A Poem for Our Times
Mood:  sharp

A Modern Panchatantra Tale


(In the Panchtantra, three princes take their lessons in statecraft and pursuit of knowledge from a preceptor Vishnusharman by studying the behaviour of animals. A modern Panchtantra may or may not get written. But the animals are there all right. And being modern, it cannot do without the character, Man, in whom modernity and animality blend so perfectly.)


‘Yesterday
We diverted a little
talking or reincarnations and myths and
avatars
Narasimha-
Lord Vishnu, half man-half lion
and Prahlad, his bhakta
rescued from the vain father Hiranyakashipu.
That was mythology, prince.
Let’s come to brass-tacks today’.

And the teacher continued,
‘If you wish, prince
to have a lion in your circus
and the ambitious performer must have one-
at least for advertisement’s sake-
you have to learn early
to tolerate his stalk and his ambush
his snarl,
his fierce looks
and his roar.

And you cannot domesticate the king-cat
by feeding it
on milk and bread.
Even the lowly cat cannot give up its snarl
where then is the question of His Lordship?


‘A circus must retain a lion
with his characteristics.
Awe and terror are mass entertainers.

But
the lion has to be trained
to become part
of a well orchestrated performance.

The trainer has to use
meat,
as much as the whip,
coaxing, as much as snubbing.
And tolerate
annoyance of his pets and prot?g?s
as much as shield them from harm.
For, having once tasted blood,
the king-cat will not relent.
He will try to strike again and again.

‘Now, remember, prince,
if you cannot train a lion
or do not have one such in your entourage,
it would be prudent
to do without him right from the beginning.
Image building is all right
but what about the show?
An inept ringmaster with a fierce performer
can upset the circus
and maul the master himself.
And he
will use his paw, and reach,
as much as his teeth and nails.
Loyalty is a quality only in
Domesticated animals.’

‘So, prince’, continued the teacher,
‘beware of ambitions
and ideals
and the lion.
Have a circus without the lion.
You may lose some gate-money initially.
But there are other performers available
better,
and more manageable.
Start with the faithful dog
He will always wag his tail
Eat out of your hand,
and bark at the stranger.
Have the jackal
his slyness
will out manoeuvre the lion
and his antics
can be excellent entertainment.
The monkey is a fine acrobat
Children just love to see him perform.
The elephant is a big draw
he may be clumsy, but he is enormous
and he lays claims
to besting his lord-ship.
And, of course, the noble horse
what a stately trot he has, and so appealing.
Ever-ready to get ridden.
The parrot is so cute
he will imitate your voice
And the myena
will sing sweet tunes to you.

‘Make a troupe out of such as these.

‘So what some children
are displeased there is no lion.
Your other performers will amuse them.
Children today love Mickey and Donald, anyway,
and
my Panchatantra tales are only a comic.

‘Remember, prince,
children are soon placated.
They will forget the lion
The clamour will stop.
Their parents will feed them chocolates and
ice-creams
and lollipops.

‘The show will go on’.


Ajai
3 March 2006
(Written Sometime in 1991. Published in New Quest, 1991.)