Hanuman and the Power to do the Impossible – Blog 4 of 10

This doll is a part of the set with Rama, Lakshmana and Sita that featured in my third blog. Made with clay, this set is over 30 years old, yet what a tribute to the traditional artisan – the expressions are delicate and nuanced, the colours rich and glowing after all this time. With the tale of Rama and Sita in the third blog, it follows that the next must be Hanuman!

I am fascinated by the character of Hanuman. He is a veritable superhero in modern terms. There is something awe-inspiring about him. I wrote these words a short while ago for a completely different project but to me they speak of his power, his strength, his heroism, and ability to achieve the unthinkable:

He stood tall took a breath and pressed down on the hill,

And as they watched in amazement, the very air stood still,

Water flowed from the hill with the pressure of his feet,

And when his hands struck the ground, flowers fell from the trees,

He bowed to his friend – “I will try to fly,”

And with a roar of triumph, he leapt into the sky.

With the skill of his father and his arms outspread,

He cut through the air as onwards he sped,

The power within him, his belief in the same,

Were echoed around him as the earth called his name.

The Gods showered flowers and blessings alike,

As they watched him move forward on this wondrous flight.

So, what makes Hanuman special? It is his single-minded focus on his purpose whether it be leaping across the seas to find Sita or finding the Sanjivani leaf or even in his devotion to Rama. The artisan has captured this focus in the expression of the doll. Nothing touches him, nothing distracts him, nothing bothers him. He reminds me of the spinning top or bambaram. Once set in motion even if the ground beneath it is tilted, the top spins upright almost defying gravity and stand on its tip as if magically.

The basic aim of the game is to pitch and hold the bambaram in its rotating state as long as possible. The game, like any other, reflects the challenges we face in our everyday life. Skills, by themselves, are not enough. Yatna is effort and prayatna is well-directed effort. It is this essence of prayatna, this ability to not be disturbed by the by the environment or in this case the level floor that is imbued in the bambaram and I believe is represented by Hanuman and his almost magical power and immortality!