Re-reading mythologies

Last week, Psychobubble drew my attention to Myth=Mithya, by Devdutt Pattanaik, an honorable interpretation of a few but nevertheless crucial aspects of the Hindu mythology. It provides a refreshing perspective on culture amidst the everyday conflicts of our modern, ambiguous lives. It also reminded me of how infuriated I get at traditions that seem anachronistic, literal or obtusely followed. (Sometimes, though less admittedly, my own lack of understanding is the culprit). Here's a glimpse of my outrage.

REF: “Re-reading mythologies” Santosh Desai, City City Bang Bang TOI, Saturday, May 6, 2006

The article talks of the role extensively played by the society to lay down the rules of behavior and regulate the same for its people. Through folklores and myths a community embeds its dogma in our mindsets from even before we can start to think. To elaborate how powerful these stories are in defining our outlooks and the appropriate societal code of conduct, the author draws upon the great Indian epic, the Ramayana. The subject: Fidelity.

He dissects the famous Sita abduction episode. In the choice between two “rights”, there is no room for personal discretion for the woman. She must do what the society dictates. In case of Sita, the crossing of the Laxman-rekha to give alms to Ravana disguised credibly as a God-man that led to her abduction, serves as a lesson for all, that for the woman, it’s her man, first, before all else, including God. There is complete subjugation of discretion when held up against this collective verity.

Other incidents in the such as the agni-pariksha and the banishment of Sita highlight the nonnegotiable aspect of female fidelity. You are guilty even if you are proven innocent.

So deep-rooted is this message, that female adultery is still a taboo subject and fidelity and virginity a dogged demand from women. So much for all the women's-lib movement. The self-declared mouthpiece of free expression and modern society, the Indian movie industry or the Bollywood still keeps its yard-arm clear by portraying the adulteress, time and again, as the wrong or the bad woman.

But what really is perplexing is a society that is so obsessed with fidelity, has practically no rules for the wayward men. No popular myths or folklores even mention, let alone demand on the patni-vrata prototype for men. Ram is not required to prove his fidelity after years apart from his wife nor is Ravana questioned for abducting another woman while being a married man. And then of course Bollywood plays its ubiquitous role by showing the adulterer being forgiven by his wife, because that is the right thing to do. No apologies from him. To err is hu-MAN. Bad woman!

Time to re-read our mythologies; instead of blind acceptance of these skewed social norms, an objective evaluation of our folktales is essential to imbibe the right “rights” in our mindsets. After all adaptation and evolution are the natural codes of conduct.