MAN-MADE WORLD

 

There he stood motionless in a temple, adorned in a magnificent caparison. He stood still on his gentle feet for more than a day, except for the occasional raising of his trunk to acknowledge the devotees. His attention was captured by the graceful presence of a stunning woman draped in a vibrant red saree as she made her way towards him. As she drew closer, he found himself mesmerized by her beauty. Overwhelmed by her radiance, he momentarily closed his eyes, immersing himself in a profound moment of reflection.

When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the enchanting sight of her smiling visage. It was an ethereal smile that effortlessly erased his sorrows and transported him to a realm of bliss in an instant.

"No one can see me, except you"

He looked hither and thither to check whence the sound came from. It was then that he comprehended that it was she who was speaking. Despite never parting her lips, her voice resounded with clarity, reaching his ears unmistakably. His attention was drawn to the diamond nose ring, its sparkle catching his eye and piquing his curiosity.

"You seem familiar. Have we met before?" he pondered, his mind filled with bewilderment.

She was communicating using her mind's voice. Her countenance exhibited no other expressions, except an innocent smile that graced her face.

"You seem to hate this caparison, my friend," she kept staring at the caparison.

"Oh! I would be happy to get rid of this. I just need to wait for five more hours," he feigned a smile.

The atmosphere was imbued with a festive spirit, and the vicinity resonated with a lively commotion. However, they seemed to be oblivious to the surroundings. They stood within a bubble of tranquillity, impervious to the surrounding clamour.

He waved his ears, "Though you have an impassive face, I can feel a sympathetic gaze directed towards me. Why? See, I am happy. They are treating me like a king."

She looked at his wounded leg. One wound inflicted upon him was so deep that it pained him each time the chain rubbed on it.

He spoke as if reassuring himself, "See how much they love me. Just before you came, they were cheering and chanting my name."

"So you are enjoying your life in the world of humans?" she asked, her look fixated on him.

He was silent for a moment. He couldn't even pretend to smile.

He looked down and said, "I don't know... I just... don't know. I was separated from my mother on the very day of my birth."

He failed to shed his tears.

She shook her head, "I am sorry."

"What are you sorry for? I am getting used to it." Raising his wounded leg, he continued, "This is the manner in which humans demonstrate their affection. My life wouldn't have been the same if I had remained in the forest with my mother."

Suddenly, a resonating cry of a peacock pierced their ears. Their looks shifted in that direction. He let out a sigh, "Another unlucky soul being confined for its entire life just because they presume it to be the Goddess's vehicle."

She bowed her head.

He continued, "Hey beautiful lady, I see in you a kind-hearted person. You know humans better. Tell me, do they even love me? Or are they celebrating the vulnerability of a giant?"

She looked at him and spoke solemnly, "In the realm of humans, it's hard to distinguish between love and torture. They will torture you under the guise of affection."

She pointed her finger towards him. To his astonishment, he experienced a sense of relief as if a burden had been removed. The caparison had disappeared. Also, the wounds had miraculously vanished.

A sudden smile came across his face, "I yearn for my natural habitat, where I can once again experience the joy of growing up in my own environment. I belong there. Can you please take me there, please?"

There was hope in his eyes and words. A bell rang, disturbing the silence. She gave a helpless smile and took a deep breath. She shook her head and walked backward with her eyes fixed on him.

He thought she was intimidated by the request. "Hey, no. Please stay with me for a while."

 She kept moving backward. "Please wait a moment. Say your name before you go," he lamented, "Sto..."

He suddenly noticed her legs. He was shocked, "Why are you chained?"

"This place has been my prison for ten thousand years."

He widened his eyes, "Pardon"

She nodded her head. "I am being punished. They awaken me before sunrise and confine me within a room for the entire day. I get to see the temple premises once a year during this festival."

He thought he was being ridiculed, "What crime did your forefathers commit that you were imprisoned for five hundred generations?"

She tried to remain still but was waving backward as if someone was pulling from behind. "I created them."

He took a step back. He didn't even blink his eyes, "But they are worshipping you."

She smiled, "Just like they are cheering your name.". 

She sighed and continued, "They say I am the supreme power but they are the ones who decide my daily routine - when to wake up, when to eat, and when to sleep. They even dictate whom I should bless and whom I should curse."

There was pain in her smile. "All my powers have drained out. It is no longer the world I once created." Her lips were shivering, "And one more thing, I am not responsible for the ill omen of the poor peacock. It pains me to hear the cry every morning."

He ran out of words. Somehow he managed to say, "Can you please embrace me once?"

Her body was gradually turning intangible, and the crowd reappeared as the procession commenced. She attempted to move closer to him, but her efforts were in vain.

The sparkling of her nose ring faded, and although she reached out her hands in his direction, she found herself unable to take even a single step towards him. She was saying something which he couldn't comprehend because the sudden uproar and beating of drums drowned out her voice.

Tears rolled down her eyes, "I can't."

He stood there perplexed and worried. The chain tightened, and a sudden pull made her fall down to the ground. She was forcibly dragged along until she arrived in front of the procession, where two priests carried the deity on their shoulders. As she stood up, they exchanged glances. His caparison and wound had reappeared. The sound had transformed into an agonizing sensation for his ears.

"I am sorry" saying this she transcended into an intangible state and merged with the deity.

He closed his eyes, offering his devotion to her. His gaze followed the path of the procession. He snapped out of his reverie and cried in pain as the mahout jabbed him with a pointed hook. Ultimately, he came to realize that no one would come to rescue him from this world, not even God.