Seven Lives To Three Minutes

"Literature" is defined in Dictionary as "Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting merit". There are many other definitions but this probably effectively sums up the concept. There are many forms of literature like poetry, prose, drama or play, fiction and so on, "Novel" is also one of the forms of literature. "Novel" is defined in English Dictionary as "A fictitious prose narrative of book length, typically representing character and action with some degree of realism". The extent of realism is not defined and there are no measures for it. Hence it is safe to assume that it can be one percent to a hundred percent. Moreover, reality is often a matter of opinion. What is considered as real by one may be unreal to another.

Romantic poets, or poets in a romantic mood often state that life itself is poetry. There are many songs in every language mirroring this statement. Anyone who has lived life for a considerable length of time would certainly agree that life is a poem consisting of lot of realism and many true situations that look like fiction. People generally agree that life is a poem with lot of drama mixed with an amount of fiction along with many time spans that run like dry prose.

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In Kannada and Marathi languages, the equivalent word for "Novel" is "Kadambari". There is a novel in Sanskrit with the title "Kadambari". It is a romantic piece of literature written some 1,300 years ago, with one of the principle characters with the name "Kadambari". Probably this must have given the name to an entire class of literature as Kadambari. The equivalent word for Novel in Sanskrit itself is "Upanyas". Hindi, Assamese and Bangla also use "Upanyas".  Many other Indian languages use the word Novel itself as its equivalent in their language. One may recall that Devaki Nandan Khatri's "Chandrakanta" was the first novel or Upanyas in Hindi. This was made into a popular TV serial in Hindi and eagerly watched by millions.

"Kadambari" is the name of a famous prose work in Sanskrit. Poets believed that writing in prose is indeed a big challenge. "गद्यं कवीनां निकाशं वदन्ति" (Gadyam Kaveenaam Nikasham Vadanti) is the statement. It means that writing in prose is the touch-stone for a poet or writer. Just as purity of gold is measured by using a touchstone, a poet's real worth is measured by assessing his wrintings in prose. 

The prose work "Kadambari" in Sanskrit is composed by a great poet by name Baana Bhatta. It is also said that this work was composed over two generations. It appears the poet Baana died when the work was not yet completed, and his son Bhushana Bhatta completed it. So, it is a two generation creation of a love story that actually spans three generations as some of the characters in the novel take rebirths and all ends well in the end with the lovers being united at last. It probably symbolises that love extends to many generations. Or to be more accurate, love is a matter for generations!

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Those who believe in re-birth tend to believe that love and marriage for a man and a woman are for seven generations. Some may even believe it is eternal. Modern life has taught us that this can even be extended to love between two men or two women, irrespective of whether law and some sections of society accept a marriage between such couple. 

This subject of "seven generations love" is very popular with filmy people. There are hundreds of films in different languages on love (or even hate as shown in films like "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" in English and "Karz" in Hindi) that show eternity of deep love. "Is janam me to nahi; agle janam me zaroor milenge!" (Not possible in this life time, but we will be definitely united in the next life!) is a popular dialogue in all love tragedies. Naturally many films have songs that glorify seven generation love. "Janam janam ka saath hai nibhaneko" (It is an affair of generations to carry on) sung by Mohammed Rafi in Shammi Kapoor Babita 1969 film "Tum se achha kaun hai" is an all time hit. It repeats again in 1982 Smita Patil starrer "Bheegi Palken". There are many more for generations, in all languages.

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Why should one wait for seven generations for fulfilling one love? Why not experience more in this lifetime itself? "Ye Dil Maange More!" (The heart needs even more) some may say. There may also be concerns of sour relationships and the fear of suffering the same fate for seven lives? Naa baaba, naa. nahi chahiye! (No dear, I don't want that). It is also logical to find the right person in this life by trial and error so that there is no trouble in the coming six lives. It is indeed a good idea.

Two time Oscar winner as best actress and famous Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor appears to have tried this as well. Known for her roles in many super-hit movies and especially as Cleopatra, she married eight times in her life, to seven persons. Eight marriage with seven persons, because she married the same person, Richard Burton, twice. She first married him in 1964 as her fifth husband and lived together for 10 years. She divorced him in 1974. She married him again in 1975, but divorced again in 1976. Maybe to be doubly sure that her decision to divorce was indeed right.

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What if someone does not want seven lives or even one full life for that matter? There have been many short lived marriages. The record for the shortest marriage was probably held by a UK couple for a long time. It happened in Stockport Register Office in Greater Manchester. A couple exchanged vows and celebrations started. As the celebrations were on, the newlywed wife did not like the the toast proposed by her husband to the bridesmaids and smacked him on the head with an ashtray at the reception. The husband attacked the police when they were called in. He spent the night in jail while the lady celebrated their divorce. The marriage lasted all of 90 minutes!

Many thought that this record would stand for ever.

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There was a wedding in Kuwait in 2019. The wedding was solemnised before the judge and the couple left the venue after the proceedings were over. The bride tripped and fell over. The husband called her "Stupid" for falling over. The bride got enraged at this insult, re-entered the venue and requested or demanded the judge to dissolve the marriage. The judge agreed with her and issued an annulment order within three minutes of declaring them man and wife. 

Forget seven lives or even one life. The marriage lasted all of 180 seconds or three minutes.

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The shortest marriage that lasted three minutes happened in 2019. That wonderful and ever excitement creating WhatsApp University is again circulating this news now, as if it happened yesterday. 

One hopes that this record will stand for a long time. It probably needs a set of at least three geniuses to break it, the Presiding Officer or Judge included!