The Fable (Jugnuma: The Fable) hits us with the most force when it posits Priyanka Bose in the glow of a bonfire, the fire crackling and throwing her family into a painting, very much resplendent, like Ravi Varma’s Lady with a Lamp and makes her sing something the daughter refers to as ‘sivoham’.

Priyanka Bose is almost silent throughout the movie, and her attuning herself to an absent sruthi makes me lean forward, curious as to how this silent person would sing the so called ‘sivoham’. The giant black screen of the theatre is illuminated only by the figure of Bose, who reflects the light spreading over the family, the muted orange and yellow flame.

Essence of Being (Dasein) is existence. Why is it so? A being becomes a Being when it has being, and is also aware of its be-ing, which is existence. That is why existence is the core of Being.

When we say ‘I am’ I am saying that ‘Dasein am’, which is to say ‘being-being-there am’ so I am a being who is being there. To be involved is to be. This is why involvement is crucial to all pleasurable and spititual activities.