'The purpose':

                                          'The purpose':

                                                                           By T.P.Kailasam

Symbols in 'the purpose':

We can find so many symbols in the play which the satire on the society. Like when Guru deny to teach archery to Ekalavya, which shows that how class conscious we are. If someone really has that potation and skill, still they cannot come out because of the class discrimination. 

Though kailasam choose the mythical characters to convey his views but in a way he is trying to show the modern problems of the society. At the end, Ekalavya sacrifices, by cutting his thumb, which shows that weaker and class wise lower has to suffer and has to sacrifices. We always think that the character of Arjuna was the best and he was humble and was so Nobel person, but here writer breaks out thinking and myth both, which shows that the writer gives a new imagination, which we never imagined. In the myth the character of Ekalavya is marginalized character, where as in this play he is the protagonist of the play. Here writer uses the technique of decentering.Here we will find the shisyas (students) learning archery. Means if we want to do archery then we have to focus a lot, here the students are focusing but every one’s focus are different. We can also find out another symbol that they all are very near to the nature. It is said that when people go near to the nature then they become very true to their self but we are shocked that how every person is true to their self, how harsh the reality is. At the end Ekalavya cries a lot because he gives up his thumb and he cries in front of that idol that he was thinking that is his guruji. And also complained that why don’t you stop me when I was giving my thumb. He said lines to the idol of Guru which he makes that:

“IN MY MAD LOVE FOR MY GURU,

GAVE TO HIM WHAT WAS Never Mine to Give!

WHAT WAS always Yours!

 ONE MOMENT OF MAD LOVE FOR MY GURU,

I FORGOT YOU ALL AND

FORDOT TOO THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF MY ARCHERY”.

 “I NEVER KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING!

I NEVER KNEW!

 I NEVER KNEW!

BUT HE KNEW!

GURUJEE KNEW!

 HE MUST HAVE KNOW!

 HE MUST HAVE STOPPED ME!”

 It is true that the writer give more space to the marginalized character but still it is worthless because here no one is hearing him. In the myth it is said that after giving his thumb Ekalavya never regret and even spoke a single word, but here he cries a lot and speaks long speeches. In the myth he even speak a word and here he speaks means at the end he is speaking but at the front of the idol means he is speaking but no one was there to hear his pain, his agony, what he has done indirectly for Partha (Arjuna), sacrifices his right hand’s thumb, sacrifices his Nobel intentions, his Nobel aims. Alas! What he has done?

Here the most important symbol is the title of the play itself “THE PURPOSE”, may be here writer present different type of purposes from the different view point. The purpose of Ekalavya to learn archery was Nobel one. He wants to save the lives of deer and all those animals, which are weak so that they can spend their life fearless and without hurting themselves. The purpose of Arjuna to learn archery was not Nobel one. Because he was just learning archery to show off himself and he can take pride among the mankind. He just wants to learn archery because he can win the wars. Even when he tells his intentions to his Guruji and Thaathaajee they said that it is wrong that you are learning aechery just because you can satisfy but your intention must be the royal one because you are a prince and in future you will be a king.