Relevance of The Middle one in the Contemporary Context

 Relevance of The Middle one in the Contemporary Context

Dr Swati Joshi 

1 The Middle one symbolizes the middle of everything neither beginning not end. If there is a very tragic journey we remember the beginning and we remember the conclusion. (Outcome of anything) but the middle path that we crossed is hardly remember. Here the Brahmin family on a mythical journey created by Demon. This happens in every struggle that we have to sacrifice something to overcome the critical situation. Here the Brahmin with his three sons encounters the situations where he had to sacrifice one out of three. He buys a crucial balancing on the skill besides to sacrifice his middle one. 

Relevance

In contemporary context somewhere we have lost the tendency to take the middle path. Here middle path symbolizes solution and in contemporary society if people are taking middle path then they are considered as weaker part of the society. In contemporary society middle path symbolizes weakness and defeat. It symbolize lose of power because everybody is ready to fight as they are in battlefield. Middle path also symbolizes peace but in contemporary society we do not have mental and physical peace. One another important thing is that people are doing medication and other activity to find out the peace but we are not able to understand one simple thing that we as human being having many problems in life and if we are able to find out the solution by accepting and applying middle path then our problem will be solved easily and quickly. After this activity no need to go for in search of peace. The contemporary society has this mindset that middle one (path) is related with adjustments and adjustments are always with not fully agreement.  But there is big difference between middle path and adjustment this everyone has to understand. 

2 Mythical Bhrahmins are known to be preacher and teacher class and whenever there is a need of physical combat he looks towards others for his rescue. He does not want to run risk for his life but he would like to risk others life. He thinks it as their duty and his rights and in this critical situation when he has to sacrifice his son he remembers Pandavas who are known to be the saviors. 

“In Classical Indian Mythology, the world is a dream of Brahman, created and destroyed by him during every one of his days.”58 

Relevance

This is a mythical concept that Brahmans are only for teaching and preaching. They ask other to protect them and their family. It is considered that the Brahmins are having great and respectable position in every era or age. Here the question arises that Brahmans are respectful and on the highest position in the society then why Ghatotkaca became ready to take one of the Brahman family member. Second question is that Brahman was looking for help to save his family. Even in contemporary society people of the society are ready to protect Brahman in any situation. Even today there is a special position of Brahman in the society. But now we need change that every caste, every person is important having equal rights and responsibilities. 

3 Psychologically you wanted to remember something you are ready to substitute someone for the other life. This is their personal individual decision to protect others. 

Relevance

  In mythical concept sacrifices symbolizes “Sacrifices for the betterment of others.” Sacrifice is good actions for others and done by selfless giver. There are many examples from the mythology as the sacrifice of Karna, Kunti, Ram, Sita and Lakshman, Sacrifice of Hanuman and many more examples and these examples show that all the sacrifices are made for good noble cause. But the modern contemporary context has raised many questions toward these sacrifices. The contemporary context raised a question “are the sacrifices healthy and beneficial sacrifices?  This is one point that needs long discussion. 

4 Noose – There is a symbolic mythical meaning of it. It symbolizes thorn for thorn. There are arms which are for our safety and destruction. It only depends on how we use it. It is completely depends upon purpose like protection or attack. 

Relevance

There are many examples of Noose in mythical stories where Gods are using it at different circumstances. Hanuman was abided by the noose of Brahmastra by Meghnath in Ramayana. The noose symbolizes to control. But if it is used to attack someone with terrifying intentions then Noose shows worst effect. In Middle One Ghaotkaca also uses his magical noose given by his mother to protect himself but he uses as the weapon against Bhima to defeat him. In contemporary modern times all the countries are having lots of magical weapons which make nations powerful and it gives the feeling of security and self defense. Then these mythical magical nooses (weapons) are used in a positive (protection) manner but when these nooses (weapons) are used to destroy others. They become destroyer. (Attack)  In contemporary context we have to use these nooses with cautions and with correct and good intentions.  

Ghatotkaca used the magical noose not for self defense but to attack on Bhima. This symbolizes that as a youth it is his responsibility to think that having power in hand does not mean that one has the liberty to take it for granted. This is highly relevant to the contemporary social youth who are future of any country. The terror and terrorist are the best example of youth who has the power to create and to destroy the world. Youth of any nation must know that what are their rights and responsibility. 

“What are the most potent weapons of war? He asks, Not bombs or bullets or AK 47 but young men in the age group of 14-24 fed on hollow ideology, anger and hatred as was Hidimba’s Ghatotkach.”59 

5 The Middle one mythical symbolizes that middle path is unwanted. But it should be tendency to take the middle path and not to go for extremist condition in life. But we are always ready to easily give the middle path and ready to go for the extremist. 

Middle path has given solution in history. Middle path has the power and way to solve the problems. For Example- 

1 Catholic Church 

2 Terrorism and terrorist 

3 Caste issue and religious issue 

4 Divorces and Marriage 

5 Even the suicide of children (the extremist step of children and the extremist ignorance of parents)

Relevance

It is believed the contemporary modern society has many psychological and mental struggle issues. The stressful life leads to harmful situation. Extremists are always hazardous for everybody. To abstain from the extremist condition one should take middle path that can be seen as the remedy for problem. For example ‘Hidimba’ the mythical character represents relation with Bhima which is beyond the limit of caste, human, demons, religion, beauty and bravery. She is presented in the play as the mother of Ghatotkaca whose father is Bhima. This is again highly relevant with the contemporary society that even today we can see the same situation where inter caste marriage or to be with together (live in) is common. This mythical concept is still present in the society and this is done by Arjuna, Krishna, who are having more than one wives or they are in relation with other women.

“Hidimba -that can easily be identified in any contemporary matrimonial negation where the caste and status of the two parties is not compatible.”60 

6 According to Indian Mythology husband and father as Men both are revealed as deity. 

“Hidimba- Idiot! He is our God. 

Ghatotkacha- Who’s God?

Hidimba- Yours and Mine!”61  

Relevance

In contemporary context also the father and husband figure is considered as in form of deity. But they are considered in particular form because they all are men. We never thought about the relationship like father, husband, brother, or son but we think or believe in unconscious mind that they are respectful because they all are men. In contemporary society everybody should be given equal respect and honor to every relationship like mother, wife, sister and daughter as women. To maintain harmony and balance in the society and to be create a place to live for everybody happily and peaceful (men/women) we have to give equal rights and honor to both the gender.

There must be an attitude to see things critically. Compromise is the middle path. It is unfortunate that the middle passage remains either unnoticed or ignored by most of the people. This truth is highlighted in the present drama. The younger child and the eldest child are well protected in the play but who would care for the middle one. Be it a middle child or passage but it always experiences a kind of insignificance and unwanted as it is in the play. It is that feeling of insignificance and un wanted which leads the character middle one to think about committing suicide. Another relevance of the present play in the contemporary context is that whether it is middle path taken by a person or a middle child who is not much attended by parents feels that he is weak, insignificant and so of no use.  Mankind in the contemporary times prefers to be on the sides nobody is ready to consider middle passage of moderate behavior.

We all know literature is not what it seems. It functions on various levels. The most explicit meaning is the useless meaning according to Sanskrit Natyashashta but the implicit meaning is pleasure giving. Plato to Eliot all say literature teaches while pleases and pleases while teaches. So the lessons given in life may be abstract but helpful. 

1 Pratima Natakam (The Statue Play)

The play Pratima Natakam (The Statue Play) is based on great Indian Epics the Ramayana.  

The Statue Play is divided into seven acts. The title of the play itself suggests that the play is about Statue and it has the central position in the play. The Statue has a symbolic meaning in the play. The Play presents helplessness of a father who is abiding by the oath and helplessness of a son who is not able to do anything even if he wishes. 

The central characters of the play are-, King Dasaratha and his three wives Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharat and Satrughna who are the sons of King Dasaratha, Sita who is the wife of Rama, Sumantra who is the minister of Kingdom of Dasaratha, Ravana- king of Lanka, Sudhakara- the caretaker of the statue gallery, Ravana – the king of Lanka, Stage Manager, Portress Vijaya, Avadatika and Nandanika who are the maids of Sita are supporting character of the play. Among all the characters the character of Bharat is having central position because he is the only one who provided meaning to the statue in the Gallery. As we have seen many plays of Bhasa deal with the concept of war or the war like situation, but the statue play deals with the concept of losing, gaining, demands, giving, happiness, sorrow and sacrifice. This play has binary concepts. Of course it can be said that there is a cold war situation in form of Kaikai and Dashrath, and sacrificial war among Ram, Bharat, Lakshman and Sita. They all are ready to do sacrifice for each other. 

Dr Swati Joshi

Gujarat