Many of us are viewing the reruns of Old Doordarshan Serials like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Chanakya based on the Indian Cultural Epics. That reminded my highschool days when there used to be curfew each Sunday morning on the roads. Each episode was discussed in our society. Every Sunday morning family viewing during the breakfast of Hindusthan Bakery Pattice/Idli/ Bread Omelets. Coming to the present, my daughter, a part of the new generation who is a high school Senior here in a traditionally rich New England town in the USA wants to know about Mahabharata. I remember her avid interest in watching a new version of Ramayana on NDTV Imagine as a kid in Pune. So interesting are these epics that every time you watch or read about them, you gain a new insight or aspects which have far more interpretations and analysis. Another day I was also watching an all-time classical comedy Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai episode. Some movies, plays, series are kind of cult in our household. Naturally, for a comedy lover like me, most of them are comedies. Shantecha Karte, Asami, Varyavarchi Varaat, Sarabhai, Saujanyachi, Eka Lagnachi goshta, Ashi hi Banvabanvi, Dhoomdhaaka, Moruchi Maushi, the list is quite long. Named a very few. In one of the episodes of Sarabhai, Indravadan ridicules Roshesh that he will get the role of Nakul Sahdev in Mahabharat and get relegated to the role that won't have any dialogue in the play and Roshesh will be standing throughout the play holding a spear. This statement though created immediate laughter, this created another deep thought process. What it is to be a subtext of the main script in the scheme of things. In Mahabharat, Nakul has only one significant role in Killing Shakuni in the war. or was it Sahdev? No mention anywhere otherwise. Bharat in Ramayana has an episode of Bharat Bhet in Ramayana. What about Shatrughna? On Kaurava side, Duryodhan, Dusshasana as well as Vikarna who opposed the disrobing of Draupadi have been mentioned, but what about 97 other Kauravs. Their names though maybe documented in some ancient script are unknown to the mainstream.
There is another dialogue in the movie Rang De Basanti, DJ played by Aamir Khan says that he doesn't want to graduate from the college as he has seen the biggest heroes on the campus going down as mere mortals in the life outside. College-age is really romantic. At that age, everyone aspires a dream which is to be the greatest in their occupation. But apart from hard work and capabilities, destiny also plays a certain role in determining the success of making their dreams come true. But they earn wisdom and more matured observation towards life, their role and contribution to the scheme of things. They accept the fact that there can be only one Pitchai among all who work in Google. There can be one Nadella in Microsoft. Not every entrepreneur creates startups like Zukerberg. There can be one Kishore amongst all the wannabe singers. There can be one Dharmendra out of millions of Bollywood dreamers migrating to Mumbai. Does that demean others working at Google or other entrepreneurs succeed in their activities but not as popular as few. So what makes Arjun different from Nakul: his quality or popularity? Or Is Duryodhan more popular over other Kauravs just because he was eldest? What was Shatrughna's role in Ramayana? In life, there are many such instances of people going into oblivion out of sheer numbers or destiny. Does that make their lives lesser? Some people are doing their jobs unsung just like Healthcare warriors in the COVID crisis, our soldiers on the front, farmers, government officials, policemen, researchers, delivery men, IT support guys, and many more. So are they lesser mortals. I have nothing against Sports Stars and entertainment personalities and celebrities, but isn't their popularity (and thus the monetary returns), a function of the nature of their profession? Definitely, Sports, Food, Travel, and Entertainment are high points of our lives creating the best memories of our lives. Point to be noted is that behind one such successful performer there are thousands of aspirants. What happens to the others? Whether they get delegated to the role of Nakul, Sahdev, Shatrughna, and 97 Kauravs?
I was a bit confused but then I thought about another historical episode in the History of Hindavi Swaraj. In Shivaji Maharaj's army, every soldier played an equally important part. Some are known while the majority remains unknown. I had written a piece of fiction to kind of imagine pressures and dilemmas faced by such unknown foot soldiers of a great movement.
Read Mughal and Google
Though these soldiers remain unnamed they played their part which was very important. Thus it is very important for each individual to play their part 100 % even if you are Nakul, Sahadev, Shatrughna, or the unnamed 97 Kauravs...
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