Would say am glad to have had the opportunity to watch a play named “Humare Rama” for the second time. I am glad that Suyash and me have a common love for theatre. Delhi is blessed to have a quite a nice number of plays happening round the year. Though we are not able to watch as much we would like to but yes, we don’t let go of the chance when we can. I think it is a common notion for a book you read or anything you watch, when you go through it again you actually get it. I believe the first time we are usually concerned about what will happen next, how the story will unfold eventually. And during the rewatch or reread one can now pay attention to the details, the essence which we may have missed in the first time.
And so happened to me with this play. By the name it is evident that it is a mythological play based on the story of Lord Rama. The cast is so well chosen , the acting , the dialogues are all so well done, it is truly awesome. We know Ravana just as the evil , but they have beautifully showcased his intelligence and devotion too. It was as much mesmerising and enchanting as it was in the first time.
But among the many things that touched a chord, that made me realise “oh! I know so less”, and which led me to thinking was the life of Luv-Kush , the sons of Lord Rama and Sita ma. We all know after 14 years of exile when Lord Rama returns to Ayodhya, he abandons Sita ma after some time. And so, the pregnant Sita ma, lives in the forest with Sage Valmiki, where she delivers her twin sons. So, the sons of the mighty Lord Rama are brought up in a cottage, whereas they were entitled to the luxurious palatial life. Where they could have all the delicacies one could think of, they lived on simple food available in the forest. This never really bothered me as they eventually got connected with their father and stayed with him.
But through this play I came to know after handing Luv and Kush when Sita immersed herself into the earth, Lord Rama was so grief stricken that he too took Jal samadhi. I googled about this fact, and there are mixed results, some say yes, he took samadhi right away and some tell it was after sometime. I just felt so much empathy towards the kids. Was it their fate…first they don’t get to live with their father, and when they meet their father, both parents leave them. It sounded or appeared like a story of kids in a broken family. Where were they wrong. Why did not they have the right to live happily ever after with both parents. What price they had to pay for being the children of Lord Rama and Sita ma. All studies say how imperative is it for a child that both the parents are there. What Luv and Kush went through was harsh according to me, and why did their parents did not give another thought when taking samadhis. Or among the innumerable lessons Ramayana teaches us this is also one. What must happen happens even if you yourself are not a cause or reason. Was it teaching that kids must survive no matter what parents decide to do. Even if everything falls in place suddenly your life can take a whole new turn, whether you may like it or not. The moment the play ended after Rama announced to take samadhi, the first thing that hit was “poor kids, why did they go through this”. And I realised sometimes in the grandeur of things , few are ignored. The story of Lord Rama is so magnificent, that atleast I never gave a thought about these twin brothers. Hoping will be able to delve deep and know more about it in future.