Sunday, March 16, 2008

Ramanand Sagar's Genius

After about 22 years, Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana aired again..... On my Laptop. We three room-mates decided to re-create the "Ramayana" magic @ our abode in the very same fashion as '80s.

We fixed the screening time as every Sunday, 9AM. Although, I have all the episodes with me but we decided to see only 1 hr i.e. 2 episodes every Sunday. This actually required us wake up 6 'o' clock on Sunday morning :) as we decide to watch Ramayana after completing our breakfast and Sunday walk.


So, today March 16 was the first Sunday... first episode.... everybody was waiting in anticipation. Will this look like a joke or what.... how are we going to buy the acting, the overdone makeup and the lousy special effects of 80's. As usual we woke up little late then our target and got off only by 7:30 AM..... 1.5 hrs to go...... we walked up to BDA complex which is approximately 2 Km from our Kathriguppe. We had hot idli's with spicy coconut chutney..... really tastes better then before if you have walked that far. I was feeling extra hungry so I had Khara Bhaat too.... it was almost 8:30 when we left SLV..... to go to Caneola (Cane-O-La)...... the sugarcane juice shoppe.....which has honey, lemon, mint, masala, ginger flavored sugarcane juice. After having 2 glasses of refreshing sugarcane juice, one lemon flavoured and other ginger flavour, I was contemplating the various options to reach home on time as it was already 8:50 AM.

After a lot of arguments we decided that we cannot compromise on time, the RAMAYANA, must start at 9'o' clock thats the time that has been followed religiously by the masses since decades. We cannot break that ritual. We quickly caught the Auto and reached home, complete five minutes late !!!! , at 9:05 AM. We were sad that we could not abide by the time.... but Ramayana doest start at strict 9 AM, there is casting and then lot of Ad's before that and that consumes almost 5 minutes!!!! :))) We are on time boys lets start the show :))

The show started in much anticipation when lord Bhrama, Shiva and other Dev's plead Lord Vishnu to end the cruelty and barbarity of Ravana. The story goes on with King Dashrath and the three queens having Yagan's to please the God of fire. The episode 1 and 2 then showed the up - bringing of four prince Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrudhan till the time they were sent to Gurukul for education.

Nothing unexpected, the story is known to everyone, the characters are popular, but all it matters is the presentation. Even after 22 years we not only were able to bond with the show but also showed the "Ramayana" symptom's of the '80s. This was unexpected!!! Guys got really sentimental and tried to force me to start the third epispde as well. But I kept my nerves, although even I wanted to see the third one, I decided to keep discipline...and thats what Ramayana taught us in last one hour. Even though all the four princes had all the luxury on their feet, they choose to go to gurukul and sleep on the floor, clean the place, beg and eat the food. Despite knowing that his sons will be doing all these things, King Dashrath kept discipline and duty above all, to let them go to gurukul.

Indeed, Ramanad Sagar has not merely directed, written, produced the Ramayan, but he has created the Magic; eternal, pure and ancient magic, which takes the audience to the Satyug. I guarantee that after watching Ramayana you would feel tranquil, happy and spiritually elevated. That's the genius of Ramanand Sagar.........