Introduction
Action
produces reaction. So is my composition of “Saraswati” after reading Mahasweta
Devi’s “Draupadi”. The story of ‘Dopdi’ infused a storm in my mind, much alike
other readers. What created spark in my mind was Mahasweta Devi’s super
applaudable idea to relate the character of a tribal woman with a character from
the Hindu Mythology bearing the same name. This kindled a thought in my mind,
of offering this relativity a new plot, a literary reaction caused by a rich
literary action.
The
only image that kept reflecting on my mind was of her. It was about a ‘kaj er
meye’ who toils in our locality, who chose struggle to injustice, a tribal
woman in twenties who eloped with rage from her husband’s den. To assume that
the tribal feature is the only similarity between the protagonist of my story
and Mahasweta Devi’s, will certainly be a misapprehension, since the other
connection arrives later, a huge awaiting irony indeed.
(
I )
Holding
my impulse right after reading Mahasweta Devi’s “Draupadi”, I requested my Maa
to ask the ‘kaj er meye’ come and meet me sometime, when she is not
soaked in her sweat or mach or detergent odoured saree. Well that can be
ironical for her – free hours for a ‘kaj er meye’ ? However, she did turn up after a few days,
with a face stamped with question marks.
I took her to my room and tried to calm her down with a
glass of ‘nun-chinir jol’. Reading the impatience in her curious eyes, I
triggered our question-answer round.
I : “I want to know about your life and incidents. Will
you share those with me?”
She : “Will that earn me any money?”
Digesting my shock, I continued…
I : “Do you hold an ST certificate to exercise over the
benefits that the government promise you people?”
She : “I don’t.
But Shonu babu’s father has it.”
Immediately, I :
“Shonu babu? Who’s that?”
And then the coy reply touching her tummy, she said :
“My 7 weeks old baby boy!”
Okay,
should I’ve said anything further? Aah..may be..something like…’Oow.. wow!
Congrats!’ What else reaction can be expected from me, being completely unaware
of the fact that she’s nomore living a single life, but has advanced with such
conjugal updates. Still holding my purplexities,I heard her saying : “Spare me
from your questions. Let Shonu babu arrive. His father looks very improved and
hopeful this time. He’s happy to get an heir to his plumbing job soon. You
better write a story on Shona babu then.”
And she left my house for the day. She…Saraswati.
(
II )
Saraswati Oraon,
that’s her complete name I’ve collected from my neighbours. The Hindu
Mythology states, Brahma didn’t know how to bring order in the universe. While
thinking over the problem, he heard a voice say knowledge could help him
achieve order. So Brahma’s mouth emerged the magnificient figure of Saraswati –
the goddess of knowledge and wisdom. But my neighbours could hardly state about
this Saraswati’s origin.
Besides Saraswati, Vishnu married Ganga. One day Ganga
was looking wistfully at her husband, and Vishnu was reciprocrating the
glances. This was too much for Saraswati who began to accuse Vishnu of
partiality. Vishnu left the place to give Saraswati time to calm herself down.
But this only served to anger Saraswati more. She advanced threatingly to Ganga
when Lakshmi intervened. Lakshmi held Saraswati away from Ganga. Saraswati then
cursed Lakshmi. Vishnu, having found out about what happened, cursed both
Saraswati and Ganga with transformation into rivers. And similar was the reason
why this Saraswati moved out of her husband’s den with rage.
According to the Upanishads, the Gods
wanted someone to transport "fire" or Agni to the sea and entrusted
the Saraswati river to perform the task. Although the water of the ancient
river dried up, one can still ride on the currents and waves of Saraswati to
become pure. Struggling against the brutality of fate and the frailty of her
sex, Saraswati learnt to stand untouched and pure in her self-dependent life.
Saraswati removes the stains from the clothes and utensils with mastery over
the work using the running tap-water. Her sweat soaked saree is pure as the
white saree of the goddess.
Transformed by Vishnu into a river, Saraswati was given to Brahma as her
new husband. Shonu babu’s father was a human being, unable to allocate a new
husband for his wife. So he came back in a reformed avatar of Shiva, the lord
of pro-creation. Blame it on her loneliness or undying latent love for her
husband, Saraswati succumbed to the power of the ‘rosary’ signifying the union
of god.
The ‘swan’ demonstrates the discriminatory power between right and wrong.
Saraswati is a human being. Bewildered between the rights and wrongs, she chose
to follow her heart of innate wisdom. She tunes no ‘veena’ but whispers the
‘taanum’ which rejuvenates the ‘gayaki’ in her and inspires her to accomplish the
daily chores of her life.
( III )
I was lost. Lost in my thoughts, lost in my words, lost in the rights
and wrongs of life. I got lost in search of the truths of life. What is life
all about? Money? Education? Is money is just about survival, why do people
race in building a status? What is education then? Being learned or being wise?
The life of this Saraswati is intriguing, just as the intriguing questions in
my mind. If this tribal woman is called uneducated, who is responsible for the
lack of her education? If she possesses such a gulf from the goddess, who is
responsible for the irony of the name? If she was never inspired to hold a pen,
why is she to be blamed for holding a baby in her womb? So is the underlying
truth, life is easy to throw questions, and as difficult to answer them.
. . .
