Someone once made this stellar
observation, “Youth is when your mind is expanding and your waistline is
narrow. Middle age is when your waistline starts expanding and your mind starts
narrowing.” Having determined myself, that my mind must accompany the expansion
of my waistline, I have kept myself abreast in the process of stretching my
mind. (Many people I know seem to think that the opposite is an option – that
their waistlines must match the narrowing of their minds. But I find getting
into a gym and going on a diet incredibly exhausting and expensive. Sitting in
my easy chair and expanding my mind is also exhausting, but at least it’s not
expensive) And for me, this has an additional benefit. My profession is that of
changing things – not bulbs and switches exactly but ideas and beliefs. Imagining
change is core to the work I do. Imagine different ways of doing things,
believe that strange new things are possible. And if you do not do such mind stretching
on a regular basis, you get used to the naturalness of strange things – like
believing that middle age and narrow waistlines can co-exist in the same
individual.
Do we really stretch our minds? Of course we do. Every human society, right from prehistoric times has
imagined a man on the moon. Lawrence Durrell imagined 5 sexes instead of
2. The Queen of Hearts in Alice in
Wonderland admitted to imagining 18 impossible things every day before
breakfast. Nabanita Deb Sen imagined a different Ramayan. As does this post.
But before I start - there is
quite a bit of borrowing on this post. The title for one thing is borrowed.
Andre Gide said of the travel writer Henri Michaux’s writing that he, “excels
in making us feel intuitively both the naturalness of strange things and the
strangeness of natural things.” What a beautiful and incredibly accurate way of
putting it. In my field of work, whenever I have tried to say the same thing, I
have got stuck with “how discriminatory social behaviour is accepted because it
is normative….”
The second thing that is borrowed
is the concept of the fiction/fantasy below. It is deeply influenced and
inspired by an author I admire greatly – Ms. Nabanita Deb Sen. I sincerely hope
she will forgive me for plagiarising her thinking in her collection – “Sita’r
Thekey Shuru”
For those of you who are not
familiar with the Ramayana, - one of India’s greatest epics - here is the story
in brief. Dasarath is the king of the north Indian kingdom of Ayodhya. His 3
wives bear him 4 sons – Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan.
Janak, the king of Maithil – a
neighbouring kingdom has a daughter – Sita. Though she is his daughter, she is
born of the earth – she was found when the king was ploughing the earth. (Since
epics are part myth, I cannot provide you with logical explanations for such
happenings) Janak arranged a ‘swayamvar’ for her when she came of age. A
swayamvar was where all eligible men were invited by the bride’s father, who
would usually set some difficult tasks for the potential bridegroom. The person
who succeeded, married the daughter. The handsome Ram wins the hand of the fair
Sita by stringing the famous Gandiv bow. Ram – the heir apparent to the throne
of Ayodhya, with his beautiful wife Sita live in Ayodhya happily – but not ever
after.
One of Dasarath’s wives – Kaikeyi
wishes her own son Bharat (who does not so wish though) to be the heir apparent
and takes a promise from Dasarath to banish Ram to the forest for 14 years. Ram,
the dutiful son, agrees without demur. His faithful wife Sita and his devoted
brother Lakshman follow him to the jungles. To cut a long story short, their
forest idyll is cut short by the arrival of the Lankan princess Surpanakha who,
finding Ram an attractive man, proposes to him. He laughs at her, saying he is
already committed, but she could ask Lakshman instead. Lakhsman is also
attractive, but he too spurns her. The furious Surpanakha threatens Sita, the
women for whom she was spurned. Angered at this, Lakshman’s response is to cut off her nose. Thwarted,
wounded and furious, she returns to Lanka to her brother – King Ravan. The
immensely powerful Ravan is stung by this slight and in revenge abducts Sita,
keeping her captive in Lanka till Ram, aided by an army of monkeys and bears,
invades Lanka, kills Ravan and all his sons and brothers save one – Vibhishan
who betrays Ravan to Ram. Ram rescues Sita, returns victorious to Ayodhya.
However, Sita’s virtue is questioned by the people of Ayodhya as she had stayed
in Lanka for many days without her husband. Ram, the dutiful king, listens to
his people and banishes Sita, who is then 5 months pregnant.
Years later, Sita returns to
Ayodhya with her twin sons, only to be questioned again. Finding this
unacceptable, she requests her mother – the Earth, to take her back. The Earth
opens and Sita sinks into the Earth, never to appear again. Ram leaves the city
life, abdicates his kingship and goes
away to the forests leaving his twin sons to rule.
The arbitrariness of the morality
in this story I always found puzzling. But it was the women in the story that
really intrigued me – Sita, Kaikeyi, Surpanakha. They were one sided figures
who appeared in the story just to create enough momentum to take the story to
the next step. Then they’d disappear into the background and wait for the men.
But they all had other women around them – what did they think? What did they
talk about? What made them angry? What made them sorrowful? What were there
dreams? What men did they love? What if things had been different? Read on -
“Change was in the air. I could
feel it. And I knew Monkey could feel it too. She was more restless, more
irritable. Not that she was easy to live with otherwise either. But she’d lived
on my branches since she was a baby. A strange solitary monkey she was,
refusing to be named. She’d disappear for a day or two sometimes and come back
on her own. Sometimes other solitary monkeys would come by, chat and leave.
“Why are you still lounging
around? Why don’t you do any work? Join a pack. Learn some skill. Do
Something?” I asked Monkey for the hundredth time.
Not budging from examining her
toenails, she replied, “ One: I don’t lounge. Two: I do work. Three: I work
solo. Solo. Hanging about in packs and grovelling is not cool. I have a skill. And
I know much more than other monkeys, Old Tree. So stop fussing. And things are
changing now from your times.”
“Well, why don’t you get a name
then. What kind of a name is Monkey anyway?” I persisted, shaking the branch
she was lying on. She slipped, but unperturbed, hung on by a leg and swinging
on it she said silkily, “Really? Well, what do you suggest I call myself?
Jaguar? Elephant? Oh wait – how about Cobra?!” she giggled as she dropped off
the branch and scampered off into the forest.
She stayed with me. Alone, tough,
fearless. But as she slept soundly at night, I’d see her – a tiny bundle of
fur, tucked into my branches. I’d pull my leaves over her to make her a little
more comfortable and pray that the coming changes would be good for the little
one. Then the moon would rise majestically over the deep forests to our north.
I would sigh and hope that our world would always stay this way – tranquil,
beautiful, undisturbed.
Then one day, she came back from
one of her forest visits, all excited.
“It’s happening! It’s happening!”
And then I saw it and screamed, “You are wounded! Oh my little baby!”
She jumped off my branches
indignantly, “I am not your little baby!” she cried, “And what are you
screaming about?” I waved my closest branch at her shoulder in alarm.
“Oh that!” she showed it to me
and I watched in horror. “That is not a wound – that is my tattoo – see! It’s a
banyan leaf. It means now I am The Monkey of the Banyan Tree!”
Before we could say anything
further, we realised something was coming through the forests and Monkey jumped
back into my branches.
She came stumbling and moaning in
agony through the undergrowth into the clearing in which I stood. As she
tripped over one of my roots and fell, I saw that her nose was bleeding and she
was desperately trying to stem the flow of blood. She was obviously foreign to
these parts. And she was very, very lovely. She looked like a beautiful exotic
bird in her shimmering silk robes and glittering jewels. Monkey sat on my
branches as still as a rock. And before anything else could happen, another
lady, dressed in the simple robes of a forest dweller walked into the clearing,
humming to herself and examining a basket full of flowers, leaves, bits of
bark. She immediately saw the foreign looking lady. “Oh! You are hurt! Let me
see, here, let me see –“ The foreign lady was wont to dismiss her, but seemed
too weak. The other lady fussed about in her basket and with a set of leaves
and a bit of cloth torn from her clothing made a sort of bandage for the
bleeding nose. Once the bleeding stopped, she asked the foreign lady, her voice
soft with concern and sympathy, “Who are you my dear? You seem to be far from
home. Who has done this terrible thing to you? Tell me. I shall tell my husband
and my brother in law. They will protect you – you need not be afraid.”
The foreign lady looked keenly at
forest dweller for a while in silence and said quietly, “I am Surpanakha, the
Princess of Lanka. And I believe it is you who needs to be afraid, because the
men who you believe will protect you and me are the men who have done this to
me. And perhaps you should be afraid of me too – I have just threatened to do
terrible things to you.”
The forest dweller stood up haughtily,
“Never! I am Sita. My husband Ram and his brother are kings of the Suryavanshi
clan. They would never raise their hand on a woman! How dare you make such an
accusation! And why would you want to threaten me – I don’t even know you,-”
and regaining her composure, she said more calmly, “I am sure there has been a
misunderstanding.”
Now there was sympathy in
Surpanakha’s query, “What if my accusation is right? What then?”
The inflection in her voice
reached Sita. For a split second, she looked unsure. Then Sita said, “ I am the
daughter of the Earth. And the future queen of Ayodhya. I give you my word that
if what you say is true, I will bring you justice.” Her voice was calm and
determined as the two women faced each other in silence. But I seemed to hear
and enormous sigh all around me as she said this. The sun slipped behind the
trees and cast a cool green shadow all around us. The winds slowed and
everything became very still for that moment.
Surpanakha said, “You say you are
the daughter of this powerful Earth and a future queen. Yet you know naught
about the men in your life. Not very queen like, are you?” Sita started as if
to speak. But Surpanakha held up her hand imperiously – “But never mind that. I
believe you mean what you say. I will wait for you here for 2 days. When you
find out who did this to me, come back here. I will be waiting.” She added with
a faint smile, “For justice.”
“Here?” said Sita, “In the
forest? Hurt and alone?”
Surpanakha burst into a deep, melodious
laughter,” Alone?! What do they teach you women up north these days! If you cannot
take care of yourself, how will you be a queen to Ayodhya’s people – they will
make mincemeat of you! I will take care of myself – here – “ and she closed her
eyes and went still and silent. Sita stood silently staring at Surpanakha as
she emerged from this deep meditative state and removed the plaster of leaves
from her nose. And lo! Her nose was healed.
Sita stirred and said in a
slightly dazed voice, “It’s a bit crooked, though.”
“Drat!” said Surpanakha, “I
waited too long – all this argument with you –“
“Sorry about that,” said Sita
hurriedly gathering her basket, “But I have to go now. I have to talk to my
husband. Wait for me here. I will come back.” And she hurried off into the
darkness. “Pity about your nose though!” she called out as she disappeared.
Surpanakha sat for a long time
leaning against my trunk, looking at the direction in which Sita disappeared.
After a while she got up and looked around, stopping as she saw me. She looked
at me for a long time again. Then she came back to me and almost directly under
Monkey went into a deep sleep.
That night Monkey remained awake
all night, but unlike her restless self, she lay still and absolutely silent.
She did not move even as the sun rose.
Before Surpanakha awoke, we heard
the rustling further up the path and Sita walked into the clearing. As I saw
her, I knew what she had found out. She sat down heavily next to Surpanakha,
waking up the sleeping princess. They looked at each other for a while, then
both stared at the dense impassable forest ahead of them.
Finally, Surpanakha spoke, “What
now?’
“I am thinking, I am thinking,”
said Sita, some what irritably “It isn’t easy, you know to deal with all this
nose cutting business – that’s not the kind of family I want to belong to. How
do I deal with it?”
Surpanakha said, “How would I know,
dear Queen in waiting, I am just a mere princess whose nose has been –“
Sita, immediately contrite,
reached out and held Surpanakha’s hands in her own, “Oh, how terrible of me. I
am so sorry, my dear, and that too you have now a crooked nose! We must not be
against each other – I have a promise to keep to you, and keep it I will,” and
growing more determined she continued, “ Let’s get down to business. First
things first – what are you doing here? So far from home? Are you lost? Or have
you run away? Are you looking for something? How did you find Ram and Lakshman?
Were you…..err…were you then….umm…looking –“
Surpanakha stood up, looked
scornfully at Sita and said, “ If you think I am looking for men in a dense
forest full of wild animals, you must think of me as being exceedingly silly. That
is not usually what people think me to
be.”
Sita nodded seriously, “No, that
was silly on my part – but my first question is not silly – what ARE you doing
here?”
Surpanakha beckoned and Sita
stood up. She beckoned Sita closer and whispered into her ear, “I am here on a
mission.”
Now Sita lifted an eyebrow,
“Here?”
“Yes! Well, let me explain – my
brothers are not very different from your husband and his brother. All they
think of is war. Then war and then some more war. There have been Predictions
of an impending war, you know, and the Predictions also say that Ravan, my
brother and the King of Lanka, will be killed in this war. So he has gone into
a frenzy of preparing for battle. The whole country has been plunged headlong
into beefing up. People are doing nothing else. No studies, no music, no
dancing, no prayers, no beauty, no trade – only war. And then, my spies brought
me some unbelieveable news. I told them that if they were found to be lying,
I’d cut off their tongues.” Sita winced.
But Supranakha was now very
excited, “But they said it was the truth. Things were happening up north. Women
were ruling countries. Countries which were wealthy and wise, but did not fight
any wars. Where people lived in peace and prosperity!” Sita’s shoulders sagged.
“No, no, it must be true!” cried
Surpanakha.
“And this is where the wonderful
lands are?” said Sita, spreading her hands, “You have been tricked, Sister. I
have lived in these forests for 13 years – we are the only 3 humans here.”
“Tch, tch!” Surpanakha dismissed
Sita, “Listen to the best part!” she said, her eyes shining, “These countries
are linked by a network of monkeys –“ I felt Monkey tensing her muscles -
Sita cut her short, “I just might
rethink about your being silly –“
“Oh drat, listen to my full story
–“ said Surpanakha, “A network of monkeys all across the land! They work with
information – news from here to there. They will carry rumours, they will carry
the Truth – but only for peace, not war. Fully reliable, fully guaranteed!”
They are known by the names of the trees they live on and are tattooed with
those leaves – like Monkey of the Coconut Tree, Monkey of the Mango Tree. And I
am here to find the first link – the Monkey –“
Monkey slid down completing the
sentence for Surpanakha,”of the Banyan Tree.”
“AAAAaaaaaarghhh!!!!” Surpanakha
and Sita screamed, clutching each other and staring at Monkey in horror. Monkey
looked at them, cocked her head and said,” Not very queen like are you?”
“The Monkey speaks our language!”
quavered Sita.
“Shame!” said Monkey. The two
stared at Monkey in disbelief, “I am speaking in my own tongue. But because of
Sita you understand what I say,” explained Monkey patiently.
“Me?” whispered Sita, “What did I
do?”
“Do? Nothing. It’s who you are –
didn’t you say some time back, all proud and head held high,” Monkey mimicked
Sita perfectly, “ – I am the daughter of the Earth! You have the power to do
bring together all the children of Mother Earth. Like me.”
I decided it was time, “And me,”
I said in my best voice. But since it possibly sounded to them like a ghostly
rustling of leaves, they cringed a little and looked worriedly at my branches.
“That’s right,” said Monkey, “Sit
down, both of you. Old Banyan Tree has something to tell you.”
I nodded wisely, waving my
branches as they sat down looking warily at Monkey and me, “You are right, O
Princess of Lanka, about the Predictions,”
“You are right about The Network
also,” Monkey added.
Surpanakha found her voice, “And
the news about women ruling countries? Am I right about that too?” said
Surpanakha in a voice hoarse with anxiety.
“Yes, you have heard right,”
Monkey and I said together.
She jumped up again, “Yes! Yes!
It will work! I know it will!” she said excitedly.
“We are the only two women in the
middle of a dense forest. You’ve just had your nose cut off. I’ve just had my
faith cut off. We are sitting here listening to a talking Monkey and a Tree. I cannot imagine what you think will
work, dear Sister –“ said Sita glumly.
“Perhaps you should listen to the
Predictions,” I said.
“Pray, tell us, Banyan Tree –
maybe that will be a good place to start?” said Sita bitterly.
Monkey, Sita and Surpanakha sat
under the tranquil shadows of my branches as I told them the Predictions that
the winds and stars and all wise things knew. It grew late in the afternoon as
I finished and my audience sat still for a while afterwards.
Then Sita said, seemingly to
herself, “Obedient. Faithful. Devoted. Hmmm…..interesting.”
Surpanakha stood up and stamping
her foot said, “Unbelievable! One appearance only! Only one scene!”
Monkey glared at both of them, “
Hanuman at your feet. How typically human. If you want me to work for you, I
sit on your shoulder. If you don’t agree, there’ll be no deal. No grovelling
for me, ladies, no tearing open of my chest, please. I work with you and for
you, as an equal.”
“Work?” Sita looked at
Surpanakha, “Do you have a deal? To do what? Am I part of the deal?”
Surpanakha said, “ If you had listened
carefully you’d remember I came in search of the Monkey of the Banyan Tree. I
have no plans as yet, and no deals. But I know that I am not going to sit quiet
after listening to those Predictions.”
Sita said, “ No, I agree. I have
no intentions of going down in history as obedient and devoted,” with a shiver,
“But what are we going to do? How can we challenge the Predictions?”
I said, “That has been done more
often than you think, O Daughter of the Earth. Why should you not be able to do
it?” I said.
“ But How can we stop a war? Who
will help us? Monkey?” said Sita.
“Well, if your husband can work
with Monkeys to win a war, why cant you work with monkeys to build peace?” said
Surpanakha.
Monkey made a noise in her throat
and Surpanakha stopped in her tracks, “Monkey,” she said ominiously, “Was that,
by any chance, a snort? I will have –“
Monkey cut her short, mimicking
her gesture perfectly and holding up an imperious paw,” Cease and desist,
Princess. That very definitely was a snort.”
“And don’t look so miffed – I
snorted because you are so exactly like the men you seem to despise,” Sita put
out her hand and prevented Surpanakha from interrupting Monkey. “Go on,” said
Sita.
“Like the men, you too think that
peace is easier than war.”
“And you think it isn’t?” asked
Sita.
“No. You need courage,
responsibility, justice and an immense amount of hard work, amongst other
things to build peace. You need things like equality and consideration, dignity
and respect – all things for which no one trains you like the men are trained
in war. You up to it? You think you can believe in the impossible? You think
you can walk a lonely road? Because if your answer is yes, this,” Monkey
pointed to the ground at her feet, “Is where you start.” And she sat down,
patting the ground next to her.
Sita looked at Monkey and then
and Surpanakha and went to sit down next to Monkey. Surpanakha joined them
immediately, muttering, “Disgusting. Just one appearance.”
The three of them spent hours
talking, disagreeing, sometimes on the verge of fighting, and often laughing.
Their laughter echoed through the forests, an unusual sound that the forest
absorbed with joy. And then, finally, they all stopped. Looking at each other,
they nodded. They looked at me and nodded. I nodded back and as a result a few
leaves floated down. Both Sita and Surpanakha picked up a leaf each and smiled
at each other as they tucked it into their hair braids. In silence, they stood
up, hugged each other. Sita said, her voice full of emotion and eyes full of
tears,” Goodbye my dear Sisters. Stay well and take care.” She then turned and
walked away north, calling out to Surpanakha as she entered the forest, “Pity
about your nose, though.”
Surpanakha cocked her head and
Monkey jumped up on her shoulder. They walked away to the South and Monkey
looked back once or twice. I think she waved to me once, but I may be mistaken.
And so started the campaign.
Monkey was a changed monkey now, always alert, always busy with messages that
flew across the land with great speed and regularity. Many monkeys passed by,
all equally busy. I would fold my branches over the little creatures as they
slept – my soul full of admiration for those fragile souls that fought such
terrifying battles. And I nodded in hearty approval at the messages that passed
by –
Surpanakha to Sita – Rumour
Campaign 1 successful. Army General given false information about impending
foreign army. Everyone ready for war. No invading army arrives. Army General
sacked.
Sita to Surpanakha – Information
sent to Ayodhya that Lakhsman is behaving strangely.
Surpanakha to Sita: Rumour
Campaign 2 successful. Again no invading army arrives. Rumour campaign 3
initiated and people beginning to protest against Ravan’s war mongering.
Sita to Surpanakha – Definite
news reaches Ayodhya that Lakshman has attacked a foreign national who came in
peace. Much dissatisfaction noted.
Surpanakha to Sita: Army refuses
to ready for war. Rumour spread that Ravan will not be paying them at the next
festival. Unrest starts within the army.
Sita to Surpanakha: The three
mothers now informed about how difficult it is for their dear Sita to live in
dense jungles with a man given to unexplained bouts of violence against women.
Mothers tense and angry. They have sent a minister to enquire about the safety
of Sita.
Surpanakha to Sita: Rumour
Campaign 3 successful. Army told of their King’s intention to fight an army of
monkeys and bears. Army goes on strike, telling Ravan he can start recruiting
monkeys and bears from now.
Sita to Surpanakha: We have
returned to Ayodhya. Ram has been informed of the people of Ayodhya’s
questioning of Lakshman assaulting a woman. Lakshman is asked to publicly prove
his innocence. He surrendered and Ram has banished him. Urmila, his wife has
refused to go with him.
Surpanakha to Sita: Campaign with
citizens successful. Ravan has had to publicly share expenses and made to
commit to education, health, the fine arts, craftsmanship and international
trade. And Mandodari is now my dearest friend and ally!
Sita to Surpanakha: Ram is unable
to live without Lakshman. He has followed his brother into the unknown. Urmila
and I are now the Queens Regent. I am expecting my child in two months from
now!
Surpanakha to Sita: That is
wonderful news! Oh, dear Sister, I have asked Monkey of the Banyan Tree to
personally take my gifts of jewels and spices for you! Here, as planned, the
Network has been sending more and more ships to trade at our harbours and
Ravan, his brothers and sons are busy with more and more foreign visitors, more
and more income and more and more trade.
Sita to Surpanakha: I am the
mother of twin daughters! How I wish you were here to celebrate with me. But
our craftsmen here are building a new kind of ship, that will cover large
distances in a short while. I shall soon come to your lovely land to visit you.
Surpanakha to Sita: And when you
come to Lanka, you shall meet me as the Queen of Lanka. Mandodari and I are the
Queens Regent now, as all the men are busy with foreign trips. A splendid
welcome will await you and every honour due to a comrade in arms. Come soon.
Sita to Surpanakha: Hail
Surpanakha, beautiful Queen of Lanka! We shall meet soon.
Sita to Surpanakha: Pity about
your nose though.
And while this messages flew
past, I stood at the edge of the Dandakaranya, as I always had done, spreading
my branches, and giving shade to all who passed by. Happy I was for my Monkey,
now older, wiser and acclaimed as a wise old monkey who gave good advice to all
who came to her, as generously as I gave my shade. And now, when Monkey slept
on my branches and a huge yellow moon rose over the Dandakaranya, I felt the
beauty and tranquillity of my land and sighed with a deep contentment that I
had never felt before.”
How about it? Dream a new dream.
Imagine a new world. And following Fox Mulder’s advice to his X-Files partner,
“Push the boundaries, Scully, and bring the implausible into the realm of the
possible.”
All you need is an easy chair and
a mind ready to expand. You up to it?
