Kaushal Gyandeep - Plutons Pyre: Evolution of a Demon

PLUTON'S PYRE
EVOLUTION OF A DEMON

PLUTON'S PYRE

EVOLUTION OF A DEMON

Gyandeep Kaushal
Nitin Kulkarni

Gyandeep Kaushal & Nitin Kulkarni, 2017 First published, 2017

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Dedication

To the most loving parents in the world.
This is for you, mom and dad.
Gyandeep Kaushal

To my adorable and caring wife Suman
and the apples of my eyes,Tejasi and Shreeyash
Dr. Nitin M. Kulkarni

Everything has been said before,
But since nobody listens,
We have to keep going back,
And begin all over again.
Andre Gide

Contents

In Greek mythology, Pluton, God of the Underworld, son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and brother of Zeus and Poseidon, is also known by the names of Haides,Aidoneus, Pluteus, Dis, Orcus, Tartarus and so on. He abducted and raped Persephone (or Proserpina or Kore), Goddess of spring growth and daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of agriculture.

Pluton is said to never have been punished for this act.

I have been doing what I do for a little over three decades and social issues lie within my domain of interest. Film, I believe is a powerful medium to convey thoughts, raise questions and also entertain us. Through my films, I have endeavored to capture and bring social issues to the forefront of the public fora. To understand and share my understanding through the medium has been my purpose.

Not long before this book came to me for perusal, one fine morning a particular front-page news caught my eyes.

A girl had been raped, again.

The commission of every criminal act, I believe has a purpose, which its perpetrators seek to fulfill. Murderers, for instance, kill to seek revenge, or for they need the money and so on. But what do rapists seek? What is their purpose?

Do they do what they do for lust of flesh, to satiate their carnal desires?

And if it were all for the flesh, why then, did it have to be so brutal? Why did girls have to die miserable deaths? I dont think India has been able to yet overcome her pains of the Nirbhaya case and I dont know until how many more years will she have to endure such pains.

The issue of rape is central to India and to the world at large. And much to our dismay, even after almost three years from the brutal Nirbhaya rape, despite stricter law enforcement standards, in defiance of the many novel legislations and amendments, in the face of all deliberations, men determined to rape see no obstruction in their way.

They do it because they think they can And can get away with it.The figures continue to surge.

It occurs to me that the reason why none of the solutions to the problem of rape that work purposefully is because were unable to understand the problem correctly.And how do we plan to decipher a question and seek answers when we dont understand the problem itself.

Perhaps the real substance of the problem is not in the question how to stop men from raping but in why men rape. Perhaps that is the root question. Perhaps thats the lab we should be working in.This book is a sincere attempt to understand this.

It plucks all the right strings. The story will take you through an eventful journey and as the plot thickens, youll understand the character of Suraj.Youll watch innocence metamorphose into monstrosity. The event when Suraj goes to the brothel is a turning point in the story, if I were to say.The climax will send thrills down your spine and the advent of Shruti might moisten your eyes.

I wish I could speak more about the story but alas, if I would do that, I would be betraying the authors by robbing them of their right to unfold the story.

Before I conclude, I have to share with you, reader of the book, that when Nitin came to meet me with this young man Gyandeep, I was skeptical about the chemistry of this duo. Indeed, I must say their chemistry has worked just fine and has resulted into a healthy product.Writing this book would have been no less than a challenge. I congratulate the authors for the excellent work. Not a word out of place.

T he dawn, as I see it is yet to break, as they hold me by my arms. I see a loop of rope hanging from an iron bar, noosed to the size my neck would fit in, crafted as though by artisans.The air is brisk; their breathing is calm. I see an old, yet stout hombre, his sheepish eyes, the firm grip of his palms that clench a somewhat thick wooden shaft, the handle of an impending death. I see my deatha rare one, one that shall be the harbinger of peace.

I used to be part of society once, but now I am an outcast. They say I dont belong there in the open. I wanted to be popular. Now, I am popular, quite popular! My name is Suraj Deoria and Im the curse of society. Im not a human anymore, just a soulless savage. Even the murderers and the burglars have an inch of dignity left in them, but not me. I have lost my very existence to oblivion.

My offence? I raped a girl and killed a man.

I am a rapist and I may not have a present or future, but I certainly have a past. My history is more deep-rooted than that of the greatest dynasties that ever ruled and conquered. I have seen Lords and Queens colonizing clean cities, I have been through the reign of the dire Mughals, I was there when Mahmud invaded and plundered and here I am today, among you, the people. They believe death shall mark an end to my presence forever, but I am immortal, and will be until the day of doom. Ill be here among you until the day mankind prides itself with the traits of blind hatred and wayward avarice.

Can I be killed? I am the banner carrier of the ultimate, most gruesome and the wickedest evil in you. No matter how much you loathe me, no matter how much you protest, I cannot be negated or ignored. Because I am part of you and in each of you.