Is it a Fool’s Day or a Day That Makes People Fools!

The beginning of the 1970s. A vivid memory of my student days at the Banaras Hindu University doing doctoral studies. At that time, there weren’t as many universities as there are now. The universities in Karnataka today are only universities in name. But the studies conducted in them are limited to a specific subject like science, medicine, or technology. Even though the study of various subjects has a global reach, the diversity in the study of subjects seems lacking. As more and more new universities were established, the geographical reach of the older ones diminished, and the scope of studying various subjects has become narrower.

The Banaras Hindu University, founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviyaji, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhiji, still retains its original form. In the campus of this university, there are colleges for various subjects such as Arts, Science, Medical, Engineering, etc., with separate hostels for students of each college. Like hundreds of houses in different extensions of a city, all the teachers and staff members are provided with official quarters in the campus. This university, which attracts students from across the world, is said to have no parallel in Asia.

In the 1970s, a large number of students from South India came to study at this university. At that time, there was no need for me to receive any financial help from our Mutt for my education. I used to receive a Junior Research Fellowship of 300 rupees a month from the UGC, which was enough for me to cover my expenses. One morning, as I was ready to leave for college, I came out of my hostel room only to find that my bicycle was missing. There was no chance that my bicycle, which I always used to park right in front of my room in the hostel courtyard, could have been stolen. When I asked my friends if they had taken it, they all reacted with surprise. One of my close friends, pretending to look for it, pointed towards a tree and said, "Your bicycle is climbing up the tree!" Sure enough, when I looked up, my bicycle was hanging from a branch of the tree. My friends burst into laughter, and I realized that it was April 1st. They had played an April Fool's prank on me the previous night!

Behind this prank, there was a bond of friendship and trust. As they laughed, they helped me bring my bicycle down from the tree. Later, when I treated them to some sweets, they were overjoyed. It’s in moments of such joy that one can also learn valuable lessons about being cautious, as there are times when such jokes can lead to deceit. Some friends would come claiming it was their birthday and bring sweets with a lid covering them. Those who grabbed the sweet packet first without looking at it would get one or two Jilebis and Burfis kept above and the rest would only find soil and sand under the lid!

Thus, pranks played on friends, colleagues, family members, teachers, and neighbors, with no ill intent but just for fun, are what make up the "Fool's Day" on April 1st. Every year on this day, many people eagerly await the chance to fool others. It is a tactic where you tell a friend shocking news, only to reveal it was a lie, making them a fool.

In Western countries, popular newspapers have used this day to publish false death reports of prominent people on their front pages, startling readers. In Sweden, during the 1960s, when colored televisions were not yet available, the national television station broadcasted a completely false news story. Famous technical experts explained how to turn black-and-white TVs into color TVs using a nylon fabric. Immediately, thousands of people started experimenting and were deceived.

In the 1970s, The Guardian newspaper in England published a special 7-page feature about two beautiful islands that did not exist in the Indian Ocean, with many exciting articles. This sent tourists into a frenzy, and the newspaper office was flooded with phone calls throughout the day, as people sought more information.

This day, celebrated for fun and mischief, should be filled with humor, but without causing any harm or shock. I recall an incident from my childhood, which I heard from elders. In the surrounding villages, there was a tradition of hiding the groom during weddings. They would then make the bride search for him. When she failed to find him, the relatives would take her to the place where he was hidden and show her, laughing at the situation. One such incident occurred. No matter how much the bride searched, she couldn’t find the groom. The groom had been hidden in a wooden box in the corner of the house and locked. When the bride was finally taken to the box and the lock opened, they found that the groom had suffocated to death!

In the Indian spiritual tradition, the concept of the "fool" is not foreign. To philosophers, worldly people appear foolish, but worldly people might call philosophers fools. The great poet Purandara Dasa, who left all his wealth to sing devotional songs and travel with a tambourine and anklets, would seem foolish to the materialistic world today. Similarly, those materialists would appear crazy to Purandara Dasa. If enlightened Buddha looks at the materialistic attitude of people, the ordinary people should also have the privilege of laughing at him. Nowadays, a new trend has appeared to jeer at Gandhi also.

On April 1st, let’s remember that this day should be spent with humor, without causing any offense or shock. I recall an incident from my childhood in the village, during weddings, where there was a tradition of hiding the groom. When the bride couldn’t find him after searching, her relatives would take her to the place where he was hidden and show her, only to find that the groom had suffocated to death in the hidden chest!

Dear readers, since the arrival of the "Idiots Box" (TV), it's become difficult to say who the real fools are – the politicians appearing on TV or the people watching them or both. The April 1st "Fool's Day" may come once a year, but politicians make fools of voters every time there are elections. During by-elections, the deception is even more intense. If the by-elections come prior to Ugadi festival, you will not be surprised if the drunken voters see not one crescent moon but two or even more. In this context, a humorous poem written by RVS, a retired principal of our Math college and revised and translated by me is as under:

Truck Driver’s Vedanta!

As long as I am on the driver’s seat,
And the Divine spirit is in my liquor bottle,
It is Dvaita (Philosophy of Duality)!

When the Divine spirit is emptied from the bottle,
As it enters my stomach,
It is Advaita (Philosophy of Non-Duality)!

When the eyes get blurred and the road appears to be two,
And the truck sways and dances on the road,
It is Viśiṣtādvaita (Philosophy of qualified Non-Duality)!

When the truck kisses the road-side tree as I steer,
And I kick the bucket on the spot,
It is Shati-viśiṣtādvaita (Philosophy of Shakti-qualified Non-Duality)

O the Lord of Death! (Gotakeśvara)

- Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Dr. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji Sirigere

April 1, 2025.