CBSE’s
class eleven English course has a poem by Vikram Seth titled The
Tale of Melon City. The essence
of the poem is that people will live in “Peace and Liberty” as long as there
are no foolish politicians around.
The
king in that poem is the quintessential politician who tries to please
everybody. He is also a narcissist who hates
obstacles on his way. When his crown is
knocked down, while he takes a victorious ride on his chariot, by the arch that
he was inaugurating to show off himself, his narcissistic pride is hurt. He orders someone to be hanged in order to
assuage his hurt pride.
The
accused passes the blame to another person as self-defence. The king has to
guard his reputation for being just and honest.
So he orders that newly accused person to be hanged. And the blame continues to be passed from one
to another.
I
teach this poem in my class where the blame passes on from the Mughals to the
British to Christian missionaries to Dalits to just any nobody. But that’s just an aside. Let’s get back to the poem.
Finally,
in Seth’s poem, the blame comes back to the king himself. The king orders his own hanging, being “just
and honest”. And the people of the
country are happy to hang the king.
According to the cultural tradition of the country, the new king is to
be chosen by the person who crosses the city gate after the election is
proclaimed. Very simple, inexpensive
form of election. The person who dares
to pass the gate in such a troubled time obviously is an idiot. Who else will
take upon himself such a responsibility as choosing the king?
“Who
will be the next king?” the kingpin asks the idiot.
“Melon,”
answers the idiot. The idiot loved
melons, says the poet.
And
a melon became the king of Melon City.
People lived in “Peace and Liberty” because a melon doesn’t require
taxes for anything – not for foreign travels, not for publicity, not for
costumes, not for you name it.
I
leave the question to thinking people: why not eliminate politicians? Why not live in “Peace and Liberty”? Why not get rid of taxes levied by kings
(governments – both Central and State)?
Why not get rid of the mafia run by governments? Why not get rid of the bureaucracy which
sucks our blood? Why not get rid of the
religious leaders who sell us ignorance?
I
never raise these questions in my class.
Because these questions are my private dreams. A country without politicians is just a
dream. A country of intelligent people
is a nightmare.
"I leave the question to thinking people: why not eliminate politicians?" - Who ( How) will bell the cat?
ReplyDeleteHow is the real question. Who? I'm ready. But I don't know how it can be done.
DeleteI dream of such a city/ world without politicians!
ReplyDeleteHappy to see another individual who shares my dream. Some dreams are only for self-consolation :)
DeleteImagine Melon Cities or any other favourite fruit/veggie cities worldwide! :)
ReplyDeleteIt would be exotic, na? :)
DeleteMy father in law says the same,his dream is 0 polititian in India.Then new India will born.yes,like minded people are there.we will get solution too..
ReplyDeleteThat's encouraging. Let more and more people come out against politicians.
Delete