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INDIATODAYUKThisyearthehistoricRamlilaMaidaninDelhihasheldaspecialsignicancefortheIndianpeoplebecausetwomiddleclassmini-revolutionstookplacethereinthepastsixmonths.Orperhapstheywerejustrehearsalsforthelargerbattlebetweengoodandevilwhichisstilltotakeplacex13andbeforetheactualenactmentofthemythologicalRamlilaearlierthismonth.TherstoffthemarkwasyogaguruBabaRamdevx19srathertortuousandabortedskirmishagainstx1ccorruptionx1d.ItwasfollowedbysocialactivistAnnaHazarex19smoresuccessfulaandolantoannihilateevilwithhisbrahmastraoftheJanLokpalBill.Thewholecountryhadpracticallygroundtoastandstillwatchingthebarbsyingbackandforthbetweencivilsocietyandthesarkar.Thearsenalcomprisednotofmagicalweaponsofyorex13butofpoisonouscommentsmadeonTVFacebookandTwitter.Theseareoftenmoredangerousthanalethalblowx13becausethevictimdiesbutfarmoreslowlyofvitriol.ThusbythetimetherealRamlilawasstagedatthehistoricDelhigroundsandCongressPresidentSoniaGandhibravelytookupabowandarrowtopiercetheefgyofRavanatherewasablurringofrealityandtheatre.FormanytheactualbattlemayhavealreadybeenwonbytheunlikelywarriorfromRalegaonSiddhiAnnaHazarearatherdiminutiveRama.Indiaisacountryofsymbolismx13andnoonediditbetterthisyearthanTeamAnnaasthecivilsocietygroupofchange-makersaroundHazarecametobeknown.ForinstanceoneofthemoststrikingimagesofthisyearsofarhasbeenoftheAnnaHazarecaportopiwhichisquiteregularlywornbythefrugalGandhian.UsingitsuccessfullyasasymbolofprotestHazarerevivedtheGandhitopicultinIndiatakingitawayfrompoliticiansandplantingitsquarelyontheheadoftheaamaadmi.Paintedwiththesloganx18IamAnnaHazarex19thousandsoftopissoldwithinthespaceofafewweeks.WhileHazarehimselfhasbecomeaniconx13histopihasalsobecomeassociatedwithdeanceintheghtagainstcorruptionofgoodagainstevil.InterestinglythereforeastheGaneshfestivaltookplacearoundthesametimeasHazarex19sagitationmanyoftheidolsoftheelephantgodcheekilyworethetopi.Othersboreamarkedresemblancetothe74-year-oldHazarewiththeeasilyidentiablekurtax13pyjama.InIndiaitisalwaysstreetartandpopularculturewhichimmediatelybeginstoreectthemoodofthemomentx14andthosenimblengeredsculptorswhopreparetheidolsforworshipwerequicktograbatopicalidea.ButastheissueofcorruptioncontinuedtodominatemainstreamdebateitwasapparentthatduringbothDurgapujaandDussehratheidol-makerswerespoiltforchoiceforvillains.WhichcorruptdemonwouldtheGoddessDurgacrushthisyearandwhichhydra-headedRavanawouldRamaannihilateLetusnotforgetallthewonderfulpoliticiansx13moderndayRavanasx13languishinginTiharJailalbeitnonereallyasintellectualasRavanawassupposedtobe.Therewerejusttoomanyallegedcrookstochoosefromthisyear.WhetheritwasSureshKalmadiallegedlyplayingRavanaintheCWGscamARajaorKanimozhiallegedlygrabbingthelootinthe2GTelecomscandaloranAmarSinghallegedlyindictedinthecash-for-voteoutragethelistisendless.Butwiththeconstantturmoilandfreshallegationsemergingeverydaywebarelyremembertheolderscamswhenanewoneemerges.InthisfastmovingscenarioinIndiawecanhaveabrandnewRavanaeachweekEventhoughtherehasbeenhotcompetitionthisyearfortheleadingpartsinthemythologicaldramathejuryisstilloutaboutwhoisRavanaNo1.SeriouslytheproblemappearstobethattherearetoomanycontendersforRavanaoftheYearandveryfewforRama.OrevenSita.Butinsomecaseseventheanti-corruptioncrusadershavehadtheirrolessomewhatmuddled.Yesx13Ramdevhadeveryoneagogoverhisactualstatus.WasheabaddieoragoodguyNooneknewforsureandmanyarestillpuzzled.AtrstministersrushedtotheairporttogreethimwithfervourwhenherstmaterialisedasapossibleavatarofRama.WithinafewdaysofinteractiontheydecidedhewasactuallyabehroopiaandhadbeenRavanaallalong.Honestlyx13ifgovernmentsweregiventhetaskofwritingtheRamayanaitwouldbeacompletemessThusRamdevx19sfatefulenactmentofthefamousepicfellratheratx13withmanyquestioninghowtheerstwhileRamaliasRavanacouldleavetheRamlilagroundwhiledressedlikeSitaItwasdenitelytheatreoftheabsurdasSwamiRamdevsavedlifelimbandlajjatoactuallydressasawomaninordertoescapefromthechaoticgroundswhilethepoliceconductedamidnightswoop.IthinktheidolmakersmaybealittlepuzzledwheretheyplacehimintheRamayanapantheonx13soIwouldsuggestthattheymakeatableauofRamdevplayingallthreerolesx13completewithhisbeardSocouldwesaythatitwastheAnnaHazarex18Ramlilax19whichseemedalittletruetotypeandhypeeventhoughHazareplayedanolderfastingRamaHecertainlyhadhissupportingteamwiththeactivistArvindKejriwalandlawyerPrashantBhushanashisHanumanandLakshmanandevenasafarisuitcladSitanooffencemeantinKiranBedi.ButinthisversionofRamayanahehadtorescuetheJanLokpalBillbysettingtheparliamentonrex13andinfacthealmostsucceededHazarex19seventattheRamlilagroundsevenlastedclosetotendays.SoislifeimitatingmythologyOrisittheotherwayroundAndhowlongwillthisshowlastIcanonlysayHeyRamLadyKishwarDesai-ColumnistAuthorWinneroftheCostaFirstNovelAwardforx18WitnesstheNightx19ANEPICDIWALI-OFINDIANRAMASANDRAVANAS