Drupadi by Kajal Oza Vaidh

 

Hey everyone, 

            Writers are always interested in using myth as a plot for writing fictional story. Northrop Frye in his essay "Myth, Fiction and Displacement" talked about this. It is easy for writers to use Mythical story. Fictional stories are one of my most favourite genre for explore or read. Though, Kajal Oza Vaidh is consider as feminist writer, she was best at reveling thoughts of women and especially towards 'Krishn'. 

        Dhrupadi by Kajal Oza Vaidh is a Gujarati novel based on Mahabharat 's character Dhrupadi. This book is written in Draupadi's perspective, how she looks at world. She was not a normal girl because she wasn't born, but came out from fire as a fruit of fire pit which was done by her father Drupad. She along with Shikhandi and Dhrushthdyumn brought up at Panchal. Basically, this is story of revenge which was seeded in everyone's mind. 

        She always asks questions, in her words it's her 'Prshnopnishad' . All the people around her teach her to not ask questions but she asks. Ideas of gender inequality, and dominance of male upon women not only physically but also mentally and constant discrimination in upbringing of Drupadi and her brother reflect in the beginning of the novel. 

        However, she has soft corner for 'Krishn' and said that she finds all the answers of her questions when she looks at his eyes and suspicious, captivating face. She was very well aware about objective of her life that is revenge.  Revenge tragedy that's what we can call it. In addition, Kajal gives voices to all other female minor characters of Mahabharata.

        In the same way, idea of 'Swayamvar', nonetheless not actually gives write to girl to choose husband. If one is able to win the bettle then he can marry the girl. Moreover, injustice with 'Karna' just because he is sutputra, is reflecting caste baisness. 

               Polyandry practice was not famous at that time still, she married five men so that she became the centre of criticism. Her ineffable infatuation for Krishn remains same. "આપણને કળાય જ નહિ એ રીતે કોઈ આપણા જીવનમાં પ્રવેશ કરીને આપણા સમગ્ર અસ્તિત્વ પર રાજ કરવા માંડે તો એને સુખ કહેવાય કે વિવશતા. "However, she felt to be betrayal by him as not choosing her wife and to marry his own sister to Arjun. જે વ્યક્તિ અગાધ સુખનું કારણ હોય એ અપાર પીડા નું કારણ બને એતો નવાઈ ની વાત છે. પ્રણય પરમ સંતોષ હોય કે પ્રતાડના? She wasn't able to depict bond of Krishn and her. 

        Cycle of revenge being continues because it is endless. Drupadi's one sentence makes a consequences of war that's what described all over. Nonetheless, behaviour of Kauravas and other kings not taking into consideration which is basic reason for her words. Though, she has five husband, none of them utter single word when other seduced her and treat her by words as prostitute. She said,"શું એમને નહિ સમજાતું હોય કે મારે માટે સ્નેહ અને સંપત્તિ કરતા વધુ મહત્વ સન્માનનું છે? " 

       Furthermore, Fire of revenge constantly lying in her heart. Yudhishthir is like Odysseus. On the other hand, Dhrutradhtra is believing in nepotism. Chastity and ordeal are connected with women from the ancient times. Drupadi don't have exception.

           After injustice with her she continuesly provoking her husbands to ask for war. Though, at the end she had repentance. " વર્તન કે વાણી ના ઉચ્ચાર વખતે આ પ્રાયશ્ચિત સ્પર્શતો નથી પરંતુ  પરિણામ ભોગવવાનું આવે ત્યારે એને પ્રાયશ્ચિત ઘેરી વળે છે. " 

          Consequently, all had repentance for war. They all go through post truma of war. Theory of karma also reflected in her thoughts. At the end, her mind deeply drought into the thoughts of death. At the deathbed, man has self realisation. She accepted all the things and forgive everyone who do injustice with her and expose herself to Krishn. 

         One the whole, the soliloquy of Drupadi feels like having my own thoughts. She is the greatest character of Mahabharata. Her love for Krishn makes her extraordinary. In a way, this book is very well written by her. For reading myth with different perspective, it is recommended book. Worth reading.

Thank you.

Animal Farm's comparison with present scenario

 Hey everyone, recently I have read a book "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. We all are aware about its history, it is allegory or satire or fable or just a novel. There is a term in literature in which, we can interpret any work of art in anyway. This novel is actually a political allegory and based on 'Russian Revolution'. Though, I am going to interpret it with  different present time's scenario. 

              While reading this novel, I was connected it with various incidents which happening in and around city, village, state, country or world. In the first incident of rebellion there was meeting. Old Major had a dream of rebellion against Mr. Jones. Old Major presents intellectual audience like Media, Reports, Scholars, Writers, Activists etc. Mr. Jones presents past rulling class.  

                     Animals of Manor Farm present a people of present time such as they are not at all aware about their and society's condition. "They always found themselves in agreement with the one who speaking at the movement." Boxer presents lower class of society. Benjamin is representing a group of people who are aware about their condition but not ready to do anything. Muriel presents female class (there are exceptions) who are interested in outer look, apitite and convenience. Moses presents spoon person. 

          " We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies." All the lower class of society has relevant with it. They are earning for their day to day life. Even there is problematic situations such as inflation, poverty, dieces and starvation. " Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever."- Old Major.  In present time, there are so many posts are vacant, but no one is ready to fill that post. Some people work on that post on private base, no one is ready to speak. Why they are not filling that posts? Of course, they pay less to employ, and ask for overwork.  

          "Never listen when they tell you that Man and animals have a common interest, it is all lies."  As Karnataka election is going on, all the parties stand for comman people as #comman_man. Party leaders came with their cry for common interest which soon vanished after election. In rally, they spend lots of money to fool people and unfortunately people are believing in them. 

         'Beast of England' presents song of rights of commoners as constitutional awareness. Napoleon presents rulling class of society. Squealer presents a leders who have extraordinary ability to convince people no matter situation is wrost or not. Snowball also presents intellectual people. 'Ribbons' or any object connected with animals is like #uniform. At every level there is some kind of uniform connected with that institute. By covering in this uniform they make robots. 

     " Sudden uprising of creatures whom they were used to thrashing and maltreating. " Just like wrestlers, they choose to protest and throw away Mr. Jones( Brij Bihari). However, we are in Napoleon government so his #pigs must be safe.  Freedom of Manor Farm is connected with idea of #utopia. "It was as though they had never seen these things before, and even niw they could hardly believe that it was all their own." Nearby every freedom fight is like that. No matter it's India's or any other country. 

            They used to make assembly in which animals can put their thoughts and do debet. Such as Man ki Bat and other things which have no value. Education of animals can connect with use of digital tools nowadays. Higher class and somehow middle class can compete with it. What about lower class? They can't afford it and that is why though they are literate treated as illiterate. 

          I recently watch short film of  female journalist of Nagaland's smaller village. She was the only one who is ready to do it. She used to went 40 km everyday for her job in which she rises the cases of raps which was happened on Dalit women. She collected all the details that how they suppressed the cases just because they are 'Dalit'. She questions to police as well as other ministers so bravely. As always they don't have answers of suppressed cases.

      " We pigs are brain workers. Day and night we are watching over your welfare." It is connected with again rulling class. Especially literate treated others like that. In seven commandments they decided that all animals are equal. In the constitution there is also such kind of rights( Article 21 & Article 15) but who cares. Sent out pigeons to spred rebellion is connected with free media. 

           In the novel, writer provide allusion of "Julius Caesar" which was used by Snowball. Hard seasons in the novel present climate change in present time as such we are going through heat wave. Windmill construction connected with building of flyover in Bhavnagar. The idea was proposed in 2009 and from 2020 it has been started constructing. With lots of money and labour still it is work in progress. 

                " Do not imagine, comrade, that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility." This lines from Squealer have double standards. Soon after Snowball expulsion again the situation becomes a same. Squealer spreds rumours about other farms and Snowball as now days happening by the film 'Kerela story.'  As per research only three women converted in Islam and after that joined ISIS. But in movie, they showed a number is 32,000. 

      "I will work harder, Napoleon is always right. " This slogan is like mob mentality. When animals started sleeping in the bad, it can be connected with elite class. Especially that people who are using such facelities and pretending that they don't want it but by their position they have to use it. 

         ' Abolishment of Sunday meeting'   Any animal who speaks against Napoleon and asking for some justification, they make them silent or simply ignore them. As "Adani" incident, in which there is not a single explanation for that. Blast of windmill connected with 'Noida twin tower demolition' there was lots of money and labour investment in it. Though due to illigal construction it was demolished by BMC. 

        " It has become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune."  Just like our some politician even Babas and businessmen too, people started giving them all credit. Reason is only that they have #power. "Thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon, how excellent this water tastes!" Some spoon person of famous personalities uses statements which sound silly and comic. Even some leader don't have ability to speak, just like some politician who become then topic of memes. 

           Second bettle of animal farm presents "Caste roit" which happens in and around. " When a pig and any other animal met on the path, the other animal must be stand aside." Caste based discrimination is still going on. People nowadays too wash glass after giving them a water. Additionally, " the fluttering of the flag, they were able to forget that their bellies were empty." When politician came on stage they don't talk about changes and divert people to be jingoist person or god devote. People are blind that they believed in it. 

           Boxer's death is connected as death of real rebellions who are ready to work but not acknowledged by anyone. The interment of him presenting grave of labour, trust and expectations of common people towards rulling party. Squealer told them that the pigs had enormous labour everyday upon mysterious things called 'files, reports and memoranda.'  Making of budget, three years plan, fiver years plan etc of rulling class. That all subsidies and pension plans which is not at all effective. 

              Last meeting of Napoleon with the farmers is connected with decedence of democracy. There is lots of overpriced of present scenario, " congratulations to the pigs on the low rations, the long working hours and the general absence of pampering."  Pigs not only look like a men they become men. Idea of civilization is like that, they tried to civilized other people and while that they become savage. 

 "All animals are equal but some  animals are more equal than others." 

             This line is kind of reality of the current. The list of that some animals are too big. You stuck in the cycle of slave-free-slave because of power-hungry people. No matter how hard you fought for your freedom, you decision of choosing wrong leader throw back to your past slavery. Animal Farm was in our second year's syllabus unfortunately I didn't read it at that time. Now I can interpret it with various ideas and examples. 

        Thus,  the "Animal Farm" constructed so many ideas in it. One can interpret in any way. Journey of Manor Farm to Animal Farm is too hard. You must have to become rebellious for fighting against dark side of society. Unity of people and good leaders can make #Animal_farm or #Utopia or #Ramrajay. All we need is to be aware about present scenario. 

Thank you.💫✨

 

Intentional Fallacy

 

Intentional fallacy.pptx from Dhatri Parmar

Reality and Sincerity

 

Reality and Sincerity.pptx from Dhatri Parmar

Myth, Fiction and Displacement.

 

The Free Voice 💫✨

 "The Free Voice"-  The Astonishing Book

 I have recently completed the book "The Free Voice" . As on the 3rd May, World Press Freedom Day, let us celebrate the free voice. This book is a kind of satire along with political ideas. We were brought up in society where we learnt to keep silent.(when you are a girl then you must) This book has so many different ideas with lots of facts, figures and references. 

    In the preface the writer talked about mobs who have power to do anything, with reference to Tabrez Ansari's case and how the media serve this news like dessert in drawing rooms of the elite. Importance of fresh and free thinking with figures and facts depicted here.

The few scholars who did speak of it have been marginalized. Mobs don't have a truth to feel proud about, that is why they believed in falsehood. People's ability to ask questions is diminished. Parents and teachers tell everyone to not ask questions. He talked about #whatsapp_university. 

  

         

         One of the finest sentences in the book is this. How authority forced us to not just speak only carefully but not to speak. Here some of the words used for satire like #lapdog, #godimedia etc. "There is law in Operation, the law of fear." How this mob and whatsapp University play major role to impute fear in people's mind. Most of the time people remain silent, because though they want to support the mob, they become part of it.  "To be afraid is to be civilized."🙃 And yes be aware act of questioning #king/cortier too can transform you into a minority. 

              In next chapter, writer talked about #Robopublic. Fake news is a tool that "Power" uses to transport citizens to an alternative reality, forgetting their real and urgent problems. This is a kind of game to play with so called 'voters'. If someone is raising their voice then they become anti-national that's what the thing is. 

           Here is list of websites which is free from #fear. 

1. altnews.in

2. indispend.com

3. boomlive.com

4. www.hoaxslayer.net

5. mediavigil.com

          We must make a valiant effort to make youth and people aware about what is happening.  We are never in doubt. We swallow whatever we are given without question. There are lots of people who spread rumors, how nice it is that there is punishment for rumor-mongers but none for those who believe in them. 

              

          Additionally, Writer provides lots of references from Congress government, AAP Party, Samajwadi Party, BJP and vice versa. Our recently studied writer "Arundhati Roy '' is also cited here for her injustice and spread of rumors due to fake news. And famous personalities abuse her. That is quite a question. 

              In the next chapter there is detailed description of project of #installing_fear. He used political jargon in it. "Converting every people in mob into a possible killer-this too is an ongoing process."  

He satires on this so called #twitter handle. People are using it for creating fame, especially politicians and the media that want them to follow them back. What is more ironic is that apart from focusing on the development of the country they are playing a game of follow-unfollow. When you are at a certain stage you must be aware who you follow on such handles that's what he is trying to say in it. Our society and the responsible people support 'beti bachao, beti padhao' only at slogan level. 

        He used a perfect reference of Hitler's Germany. I was not aware about the history of it so it provides me with some ideas. How ideologies forcefully put into the mob. That was quite shocking for me to know about the history of it. To become a mob, at any place, at any time, it is to become Hitler's Germany. 

In the next chapter, Being a people he stated examples of our Rishi like Chanakya. Human bombs are the most dangerous for people. Germany's people studied the history of Nazi so that they would repent. Can our people do this ?  Idea of loss of reputation connected with only a higher class of people. It is important to have a plurality of parties and ideologies.

In democracy, the people come first in all senses, the system is meant to serve them, be answerable to them. He said that to create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion is also a form of terrorism.  "Be a film star's fan or cricketer's, but never be a politician's fan." We don't elect any leader to give stunning speeches rather for work. 

People have fear of being dissenter (virodhi). If we are not vigilant in our rights in a democracy, it doesn't matter how much bournvita we consume.  

Most of the time we remain silent, but actually society teaches us to be. So that when we need people to take a stand for us there is no one.

In which he provided ample examples of Facebook posts which were questioned. Due to the reputation of politicians and famous figures it had been detected. Fortunately, I was also privileged to be the victim of deleting Facebook posts. As my classmates and I were aware about water's value, we saw exactly the opposite. Big Brother is watching everything, we met at great fate. Though we had supportive leaders who stood with us.

" There is a lot that we don't question, a lot that we just don't see."

                

       To have faith is a good thing, no doubt. But that faith should rest on the foundation of facts, not emotions. It is proved that two percent of the population hold ninety percent of wealth. Other percent of people mostly remain silent when they speak, there will be revolt. 

       Talking about a leader's skill, where one leader dwarfs the landscape, there will be no 'lok' only 'tantra'. Only a hollowed system and temple of falsehood. 

             In the next chapter he talked about #Baba and their ideologies. Coincidentally, we all, especially women, were brought up by hearing this story. Somehow I also believe in a kind of ritual like Rishi Panchami but as soon as I matured I learnt that this is not true. One best reality he told is that when the poor take refuge with a baba for the sake of spiritualism, it becomes superstition; when the rich take refuge , it becomes a stress-management course. One more thing is that our political leaders use religion as a weapon. 

         

In the next chapter ' How we love' he made reference to bollywood films, and talked about how there is no space for lovers and love. Numerous murders happened just because of love, you are very well aware of what is its reason, of course caste. " If you have only loved work, then what use is life ? If you are never possessed by the madness to look for hours into another's eye."(Ishq) That's what he stated for people who didn't acknowledge the value of love or feelings. He used a reference from the movie 'Rudaali'''s song " Jis man ko lage naina, woh kisko dikhaoon. " Writer told to be love-friendly. 

         He throws light upon #dowry like, a women must be only commodity whose price is fixed by a man's worth.🙃 Money along with a bride. After all, the bride is the #dowry herself. (Satire)

In the next chapter, 'The fundamental right to privacy', the writer depicted the value of this law. One can have the right to question and criticize the Government, it can strengthen Indian democracy.  He described the whole process of making the law and how it was declared and how it will defend people and stand by them. But no right is absolute. There will always be reasonable restrictions. So we must fight for privacy means to raise a voice. 

 Writer whole heartedly criticize #Mainstream_media.  We learnt to ignore the things and when we learn to ignore the reality, it is no laughing matter. He put forward examples of our martyrs, Guru Ravidas and Kabir and Geeta. Free medias are 

1. The Wire

2. The Scroll

3. The Caravan

4. The Telegraph.

In the next chapter, "Reading 1984 in 2019" , he made reference to George Orwell's 1984. He was quite amazed that it is relatable in the present time. 

" They no longer have a mind of their own, no sense of discernment." Welcome to the new republic, you have become the #party. Those who have not and must pay the price. 

In the very last chapter, it is about Independence day celebration. "A person without compassion is a savage underneath the banner of piety and religiosity. If you have achieved dominance over any kind of hatred within yourself, increased your level of tolerance, you have the right to celebrate Independence day. If you don't hate another religion or community, you can celebrate it. If you have raised your voice against hatred, or faced war, within yourself, you can celebrate it. 

So this is how he combined all the ideas from different times and places.

In a way, this book takes more than 15 days to complete. I learned more than 150 new words throughout the book. (Beginner of reading English you know.) I used to sit with a pencil and highlighter to find new words and interesting facts/quotes. This book is in a way, came up with new ideas and ideologies. Some were too new to me. If you believe in facing new realities and are ready to be overthinker then you must have to read this book. It will definitely give you a new way to question and understand the world around you in a better way. 

Thank you.❤️💫