THE AIM OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO EXPLORE RICH, ALTERNATIVE AND NEWER WAYS OF TELLING STORIES FROM THE EPICS – TO QUESTION THE ‘SINGLE STORY’ AND HOW WE CREATE AND ENGAGE WITH FICTION AND THE VISUAL IMAGE.
‘BLACK, WHITE, AND THE GREAT OCEANIC CHURN’ FOLLOWS A
VISUAL, COMIC ST YLE NARRATIVE THAT DRAWS PARALLELS BETWEEN THE STORY OF THE SAMUDRA MANTHANA (CHURNING OF THE OCEAN) AND CHALLENGES IN CONTEMPORARY LIFE, IN THE HOPE OF
INSPIRING RELEVANCE OF HINDU MY THOLOGY IN ONE’S LIFE.
‘BLACK, WHITE, AND THE GREAT OCEANIC CHURN’
ORIGINAL TEXT, DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION BY ANUSHREE CHOKAPPA. PRINTED BY:
KOLORKODE, BANGALORE. COPY RIGHT © SRISHTI INSTITUTE OF ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR DISTRIBUTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, OR STORED IN A DATABASE ORE
RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE SRISHTI INSTITUTE OF ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
DR. GEETHA NARAYANAN, DIRECTOR, SRISHTI INSTITUTE OF ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, PROJECT MENTORS KAVITA ARVIND, ARPITA BA JPEY I AND MATT LEE, SRISHTI FACULT Y MAHESH BHAT, POOJA SAGAR AND TAPASYA THAPA, WHO HAVE HAD MOST INFLUENCE ON MY PROJECT.
I SPEAK OF LANDS UNKNOWN WHERE TIME IS MEASURED BY CONSCIOUSNESS AND HUMANIT Y, BY GOD. IN THE GOLDEN ERA OF THE 4 CYCLES OF TIME DEVAS AND ASURAS CHURNED THE MILKY OCEAN. GUIDED BY LORD VISHNU, IT WAS IMMORTALIT Y THEY BATTLED FOR.
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THE CHURNING OF THE OCEAN ALL BEGAN WHEN LORD VISHNU…
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IT WAS A BATTLE BETWEEN THE DEVAS AND THE ASURAS- THE GODS AND THE DEMONS. WEAKENED, AS A RESULT OF A CURSE BY SAGE DURVASA, THE DEVAS LOST THEIR KINGDOM OF HEAVEN TO THE ASURAS.
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THOUGH A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE TWO IS A COMMON SIGHT, THIS WAS A BATTLE LIKE NO OTHER. IMMORTALIT Y WAS LOST. AND TO REGAIN IT, THE DEVAS REQUIRED THE GUIDANCE OF LORD VISHNU.
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THE DEVAS, HEADED BY LORD INDRA—LORD OF LORDS—APPROACHED LORD VISHNU- THE SUPREME BEING. VISHNU IS THE PRESERVER OF THE UNIVERSE. THE PROTECTOR OF ALL THAT IS GOOD.
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HE IS THE UPHOLDER OF DHARMA- OF DUT Y AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. AS ALWAYS, HE HAD A PLAN IN MIND, AND ASSURED THE DEVAS OF THEIR IMMINENT SUCCESS IN THEIR QUEST FOR IMMORTALIT Y.
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VISHNU PROCLAIMED TO THE MASSES- “SEEK THE SUPPORT OF THE MIGHT Y MOUNT MANDHARA TO BRACE THE COILS OF VASUKI, THE SERPENT KING. CHURN THE OCEAN LIKE YOU WOULD BUTTER! AMRITA, THE NECTAR OF IMMORTALIT Y, SHALL RISE FROM ITS DEPTHS.”
On Nov 8, 2016, the Prime Minister of India Narayan Mani announced that Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes “will no longer be legal tender from midnight.” Demonetisation of these notes and remonetisation of Rs.2000 notes had begun. 13
UNDER HIS INSTRUCTIONS, THE DEVAS AND ASURAS CHURNED THE OCEAN. VISHNU, TAKING THE AVATAR OF THE DIVINE TORTOISE KURMA, AIDED THE CHURNING BY SUPPORTING THE GRAND SETUP ON HIS BACK.
Since the implementation of the note ban, there have been multiple debates on whether the government’s drastic measure was an informed step. A point raised was that it has done little to prevent the generation of black money in the future.
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THE OCEAN BUBBLED AND FROTHED. WAVES INCESSANTLY TUMBLED AND BROKE.
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IT IS DESIRE AND INTENTION THAT GUIDE THE ACTIONS OF OTHERWORLDLY, IMMORTAL AND MORTAL BEINGS. SERPENT VASUKI WAS AN EXPRESSION OF THE VERY DESIRE THAT DROVE THE OCEANIC CHURNING.
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MANY OBJECTS EMERGED FROM THE CHURNING. THE FIRST TO TRANSPIRE WAS NOT NECTAR, BUT POISON—THE DEADLY HALAHALA—FROM THE MOUTHS OF THE SERPENT. ITS VERY PRESENCE CAUSED CHAOS AND SUFFERING- FORESHADOWING TROUBLED TIMES.
For immediate needs and for those travelling, old notes were accepted at hospitals, pharmacies, petrol bunks, railway and airline ticket booking counters.
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THE INTENT OF THE ASURAS WAS EVIDENT TO ALL. HAVING CHOSEN TO HOLD ON TO THE HEAD OF THE SERPENT, THEY HAD TO FACE THE WRATH OF KARMA.
A number of politicians and bank officials were seen giving away old notes to farmers as ‘loans’, in an attempt to convert their black money into white.
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VASUKI’S MOUTH WAS SPEWING TOXINS.
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THE POISON RAINED DOWN, WRECKING THE WORLDS OF GODS AND MEN.
For the first two days, the limit on withdrawal was Rs.2000 per day per card. It was later raised to Rs.4000
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Since the implementation of the note ban, there have been multiple debates on whether the government’s drastic measure was an informed step. A point raised was that it has done little to prevent generation of black money in the future.
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THE FLOOD OF VENOM WAS UNFORGIVING. LETHAL AND PITILESS.
Some farmers committed suicide in view of reduced land rates, and overdue loans owing to demonetisation. Others did so beacuse of the inability to withdraw money to pay daily wage farm labourers, or due lack of information on new schemes.
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JUST AS HURDLES EMERGE AT THE BEGINNING OF HUMAN ENDEAVOURS, THE POISON THREATENED TO ANNIHILATE THE WORLDS OF GODS, MEN AND EARTHLY CREATURES.
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THERE WAS ONLY ONE WHO COULD RELIEVE THEM OF THEIR DISTRESS.
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LORD SHIVA—THE DESTROY ER OF EVIL—INTERVENED. HE IS THE BENEVOLENT, CONSIDERATE ONE, THE REMOVER OF SUFFERING. HE TOOK THE LETHAL POISON IN HIS PALMS AND SWALLOWED IT IN ONE GO.
Banks faced huge work overload right after the demonetisation announcement. For weeks, they were involved in accepting and exchanging banned notes. Regular activity was affected.
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OWING TO HIS PROWESS, THE POISON REMAINED IN HIS THROAT- NEITHER INFECTING HIS STOMACH, NOR CONTAMINATING HIS MIND. IT ONLY STAINED HIS THROAT BLUE, IN MEMORY OF HIS ACT OF COMPASSION.
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ONCE THE SUFFERING REDUCED, THE UNIVERSE WAS GIFTED WITH A NUMBER OF RATNAS (GEMS) THAT WERE CAUTIOUSLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE DEVAS AND ASURAS.
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KAMADHENU, AIRAVATA, UCHHAISHRAVAS, PARIJITA, KAUSTUBHA, KALPAVRIKSHA, CHANDRA, SHANKHA, SHARANGA- ALL WERE PRODUCED FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN.
The government announced lucky draw schemes for consumers and merchants, to promote digital transactions among every section of society. A free-to-air TV channel was also launched to educate people on various modes of e-payments.
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BEAUTIFUL AS THESE TREASURES WERE, THEY WERE TO BE USED FOR THE WELFARE OF THE WORLD, AND NOT FOR SELFISH GAINS.
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GODDESS LAKSHMI HERSELF EMERGED FROM THE CHURNING, ALONGSIDE GODDESS VARUNI AND VARIOUS APSARAS. IT WAS FINALLY DHANVANTARI, THE DIVINE PHYSICIAN WHO SURFACED WITH A VESSEL CONTAINING THE REVERED AMRITA.
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JUST AS DHANVANTARI APPEARED, AND THE AMRITA OFFERED A GLIMPSE OF ITS VIBRANT SELF, VISHNU PREPARED FOR AN ACT OF TRICKERY.
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HE ASSUMED THE FORM OF MOHINI—A BEAUTIFUL CELESTIAL MAIDEN—WHO TANTALIZED THE ASURAS. MOHINI WAS AN EMBODIMENT OF THE BEWITCHING POWER OF MAYA- MAGIC OF ILLUSION AND DELUSION.
Income Tax (IT) raids took place across the country. Those depositing big amounts and deposits over 50,000 in Jan Dhan accounts were probed.
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DRAWN AGAIN BY DESIRE AND ATTACHMENT, THEY FELL PREY TO THE SINS OF THEIR PAST- TEMPORARILY FORGETTING ABOUT THE AMRITA.
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AMRITA IS SOUGHT AFTER FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. FOR SOME IT IS THE PERFECT STATE OF BEING. FOR OTHERS, THE NEAR IDYLLIC FUTURE.
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IT IS THE FRUIT OF ONE’S ACTIONS- THE END RESULT. FOR THOSE WHOSE ACTIONS ARE DRIVEN BY THE RIGHT INTENTIONS, IT SHALL APPEAR IN ITS GENUINE FORM.
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IT WAS TOO LATE BY THE TIME THE DEMONS REALIZED THEY HAD MISSED THEIR OPPORTUNIT Y, AS A RESULT OF THEIR OWN PRIDE AND GREED.
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HOWEVER, IN MY THOLOGY, THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE GODS AND DEMONS NEVER ENDS. OR SO THE STORY GOES.
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THIS BOOK INCLUDES A POSTER