Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 10 Joke

As we wade through the journey of life they are many  hardships we face some real and some imaginary. Humans have to contend with issues such as financial difficulties, relationship problems with  spouse, neighbour, boss, son/daughter or sibling. Animals, in the absence of the  ability to think have  comparatively a less complicated life. Its pangs of hunger, feelings of being threatened etc are momentary. Once it is resolved it moves on unlike humans who  agonize over lack, insults etc thousand times over. No wonder "Joke" the topic of our discussion today,  comes as oxygen to one struggling for breath  or like an oasis in a desert. Jokes can take the form of a story, a dialogue or words used in a structure that ends with a punchline making people laugh! It is normally short with only the necessary details culminating to the fun at the end. 

The significance and importance  of laughter, wit and humour was known to the emperors and kings since  ancient times. So if  emperor Akbar had Birbal, Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara empire in the south had Tenali Raman. They not only provided the wit but exhibited extraordinary intelligence to outwit the many in the court who were jealous and wanted to see their back. At times kings, in view of their enjoying  absolute power tended to  be overcome by  anger  and gave impulsive cruel orders. It is these famed 'jesters' in their court who brought them down to earth and restored balance through their qualities of wit, courage  (to tell what may displease the king) and humour.  

Let us now look at a  Tenali Raman story that has a message as well. Once an Arab came to the Vijayanagar empire with a number of horses with the claim that his  horses were far superior to the local horses. Many ministers bought the horses. Tenali disagreed saying that the local horses were better. It was agreed that a horse race would be held to determine the winner. On the day of the race the well fed horses of the ministers and their jockeys were ready and raring to go.

 Tenali came with a horse that looked thin, lean and hungry. Tenali said he would ride his horse himself. He had a long stick in his hand  with a bundle of grass tied to one end. When the race started, he dangled the stick before the horse who rushed to eat it but was unable to reach and so ran harder. The horse ran faster and faster and before long he had crossed the finishing line ahead of the others. A happy Tenali hugged his horse and fed it with lush green grass. When the king asked him the secret of success, Tenali replied " Maharaj, one must have hunger for success only then will one succeed."   

Although  jokes can be a big relief some people resort to jokes at the expense of others. Therefore we have so many ethnic jokes which can be in poor taste. However, there are some communities who are magnanimous and enjoy a joke even if it is on them. It is said that many of the Sardarji jokes in India were made up by the Sardarjis themselves.The best jokes are the ones that do not hurt anyone. Some people have the knack of  bringing in humour naturally into  the conversation. They do it naturally and effortlessly without an announcement such as  "Ah, now I will tell you a joke". When announcements are made, you expectations are raised and if the joke does not live up to the promise or expectations it falls flat!      

I am a fan of unintentional jokes that happen in day to day life situations. Readers Digest had a feature called "Life is like that" wherein readers from all over the world shared funny incidents. One story was that of a septuagenarian who had an orchard of apples around his house. Kids used to pluck apples from the orchard and our man used to run after them with a stick panting and shouting "Hey you bloody fellows, how dare you steal my apples. wait till I catch you! I will skin you."  

This happened very frequently with the boys running and our protagonist chasing them. One day someone asked the old man " why do you chase them like this? After all,it is a matter of few apples in your big orchard. ".  He replied" Look,  I want them to have the apples. I have been a kid too. It is the pleasure of getting the apples along side the melodrama of an exciting  chase  that motivates the kids to come back again and again."   Another short one I liked a lot, is that of a  European kid on a holiday with an Indian family, watching the lady of the house preparing a poori  breakfast with eyes wide in wonder. She finally asks "But aunty how did you manage to pump air into it?"  

Today, we have lot more forms of jokes and comedy. You have frequently forwarded internet jokes, stand up comedy,  24 hour TV channels dedicated exclusively for comedy like Sirippoli and Aditya in Tamil.  This is in addition to the traditional slapstick, Haasya kavi sammelans and other comedy routines that we have had in the movies all the time. However, whether  the quality of humour has gone up  or declined is a matter of debate. Many of the young stand up comedians seem to have confused the word "Vulgar" with comedy and it appears that they are eliciting  laughter with a  liberal use of the "F" word. Contrast this with the times when a distinction was made between 'Wit" and "Humour". In the case of 'wit' while being humourous, the emphasis is on intelligence. We have heard of the famous interaction between George Bernard Shaw and a lady.  

Lady:  If you were my husband Shaw, I would serve you poison" 

Shaw:  And if I were your husband, I would gladly drink it."  

A witty person quickly responds to situations highlighting their sharpness of mind. Wit while arousing amusement in the listener, may not always be funny.  

I would like to end this post with the question " Are we Indians slowly and steadily losing our sense of humour? Have we started becoming less appreciative of satire and intolerant of  humour directed  at 'sacred cows'  like social identity,  favourite politician or  film star?" There was a time when cartoonists like R.K. Lakshman spared no one when it came to discussing the woes of his "Common man" character. Soon after independence Shankar of the Shankar's weekly used to do the same including making fun of the PM of that time. We seem to be going backwards when compared to civilized societies in this regard. I had written a poem on this matter in November 2013. Not only is it still relevant, the menace seems to be getting worse with comedians, satirists and those who show the mirror of reality to the society are  being increasingly targeted. ( https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2013/11/irony.html  ) 

Having understood the strength and value of jokes, wit and humour,  it is hoped that youngsters while choosing their life  partners would  henceforth give due priority to sense of humour over wealth /strength( in respect of  men)  and beauty/ grace (in respect of women). Further we would all do well to know more about the "Laughter clubs" founded by Dr Madan Kataria all over the world where a group of people meet regularly to take part in communal laughing for therapeutic effect.  So dear readers, starting today, everyday, listen to a joke, tell a joke, laugh a lot! Surely, you have heard the line "Laughter is the best medicine!"      

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