By Ananya S Guha
Now naming children is a problem. Not of course a cashless society. Although I am a votary of social networking sites, one thing in particular I always feel is that it is used and unchallenged. The profligates write anything, say anything, stalk and abuse people whose views don’t match theirs. And theirs is retrogressive, from Amartya Sen gunning for the Nobel to, you are a leftist. Secularism has to be redefined and rewritten. History has to be re-worked, Besmirched and opinionated definitions of ‘culture ‘ are bandied. For example: Hindu is synonymous with India. Well that has been happening for a long time, even before the present government came to power. The Congress government for votes cleverly instilled new ideologies by orchestrating television shows such as Mahabharata. No one bothered to read it, but eager to view it’s mangled soap opera. Politics has it’s quirks, but not in a country which is dependent on the illiterate for power, wooing them from all tangible perspectives; from money to rabble rousing, from using the defamatory to the inflammatory. Not that the so called masses, a claptrap now, are fools. They are intelligent and can shame any enlightened democracy. Look what they did in Bihar, but they also change, shift and politick. That is why, this is a highly unpredictable country, and those reigning horses cash on such uncertainty with elan and aplomb.
So what if a child is named Taimur? What if its Hitler? What if Indira? Shall we draw the personality cult and ask for annulment? Shall we go to the courts? Shall we stage strikes and demonstrations? The demonstrations that online media has raged over these may not be taken seriously by all. But online media has of course two clear sides. And one, which can hit back, talk back, one which upholds a fair spirit of democracy without hubris or malice. And mind you, these people could well be die hard Hindus as well, and there is nothing wrong with this. But what is wrong, which is becoming malfeasance is new found patriotism. A new found antidote for all the sick things of the country, which includes both physical and verbal bashing, false claims and accusations. It is not a case of being a ‘ devotee’ you can be a good ‘ devotee’ as well, without hurting others’ sentiments. This ‘ other’ many of us sadly enough are yet to discover, despite almost seventy years of the country’s torrid existence, absorbing and even withstanding many horrors.
The fact is that the so called online media, is no organised media at all but people cavorting with time, playing time and passing time. But should they be taken seriously? But they are, even when they are displaying their breakfast table with ostentation Even if they moan about how so-and-so has wronged them, with more than a slice of masochism.
So, if a filmy couple, one Muslim and the other Hindu name their child Taimur, there is problem. Firstly because Taimur was a Turkish invader, who plundered the country. Second, because he was Taimur the Lame, history text books in schools have always worked cleverly a relationship with his nature and an insidious walk. So, not knowing what the word means, a hue and cry is raised. Not that it matters to the family. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, the gentleman that he was, would not have perhaps said a word. But what is ominous, is the growing intolerance, the petty holier than thou positions. This makes one ashamed, arising into self a sense of betrayal.
Secondly is the articulation of distorted history. History cannot be argued against in moral terms of good and bad. All that has happened in the country since Indus Civilisation is an artefact of history, interpretive and to be given fresh look. It has led to present polity, ethos and state formation. The quibbling remains of course, also the battles. But slowly some shape of stability is coming through, not because of one language or religion, but through a sense of tolerance, understanding and belonging.
So, by all means be a Bhakt, but be a good Bhakt. Thirdly how celluloid has captured imagination of people in the country is of fantasy proportions. Reality shows is our world, the fictive and the imaginative crosses sword with the reality. So, if an ordinary citizen had named his child Taimur, it could well have been dismissed. But cult figures cannot commit such heinous mistakes. The celluloid world is larger than life, so this larger world is real. Sadly enough social networking sites seem to have their dominance- misshapen, cut off from grass root realities. Once again, the country goes for a silent toss. Taimur might have been a marauder, now we have dark, online predators, for whom again the reel is real. What a pity!