JNDSD~ My take Tuesday 21st February 2017 ~ playing on the same side..
Life involves moving , shifting ,kicking, passing, catching, dropping! performing in a game ! This game fate , future, fortune, destiny ,providence pre-ordains and predetermines for us! We just play the game! Some believe, that we cannot alter the rules of the game, while others believe we can have a bearing on how we play the game of life! This game of life does have the win or lose aspect. Our inherent traits, our circumstances determines whether we win or lose but most of all how we play and tackle the force of destiny is the decisive factor that makes us winners or losers. Hence in the game of life as in a game, there is one's own team and the opposing team which one contends with. In the opening section of the episode something that Atharv said made me think in terms of sports, and this verse sprang to my mind.. " as flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods ,they kill us for their sport"..Shakespeare..is likening the gods to immature, uncaring, unjust children, and man to insignificant flies, creatures subject to sportful cruelty... can destiny too be seen as unjust towards Atharv and his mother and Vividha ?
I see him, Atharv in the role of a team captain . Very much in charge of teammate, his mother. They have played many games in life.. sheer resilience and team partnership has got them through many hurdles and moments of scoring many goals together. In this new game firmly Atharv lay down the rules. He will leave the pavilion due to ill health, while she will hold fort and continue to play and cover his absence. For the preordained series of events of their lives determines it! This captain knows how to empower the player holding their game.. Atharv reminds his mother they are a team ,playing the same game against the lows and highs of life. He refers to the affinity they have towards the game they play.. are bonded with pain it's best they half their pain so that the not one but both players can share the burden of tackling this new complicated game of Atharv's illness. Sujata as his mother is devastated and insecure..as her team captain, he has to assure his team player that he is only leaving the pavilion but not abandoning the team or the game altogether... as the man in her life, to me he does give firm directives just as team captain does..
What a contrast another mother Uma showers her daughter Vividha with blessings for marrying! where as Sujata implores her son not to leave her such a mess. Another contrast , Atharv tells his mother he's leaving! But she stays! For this game captain Atharv has to have a broader picture of the match's out come! For him, marriage to Vividha is a forgone lost cause! Another contrast.. whereas, he wants to make a hurried quick getaway.. his Vividha takes small demure steps to the mandap, this time accompanied by the women of her household.. to the mandap where another dramatic irony awaits her.. Vividha has no reason now for her beau not to come to her.. in contrast Atharv must depart from her life! yes Sujata knows her captain will change the rules of the game .. she too implores him to inform her about his whereabouts so she too can join him without any one missing her .. but that is not part of his game plan! If he opts to be out of this game.. he chooses to keep no contact with his team player , rather prefers his own company. Here Atharv strikes an affinity with his mothers past, when his father Ramakant too walked into oblivion from this mother's life.. yes perhaps he too is doing the same.. but he will accept the cuss of like father like son! but will not bear to see his mother die at every passing of his dying breath.. one look at her tears, and he changes the game strategy slightly and instead of making his team player confused at her role in the game he gaves her the purpose of being left behind..i.e to fulfill a purpose.. his responsibility of care and love for both Vividha and Ravish that which he will not be able to adhere being the sick player!
Ravish.. the captain's fall back! ..receives the prize.. Vividha and takes her to the pavilion ,the mandap.. eagerly the prize waits for the captain of the winning team for her.. Atharv Sujata.. she can see this captain and her destiny converge soon! He aimed for her and she dreamed of being his most pure, valued relic..for she was made for him to fight for, contend for her in the strenuous game of life..
But her captian.. decides to forgo the precious award that he was obsessed with and bids a detached farewell to his mother.. with a sons request to his mother to light his pyre. He want,his mother to also vow, she would never disclose his ailment, his death ..let them wonder he was out once and for all! He is stopping play due to the dusk... in his life! let the other team play for the trophy! its brighter skies in their part of the world.. and while the bride Vividha waits.. Atharv climbs out of the window ..through a safe passage and drops down to his freedom..far from the madding crowd..
The groom is awaited upon.. Ravish comes for him.. the team player Sujata covers her captain Atharv Sujata's back.. he's out to get something.. bids him to go down, as the captain will return to the pavilion shortly! Atharv ,though goes looking for the why and woes of cruel preordained series of events in his life.. he decides and accounts to the woman who matters to him, an integral part of him, his mother Sujata.. whose continuation he is.. Atharv may seem harsh.. but this he knows he can never really desert his mother..it would be to deny his very own existence.. he just leaves the pavilion not her.. Vividha his prized relic he leaves for one who is his well other part..his back up captain!
Atharv once was strong and sturdy like the tree trunk that he holds now for support..weakens now by Vividha's images.. Vividha he loved.. Vividha he took marriage vows with, now..her, and the vows he took ..become the curling smoke of a candle he snuffed out. Troubled by his thoughts he rests at the bus stop.. destination unknown to him.. but nevertheless predetermined by destiny.. what will be will be..
Sujata holds fort just as her captain commanded her to do so.. she will go to the pavilion and play the game.. but as a mother she is one demoralized player.. he said he would contact her at his final hour.. but she would rather play on as he wished, and never ever hear from him.. if it means her child ,her captain is well.. somewhere... The contrast of Sujata's bitter weeping is muffled by the cadence of the vigorous beating of the drums by Ravish .. loud enough a call for the groom to come! Come then for the marriage bond with the love of his life Vividha.. no sign of ..atharv Vividha begins to wonder.. where is Atharv ???but as usual Ravish keeps matters afloat..
The drum beat fails to reach Atharv instead he hears the pounding of his hardened heart..once soft where his beloved Vividha resided.. she filled every bit of it.. today he hears himself utterly regretfully.. he was sorry he broke all his vows to her..to me he meets his alter ego..before whom he confesses his shortfalls.. justifies leaving his girlfriend due to the nail in his brain..his alter ego tempts him, he should come clean with Vividha.. may be by getting married to Vividha he will give her enough love to last her a life time.. few qualitative moments of love that by far would outweigh the quantitative moments of a life time! Atharv is tempted by his alter ego to get his diagnostic report seen again for a second opinion... which just might say.. there has been some mistake!!!he is not dying! In that instance will Atharv Sujata go back to the pavilion and say he's playing! The game is back on!..
Suddenly there is a thunder storm and play is stopped indefinitely... Hamlet53 22.2.17
What a mess.. so he is well?.. will he return.will Vividha accept him? she already reckons his qualms wrecked their love... sorry folks this Atharv was not how I saw him majority might disagree with me.. so gave I him different look... my intention is not to hurt any readers..
Anupamaa
