From Nolan to Narada

My immediate reaction after watching ‘Interstellar’ was nothing- plain nothing. I definitely did not like the movie for the very reason that it stirred hell a lot of questions inside me, beyond the limit I could take!

Just like a lot of us, I spent the following week googling terms like time travel, wormhole physics and so on. But the closer I got to understand some of these astrophysical concepts, I started realizing something even more surprising. It took weeks for things to slowly settle down and here is my take on the Nolan’s flick.

My penchant for Hindu mythology started with Dad’s bedtime stories. If not for one or two, I would have easily completed hearing the whole of Amar Chitra Katha series! And now I have all of them spinning inside my head. This one movie made me relate to each one of them in a totally different way. Its all there, from relativity to time travel, beautifully woven inside these stories yet so obviously starting at you!

The fact that Narada muni can transcend time and space, that he appears simultaneously in the present, past and future had been reiterated in many instances. One of the greatest of sages he is, if not for the unfortunate portrayal in many of the movies as a conflict seeker and a gossip monger.

Once when Vishnu and Narada was having a spacewalk, Narada requested him to explain Maya. "Of course my true devotee, but before that can I get some water?" Vishnu thought it was time he gave Narada a taste of samsara Narada immediately descends down to earth but as he steps into the first house he comes across, the beauty of a girl there captivates him. As he approaches to speak to her, he understands that she is interested in him too. They end up marrying to each other and soon children enter their life one by one. As this goes on for a while, one day their house gets flooded with heavy rains. Children about to drown and wife not in a position to be saved too, Narada is helpless as he cries out “Narayana”. Suddenly truth hits him like a thunderbolt. He reaches where he started only to realize that only seconds have passed since he spoke with Vishnu. “Have you got any water Narada?” Vishnu smiles.

“But this has not been proved. How can you use folklore on par with scientific evidence?” My colleague asked me as we were having a chat at the base of Azhagar hills. Whatever said and done, that profound understanding of science existed among ancient Indians is far beyond obvious. May be it might take another fifty to hundred years to prove it with what we call science. I would rather not wait all the way to accept something, which appears very implicit right now. Hinduism is not just religious philosophy but a very scientific way of life. This was my answer.

NB: Thanks Santha, bestie, for the title inspiration.