Shatrughna, Nakul, Sahadev and 97 Kauravs

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.

Lockdown Gazal: Missing Pre-Lockdown Days

हे जीवन म्हणजे क्रिकेट राजा

२ एप्रिल २०२० : वेळ रात्री १० वाजून ४८ मिनिटे

स्थळ अमेरिकेतील कनेक्टिकट राज्य.

भयाण शांतता. गुरुवार रात्र.  सर्वत्र लॉक डाऊन चा आदेश . सामान्य परीस्थित सुद्धा आमच्या भागात इतकी शांतता असते कि जेंव्हा इथे प्रथम आलो तेंव्हा भीती वाटायची. सुदैवाने बाजूनी एक आंतरराज्य हायवे जातो त्यामुळे गाड्यांचे आवाज माझ्या भारतीय मनाला थोडा दिलासा देतात. पुण्यात असताना वारजे डुक्करखिंड किंवा चांदणी चौक किंवा सुस खिंडीवर लांब फेरफटका मारून मी बायपास वरच्या गाड्या आणि त्यांचा वेग बघायचो. तो वेग बघायला माझ्यासारखे अजूनही लोक असायचे. बाजूला सर्वत्र लोक असणे किती आश्वासक असते हे इथे सातासमुद्रा पार आल्यावर कळले. त्या हायवे वरील गाड्या आपल्या बायपास वरील गाड्यांच्या दुप्पट वेगात बघायला जीवाचा थरकाप उडतो. आत्ता तर लॉक डाऊन मुळे  हायवे पण थोडा संथ . मधूनच एखादी गाडी मानवी अस्तित्वाला हरितात्यांप्रमाणे पुराव्यांनी शाबीत करत होती. इथले आकाश तारकांनी लुकलुकत होते . मी माझ्या टेरेस मधून रात्रीची  शांतता अनुभवत होतो. घरी निजानीज झाली होती. जगावर आलेल्या अभूतपूर्व संकटाच्या जत्रेत आम्ही पण यात्रेकरी म्हणून गेली पंधरा वीस दिवस खडतर वाट तोडत आहोत. इथे काही इंडियन शॉप्स बंद आहेत. बाकी दूध अंडी भाज्या चिकन साठी लोकल स्टोर आहे. महागाई वाढीला आहे. क्लिनिंग इटेम्स टॉयलेट पेपर, ह्या वस्तू गायब आहेत. थोडे हिंडले की  मिळते . न्यू यॉर्क पासून जेमतेम ११० मैलांवर असल्या मुळे  करोना ची दहशत आहे. तिथे जे चाललंय ते वर्णन करण्या पलीकडले आहे. शाळा बंद आहेत. वर्ष संपण्याचा  आनंद आहे पण शाळा मिस होत आहे. घरून काम वाढले आहे. पण कुठली हि गोष्ट  लादली जाते तिचा त्रास होतो. मन पूर्ण अस्वस्थ होते. सोफा वर बसून आकाश बघत होतो . आकाशातला एक तारा मोठा होत गेला आणि खाली येऊ लागला. इतका जवळ आला. कळले कि ते एक ufo आहे . यूफो खाली जमिनीवर उतरली. त्यातून दोन रोबो मला पकडून आत घेऊन गेली .  हे काय नवीन? 

Today with Yesterday and No Tomorrow

It was a popular joint in Manhattan, Two gentlemen used to meet there each morning for breakfast: Mr. Yesterday used to handover its baggage and instructions to Mr. Today. Eventually, Mr. Today would meet Mr. Tomorrow to do the same. This was happening since the beginning of the inhabitation of this place by humanity.  There was a cataclysm one fine day thanks to some unknown virus originated from the Far East and Mr. Today is still waiting for handing over its baggage to Mr. Tomorrow as Mr. Tomorrow did not turn up at all. What should Mr. Today do?

A few months back I drove into NYC, met someone, crossed the great GB Washington bridge to enter NJ where I was booked into a hotel close to Exchange Place which gives you a wonderful view of Manhattan. Yes, it was new years eve and could overlook festivities though the main one far-off across the Hudson at Times Square. Our hotel also hosted a party. There were seasons festivities all around to welcome the new decade. I saw the first rays of 2020 and the decade of the 20s embracing the Manhattan skyline. Optimism was in the air. Many had planned ambitious resolutions and actions. Highs of the 2000s were drowned by the 2008 crisis. But 2010 did fairly well to recover in this part of the world. But Back in Homeland, we had a challenge to the India story which had raised from lows in the early 90s till say 2018. Impacts of well-meaning and long due GST reforms and ambitious Demonetization, as well as RERA, acted like by-products of much-needed cleaning of the Indian system corrupted for 70 years created few questions marks on Indian Story especially in comparison with China. We had just about a new virus in a city of China most of us never heard of. Everything was running fine. Like, everyone, I had plans for 2020 and beyond.