Romances

I recently came across this very special song by The Deewarists, and ever since, it has been playing on repeat on my laptop as well as in my head. Characterised by absolutely beautiful music, perfect rhythms, soft vocals, lovely background scores and extremely meaningful lyrics, it provides hope for a new world. A happy world. One reason for such an addictive effect the song had had over the past few days, I realised, was the subtle romance the music brims with. The idea of an entirely different world, a favourite companion, all the time spent together, conversations and laughter shared, happy moments and memories kept alive for ages to come: An excellent thought indeed. The notion of such a setting is refreshing, often makes me smile. 

There’s always a blur as to the ideas, people, places, and you keep adding to the jigsaw before you, pieces that best suit your desires. These pieces need not fit, they need to exist. The very thought of their forming a string of thoughts each knot reminding one of a distinct memory, is fantastic. All through the connecting activity, a happy suspense prevails- the guessing game of people, places, worlds, all so many! But the same romance, the same subtlety, happiness augmenting by bounds. All this brilliance is mostly always lost amid the robotic lifestyles we lead, hardly acknowledging the desires to travel to new worlds with new people. 

No wonder an ideal setting has always been a romantic notion.

Because Beasts Will Be Beasts

So, there are humans and there are beasts: the beasts with an irresistible urge to attack, conquer, kill… all the time; accustomed to a ferocious environment- even those who had begun with subtler killer instincts. They’re all charged up and waiting to pounce on the first edible human they can find, just like how caged animals have an enormously high level of potential energy, all their ferocity bottled up. In fact, these beasts are more fatal- they’re out in the open- no bars, no cages, but eyes constantly scanning fields. Piercing retina films, roars brimming with hunger. The humans are there too, non-aggressive, passive; but free- the former aspect submissiveness acceptable, but the freedom not.

Yes, this scene is hypothetical and extreme, more latter than the former, but in no way bizarre. If in case the humans resort to means which can secure the freedom they are entitled to and that they rightly possess, it would cause an unheard of situation: freedom is an asset only of the beasts. Where do these humans fit in? Or rather, where does their freedom figure? It’s a nonsensical conception, after all.

To add to this misery, there come the rules, and as ironical as it can get, these rules of the Beast Kingdom defy the Rule of Law (Oh, wait. Rule of Law, what?). The Rule, Part One- ‘The beasts are anyway aggressive, it is an inherent characteristic, and habits die hard. So, humans, beware! Exercise caution to save yourselves or your loved ones. It’s your responsibility’. An additional onus, a burden. The rationale is justified, right? Why else would you die by a beast’s attack if you yourself are careful? It’s common-sense! So, humans are to be extremely careful, exercise caution because… you do not want the beasts to attack. And this is YOUR duty. (Common-sense, you said?) The Rule, Part Two- ‘Do absolutely nothing to provoke the already hungry and deprived beasts’, “provoke” being the operative term. The humans are urged to remain their submissive selves (very conveniently) and take care so as to NOT incite the wrath of the beasts.

First, a burden on humans to protect themselves, owing to the inherent ferocity of the beasts; second, an onus to not provoke the beasts by acts lying even well within their realm of freedom. It’s not only horrible that the humans are worse-off, but also that there is a weighty onus on them, so heavy that they are already collapsing under that weight. Is there more injustice that can be done? It’s time to realise- irrespective of what the humans do, whatever caution they exercise, how many ever security measures they undertake, it would flow into nothing but futility. Why, you ask? Because beasts will be beasts.

The Emancipating Void

During an amazing experience to produce a debut theatrical performance, I was drawn to the Ranga Shankara, one of the finest stages Bangalore has seen, and fortunate to be gifted with. Having heard about its brilliance for an exhaustingly long time, but never getting the fortune of meeting the marvel till that fateful day, was indeed shameful. This made me cringe for a few seconds as I got off the rickshaw close to a creative construction that stood before me.    

Little did I know that behind that massive wooden door awaited an amphitheatre that could cause a spectacle. A subtle one, but nonetheless a phenomenon. The calm existence of the titanic podium, the seats welcoming the anxiety, the geometric succession of whose height directly proportional to the intimidation they caused, and… a sense of emptiness. The haphazard blend of the awesomeness the theatre was made of and the apprehension, excitement, confusion, began to seem beautiful, and reassuringly beautiful! And an eerie thought struck me, of how gorgeous void can be, and how inviting… yet silent.

As the dim lights spread across the elegant wooden stage, their soothing effect could not counter racing heartbeats. The quiet compelled an uncanny silence to fill my head and complement rhythmically with the heart’s function, so spontaneously. Stepping into the realm of the spotlight beam made me sense half a grand eyes focussing on every bit of the shivers that my spine must have felt. The space was gradually transformed into a fresh liberating sensation, as I filled its void.

The time had come to take that call- about firmly deciding that the emotion that the spotlight was trying so hard to compel, since so long, was not of intimidation, but of emancipation. With my eyes shut, I began to mutter a prayer to thank Him for all those mistakes that were forgiven, the frustration that was soothed, the fears that were braved, the ecstasy the day had brought...