CHENNAI : I was at an art exhibition earlier this week, showcasing some incredible pieces of pottery and ceramics. One of them caught my attention. It was an installation of spinning tops by the artist Chandan Das. The tops were grouped together on the countertop. Being interested in games, I spent a lot of time admiring them from different directions.
The spinning top is among the most popular of games and toys in India. Tops have always fascinated mankind from time immemorial. The spinning top has a cord that’s wound around the frets. The top itself is pear shaped and ends in a point, usually metal. The trick is in flicking the top to the ground, while simultaneously unwinding the cord in such a way that the top lands on the point and spins. There is something fascinating about the top — its ability to spin on a point, defying gravity and the laws of physics.
The top has always fascinated artists and writers. Frank Kafka wrote a short story on the top. In this, the philosopher tries to understand the world and believes he can do so by holding a top in his hand. He ultimately fails because he looks at the top in isolation forgetting the cord and the person who actually flicked it to the ground. This association with the top and the world has its roots in physics.
The top is called a gyroscope in scientific terminology and has been used as a tool in numerous experiments, notably on ships for navigation because of the tops’ innate ability to spin straight on the point even though the surface on which it is spinning is slanted. The top is believed to represent our world because the earth itself is considered a gyroscope spinning on its axis. A giant gyroscope on which we live.
In many ways, the top resonates with another common Indian symbol — the lotus, and its ability to transcend the environment of slush and mud, and bloom beautifully. When the top spins and acquires sufficient momentum, it appears to literally be standing and many Indian literary references refer to this moment as putting the top to sleep.
Sadly, the ability to spin a top is disappearing. Poor quality tops with rusty nails have prompted questions of safety. If misused, the nails could cause a great deal of damage. The disappearance of open spaces to play is yet another culprit. Yet there are those who not just spin a top but pick it up while it spins so it continues to spin on their palm. There are other tricks I have seen, such as flicking the top directly to the palm of the hand and the ability to “walk” a top down the steps by picking it up using the cord and dropping it on the next step while spinning all the time.
I understand the fascination in a simple toy that seems to transcend the laws of physics, and its environment, and is able to almost stand motionless on a point. The feeling of holding the cord between your fingers and flicking it to the ground, gives you a sense of control, the thrill of achievement and the belief that you have almost transcended the universe.
Vinita Sidhartha
vinita@kreedagmes.com
The writer is an author and the founder of Kreeda, an organisation reviving traditional games