Preserving mythology in service of politics

Indian politicians on the campaign trail have a unique advantage over counterparts, say, in the west, when it comes to allusions and allegories thanks to their apparent mastery over the complicated storylines and character lists of the great mythological epics. There is scarcely a current vice or vicissitude that has not found mention in those timeless tales, and politicians are spoilt for choice really, when deciding on barbs and withering comparisons. The ongoing campaign in Bihar has already left the air thick with insults from an antique time, and the politicians’ mastery over mythology needs to be commended. However, the younger generation has been rather less exposed to these tales, so the prospect of such allusions offering diminishing effectiveness as the years go by cannot be ruled out.

Politicians would then have to learn more current cultural references to spew out as cutting repartees and commentaries on their opponents. But it may well be difficult for many of them to learn new tropes and metaphors relatively late in life. So, could the Union culture and human resource development ministries’ reported intention to introduce lessons on the great epics and the Bhagwad Gita in school curricula actually be an effort by politicians to shift to the young the effort of learning something new?