Rattus - Taon Ng Daga



Sinasabing sila ang nagkalat ng peste negra o "Black Death" sa Europa noong taong 1348. Isang uri ng kagimbal gimbal na pesteng kumitil sa buhay ng mahigit kumulang 100 milyong katao. Mga simpleng dagang bahay na nagdala ng pulgas na nagsilbing "vector" o tagapagsalin ng mikrobyo ng nasabing peste. Kapag nakagat ka ng pulgas at kumalat ang mikrobyo, hindi ka tatagal ng dalawang araw. Sa una'y lalagnatin ka. Tutubuan ng bukol na parang pigsa. Babagsak ang katawan. Hindi magtatagal -- Tigok ka!

Subalit sa mga Hindu, daga ang kasa kasama ng kanilang diyos na si Ganesha, ginagamit nyang kasangkapan upang sumuot sa kasuluksulukan at kaliit liitan lugar ng alinman daigdig o alin mang labirinto -- sinasabing karakter ng daga bilang hayop na may angking ibang talino. Si Ganesha ay diyos na lumulutas ng mga suliranin at balakid ng sangkatauhan. At sa kanyang papel na ito sa kosmolohiyang Hindu, daga ang kanyang "sidekick".

Kay John Steinbeck, sa kanyang obrang "Of Mice and Men"-- Ang daga at tao ay walang pinagkaiba. Magkahalintulad sa kanilang pagka alumpihit sa kawalan. Buhay na walang kasiguraduhan. Laging nagtatago subalit lagi ding naghahanap.

Naalala ko naman ang isang deskripsiyong Aleman na nagsasabing "arm wie eine Kirchenmaus" may kahalintulad sa Tagalog na "mahirap pa sa dagang simbahan". Naisip ko nga, aba'y umaasa ka na sa kawanggawa ng simbahan, pobre ka pa.

Sa mga Tsino, papasok ngayong gabi ang bagong taon, ang sinasabing pag ulit ng pag ikot ng mundo sa labing dalawang hayop ni Buddha, na nag uumpisa sa daga. Katakot takot na pampa swerte ang inilalantad ng maraming Tsino ng Binondo. Tila mga taong nanlalansi at nang aakit, pinalalapit ang swerte. Naitatanong ko din naman; "Hindi kaya kamalasan ang kanilang pilit nilalansi upang ito ay mahuli at malupig. Katulad sa walang hanggang pag akit natin sa mga daga sa pamamagitan ng lasong ating ipinapain..... Malas?

Parang gusto ko na lang yata ipakahulugan ang mga daga sa animated movie napanood natin noon, isang dekada na nakaraan, tungkol sa kusinerong dagang Pranses. Subalit hindi pa rin maalis nito ang aking "idee fixe", ang aking paniniwala sa hindi kalinisan ng mga daga.

May naalala akong muli: Ang pesteng "Black Death" ay sinasabing galing sa China. Unti unti itong gumapang sa Gitnang Asia patungo sa Baltic hanggang marating nito ang Messina, Italya. Doon na nag umpisa isulat ng tao ang isang uri ng kamatayan.

Lungsod Pasig. Enero 2020

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