"Dreams are the only place where the pragmatic realism of one's mind doesn't work." This is what I used to believe in until that chilly, morose January morning when I woke up covered in sweat and my eyes still bearing the aftermath of what I had witnessed only a few moments ago.
That outrageously macabre dream was so bizarre that even Freud himself must have had doubts about his psychoanalysis theories, had he experienced what I did.
But the world has changed since Freud. Gone are the days when the world was exasperated by his theories on Incest, these days the world pledges to be patient and receiving to every entity who decides to go against the tide.
Be it the iron willed Julian Assange or the brave-hearted Irom Sharmila.
So anyway without beating around the bush anymore, I will straight away narrate my unusual dream to you.
The Dream
It was one of those flying dreams. I was flying and yet without wings defying the hefty pull of gravity. And no, I did not have a broom stick to match harry Potter's.
I was flying over a verdant stretch. I did not know where I was, it seemed a place nicely carved out from the pictures of great forests - and considering the rate at which trees are cut in India to make way for concrete jungles, it could only have been the pictures of the real jungles from which my dream drew its inspiration. So I was flying atop the greenery of lovely forests, snowy mountains and green farms.
Just when I had crossed the dwindling yet ample stretch of healthy vegetation and was about to enter the threshold of civilization, I saw 'it.'
That ethereal yet ubiquitous, down-to-earth (quite literally) yet authoritarian, many layered Onion heading a vegetables only meeting !So I after being in a fix over the tuff between my nervousness and curiosity ,decided to let the latter get the better of the two. I lowered myself on an impoverished tree. I learned that even the vegetables were alarmed by the 'exclusive' category bestowed upon the modest Onion. They were a little aggravated by this partiality shown towards their compatriot.
And the Onion was doing but some damage control by telling them that this price-rise was about to change the way the vegetables will be looked upon in the future. That they will be cherished by the humans residing in the developing countries in near future, just the way they cherish their Gold and Silver. And though this supply-demand labyrinth was the outcome of human (read Human policy-maker's)inexperience, the vegetables are to be benefitted hugely in the long run. The humans who are so conceitedly blindfolded by their complacency would soon be seen as doing the nature's bidding.
And it was over! Much like a movie that gives us enough food for thought, but never the solution. I don't know if the dream was conjured from the realm of my rationale, or was it just a premonition of the happenings in our not so far away future.
You're not the only one in love sis. You mentioned Irom Sharmila so I came visit. Usually when someone interprets a dream you find out more about them than your dream. This is my take on it.
ReplyDeleteFlying Freud would have said referred to sexual freedom to orgasm. Jung rolled with the metaphor so it's about libido jouissance but whatever makes us fully alive. But there is a sadness a longing for things already lost in the flight. The green Bharat over which you fly no longer exists. It comes from memories of pictures. Sort of like the Matrix. What's interesting is that you don't fly over the concrete India. At the boundary of this dichotomy you are drawn to the vegetable meeting chaired by the Onion.
This part is reminiscent of Animal Farm. All vegetables are equal some are more equal than others. The dream is more political than psychoanalytical. Wow rhyming parisosis. Anyway the Onion's epithet ethereal yet ubiquitous is reminiscent of the Philosopher's Stone that element that is common but takes a lifetime to find and can change base metals into gold.
It is possible that the Onion is modern Communist, ie one who uses Capitalism without democracy to benefit the masses. That might be one interpretation of the Onion. Onions are also associated with Brahminism they eat no Onions or Garlic. So it possibly also refers to casteism.
Hope can be found in the dream through the alchemy of the Philosopher's stone. In this interpretation the Onion is not trying to corrupt or cajole the other vegetables into playing along with capitalism development. He is not spinning half truths into worse lies. He is saying that there is an alchemy in the nature of onion that will turn the now despised vegetables into silver and gold of the wise. He doesn't say how. But onions are multilayered. Good ones make you cry when you cut them. Perhaps then through the sacrifice of the onion, Green Bharat will return. For even if they burn all the flowers the Spring will still come. Then you can fly over real greens and fresh snows.
This because you spoke well of Irom Sharmila. I am in Imphal now trying to see her. I am not sure if they will let us. People in power always fear people in love.
Desmond Coutinho
Imphal Classic Hotel
Manipur
Hey there,thank you so much for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteYour words truly inspired me.
I had read an article in Kindle about Irom Sharmila and that is how i came to know of her indomitable spirit,her fight for justice.the more I read ,the more I grew disillusioned with our so called democracy.And i wish I could do something,but then I realized I am just an ordinary civilian who can at most pen her thoughts,nothing more than that.I wish I was strong like her,I wish I had the courage to face every storm the way she does.I salute her and I know that justice will be done.
Once again thank you for appreciating my thoughts.And yes I know our green Bharat will return one day.
Hope you be successful in your quest.
take care
She is special I grant you but I feel the future is with all the little people. There are billions of us only a few imporant ones. If only because the important ones won't help. Often they just ignore. Look at Tunisia. For now don't let people forget her. I read Burning Bright after seeing a review in the Hindu a couple of years back. I couldn't stop thinking about her. We corresponded. She is a mahatma. She is inspiring. Make Bharat Green then sis and anything you would write about her will help the cause of justice. You are a writer. So become who you are.
ReplyDeleteDesi
I'll find out tomorrow whether they grant permission if not I'll try come back in March. There are apparently preparatory and steering committees looking into the Malom Peace Ashram I hope they are more effective than western committees. I hope something beautiful can be built there for when she is freed.
I'll take care. But they tend not to imprison foreigners in India. I look forward to a far freer juster Bharat when Indians imprison and murder foreigners and start respecting their own citizens. Well you know what I mean.