While going through the work from "The Labyrinth" for the upcoming exhibition, I stumbled upon this photo of an idol of a goddess. Which goddess? I don't know. It is unrecognizable, and I absolutely don't know, the names of all the Gods and Goddesses in Hindu mythology. But, I am not intrigued by the identity of the idol, I feel puzzled about the notion behind it, and, probably the result ahead of it.
The idol lies outside of a mud house. And, it decays gradually with every rainfall. Soil dissolves in the soil. Once the idol that served as beacon of hope and strength, now is helpless. And, all this happens in a land, where tigers deliberately attack humans. Not due to precaution, but because it is part of the food chain and ecosystem. I wonder if having a deity gives strength to the people of Sundarban, to deal with that fear.
If a tiger kills a human, it is considered an act of Gods, and should be accepted with humility. Do we become humble, when we accept that we are not the most superior? Albert Einstein once said “If it looks stupid but gets the job done, it isn’t stupid.” so, if the fear of a deity is stronger than the fear of a Tiger, and it keeps humans from running over the ecosystem of Sundarban, is it good to keep that, or should it be discarded in the name of advancement?
