Man is born free. But everywhere he is in chains. It is not a philosophical cliché. It is a fact. Man chains up fellow man; and thus gets chained up himself. It is a cycle; a vicious cycle. Man revolves in it, evolves in it, seemingly knowing nothing he involves in it.
How does man chain up? There are ways: Ideology, driven-government and its zelous machinery. Rulers rule. People get ruled. Rulers are destined to rule because they are ideologically so driven. People are destined to be ruled because they too are so indoctrinated. The ruling or opposition – they have their takers in people. It is a system.
This system looks sound until gets challenged by Nondini and Ranjon. Nondini keeps red oleanders in her tresses and as bangles on her hands. She wears them for her lover Ranjon.
Ranjon is a voice of revolt against the demonically powerful king of Yaksha town. Ranjon has to face the consequences. He is murdered. The system overpowers a single dissenting voice.
Nondini takes up the cudgels. She is up against the mighty system. She has her own weapon. That is love. Only love. Through love she gets the king on her side who is hell-bent to break the system himself. The king has one small request. Nondini should not leave him in his fight against his own men who rule in his name.
Besides the king, Nondini has poet Bishu, who is infatuated with her, the miner Phagulal and slightly opportunist Professor. They all sing in praise of her. It is the poet who has a given a clarion call for an all-out battle: All join hands. Let us go to the war.
Love ignites one, however small he may be, to dare because it inspires to dream.
The war takes place against the backdrop of Ranjon’s lifeless body. Ranjon has given his life to liberate the lives of Yaksha town. The bangle of red oleander Nondini sends to him through kishor is still there on his wrist as blood trickles down quietly beside. This oleander bangle ties the lives of Ranjon and Nondini. The life with lifeless. This floral tie is strong enough to take on the firmly entrenched system for its retrenchment.
Love has the power to unseat those in power. If the struggle is between love of power and power of love, it is the latter that wins ultimately. Lord Jesus proves it; Prophet Mohammed proves it; Shree Choitanya proves it. Nondini-Ranjon only prove them right.
Love revolts against revolting system. It has the buoyancy of life over moribund stagnation. Mind over matter. Red oleander over muscle-flexing power. Song over fear.
Nondini-Ranjon have been coming to the world across the ages for deliverance. And red oleander ever remains fresh in their hands and hair.
‘You are dangerous.’ Chhonda, Phagulal’s wife says to Nondini because she embodies love that can move the immovable.
Let us shout with Bishu and Phagulal: Hail to thee, Nondini.
Let us shout: hail to thee, Love….. . You have the power to make things happen.