An encounter with Ms Biology

“Darwin must be turning in his grave while we, the (shocked) living, in delightful awe of his epochal ‘On the origin of species…’  squirm and shed (invisible) tears.  As of now, ‘organic evolution’- one of the profoundest concepts that explains how life on earth evolved - would no longer adorn the school text books. Poor Darwin! He spent years on the remote Galapagos islands keenly observing and documenting organic diversity in all its pristine splendour and finally came out with his monumental work… Never ever thought that with one impudent stroke of bureaucratic pen, his enduring thought and theory would be vanished for the coming generations in a country which boasts of Jagadish Chandras, C V Ramans, Homi Bhabhas…?”

I caught these words spoken by a professor-ly gentleman lecturing his young, eager-looking companion, as I passed them by.

 Moments later, I noticed a feminine-like figure beside the barren road. In tatters, she sat on a low berm, head bent, face pressed between palms. She looked oddly familiar. Habitually curious about “a damsel in distress”, I stopped by and hesitantly asked: “Hi, you look sad. Who are you? May I help?”

Sobbing, she said barely looking at me, “You don’t recognize me?  I am ‘Ms Biology’; I sit here mourning my fate and brooding about the future of the young. Divorced from Darwin, I feel like a sickly widow.”

Suddenly the professor’s lament I had just overheard struck home. I also recalled a loud talk on a corporate-owned TV channel aggressively justifying what it called “rationalization” of syllabi happening these days.

Sitting beside, I consoled her: “Look Madame. Don’t be sad; nor be overly worried about the well-being of our young minds. Let me…”

“How would then these inquisitive young learn about this fascinating saga of life’s journey from Amoeba to Man?” she interjected angrily, cutting me short. “This intricate web of life? The tapestry of interrelationships? The knowledge that shines the light on mysteries and puzzles of nature; provides us the wherewithal to harness its bounties; nurtures my younger siblings like Biochemistry, Biophysics, Biotechnology…?”

I was flummoxed. But like a knight errant (as of old) eager to rescue a grieving femme, I gushed:

“Well, well, for one thing, we have ample knowledge stored in our mythological treatises to replace these ‘anti-religious’ notions. We have ancient wisdom to lead us on and enlighten the  young. For new strides in aviation and aerodynamics we have Pushpaks to gain insights from; for organ transplants the infallible wisdom of Shushruta. About evolution, hasn’t a lawmaker dismissed it because he in his lifetime didn’t see a monkey becoming man? So take heart dear Madame.”

 Ms Biology squirmed, looking at me in stunned disbelief. But hiding my blushes at my inane logic, I pushed ahead offering more ‘rational’ justification:

“Moreover, Ms Biology, you aren’t alone in this ‘purge’. You’ve got company. History, for instance. What if the Mughals would cease to exist? Weren’t they a pain in the arse for the wrongs they did? Allopathy has flowered into Mixopathy. Astrology enslaves Astronomy. Bovine urine is the panacea for many an ailment.  A lot is happening. More members will join your club, so at least you can all get into a huddle and chant hymns and mantras in the glory of the country.”

But Ms. Biology was unconvinced.

As a last ditch effort to woo her, I proposed, “Cheer up now. Remember every cloud has a silver lining. Come, rise, and let’s together, as true ‘nationalists’, raise a toast for Vishwaguru India.”

Ms. Biology however glowered at me and saying "Et tu, Brute?" began weeping bitterly.

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