Title:The Captive Performance

 

                               The Captive Performance

        

                          

Writer: Vijay Madan

Photo:  Vijay Madan

In a dusty corner of a bustling Indian village, where the air was thick with the scent of spices and the hum of daily life, a man sat with a small drum by his side. His skin was tanned from years under the sun, and his eyes were sharp, betraying a weariness that came from a life of hardship. Before him, tethered by a short chain, was a monkey, thin and trembling, with wide eyes that held both fear and a strange, quiet resignation.

The man, known in the village as Mohan, was a street performer. His livelihood depended on the small coins tossed his way by passersby, people who watched with casual interest as he made his monkey, whom he called Raju, dance, tumble, and perform tricks. The monkey’s life had always been this way—a cycle of fear, obedience, and survival.

As the midday sun beat down, Mohan tapped the small drum, its rhythm irregular and sharp. With each beat, Raju’s instincts, honed by years of conditioning, kicked in. The monkey stood on his hind legs, raising his arms as he had been taught, the chain clinking softly as he moved. His movements were mechanical, devoid of the joy and playfulness one might expect from such a creature. The chain around his neck had long ago worn away the fur, leaving a raw, bare patch that was a silent testament to the life he led.

Mohan’s stick, an extension of his will, pointed sharply at Raju, directing his every move. A flick of the wrist sent the stick arching toward the monkey, who flinched but complied, lifting one leg and hopping awkwardly on the other. The small crowd that had gathered around them laughed and clapped, tossing a few coins at Mohan’s feet.

But in Raju’s eyes, there was no joy, no understanding of the claps or the laughter. There was only the unending beat of the drum and the sharp bite of the chain. His world was confined to the few feet of dirt around him, and his life was one of relentless servitude. The tricks that amused the crowd were the same ones he had been forced to perform countless times, each one a reminder of his captivity.

As the performance continued, a young boy in the crowd watched with a frown. He had seen the monkey man before, had even tossed a coin or two in the past, but today something felt different. The boy’s father had often told him stories of the jungles where monkeys lived freely, swinging from tree to tree, playing with their families, and foraging for food. Looking at Raju now, the boy felt a pang of sadness.

When the performance ended and the crowd began to disperse, the boy lingered. He approached Mohan hesitantly and asked, “Does the monkey like doing tricks?”

Mohan, surprised by the question, looked at the boy and then at Raju. He shrugged, the question one he had never considered. “He does what he’s trained to do. It’s how we survive.”

The boy nodded slowly but didn’t move. Instead, he looked at Raju, who had slumped to the ground, the chain still tight around his neck. “Does he ever get to be free?” the boy asked softly.

Mohan was silent for a moment. The question hung in the air, heavier than the heat of the day. Finally, he sighed. “This is his life now, boy. There’s no going back.”

The boy turned away, the weight of Mohan’s words settling on his small shoulders. As he walked home, the image of the monkey, chained and performing, stayed with him, a shadow that would not leave. That night, as he lay in bed, the boy made a silent promise to himself. One day, he would find a way to help Raju and all the others like him, to give them a chance at the freedom they had lost.

Back in the village, Mohan gathered his coins and gave Raju a small piece of bread. The monkey ate quietly, his eyes closed as if savoring the brief moment of stillness. The next day would bring more performances, more tricks, and more claps from a crowd that saw only the entertainment and not the suffering behind it.

But somewhere in that village, a seed had been planted—a seed of compassion and change. And though Raju did not know it, his life, and the lives of others like him, might one day be different, thanks to a small boy who saw beyond the performance and into the heart of a captive creature yearning for freedom.