The Dance of Destiny
by Raja (Arasa) Ratnam

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Description

An account of personal pilgrimage, through the currents of life which refused a smooth sailing. Observing all neutrally, analysing with a depth of understanding of matters historical, geo-political, and religio-societal, the author seeks to answer the perennial question — why is it so? With a spiritual insight drawn from the metaphysics of Hinduism and some significant psychic experiences, he weaves throughout his narrative his speculations on the nature and role of Destiny. He concludes that we are indeed the masters of our future lives; and that, by seeking to merge with the Divine in a humanistic manner, we will ultimately reach that Ocean of Consciousness from which we once arose.

In Part 1, the brutality of the Japanese in Malaya; the superciliousness of the British coloniser; the destruction of the author's career prospects; his marriage to an Anglo-Australian and their brief but exciting life in Singapore; and her abrupt rejection of him on rejoining her in Australia after he had cut off his return to the land of his birth, are all set within an inter-connected framework of a nation in the making.

The author's peaceful boyhood; the way a multi-ethnic population of indigenous Malays and immigrants from all over India, south China and surrounding islands initially co-existed with one another, later integrated into a new nation; the life of fear and the author's unending hunger under the brutal Japanese military occupation; the post-war striving for freedom from the clutches of colonial and racist Britain; these are drawn out simply and with impact.

As well, the personal tragedies befalling the author and thereby his family; the apparent  near-death experience of the author just after his father's sudden demise; the  inexplicable failure of the author's studies in Australia (which were actually foretold by a wandering yogi who had arrived at the family home); thereby leading to the author's rejection by one and all as a self-created social pariah; his failed attempts at suicide and to drown himself in alcohol; these are set out honestly.

Then, the sudden appearance of light at the bottom of the well of despondence that he was in, through the arrival of a girl who subsequently insisted that they be married; their attempts to survive in Singapore financially whilst befriended by a wealthy Indian couple (and spending a day entertaining a visiting maharajah); the unexpected Ministerial approval of residence in Australia leading the author to walk away from a prospective successful career in Singapore in order to rejoin his wife; the prospects of a joyful but uncertain future (because this was still a very white Australia) in a foreign land; all these lit the sky for the now optimistic author. This part of the narrative does lighten the pages of the book.

Part 1 however ends with the rays of hope suddenly lighting up a great future for the young couple being blocked off mercilessly. The author's wife rejects him on his arrival in Australia - right at the kerb of her family home! The drama of this event is spun out with literary style. 

Part 2 highlights the racism of White Australia and the denial of equal opportunity, even as the author makes a substantial contribution to civil society, achieving leadership positions there. It identifies the heroic efforts by the author to save his marriage; to acquire academic qualifications part-time, to enable him to find skilled work (by denying himself adequate sleep for four years); to find jobs which offered a career; in fact, to achieve a secure toe-hold in a nation which then formally denied entry to coloured people (indeed, the initial arrival of non-British white immigrants from Europe had to be stage-managed by the national government to enable tolerance by the Anglo-Aussies).

This part commences with necessary background about the author's initial experiences in Australia. It then takes him into a wide range of experiences after his second arrival. These include him being 'hijacked' into the position of 'shop steward' in his union. Ironically, he made such a substantial contribution to that  union in later years that he was awarded a Meritorious Service Award. His next exposure was to the education system where, as the foundation chairman of a school board, he again made a substantial contribution. There he sought to introduce a religious education (not indoctrination) program.

Then on to educating the public and public service agencies about public speaking and chairmanship (achieving the national presidency). In that role, he was successful in widening the membership of Rostrum (akin to Toastmasters) to include women. A public speaking competition for primary schools in the national capital and surrounding townships is still operating.

The difficulties he faced were in securing suitable employment; and later, promotion based on relative merit. He experiences (concealed) racism and (overt) tribal discrimination. The irony of life was that he had spent 10 years in successfully working for career protection in the federal public service.

A most significant part of this part of the book relates the author's psychic experiences. These are powerful and complex, raising serious questions about the determinants of human lives. In seeking to explain his own life, he reaches a most useful conclusion. From there he moves onto the issue of spirituality, as distinct from religiosity. The role of the spirit world in human lives is posited, as he was told that the spirit world had brought him to Australia, with a task being set for him after his retirement. Incredible as this is, he asks: How does one reject an experience which was real but is yet inexplicable?

This part concludes with messages of hope, for his nation of adoption and for humanity. The spirit world may yet be satisfied with his contribution.

Conclusion  Because it is a personal story set in diverse environments - ranging from the tropics to Australia; and because it weaves in very human experiences over more than half a century; it has been assessed as a 'good read' by a number of people in 4 countries. For the more serious reader, students, scholars and philosophers, there is a lot of meat to 'chew' on. It will be challenging to many.