Archive: Sacred Games Symbols
In the winters of 2017, I made a page on Instagram by the name @passion.for.cinema (the name was a shoutout to Anurag Kashyap's blog). I made it because I couldn't take it anymore, I was consuming so much of data, analyzing it, processing it, joining them, creating new data that I needed to let it all out and people around me were not an option.
Although the page met its fate after a few months, I recently found the write-ups in my Google Keep.
Sharing two of them which were truly original pieces. They are about the symbols and names of 1st and 2nd episodes of Sacred Games season 1. I was so much intrigued by them that I read the whole mythological stories about each of them and then connected it with the plot to derive meaning through them, which would make the story and themes more comprehending.
I was able to write about only two of them due to exams, ab kya kaha jaaye.....
S1E1 Ashwathhama
Ashwathhama is a character from Mahabharat, an ancient Sanskrit epic.
He was a mighty warrior who fought on Kaurava's side against Pandava in the great Kurukshetra war.
Ashwathhama, born a Chiranjeevi (Immortal), was born with a gem in his forehead, which gave him power above other beings and protected him from hunger, thirst, and fatigue.
According to Mahabharat, Ashwathhama used a weapon known as the Brahmastra. The weapon was thought of as a penultimate destroyer, having the power to create havoc somewhat like a nuclear warhead. After the end of the war Ashwatthama commits a grave mistake, he evokes Bramashthra and kills the unborn child of Abhimanyu(Arjuna’s son) in Uttara’s womb.
| SPOILERS AHEAD |
Starting with the logo, the gem is visible at the center signifying Ashwathhama along with arrows protruding from all sides~ might symbolize his anger and destruction he caused.
The episode establishes an analogy between Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawaaz) and Ashwathhama when Gaitonde calls himself the latter while talking to Sartaj Singh(Saif).
Not only by the fact that he is alive at the beginning after most of the people he loved died(they would die in later episodes though).
Although Gaitonde died in the first episode his voice is omnipresent in the remainder of the season, making him Immortal.
S1E2 Halahala
This term is taken from a major event of Hindu Mythology, The Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean).
The churning was an elaborate process: Mount Mandara was used as a churning rod and Vasuki (king of all snakes), who abide in lord shiva's neck became the churning rope. The devas (gods) and asuras (demons) pulled back and forth on the snake's body alternately, causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churn the ocean.
The churning released a number of things from the Ocean of Milk. One was the lethal poison known as Halahala.
Halahala was the deadly poison, which was released during Samudra Manthan and had the potential to destroy all of creation.
Then the Gods approved Lord Shiva for protection. Shiva consumed the Halahala by a shank (conch shell) in an act to protect the universe inside shiva. As a result, his throat turned blue and he was hence called Neelkanth (the blue-throated one)
«SPOILERS AHEAD»
Starting with the logo the spiral in between seems to be depicting the churning, and it also looks a bit like the seashell. The three dots on either side of the spiral may represent the groups of gods and demons. The spiral is within a shape which resembles a vertically oriented eye (can be a symbol for Lord Shiva).
The theme of Sagar Manthan (churning) and Halahala (poison) is spread all over the episode.
The death of Ganesh Gaitonde is much like the Churning of Ocean as a lot of secrets of Mumbai VIPs, from Politicians, Film stars to come out of that event and everyone is stirred up.
I think Sartaj Singh is like that snake which is being pulled from both sides.
One from RAW agent Anjali Mathur (who wants to reveal the conspiracy) and other from Parulkal and Bipin Bhosle (who wants to suppress it)
One of the things which also come out of this event is that of the deadly events after 25 days. Just like Halahala came out of Samudra Manthan.
The final one is that Gaitonde is Shiva, in this case, he revealed Sartaj (ultimately the police and people) about the disaster, Knowing, he will be killed for doing that (so killed himself)
There are subtle references also, like a heap of trash, seemingly poisonous but hiding sweet nectar of Power for Gaitonde which would give him immortality.
And Taadi - trade poison in turn for support of Kanta Bai.
Ya , and Iraq ka Paani (water of iraq) too.
I still think there's more to it, like for Parvati holding shiv's neck, ( and many more) but I just couldn't get into any conclusion.
P.S. Why only Iraqi water? Why not Arab or Iran anything else...
In 1991, as US-led coalition forces advanced in the Persian Gulf War, Iraqi military forces set fire to around 700 Kuwaiti oil wells as part of their scorched earth policy. The wells were burning till 10 or 11 months.
As Gaitonde was not able to buy that land he torched up the whole trash heap which kept burning till 5 days.
- Ujjwal Narayan
Although the page met its fate after a few months, I recently found the write-ups in my Google Keep.
Sharing two of them which were truly original pieces. They are about the symbols and names of 1st and 2nd episodes of Sacred Games season 1. I was so much intrigued by them that I read the whole mythological stories about each of them and then connected it with the plot to derive meaning through them, which would make the story and themes more comprehending.
I was able to write about only two of them due to exams, ab kya kaha jaaye.....
Ashwathhama is a character from Mahabharat, an ancient Sanskrit epic.
He was a mighty warrior who fought on Kaurava's side against Pandava in the great Kurukshetra war.
Ashwathhama, born a Chiranjeevi (Immortal), was born with a gem in his forehead, which gave him power above other beings and protected him from hunger, thirst, and fatigue.
According to Mahabharat, Ashwathhama used a weapon known as the Brahmastra. The weapon was thought of as a penultimate destroyer, having the power to create havoc somewhat like a nuclear warhead. After the end of the war Ashwatthama commits a grave mistake, he evokes Bramashthra and kills the unborn child of Abhimanyu(Arjuna’s son) in Uttara’s womb.
| SPOILERS AHEAD |
Starting with the logo, the gem is visible at the center signifying Ashwathhama along with arrows protruding from all sides~ might symbolize his anger and destruction he caused.
The episode establishes an analogy between Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawaaz) and Ashwathhama when Gaitonde calls himself the latter while talking to Sartaj Singh(Saif).
Not only by the fact that he is alive at the beginning after most of the people he loved died(they would die in later episodes though).
Although Gaitonde died in the first episode his voice is omnipresent in the remainder of the season, making him Immortal.
S1E2 Halahala
This term is taken from a major event of Hindu Mythology, The Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean).
The churning was an elaborate process: Mount Mandara was used as a churning rod and Vasuki (king of all snakes), who abide in lord shiva's neck became the churning rope. The devas (gods) and asuras (demons) pulled back and forth on the snake's body alternately, causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn churn the ocean.
The churning released a number of things from the Ocean of Milk. One was the lethal poison known as Halahala.
Halahala was the deadly poison, which was released during Samudra Manthan and had the potential to destroy all of creation.
Then the Gods approved Lord Shiva for protection. Shiva consumed the Halahala by a shank (conch shell) in an act to protect the universe inside shiva. As a result, his throat turned blue and he was hence called Neelkanth (the blue-throated one)
«SPOILERS AHEAD»
Starting with the logo the spiral in between seems to be depicting the churning, and it also looks a bit like the seashell. The three dots on either side of the spiral may represent the groups of gods and demons. The spiral is within a shape which resembles a vertically oriented eye (can be a symbol for Lord Shiva).
The theme of Sagar Manthan (churning) and Halahala (poison) is spread all over the episode.
The death of Ganesh Gaitonde is much like the Churning of Ocean as a lot of secrets of Mumbai VIPs, from Politicians, Film stars to come out of that event and everyone is stirred up.
I think Sartaj Singh is like that snake which is being pulled from both sides.
One from RAW agent Anjali Mathur (who wants to reveal the conspiracy) and other from Parulkal and Bipin Bhosle (who wants to suppress it)
One of the things which also come out of this event is that of the deadly events after 25 days. Just like Halahala came out of Samudra Manthan.
The final one is that Gaitonde is Shiva, in this case, he revealed Sartaj (ultimately the police and people) about the disaster, Knowing, he will be killed for doing that (so killed himself)
There are subtle references also, like a heap of trash, seemingly poisonous but hiding sweet nectar of Power for Gaitonde which would give him immortality.
And Taadi - trade poison in turn for support of Kanta Bai.
Ya , and Iraq ka Paani (water of iraq) too.
I still think there's more to it, like for Parvati holding shiv's neck, ( and many more) but I just couldn't get into any conclusion.
P.S. Why only Iraqi water? Why not Arab or Iran anything else...
In 1991, as US-led coalition forces advanced in the Persian Gulf War, Iraqi military forces set fire to around 700 Kuwaiti oil wells as part of their scorched earth policy. The wells were burning till 10 or 11 months.
As Gaitonde was not able to buy that land he torched up the whole trash heap which kept burning till 5 days.
- Ujjwal Narayan
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