IP REDUX; Corn Mothers !!!

An episode that left me thinking how deep thinking the writers of IPK are generally involved into but on the other side I feel why then sometimes they are not been properly valued??? Why o Why 4 Lions don't even properly schedule their shoots and generate the optimum productivity with the limited resources??? To be a successful storyteller the ingredients one needs are - Thinkers, writers, art directors, camera profs, good director, nice back ground stuff and good actors; all these ingredients are present with the PH yet there is a lack in their storytelling sometimes and we don't even see the "Punch" in every episode. I have never seen such an "Aesthetic" way of storytelling anywhere else apart from here. Couple of scenes and they are above par; having said that, then also we see some scenes where neither head nor tail exists. I question myself every day after watching the episode but still no answer. Then again this is the creative team who had think of loops, innuendos, social issues, educated people on hardships, made people aware to put a smile on the face even if it seems to be the most hardest thing to do on earth, informed people of various metaphorical connections related to the characters, make the characters real and today we saw one such connection and I am proud that they thought of the characters who not being the lead but still are the most precious and close to my heart; they are "Garimaji and Buaji" - the "Corn Mothers". Fantastic.

All of you must be thinking what is in the title. Isn't it??? Just because they showed baby corn??? No. it's not because of that. When I first saw the episode, I thought this is related to Arnav but then kept on thinking but somewhere it was not fitting and I may be wrong still, but it was not of Arnav alone but it was related to Khushi too. Then came to my mind was Stephen King's famous short stories - "Children of Corn". Still not fitting because if children of corn then why only Khushi and Arnav every righteous person is children of corn. Nah, this is not it. When I thought of this I was sure of one thing that it is definitely related to "Corn" whether baby or matured corn, I was not sure because "corn" as we know is also "Maize" which is the first crop ever cultivated and MUST be cultivated and it is the part of every culture's mythology. So, yup, corn it is, but still my query was unanswered and I still kept thinking the probable link. What is "Corn" described in Bible??? It means - "Good". It brings the "harvest".

As in verses - Mark 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

Have you ever thought why there is "No wild corn" when there's wild apples, wild grape, wild potato, wild cherry, wild lettuce, wild rice??? Corn was always available in the wild but this is the only crop that is always fully cultivated even in the wild. As Stephen King says - "there are no animals, insects, or weeds anywhere in the cornfield, and that every stalk of corn is blemish-free". This is why the Navajos (Native Americans) termed the Corn plant as "Second Mother" (Earth being termed as the First Mother). Even much before the civilizations, they relied only on the "Maize" for nourishment. There were various customs and rituals that revolved around the "Corn Mother". The Corn Mother was also present at the naming of the child, and remained the child's spiritual mother for the rest of her or his life. For perfect balance and harmony, we need to see the unconditional giving in the stories of the Corn Mother. The old ones tell us that in the First World, Corn Mother came to us into the Circle of Life. As we began to move away from Balance and Harmony of Life, we forgot about Corn Mother, we had lost the wisdom of the corn. Yes, "Corn Mothers", indeed. Two pious women, who neither bore Khushi nor Arnav in their womb, but still are their God Mothers a.k.a "Corn Mothers".

Now let's come to the point of why "Corn Mothers". Why not baby corn or corn??? What is a baby corn??? If you read wiki then it will define baby corn as such - it is a cereal grain taken from corn (maize) harvested early while the ears are very small and immature. It typically is eaten whole-cob included - in contrast to mature corn, whose cob is considered too tough for human consumption. Yes, this is baby corn in contrast to mature corn. But to be more precise, immature cobs of sweet corn, picked off the stalk as the ear begins to develop. This is why "Baccha makai" is uttered by Garimaji. You know what happens???

Baby corns are eaten in immaturity and it is never given the opportunity to grow. Baby corns are taken away from the stalks. The stalks develop first, and they get to be about six feet high. As a gardener, any one would watch one's cornstalk grow, grow and grow; then see the tiny, tiny ears develop, with the strands at the end (called cornsilk, appropriately enough). Once the ear is pollinated (fertilized), the kernels will start to develop. You shouldn't pick the ear too soon; kernels on an unpollinated ear will be mighty sparse. But don't wait too long, either, if you want the cob tender. But the EXACT OPPOSITE thing happened with Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada.

I want to take you all to the first episode of Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon. The first day was shown when Arnav Singh Raizada came to finance a person named "Mr. Malik" but instead he directed the briefcase loaded with money to another person named Mr. Khan. Then Mr. Malik smirked - "Arre Raizada Sahab, attache udhar nehin, idhar aani thi, humari oor, lata hain aap ka nishana chuk gaya". ASR then firmly answered him - "Arnav Singh Raizada ka nishana kabhi nehin chukta, paisa mera SHAUK nehin PESHA hain". Mr. Malik then begged him for changing the decision and upon reminding of how principled he is, Arnav said - "Ussul sirf bewakoofon ke liye hota hain , karobaar mein sirf ek hi ussul hota hain aur who hain paisa aur zindagi ne mujhe bahut pehle sikha diya ki agar zameer hota bhi hain toh usse maar dalo"; then he turned around and took off his aviator and said - "hai naa??? Chachaji". The FB then showed us why he is not Arnav Malik and Arnav Singh Raizada; then his Chachaji witnessed that the 15yr old boy whom he had thrown out of Sheeshmahal along with his Di, Anjali, is not the man that he saw 12 years back. He has changed and today reality has made him matured Corn with the husky coverings which no one can pass through for 12 years back, that day this baby corn was eaten away, was immature and still needed to some years to develop. He developed but with the husks around and no one could ever get in to the sweet corn on the cob.

Then we saw the fashion show segment which made us think that Arnav Singh Raizada did ever grow actually or the world had become a standstill for him. We saw Arnav informing Anjali on the stage that he is renovating Sheeshmahal to open his new mill and she said - "tum humara ghar thod doge"??? Then Arnav said - "Woh humara ghar tha di, ab nehin hain". Then Anjali said - "Yehi toh main tumhein kab se samjhate aayi hoon Arnav, lekin tum aaj bhi who pe khare ho; pandra saal ka Arnav apni di ko sambhalte hue andar hi andar sishak raha tha, apne aasoon apne di pe bhi zahir hone nehin diya". Then Arnav said - "Arnav Singh Raizada kab ka uss se aage nikal chuka hain aur apne hi dam par waqt ko badal bhi chuka hain". Yup, but has he??? No. He is still there and that is why he bought Seeshmahal and renovated it to a Mill just to destroy the structure and erase the bad memories that he collected through out his growing years. Today what we see is the Hard core "Iron man" and not the man with a "Tender Heart" because his "Heart" is the soul like corn is covered with ego coverings, just as you have to strip away the husk to get at the good stuff on the inside, likewise one must remove their ego coverings to get at the true self, coats and cloaks are also symbols of the ego.

This is why we need "Corn Mothers" in Garimaji and Buaji and they are the God Mothers who are slowly but steadily entering his heart like stripping away the husk to get to that sweet corn. Today, when Buaji was trying to place the cooler it was their Arnav who willingly helped her and this track in the GH is all about mutually accepting each other like I had said earlier, if Arnav is needed to call Garimaji as "Amma" then Garimaji also needs to earn that position. Today we saw that Arnav who felt the pain of Khushi when he witnessed her "deferred dreams". Isn't it??? Arnav Malik is always there just we need the right person to bring it out at the right moment and the person who only can do that is a "Mother" for "you find solace only in your Mother's lap".

We have another corn child and she is "Khushi Kumari Gupta". She is fortunate here than Arnav as she was nurtured by her "Corn Mothers". Remember my "Raisin" theory where I explained Khushi's "Deferred dreams"??? Do I still need to explain that today again??? Oh thank you I guess no. After 3 heartbreaks, here comes her deepest desire in front of her prince charming and he witnessed since childhood what she dreamt of.

"Pain reaches the heart with electrical speed, but truth moves to the heart as slowly as a glacier".

Today again I remembered the Grihapravesh day, where I loved how Khushi was remembering her dreams about marriage while touching the lehenga; that day Khushi needed to consume and live the lesson imparted by her Corn Mother, Garimaji. It was that day when she realized Shyaam's duplicity and broke the engagement; for her DM had other plans for her; for her DM witnessed the lesson taught by Khushi's Mother. When one lesson became true with Payal how can another lesson remain unattended??? Khushi really got married to her prince charming in a fleet but she still is in ambiguity whether life is really fair to her or not. Her dream of a perfect marriage was shattered forever but like her Mom explained there are some marriages where you get the answer along with the days of your life. She will get the answer eventually for as Garimaji said "Koi farak nehin padta jeevan saathi aacha hona chahiye". Bas, God has a very harsh way of proving it sometimes. Yes, marriages are made in heaven and Arnav and Khushi are destined to be together.

Today's scene also took me to the first scene where I never expected the creative team to open this loop again. The most touching scene was then when Garimaji was explaining Payal and Khushi the various facets of the same relationship. That relationship is the most sacred one. "Marital Relationship". Yes, she explained the two ways of it. One is when a girl meets her prince charming and lives happily ever after. That is when Payal open the window of future and remembered Aakash. Yes today, she got married with her prince charming and started her own life. The other one is when Garima said that you can only know your prince charming while you spend your entire life with him. Living life with him will give you the answer eventually about your prince charming. Sometimes we feel the sudden decision may not be good to us but eventually we come to know it was destined to happen. We were meant to be together.

Today we see how her dream of being a "Dulhan" is known to her prince charming. What a loop opening. She described how her lehenga should be of green and red for one is evergreen and the other is a symbol of love; how light but ornamental her ear rings should be like a wind chime; how her tiara should be like pure as moon; how her veil should be placed on her head. Everything was heard by Arnav and the pain of her shattered dreams of not only her bridal wear but the dream of a life with her prince charming for eternity even is broken into pieces. Arnav listened to all these and couldn't meet his eyes with his soul. How will he for he cannot face her questionable eyes??? He just cannot. This loop is so opened now for he will fulfill all her dreams and prove not only he is Khushi's prince charming but he will prove his "Corn Mother" right on her advice that - "Koi farak nehin padta jeevan saathi aacha hona chahiye".

The pain might have reached their hearts with electrical speed but the truth will surely make an entry into their hearts even if it is travelling in glacier's speed. It doesn't matter how long it takes. When the truth will finally dawn in them I so want to see them both cupping each other's face and shedding tears of joy for they have realized their love and found each other for eternity.

The truth which started with glacier's speed now is coming slowly slowly to hit the reality. There were so many innuendos and I will touch on the points here as my post turned a marathon anyway.

1. Kal hum shantiban jayenge, bhoolna mat kyun ki main yaad rakhunga

Now, this will start the confrontation IMO between Arnav and Khushi and that's what I figured today at the last scene. So, she will refuse to go and then the half-truth of their wedding will come out which will compel Khushi to return to RM to confront Shyaam and fcourse Payal clause is always there. So, those had even an iota of doubt in whether Khushi will return to RM or not has got their answers. Or, this can be used by Arnav later on after the Khushi walks out.

2. Train jitni lambi umar hai inki

Now, didn't I mention yesterday that ASR is going to be attacked by Shyam??? Yup, this innuendo does prove that.

3. Bhagwan tumhein yeh sab thik karne ke liye buddhi de

I loved this. Nothing beats a blessing from the heart of an elderly person. This is almost equal to God's blessing. He will solve all the problems in the end.

4. Cow dung

Not an innuendo but a good antiseptic when wet and it is believed in India and with the help of neighbors Arnav's repentance will be over for sure. Nice touch by the creative.

5. Raizada Repair center and Khushi's samaj seva

Well I think they will club this in future and this is where I see the "Troop" been built for the war.

6. Mujhe koi kaam adhoora chodna aacha nehin lagta

Ofcourse. This is ASR and he will complete all the works that is pending till date including fulfilling Khushi's dream. Any doubt???