Time Machine

Time Machine

Let me hasten to assure you that this is not going to be a belated review of H.G.Well’s timeless classic. Who am I, a dim-witted amateur writer, even to attempt such a venture? Let us not, therefore, disturb a soul that is probably traveling back and forth in Time. Having said that, we must admit that traveling in Time has been our greatest fantasy right from the days of Adam and Eve. Or probably not so far into the past as Adam and Eve, because if those two had only foreseen the gloom that would be created in the planet by their having a bite of The Forbidden Fruit and resisted their temptation, we would continue to be living in earthly paradise. It was the costliest temptation that man has ever succumbed to though similar temptations of no less a magnitude have taken their toll on us down the line in history like Samson laying his head on Delilah’s lap and causing wholesome destruction. This has been beautifully summed up by Benjamin Franklin in his inimitable style as “Samson, with his strong body had a weak head, or he would not have laid it on a harlot’s lap”! But then, this is no time to cry over the spilt milk!

The British actor Jeremy Irons said, “All of us have two wonderful Time Machines. One is called ‘Memory’ that takes us back in time and the second is called ‘Dreams’ that takes us on a futuristic voyage”. Unfortunately we do not make use of these machines to launch ourselves on a flight of fantasy but only to travel back and forth within the short time span of a hundred years or so. It is like using the world’s most sophisticated aircraft to shuttle between Chennai and Arakkonam! Let us take this Time Machine called ‘Memory’. How many of us use it for a longer haul than a visit to our childhood? And even there, we use it only to revisit the incidents that caused us hurt, disappointment and anger. We are not aware that at the flick of a button, this vehicle can transport us back to the courts of Vikramaditya and Asoka. It can take us to witness the construction of the Big Temple at Thanjavur. We can see the great emperor doing small errands for the awesome architects to ensure that their concentration does not get impaired in the absence of the errand boys. We can witness great poets in action. We can witness the glories of a thousand years and take pride in our lineage.

And what do we do with the vehicle that can take us ahead by a few thousand years? We use it only to see where we will be in our professional hierarchy or what kind of persons our children will turn out to be. Our concept of future just stops with debating if Man Mohan Singh will survive the ‘no trust motion’ or how our boys will tackle the Mendis menace during the tour of Srilanka. Even our flights of fantasy are severely restricted by our perception of mortal time span. Most of us seem to think that as we may not live to see the turn of the century, there is no need to think of a future beyond that. We have been told that Saints like Tirumoolar lived for 3000 years and more but even bits of awesome information like that do not stir us into taking up a travel that far into the future.


I have a friend who keeps telling me during our morning walks that none of us would be alive a hundred years hence! It may be a sobering thought to start the day with but he does not realise that Time does not stop with our exit. It will move on as ever and more and more history will be created. I can not help quoting Anton Chekhov here:

“Time will pass, and we shall go away for ever, and we shall be forgotten, our faces will be forgotten, our voices, and how many there were of us; but our sufferings will pass into joy for those who will live after us, happiness and peace will be established upon earth, and they will remember kindly and bless those who have lived before.”

The faculty of fantasizing is exclusively a human attribute. It is a pity that most of us have no time to fantasise and some even think that it is waste of time. When a great scientist like Albert Einstein proclaims that “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.”, we need to entertain no further doubt about it. So, take a flight of fantasy straight away and share with us your experience!

 

Dear Kamal
The greatest blessing that God has bestowed on all living beings is that our stay here is strictly time bound. Even in spit of that, how egoistic we get in that limited time frame! If we are granted perpetual existence, we would be replicating some of the Asuras like Hiranya Kasibu! I dont mind if Kamalji is granted that boon for he is such a sweet chap who would easily merge with any generation but if a megalomaniac like Hitler is granted such a boon?
Sri

 

Dear Chithra
Thanks a lot for all that awesome info about references to the hitherto untapped areas of science and technology in our puranas. I believe there are references to technolgy that would make air travel possible even in the oldest Veda.
But let me come to your concluding sentence about rewinding the Time Machine being more fascinating. I have talked to several people about this and most of them would prefer a travel backwards. Is it the fear of the unknown that inhibits them from taking a time-travel forward? Is it because they feel a lot more comfortable about the known pastures of the distant past that they prefer a journey backwards?
Yes

 

Dear Nivedi
That is fantasising of the creamiest variety! I have no doubt that these things will be a reality before the turn of the century except of course the iron box. I say so because I am not really aware how wrinkled your hubby's shirt can get after a day's wearing. Right now I hold the Guinness record for it!

Even the internet may not have a keyboard and a mouse and it will be totally mind-reactive. Jokes apart, I was talking to a foreign visitor in Manali(Kulu) where I was inspecting a local branch of State Bank of India in the 1970's. At that time, ATMs were unknown in India and the foerigner was telling me how refreshing it was to deal with people in the Bank for cashing a cheque etc. He remarked that he always felt like a zombie dealing with mechanised services!
Sri

 

Dear Sudha
Did you hear this announcement wafting across the Time?
"Ladies and Gentlemen,
In a few moments from now you'll be landing back to the drudgery of your present. Those of you who are scheduled to travel back into the past will remain seated as the passengers bound for their present routine leave the Time Machine with care and distress written all over their faces.
For your information, the outside morale is equally low with people twiddling their thumbs about the future of the present Government. Please contact our travel desk if you need any assistance to travel into the city. Please be informed that the mode of travel is still the rickety cars. We strongly advise you that all the astounding transport vehicles that you saw in future be put back in your memory as the relics of the future!
We hope you enjoyed our Flight of Fantasy. We wish the passengers continuing their journey to 10000 B.C., a pleasant journey"

It is a pity that you did not travel into the past. Many shuttlers inform me that past is past and the future is no patch on the past!
Sri