Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre: Making Of A Dreaming Humorist
By Anil Gokhale
18 August, 2015
Countercurrents.org
Why do we laugh? The answer, argued Freud in this groundbreaking study of humor, is that jokes, like dreams, satisfy our unconscious desires. The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious explains how jokes provide immense pleasure by releasing us from our inhibitions and allowing us to express sexual, aggressive, playful, or cynical instincts that would otherwise remain hidden. In elaborating this theory, Freud brings together a rich collection of puns, witticisms, one-liners, and anecdotes, which, as Freud shows, are a method of giving ourselves away.
‘MISSIONARRY OF LAUGHTER'
Pralhad Keshav Atre, was known to this world as Acharya Atre. In history of Maharashtra, his name is inseparably linked to Humor and compassion, Laughter and Applause (Hasha&Talya) were his identity. My motive and curiosity in this essay, is to research into this identity and hidden-secret springs of his creativity.
He is well known as an all time great literati of Marathi language who provided Maharashtra progressive identity, who made Maharashtra laugh for more than five decades through his all-encompassing Laughter and humor. Acharaya Atre intellectually lived in Western World of literature. He enriched our culture by injecting the western thought processes through medium of humor. There is no one else in history who brought Marathi language into prominence so effectively. There is no one else who made Maharashtra laugh through all forms of humor, exaggeration, comedy, parody, sarcasm, Wit, Jokes, punches, jests, comics etc and impacted not only literature but into every facet of life. With humor and jokes he injected into Maharashtra's nerves the debating culture, brought in the message of communal harmony, religious tolerance, patience, openness and attempted to demolish parochial culture and bigotry.
It was a great misfortune and shame that with his demise in 1969 (13th August 1969), Marathi language was orphaned with decline of Humor tradition. With the rise of most regressive and repressive political tendencies Marathi Literature and so also culture fell from the zenith of grace and glory into peripheral existence. The rising graph of the great cultural- literary tradition born with literary contributions of Mr. Ram Ganesh Gadkari closed on as painful note.
In fact Maharashtra's modern history will look void and shallow if Acharay Atre's contribution to almost every facet of Maharashtra's Cultural –Political life is not assigned the central place. A brief search into ascendance of his creativity from 1920s till 1965 reveals that he had a life mission, to spread message through laughter. Mere one looks at his spectacular rise and literary contribution, - 26 Dramatic Works- Plays, Seven outstanding Films- Movies, Novels, his innovative contributions as educationalist, his Auto Biographical Works (Waters of Karha& Making of myself), his Essays- Nine, Poetic Works and Parodies (crowning landmark contribution- Zenduchi Phule), Biographical Works. Above all was his most important innumerable editorials and introductions he penned since he launched News Papers NAV YUG (NEW ERA), and then MARATHA – the mouthpiece of UNITED MAHARASHTRA MOVEMENT and his thousands of humor studded speeches addressed to people through whirlwind tours, agitations, imprisonments, speeches as people's representative, is all beyond imagination. He reached zenith of his popularity through his journalism, humorous, sometimes scathing criticisms and at times passionately. It haunted Textile Barons of Mumbai, he reached out to toiling masses, middle classes. His virtually emerged as dedicated voice of working masses and down trodden. The voice shook the New Delhi guided Rule.
I think he was a unique leader who awakened mass of people through humor and released their bound creative energy. ‘Acharya Atre' or Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre by name and Title he bore suggests that he was a philosopher or ‘Versatile Respected Teacher' and missionary of Humor and compassion. Hence he can be regarded as best Humorist Maharashtra has ever produced.
‘MAKING OF MYSELF'.
P.K. Atre was a prolific and remarkable reader, appreciator and assimilator of Indian, as well as western,European progressive literature. It was amazing that he rose rapidly on Maharashtra's cultural and literary scene like a star in forty years beginning from his creative exploits in childhood's limerick (Vatratikas in a Fun Fair Rally) caricaturing a woman Seetabai at age of Nine. It paved his way into realms of parodies and took him to different realms of creativity. Very few of his commentators have realized that he was a self styled rebel who lifted the childhood repression of his own family through humor and jokes against Hindu family system which infuses the authoritarian cultural upbringings from birth and the educational institutes which are reciprocally fostered. He encountered his father's anger, and behavior in the early years of his life with jokes . And this rebellion with a cause shaped his phenomenal rise and made his way into different facets of Cultural life in decades to come. His humor was directed against the anger and irrationality, against affectation and pretence and Hindu Orthodoxy! He soon realized the Powers of Humor in reliving the popular audience, readers, listeners from psychic stress and pain. His philosophy of laughter is essentially born and shaped by Indian & Western stalwarts like Ram Ganesh Gadkari, Kolhatkar, Bernard Shaw, Mark Twain, Max Easter and other greats. I intend to trace and recapitulate his phenomenal rise as Humorist with a Mission.
In fact he has disclosed sources of inspirations and springs of creativity and my present endeavor is to restrict myself only to such events from his narrative summery in retrospection (Mi Kasa Zalo) till 1953, long before he came into prominence as a political spokesperson and exponent of UNITED MAHARASHTRA MOIVEMENT. The Autobiographic Parlays has, as many as, twelve chapters, drawing out eleven facets of his personality and in the historical context of development of MAHARASHTRA's renaissance of Fifty years. The Book summarily concludes with a question mark- WHO AM I? The concluding chapter he is poetic and establishes organic relationships with rebellious social movement spearheaded by Saint Movement – Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram and Gandhian Saint- VinobaBhave.
There is no doubt that Acharya Atre emerges as a genius-humorist, literati Orator a cinematic, a socialist a mass leader, a dramatist, an accused and above all ‘A Teacher”. ‘Mi Kasa Zalo' (First Edition- 1953)remains not only as one of the best autobiographic retrospection of his own life but as a recollection of social, political and cultural History of first six decades of 20th century Maharashtra. He contributed to it substantially to change it by swimming against current. In the span of twelve articles he unfolds twelve facets of ‘how he became' or ‘Making of Myself', what he was and how he became is a remarkable account and recapitulation of resurgent history and its renaissance of Marathi Language. But why he decided to conclude his Autobiographic writing in 1953 when the glorious period of his life stretches from 1953 to 1966 and till his death in 1969? But my reflection confirms that his personality was formed till 1950's and the next two decades only witnessed the flourishing of this integrated united personality with the twelve facets. These years his personality exhibited it through the journalistic endeavor, mass leadershipand prolific orator who combed and scoured the urban and rural Maharashtra, to attain the crowning glory as a true ‘leader of the mass of working and poor people and middle classes'.
ZENDUCHI PHULE- LANDMARK CREATION.
Zenduchi Phule ( Marigold Flowers) (1923- published latter) a parody drenched in humor, sarcasm and dressed up and camouflaged in similes metaphors as a forms of expression. It marked his first encounters with rightwing Hinduite Poetic literature. It stands as landmark poetic parody, most humorous criticisms directed against regressive poetic literature of group of poets (Ravikiran Mandal) led by Madhav Julian. It was also a rebuttal against Madhav Julion's attempt to devalue and degrade stalwart literati like Ram Ganesh Gadkari (after his death), BalkaviThombre and the rebellious poet Keshav Soot, with his ‘TRUMPET' against the social values. Julian's claim that Gadkari's humor is inferior since it is rationalistic and intellectualist provoked Acharya Atre to launch vigorous and scathing attack on it.
Madhav Julian took poetry in reverse and regressive direction. His bigoted orthodoxy drove him as hard core anti Muslim Hater and a Hindu Fanatic at latter years of his life. His poem Vande--- Allahu Akbar came under ridicule in Zenduchi Phule. P.K. Atre'sLament- elegy (VILAPIKA) on a ‘FALLEN PATHAN' (slaughtered Pained) in Hindu- Pathan riots in Bombay, evoked melancholic grief, pity and empathy for the courageous- fearless Muslim combatant. This parody ventured and matured into two seemingly conflicting classes of literature, Pathos & Humor.
His critiques like-Mr. S. K. Kolhatkar who had disapproved Acharaya Atre's ZENDUCHI PHULE for targeting Madhav Julian's poetry had to appreciate, through personal letter, many poems from this collection like- ‘Moharamchi Mardumki', Poet and Thief' etc. More importantly his appreciation for his using, exaggeration and derision (satirical) and composite images and sentences as appropriate and expressive forms in Parodies carried special weight.
It can also be termed as landmark creation since Acharrya Atre's trajectory as secularist can be traced to this conflict at the root of ZENDUCHI PHULE. Both Madhav Julian & Achrya Atre were possessed by one concern- Mother- Son relationship. Acharya Atre was deeply engrossed with fundamental ‘primal Human relationships' such as sexual relationships between Mother and Son, Brother & Sister, impotent son in face of dictatorial father etc. and reflected in few of his Dramatic Works. Latter we will see that his Dramatic creations have handled these relationships in Shakespearian style. His curiosity provided him with insights into women's problems during his times, more than anyone else, he stood for fundamental rights of Women and ‘Women Liberation' in unison with the tradition of ‘Raghunath Dhondo Keshav Karve. As opposed to this Madhav Julian wrote highly emotive poetry and sometimes his poetic creations resurrect Oedipal imagery, like in poem ‘Prema Swaroop Aai', which is a deeply evocative poem, extremely regressive and immensely popular . It provides clues to Madhav Julian's retroactive social & political ideology!
ZenduchiPhule(Marigold Flowers')- 1925, remains one of the outstanding works and mile stone in literary history. He exhibits himself as a caricaturist poet who created the Character Portrayals' in humorous forms and focusing on satirical criticisms, highlighting defects, deformities, ironies. One significant technique he discovered was creation of composite images and montages as most powerful means of representing the human relationships.
I will now focus on one more striking feature of Achrya Atre's‘ Mi Kasa Zalo' was his ‘Automatic Writings'. In fact most popular of his creations have come on the spur of moment, without his conscious intervention. For illustration Zenduchi Phule(Marigold Flowers), parody was response to Ravkiran Mandal's irritating indulgence intogrotesque and eccentric poetic regressions. The One Hundred and Twelve paged collection of poems flowered within just seven days (1922). Notably he was unaware of capacity of the parodies to strike deep chord in the psyche of audience and readers till it was publically read!
‘ACCHRYA' TO ACCUSED
It is amazing that a child (Atre) born on 13th August 1898 in the village Kodit situated on the bank of the river Karha near Saswad in Pune district had not even seen water supply pipeline for house hold rose to such prominence and became one of the finest, and most prominent humorist of MAHARASHTRA and in subsequent span of two decades becomes the greatest literati of Maharashtra and vocal exponent of progressive movement of textile workers which challenged the dominance of capitalism. This amazing transformation is unbelievable!
Like the life of all greats, Acharya Atre's life was crowded with affective events and memoirs and his Autobiography, chapter by chapter unfolds through very rich exploration of how he became a poet, a parodist, a humorist, a teacher, an ‘Accused', a dramatist, an orator, a cinematic producer, a Journalist, a socialist and finally raises the question for himself Who am I? .
Acharya Atre's Europe visit and two years stay at “London Day Training College' transformed him profoundly. The well developed English Humor tradition, his training in Educational and scientific psychology made long lasting impact on him and enriched him intellectually. Already he had imbibed and inherited western liberal literary tradition from Ram Ganesh Gadkari who had been greatly influenced by Ibsen, Chekov & George Bernard Shaw and which also inspired Acharya Atre and others to sow the seeds of literary revolution in Marathi!
Two chapters of his life, exerted two opposite pulls and forces impacting his character. One contributed by ‘Making it' and other ‘Breaking it', namely ‘ I am referring to two chapters, How I became Teacher'& other ‘How I became an Accused'! In chapter, ‘Mi Shikhak Kasa Zalo' (How I was molded into Teacher), which forms the central core of his ‘self retrospection' and his being. In 1924 his admission in to “Mumbai Training college' he had an opportunity to work under the guidance of ‘brilliant educational psychologist of Australian origin Mr. H.R. Helmand & Prof. R.P. Kar. Their contribution to making of P.K. Atre was of high order. The experience thus gained subsequently helped him in transforming the Pune based school, “Camp Education Society in to most prominent ‘Student- people' oriented school. The experience was in turn was also responsible in transforming himself. He put up dramatic fight and struggle with the existing crude and dirty politicking management, isolated it, defeated and voted out through Elections. He also had to deal with boorish and vulgar teachers like the geography teacher indulging into vulgar and comical behavior. The geography teacher while addressing the students demonstrated how to identify geographical directions- East, West, North, South. “When you stand facing the Sun, the hand with which you eat shows North and the hand with which you swill and cleanse your bodily dirt shows the South”. Nothing is required to predict the fate of the teacher.
Acharya Atre considered Teacher as the pillar and Architect of the popular culture and progressive social order rooted in Equality, Secularism and Social justice. He treated ‘Camp Education Society' as his Laboratory and his ‘Land of Deeds'. Here he learnt all what was essential and mandatory to recreate him to become firstly the Teacher and then as a literati, an orator, dramatist and social worker. He was shaped into a secularist and humanitarian teacher through educational, social and personal interactions with students of all castes, creeds and religions.
After a short while he received an opportunity to visit Europe and stay in England as a teacher-trainee. Here his experiences at “London Day Training College' for a period of two years revolutionized him and he brought with him to Maharashtra new perspectives and vision. He was gripped by plays of Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward who shaped his dramatics and made him deeply realize that Drama is Author's communication with ‘social mind and psyche'. But more profound was the impact made by lectures by Dr. Siril Burt and Dr. P.B. Bellard, both Educationalists. Dr. Bellard, was an educationalist of International reputation and a Science of Psychology expert, his lectures were filled to the brink with Humor transformed him into a Great Teacher for life time and into, a mass psychologist who understood the reciprocal actions and behavior of audience and listeners.
The next chapter of his Book, narrates his heart breaking experience, ‘How I became the Accused” It's a story of a criminal cheater, a story of a spider-wolf in “Human Garbs' who through sophisticated criminal- social network duped hundreds of innocent people in need of Loans to satisfy their day today dreams. Acharya Atre unknowingly got dragged in to it. During the School career as Principal of the college he got dragged into Fake Bank financed Lottery-like chit fund network. The case stunned him and he had to face the Court as one of the twelve principal accused. This forms the worst of his life experience which made him suffer enormously. He narrates how he had to live through hundred deaths, multiple times, and felt like being roasted on funeral pyre. His moving narration of horrifying painful experience, that too, at times, in humorous mode is first of its kind in Marathi language. It is not hype to state that this was eye opening experience for him and which stirred him from inside. It compelled him to become a Dramatist who exposed hypocrisy in every field of social and political life. The experience created deep scar on his psyche and inspired him to create greatest and most popular works of Drama & fight against social injustice, hypocrisy and pomp. He created the character of Lakhoba Lokhande in his popular Drama, ‘To Me Navech' ( ‘I am notThat'-19 ). The character has been identified by his critiques as one of the best and Universal ‘Character Portrayal' of social criminals and cheaters. The name of the Villain in ‘How I became Accused was Mr. Sehegal'.
The two events and turns in his life were polar opposites but both transformed Pralhad Keshav Atre into ‘ACHARYA' – ‘Knowledgeable Mentor- Teacher”
DREAMS –‘ SPRINGS OF CREATIVITY.
After reading his Autobiographic works, one cannot escape from becoming nostalgic, for having lost a wonder land of creativity. His book ‘Making of myself' – subtitled as ‘Literary Self Search' reveals sources of his creativity in his ‘Making'. It's a book which deals along with the facets of his life several social & psychological paradigms of his time in span of sixty years. It is certain that he embodied and epitomes the synthesized expression of the Literary movement of first six decades of Maharashtra's Literary Renaissance! But above all he incarnated the recapitulation of decades of influence on Marathi literature Drama- Plays, Poetry. The most striking feature of the book is revelation of sources of his inspiration and influences of International- European Literature, from various fields. His interactions with great poets, dramatists from Marathi and European made imprint on the dramatic and Film characters he portrayed and developed. In fact his umbilical cord with International literature and for that matter International outlook & perspective was imbibed when he first met great Marathi poet Ram Ganesh Gadkari. In this sense he became the epitome of the creative spirits in Marathi literature.
His drama- ‘GHARABAHER” (1934) is one of the best dramatic works in Marathi and Acharya Atre narrates, interesting storey of its birth. PralhadKeshavAtre had a habit of having dreams every night and he knew that dreams are the products of deep sleep and products stimulated by impulses residing deep into the ‘Unconscious mind'. Acharya Atre accepts that he was prolific dreamer and keen observer of his own dreams . Dreams used to possess him and have spurred his creative life. The most important revelation is his admission that dreams are the source of his creative life. He worked on those stimulus as craftsman working on the available material. The drama ‘GHARABAHER' or rather the draft of it came automatically as product of his dream and he wrote it out after waking up in matter of just one and half hours. The Drama deals with fundamental human relationships – Mother- Son and family Authority.
In chapter, “How I became dramatist' he goes into deeper sources of his creative life and inspirations. In his In one and half paged note, he relates sources of his creativity to dreams, dreaming and dreaming life. For him, during night hours his dreams awakened the deepest core of his being.
In ‘Waters of KARHA' his second Autobiography he repeats his comments, “Only within six months after launch of my Parody- Drama, ‘SASHTANG NAMASKAR', I wrote next Drama- ‘GHARABAHER'. I am sure that listener will be taken by surprise if he hears that the drama was inspired by a dream. Before I narrate it, I will like to introduce you to one of my habit. Every day when I go to bed and fall asleep I start getting dreams. The chain of dreams continues uninterrupted till morning hours. It is never broken. I have not experienced Dreamless sleep”!
“Number of people believe that the sleep, interrupted by dreams is not profound. For number of years I also had the same impression. But after my studies in Science of Psychology, I realized that my notion was incorrect. In fact dreams are the protectors of sleep, in fact dreaming is symptom of deep and profound sleep and that is what Science of Psychology tells us. My dreams have specific functions, in which my intellect, most of the times participates in creative activities (function like springs of creativity)”. (page 252- Part-2, ‘Waters of Karha').
His habit of writing down what he dreamt immediately after waking up is proof that he was aware that the dream creations have to be saved and stored before they are forgotten by force of repression after waking up. Hence his sweeping and prophetic revelation. “Good imaginative sentences, ideas and stanzas of my poems have originated from Dreams!”. He illustrates that ‘GHARABAHER' the Dramatic works, in complete, its plot, storyline, scenarios all came out as a dream. It was a stunning & marvelous disclosure! The famous quote from this drama, “Woman is momentary wife but mother of eternal times' offers this proof and has attained permanent place in everyday life.
‘AUTOMATIC' WRITTINGS
The Drama “GHARABAHER” had a special place in Acharya Atre's heart. It became so popular that it was included in the syllabus for Mumbai Pune & Nagpur Universities for several years. Drama revolves around three characters in family. Father In Law, his Son & Daughter in law' Nirmal. She is the victim of her frenzied and insane father In Laws lusts and unsuccessful flirtations and her Husband, powerless, speechless, and impotent to face autocratic father. Through unfolding suspense the rebellious Nirmal succeeds in overthrowing the tyrannical rule and unites with her son Ashok. Here Padmanabh, husband's friend or ‘half brother', slandered through canards by Father In Law, stands up in defense of Nirmal. The drama is built around typical Indian family system, Father and Son- Paternal relationship and ‘Castration complex' of husband.
The ‘rebellious' drama moves the audience because of its universal appeal and compelling force of the fall out of this Castration Complex. The evocative narration of Psychic Repression and Nirmal's defiance. Another curious character of Padmanabh. We know from Sigmund Freud's rules of representations in dreams that dreamer himself plays a part in dreams as ‘hidden behind' a third character. Drama as being the product of dream, we can assign this Acharya Atre, as this third character! The whole Drama shows itself as variant of ‘ Oedipus Rex' or Shakespearean ‘incest' characters. The drama has been reviewed as ‘extra ordinarily moving' drama by the then well known critiques and has been interpreted innumerable times.
In P.K. Atre's case, Automatic Surge of ideas and Images in pell-mell was very frequent and we come across this ‘state of mind' quite often. There are few striking illustrations, his two most significant and outstanding creations- His popular Film BRAHMACHARI' and Presidential Award- Gold Medal winning Film- ‘ShyamchiAai”. Both provide proof of his claims. Acharya Atre came across most irritating book by a self-professed pretentious ‘Saint Shivanand' who was riding on the popularity wave. This bearded Saint's lectures on this recently publish book, ‘Celibacy is life & expulsion (fall) of Seminal Fluid as Death' angered Acharya Atre to the extent that he was restless and uneasy for two full days and was obsessed with idea of giving a fitting reply to this hypocrat!. While in Toilet Acharya Atre suddenly gripped by stream of images and came out spontaneously with readymade script, imagery of the entire plot of the Humorous Film ‘Bhrahmachari' (Celibacy) which became extremely popular that it broke all public TRPs!
Similarly, ‘SANE GURUJI' Book, – Shyamchi Aai, a tragedy with highly evocative and emotive Novel, a story based on Mother- Son relationship. The Novel had created popular frenzy and shook Maharashtra to its core. The impact of the powerful story possessed Acharya Atre but he had no clues- what to do with the story! Once again, instantaneously the story with all details flooded on to his psychic screen and he wrote it out in two days! Again the Film broke all records of popularity and won the President's ‘Gold Medal- Award'. Such has been the story of this creative dreaming mind!
ACHARYA ATRE AND HIS ECHNIQUES OF JOKES
With discovery of Acharya Atre's source of creativity we now can approach an important topic – Acharya Atre's Jokes by way of illustrations. Jokes like ‘dream work' also obeys identical functions and rules. Their techniques and process of expression or manifestation of Imagery has identity. However Joke work differs from Dream Work', or unlike dreams, Jokes are marked by their intelligibility of their meanings. Nevertheless they have the same techniques at their disposal like dream work. The major techniques of expression lies in making intelligible the ‘unconscious' throu, compression or condensation, displacement, distortion and indirect representation . There is reason to believe that all three techniques work on the raw material reified in the ‘Unconscious'.
In Atre's Jokes, amalgamation of two words is frequent and which are processed in Unconscious. They play on similarity of words or sounds.We can illustrate these techniques in Acharya Atre's specimen Jokes.
Late President of Republic of India, V.V. Grri, had as many as, Fourteen Children and Acharya Atre's News Paper MARATHA reproduced humorous, hilarious criticism of V.V. GIRI on his procreation abilities with his Family photograph with Fourteen Children- with a Subtitle “GIRI YANCHI KAMGIRI” (Giri's ‘Kam' ‘Giri') . The Joke was achieved by compounding two words- Montage- an ambiguous word- KAM-GIRI- KAM-meaning-Work & Deep extensive Sexual desire and GIRI- Surname & Performance.
KAM-GIRI being composite word and condensation of two trends of thoughts by compounding of two meanings is the product of Unconscious which springs like Dream Formation and possess the essential techniques and mechanisms of ‘dream work', condensation, displacement, distortion and creation of Composite words with double meanings was ‘automatic-
Another illustration, During Samayukta Maharshtra Movement in late Fifties of Nineteenth Century- Popular Slogan- “Mumbaisah Samyukta Maharashtra (United Maharashtra) Zala'ch' pahije” came under criticism from the then Chief Minister- Defense Minister- Yeshavantrao ‘Ch'vhan. During a debate, he asked P.K. Atre- Why are you so emphatic for Zala‘CH”? (meaning ‘must' happen) – P.K. Atre quipped within seconds - Remove ‘CH' from your surname and see what is left over in you.- ‘vhan' (meaning footwear). Using Chavhan as composite word was on spur of the moment- Acharya Atre cracked this illustrious Joke.
Acharya Atre dwells on purpose of Jokes- and I will take illustrations of aggressive, hostile and some time sexually offensive Jokes which obey the central function of Jokes- “Wish Fulfillment”.
Acharya Atre had developed the Art and techniques of masking and camouflaging sarcastic, hostile and aggressive joke. Achrya Atre was passing through a bad financial patch- and was walking down to his office since his car was sent for repairs. Just by then he met with one of his bitter most critique who asked him, Oh Baburao, (Oh Mr. Atre), why walking down today? Have you sold off your car! (meaning Atre had become Bankrupt / broke). Atre shot back - Oh Mr. …. Strange, you are walking alone today without wife's company as you have been doing regularly? Today you are not seen with your Wife (My sister) ? Where is she? Has she deserted you? / Bunked you? The Bitter critique vanished from the scene. This joke emerges from the unconscious and which hoodwinks, the internal psychic censor.
It is only Acharya Atrewho could crack an unexpected and socially offensive powerful joke amidst highly tense, mysterious and even tragic situation to relive the audience from tension! In the dramatic scene of the lyrical drama Preeti Sangam (Love Union- of Deity Vithhal & Devotee Saint Sakhu). . The interjection by Ambadas, Saint Sakhu's husband, “Oh my God, does it mean that I spent and enjoyed last eight nights with ‘God Vitthala' or what?” evokes surge of laughter in the audience reliving the audience from agony and mounting tension of the tragic situation! This joke also uses the technique of camouflaging, hiding and revealing the offensive sexual content like in dreams. In normal situation the exclamation would have invited intense wrath and heap of abuses from hard core orthodox Hindus. It only demonstrates how profoundly Acharya Atre understood the ‘represent ability' as technique in Jokes and Dreams.
VISITING ‘OSCAR WILDE'S LIFE
Acharya Atre, the master humorist also made the audience to shade tears through his literary contributions, through Dramatic works like GHARABAHER, ‘Preeti-Sangam; and also his Editorial Obituaries of Sane Guruji and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Suryast- Sunset) have been classified as unforgettable, which made the readers to weep and cry! Hence Acharya Atre has been characterized even by his critiques not only as Humorist but as ‘Forceful- Powerful creator of Tears” and King of Compassion and pathos. It is not surprising that at close end of his life, when high tide of socio- political regression in late Sixties, when he was termed by a cartoonist several times as' Pig of Worli', tarnishing his image was rampant and the cultural gains in Marathi came under shadow, being wiped out, Acharya Atre felt close tie-bond with great literati like Oscar Wilde who faced the worst at the end of his life. Acharya Atre penned the unforgettable Novel on the life of Oscar Wilde, his last Book- “SHAPIT PRATIBHAVANT' (Cursed Talent) and was published in 1984, fifteen years after Atre's demise. Commenting on this book, his critique, Mr. S. G. Malshe says, “While narrating tragic and moving saga Acharya Atre completely identified himself with this Western Genius. Achrarya Atre demonstrates his complete empathy and is compelling Novel, marked by eagerness, curiosity and strikingly absorbing and attractive style. I believe that while reading this captivating, fascinating piece of literature, the appreciating reader will certainly relish the awakening and blossoming of literary style of this piece of literature and will develop , not just sympathy but empathy for two Greats! (Introduction- 1984).
Throughout his life Oscar Wilde struggled to search and discover the reciprocal relationship between Love and desire. Acharya Atre found the bonding –umbilical cord with Oscar Wilde's search into liberation or emancipation of human creativity. Acharaya Atre had the same mission, emancipation of creativity of the Artist and the common man from repression, obstructions and authority. It is not surprising that like Ram Ganesh Gadkari, P.K. Atre treated, Oscar Wilde as his mentor! His deep affinity for Oscar Wilde demonstrates his all encompassing curiosity and affection for his works. Both were humorous orators and both were gifted to allow the deeply unconscious thoughts to manifest themselves after providing the stunning twist. As mark of appreciation in his Book , he has quoted number of witty Quotes of Oscar Wilde, like, “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes”, “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go”, “I can resist everything except temptation & “The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young”.
Here surprise or sharp twist provided unexpectedly breaks the rules of logic and common sense. This is a typical mode and technique of displacement and twisting of meanings which “dream work” and ‘joke work' use to create laughter and as comic and it fulfils condition of being antithesis of “sense in nonsense”
Acharya Atre seems to have acquired immense curiosity in subject like Sexuality & Human relations. This is since Western Influence and progressive traditions in Literature worked as a driving force within himself. His “Cursed Genius' the ‘life Portrayal' dedicated to the ‘Oscar Wilde' stands as an outstanding example of socially curious, progressive and objectivity based approach P.K. Atre had and was highly rare rest of the rare contributions of those times in India of Mid 20thCentury. The Book published in 1984 Fifteen Years after Acharya Atre's death has the excellent and unbiased introduction by Mr. S.G. Malshe, the Marathi critique of highest integrity. It will be great surprise for Marathi readers to know that for Acharya Atyre considered Oscar Wilde was his Mentor like that for Ram GaneshGadkari.
The Book's novelty and surprising aspect is that it has Autobiographical Form! As if P. K. Atreis narrating his own life storey- and further attempt for ‘Self Search'. AcharayaAtre's appreciation of Oscar Wilde's growth as of an all time great literati of highest order. Acharya Atre's emotive identification with this young creator and his rapid downfall, his rigorous defense of and identification with Oscar Wilde and of the intrinsic bisexuality or homo sexuality and his ‘Helpless treading on a no return path', his hysterical or delirious regression and his inevitable death at the end of Nineteenth century is so vividly prorated that reader cannot escape from weeping and shading tears out of the empathy it generates. He died as Cursed but his resurrection is also freakish and extra ordinary in style. The world which boycotted his literature had to see hisresurrection after 1956 when his ‘complete Literature' was published- fifty six years after his death.. While narrating- storytelling Acharya Atre identifies himself with Oscar Wilde. .
It does not remain Oscar Wilde's Biography but nearly reflects Atre's Autobiography. Atre takes us in to the wonderland in an uncharacteristic style and compels us to think and weep! AcharaAtre's views attain ‘Universality'. Oscar Wilde's resurrection and reinstated by History as one of the greatest HUMOUR Dramatist”and as martyr gives us an hope that reincarnation of Acharya Atre is not a dream, and after every Sunset there is Dawn!..I have just reviewed the significance of man named ‘Acharya Atre and sources of his creativity, as it is reflected in ;'MiKasaZalo'- making of Myself. His ‘Waters of KARHA', the magnum opus, Autobiography running into Eight Booksof 400- to 500 pages each. In introduction to it he says, ‘Myself or Me' carriers little value. “The Autobiography is only a ‘pretext' for making a summery and detailed statement of last fifty years of major historical, political, social & literary events and happenings in Maharashtra hence its Biography of Marathi Society'. His emergence as spokesperson of masses of downtrodden and the working classes, his rise as greatest Humorist of Marathi deserves his resurrection if Marathi Language is to flourish or survive and become ‘Giver to International Literature”.
Anil Pundlik Gokhale is an Engineer by profession and have been a reader and student of Marxist and Freudian literature for last four decades.He has been a professional translator of medical and other literature from English to Marathi. As a non regular writer on political literature he has always been attempting to intigrate Psychology and Marxism.He has t recently published book ‘Condensation And Condescension In Dreams And History: Essay - From Sigmund Freud To E P Thompson' by Author House London.
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