Break all barriers; break all boundaries

Meghna Maiti

Mumbai

“Imagine all the people, living life in peace, you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one……”- John Lennon

Long after the days of idealists and activists such as Lennon, Rabindranath Tagore, we still imagine and entertain visions of liberation, democracy, peace, progressivism. The world might have changed to a great extent by now, but it is still quite the same when it comes to these ideals. Hence, freedom and liberation has remained elusive concepts and wishful thinking. 

We especially realise this when we see all around us painted, tainted fascist zombies, waiting in queues for the next deal which would make them richer, saner and firmer. Most of us like our daily lives to be governed by set of rules- discipline is the keyword- life has to be governed by the hands of clock. There is no sense of democracy anywhere- we are not allowed to speak unless we get permission from a supreme authority. And in most cases a higher authority lets rules do all the talking. Most of the time vested interests are de-stabilising the expression of people’s choice. We are increasingly becoming afraid to speak out, to live freely, to be happier. We feel our convictions challenged by phobias, different viewpoints. 

We do not want to venture into unfamiliar territory and unknown lands. And slowly and undoubtedly, we are heading towards a paralysed world. Then what would happen to our much-cherished dreams of progressivism, liberalism, enlightenment? How do we express ourselves freely if we are constantly monitored, attacked and threatened? 

A day has to come when we gain enough strength to break all barriers, boundaries and just fly infinitely, endlessly. We should have purer, unconditional relationships. We could become as spontaneous as a sea-mermaid and as timeless as the vast Arabian sea. Individuals should get ahead rather than rules. And then with the yarns of light we will spin tales of freedom. Slowly, we will become untouched by temporary defeats, failures, success. We will listen to our own voices and slain the devils coming our way. 

ENDS

A Pure Life

A Pure Life

“So help me god it gets more and more preposterous, it corresponds less and less to what I remember and what I expect as if the force of life were centrifugal and threw one further and further away from one’s purest memories and ambition….” – John Cheever- The death of Justima

In Somerset Maugham’s “The Moon and Sixpence”, Charles Strickland- the protagonist- stockbroker turned painter who pursues his true calling from the age of thirty-six, reveals a strength of character that borders on the inhuman- a sense of being possessed by a demon. While his betrayal of family, duty and honour gives him the freedom to achieve greatness, his decision leads to an obsession which carries severe implications. On his single-minded pursuit of liberation, there is no space for any kind of distraction apart from some comic reliefs in the form of alcohol, women (what else?).

Sometimes when I shut my eyes, I think of the genius painter- Paul Gaugin- on whom the character of Strickland is based. I see him, with my mind’s eyes, on his rocking chair in  his small bungalow in Tahiti island, away from the eyes of humanity, wearing nothing but a pareo; going down to the reef to catch small, coloured fish that Ata, his wife would fry in coconut oil; I see him going for long walks, painting and reading in the evening; and at night, when the simple, rural folks of the faraway village sleep away peacefully in their humble huts, when the intensity of the silence is as deep as forbidden love, I see him clearly with Maugham’s eyes- dancing to some divine, wild tune, in ecstacy, under the blue sky, the starry night and the Pacific Ocean.

My idea of a pure life also comes from the vision of a primitive existence- peaceful, away from the malice and hostility of common, urban folks- in close association with nature- a life of utmost conviction in an idea led by deepest instinct- a sense of intense fulfillment.

How difficult it is to stay rooted in our most unpretentious dreams, not to be swayed by the diluting waves of civilization? How do we get the courage of spirit to go where we should ideally be? How much longer and when?

Meghna Maiti

ENDS