Why Dracula lacks popularity in India

Hi

It has been ages since I wrote my last post. The truth is that I had drifted away from the passionate research that had caught my fancy in my early adolescence. That does not mean that I am any less a believer or any less fond of the tales of the Count. I still wish to visit Romania and in particular, Transylvania in order to explore those real places and to find out the answers to so many questions that continue to linger, to try to find out more history, to dig deeper..... It's just that life brings more responsibilities as we grow and now, even if I would want to make a career out of my research, chances are dim, given new goals and new work.

However, when I stumbled upon a report in the HT today, I immediately wanted to share it here, as part of the archive that I have been building for so many years. It is a fact that devoted fans of Dracula-the book as well as the character and the story plus all the history that surrounds it all- are hard to find. I have barely come across people with whom I can have sensible, serious and stimulating discussions on this subject. While I do relish the uniqueness of the tribe that I belong to, it does make me wonder why is the Count not so popular in India. The following link to the same HT report is a good attempt at shedding light in this direction.

Why Dracula fails to get a bite in India but 'atmas', 'daayans' make us shiver

Entrapped

A prince so strange
Like an evil baron of olden times...
Took my breath away
The moment he stepped into my life

And now I'm here in a realm unknown
A realm that he calls his home
I see my fears melting away
To his voice I swoon....I sway

The stakes are high
I know he's from a world apart
But thrill is exciting
Specially when there's love in my heart....

My wild baron comes and goes
I am trapped in his castle 
For an endless era I know
But it doesn't matter
It is like living a vampire dream
The like I always wanted...
Has my wish been granted ???

DRACULA'S DEATH

Hello

Well, I'd like to take you to a November evening surrounded by mountains and a blanket of white all around. The woods in the distance look mysterious. It's just a few seconds before sunset and the red ball is gleaming right over the mountain top. It could've been all silent and soothing to the eyes but amidst all this natural beauty, is a group of people who have just carried out a grave duty and there lays an open wooden box that contains ashes.........just ashes.

Not ordinary ashes though ! These were the remains of Count Dracula after he was stabbed by two brave men....and the story ended on a happy note. But how real was this happiness ????

Dracula's death left many more unanswered questions. I have a request for the readers. Please forget for a while that we are only talking about fiction ! Let's just lead ourselves into truly believing that "Dracula" was a real story and then discuss his death !

I'd first like to state how a vampire is supposed to be killed. It's not child's play of course ! We all must know that vampires are very powerful. The worst part is that they're immortal because they are already dead....They are just bodies haunting the earth without breath, without heartbeats, without souls. All the functions of a normal human body can't be seen in a vampire's body. They do not grow old, their hair, nails, cells remain unchanged. They don't fall sick nor does their health fade into decay. So how do you kill such a creature ?

According to the experts, a vampire must be stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake while it lays asleep and unaware of the world. The head should also be slashed off and according to the ancient traditions, the mouth must be filled with garlic. In the book, detailed explanations are given about the process of killing them.

There were, in all, five main vampires mentioned in the book including the Count. Lucy, his victim and the three women at his castle better known as his brides were all killed in the proper prescribed way...wooden stake through the heart and decapitation. However, in Dracula's case, none of these measures were taken or to put it better, none of these measures got a chance as Dracula's body crumbled into dust before anyone could do anything !

Dracula was stabbed in the heart by an ordinary bowie knife and immediately he turned to ashes. No wooden stake, no cutting off the head, no garlic, nothing ! Isn't it weird? If all the other vampires who were far younger and inexperienced needed to be killed in the traditional manner then why would it just take a simple bowie knife to kill the lead vampire ? This is the true mystery of the story.

Dracula was very very clever.We can observe his scheming mind right when he's introduced in the book. He had studied the dark arts also when he was alive which only added to his evil. He could control the fog, the storm, even some of the nocturnal animals. Moreover, he was capable of changing into a bat as well as a wolf whenever he willed. If he had all these powers then is it not possible that he merely shape shifted in the end leading the "good people" think that he died? Mina's marks disappeared which we say was a "proof" of Dracula's death but couldn't it be another of his powers ? He had fooled his enemies so many times. Couldn't he do it at the most crucial moment ?

Dracula was the head vampire with inexplicable intelligence, experience and strength. We have seen him turn into mist and what not ! Then couldn't he turn into dust too for a final escape from a life threatening situation ?

The novel is very informative in parts about how to kill a vampire. As the story progresses, we see four vampires been killed for sure but are left to question the fifth.The most powerful vampire dies in the weakest way. A simple knife plunged into the heart ? Damn ! That's how you kill a common man not the most powerful, head vampire ! This is the reason that I believe ....DRACULA IS STILL ALIVE !!!

Unanswered questions

Hi

After a long gap, I''m finally BACK !

As I promised in my previous post, I would mention a set of questions that have come to my mind ever since I read Dracula.

I have been trying to find out the answers to those but most of them are still a mystery. Initially I felt that some chapters or pages have been omitted from the book and that's why all the confusion was created. I was correct to some extent. I will discuss about it later. First, the "unanswered questions" :

1. In chapter 3, there seems to be a love story which has not been revealed at all. To make it clear, I would quote the particular paragraph which includes the exact dialogues of the Count-

"How dare you touch him, any of you? How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! This man belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him, or you'll have to deal with me."

The fair girl, with a laugh of ribald coquetry, turned to answer him. "You yourself never loved. You never love!" On this the other women joined, and such a mirthless,hard, soulless laughter rang through the room that it almost made me faint to hear. It seemed like the pleasure of fiends.

Then the Count turned, after looking at my face attentively, and said in a soft whisper, "Yes, I too can love. You yourselves can tell it from the past. Is it not so? Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your will. Now go! Go! I must awaken him, for there is work to be done.”

Read the highlighted statements carefully. They create a kind of suspense…it seems as if there is some secret related to the Count’s past…some romantic secret…What is it? Could it be possible that he actually 'loved' somebody? If we take a look at the movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)", similar statements are used in reference to the love story of Dracula and Elisabeta! But does it have any significance in the book? Did Stoker write something more than what's presented in the book? Can the story of Elisabeta be considered true? .....We can only keep guessing!

2. In chapter 3 itself, Jonathan Harker seems to know one of the three women,

"Two were dark, and had high aquiline noses, like the Count, and great dark, piercing eyes, that seemed to be almost red when contrasted with the pale yellow moon. The other was fair, as fair as can be, with great masses of golden hair and eyes like pale sapphires. I seemed somehow to know her face, and to know it in connection with some dreamy fear, but I could not recollect at the moment how or where."

I kept waiting for the suspense to unveil but nothing more was written about the fair girl in the entire novel.Who was she? Why did Harker find her face familiar?

3. While I was trying to find out if any page or chapter has been removed from the final book, I came upon a short story titled "Dracula's Guest". This story was also written by Bram Stoker. I actually got goosebumps after reading it and realising that it was originally meant to be the first chapter of "Dracula" !

The story mentions a mysterious woman called Countess Dolingen of Gratz. We can somehow make out that this Countess has some connection with Dracula. Moreover, it seems quite obvious that she too was a vampire. However, the strange part is that she hasn't been mentioned in the later chapters at all! If only the first chapter was removed then is it possible that her name or reference could be so easily omitted from the rest of the story? Who was this Countess Dolingen?What happened to her after Dracula and the other vampires were killed in the end? More important, why was the chapter removed?

4. The most disturbing element for me in the story was the character of Renfield. Till date, I haven't been able to understand his relationship with Dracula! I would again turn back to the 1992 movie wherein they have shown that Renfield was a solicitor who was dealing with the Count before the coming of Jonathan Harker. Also, his madness could be related to what he saw in Transylvania because even Harker suffered from brain fever after escaping the scary place.However, there is no such explanation in the book and thus, the story of Renfield is very unclear.

How did he know or meet Dracula? Why did he call the latter as his 'master' all the time? Why did Dracula choose a mental patient like Renfield to carry out his evil plotting?

5. The scariest part is the ending....Did Dracula really die so easily?

Well, I would highly appreciate if anyone could come up with some explanations for all this! These unanswered questions make Dracula all the more mysterious!

Let's see and hope if I can find out something more...I'l be back soon.

D

Another love song for a vampire......

Hey folks....

First of all, "Ramadan Mubarak" to everyone. May God accept our prayers and give us peace and his blessings.

Life is busy as usual. So, couldn't take out time for blogging. The weather is pretty good out here. It's been raining almost daily since the past one month. Anyways, I finally completed that poem about our hero ;-) . Here it is :

DRACULA

I see two eyes, red as blood,

Glowing like burning coals...

Trying to see through me,

Trying to peep into my soul !

I see the majestic castle.

I see all its eerie aspects.

I hear the howling of the wolves,

Beyond the Carpathian Mountains!

I know it's a dream, a fantasy!

But why do I feel it so strong?

An urge to see him, an urge to feel,

An urge to be in his arms...

I don't care what the world thinks

And I don't hesitate to confess

That I'm madly in love with him

My feelings can't be suppressed!!!

I know he can't exist, it's just a story,

And vampires can't be true.

But deep in my heart I believe

That he lived and still continues to do!!!

Ever since I've known him,

Through books or even songs

Something in me has changed!

Something has transformed!

The mist, the bat, the wolf, the hound.

I know all the forms he takes!

The folds of the blanket on a chilling night,

remind me of his embrace...

I feel his presence on a rainy evening,

Right next to the fireplace!

My eyes picture him standing there

In all his charismatic grace!

At times I'm afraid and start to shiver

As the realization dawns on me,

About his evil and his danger

And the stories of his villainy!

But then his charm overpowers me again!

Making me forget all doubts

The only thing which remains in thoughts

Is my love for the mysterious Count.......!!!

This is my first poem about him. I hope you all will like it !

Next time I'll post some questions which come in mind after reading Stoker's book. It's going to be interesting I promise! Till then, goodbye...

D

Love Song for a Vampire !

" Come into these arms again

and lay your body down....!

Rhythm of this trembling heart

is beating like a drum....

It beats for you!

It bleeds for you!

It knows not how it sounds...

For it is the drum of drums,

It is the song of songs..........

Once I had the rarest rose

that ever deigned to bloom...

Cruel winter chilled the bud

and stole my flower to soon...!!!

Oh! loneliness...

Oh! Hopelessness...

To search the ends of time !

For there is in all the world

no greater love than mine..............!!!

Let me be the only one

to keep you from the cold!

Now the floor of heaven's laid

the stars of brightest gold!

They shine for you!

They shine for you!

They burn for all to see !!!

Come into these arms again

and set this spirit free..........."

- Annie Lennox

This is perhaps the most beautiful song written for Count Dracula ! Naturally, it is also my mobile ringtone. I love the music. It has an air of sad mystery, desire and eternal love...just perfect! It seems as if someone has given words to my personal feelings for the Count...haha.

Last night I again saw him in my dreams and it was so real...I didn't want to wake up at all ! Then there was also this song and a lovely music. That's why I decided to post the song here. Though I hated the movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992)....but the story of Dracula and Elisabeta was quite appealing and I don't know why but it reminds me of myself....I know I sound crazy again but that's how it is..I'm totally in love with this man!!! I sometimes wonder if I was Elisabeta in some previous life lol !...It might just be a fantasy but comforts me at times when my mind gets flooded with a hell lot of unanswered questions.

I was writing a poem for him a few months back but couldn't complete it. I think my mood is just right to try completing it now. I hope it comes out well. I'll post it here soon.

Tonight I'm kind of missing him....want to sleep early so that I can dream and that would be a chance to see him again hahahaha....I must not continue writing anymore tonight lest I should be declared a lunatic lol.

Good Night all

D

P.S. : " There's always a princess...with gowns flowing white...A face! The river....The princess...she's the river...of heartbreak, deceit and sorrow....." -Elisabeta/Mina Harker(Bram Stoker's Dracula 1992)

Hi all...

Suddenly, my back is paining kind of badly tonight. May be because I didn't get a chance to sit comfortably....some urgent work in the bank, then a quick breakfast, a little shopping again, came home for a while and then went to the salon. After that, my friends came and I went with them ! Phew!...I had thought of starting a new canvas today but no more energy is left. Moreover, this pain is becoming too much to bear.

Anyways, coming to the point...we must all have heard about the famous Count from Transylvania....yes I'm talking about Dracula! This blog is dedicated to him! Not only because I'm a great fan of the novel but also because of the uncanny attraction I feel towards this character!

In India, the concept of vampires doesn't seem to be very clear. People often use the word 'Dracula' to mean 'vampire' and that really pisses me off...The most important fact that I want all Indians to know is that Dracula was the name of a Romanian nobleman! Yes, he was a vampire but the meaning of his name is nowhere close to the term.

Oh! I must clearly state that here, I will only be focussing on the character from Bram Stoker's book and little priority will be given to Vlad Tepes. Well, the latter was a Wallachian ruler and it is said that Stoker's Dracula was based on him. However, Tepes or Vlad the Impaler was a historical figure so we all are certain that he existed and I don't find the need or interest in writing about something which is known! There is no fun in it as such. I just want to focus on the man who still stands as a mystery to researchers.....

I don't want to portray as if I can uncover the "truths" but yes, I will surely try to express what I have observed and discovered through months of study! sounds crazy no??? Studying so sincerely about a weird topic..hehehe...but there's something about him which draws me in...

I can go on and on discussing about this but my schedule won't permit that. I'll be back with some interesting stuff soon...

Till then.. Au Revoir....

D