Most of us will be familiar
seeing a face staring from various buildings, houses, complex etc. You can also
notice such figurines lurking in roadside waiting for some one to buy. Well,
this is a common face in India known to everyone, especially in South. However,
do we know there is a folk story of this face?
Well, if someone asks what is this or why it is placed on any buildings, the most common response we get is –
it’s a “dristi bombe”. A doll kept scaring away the evil eyes.
From childhood most of us
would have heard similar answer – it is a distract kept on top of any good,
expensive building which will reduce the impact of any wicked senses, and keep
such place safe, isn’t it? I was in assumption for many years and never
bothered to find the details behind it until recently came across a
mythological story related to it.
Yes, there is a story embedded
in our famous classic Mahabharata…!!
Just before the start of Kurukshetra
war, Krishna was thinking about the upcoming war and came across an archer who
was practicing with great precise. Looking at his talent he spent some more
time observing him and in one aim practice, archer shoots down all but 5 ½ leaves
from a tree in a single arrow. Krishna was impressed at this talent but also
curious to know why 5 ½ leaves was left and ask the archer.
Archer introduces himself as
Urdhvaroma, son of Bheema and says when the Kurukshetra war happens, he will
take side of Pandava’s and eliminate all others in the war. Thus those 5 leaves
are of Pandava’s and ½ for Krishna.
Though Krishna is impressed with
Urdhvaroma, he doesn’t want to these to happen, since his vision for the war was
different and Urdhvaroma’ s presence will eliminate the very purpose of war. Krishna
asks him to join him for further journey towards camp.
In the camp, Pandava’s were performing
a Havan and as part of ritual they need to sacrifice a living creature.
Krishna entrusts this to Urdhvaroma,
asking him to get a creature which has scary face and full of straightened hairs,
without which Pandava’s can’t complete the Havan and may not be able to win the
war.
Urdhvaroma having taken side of
Pandava’s start searching for that description, but never to be found. Tired of
roaming and thirsty, he goes to a pond for water. Just when he bends to gulp
some water, his reflection is seen in pond and that gives a shock to him. Yes,
his face is comparable to Krishna’s ask for sacrifice. He realizes, it is his
life been asked for the victory of Pandava’s.
With sadness but determined, Urdhvaroma
returns to the camp and lies down beneath a cloth, on the bench kept for the
creature.
Krishna asks Bheema to
sacrifice the creature beneath the cloth by chopping off the parts from toe onwards.
Bheema follows the instructions, without realizing who is lying there.
Up on reaching neck, while the
creature is still alive, Bheema feels awry and unveils the cloth, to see the horror
of his son been chopped by him as sacrifice for war.
Too late to reversible, Bheema
is disheartened by his act however needs to move forward.
Urdhvaroma seeks blessings from
Bheema and ask Krishna if he can be alive till the war ends, which is granted
and his head is kept in safe distance, to watch all 18 days war of Kurukshetra.
Not only that, for the great sacrifice
Urdhvaroma did by offering his own life, he is also blessed that he will be
remembered forever by keeping his head replica in front of all houses for
generations to come and he will safeguard such places from evil eyes.
Note: This story may not appear
in all the versions of the Mahabharata. However, there are so many stories and
sub stories connected with this great classic and in one of such folk stories,
came across this incident.
There can be various other
versions of Urdhvaroma or Dristi Bombe concept. There are numerous stories
around the arrow and conversation follows, however, this is an attempt to capture
the stories read and heard from different sources. Have referred numerous articles,
stories videos, plays, spoke to elders in family for information and got this created.
If not for originality, you can treat this as a simple story on bravery and
sacrifice.
