By: Klinsa Kurien, Bureau Chief-ICN Kerala
This lockdown period has taught people many ‘life’ lessons. In fact in me, it has created a writer’s streak. The basic of all basic questions rose up like a tide in my mind. There’s an inner conflict happening. The complexities of life turn harder when you expect it the least. This cycle of life called ‘karma’ takes up a periodical patterning. The process of life is the same for all individuals, it is just their experience which varies. To some it may seem fair and to the others unfair.
Religion, Science, Art and every major school of thought attribute the beginnings of their concept to voidity or nullity. Every single thing begins with nothing and nothing becomes everything. This universe was created out of matter and matter became earth, men and all things came to pass. Then the same created things became a nullity in order for something new to be created. This same rule applies to all things, living and non-living.
Religion states that from dust came man and to dust he shall return. There was an empty space which got carved to a beautiful universe and every living being has a life span but a non-living thing doesn’t. Man is superior to non- living things in the order of creation. He has acquired so much wisdom that this universe began sending its fury upon him. What has literally gone wrong? It’s time to self- introspect. Why is nature being so cruel and revenge-seeking towards its living beings? Deep down inside of me there is no answer. When I probe deeper and deeper comes a reply in a shrill tone. I can barely hear it but Mother Earth gently replies that it was ‘hurt’ deeply. All of us have abused nature and stripped it of its bountiful resources. Slowly and steadily, all the niceties are disappearing. It is time for us to create a pure earth, change our mindsets for the better and become human once again. Life is a cyclic process which constitutes creation, destruction, again destruction followed by creation. This very principle should be accepted by people alike so that our mindset is geared up to face challenges.
Science engages in the process of inventing things by following two principles. One is of a new kind and another; building upon an existential one. Nevertheless this invention once again goes through a process of change and adaptation to its surroundings. The last stage is of course that of nullity again.
The last canon of ‘Art’ reiterates the idea that minimal representation of figures brings in its actual hidden beauty. Art is pleasing in any way, and it can be interpreted in various ways too. Simplicity is the highest form of appreciation. Bad art is unheard of, in this genre. What the painter perceives is not interpreted by the reader, newer interpretations intertwine into each other. The artist constantly reviews his work and adds to its enhancement all the time. He/ She possesses a taste for art or good art. He/ She is self critical of his/her work which in turn helps in the progression of art. Out of nullity and voidity comes in all beauty.
We cannot undo past mistakes but we can avoid redoing it. When all things are built, comes in a trail of destruction, then again creation. In the words of Percy Bysshe Shelley an English poet, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind”?
