunty cooked mutton curry and brought it home this morning. She was leaving for Thripunnithura to be with her grandkids for a couple of days. Since rain was staying away for another morning, Amma borrowed Omana's services and went on a full home cleaning spree. She said the house needed to be extra clean for me to come back after surgery. I have been displaying symptoms of a cold since yesterday. 
"You shouldn't have a cold if they need to do anesthesia," Amma said. 
"What do you mean 'if' they need to do?" Rema aunty and I asked in unison. 
"I would faint even in the absence of anesthesia" I confessed. 
"Yea, that's why he never wanted to be a doctor,"Amma explained to Rema aunty, "he faints at the sight of blood!"

Bakrid was the appropriate day to watch "Adaminte Makan Abu", the National award winning film that is India's entry for this year's Oscars. Remarkable movie. Simple tale,heartfelt narration, powerful portrayals. The best background score, I have heard since Yudham Sei. I hope the movie makes it to the final Oscar nominations. It deserves an international audience. The story of devout Muslims who are epitomes of simplicity, honesty, integrity and mercy is a welcome change amidst the global media onslaught linking that religion exclusively to violence and terrorism.

Half way through the movie, cousin came over with the official papers needed for the government permit to begin construction. He used to go regularly for walks inside the Padmanabhaswami temple before the treasure discovery and the subsequent commercial circus. By now, the rush from at least the locals has ended. "After your surgery, lets go for evening strolls there. We'll go around 7:30 and walk around the temple till it is closed. The music is good and through some architectural technique the sea breeze manages to get to the temple complex. It is great walking on the stone walkway barefoot. There are the stone arenas to sit down also." 
Sounds like a plan. 

Though it is difficult to believe these days, once upon a time, I was a 9 year old. In that year, I had gone to the All India Radio as part of a school show. My item was story telling. I retold the story of Markandeya from the Mahabharatha in less than five minutes. Before Markandeya was born, his parents were asked if they wanted an idiot son who would live long or a smart son who would die young. They opted for the smart version and Markendeya arrived on this planet with a timer set for 16 years. He grew up to be a learned teenager. One day he found his parents crying and they told him that his days were numbered. An ardent devotee of Shiva, Markendeya prays into his 16th birthday at the local Shiva temple. The lord of death, Yama Dharma, arrives promptly to take Markandeya away at the stroke of midnight. Markendeya refuses to go with him and latches onto the big Shiva linga in the temple. For some reason, the Hindu god of death is rather Texan cowboyish in his approach and throws a lasso to catch Markandeya. The rope loop falls over both the boy and the Shiva linga. Shiva is mighty pissed and threatens to kill the god of death, thereby gaining himself the title 'Kalanthaka' (Finisher of death/time). Markandeya is spared. From that day onwards, he becomes the original 'forever 16'. "Markendayan annu muthal ennum pathinaru vayasu" was is the last sentence of my radio story telling and the only thing I remember about this episode of my life. 

I recalled the Markendaya story because one of the main essays in Kutty Krishna Marar's Bharathaparyadanam is titled "Neshi Balasyethi Charedhadharmam". This is what Markandeya tells uber-righteous Yudhishtira, the senior most among the Pandava brothers, when they meet in the forest. This essay was hugely debated by Sanskrit scholars for the radically different interpretation that Marar provides. 

Yudhishtira is in the forest because he gambled away the kingdom in a game of dice and now needs to be in exile for 14 years. The common interpretation of Markandeya's line is that "it is ok to stray from the path of righteousness if one finds oneself weak in a situation". Interpreted this way, it seems Markandeya is urging Yudhishtira to forget about the promise of exile that he made in a moment of weakness. It is fine to forget about his pledge and try to recapture the kingdom.
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When Marar consulted his guru and scholar, Narayana Menon, with this line, Menon provided a totally different way of reading that Sanskrit line. It can equally well mean "Whatever one does under the assumption that one is weak, constitutes adharma (sin, unrighteousness etc)" This is a totally different interpretation. This means Markandeya is making fun of Yudhishtira for being under the illusion that he is on the righteous path because he is keeping his word, where as in reality, he is simply unaware of his own strength (and the strength of his brothers) which makes him afraid to act. Any action or inaction that is undertaken as a result of fear cannot be righteous. The elephant that submits to the mahout simply because it doesn't know its own strength cannot be called a righteous animal. Markendeya cites this elephant example among others in the epic. 
So it is a clarion call for action. 
Swami Vivekanda also strongly warns against those weaknesses that creep into our life and mind under the pretext of "goodness". 
We make our commitment to non-violence an excuse for our fear and to justify our inaction. A glaring truth in present day India as well. 
It is easy to hide behind labels like fate, god's will, civilization etc when bold action is demanded. The 'forever 16' sage who defeated death itself is, without doubt, the best person to deliver the message of the importance of bold, strong action when self-doubt and fear lulls the mind to seek solace in the numerous pretentious philosophies and the mind-numbing labyrinths of spirituality. 

Rains have returned this evening after a two day absence. The dry days worked out great for replanting the red spinach saplings and adding new soil to the okra.

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