At a distant place, in ancient times, at the foot of a mountain was located a “Hamlet”. Inhabited by few hundred people, it had a blue water lake on its southern side, mountain on its eastern side, vast tracts of fertile land used for agricultural purposes on northern side, and on western side huge parcel of land on which were standing fruit bearing trees.
The people inhabiting “Hamlet” were tall, well built, with small deep blue eyes, smooth round faces decorated with sharp noses.
These people believed in oneness of God and would worship Him alone.
Some amongst them were blessed with great thinking prowess. This class of people would walk barefoot. They had shouldered the responsibility of leading people on the path of truth, righteousness and would teach them, value of destroying the evil of selfishness.
The habitants of “Hamlet” were leading simple life. They wore simple clothes, laboured hard and would eat simple food. The purpose of their lives was to attain ultimate wisdom. For them wisdom was inextricable part of life, as it would lead them to path of truth, fairness and highest value of life, viz justice.
Wheels of time, like the stroll of an elephant, went on moving. Some amongst new generations of “Hamlet” in pursuit of their passionate desire to imbibe and inculcate higher values of life, moved to higher learning areas.
A few amongst this group came across people who would live for this world and its benefits only. Who in pursuit of pleasures of this world turned blind to all true virtues of life. Exacting worldly benefits at the alter of truth had become their way of life. These people for securing worldly positions and possessions would stoop to abject levels of intrigue, sycophancy and would practice deceit and falsehood.
With the moral values of life taking back seat this class of people became role model for few persons amongst that group of people who had left “Hamlet” for securing higher values of wisdom.
So much dazzled were they with lifestyle of people outside “Hamlet”, that they had no idea when they were sucked into the whirlpool of dishonesty, falsehood, deceit and fraud. The people who left “Hamlet” to attain higher values of life, evaporated in changed atmosphere and re-emerged as Devils Children.
After some time they returned to “Hamlet”. The day they put their feet on the revered land of the “Hamlet”, it was raining. The green grass looking strikingly beautiful. Flowers were dancing and birds were frolicking around. The lake with its blue water was wearing an enchanting look. The herd was at the halfway of the mountain. The herdsman was searching for shelter to save himself from the downpour. Men were gazing Heavens, prayers emanating from their Souls. Women were busy with daily routine work. Children were enjoying the rain shower.
The “Hamlet” and the living folks were happy to see their brethren back. The life in “Hamlet” cruised along the pristine river of true values.
After some time, inhabitants of the “Hamlet” were aghast by the strange behaviour of “Returnees”. They had no idea about the weaving of new plot by the Devil. They could not reconcile with the changed behaviour of the “Returnees”. Acts of selfishness, deception and falsehood were greek to them. They felt betrayed by their own brethren.
To preserve their Faith, Belief and Culture, the inhabitants of “Hamlet” one day assembled at the foot of mountain. They had brainstorming deliberation and discussions about the ‘Change of Heart’ of “Returnees”. The elderly wise men, the young village trainees joined their heads to find out solution to the impending threat unleashed by “Returnees” to the rich values of the inhabitants of “Hamlet”. After a marathon session a unanimous decision was taken to extern the “Returnees” from the “Hamlet”
The mountain for thousands of years had seen many civilizations being setup at its foot and had watched with horror their destruction when they turned unjust. Mountain with its huge experience knew that an unjust society does not survive for long. Mountain was happy to see that after a long time the people of “Hamlet” wanted to live a truthful and honest life, a life bereft of vices of lies, deceit, intrigue, deception and dishonesty.
The “Returnees” after learning about the decision of inhabitants of “Hamlet” about their externment, by the instinct of survival, gave inhabitants a false impression that they being sons of the soil will also, like others, tread the path of truth and honesty.
After the impending storm settled down, the “Returnees” who at heart continued to be Devil’s Disciples, one day assembled at the foot of Mountain. Devil at their request also joined them.
Devil told the “Returnees” that if they can invoke the element of greed in inhabitants, they will surely succeed in their mission of ruling “Hamlet” on their own terms.
The “Returnees” acted on the advise of Devil. To secure their goal they even misinterpreted scriptures. In a short time, majority of inhabitants became so greedy that they ripped to shreds the age old values of truth, fairness, honesty and justice. By this process the “Returnees” captured hearts and minds of inhabitants and transformed them from “Human Beings” into “Commercial Beings”. The greed gravitated majority of people to Devil and his Disciples.
The “Returnees” ruled “Hamlet” thereafter.
The Mountain with sad silence was watching all these development taking place at its own foot. The grief-stricken Mountain summoned its “Shadow”. Mountain narrated woeful happenings to “Shadow”. Bewildered and betrayed Mountain was broken within. Mountain sank into sinkhole, and “Shadow” occupied its space.
Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar, Former Judge
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.