Run-of-the-Kutch

Shoojit Sircar’s wizardry notwithstanding, the Gujarat Tourism ad of the Wild Ass Sanctuary has an asinine script. Sample this: Sheher wala gadha nahin jo sadak pe khada ho ke koi gehri baat sochta rehta hai (These are not urban donkeys who stand on busy streets and ruminate). The double entendre rhetoric and human imagery makes an ass of the ass. And the fact that it is the Big B who is spewing this stuff only heightens the ludicrousness of it all.  

Vishesh Tippani: The ad is old — three years old. Good work by Akhilesh’s speechwriter though. 

Bray Hearts 

Okay, so Akhilesh had some fun with the donkey imagery. At an election rally in Rae Bareli, he aimed his Lucknowi tehzeeb at the messenger to drive home his message. “I appeal to the biggest star of the century, please stop endorsing the donkeys of Gujarat.” The BJP, ever ready to appropriate a new icon, put a spin on the ass. Smriti Irani invoked “Ma Shitala”. The PM said the donkey inspired him. Azam Khan’s lost-and-found buffaloes took a hard rap. Kailash Vijayvargiya called the Congress a python for attacking the donkey.

Vishesh Tippani: Maneka Gandhi, you okay with this animal cruelty?      

E-I-E-I-O

Midway through the polls and with no substantial issue at hand, other parties also had fun. Lalu Prasad said: “The donkey breaks its silence occasionally. But our PM cannot stop talking.” Digvijaya Singh also tweeted to the effect.  AAP leader Kumar Vishwas released a video of himself reciting Om Prakash Aditya’s poem Idhar bhi gadhe hain. 

Vishesh Tippani: The Prajapati community, which depends on the donkey for its livelihood, is upset. 

What an…

It is difficult to say when “donkey” became a pejorative. Flip through The Iliad — description of Ajax at war —  to understand that the Greeks were no fans. The Bible suggests it has prophetic abilities. In the story of Balaam’s ass, God chose to speak through a donkey, and there is the Nativity association. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it acquires a comical quality courtesy Bottom. Dapple in Don Quixote is a benign presence. Milne’s Eeyore is friend, philosopher and so is Orwell’s Benjamin.

Vishesh Tippani: Gardhab Das, the out of tune equine, was a fond icon of 80s India. Closer home gadha means another tune — Chandrabindu’s. Gaadhaa taa ke jol dao. (Aside) Morey jaabey... 

Upala Sen