Ascent of Dawn

In the good old days, when sun was young and gay (as in giddily happy; he hasn't got himself into a binary system, has he?) everyday he would give a hi5 to the mountains of earth before swimming upstream of the blue sky. He preferred to be referred as 'Ra' and favoured listening to 'ska'. When he passed the wind the northern night sky would lit up in a thousand different colours and in thousand different shapes. Earth would be ever so enamoured by the stories that these illuminations rendered. For a while this exuberance of sun was good. Then something disagreeable happened.

Once, while on his daily sojourn across the sky, Ra was so enraptured by the ska song playing in his I-pod that he started dancing wildly across the sky, darting from one end to another. Not realizing that earth scorched and froze alternatively, singing the beautiful tapestry of the sky and burning dark holes in the myriad light hues of the sky.

This act didn't go unnoticed. He was properly chastised, the details of which we need not know. To ensure such thing never happened again however, an order of extraordinary entities from various realms was formed. They called it 'the fellowship of the day keepers'. The fellowship consisted - Dawn- cool and gentle she rose out of the most ancient magic that presided the 'big bang', Morning – the ebullient messenger of good news to the gods, Afternoon – the lazy interlude between the romance of morning and dusk, Dusk – the eternally beautiful mistress of many mysteries, Night – the master sorcerer. Their primary job was to ensure that Sun didn't divest of his path by accompanying him and entertaining him. Everyday dawn would gently arouse Sun from the folds of night and introduce it to chirping birds, morning dew and sleepy joggers (or in the early times, 'the relieving' public). And then in the evening, dusk would tenderly lead him into night's cove. Night would ensure that Sun had his rest and also ensured that he wouldn't sneak away to frat party and get carried away by the lure of Andromeda galaxy. We very much needed him here in Milky Way. Being a master sorcerer, Night did this by spewing out the vision of sun's brethren and friends, frolicking and dancing in various formations - the constellations; strangers and travellers whose tail crossing earth's path would create supreme fireworks – meteor showers; mysterious objects that would dart in and out of vision..

For a time, this arrangement was agreeable to all. Alas, but time has to pass, and things must change. While Sun took his rest, Night in its loneliness found solace in the silent stories of the dark. The morose stories of the dark, initially only arouse empathy and sense of brotherhood in Night. However, over a period of time, the master raconteur infused its darkness into Night and impregnated Night's conscience with the want for power. It hatched a plan for the rise of 'eternal darkness'.

Eternal darkness' midwife was dusk. Unbeknownst to the evil plans of the Night, Dusk did its daily bidding and escorted the Sun into the company of Night. That day, night dawned rather earnestly. With a quick turn of its cape around Sun, it took Sun hostage and eternal darkness descended over the whole of world.

Trees, for the first time, bellowed and cried out loud. The disoriented birds crashed onto roofs and bald heads of men. Sunflower became delirious and waved their heads at the headlights of passing cars. Men for a while rioted and partied, but eventually the doom descended on them as well. When despair was all encompassing and despair permeated all beings, one brave entity rose to the occasion. When no god was awake, and no being consolable, DAWN rose against Night to rescue the Sun. It took out its shining white sword carved out from the centre of Earth, encrusted with stars from heaven and blessed with morning dew at its tip. It slashed it through the thick swathe of darkness. Ever expanding and resistant darkness swallowed the sword into its black hole of a mouth. Dawn didn't give up. It rose again after a brief retreat with his ally – the Lightening. Dawn took out lightening out of the sheaf of the clouds which were gathered in a huddle behind it. Dawn took a deep breath and stretched its will. That intent moment was charged with tension through all the surrounding darkness and the bristling clouds. Except for occasional bolts nothing moved. The lightening went out thundering and enlightening the whole of sky. After a long time, earth was alight with a bolt of hope. In the sudden burst of energy, Night lay aghast with the audacity of Dawn. Its chink of armour was exposed. This sudden commotion woke up Sun from its bewitched slumber. When it tried to rise, it singed Night's cape. This sudden double surprise left Night out of breath and toppled off his dark throne. However he quickly regained his composure and conjured a dark globe that swallowed all the light and happiness from its surrounding. Then Dawn let out another lightening towards the dark globe. The chastened Night let out a cry of bewildered rage with the sight of obliterated globe. From a descript corner of earth arose an innocent laugh of a child. She had just lit an earthen diya in her courtyard before witnessing Dawn's moment of triumph.

Meanwhile, Night let out a million bigger, nastier globes that went on rampage trying to swallow light and mirth. However, the laugh of the little child had arisen a tempest which carried her diya with it towards the sky. It was unaffected by the mirth sucking globes and left them strewn all around in various shades of dishevelment. The tempest contained hope within it that emanated diffused light. As if all it took was mirth and happiness of a little child for the fall of Night. The tempest flew towards Night protected by Dawn's lightening. It let out the diya in front of the Night. The moment stood in abeyance. The flickering light off the little wick slowly spread its light all around. Sun, now completely unshackled arose from behind Night. The diya and Sun started to move towards each other. Dumbstruck, Night froze there in the middle of the diya and Sun. Both diya and the Sun's illumination were increasing as they came nearer. Night was almost obliterated and burnt when Dawn rescued it and chastened it to its rightful position. Diya and Sun amalgamated into one and the world was once again alight and happy. Songs of merriment wafted into air as Dawn ascended on the end of the eternal darkness. Touched by the winds from the wings of Dawn, the world was beautiful once again.

-Ajinkya Pawar

[p.s. - this is little something I wrote as an entry for 'Black Coffee' – the inhouse mag of MICA. I am a member of lit comm; the guys who r responsible for the mag to come out.. i hope my entry is good enough.. and that we hopefully pull it off. Fingas crossed! ]