This article has been submitted by Jalaj Pandey for the CLATGyan Blog Post Writing Competition. If you think it’s a good read, ‘Like’ the article on Facebook (the button is at the bottom of this piece) or post a comment using the ‘Comments’ section below.
Disclaimer: With Greco-Roman idioms still thriving in our conversations, I tried to go to the next level by listing some Indian celebrities who remind me of the Greek and Roman mythological legends. This article has not been written to hurt anyone, emotionally or mentally, and I hope it is read in a positive sense.
KING SISYPHUS
‘Never ever, ever, ever…’ the famous lines from the ‘Nation wants to know’ news hour, Mr. Arnab Goswami truly qualifies as the modern day Sisyphus.
The first King of Ephyra, Sisyphus though recognized as the King who implemented advanced mechanisms in trade and commerce was widely infamous for slaughtering his guests which was a violation of the norms of Xenia, much like the present day Humanitarian laws. Fortunately, Mr. Goswami has not interpreted the literal meaning of the word ‘slaughter’, however it would not be an exaggeration to say that he verbally annihilates the politicians he brings on to his show as ‘guests’. While the nation makes persistent efforts to draw a fine line that distinguishes news hour debates to reality shows and tries to find answers to the conundrum of how and why this one falls into the category of news, Mr. Goswami continues to butcher (verbally) the most pitiable of politicians. The famous Battle of News Hour Debate between Mrs. Lekhi and Arnab da was probably an unforgettable day in the history of Indian feminism. Even the most innocuous, Mr. Rahul Gandhi had to face the wrath of the mighty Sisyphus of Times Now. Human rights activists around the globe raised objections to why Mr. Gandhi was subjected to such brutality considering a scenario where his own party hailed him as the royal boy given the virtual immunity to play with the soft toy (Congress party).
PANDORA’S BOX
From the time I started following the Indian politics because of the great humour it generates, I observed that Budgets released every year bring with them more problems than solutions. Just like the Pandora’s Box they incite anxiety and keep the entire country in jitters until they are released, unleashing the varied evils on to the people. Only in the modern day, the Pandoras are more sophisticated and keep spiting economic terms to make the evils look blessing in disguise. A lesser known fact of Pandora’s legend is that after unleashing the evils from the box, the last thing came out was ‘hope’ which was considered to be positive. Similarly, year after year if the finance ministers of our country have unleashed evils, so have they ignited hopes of development and reduction in inflation. Hopes!!
MEDUSA
I would have to admit that I could not think beyond one object (or one boon to mankind) when the legend of Medusa came to my mind. The mere sight of something that stones you – has to be ‘weed’!!
ATHENA
Daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom she was eaten up by her own father who was under the apprehension of bearing a child stronger than himself. It was later that Goddess Athena came out of Zeus, when his head was cracked open by the other Gods. Much similar was the fate of the Lokpal Bill. It took almost fifty years for the Indian Parliament to pass the Bill and that also happened only when the Indian Parliament was literally cracked open by the India Against Corruption Campaign.
Hail Goddess Lokpal!
ICARUS
If Congress were the Deadulus of modern India to create the labyrinth of corruption, underdevelopment and stagnation in almost every sphere of the country, Rahul Gandhi has to be the Icarus. To the novices in Greco – Roman Mythology, Deadulus was a talented builder instructed by King Minos to build the labyrinth and was later captured alongwith his son, Icarus, inside the same labyrinth. Deadulus built wings made of wax to escape and warned his son not to fly too high. Much like Mr. Gandhi, Icarus did not give heed to the advice and that did not go well for him.
Mr. Gandhi’s appearance in Arnab Goswami’s show and fighting election against Mr. Modi was nothing short of flying too high in the sky.
ACHILLES’ HEEL
The liquor Baron of India, Vijay Mallya, was definitely the Achilles of Indian market. However, his Kingfisher Airlines has been nothing more than his biggest vulnerability. On the verge of bankruptcy, the Airlines sabotaged the image of the Baron in unimaginable ways. The Kingfisher fiasco went to such an extent that it stripped Mr. Mallya of his Forbes Billionaire status in 2012. From the Airlines which used to be the day dream of every ‘man’ in the country, to be being grounded for debts its sums to be greatest catastrophe in the Indian Achilles’ life.
JALAJ PANDEY
WBNUJS KOLKATA – 2nd Year
