They say Equator is the imaginary line that circles the middle of a planet (here, earth) dividing it into the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere. Although the line is imaginary but it serves multiple practical purposes and gives a meaning to different geographical phenomena. So, for all practical purposes this line doesn’t remain an imagination. That is why, in spite of knowing its imaginary status, it is deemed, treated and taught as a fact which generations next learn from their knowledgeable elders.
The Great Wall of China, however, is not an imagination. The Wall emerged when the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, connected the fortifications built by various states during 771–476 BC and Warring States period (475–221 BC) to protect his newly founded Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC) against incursions by nomads from Inner Asia and a great part of this Wall is still standing. Considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Wall is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Qur’an has referred to a ruler (Dhu al-Qarnayn, Cyrus the Great, 590–529 BC, as per latest historical research put forth by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad) who, being God-fearing and justice-loving, served his people in multifarious ways. Even during his campaigns to the west and east of his dominion he behaved with the people who came under his rule with justice, although he didn’t spare the ones who were wont to arrogance. It was during one of his eastern campaigns that he, on the request of a people living in “a tract between two mountains,” (Qur’an, 18:93) “erected a barrier (Wall) between them and the terrible people (Gog and Magog) who did mischief on the (that) land!” (Qur’an, 18:94) Clearly, this Wall (Ar. Sadd, Barrier) too has not been imaginary!
It is interesting to note that the legendary Indian cricketer, Rahul Dravid, because of his dependable batting style, has been given the title, The Wall in the cricket history! Indeed, he could defend his team against all odds and his defence was so dependable that great bowlers, both tricky and fast, would always yearn and love to “break this Wall!” Clearly, this Wall, too, is not imaginary.
The 1975 Indian (Bollywood) movie, Deewaar (Wall) presents the separation and reunion of two brothers after the clash of their interests. Here, the two brothers actually stood on the opposite sides of the Wall or Boundary of law, because one’s underworld activities put him at odds with another (brother) who, as a police officer, wanted to bring him to justice. Here again the Wall, although abstract (theoretical) is not imaginary still! It is thus real.
However, the Wall which we are talking about is totally imaginary. Nevertheless, its significance is so great that it has helped nations, states, societies and people to endanger, nay destroy their existence by becoming their own enemies. This Wall operates by snatching from people the faculty of reason and rationale. For this purpose people are made to believe all and sundry without ever being able to ask questions. People never ever try to check the genuineness of this Wall.
It is said that this (allegorical) Wall stood between and separated two dominions of an imaginary planet. These two dominions (read countries or states) were, for a long period, ruled by a powerful empire and they achieved independence one after the other. However, there was a little piece of land lying between these two states. With all shrewdness, the rulers of these states, helped by their erstwhile masters, built a Wall to protect their part of this little piece of land. The Wall, however, resulted in keeping the people of this little piece ignorant of each other and the world beyond also remained unknown to them.
The Wall, with each passing day, became impassable for the citizens of this little piece of land. So, they had no means to know the exact condition of the people who lived on the other side of the Wall. It doesn’t, however, mean that the people living on either side of the Wall didn’t visit each other. Actually, they had different excuses and multiple occasions to visit each other. Not only did they, although occasionally, trade with each other, but they married off their women to the men living on the opposite side of the Wall. In spite of this trade and matrimonial exchange, the people, because of some “unknown fear” never told the real stories of their native parts to each other.
This situation was just like the parable of the Wall of Laughter of bygone times that stood between two countries. Whenever a person from any side of this Wall reached the top of the Wall, he would have a last glance towards his people and land before jumping to the other side. So, while standing on the Wall he, after looking towards the opposite side, would “burst into laughter” (thus the name of the Wall) while looking towards his people for the last time. However, he would jump to the opposite side just after the laughter. As such, the people that he had come from (or jump from) would still remain ignorant about the situation on the other side.
Back to the two dominions, the situation remained unchanged for nearly a century after their separation. That is, people of both the sides remained unaware about the real situation of the side that lied towards the other side of the Wall. However, close to a century after their separation in one of the two dominions/states appeared an “Emperor” who wanted to purge of his land of the socio-economic woes which it had been gripped in since decades. His scientists (geologists) informed him that there were colossal fuel reserves close to this (imaginary) Wall. So, very soon the “Emperor” ordered drilling of the area. However, so rash and unplanned was the project (of drilling) that cracks started appearing in the Wall.
As the drilling yielded in outcomes quite against the expectations, people of the dominion, instigated by international as well as national players, started demonstrating against the “Emperor!” The protests resulted in the ouster of the “Emperor” from power. By then, however, the cracks caused by drilling had damaged the Wall so much so that it had started declining. As there seemed no end to the socio-economic worries of the dominion, people’s ignorance started waning when they began peeking through the cracks towards the other side of the Wall. And, when the Wall had fallen, they became aware of the whole situation on the opposite side of the Wall. Clearly, it was revealed to them that they were in no way different from the people on the other side of the Wall.
Thus all the lies which the successive rulers have been telling the people of this piece of land (of their side) were exposed fully! However, the credit for this exposure goes to the “Charismatic Emperor” who, although inadvertently, shattered the foundations of the Wall of Laughter. Although the people of the piece of land laughed again, but this time the “laughter” had nothing surprising in it. It is also interesting to note that the people of both the sides of this piece of land this time “laughed together!” These people, who had been divided by the lies, were now together to “laugh” at the exposure of these century-old lies!
(The author is Sr. Assistant Professor, Islamic Studies, GDC Sogam. Feedback: [email protected])
