Dante’s Inferno or my Hell-licious

Hell-licious

Dante’s Hell or Dante‘s Inferno. Hell glorified or shall I say Hell demystified. Reason why I came to know of it, is obviously my new read – Dan Brown‘s Inferno.

Inferno means Hell in Italian. Dante’s poem “Divine Comedy” popularly knows as Dante’s Inferno, showcases the journey of Dante along with poet Virgil, through the Hell.

Its one of the classic and masterpieces of poetry in terms of its elaborate and horrendous depiction of the underworld. Journey is depicted through nine layers of hell, where each circle denotes a dissimilar nature of punishment for every sin. The greedy have to push heavy weighed bags of money with their chest and the adulterous blown away with heavy storms.

Concept of hell is in itself quite mesmerizing and to think of it structured through various layers, each guarded by fallen angels and mystic figures like Cerberus the “great worm“, is quite stirring.

Most contradicting thing that I have noticed is, Satan shown as a mere prey of his own hell, receiving punishment for his deeds (Personal treachery against God). He is a beast in captivity, having no control of surroundings. This is bizarre as mostly Satan is shown the creator and regulator of Hell, controlling every life/death around it.

I must say that the words in poem puts a very horrifying picture of hell and the punishment for sins. But, I have no recent plans to enjoy that experience, so why talk about it.

Coming out of it, I remembered how we were told in our childhood that the Hell is just down below the earth. So if you dug up the earth and go at the opposite end, you will land in the Hell. To my amazement, I have heard so many times that, since America is directly below where we are (India), so technically America is hell. Interesting J

It was also called “Pataal Lok” in Hindi, meaning the land of ghosts or dead souls.

I am not a child anymore ( maybe from the heart, still ) and now when I am writing this, I am laughing in my mind. What the Hell we used to think?

Now, I am sitting in this Pataal Lok – America, and smiling.

If this is hell, I would say it’s hell-licious. I would definitely not mind much, if after death I would be awarded hell for all the sins that I have done (Confession – I have not done any single one of them, and I will go to heaven for sure. But, just in case J )

It’s a long wait till then…. will sure update you, from heaven or from The Inferno.