The Birth of a New Retardation

Days ago there was a great uproar inside the temple of Indian Democracy. Flag bearers and members of the Indian polity cried foul, and some even went to the extent of calling a full fledged commission to enquire into the very ‘serious matter’.

Now, coming to the crux of the whole situation, to exactly what had happened inside the sanctum sanctorum of the great temple of the Indian Democracy. Some of the very ‘over-sensitive’ (no skin conditions) politicians, some of them supposedly belonging to the Dalit communities, raised their eyebrows with their eyes red resembling those of mad bulls being heckled, taunted and pierced with long darts by graceful matadors.

“Unacceptable”! They cried in total unison, “How dare this cartoonist can depict Amedkar, our prophet, our leader and our beacon, being whipped and that too while sitting on a snail”? It echoed and the entire country felt it. The incident took to a new extent the level of political hypocrisy, and thus giving an ‘extra dimension’ to the derogatory term ‘as hypocrite as an Indian. It was, well, another shameful episode inside the temple of Indian Democracy with our incorrigible politicians crying injustice over a cartoon composed sixty years ago.

Sixty years ago! Yes, six decades ago the very piece of satirical cartoon made its debut in its endeavour to highlight the slow pace in drafting the very soul of Indian Democracy-The Constitution. It can easily be on of the world’s greatest political ironies, and probably it could be put on a pedestal of the greatest buffoonery. The man, a political erudite, a visionary, a fighter and a pioneer in championing the rights of the very oppressed in India does not need a satirical cartoon to bring him down, as the requisite Molotov cocktail to ‘whip’ and aggravate the usual communal ‘flare-ups’ is rightly being put to usage by the very false representatives for the oppressed we love to call as ‘Dalits’.

Babasaheb Ambedkar was neither a racist nor a xenophobe. He fought tooth and nail against caste prejudices and acute oppression. Hindus, the upper castes defiled their own greatest non-monotheistic religion in the world, and what it could have been the greatest liberal and enlightening religion in the world was put into a miserable corner like pushing a poor mad woman in tatters into a dark corner, only to become a stereotype signifying complications giving birth to a million complications. And instead of finding a cure and an antidote the alms seeking feather brained and malicious political representatives raised hues and cries over the satirical piece citing that satirical caricatures will corrupt tender and young minds. Yeah! As if your shenanigans are not enough to create a ripple in the tender and young minds, your nauseating sense of approaching the valued vote banks is improper enough to disturb the normal flow of thoughts amongst the young and definitely restless.

The most laughable cause and effect rhetoric since George W Bush cited Iraq as the probable harbinger of evil to befall the mighty USA, ever to be applied and giving birth to a new retardation of a different kind. Critics may apply the logical fact of India being a country of ‘sensitive’ people, and such adventures create tensions as Ambedkar was almost a prophet for the Dalits and caution must be exercised. Really! Then why was Ranbir Sena given a free hand. It was nothing but a Bhojpuri version of the Ku Klux Klan. When an Indian student gets slapped by an Aussie thug or gets mugged an English ruffian we raise our hammer and tongs and call the entire White Race as racists. We cannot even think of showing respects towards the north easterners and the secluded Jarwes, Ongloes and the Sentinelese, how on earth can someone as ‘erudite’ as we could find an avenue to introspect and grasp the meaning of what exactly is brewing inside the nascent minds of some of our politicians and to be able to read between the lines.

We rush to the kirana commercial shop to get a sachet of facial cream (sachet, mind it, we are miser too) to make ourselves look fair and to some extent lovely too, in order to woo the most popular lass or a bloke just around the corner but it wouldn’t need a running to decipher what really is happening in political pitch. The woman street fighter ordered the arrest of a professor for making a satire out of her (now she is creating a space through which she can wreck havoc on her fellow seers and peers as the aimless representatives are desperate to flex their muscles whilst choosing the President of India), and the torch bearers of the dalit cause are inciting a ban on the toons that dared to satire Ambedkar.

And now running almost on a collision course another satirical representations have come under attack. This time it is from the south where it is sacrilegious to speak a specific language. (Call it bullying of the linguistic kind, and where the pitch of regional chauvinism is put on a tall pedestal) the subject of this time toon anathema is about the right to speak a classic language.

This writer can go on writing, running into thousands and thousands of words and infuse vocabularies and subtlety with or without the delight of one particular reader, but who cares. When the nation is being swallowed by nasty desires of some, we can bask in our ignorance and tune into some frequency churning out copied melodies from every nook and corners of the world.         

From Tahrir square to Dispur, the contrast of youth politics

Between Akhil Gogoi, the leader of Krishak Mukti Sangram; Wael Ghonim, Mohamed Bouazizi, and Asma Mahfouz the Arab youths who became the known faces of the Arab revolution, a common trait manages to surface to draw some attention in a new wave of political activism. Without any prior political strings attached to them these names are popular in their respective regions, but what sets them apart from the rest is the fact that they did not step back and watch helplessly the stripping of democracy of its sheen. They are young, and yet they have had made their contribution to democracy by not remaining silent, and have redefined the image of youth in situations deemed unhealthy for a conducive existence in modern times.

Akhil Gogoi, a lone voice of a farmer’s movement that raises its voice against the alleged callous policies of the ruling government in Assam often finds himself in cornered situations. Accused as a Maoist and often blamed for stalling development projects in the state (the Hydro electrical project in upper Subansiri one of them), the young activist brings to light through media the various alleged shady deals involving some of the prominent ministers in the government, and the future consequences of such projects . The result of his activism, at times as reported by the local media (those not affiliated with the government) include alleged attempts made on his life. Wael Ghonim, the Egyptian who posted pictures of alleged police brutality on the internet exposing the alleged involvement of the Mubarak regime, as Gogoi, is part of a young new political activism ready to face bullets and consequences for the greater good.

The same situation in certain aspects is visible in Assam, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in India, and like the rest of the country, the majority of the population comprises of young people. In 1983, the unemployment rate was at 2.2 percent as compared to 2.0 for the country, and by 1999-2000, the country’s unemployment rate had risen to 2.3 percent, the state’s unemployment rate was at a staggering 4.6 percent, and it continues to increase. Without any private investment happening and without any new avenues opening the situation is only getting worse.

Lack of free political will and a government infested with corrupt ministers led the youth and the people to march up to Tahrir square to demand the ouster of the reigning regime. With so much of disparity gaining ground and without any new avenues to take advantage of, it is quite probable that the this factor in Assam could be easily turned into a fresh wound giving the much required impetus to the waning insurgent movement. The constant habit of the centre to overlook the whole region often acts as a catalyst.

The Xenophobic mentality infused into the people’s psychological structure by the Assam movement still surfaces at times. Led by few organisations in the name of the youth it only exposes the insecurities of the community as a whole pretending to be a matter of Assamese pride. Almost thirty years after the movement, spearheaded by the sentiment to protect the region’s natural resources and the drive to drive-out foreign elements from the state, Assam is yet to the see the light of industrialisation and proper distribution of wealth. The call at that time made by the youth shows the community as a whole with full vigour and the zeal of political activism to achieve the laid objectives, but somehow that very zeal crossed the line of rationality, which led to situations deemed uncivil. The corrosive reality, which was an outcome of the movement, led the majority of the youth to hide in the shadows and pick up the gun, a situation created comparable to that of Bosnia and the Balkans. It was really a bad time to be a youth in a place under stringent army control.

With the situation now more conducive, it is the prerogative of the youths to kick start a new revolution sans the gun. With the world, becoming smaller and being connected more than ever before, the need to mobilise people for a greater cause has been rendered easy. But with that new challenges crop up, and the youth has to see in themselves the proper They have to see the new movement is not snowballed into a political mileage for some petty politicians or organisations. The right usage of rhetoric unifying the affected should be within the realm of a civilian course, similar to the call made by the youth through Facebook and Tweeter in Egypt to gather at Tahrir square in Cairo. The spotlight should be concentrated on the dismal state of education and the advantage given to the private educational system to reap benefits from those in pursuit of high technical or professional qualification. Another important factor that drives the youth to despair is the undue importance given to people outside from the state in major development projects set up in the state, therefore depriving the deserving indigenous candidates, which in turn give rise to regional chauvinism.

In a contemporary capitalist world, competition and social status are the basic key elements. Ideology has a place only in the background and is easily hijacked taking the sentiments of the masses into account. A certain organisation in the state claims to have one but it pays much adherence to coercive tactics rather than to address the gravity of the situation. At times, it acts as the moral saviour of the community using the force of youth as a shield- for the soil and its people, as it proclaims. It sees red if they feel someone is not dancing to their tune- a situation much different from the Egyptian one because it did not give prominence to the radical Muslim Brotherhood.

Just because the youth of Assam does not indulge in stone pelting like the Kashmiri youth, the people who are responsible of carrying the message at times tend to misrepresent it. The vulnerability of the Assamese youth is anything but tragic. Already divided into communal and sectarian lines, youth politics in Assam is an easy prey for malignant politicians playing safe with their agendas. Assam is a haven for divisive politics. In addition, it is here that a stark difference emerges between the Egyptian and Assamese youth. The Egyptians, stayed united irrespective of their religion and sex, unperturbed by any differences. Will the youth from this hill state manage to stay as one in the face of a revolution? The answer lies only with young leaders like Gogoi, who has to take this responsibility of unifying the youth. As for the moment, the Assamese youth should learn a thing or two from Ghonim or Saeed, who stood for real nationalism instead of nick picking on religious or sectarian lines.

Kamakhya:A Pilgrim's perspective

CHAPTER ONE

AN INFINATE ELEMENT CALLED FAITH

Worshipping a menstruating goddess in the twenty first century may indeed raise certain eyebrows whose minds have been shaped by rationality, and even appear pagan to some or even repulsive for others . The adherence attached to faith at times brings out to the surface the hidden objective of the human heart which always seeks answers to remove the overwhelming complexities that reign supreme especially in a materialistic world full of cut throat competition and die hard ambitions. Whether it makes us worship a wooden cross or face a particular direction to offer prayers, seeking solace of the heart and the mind, and to be with the supreme being is the subtle drive that make us think of the very question: What is life and what are we ?

Since human evolution, the question of faith has always been in the spotlight. The early men might have had thought about the 'strange' powers that governed his surroundings. The rains, the thunder and the lightning, the great blue sky ; all the strange and the powerful things definitely have had a profuse impact on him. They couldn't have deciphered the mystery but somehow deep inside their nascent intellect some kind of respect generating out of fear for the strange elements could have compelled them to get down on their knees and look up onto the sky.

The mass exodus of humans from Africa to other continents brought about a tremendous change in human existence. It not only resulted in development of different races but also cultures as well. Slowly and steadily the human race irrespective of race, colour and creed made itself the dominant species of the planet. History slowly unfolded and the human race exhibited signs of vulnerability and weakness. War, disease, tyranny, bigotry, political instability and other uncertainties soon became the norm of existence over the course of history emboldened in blood and gore.

No matter how maddening the history of mankind turned out to be, faith was always the centre of destiny for a large section of mankind . Throughout the centuries few came forward and tried to bring a section of people within the lines of certain rules to live in an order best suited for a co-existent society. So Jesus, Buddha, Prophet Mohammed and even some monotheistic Gods proclaimed their prominence in preaching values and faith. Their ways were different but the inner core of their sermons and messages spoke of the 'being' that created, according to them the world. While Christianity taught people to redeem themselves, Islam lectured on committing good deeds for after life rewards, Hinduism made people realise to repent for their misdeeds in their past lives there were other religions which blossomed in a rudimentary but influential manner. And ever since the first humans began to worship the trees, the stars, the rocks, the animals and the forces of nature ; religion and faith became the cornerstone of human civilization.

Every civilization incorporated its own dogma of beliefs. The early Egyptians worshipped Ra, the Greeks considered Zeus as the chief of all Gods, the Romans adhered Mars as the lord of war to conquer and spread their supremacy ; the Babylonians worshipped Ishtar as the goddess of fertility, love, sex and war; and the people of Indus Valley Civilization, according to relative excavation reports reveal they worshipped the sun and their religion was polytheistic which according to some experts was the foundation of the greatest non-monotheistic religion of the world- Hinduism .

India, one of the oldest and thriving civilization of the world is home to a million god and goddesses, allow other religions to thrive, and is like a prism breaking a ray of light into thousand colours. Hinduism, the dominant religion has been considered the mother of other religions as well .Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism have all their origins, concepts and philosophies borrowed from it. The religion varies from region to region, and along with it so does the rituals and the methods of faith. In the north the approach towards satisfying the various deities is more simple and involves less unconventional elements unlike in the east and the north-eastern regions of the country where the 'shakti' concept of worship is more widely prevalent.

Ritualistic as it seems, the religion adheres to a wide variety of aspects. According to Manu, the sage who incorporated various laws in his book 'Manu Smriti', there are four basic goals which drives a human being to survive and make its point of existence in this world. They are : Kama (pleasure), Artha (gain), Dharma (righteousness) and Moksha (liberation). Each of the aspects has its own particular functioning and caters to different forms of ritual exercises.

In simple terms the religion has maintained its identity and its basic foundation even after thousands of years of its inception. Roughly, the institution of Hinduism can be divided into two proper sects: the 'Baishanvaites' and the 'Shakti' form of worship. The former adheres to a more stoic or saintly form of approach in seeking salvation, and the latter a more radical form of approach which includes the worship of the most revered goddess Kali, the harbinger of destruction, and a symbol of the ultimate power. The cult of Tantra is an offshoot of this form of worship.

Throughout the length and breadth of the country the division between these two sects is almost invisible, and hardly noticeable. There has been no recorded disputes between the two sects in the history of the country unlike other monotheistic religions, where division within a religion created new nations and dictated the political ambition of some rulers using it as a tool to enforce their authority. However, in the north-east state of Assam there has been instances of dispute between the two sects and, according to its history it played an important role in shaping the culture and tradition of the people. The great Assamese social reformer Shankardeva, who revived Hinduism from its own quagmire of the rigid caste system stood alone against the radical ritualistic approaches of Shakti worship involving human sacrifices and 'obtrusive' sexual practices. According to legend and local myths, the great tantriks or witch doctors used black magic to get rid of the saint but without any fruitful results. The great baishanavite went on to live for one hundred and twenty years. Shankardeva's contribution to the socio-political development of the region remains valuable, and forms an intrinsic part of Assam's heritage. The two sects highlights the rich diversity of not only the region but for the country as well, and people from all over the world flock here to understand and experience the complexities of life that is not only fascinating but also shocking emanating from a strange metaphor called India .


CHAPTER TWO

THE TEMPLE OF KAMAKHYA

It appears to be light blue in colour from a distance but actually it is the sun's rays playing tricks with the human eye. The majestic Nilachal Hills looks over the ancient city of Pragjyotishpur (now called Guwahati) as a wise matriarch having a close watch on its people. It has the mighty Brahmaputra and the neighbouring Narakasura hills as close companions and stands two hundred and ninety three meters above the sea level. The Nilachal hills is the abode of godess Kamakhya, a form of Parvarti, the consort of Shiva.

According to legend the famous temple of Kamakhya in the Kamrup district of Assam was built by Kamdev, the Hindu God of Love who was turned to ashes by Shiva in a fit of rage for disturbing his meditation. As a promise made to Shiva, Kamdev constructed the temple and regained his former self, and so the name Kamakhya or Kamrup. Since ages the region of Kamrup has been well known for its affinity towards the cult of Tantra and black magic.

According to local legend when Guru Nanak once visited the temple one of his disciples was turned into a beast by a wizard, and the great saint using his own supernatural powers saved his disciple by regaining his old form. At this the wizard was amazed by the saint's power and invited him to join the clan of wizard, but the humble saint declined and left the place. But before leaving he said to the people that such kind of powers should be used only for the benefit of the human kind.

One such famous legend attached to Kamakhya is, it is the place where the 'Yoni' or the female anatomical part of Shiva's first wife fell from the sky. To save the world and the universe from total annihilation Lord Vishnu, the preserver of all life had to cut the lifeless body of Sati to help realize Shiva what he was doing. In doing so, according to legend various parts of her body fell on various places. Some say around fifty one parts of the corpse fell from the sky and wherever it fell the spot became holy, and since according to Tantra the 'Yoni' is considered the centre of all cosmic energy Kamakhya is considered the Mecca of Tantra.

Just a twenty minute bus ride from the city, the temple is always thronged by devotees seeking the fulfilment of their earthly goals or ambition. Reference of the temple can be found in 'Devi Bhagabata', 'Devi Puranan', 'Kalika Purana', 'Jogini Tantra', 'Hevajra Tantra' and many other ancient scriptures. Out of these the 'Kalika Purana' and 'Jogini Tantra' considers Assam as the place where Tantra is in full encapsulation . Various modes of Shakti worship and Tantric rituals are centred around this female phallic symbol.

There are innumerable sculpted stone lying all over the Nilachal hils which testifies the historical significance of this place and are the sole witness of its own time. It is said that the original main temple was one massive structure with tall pillars and monoliths surrounding it with sculpted images of sixty four 'Yoginis' or celestial nymphets and eighteen 'Bhairavas' But due to the onslaught of time and nature ruling supreme only a part of the original temple survives, and throughout the ages different rulers of the land kept on adding their own architectural styles of which the present structure is a result.

Says Rana Sharma, son of Late Rudra Sharma, erstwhile head priest of Bhairavi Temple, “No one knows who or when the foundation stone of the temple was laid. It is this mystery which baffles many experts and archaeologists till today, and add splendour to this place.”

There are ten temples dedicated to the goddess in different forms. They are together called as 'Dasamahavidyas' or ten great knowledge and they are as follows:

1. Kamakhya Temple which includes Matangi and Kamala Temple
2. Bhubaneswari Temple
3. Bagalamukhi Temple
4. Kali Temple
5. Tara Temple
6. Dhumavati Temple
7. Bhairavi Temple
8. Chinamasata Temple

The erstwhile Ahom rulers of Assam were the patrons of the temple. They renovated the main temple complex which was partly destroyed by a local chieftain Kalapahar along with the ruler of Bengal Suleiman Karanani in 1553. The contribution of the Ahoms in patronising the temple is well documented through various copper plaques engraved in and around the outer walls of the temple complex . It was because of this kind of royal patronage that Shakti worship gained overall acceptance, and ultimately led to the renaming of Pragjyotishpur to Kamarupa or Kamrup.

The most unique element about the faith surrounding this form of worship comes to the fore when on the seventh day of the month of Ashaad (June-July) the menstruation of the goddess begins. Every temple and shrine in the region remains closed for five days, and devout Hindus in the region strictly follow the norm required – to abstain from performing any auspicious ritual as the period is considered 'Ashuddha' or impure. So profound is the effect of these five days is that it leads to temporary suspension of delegation of duties in and around the temple. Not only the Assamese people follow it zealously but also the various non- Assamese people like the Marwarhis and the Biharis follow it too.

Says Ashok Mantri, a businessman who has been born and brought up in Assam, “My father who hails from Rajasthan came to Assam way back in the sixties used to follow it, and so did my mother. The period is so influencing that even I follow along with my wife and children. We abstain from any doing any important business activities.”

During this period the whole surrounding site is surmounted with a strange energy that allows people from all walks of life, right from the poor of the society to the affluent rich flock to this abode of the goddess to redeem themselves of their sins and to break away from the illusion that illustrates the emptiness of life. For someone who has been born and brought up within the realm of rational thinking empowered with reasons powerful enough to challenge the traditional approaches attached to faith, and for those whose salvation lies in the shadows of coarse materialistic gains, it would really be an eye opener and an invigorating experiences to witness the 'Ambubachi mela or fair.

The sight becomes too overwhelming to greet. The crowd that gathers is definitely in thousands, and some part of the whole congregation is too heart wrenching. There are people clad in saffron adorned with ' million' beads, foreigners armed with cameras ready to click any unusual sights, policemen keeping a strict vigil, deformed beggars with earthen bowls, wannabe tantricks holding metal tridents etc., it is like the whole of humanity has descended onto it to beg for salvation in times of chaos. The Aghoris, the most revered and feared of all holy men found in India book their place in the exterior courtyard of the main temple complex. They are the avid followers of Kali and Shiva, whose bodies are smeared with white ashes, whose hair are like dry roots, who care to cover their private parts with a simple loin cloth, and often smoke marijuana or hashish through chillums or pipes made from buffalo horns or simple clay .

After the five day sojourn is over there is this sudden rush of people at the early crack of dawn to visit the temple at the same time when the sun's rays penetrates the sky. The ancient ritual of offering animal sacrifices is still considered important and necessary. In an ordinary day people offer goats, pigeons, ducks and even pumpkins as objects of sacrifice to satisfy the goddess, and to seek her blessings. The temples' floors are often covered with blood of beast and fowls, and the cries and moaning of tied animals ready to be sacrificed often shakes the inner self out of mercy for the poor beasts.

In the month of October, during the Durga Pujas, hundreds of beasts and fowl are dragged into the sacrificial chambers and have their heads severed as offering to the revered goddess . In 2010, the temple's name was dragged into a controversy when a particular Bolikata or a man who performs sacrifice drank blood from a severed head of a buffalo in front of a television crew. The TV crew which belonged to a particular local news channel aired the full footage of the act inviting the wrath of many civilians and animal activists alike. Says Sangeeta Goswami, a noted animal activist, “This practice of animal sacrifice is not only primitive but cruel as well. We live in an age of rationality, and this kind of act not only sends the wrong message but also disturbs the delicate thought process of young people alike . We have banned evil practices like Sati and child marriages but why this cruel practice is still prevalent ? Surely we as civil society should do something about it .”

But others beg to differ. “It is true that at one point of time humans used to sacrificed here . But many clan members of our caste which also included my grand father got together and banned it . Sacrifice of animals is an integral part of our culture along with offering of alcohol and meat . It is the very essence of Tantra , and it cannot be changed,” says Rana Sharma .



CHAPTER THREE

THE PEOPLE OF KAMAKHYA, THE NEW CHANGES AND CHALLENGES

As per the Hindu hierarchical order according to scriptures the different families of priests were brought here by different rulers at different times for ceremonial rituals and other duties associated with the continuation of worshipping the Mother Goddess Kamakhya . As per the tenets mentioned in the scriptures the whole system in managing the temple is an elaborate affair which demands the participation of different priests in different classes. So priests were brought from Kanauj , Bengal , Orissa , Bihar and from other distant places . Like a perfectly corporate organisation each functions are designated and maintained by people employed, the only difference being one should belong to a particular or a specific caste . Some of the different classes of priests are :

1. Brahmas : They are well versed in the three Vedas which are Rig, Sam, and Yajur . They supervise the rites and the rituals to be conducted .

2. Pujaris : They are also called Pujaks, and their services are required for the performances of the various rites and rituals .

3. Bidhipathaks: Their services are required for the reading of the 'Bidhit' to guide the Pujaris in the observance of the rules of specific ceremonies, and also for the recitation of the mantras.

4. Hotas: Their services are required for the performances of the 'Homa' or the rites associated with fire altar.

5. Chandipathaks: Their services are required for the reciting the 'Chandi' or book of chants which is related to the invocation of the goddess .

6. Supakars : Their services are required for the daily offering of 'Bhog' or food items .


Not only the dominant Brahmins designate their duties there are other people from other castes as well employed to designate their duties . Some of them are often used for menial jobs while others are given important jobs for the smooth functioning of temple duties, and are considered important part and parcel of the ritualistic process and practices . Some of the different categories of duties assigned to people belonging to particular designated families are as follows :

1. Athporia or Astha Prahari or security supervisors. They are also in charge of cleaning and maintaining the holy sanctity inside the temples .
2. Duaris or door keepers.
3. Bolikatas or people involved in animal sacrifices.
4. Tamulis , the people responsible for the arrangement of offerings like flowers, fruits etc.
5. Bhandaris or the suppliers of raw materials for Bhog.
6. Bharalis or the store keepers .
7. Malis or flower gatherers .
8. Malakars or garland makers .
9. Paneris or the water suppliers .
10. Gayan / Bayan singers or musicians .
11. Seel, and others involved in various ritualistic practices like cutting hair , distribution of bhog, etc.

All these people together form a community called as the 'shebaits' of the deity . Their services are required on a daily basis and also during various ceremonies and festivals .

The daily worship is based on dedication (sankalpa) which invokes the blessing of the revered Goddess which is not only for the welfare of the people of the region but of the world . The daily worship of the Goddess has to be daily performed throughout the year except during the days of Ambubachi . However the concept of Suwa or impurity is taken into severe consideration whenever a family member of any Shebaits pass away . In such cases, the designated worker has to be off duty for a particular time period . Such arrangements were mutually agreed and were not governed by any fixed rules .

The question of legacy is also an important issue for the priest community . If a particular priest expires without any male heir in his family to continue the legacy of designated execution of duties, then the issue is resolved only after careful consideration. Generally it is assumed that other families of priests would carry on the duties of that particular branch till the appointment of such priests . In most cases the sovereign body of priests handled matters of such appointments .

Lack of evidence has put a thick veil over the original details pertaining to the working of the temple administration with regard to endowed properties . But according to some historical evidence, which says that funds generated through offerings of devotees were managed by a committee of Brahmins or by one specially appointed by the king who headed the committee . He was called the Doloi. But it cannot be ascertained whether this system was formed by the priests themselves or by the king himself . The system did existed do take care of the properties in and around the temple . In the past both the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins Shebaits, directly connected with the worship of the deity were allowed to hold property against the service rendered by them which was called Bhogdani . The land and property was called Debutter land . The tenants of such properties were called the Raiyats, and were allowed to hold Debutter property against cash or crop rent . The Doloi decided matter relating to the holding of all properties by the Shebaits and Raiyats, and also collected tax or rents on such properties . In most temples the post of the Doloi was not hereditary and person well suited for the post was selected amongst the families of the priest . At times there have been instances where rulers intervened and appointed a person of their choice , not necessarily from the priest community to administer the Debutter .During the Ahom rule the kings appointed an officer called the Sevacholuwa or director of services responsible for the functioning of various temples and also to monitor that rituals are performed accordingly . Around six thousand hectares of land were distributed by the various past rulers of the state . But exact records suggesting the actual extent of the Debutter properties are not available . It could be because of the fact that the area around the Nilachal Hills was used as a strategic point by various armies throughout history . And it could be possible that whatever noticeable marks to depict the boundaries could have been wiped out . One more factor could be the affects of nature on the geographical features of that particular area owing to the fact that the mighty Brahmaputra swells like a monster during the raging monsoons .

It was the British after the treaty of Yandaboo in 1826 that they surveyed the areas, and in the process denied claims from the Shebaits that the land granted in their names were part of the temple and were revenue free . But they were out to derive the maximum revenue over the lands and adopted the policy of non-interference in religious matters as early as 1842 after abolishing the post of Sevacholuwa. in 1870.

After independence the Assam State Acquisition of land belonging to religious and charitable institutions of public nature act, 1959 acquired the lands. The law stated that the institution would be able entitled to retain specific areas as revenue free lands to accommodate the Shebaits and devotees as well to incorporate future requirements. The enactments also stated that compensation would be paid over the acquired lands . But according to the Debutter board the state has neither taken any initiative to demarcate the retainable areas or compute compensation over the acquired lands .

The foremost of all the fifty one shaktipeeths in the country, the Nilachal Hills is facing serious problems from illegal encroachments . Slowly the thick forests that used to cover the hills are disappearing, and instead of the soothing green grey ugly RCC buildings cover most of the landscape . “ It is so unfortunate that such a precious landmark is losing its sheen, and the people are not realising the fact . All they want is new and modern building , but they forget that the soil is fragile and could prove disastrous if any natural disaster occurs,” says Bipin Deka (name of the person has been changed), a resident of Maligaon, a locality near the base of the hills . He further comments , “Thanks to the land dealers the place is losing its beauty, and the municipality is doing nothing but keeping mum . The original dwellers are selling their land for quick hard cash which of now has become the order of the day. It is sheer Kalyug.”

Of lately the priests have maintained that most of the families of Brahmas have almost become extinct, and other families have shared the responsibility of carrying on the duties of that clan . Says Rana Sharma ruefully, “Times have changed, and young people from various clans have opted for other lucrative jobs . No one can blame them . They have seen their fathers wasting their lives doing nothing except to wait for patronage from loyal clients . I was lucky to get a job, and now I balance my temple duties and my official duties together .”

According to some devotees the priests are fast losing their credibility . Says Prashant Khatanair, a devotee who used to come often to the temple , “ Now-a-days all these priests want is foreign liquor and hard cash . They just tell you in a rough manner how much you are willing to spend for your salvation . This is not right .”

But there are other changes engulfing the place as well . The temple was at one point was visited only by those who revered it but now it is thronged by any devotee without knowing its basic traits . The temple was considered to be the cultural identity of the state and its people . Says Tapashi Das, another devotee, “ Previously the temple was free from any outside influence and was quite successful in maintaining its own unique identity. It was only after commercialisation of the whole institution by some fringe elements that is disrupting its own identity. There was no fluttering of any 'Jai Mata Di ' flags nor there was any bhajan blurting out of any loud speakers . It is losing its uniqueness.”

Faith is change proof, and that is the magical thing about it. Putting aside the various contradiction and arguments aside, rituals and traditions adheres to a whole level of different approaches . Changes in thinking occur and at times are necessary but on a equal level a proper understanding is required to preserve the essential parts of our culture and customs which indisputably forms part of a very valuable heritage . It needs a practical reasoning approach to come to a conclusion of what to accept and what to discard , and steer the need of preserving within these two boundaries . Many civilizations like the Mayan , the Aztec , the Mesopotamian , the Assyrian and others were great and influential. They had laid down the foundation of modern times but at the same they were vulnerable to one element of human nature- invasion .India has been a witness to foreign invasion throughout history but somehow it has been successful in managing to maintain its identity. Or else how would a priest chant the same mantras that was written five thousands years ago in the morning paying his respects to the sun ? Man may plant a flag on the moon but it is the faith that still drives the heart and the minds of millions in this strange country of India

LIST OF TEMPLES IN AND AROUND THE NILACHAL HILLS :

SHIVA TEMPLES : Kauti Linga Temple, Amra Tokoreswar Temple, Kedareswar Temple, Kameswar Temple, Siddheswar Temple

OTHER TEMPLES : Jai Durga Temple, Bana Durga Temple, Namath Kali Math, Hanuman Temple, Ganesha Temple, Pandunath Temple, Gadadhar Temple, Shitala Temple

KUNDAS (PONDS) : Saubhagya Kunda, Wrin Mochan Kunda, Amrit Kunda, Durga Kunda, Gaya Kunda, Kaso Pukhuri

FEW IMPORTANT TRIVIAS :

Height of Bhubneshwari hill : 690 ft

The highest altitude of the residence of the Brahmins: 580 ft

The height of the Pitha temple (the main temple): 525 ft

The height of Baraha temple : 450 ft

INHABITANTS OF NILACHAL HILL :

Number of Brahmans: about 1500

Number of shebaits and other inhabitants: 2500

INDIA’S NEW AGE DIRECTORS

INDIA’S NEW AGE DIRECTORS

Dominated mostly by formula based films, the Bombay film industry focused mostly on the perceptions of the frontbencher’s audience. Reality-based themes paid little or no adherence at all. The art house cinema, which produced some of the most defining films at that period, could not match against the onslaught of the commercial medium. One could easily anticipate the usual cat and mouse game between the hero and the main antagonist. The audience only identified with such storyline. Any form of storytelling other than the formula based line proved to be a disaster attempt. To provide the basis for the seduction flavor and to add the various sexual innuendos, the female actors quite became raging sex symbols. This would enthrall the audience and excite them to the point of orgasm.

In the 90’s the invasion of the Khans did tried to change the themes and the styles. The industry began to pay some attention to quality, at least creating some chutzpah aiming at the hearts of the emerging middle-class. The frontbenchers could no longer dominate the scenario of movie viewing. With the rise of an emerging intellectual class, the directors became aware of the collective conscience and therefore the audience demanded better experience of viewing a movie. Still, some of the filmmakers did dubious jobs of lifting the main storyline from Hollywood movies. This indeed had a share of the market.

In the last years of the decade gone a new breed of directors emerged from the shadows of the anonymity. Foreign-born Indian directors made their foray in the Indian mainstream. They made their presence felt all together. Deepa Mehta’s Fire was an example of an independent venture, and the film rocked the nation. Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Paanch’ was a bold venture but the censor board never passed it because the film contained raw-violence, nevertheless it has since earned a cult status.
In 2001 Ashutosh Gowraiker, a small time actor of the last decade turned director rocked the Indian entertainment scene with his movie ‘Lagaan’, staring the self-proclaimed perfectionist of Bollywood Amir Khan. The film combined two primary aspects of the nation’s favorite past time-cricket and the usual song and dance routine. It was a smash hit and India’s official entry to the Academy Awards. The following year in 2002, Mira Nair directed ‘Monsoon Wedding’, a look at a typical Indian wedding circumstance. The film made in an aesthetic tone enthralled both the critics and the audience alike. It won the prestigious golden bear award at the Venice film festival.

In 2009, Anurag Kashyap achieved commercial success with his film Dev.D, a modern day take of the immortal love saga of Devdas. In the last decade, his film ‘Black Friday’ shocked the audience with his authentic depiction of the 1992 Bombay riots. Fearing political and religious backlash the courts banned the film. Nevertheless, the film became an instant masterpiece and won numerous accolades worldwide. His films if not commercially success makes it a point to enthrall the critics with his maverick style of telling a story.

In 2001, another director made its mark with a new age retelling of the story of friendship between three college friends. Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ captivated the young generation with its honest and energetic style. Youths in the urban regions quickly followed their style and trends. Known for his youth centric topics, Farhan Akhtar is one most valuable directors of the post 90s decade.

Two years ago, a young director by the name of Dibakar Banerjee directed a small budget movie ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’. A comical look into the land grabbing policies followed by the land sharks and the fight between an evil land shark and a motley group of middle class people.
It was a battle of wits against muscle flexing. The movie became an instant hit. His next venture, ‘Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye’ followed an unconventional story of a con artist.

In 2008, Abbas Tyrewalla made ‘Jane Tu Ya Jaane Na’, a fresh look at college love story. It achieved success and launched the careers of the two lead actors. In 2009, Zoya Akhtar, sister of director Farhan Akhtar directed ‘Luck By Chance’. In the later months, moviegoers became once again familiar with the famous spoof on western cowboys and south Indian clichés. ‘Quick Gun Murugan’ earned rave reviews because of its comic undertones. Its director Shashanka Ghose succeeded in making an offbeat comedy using the same old south Indian clichés.

In tryst with the new generation and its issues, the new age directors have come up with something more than the used and tried formulas. So gone are the days where one would get entertained by watching Jeetendra thrusting his hip against Sridevi or Jaya Prada in an orgasmic tone. The modern day cinemagoers expect more than simple gyrating moves, obsolete dialogues, stretch storylines and outdated portrayal of characters. The plethora of talent showing willing to take up difficult themes is a sure sign that sometimes change is a good thing.

THE PARCHED EARTH

THE PARCHED EARTH



The advent of the monsoons always brings respite and relief for a billion and a half people in the Indian subcontinent. As the first drop of water escapes from the heavens above, the earth sings a song of joy orchestrated by the various elements in her band. It begins as a healing touch on her wound caused by the sweltering heat of the ever-jealous sun, and as it passes through different phases mother earth in a relative manner begins to show her bouts of mood swings.
Our life giver, in a more than subtle way turns her back towards her children. Rivers swell, crop-fields are invaded by the colossal forces of approaching waters, people lose their shelters, the young and the old are swept away by the unstoppable torrent and, hope finally gets drowned in the great moments of adversity. However even before an analyst begins to assess the collateral damages one fails to understand the totality of another calamity casting its ugly shadow across another region far from the raging waters.
Miles and miles of dry, cracked earth ruthlessly adorned with carcasses of farm animals is more than enough to show the rest of the world the abject state of mind of a farmer looking across the piercing blue sky searching for some clusters of cloud.
In India, the country for the past few months has been witnessing an accumulating disaster. It is pure irony that even though some of the districts in the remote eastern corners are flooded, some of the more interior districts in states like Maharashtra; Orissa; Andhra Pradesh and Haryana are waiting for the rains to save their lives. Acute shortage of water has led to starvation and dying of crops, thanks to the scanty rainfall and the callous attitude of the reigning governments.
It seems the rest of the nation has forgotten or to say, least bothered to give a thought about the horrors of famine that drought brings along with it. Since India’s economy is an agrarian one, 46-47% of the districts are now drought affected. Now the consequence of this one is building up along with the linking of the network of a chain reaction.
In Haryana, the state that has received 74%defecient rainfall is one of the worst affected. Because of this fallout, the farmers have no option but to install deep bore well at a hefty price of one hundred and twenty-five thousand rupees. Therefore, there is a tube well for every four acre of farmland, which adds up to almost two million tube wells for about 10m acres of land. On top of that, according to gravity research satellites of the National Association Space Agency (N.A.S.A) points out a sharp fall in ground water level and this is indeed alarming.
Before the accepted depth to set a tube well was set at 60-70 feet, then at 80-90 feet and then at 120 feet. The N.A.S.A satellite imagery shows 109 cubic km of groundwater has been lost in just six years (2002-2008) alone, which is twice the capacity of India’s largest surface reservoir, the upper Waingangā. This has resulted in sucking out billions of liters of water placing the farmers in a position whether to answer questions related to overall development or to their existence. Here prosperity definitely takes a back seat.
The suicide capital for the debt-ridden farmers, Vidarbha this year has seen more misery. The inadvertent failure of the year’s monsoons has added more misery for the remaining farmers and their families. Due to the government’s inefficient water management program has paved the way for utter helplessness for the people. Wild weeds growing in the canals say that water has not been flowing. Even the canals run at a height lower than the fields that are supposed to irrigate making it tough to lift the water to the fields. Corruption and inefficiency have made proper distribution of the remaining water difficult. The fields are drying up fast and dying at the same time, deceived both by nature and by man.
The onslaught of the drought has vanquished the sugar-cane cultivation resulting in a sharp fall in sugar production. Mr. Sharad Pawar, honorable minister for agriculture came up with an interesting blame game policy. The burden was put on a certain cycle revolving around the rise and fall in production and which cannot be predicted. To put the monster into the box in order to avoid any political controversy, Mr. Pawar announced duty free imports of white or refined sugar up to 1 million tones until November 2009 with no sales tax or VAT. The statutory minimum prices fixed by the centre for sugarcane has increased by just Rs. 2 from Rs.79 in 2005 to Rs.81 in 2009. The local industries of the states are contesting the higher prices fixed by the respective state governments. The agriculture minister has to answer to some definite questions.
The villagers of a certain village by the name of Pammur in the state of Jharkhand are seeking the President’s permission to die. The reason behind such a macabre request is that the village has not received enough rainfall to sustain their existence. The farmlands are dead and it resembles that of a battlefield. The villagers have no tears left in their eyes to express their acute sorrow and pain, and it seems to them death is more an honorable option.
To help the dying farmers the nation’s parliamentarians have resolved to contribute a meager 20%of their salary for the drought relief fund. To the farmers it would seem adding salt to their wounds on their torn skin.
One can clearly imagine with eyes closed the frail hands of a farmer praying before the Zmindars, government officials and above all to the God above to have mercy on them. He has seen enough miseries and pain. We have forgotten all about them who are responsible for bringing food on to our plates. Nature and man have cornered them driving them to take abnormal steps. Let us not hope that one day the race of farmers drop their ploughs for the gun.


GAURAV DAS

SALVATION AMIDST CHAOS

SALVATION AMIDST CHAOS


Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
_Albert Einstein

Standing two hundred and ninety three meters above the sea level the majestic, Neelachal hill is the sole witness of the history of Pragjyotishpur and its people. It bears the role of a wise patriarch overlooking the land and her children along with the mighty Brahmaputra as its constant companion. The Neelachal holds the city at its mercy and is the abode of the great goddess Kamakhya, the Mecca of Tantra, a cult not for the faint hearted.
Every year in the month of June when the full moon period is over, it brings to the light the faith of the devoted worshippers when the menstruation of the earth goddess begins. To commemorate the unusual phenomenon a massive gathering of the devoted from neighboring Bengal, Orissa and Bihar come to the hill to pay their respectful dues to the ‘mother’.
This unusual phenomenon, which culminates into a five-day sojourn, is a celebration in honor of a spirit called faith. As per the custom of the land when a young girl show her first sign of fertility she has to remain in total confinement within the four walls of her house so as to avoid any act of sacrilege, a tradition zealously followed by every Hindu parents. In the same manner, more or less running parallel and with proper adherence to this cycle of fertility, every temple and shrine remains closed to draw the line of respect for the earth goddess. According to legend, Neelachal hill is the very place where the Yoni, the anatomical part of Sati, the devoted wife of Lord Shiva fell from the sky. To save the earth from total annihilation Lord Vishnu the preserver of the universe had to cut the lifeless body of Sati into many pieces as Lord Shiva went on a mad rampage devouring the world with his fury. Since Yoni is the centre of all cosmic energy according to Tantra, in Kamakhya the practice of this cult is both famous and notorious in the same angle. Some say black magic is widely used and even taught, there has been cited examples of human sacrifices, worshiping of demons and of wild sex orgies. It is one of those places of paganism, which challenges the very foundations of the great monotheistic religions of the world, and since paganism has lost grounds from most parts of the world in the northeastern region of India in the district of ancient Kamrup the vigor of Tantra has been flourishing for so many ages. And this is the reason why the whole vicinity in and around the temple is surmounted with an energy that allows people from every walks of life, right from the hopelessly poor of the society to the affluent rich flock to the abode to redeem themselves of their sins and from the illusion that illustrates the emptiness of life.
For someone like me growing up within the realms of rational thinking and empowered with reason to challenge the daily mundane aspect of a monotonous existence, and for whom millions like me in this part and the rest of the world whose salvation can only be obtained through money, was an invigorating experience to witness the ‘Ambubochi Mela’.
Upon reaching the abode, the sight was too overwhelming to greet my senses. There was the huge sea of people flocking to the same point like an exodus only without Moses, the atmosphere charged with the energy driven by faith in this march, some leading and the rest following. There were people clad in saffron robes their bodies adorned with beads, threads and various forms of amulets; and then there were the unfortunate men, women and children laying down in the middle of the walkway, their bodies smeared with mud reaching out to people for alms. However, one managed to invade my imagination and steer my inner Karmic connection towards a degree of trepidation about the prospect of humanity in the future. A man was rolling in the dirt, about five meters in front of me, and the very aspect of faith in concentration must have had instilled in him the determination to invade the corridors of rational understanding. He was a man with deformed limbs and with no legs to support him he held his earthen bowl somehow between his undeveloped arms with some support, flexing his torso, and all the while his lips didn’t stop chanting the praise of his dear mother. The sight was cruel enough for me to bear and I had to walk on. Until what extent I could ignore, the man was squeezing his pain through his praise for his dear mother, which was maybe a reverberation of any unknown Karmic guilt of his past life.
Within the premise of the main temple the ‘Aghoris’ had laid their siege in the exterior courtyard of the main sanctum where the Yoni is suppose to be. They are the avid followers of Kali and Shiva and are the fiercest of the holy-men found in India. For any new stranger in this land would find these men nothing sort of a group of hedonistic men with long, matted hair wearing only a loincloth to cover their privates, and smoking hashish through beautifully carved chillums. They were the pious ones, and the only one to be near God. Yet they are the same people who are victims of our own prejudices and we tend to laugh at them only because they consider the fact of non-materialistic existence as a wholesome truth and question our lives and our incredulous attitude.
At one corner sat a holy-man whose hair had much to tell than his experience of divine fulfillment, if any. He seemed to be quiet famous as he charged ten rupees per photograph of his long, matted hair. To me he seemed to have sacrificed all his personal ambiguities looking at his ashen face and frail body.
The Aghoris had had set up a makeshift colony of only their clan opposite to the temple door of the main temple. The moment I walked in, the intensity of the environment inside the camp sent a chill down the spine. It was not a place for the usual tourist. The Aghoris had their bodies smeared with white ash or ‘Vibhuti’, the sign of sacrifice. Some of them were quenching their thirst using human skulls as vessels. The air was pungent with the smell and smoke of hashish. It was dark inside and to some extent the rays of light coming in through small, circular gaps on the tarpaulin above had given me a chance to look into their red, fierce and true eyes. An aura of mystery had engulfed the whole psychology of the people present in there. They are the most feared and revered clan. Some people hold the view that the Aghoris have mystical powers to posses and control the will of other people. Suddenly all these ‘said things’ about them invaded my enthusiasm to ask any questions about their lives and experiences. As I walked out, I noticed a couple sitting with an Aghori near the sacrificial platform. Both the husband and the wife had long streaks of vermillion on their foreheads and they seemed to me without any fear or paranoia inflicting them as though they had build a bridge that would lead them to the realm of the truth destroying all the illusions that tends to make us blind.
The droppings of birds, goats and cows had been mixed with mud caused by a slight rainfall was strewn all over the path on which the people had laid their bare feet upon without any whining. Finally, as the sun came out from the clouds there was a general sigh of relief all around.
As I walked away leaving behind the people, the people who whose lives are as challenging as mine and yet have found time to spare, to rejuvenate the spirit by assembling their steps in the realm of our mother. Surviving through faith is a hard way, especially when the age of Kalyuga prevails like a thick fog all around. Faith is that light that breaks in through the illusions and enlightens our fragile mind. Corruption of the soul is common just like a bomb exploding, and the degradation of the human soul is a regular affair and yet we have to find a way to save our sanity to a wholesome extent. To set ourselves free the mind has to cross the barriers. One must find the way by self-discovery for salvation amidst chaos.

Gaurav Das

SOUTH PARK: TOILET HUMOUR PANCHATANT

SOUTH PARK: TOILET HUMOUR PANCHATANT


The American animated series South Park is in its fourteenth season and is gaining grounds with the broadcast of every episode. For all those who are not aware about South Park a brief synopsis is a sure help. South Park is an animated series shown on television broadcasted by the Comedy Central channel in the U.S. It is a satire based on the lives of four eight years old in the fictional town of South Park in the state of Colorado. Now this might sound a bit familiar, a show based on the lives of young children in a laid-back town might seem a bit mundane but one should be aware that these four young boys are not the kind of angel-faced kids with sweet disposition. The boys use foul language with an ease and their adventures are not simple as one could imagine with children of their age.

Eric Cartman, Kyle Broflovski, Stan Marsh and Kenny McCormick are the cultural icons of the decade. They are the ones people in America and the rest of the world can identify with just like us Indians who can identify or relate to the characters from the Panchatantra and other stories from ancient India. These four protagonists are almost real like and the situations they are suck into are at times extraordinary but the humor never loses its sheen even in its fourteenth season. The four boys represent a universal similarity, which is common in almost every society even though the show is set in American society, but the traits are common and one could easily relate to them irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Eric is the most hated yet popular of the four characters. He is racist, obtrusive, and manipulative in addition a bully the kind of which is common in every school environment. All the children in the elementary school hate him and his weird nature can be related to the fact that he comes from a dysfunctional background (his mother is supposes to be a hermaphrodite, a promiscuous person and a crack addict). His target of hatred is his fellow classmate Kyle, a Jew who is the smartest and the most rational of the four and this trait of Kyle makes Eric jealous. Stan is Kyle’s best friend and is almost the same character as Kyle. Kenny is the poorest of them and he dies every episode in a very violent manner. The other characters include their fourth grade homosexual teacher Mr. Garrison, the parents of the children, quirky neighbors, a dubious catholic priest, ignorant red necks, Satan as a sensitive gay individual with Saddam Hussein as his lover and a host of interesting characters that makes the show a fine tune. The adventures include fighting f an invading army of illusionist David Blaine, accusing their parents of molestation, protesting against the Catholic Church for their global domination and many misadventures as well. Each episode varies from one another and at times, it significantly relates to the events happening in real life as well. For example ripping on the 2000 American Presidential elections; sexual molestation of young boys by the Catholic priests; the dubious policies of government; the war against terror; criticizing celebrities for their superficialities; lampooning Tom Cruise for his double standards; spoofing over rated real life events; attacking mainstream media at times for their irresponsible behavior and so on. No stone remains unturned to make the humor acerbic and heavy, and this is the reason the show is so profound in its originality. The two creators Trey parker and Matt Stone make sure that the humor is original and defining ,crossing barriers of censorship even if it has to show Jesus being stabbed in the throat by an eight year old Jewish boy to gain super powers or portraying Mel Gibson as a racist individual indulging in self- torture for kinky pleasure or even to the extent of showing God as a vermin explaining the menstrual cycle to one of the characters.

Now what makes this show tick? The humor is rib tickling and the satire perfect but above all, it is the message that delivers through each episode, which makes it unique. No other show on television has the ability to poke fun at so many figures in a unique way. It raises questions and tries to lift the veil that society as a whole imposes on us. It is more than a satire. It is a social commentary, an exercise of democracy, an assault on things superficial and tabooed and a platform for freedom of expression. It does not spare everyone not even God (god is depicted as a vermin). From Bill Clinton to Paris Hilton the two creators of the show make sure that every questionable aspect of an individual or a group or an institution according to them has the criteria to ridicule at whether they are political figures or petty religious leaders. Like a moral tag line at the end of every episode similar to that of Aesop fables or even our very own Panchatantra South Park puts forward a logical message through one of the four protagonists for every important issue be it homosexuality, racism, abortion, freedom of speech, religious extremism, culture wars, manipulation of the catholic church and etc. For example in one episode titled “Super Easter Bunny Adventure” Jesus comes to earth and declares ‘one man cannot be the voice of the church’ after violently slaying the president of the American Catholic League Bill Donahue (he is shown being sliced into two by a razor sharp discus).

The show’s obsession for things unpleasant can be disgusting for some while at the same time an object of crude humor. Take this for instance, the pilot episode titled ‘Cartman gets an anal probe’, got an overnight cult status. The animation is comprised of simple crude features and the various characters’ shape is simple geometrical figures but the impact made by the voice artists is impeccable. The representation of holy figures like Buddha snorting cocaine or Jesus surfing the net checking for porn sites can be quite shocking for many but there has been no opposition either from the Buddhist community or from the Christian community. However, early this year the two creators did receive death threats from a radical Islamic group for the depiction of Prophet Muhammad in the two hundredth episode of the show. The depiction was in fact retaliation a show of support for the controversial cartoons of the Prophet in some Danish cartoons in a show of defiance against religious extremism. There was nothing shocking in the depiction of the Prophet, it only showed him being used by the various celebrities led by Tom Cruise (a regular victim) to get some immunity from being parodied since no one can get Prophet Mohammed parodied in any aspect possible. Eventually the network heavily censored the depiction and the image of the holy figure blacked out with the word CENSORED all over it. The monologue delivered by Kyle, a positive message for the freedom of speech and expression, which is essential for a civil society was completely beeped out. Nonetheless, the controversy spread like wild fire bringing out to light the very subject of freedom of expression and the question is any religion above criticism?
South Park is modern day toilet humor Panchatantra. It may seem blasphemous to some regarding why something like this which uses farts, tampons, body fluids and other elements deemed dark and spurious by some cultures, can be at the same level as a classic like Panchatantra. The point of the matter lies in the fact that Vishnu Sharma used the stories to teach four unruly princes the virtues of life. Since the days and age are not as same as that of the period during the existence of Vishnu Sharma and his disciples, the moral fabric remains the same. Yes South Park is offensive (it begins with a disclaimer) but the very core of the show is what morality really is in a very non-preachy manner through hilarity and humor. It stands for anti political correctness, it is neither liberal nor conservative motivated. It is about what kids are like when they are without adults, the way life shapes up in a materialistic environment without any definitive objectives governed by prejudices and always judged by the collective consciousness of judging complicated society.

South Park is itself a celebration of democracy, and to be frank and honest is not a crime, and this is the reason why India cannot have a share in this aspect. We proclaim ourselves a democratic society and yet somehow we have lost our will to poke fun at ourselves because we let ourselves to be consumption for the petty politician in power. Vote banks politics govern our secular credentials and it is indeed a shame that our very own democratic culture is at stake. We tend to forget national tragedies within a very short span and yet we pretend we are so sensitive when someone hurts our some aspects or the other that it comes to the open represented through bandhs or violence. Until and unless we can laugh at our flaws and mend it through freedom of expression and prevent all the blame game that we are in so much involved India shall and will remain a nation of ignorant and corruptors.


GAURAV DAS