Is 'In hot blood' in the making!

I woke up a bit early today and asked Tara about the sociologists' view of the 'Nirbhaya' case. I do not follow all the debates on TV. It is complex.

It is understandable that her father and many more want the Juvenile to be treated as an adult and tried for murder and given death penalty. The case has moved at lightning speed, thanks to an outraged public and soon a judgment will be given, I do not know whether they, the accused when convicted for murder, will jump the queue and put to death pronto. The public will be mollified and the girl who paid with her life will not be forgotten, while the anger will subside the hurt will remain in many.

I remember Truman Capote's 'In cold blood'. Capote conducted personal interviews with both convicts, Smith and Hickock. I wonder whether an interview with the accused, especially the juvenile would give us some clues about how such monsters are created.

It was very clear cut in the epic days. Monsters, called demons, were born that way, they were ugly, their incisors protruded out of their mouths. They were large and adept at witch craft. While they were feared, they were easily recognizable. No confusion about it.

And luckily a god would take birth in human form and demolish them. Even gods when they took human form looked different. They were black or blue in color so a common human could not pretend to be a god. When Rama appeared, he came without the memories of being god and so had a few human foibles. But it was rectified when Krishna appeared. He knew he was god.

It is all more confusing now. Not so easy to distinguish the demons from the others, for that matter the new gods from fakes. But I hope experts; sociologists, scientists, genetic doctors, psychologists and so on, can get together and tell us how to identify and flush out the monsters (and fake gods) who appear in human forms. On the basis of such knowledge, hopefully, the parliament and the judiciary can find ways to act and avoid horrors in the future. More importantly we hope they would device ways to reform and humanize such monsters in the future. But we are told at the moment, all such measures and institutions are not adequate. It is still too early to be optimistic about the future!

 A friend from Bangkok asked me; 'we are supposed to be most god fearing and with the most exalted gurus amongst us now and those that walked our land..explain the delhi rape??!!' Immersed in our epics I could only say; 'It is Kaliyug!' 

I gave her a link from a fellow blogger to explain: http://greyhairtalking.blogspot.in/2012/04/god-please-mend-your-ways.html  His observation: Whatever the reason, it is clear that most people have gradually lost their faith in the correlation between misdeeds and retribution and this is manifested in the ways they go about their lives.

His conclusion is vindicated.  For instance it was reported that juvenile homes do not reform and harden the gullible kids and make them into bigger monsters. The Delhi CM has already distanced herself away from the police. Justice verma said that it was only the youth who contributed to his report. The establishment showed a lukewarm approach. Understandable as their hands are full with more pressing matters. Guarding VVIP’s being one of them.

Another friend asked, have you  seen the movie 'oh my god'? Yes I have, and it seems to be the only way left is to go to court and ask god to explain himself! Not easy, I have heard that Rama sent his pregnant wife away on the basis of rumours. The version I have read does not say this, it ends with his coronation! But in Thai Ramayana a suspicious Rama wants his wife Sita killed. In any case Lakshmana disfigured Ravana's sister, whatever the provocation. So it seems, the gods, at least the ones I read about, have different set of rules!

 We know in time there will be books and movies on the subject. Whether the victim of rape will be given a Bharat Ratna as suggested by Shobhaa De' or not, I guess we would be happy if our girls can walk on our streets in India without being afraid and not blamed for becoming the cause of their  troubles!