By Sunil Kumar
In man there is the inalienable impulse of Nature towards self-realisation, no struggle of the intellect to limit the action of our capacities within a determined area can for ever prevail.- Sri Aurobindo
Poetry according to some is a window to the soul. For others like Shelley, poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world. But, in the Indic sense- the poet is a seer, a mantra-drashta, a ‘kavi‘ whose ‘pratibha‘ has the power to evoke beauty, reveal truth and touch something fundamentally deeper- a window to the ‘other’ side-transcendental and beyond definitions.
Ratul’s mystical paean aims to do that and more. The contemporary world makes an appearance in the narrative with the nod to the progress of material civilisation. This was the only part which was slightly jarring in the Puranic influenced timeline. But, then again, there is time dilation and non-linearity perhaps to account for the mismatch. For anybody whose family has survived the brutal vivisection of India that is Bharat and has an iota of empathy for the centuries of assaults on its body and soul, the slight reference to that context is poignant.
Spectacular imagery, surreal mindscapes and existential dilemmas abound. The Sutradhaar has managed to weave an ‘intricate’ poetic saga around the Vedic tale of Indra and Vritra. Tvashta, Trishiras or Vishvarupa, the Kapinjala birds, Mount Meru, unseen voices and the Sutradhaar himself play their parts in this ‘katha’ and the dance of ‘light’ and ‘shadow’. The nod to Hindustani classical music and the ‘karanas’ of Sadiraattam aka Bharata Natyam hint at the diverse interests of the author. Vaishnavas, Shaktas and Shaivites have nothing to gripe about as this seamlessly amalgamates all thought systems in one grand sweeping cosmic vision.
The Vedic religion, its reverence for nature and the immersive and caring spirit of its involvement with the cosmos forms the core of the Bharatiya civilizational identity. In the modern world the person who controls the discourse shapes the truth. If silicon life gains sentience this will be distorted beyond recognition. For a true resurgence, a cogent and articulate Dharmic worldview that enhances civilisational self-confidence is the need of the hour. Great visionaries like Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Vedic seers, saints and countless others have paved the way with one of the most spiritually exalted, enigmatic and compassionate ideascapes in the world.
The author reminds us that there are no clear shades of black and white, only tinges of gray. Fluidity lies in harmony- the questions raised are reflective and exploratory. Western srait-jacketed ideas of rebellion and conformance are subsumed by a grander cosmic design and universal profundity. Indra is no great hero and Vritra is not absolute, undiluted evil. Their humanity shines through.
Saraswati, the focus of many Vedic hymns has ceased to exist but remains embedded in the Dharmic consciousness. The Mahavidyas and Shakti’s prowess reflect the profound role of the divine feminine, a uniquely Indic phenomenon. Reverence for ancient cultural idioms is inbuilt but needs to be reiterated and reinforced by Dharmic events like the ongoing Mahakumbh. Traversing the tricky lanes of apara vidya may give the ‘sadhaka’ the hope of aparoksha anubhuti. The author has skillfully touched on such motifs and archetypes.
Ratul’s poetic tour-de-force is a masterly attempt at weaving together myth and modernity, where verses ripple like the echoes of ancient chants, reminding us that time may pass, but the sacred endures in the cadence of memory and imagination
