I Prefer not to indulge in writing as such as an attempt by retired babus often greeted with sarcasm and disdain. What really prompted me was the replay of Mahabharata from Goregaon and Bandra in the recent past.
The new Mahabharata resembles the old epic for the name sake only .Various famous names like Kauravas, Pandavas, Shakuni mama, do find mention. The two warring faction call each other Kaurava and Pandava without deciding who is actually what and oblivious of the fact that their number was hundred and five respectively.
There was a reference by the so called Pandavas about teaching a lesson to multiple no. of shakuni mamas of the Kauravas while the old scripture had only one such character. There is also a lot of ambiguity about this mercurial character known as ‘KRISHNA ’. Pandavas feel rightly that he is with them in this war. Not only this, they showcased the lord before all the warriors. The next day, the so called Kauravas raise a serious objection and say that the Krishna is not real, as mere proclamation does not make anyone like that . Luckily many other important characters like Arjun, Bhima, Dharmaraj, Karna, Bhishma etc. have not been played out yet. Maybe both are holding them back for near future .
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The Mahabharata war was fought between Dharma and Adharma , Good and Evil, Truth and Falsehood. The new war is only for one sparkle viz. Transparency. Here the Pandavas do not want any land measured on the fingertips of five fingers, they only want the so called Kauravas to be transparent , that’s all. Little do the two warring factions realize that both were elected on the transparency and the people are watching them carefully for the delivery and not for demanding it from each other.
The amusement is growing by the day and is likely to touch its crescendo as the election approaches. It would be unfair for both the factions to assume that the transparency chant coined by both can be used before the public which knows that the war is for lording over rupees forty thousand crores , Mumbai MahanagarPalika . Everyone knows that this war will cease to exist or escalate further depending on poll outcome. In the meantime, let us all watch this specter, and we wish the best of luck to both the factions.
I am reminded of what Winston S. Churchill said once, “If we open a quarrel between the past and present we shall find that we have lost the future.”
- C.S. Sangitrao
IAS (Retired).