SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM

SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM


India can have the pride of calling itself the oldest civilization of this world in more than many regards. It’s very recently that I found another ground. So far we have seen journalism as a western gift to its less developed eastern counterparts. They were more liberal than us to allow secular and truth speaking journalism. But a recent recording that I found while rambling through the old archives of my great grandfather’s library has changed this perception, at least for me. People used to say that he had some magic devices. But they also blamed him for selling his soul to the evil forces. I was least concerned with all these. In fact I had lost my last wife’s letters (we are very recently divorced) and suspected that my new wife could have dumped them with those cockroach-infected scraps. My ex wife wrote in Hindi, my granda wrote in Sanskrit and my new wife writes in English. She does not know devnagri script and therefore for her all devnagri is the same alien scrap. It was during this search operation that I found this audio recording. It was labeled as SECRET. I was really curious to know this secret. I thought it to be my granda’s secret confessions of his extra marital relations or some steaming love scene. I had to buy a new audio system that could play that antique recording. Honestly it cost me a fortune to get that cassette played. It began with a typical Bollywood declaration and I got turned off. But the coming line was just like some sting operation and I became all attentive. I thought to make as many copies as possible because that audio could have been played only once. I took a pen and copy to jot it down. It began:











All the characters, locations and whatever the rest are fictional and have no conscious relation with any dead or living or imagined. Any such relation, even if imagined, will be foolish on the part of the person who notices it. Thank you.


A SUVALMIKI CREATION

SITA RAVAN SAMVADAM

(Ashok vatika. All the romantic flowers are there but not as important to be privileged over this divine dialogue between Sita and Ravan. A woman sitting under a tree and a hunk sort of man is talking to her. Many other women are standing beside him. I am just coming there. Not every journalist gets this opportunity to record a history in its making. I know it will sell for millions. And if some godly parties wish, even for more. I am here and now it goes.)

Ravan : this self torture is not getting you anything. My dear Sitey, why don’t you understand? I cannot bear this sight. The ivory carved body of yours is gradually melting down in hands of this rasviheen kal. Don’t be so ruthless with yourself. See this tamed lover is dying to hear just a single word from you. Just a single word of love. And you are so callous as not to grant even that.

Sita : and it is a single word Ravan , is not it? I can see what you wish me to speak. You want to hear “priyatam” and later it should be “swami”. I hope I have not misunderstood you. Any way, you are just the old type and a new face. I got you through your type.
And then I will have to lie where you wish me to. You will undress me and explore the contours with a victor’s gait. Hurrying along some lines and pausing at some points. Sometimes when you have got others beside me, I may be supposed to perform your hands on my body by myself and give your gazing eyes just another type of pleasure and satisfaction.
Ravan : sitey…
Sita : let me finish now. You wanted a word na. I am not dumb Ravan. I just did not feel like answering your fooling around. You want me to accept this heaven which lies at your feet. and look at your shoes which have led your to several such conquests. You got me by…
Ravan ( in a proud tone): it was not trickery in the way you term it. I defeated your husband in a contest of planning and you are my prize. I …
Sita (in a disdainful tone): I have got nothing to do with your planning contest or whatever. Subterfuge as wisdom in practice. You will love to have this sort of terming. Isn’t it? But what have I to accept or to refute? Practically nothing. I rule in a virtual world which , in fact, makes me to compromise in this real practical world. I am promised the future of a goddess or something equally divine. And I should be happy and content with that. A bow was broken and I was conquered. Curious I was for that magic stick but a painful encounter shook my faith. Bettering of the things was held as a promise and I retained myself at the seventh height. God knows what those promises could have been but a single episode changed the entire course. My father- in -law kept his manly vow and my husband was exiled. My step saas did whatever was within her capacity to secure the throne for her own son. And my husband took another vow. He will maintain brahmacharya during the exile. That night my maid cum friend had taught me
“Secret art of how to love longer;
Where to rush and where to linger.”
( Sita was pretty lost in her thought and time recollection and it became a sort of internal monologue with the only exception that it was aloud. Ravan too looked sympathetic and came closer. His eyes were lingering on her cleavage as it was exposed by the wind that carried away her aanchal. Sita was too lost to notice all this as she was rambling through her devastated memory lane, collecting bits and pieces and trying to form a narrative as she had got some spare time.)
I followed him through forests and rivers. I worshipped him like my lord as I was taught since my childhood days. A calm of wisdom on his face and his eyes made me to bow in reverence. Laxman was just a blessing. He got us all the delicacies that the forest offered. How delicious fruits and honey. Spreding over my lips and my tongue and my heart and my soul and … oh how I looked towards him! Like an eternally thirsty traveler looks at a distant pond. And he was busy in his prayers. Mirage, jus mirage. I cursed my already cursed life and felt the honey drying over my lips and making it slightly sticky and I tried to rub it away. I bled and my lips got even redder. But he never even kissed me. It was a manly vow and I was paying for it. I felt like being an alien to my body as it felt no sensation when I touched it. My own delicate fingers felt like a trespasser whenever I tried to explore my own bodily treasure. I was always sure that it was with me but how that it did not belong to me. I lingered where to linger and I lingered even where it was not needed. but for no good. I felt my sensation, my consciousness, my everything alienated from my own body. What was happening with me? Its true forests are infected by all sorts of black magic. But was it any different when in the palace? I don’t think so. He had moved his hands over my body and I felt a strange current passing all through. I did not know but he told that it was the sensation love brings. And I fell in love with him. yes he owned all the sensations of my body as he had named them. It was never different. Forest was an innocent victim of my anguished heart but I know it knew my heart. It remained the same friendly. Laxman brought honey and fruits and flowers. Yes, nothing was changing.
Ravan ( almost taking her in his arms): and I changed it.
(sita looks too shocked to react in anyway.) and I freed you from that prison of unchanging. Sitey I love you. See my arms are open to clasp you and fill your every pore with the nectar of love. I am a wreched beggar, begging in your court of love. Just open your treasure of love for a moment and my soul will be satisfied for the eternity. I am all saturated with an unyielding desire for your love and nothing less than your heart can be the remedy for me as I am tormented by the every moment of separation. Its not wise to starve your soul in this manner. Ram did not deserve you. And what that human weakling is when compared with me. Sita it is providene that wants you to be my beloved. All my queens will be your maids. I promise I will make you feel like a goddess.
Sita (stepping back and resuming the air of disdain) : sure Ravan. But I also know what goddesses mean. I have been a goddess before. And I was always taught how to fortify this goddess ness. How many years with the almost same lesson!And I took pride in my impenetrable purity. You were also present there. Do you remember? You must be. Your wounded pride when you failed to lift that barricade around my body. Surely it was just a barricade. Whoever manages to cross it. Barricade around a fort which I believed to be owning but in fact I never did. And Ram performed the feat. He lifted that rotten bow and tried to connect its ends with that bowstring. And it broke down. He failed to connect and he broke it. I had some apprehension since that time and finally it came true. And my fort stood on such a weak soil that he holed through it without any extraordinary effort. How foolish I was in erecting all those high walls around when the ground itself was so weak. But Ram again failed to connect. Some times it is bow and some times it is string. He could never connect with me. I knew the secret methods of connecting but his manly pride in his manly wisdom…oh. And then I was a conquered a fortress. I had no right to suggest something. And the day my maid taught me how to manage under such adversely configured circumstances this unseen and unsuspected thing happened. My father in law was a man of words, his son was ideal and obedient and me…what about me? I also followed him in a distant hope of connecting with him someday. They praised my decision as the duty of a good wife. Follow your husband in under any circumstances. only if they could have peeped inside my heart and tried to understand what I wanted. Not even my mothers in law had this mind. They were women. Oh! Why should I forget that my step saas had done all this for her son? Really, women never understand women. And men always misunderstand because it benefits them. But I will understand everyone because I have no secret designs. Its why I understand everyone now. ( suddenly turning to Ravan who has been walking behind her as she was walking around that ashoka tree while reflecting upon her past life.) I also understand what you mean by this goddess. (She looks towards all the women) all these women has been a goddess for you some time or other. Your warm breathings on their soft skins might have been the prayer of a devotee and your kisses like the offering of heads. And when you found her ready to welcome you, you entered. Wasn’t there always a conqueror’s smile when you heard
a shriek? You knew the goddess was penetrated to subjugation and you were the triumphant god. Say If I am wrong. I can see even now those past proud moments returning into your mind as your eyes are reflecting them. Why are acting so sincere to disguise your lechery? It shows Ravan. I am an already subjugated goddess you know. You cannot hide the things from me. And then what’s the use? I know what my welcome means for you. I can see my body acquiring a new meaning. Configuration is still the same. It is a site of conquest. Even now. But things are a bit changed. I am In a condition to negate this role. War and conquest are inevitable. In fact I want it more than anything else. But it will be like a transferred epithet. Fighting to conquer a body in a battleground. How do you feel now Ravan? You still love me? Want to offer any more prayers? I refuse to be your goddess and you fail to conquer me. I rejoice in this. One who could not connect with me and one whom I did not permit to connect. And both will fight. See what a penetrated goddess can do. I know am lost. But I had already lost and that too was long ago. Now I will revel in my lost territory. I will revel in my lost sensation. I will reve…
Ravan: it is horrible. I cannot believe my eyes. But it’s true. It’s horrible. ( he almost runs away from the place, still shouting) IT IS HORRIBLE…IT IS HORRIBLE.
(Sita is laughing with a maniac’s jest.) You will fight over a lost territory and shed your blood. Once it was my predicament and now it is yours. Neither can escape that. Ha…HA…HA…HA…HA… see the universe will still keep moving …moving in a circle. Don’t you feel that? See it is also moving beneath my legs. And also beneath you. Ha …ha…haa…war is coming…war over a lost territory. And you can not escape that.
(Ravan is running away. his palms are tight upon his ears. )
Sita is sitting with a dark woman. That woman is caressing her arm and she is playing with her hair. A loud ding is heard.)
That woman: this sound is horrible. I can feel something ominous. I …
(Sita puts her palm upon her lips and silences her.) let us just savour these calm and soothing moments. those dings happened long ago. Only the voice is coming now. Come closer a bit. Lets see some fun. She lies in her arms, it grows dark, and nothing could be seen. Only love was spread in the air like some never felt before aroma and I could not record that.)

I KNOW you must be feeling cheated of your quality time. It had nothing that dramatic what one finds in sting operation. In fact I too fell the same. And now I have got to explain to my wife how and why I spent that money. It was from her salary that I took this money to buy the audio player. Any way I am not worried. After all she is my wife. And just imagine if this becomes tomorrow’s BREAKING NEWS. Who knows. She will be kissing my hand and certainly whatever else I want her to. Let us see.