Fallen Heroes

Lance Armstrong

The recent ban and subsequent confessions by the world-renowned cyclist Lance Armstrong, has shocked the world and more so, his fans. How could someone who people looked up to confess to all the charges of doping? A hero for millions, confessing on international TV, that he had cheated came as a crashing blow to many who had idolised him.

Rajat Gupta

Some time back, the same happened with the likes of Rajat Gupta, Tiger Woods and Ben Johnson, to name just a few heroes who came crashing down the pedestal they had been occupying.

Mythology is replete with such heroes who occasionally have displayed a fault in their personality. Be it Yudhishtir’s weakness for gambling and Bhima’s craving for food, from the epic Mahabharata. The grandsire of all, Bhishma too was criticised for his vow to serve the throne, which made him commit some grave mistakes. Or be it Lakshman renowned for his anger, a significant weakness in his character, from the epic Ramayan. Had it not been for pride and arrogance, then Ravan would be of heroic traits, instead of the certified villain in the epic Ramayan. Hercules, a Greek hero, known for his heroic acts (and thus the phrase – ‘herculean tasks’), was prone to bouts of anger, during which he would forget what he did. It was during one such bout, that he ended up killing his wife and children.

 

Macbeth killing Duncan

Literature has given us one such hero in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, who had all the qualities of heroism, but the same, came with an ambition which went far beyond morality. His ambition, adequately fuelled by his wife Lady Macbeth, makes him commit the crime of murder one after the other, all leading to his ultimate tragic end.

Tiger Woods

But Armstrong, Gupta, Woods and others are heroes of modern times. They are not characters from mythology or literature, but ordinary folks like you and me. When Armstrong won his battle with cancer and then went on to win seven consecutive Tour de France victories, then it sure was something beyond human capability, or so it seemed. Rajat Gupta career was every middle-class Indian’s dream. From a brilliant academic to the first Indian MD at McKinsey & Co., to a well-known philanthropist, he had it all, till his conviction on charges of insider trading, a crime that cost him a successful career and a jail term. Tiger Woods, a golf legend too had it all, victories, endorsements, a fairy-tale life, till all came crumbling down when his wife accused him of infidelity and later divorced him for the same.

Just what is it that goes in the making of such heroes and why is it so hard on their fans than them?

Yes, they cheated, but they cheated in a sport or to their spouses or organisation, not you and me. But, we still feel cheated.

Ben Johnson

Why are we disappointed when a hero fails either in an achievement or in character? Are these heroes really ‘god’ as we refer to them sometimes? Who has given them the demigod status? Did they ask for it or is it a big crime that they got swayed in the huge public adulation? Someone has very pertinently asked – “What is the worst thing about Armstrong’s alleged drug use: that he won unfairly, or that he spoiled the glamorous story we constructed about his triumph over cancer and subsequent victories?” I say pertinent, because it is we who make them heroes first and then expect them to live up to our glamorous construct. In them we see the ability to perform those feats that we as individuals can’t even dream of or couldn’t achieve, failed to be precise. They are the heroes who are just short of a new god that we see in the not-so-distant horizon. In their failure, we see a failed image that was nurtured for so long. The fans are hurt and disappointed. When the hero is caught cheating, our faith in him is hurt and it is hard on us to destroy the image, and when we destroy, we do it with far more vengeance than was expected.

We are in the 21^st century and there are no demigods anymore. Mythology and Literature is not reality, but should only be a point of reference, if at all. Reality is that all those guys who act, perform, play, sing, write or work are mere mortals, slightly better than you and me. Look up to them, but don’t worship them. Follow their paths for the better of it, but don’t worship the ground they tread.

The moral of the story is – Make no gods out of mortals and thou shall not be hurt!

Mauni Amavasya

Tomorrow is Mauni Amavasya, the most important day of bathing at the Kumbh Mela. According to official sources, more than three crore devotees are expected to take a dip at the sangam tomorrow, an administrative nightmare, for sure.

The day is also referred to as Maghi Amavasya, as it falls during the magh month of the Hindu calendar. Mauni refers to silence and Amavasya, refers to the first day of the new moon. Legend has it that this was the day, when the primordial couple, Manu and his wife Shatarupa (one with hundred beautiful forms), appeared on earth. Many refer Manu as Maharaja, or the great king while some refer him as rishi, or the sage. Manu is akin to Adam of Christianity. This is the same Manu, who was warned by Lord Vishnu of an impending flood, during the Matsaya avatar (This is Utkarsh Speaking: Vishnu's Dashavatar & Charles Darwin ...) and thus he is also referred to as the Hindu Noah, since god had chosen Manu to be saved along with the sapta-rishi, or the seven sages.

Manu along with the Sapta-rishis being rescued by Matsya

According to the epic Mahabharata, Manu was endowed with great wisdom. He was entrusted with the task of being the progenitor of the human race and his offspring are thus referred to as manus (mankind i.e. those who have manas, the ability to think). He is also supposed to have authored the Manav Dharma Shastra, or the Laws of Manu, better referred as Manu-smriti, a treatise which lays down the religious and social norms. The later Brahmins also ascribe the varna-pratha or the caste-system to Manu (This is Utkarsh Speaking: Caste System). However, some later day scholars have doubted this theory, questioning the logic of the progenitor prescribing one of his offspring to be inferior to others.

The most significant aspect of the day is the vow of silence, or maun-vrat. Silence has a special significance in all religions, be it Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity or Buddhism. Silence enables one to communicate with one’s own self. The external silence leads to an inner silence, a critical aspect of self-awareness or swadhyay. In modern times, modes of communication are a many, leading to non-stop talking. Man doesn’t get time to think and reflect. Silence creates this room for the much needed introspection and creates an awareness of one’s own thoughts. While we all know, that Silence is Golden, not many of us practice it. This day, enables one to reflect and introspect and seek the individual who is lost in a noisy world.

On a personal front, I have never kept silent, except when I am asleep or when I am left alone! While many around me would cherish the thought of a silent me, at least for a few hours, I might just try to maintain silence this time, on Mauni Amavasya, for want of an occasion to keep quiet! If nothing, it might enable my near ones to reflect on their own thoughts for a change!

Just to remind you, once again, tomorrow is Mauni Amavasya and may I add, it is also a Sunday!

Looking forward to a quieter world tomorrow!!

Was Gandhiji an Avatar?

On the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Martyrs' Day, the above question comes to mind, which is also the very basis of what we call the ‘deification of a hero’ in the studies of Comparative Mythology.

Would generations after a few hundred years believe, that a man managed to unite a diverse and large country, which was many small countries by itself, achieved freedom from British and that too on the principles of ahimsa or non-violence? Many historians and scholars have found people in villages to believe that Gandhiji was an avatar of god – how else could a person perform such enormous task of throwing the British out, when they were firm for more than two hundred years?

Many have compared Gandhiji with Gautam Buddha, probably for the glaring similarities between the two – 

• Both were born in families which were well off – Gandhiji was born in a well-to-do Gujarati family of a businessman and Gautam was born to a King.
• Both had a happy childhood and were educated – Gandhiji went on to become a lawyer and Buddha got princely education
• Both were married and had children
• Both had events which led them to their individual quest – Gandhiji had his experience while working in South Africa, while Gautam experienced the four sights, both of which were turning points for them individually
• Gandhiji returned to India in his quest for swaraj, while Gautama left his kingdom to seek nirvana
• Both were against violence and proposed simple living
• Both were against the caste system and worked for the downtrodden and the untouchables
• Both had followers who have fought later – in the case of Gandhiji, a nation got divided and in the case of Buddha, his faith was divided as differences crept in, in the form of Mahayana, Hinayana and even the Tibetan Buddhism.

Just what am I up to, is what many might wonder. Why am I hell-bent on deifying an individual from History?

The whole idea is to show how heroes of the past have got deified. This is exactly how many of the ‘gods’ could have got deified in the course of the development of civilization. Miracles and unbelievable deeds get credited to them; halo’s appear in their pictures. The classic example in mythology is that of Indra from the Vedic times, where many believe that Indra was a mortal hero who got deified during the Vedic times. Many also feel that the epics Mahabharata & Ramayana could have some roots in reality and many characters actually existed.

The following pictures have become part of the lore. The picture below is titled as “Gandhiji ki Swaryatra” – Gandhiji’s journey to heaven, by Narottam Narayan Sharma in 1948 where Gandhiji is shown above Nehru and Sardar Patel and being taken in some sort of celestial carrier by two garlanding apsaras after his death. Many other leaders are shown mourning.

The following picture shows a pensive Gandhiji being blessed by Lord Ram, a deity Gandhiji used to worship, made more famous by his last words “He Ram”. This image, set up in modern times (modern buildings and manicured lawns) with Lord Ram in his traditional attire is also seen as the ‘appropriation of Gandhiji in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism’.

Besides the above, there are many such pictures which deify Gandhiji and many other freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Netaji Subhash Bose to name a few.

What is interesting is that this theory of deification of heroes is not new. I would rather say, that it has only slowed down in the modern times. What were once mortals have either been raised to the status of gods or changing times have made their deeds so unbelievable, that such deeds could only be the domain of deified heroes.

To conclude, I would like to quote what Albert Einstein had to say about Gandhiji on his 70^th birthday - “Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth”.

As lawyers would say – I rest my case!

As mathematicians would say – Q.E.D.!!!

Picture Courtesy - 'Photos of the Gods': The Printed Image and Political Struggle in India

Chourasi Devonwali Gaay

The picture given below is considered to be one of the first, if not the first, usage of mythology in India’s nationalist movement. Many might differ with me, when I make this statement about the usage of the above for a ‘national movement’, but I will explain that slightly later.

Better known as the Chourasi Devonwali Gaay, or ‘the Cow of 84 Deities’ was part of a campaign launched by the founder of Arya Samaj, Swami Dayanand Saraswati. In an article titled Gokarunanidhi, (Ocean of mercy to the cow), in 1881, Swamiji strongly advocated the ban of cow-slaughter which was widely prevalent then. The article soon found lots of supporters and people spread to different parts of the country with pamphlets and pictures advocating a ban on the slaughter of cows. This led to a larger awareness and the formation of Gowrakshak-samitis, Cow-protection groups and creation of gow-shalas, or cow-refuges, for the old and abandoned cows.

Soon this awareness drive got labelled as the Cow Protection Movement and the British took note of the support that it was gaining. They smelt a potential threat in this and seeds of discord were sown. The Muslims were agitated and branded this movement as an anti-Muslim movement and India recorded its first communal riots in 1893, in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, which took the authorities about three days to get situation under control.

Many see this movement as a religious movement of sorts which was obviously spearheaded by Hindus. The reasons of my disagreement, as mentioned at the beginning is based mainly on the fact that Swami Dayanand Saraswati, himself was against the form of Hinduism which preached idol worship and the prevalent practice of child marriage, widow celibacy and the caste system in the name of religion. He believed in the Hinduism of the Vedic times which did not accord any superiority to the Brahmins which was a later manifestation of the religion.

The British were also aware that the movement was politically motivated and some even felt that after the 1857 Mutiny, this movement was the next big challenge for the British, since it had spread across the country. Swamiji had tried to build a secular movement around it and he also got support from the likes of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and others, but it became an unfortunate cause for communal rivalry.

The selection of cow was not just to get the cow-slaughter stopped. Cow had always had a very special place in the Hindu religion right from the Vedic times. In the Rig Veda, the cow has been equated with god. According to a myth from Bhagavata Purana, Bhoodevi or the earth goddess used to nourish mankind in every aspect of life. But man started exploiting earth for more and more, till Bhoodevi could bear it no more. She took the form of a cow and ran away which led to famine on earth, since the nourishment to plants was missing. Vishnu in the form of Prithu descended on earth and tried to convince her, but Bhoodevi was not ready to pardon mankind for such mindless exploitation. Prithu convinced her that man would respect her and he himself would come to earth in future and teach man to love and respect cows. Bhoodevi, satisfied agreed to return to earth and from then onwards, as the beloved of Prithu, she came to be known as Prithvi. Vishnu kept his word and as Lord Krishna took birth in the family of cowherds and is also known as Gopala and advocated veneration of cows.

Prithu chasing Bhoodevi - A Pahari Painting*

The picture given at the beginning of this post also illustrates the same and true to the secular nature, the cow showers its bounty on all, irrespective of man’s religion. This is shown at the bottom of the illustration by a man handing over milk to Hindus, Parsi, British and Muslims alike. The slaughterer is not shown as one belonging to any religion, but a demon or an asura, once again depicting the killer in negative shade. Many nationalists have opined that the asura is to be understood as the common force of British, but this is a debatable point, since it already shows a British being offered milk.

In simple terms, the use of a cow could be seen as a simple symbolism where the cow is shown as mother earth which is equated to the nation at large. The slaughter of cow was to be seen as the killing of the nation by foreign rulers and the people of the country were asked to stop it. The above is just another example of the multifaceted application of mythology, the treasure-trove of civilisation. From personal to national, it has far-reaching manifestations and usage.

On this day, here’s wishing all my readers a very happy Republic Day!!

* Pic Courtesy - Wikipedia