1. Gaon ki Gori – 1945 – This scene is set during World War II – The hero, Jaani, is hesitant to join the army as he feels that it is a “paap” – a “sin” and a crime to kill anyone. The priest convinces him that under certain circumstances a sin can also become a “punya” – a “virtue” and a good deed when enacted in defense to save your mother or your motherland. At first, Jaani’s mother gets upset when she learns that her son has enrolled in the army; but when she realizes that her son will be defending his motherland the same way he would defend his mother, she exclaims that she would sacrifice not only one Jaani but 20 Jaani’s for her country.
2. Bazar – 1949 – In this scene, the father consoles his poet son, Prem, on his failure and encourages him to compose patriotic songs instead that praise and honor brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
3. Kal Hamara Hai – 1959 – The heroine, Bela, is intimidated by her boss to force the hero, Bharat, to commit a violent act of terrorism by blowing up a train. The hero asks her if she has gone mad and if she realizes the consequences of this heinous act of damaging government property and killing so many innocent people. Bela is remorseful and feels ashamed. She wishes she had met Bharat earlier and he replies that it is still not too late to change.
4. Kabli Khan – 1963 – The patriotic hero, Kabli Khan inspires his fellowmen to re-unite and fight back the emperor who has been conquering their territories. In the song, the heroine, Haseena reminds the soldiers that the land where they were born and raised is being taken over by the enemies and they need to retaliate and to recognize the traitors lurking in their midst.
Reflecting on the present day situation in the world, I turn to the greatest Sanskrit epic:
The Mahabharata (400BCE), the longest poem ever written and its integral section, the Gita, in search of some answers.
Referring to the Bhagavad Gita: http://reluctant-messenger.com/bhagavad-gita.htm:
The Gita imparts the knowledge of Self and answers the two universal questions:
“Who am I, and How can I lead a Happy and Peaceful life in this World of Dualities.”
All lives, human or non-human, are sacred.
Lord Arjun’s unwillingness to do his duty as a warrior in the great epic, the Mahabharata leads to the Gita, the immortal discourse between Supreme Lord Krishna and His devotee-friend, Arjun.
Non-violence or Ahimsa is one of the most fundamental beliefs of Hinduism.
Yet, in the Gita, Lord Krishna advises Arjun to get up and fight.
“If you will not fight this righteous war, then you will fail in your duty, lose your reputation, and incur sin.”
This can create a misconception of the principles of Ahimsa (non-violence) if the background of the war in the Mahabharata is not kept in mind ………
Mahatma Gandhi, a devotee of nonviolence and a staunch advocate of peace believed that,
An eye for an eye would only end up making the whole world blind.
The ideal situation would be to spread love, not hatred.
“If the attackers have bullets, we have flowers.”
Wish it was this simple, straightforward and uncomplicated !!
“All we are saying is give Peace a chance” – John Lennon
I would like to end this post with the link to one of John Lennon’s finest songs – “Imagine” (1971)
