The Crystal Skull

On Friday 23rd May, The Wall Street Journal published an article about the crystal skull, re-establishing the debate on the authenticity of the artifact.

Little susprise that the publicity surrounding the skulls have been incited by Indy's latest blockbuster release. Brought out from storage, the lucid artifact was displayed by the Quai Branly Museum to coincide with the launch of the film "Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

However, little is known about its origins. The legend of the skull is that 13 crystal skulls, dating from the Aztec period more than 500 years ago, must be reunited by 2012 to prevent the end of the world. Sounds just about apt for a blockbuster movie script, but a little phoney for it to be considered as a historic fact. This sparks the argument of why the museum would promote an item it knows very little about. Who cares? "Fakes have their own fans!" ...the responsive psyche of awed visitors swarming around the skull.

Tentative as to whether this reaction displays a trend of an easily-mesmerised society, or whether integrity has lost its defination along with facts about the historic background of the crystal skull...

Still, who cares?

Le Grand Voyage

A trip to the Ka'aba (picture above) is mandatory, at least once in a lifetime for a muslim who has the means to do so. Much so in good luck if the musalman has an opportunity to perform this pilgrimage more than once.

Le Grand Voyage: Réda's father - a devout muslim - embarks on a journey by car from France travelling to Mecca to perform the 'once-in-a-life-time' Hajj. Young Réda is rather apathetic when it comes to religion; he reluctantly joins his father to perform Hajj. From two divergent spheres of the world, Réda is pretty much French, while his father appears very Arab. Inevitably, the two characters see themselves opposed on many matters, on a journey where secularism vs. traditionalism.

As the journey (and the reel) rolls on, the two characters unfold... Réda learns as to why his father chose to travel by car, with added depth as he begins to learn more about his inherent religion. An epiphanic moment for Réda, one that is fuelled further by discovering that his father - being the traditionalist - can speak in French but chooses to speak in Arabic to Réda. The cultural and language discord is emphasised throughout the film to create an accord between the two men.

Initially, it was a simple niyath for Hajj; the two souls, however, were left enlightened on their spiritual route to the great pilgrimage.

Ganashatru

An enemy of the people.

Dr Ashok Gupta (played by Soumitra Chatterjee, in the picture above) replaces the original Dr Stockmann in the Bengali adaptation of 'An enemy of the people', originally written by Henrik Ibsen.

In the realm of religious superstition held by the masses, Ganashatru illustrates honest endeavours of a professor who strives for the wellbeing of those masses.

Essentially - in the film - Dr Gupta is convinced that the holy water, which pilgrims in thousands drink, is contaminated; Dr Gupta sets out to prove his conviction. In the process, the solution he offers is at a cost to the thousands of pilgrims who travel from lands far far away to drink this water. Realising what effect the solution would have on tourism, bureacratic power in its very usual clichéd form takes precedence.

Indeed, challenging scientific wellbeing to religiously spiritual wellbeing is tricky. The pilgrims are induced to feel that Dr Gupta is the enemy.

Losing much of what he strived to acquire, Dr Gupta sinks into his chair and admits to defeat, 'Ami hare ghelam' (I have lost).

Asha acche. But there is hope

Alma Mater

"Smoke, Smoke in air... don't be afraid to care... Look around, choose your own ground" (fusing Smoke in 'Breathe' by Pink Floyd).

Time has come for the rabbit to run. His alma mater gave him a spade, he must start digging. Digging deep. For there is carrot to reap.

But that is not enough; there are too many rabbits to the carrot.