Download Full Text Pdf - Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research

www.galaxyimrj.com
Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal
ISSN 2278 – 9529
Social Reality of Caste Hierarchy: Girish Karnad’s The Fire and The Rain
Grishma Manikrao Khobragade,
Assit.Prof. Dept of English,
N.S.S.Programme Officer,
Birla College, Kalyan
G
al
ax
y
Girish Karnard is one of the prominent dramatists of the Indian younger generation. He is
leading playwright and a practitioner of performing arts. He has many plays to his credit. His
creative and performing abilities have developed the Indian theatre.In recognition of his literary
contribution to theatre, Government of India awarded Padmashri in 1974 and Padmabhushan in
1992.He is recipient of the prestigious Gnanpith Award in 1999.
The latest play The Fire and the Rain is based on the myth of Mahabharata. He takes as his
subject the chain of murder,revenge and jealousy in the families of Raibhya and Bharadwaja.This
family broken only by the kindness of Nittilai, a Shudra girl and her lover Arvasu.Girish Karnad
presents this myth with new dimensions which are related to our lives. The story is centered
round a seven year long fire planned to influence the gods to send rain.
Fire sacrifice is being performed seven years there has been a drought. The king proposed to
propitiate the Gods through fire sacrifice. So that the God would be pleased and send rain to the
parched land. In this fire sacrifice Paravasu the son of a learned Brahmin Raibhya was appointed
as the Chief Priest. And the play deals with this appointment and the disappointments of certain
other characters. One disappointment definitely with reference to the father going by ancient
Indian tradition, a lot of emphasis was put on age seniority i.e. age has always been respected.
Older people have always been considered wiser because of their wider experience. Going by this
tradition the learned Raibhya should have been appointed as the chief Priest but for practical
reasons longevity of life span, the King chose to appoint Paravasu, the elder son as the Chief Priest
this appointment had disappointed and agonized the senior. Brahmin who actually had the right of
appointment. Aravasa the younger brother was also kept out of the fire sacrifice ritual. In denying
Aravasu a place on the team of priests it was an additional insult to Raibhya`s family because
tradition had it that the learned father passed on his knowledge and wisdom to his sons. If Paravasu
was worthy enough to be appointed as Chief Priest, Aravasu was qualified enough to be a part of
the sacrifice. Since he did not have any participatory role, there was an element of dissatisfaction
even on behalf of Aravasu. Whole lot of underlying conflict and tension to the fire sacrifice.
Another cause of anger, tension and dissatisfaction is the fact that Raibhya`s elder brother and his
sons had been completely neglected or ignored at the time of the fire sacrifice. Yavakri Paravasu`s
and Aravasu`s cousin who had spent ten years in the forest meditating and doing penance for
gaining Knowledge and enlightenment felt insulted that his achievement and seniority in lineage
had been unacknowledged. Not being recognized angered Yavakri who was bent on causing
problems to the fire sacrifice. He also had a personal grudge against Paravasu and was intent on
taking his revenge to settle his personal scores. This is one more reason for conflict and tension
within the play.
In this play the use of the play within play technique for within play technique for
highlighting the role of jealousy and insecurity in spoiling and relationships. This highlights the
play ‘The Fire and The Rain opens with the representative of an actor`s group expressing their
desire to give a dramatic performance as a means of entertainment for the Gods. Thus, contributing
to the efforts of the group performing the fire sacrifice. After much discussion the group is given
permission to perform at the fire sacrifice. The play performed by this group of actors has a dual
Vol. I. Issue. I
1
January 2012
www.galaxyimrj.com
Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal
ISSN 2278 – 9529
G
al
ax
y
audience. First group performing the fire sacrifices as well as the survivors of the drought stricken
kingdom. Second group the actual audience watching the play. In this sense the play performed by
the group of actors is the play incorporated within the main frame of the play ‘The Fire and the
Rain’
This play performed by the group of actors referred to Lord Indra and his two half brothers
and the insecurity Indra felt because of these half brothers. The content of this play within the main
frame play highlights the issue of insecurity and jealousy between the main characters of the main
play. We can observe the Social reality of caste hierarchy in the play. There is a difference
between Brahmin and Tribal customs. Tribals are more free, more open in making a marriage
proposal or declaration. Declaration of being fit normal and willing to marry had to be made in
front of the entire village as per tribal customs. Aravasu a Bralmin was unaccustomed to this idea
and was both nervous and embarrassed about following this tribal custom.
Aravasu`s gratitude, love for brother and extreme attachment and full trust, faith and
loyalty towards him. Aravasu has very clear idea about his position with reference to his family he
is inferior and therefore considered quite worthless by everyone. He is also clear about the one
thing he wanted in life to dance and sing and act and be with his beloved Nittilai.Social customs
and laws of proper behavior can be reflected in Act One:
Yavakri:…..And when god disappeared, nothing was left behind to prove he had ever been there.
I looked around. The same old black scorpion. The same horned chameleon. The shower of bird
shit around me. So was it all a hallucination caused by something. I’d eaten that morning? Or was
it fever working on my brain? So I go on. Another year. Or perhaps two. Then god comes again.
(13)
Yavakri: Some knowledge, but probably little wisdom. I know now what can’t be achieved .That
itself is wisdom. Isn’t it? But I mustn’t complain. I think I have some mystical powers I hadn’t
before. Mastered a few secret arts. Got a few mantras at my finger-tips. You’ll see for yourself
soon. (14)
Laws of proper behavior demanded that she should not be insulted. He has insulted her thus
showing he had gained knowledge but wisdom. He is not able to accept the present as it is and
lacks self –control.
Vishakha…...These ten year have not made any difference to your teenage fantasies.That”s all
gone, Yavakri.Indra may be immortal. But…..my breasts hang loose now.(14)
Yavakri has done what others have never been able to do. Has come back with a story of
‘enlightenment’ his achievement is singular making people believe what he told them of his
enlightenment
His actual behavior and words are far from those of a purified and enlightened
person/being. After all the penance and sacrifice he has done and the direct encounter with God, he
continues to be a victim of lust and desire something not acceptable from an enlightened monk.
Thus the reality turns out to be that Yavakri is not very different from what he was 10 years. Ago
for all the apparent ‘knowledge’ he is said to have acquired, he is as ignorant and uncontrolled and
coarse as he was before. He does not have the mastery of controlling his emotions and desires. All
his knowledge is incapable of making him realize what was appropriate or inappropriate in speech
and acts. Through this the playwright raises the issue of knowledge versus wisdom.
In the history of Indian culture, Tribals have identity. In the play Tribal custom believes
that not to take Nittilai`s name in public. Not reaching for the public meeting at the right time has
already shamed the father and daughter Nittilai. Shouting her name in public after her marriage
had been fixed with someone else was like adding insult of injury. There is a conflict between
Vol. I. Issue. I
2
January 2012
www.galaxyimrj.com
Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal
ISSN 2278 – 9529
father and son selection of Paravasu at the sacrifice instead of the father who is senior in
knowledge, experience, wisdom and age. Father`s opinion about the King`s choice is very bad of
worsens after he sees the son`s behavior returning home when there is still a month left for the
sacrificial rite to end under the impression that if he returned in the morning no one would know.
The father was shocked at this response because of the foolishness of the response the
austerities to be observed during sacrificial rites were more for the sake of self and God and not for
others or the public. Thinking otherwise was a folly which Paravasu had committed. The father
found this extremely shocking.
G
al
ax
y
Paravasu: The king often says he would have preferred you to be the Chief Priest. But it was a
seven year rite. They thought ….a younger man safer.(29)
Raibhya full of anger,isfull of contempt on the son`s and King`s behavior.
Raibhya : if you want to be alone with wife,send that fool somewhere else.I don’t need him.It’s not
the wild beasts one has to watch out for ---it’s the human beings—(30)
Arvasu`s obedience and complete sense of duty towards his elders.
Arvasu`s expression of regret for delaying his appearance before Nittilai`s elders. Paravusu kills
Raibhya because he disrupted the sacrifice by killing Yavakri and he had behaved indecently with
his daughter-in-law Vishakha. Hence according to Paravasu, Raibhya his father deserved to die.
Paravasu pushes the responsibility of cremation and atonement for killing the father to Aravasu
who in his complete simplicity and obedience accepts it. It is not possible to have penance by
proxy. Vishakha who is practical opposes this arrangement and prompts to Arvasu to refuse. She
does not want Arvasu`s life to be complicated further. Paravasu successfully puts the blame of his
father`s murder on his brother. By putting the blame on Arvasu,Paravasu rises in public opinion.
Arvasu is publicly blamed for the wrong he has never committed. There is a triple loss for Arvasu
because of three deaths. First is Nittilai because of Yavakri`s death and second his identity because
of Raibhya`s death and the third is faith and trust in Paravasu because of the death of his identity.
Two physical deaths and one death of his identity make Arvasu an outcast. He faces three losses
but in the end gains the right to act.The same things repeated may create different meanings at
different times.
The care and concern shown by Nittilai in his hour of need lends a healing tough to Arvasu
who had been wounded emotionally and physically by his brother who betrayed his trust. Arvasu
wanted to take revenge for the betrayal by his brother because he was convinced that the chain of
events that had occurred recently happened because he was about to reject his caste by getting
married to Nittilai. The two deaths and their outcome had driven him away from Nittilai. He
thought that the brother was bent on depriving him of his right to happiness. One by denying him
permission to act and two by creating circumstances in which he could not get married to Nittilai.
Nittilai who belonged to a hunter tribe that was very close to nature was full of practical
common sense. She dissuaded Arvasu from the idea of revenge.Becasue she sincerely thought that
there would only be more bloodshed if Arvasu tried to take revenge. This would only lead to more
sorrow and suffering. The bloodshed of revenge did not have the capacity to set right or change in
any way anything that had gone wrong. Her advice was to leave things the way they were so that
suffering might be minimized
Aravsu had become an outsider everywhere. He is an outsider for the tribe because he
could not get married to Nittilai and outsider for his Brahmin community because he was accused
by Paravasu for killing the father. Hence in a way Arvasu`s condition became synonymous to
Brahma Rakshasa hanging in nothingness, nothing to look forward to. Nittilai desperate to stay
Vol. I. Issue. I
3
January 2012
www.galaxyimrj.com
Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal
ISSN 2278 – 9529
al
ax
y
alive. While expressing her desperation .she also explains expresses the custom of her tribe of
hunters- which spelled danger for her life :
Actor –Manager: A moment ago he danced. He danced like a celestial being. With him I could
stage a show in honor of the festival. But he won’t agree---…
Actor-Manager: The Triumph of Lord Indra .A play about the struggle between Lord Indra and the
demon Vritra…
Arvasu: …..I have no face…It keeps on returning, that nightmare, so that now I’m not at all sure
it’s me standing here and not only my reflection, all ready to attack-----(51)
Arvasu had taken for granted certain in his life as being permanent- his caste, his
relationship with his father and brother. All of these realities had been blurred or destroyed for
him by the rapid changes in the circumstances of his life. After the slaying of his father and the
blaming by his brother, he lost his identity namely of caste, son and brother- in that sense he had
no face. Even so he is alive like a kind of unreal reflection of his former self it is an existential
crisis in his life. And he is still confused and directionless while facing this new identity thrust on
him; A ‘nobody’ in ‘no man`s land’
(All the
G
Works Cited:
Karnad Girish,The Fire and the Rain,New Delhi,Oxford University Press,1998,
references are to this edition and page number follows )
Vol. I. Issue. I
4
January 2012