Kaga Bhushundi SpeaketH
Suman. K. Sharma
I was absorbed in a discussion being held on a national tv channel on the prospects of diverse political parties in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, when a persistent tapping on a window pane disturbed me. I turned my eyes towards the window and saw it was Old Kaga striking his beak against the pane. I got up hastily to open the window for him. But before I could make any move, he was standing atop my old fashioned 14″ Sony tv, which had mysteriously gone blank.
‘I told you I have magical powers!’ Kaga Bhushundi crowed.
‘Then why did you have to strike at my window pane? It could have got broken,’ I protested.
‘O come on, no bird ever broke a window pane. I was only trying to get your attention.’
‘You are welcome Kaga ji,’ I said.
The Kaga made noises as if he were clearing his throat. ‘Actually,’ he said, ‘I wanted to understand from you what is happening in Bharat Varsha. A mantri’s buffalos are stolen and there is no respite for the Pradesh’s police day and night till it finds them. It was the same mantri who turned deaf and dumb when scores of men, women and children were butchered in his own land. Are beasts more important than men in your times? Tell me.’
‘It happens, you know,’ I offered. ‘He is very important to his Government and so are his buffalos. Netas of his standing have to be kept in good humour.”
The Kaga shook his head in dismay. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said. ‘You mean netas put own interests before the general good they are expected to serve? Like some rajas who forgot raj-dharma?
‘You see, we have rid ourselves of rajas and ranis. India is now the biggest democratic republic in the world. Netas are elected periodically. There are six national level political parties and eight times as many regional parties which sponsor their candidates, ‘ I said with some pride.
His head askew, Kaga Bhushundi did not seem overly impressed. ‘You speak as if this democracy thing is new to India. Now listen to me. The law of rishi munis ordained that every single person in the country enjoyed freedom and respected the principle of equality of all others. People in ancient India neither tried to dominate, nor cringe before others….”
‘Life was much simple those days, Kaga ji; the all powerful raja could ensure order in his domain,’ I interjected.
‘Your ignorance speaks louder than your knowledge. Have not you heard of the janapadas where people from all classes – warriors, tradesmen, those engaged in craftsmanship and peasants – ran their affairs with common consent? A raja was anyone who ruled. The world renowned janapada of Vaishali alone had as many as 7707 rajas….’
‘Now wait a minute. If everything was as orderly as you say it was, then why did Vaishali go to ruin?’
‘You couldn’t have asked me a more apt question. Vaishali fell to disarray because of its self seeking, egotistical rajas, or as you would say, netas.’
‘Is it a message for India of today, Kaga Bhushundi ji?’
‘I leave it to you the way you take it, son!’ he said and was gone.
Follow our WhatsApp channel