Guru - The Forgotten Truths

Today, on my way home, thinking about some stuff, I struck upon an analogy that is so profound and meaningful and yet so unrealized.

Right: Reghuraman. Left: The King.
If I remember correctly, this scene comes towards the end.

Guru, meaning "teacher" in the deepest and truest sense, is the name of a movie in Malayalam . Until today, the film (which is a favorite of mine) was nothing more than an interesting story to me. But today, I realized how potent an idea it poses and frankly, I was absolutely amazed upon realizing it.

Here's a brief of the story ....

The story transports the protagonist, Reghuraman, into a fantasy world, a valley, where everyone is blind. They had no concept about sight  and thought that the eyes were just two balls that were there for no purpose what-so-ever. Reghuraman was considered evil when he told the others that could see. But some people sheltered him and introduced him to their culture. He was given their sacred fruit ('elama pazham'), a (fictional) fruit that they believed to be given by their god. In fact, they fed its juice to all newborn babies under the assumption thatdevasangeetham - Guru the babies would otherwise die. When Reghuraman ate the fruit, he too turned blind! He was caught by the king, asked to prove his ability to see, failed and was sentenced to death. 

This song is not only melodious but also gives a good insight into the valley-residents' lifestyle

The form of death? By drinking the (supposedly) deadly poisonous juice of the seed of the very same fruit. The common knowledge that the seed is poisonous kept everyone from having any of the seeds. When the sentence was executed, Reghuraman regained his sight!

Well, that much of the story should do for my purpose....

So, whats the analogy that I've been so keenly try to reveal?

Still didn't get it? 

(If you did, my hearty congrats. I would love to hear about it. )

The world is filled with a mind boggling array of cultures, traditions and of course most obviously, religions. All of them talk about how one should think, act and live. Anyone who challenges it is deemed the 'satan' or the ruffian. Anyone who dares to question is 'put down', anyone who speaks up is isolated and 'drowned'. And so people live in fear, fear of being labelled, fear of being put down, fear of being drowned or being burned at the stake.

Just as the land that Reghuraman fell into is blinded by the fruit, the world we live in is blinded by centuries of stories and cultures, 'unspoken truths'  and 'unwritten laws' that literally steer most of our lives. Anyone who dares speak up the truth of the matter is sentenced to death (socially) and often mercilessly executed.


Children are fed these so-called 'truths' right from the moment they are born, just as the juice of the fruit was given to all new born babies and whats more, its for the same reason too! For the fear that they may 'die' (not literally but socially)  if this were not done. And just like the people of the valley, we are taught not to try the seed, it is poisonous. 


But my question is, who told you that it is poisonous? Somebody who was told the same by their earlier generation? But who told them? The same answer! Its a 'wisdom' that has prevailed for generations, some might say.


But then, so was the 'wisdom' that the seed is poisonous and that the fruit is essential for life! And it turned out way off the track!


The next time you do something, something that you just do because you've been told to, think! 
Does it make any sense? Would it make any sense if you were not told to do so? Could you do it some other way? Could you do without it?

Make sure you question your deepest of beliefs and your most routine actions.


I would love to hear your retorts and, 
if  you were moved to think, its outcomes.


PS: Please do not hesitate, as  I don't judge my readers (ie when they write under their name). But I can understand if your are hesitant to reveal yourselves. That's why anonymous exists. So, Please don't refrain yourself from expressing.