Raja : King of the circus

Raja is a majestic lion, he was little cub when he was brought to the circus. Innocent and unaware of the ways of the world, he was to now be brought up by humans and other domesticated animals at the circus. Just as a human child who grows up in this circus of urban life believing all he sees to be the reality, Raja too was to accept this life as his reality.

Raja was given a lot of love, he was an adorable little cub after all. At the same time he was told that this was his world and that everything outside was beyond reach. He was taught to 'fall in line' or face the 'consequences'. Like the human child who is loved, protected and also taught the norms of the world, Raja was a trained lion. He would follow the routines of all the others in the circus being sure this was the only right way to live. He was satisfied as he played around with the other animals. He was given rewards to perform tricks, just as we all get in our lives as well, and he happily performed them, feeling pride in his heart that he was fulfilling his responsibilities.

Raja grew up in this protected and  constrained environment, without ever realizing the invisible shackles that were holding him tight. Raja thought he had only limited power and had no belief in his own strength. Like most of our limitations are created in our mind so were Raja's. Some chains that bind us don't exist, but are perceived, some are so weak they can be broken and yet our mind plays games in such a way that we never put an effort to break them. Raja was now a fully grown majestic lion, his beauty was adored by many, though he himself was not aware of his true potential.

Once the circus, which travelled by train was passing through a dense forest. Raja who was often prohibited from looking beyond his confines for once got won over by his curiosity. He stood up in his enclosure and looked out of the window. Just as a teenage kid who has always been taught to stay in line, follow a particular tried and tested career and not look towards other fields like music or sports would be awed by other kids playing music or doing well at sports, so was Raja in awe, when he saw the beautiful forest outside and a pride of lions basking in the sun. The train halted for a long time and Raja had the privilege of watching them hunt, eat and play. "These are majestic beasts", thought Raja not aware he himself is a lion as he had never seen himself or paid attention to his reflection anywhere. The train moved on but the pride of lions remained in Raja's mind even after they had reached their destination.

"What a beautiful world it was out there, what majestic creatures, it seemed so much better over there, I love it here but my heart still wants to be there", mind muddled by these thoughts Raja wasn't able to sleep that night. On sunrise he went to have some water, it was early morning and the other animals were still asleep. The water was perfectly still. As Raja bent over to have water, he saw his reflection in the water, his eyes were wide open as he saw this majestic lion in the water. He continued to stare at himself, realizing now that he was a lion who was meant to be out there in the jungle. Like a man who has been trained by the system since being a young boy, only realising his true talent and potential  when he's grown, Raja too was  in a perplexed state of mind.

Had the realisation come too late? How does one know if it's too late to try something new? I say it's never too late, the day you awaken is the day you begin. Raja often thought of escaping to the jungle but so many years of training made him doubt himself. He would remain quiet now, his mind was here but his heart wanted to be in the forest. Raja often made plans to get out there and ditched them as many times. He seeked advise of other animals who always said it was a mean place out there and survival would be difficult. Advice of others made him lose courage, though the funny thing was that none of these 'wise' others had ever been outside themselves, you need to be careful who you ask for advice. His mind swayed like a pendulum from being in the safety of the circus and leading the routine life, to getting out there and experiencing the real adventure of life. But as with most people who are unable to break the shackles due to various reasons like lack of support, wrong advice, lacking courage, being scared to move out of the comfort of the routine life, Raja also eventually decided that this was destiny. Blaming situations for his current state, he disguised his lack of courage and intent, with various excuses for not trying to be free and living to his true potential. So many Rajas have been lost, not living to their true potential, so many Rajas have perished trying to break free from the system which rigidly tried to hold them back and so many Rajas just continue to live an ignorant life not even aware of their true potential. Raja accepted this life in circus as his destiny and since then became Raja, king of the circus.