Posted:
8 years ago
The indomitable Mahant Dasharath Tripathi loves himself and his status
more than anything and anyone else. His narcissism is so full blown that
any affection he is capable of having towards others, especially
younger males, is deeply flawed, conditioned as it is by the intense
desire for extending his own glory to cover the whole of Benaras. This
yearning is what essentially constitutes Dasharath Tripathi --it is a
greed that is incapable of being fulfilled, primarily because greed is
like a fire, which never says "enough." No matter what you put in the
fire, it consumes it, and is ready for more. The yearning is also
unfulfillable in Dashrath's case due to the karmic irony of the
situation --the more one wants something and the more one uses dubious
means to get it, the more elusive it is.
Dashrath wished to have
his desires fulfilled through a "perfect" offspring, but what he got
instead was dear Shambhu, who according to Dashrath was physically
flawed and mentally unavailable for manipulation as he took after his
mother. Tripurari was another flawed offspring, as he was coined on the
wrong side of the marital law, making him illegitimate. Yet, Dashrath's
hunger for fame and domination was so intense that he used Trip to get
his needs met, which In fact that appeared to be the only purpose in
Trip's life. All that DT had to do was to dangle the possibility of
legalizing his and his mother's status, and Trip was ready to dance in
harmony of Dashrath's tune. No matter what, Trip would bribe, kidnap,
maim, burn, kill anyone to fulfill his own burning hunger to be called
the legal scion of the great mahant.
Trip was a bad seed, and
nourished by the flames of Dashrath's hatred and constant exploitation,
he snapped and left the scene, only to return with a greater vengeance
and stronger purpose to destroy that which gave birth to him.
Then
came Viplav. Could he be the perfect "son" that Dasharth longed for --a
son that would set his own fame blaze like a thousand suns, the hopeful
emblem of which Dashrath wears in the form of a locket on his neck and
that which covers him in the form of the golden embroidery on the shawl
on his back. Viplav is too righteous and too carefree to be used in
Dada's dirty tricks and even though Dada dotes on his grandson, the
doting is doubtlessly dotted with the desire for control and
manipulation. Like Trip, Vip also rebelled by marrying Dhani and by
defending her against his own sister's would be in-laws' (oulaws')
murder allegation. Unlike Trip, Vip's defiance is not motivated by
revenge or hatred against DT.
The latest in the line of the
desire for the son/sun is Raja Awasthi --the doyen of bad deeds and ugly
intentions. DT finally sees in him a kindred spirit --someone who cares
for his fame and status almost as much as he himself does, and this
causes DT to fall in love with Raja. DT's yearning for status and fame
makes him succumb to Raja's manipulation. Will the same greed that made
Dashrath reject the well-bred and righteous beau for his daughter in the
past be instrumental in selecting the wrong partner for Shalu and make
her life miserable? It is possible. Will the same greed be his own
Achilles heel for DT, and cause his downfall at the end? Quite likely.
Will Dashrath wake up in time to see how his desire is driving him
insane and causing misery to others around him? Perhaps with Vip and
Dhani's help this is possible.
