Padmavati and Hiraman, the talking parrot
Padmaavat (starring Deepika Padukone in the title role as Rani Padmini,) is a 2018 Bollywood period drama directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali based on an epic poem, ‘Padmavat’, by Sufi author Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540 CE.
Padmini, also known as Padmavati, was an exceptionally beautiful princess of the Singhal kingdom (Sri Lanka). Ratan Sen, the Rajput ruler of Chittor Fort, heard about her beauty from a talking parrot named Hiraman. After an adventurous quest, he won her hand in marriage and brought her to Chittor. Alauddin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi, also heard about her beauty, and laid siege to Chittor to obtain her. Many events occurred during the period of the siege, till the fort was finally taken. Meanwhile, Ratan Sen was killed in a duel with Devpal, the king of Kumbhalner, who was also enamoured with Padmavati’s beauty. Before Alauddin Khalji could capture Chittor, Padmavati and her companions committed Jauhar (self-immolation) to protect their honour. After her sacrifice, the Rajput men died fighting on the battlefield.’ [read more]
Groups claiming to represent the Rajput community have said the alleged depiction of romance between legendry Hindu queen Padmini and Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khilji insults the Rajput community. The film’s makers have been denying the allegation. Historians are divided over whether Padmavati ever existed, but interestingly, it is not a trivial question to ask how Hiraman, the talking parrot, could have well communicated about the princess Padmini to Ratan Sen. Assuming that the bird flew from Sri Lanka to Rajasthan, it might be talking in Sihanli language not in Marwari/Rajasthani or Hindi. In addition, when Ratan Sen was the King of Medapata (Mewar), - the time frame of 1302 –1303 CE -, no king named Gandharv Sen had ever existed in Singhal history.
These objections, among many others, should have led us to wisely conclude that the character of Padmavati is probably fictitious. However, if nevertheless, such communication between Hiraman and Ratan Sen was deemed plausible, the most forceful backing for such conclusion is that in India, the beauty of women is so powerful that parrots are compelled to talk about it.
Indian princesses might have kept the secret but instead, male vanity probably spread the word that parrots, flying from a palace to another to boast about women of extraordinary beauty, can be instrumental in the power struggle between the Princes for whom the possession of the most coveted treasures, including beauty whatsoever, is politically significant, and as such, meant to be ostentatious.
And soon, the news crossed the seas. In other continents (i.e Africa), talking parrots discovered that women’s beauty comes in a variety of shapes. Thus, since Padmavati’s reign, the competition among parrots to serve the most beautiful princess, has been emulating the vanity of men willing to conqueer the most beautiful women, in much the same way Hiraman’s talk about Padmavati ignited the rivalry between Ratan Sen and Alauddin Khalji, the Sultan of Delhi.
Today, and quite surprisingly, the way of winning a man’s heart with the help of talking parrots is not seen as totally fictitious anymore. Padmavati’s epic story might well have inspired what is probably a urban legend. Once provided with the usable technology, it was not long before some today’s would-be-princesses decided to show-off their online presence with their talking parrot. Needless to wonder why. Millions of souls have installed « love matching apps » in their smartphone. Certainly because they expect these apps to be just as helpful as « talking parrots » praising Padmavati’s beauty to her pretenders.
