Movie Review: Diksha(1991)

Diksha, a film directed by Arun Kaul, based on a story by eminent Kannada litterateur U.R. Ananthamurty, explores the traditional brahmin culture. the movie portrays how some acts in a the then society were considered 'sacred and profane'. Koga(Nana Patekar) is a servant, does many works at the ashram. He gets all the left-over food to eat. he becomes a good friend of Narayan(Nanni).In one scene, the little boy insists to touch Koga, but Koga refuses saying that if you touch me, you will become unholy. Nanni insists to touch him and nears towards Koga, Koga in response climbs a arecanut tree and shifts to other trees and finally climbs down and runs away.

Children at young age aren't aware of all the social intricacies, they inbibe all the societal attributes as they grow up. Here I feel education can make a great difference by various kinds of intervention. A teacher in a school can be a person who can contribute in making a rational human being.

I doubt, The education system during the period on which the film is based had a different kind of scenario then what it is now. today various factors has brought society at a same stage. like there are instances and chances of a Brahmin and a shudra travelling in a same bus, or even next to a Brahmin. Todays market system and globalisation has been favourable in vanishing the 'untouchability' like social evils.

To intervene a societal construct is a very tough task, but effort is to be made in order to achieve a equalilty. The sense of superiority and inferiority shouldn't dominate human beings.

Coming back to the film, Koga learns to chant the sacred scripts by coming near to the Ashram and listening to Upadhaya'a chanting.

After Acharya goes away for a few days, the entire scene changes in the village. Yamuna, who is a widow, becomes pregnant after seduced by a local teacher and the villagers come to know about it.They want to remove her from the village.the lover is timid and refrains from taking responsibility, thus insists her to go for abortion. Yamuna and her beloved plan for a abortion.she goes to a sudra's home, accompanied by young Narayan at night and abortion is performed. the little boy waits for Yamuna outside the house till morning. Her beloved leaves the village in fear.

Acharya returns, highly tensed and downfallen. Koga speaks to Acharya. But Acharya, do not atke him seriously. Koga furiously shows his anger and says what kind of Brahmin you are. He aslo chants many 'slokas', which he had learnt in secrecy at the Ashram. Koga starts taking wine and non-vegetarian food.

The film brings conflict between humanism and the strict Brahmin culture. Narayan is taken back from the Ashram by his father to his village.

Finally, the Acharya agrees to declare that Yamuna is not his daughter anymore. He chants that she is dead, while she is still alive.