Feasting on the Mahabharatha

For around close to a month now, I have taken to telling the boys one different story each night at bedtime. Its something I had always meant to get around to, but never made the time for in terms of planning. But thankfully, that bit of inertia was overcome and now I read up something different each day, and create the right atmosphere each night, with the lights off, sheets tucked under little chins, eyes wide as saucers in the dark, all other claims of life put on hold for those 20 magical minutes as mythology meets imagination, and carefully chosen words fall on eager little ears. At first they were whatever mythological stories I could remember from my own readings of Amar Chitra Katha. But when Winkie started out-narrating me, with his faultless memory in his more recent readings of the very same texts, I realised I would have to have a theme, and diligently research each story, to create that right effect of drama with carefully interjected details of nuances, which would delight the listeners and weave a blanket of charm and allure over all the protagonists.

And so it was that I began telling them stories from the Mahabharatha. As a child, and a teen, and even now as an adult, I was and continue to be most fascinated by this great epic. Every single character in the story has so many little inner stories to take you even deeper into their lives, and even take you off track from the main plot. But each one of these digressions allows you to taste the richness of it all and understand that mystical setting that was the period of the Mahabharatha. I love hearing about the grandsire Bhishma, and his ultimate sacrifice to give up the crown and even conjugal happiness. I love the air of mystery and victory in a swayamvar, as the princess chooses the one who truly deserves to have her. I love the mysterious ways in which some of the births take place, like that of the Pandavas and the Kauravas and even Pandu and Dhritharashtra themselves. I love Krishna's guiles and tricky advice, which when you sit down to analyse, you realise is steeped in dharma. I love the sound of all the astras that are given as boons to the brave ones who do the most rigorous of penances for them. I loooooo....ooove the story of Karna, and it almost always leaves a lump in my throat, to know how doomed he was from the start. His life was a most valuable lesson to all. I love the solemnity of that period, where a word once given, was defended to the end with your own life. Where war had rules and honor and subsequently, even dishonor.

And so it was with great pleasure and eagerness that I sat down to read a few passages each night, willing my tired end-of-the-day brain to memorise the names and places and people and weapons, to be able to recreate that vivid texture back to the boys in their room. I started off with the story of Vishwamitra and Menaka, narrating it in the most innocent terms possible. Winkie barely had the patience then, for he couldn't see what they would have to do with any of the meatier portions of the story, of the game of dice and the exile, and finally the war. But I told him every story would have a proper place to start, and there needs to be a period of build-up, which must precede the strong portion of the narrative. And so they both listened raptly, and understood who Shakuntala was, and that her son was the reason the homeland got her name, and that in this great line of ancestry, finally comes King Shantanu, who marries the River Goddess Ganga, and watches in shock as she drowns so many of  their sons, and what was Bhishma's history even before that birth, and why he was cursed to this life, and also blessed to choose the exact moment of his departure from earth. And fast forward 2 generations, and how each one of the sisters Ambika & Ambalika react when they see the scary persona of Sage Vyasa, and how that affects the children they bear. And then of course, the story goes into overdrive from that point, and you are no longer steering it. It has now assumed a will of its own, and will see itself through to its final fitting climax and anticlimax.

But I am getting ahead of myself. We still haven't gotten that far. Right now, we are at how each of the Pandavas were born, and we sidetracked a bit from there into the detailed life of Karna and his ultimate death. My spirits are a little low right now, for I am still not over his demise and how the fates played out for him all through the story. And was remembering so keenly Sivaji Ganesan's ultimate performance in Karnan, when I googled to see if was available even by the remotest possibility, and viola! There it was, a very old old print, but in full print nonetheless. I am super excited and looking forward to movie night on Friday when we can premiere it to the boys. Of course a lot will have to be translated, but it will be thrilling for them to see some of the action live. On the same note, I also managed to find quite a few full episodes of the Hindi serial on veoh.com, and am looking forward to those protracted viewing sessions.

Which all brings me ultimately to kutti Thambi's favorite story in the epic....that of Abhimanyu and how he entered the chakkafew and was ultimately trapped inside it, and assailed by Jayadratha among many others and overpowered and killed, but how he was the hero that we all love and rooted for all through. The story of Abhimanyu is truly a heartbreak and it really made a deep impression on Thambi. Its most entertaining to hear him narrate it in his yankee accent calling the Pandavas ...Pan-davas (with pan as in pan-card!). And thanks to him, his uncle and aunt from London and Altoid, who visited prior to that, know that story so intimately, that they can do a thesis on it, thanks to all the countless narrations he subjected them to on our long roadtrip over the Easter break, a few weeks ago.

But again, I digress. The Mahabharatha is on in full swing now. And its only a matter of time before I put my hand to my heart and start singing Mahabhaaaaaaaarath.....Mahabhaaaaaaaaaaaarath........Mahabhaaaaaaaaaarath. [Click on the link to listen to the original. :)]....punctuated with a solemn blowing of the conch, just before storytime. Yes, we are that hung over here. :)

[Image courtesy google.com]