Bāgh-e-Raaz (baːɣ ɛ raːz)
"You have to laugh. No, really - that's the whole point of the school. Laugh. Now." - Zariya, Master of Wonder and Delight, instructing a new student of the Bāgh-e-Raaz
Bāgh-e-Raaz is perhaps one of the most unusual schools in the Great Ring. It was founded shortly after the Nagahasana first established their commune on the island of Irlatxikia, with the intention of guiding the community's hatchlings towards an understanding of Hansee ka Pyaar, the philosophy at the heart of the Nagahasana commune. Over time, students from other cultures who were drawn to Hansee ka Pyaar came to live and study in the Bāgh-e-Raaz, especially from the neighboring Kingdom of Herria.
The Garden of Riddles
Bāgh-e-Raaz is not a traditional school, with classrooms or schedules. Instead, it is a garden that rambles over ten square miles of the hills of Irlatxikia. There are buildings scattered throughout the garden where the masters and students live, but they spend most of their time wandering and conversing, and exploring all the nuances of laughter. The garden itself is designed with this in mind, and has puzzles and riddles designed into it, some of which will open into hidden nooks, while others are intended solely to frustrate those who attempt them.
"Laughter is the true essence of communication. As the Spirit Realm is to the Dream, so is laughter to language. It transcends and encompasses it, shedding the unimportant details for the truth that can never be spoken."
The first activity each morning is a ritual group laughing session called the Subhānī Hasī. The entire school gathers together and laughs for several minutes. The goal is to move from forced laughter to natural laughter over the course of the ritual. The masters of the school lead the Subhānī Hasī and observe the students during it, interpreting the underlying essence of their laughter in order to plan the remainder of the day. Each master will then collect whichever students they think need their attention that day, and leave the rest to wander the gardens and explore laughter in their own way.
The Masters of Laughter
There are many masters who teach at Bāgh-e-Raaz, but three who are considered the true Masters by their peers. This is not a hierarchical organization, and these three do not have any official authority over the school or the other masters, but their deep understanding of some form of laughter has earned them the respect of the entire school.
Zariya, Master of Wonder
Considered by many to be the most approachable master of the Bāgh-e-Raaz, Zariya is considered to have the greatest understanding of joyful laughter. Students seek to study under them to learn how to see the world and enjoy it. Zariya will often set tasks to find delight in odd places, such as lifting rocks to see the magical creatures beneath them, or to emulate a kitten chasing a butterfly. They can be seen giggling and exhausted at the end of each day, and many believe this is the purest form of Hansee ka Pyaar.
"I have never laughed so hard, or been so happy, as when I spent a day with Zariya. It was as if the entire world was there for the first time, and I could see how incredible everything was"
Zariya
Skopgaldur
Skopgaldur, Master of Ridicule
One of the few foreign masters in the Bāgh-e-Raaz, Skopgaldur was once a Bolvirki in his native Eyju before coming to study with the Nagahasana. He selects students more often than they choose him, and many dread the days they are chosen as his target. His particular talent is in showing the foolishness that people cling to, and using words and laughter to expose the truths people do not wish to face. His students often struggle to laugh at first, but those who do find themselves better for it.
"I hated him, and he knew it. His laugh was like a knife that cut at me. But one day I saw the joke. I laughed at myself then, and for the first time he laughed with me, not at me. Once I could laugh at myself, I was free."
Zahak, Master of Defiance
One of the oldest members of the school, Zahak came to the Bāgh-e-Raaz late in life, seeking laughter to ease their pain. While they do not share their life story, those who know how can hear the shape of it in their laughter. They seek out the students who are trying to hide behind their laughter, and shows them how it can be a challenge and a shield and declaration.
"To laugh at despair, at loss, at hopeless odds - this is what I learned from Zahak. There is a strength there, a power within us all to keep laughing, to never surrender to the darkness and pain of the world. I live because I laughed when all was against me, and laughter made me strong."
Zahak
Laughter is the Song of the Soul
Laughter and Power
The followers of Hansee ka Pyaar believe that one of their duties is to laugh in the face of power in order to show the mighty that they are ridiculous as everyone else. This has not made them popular in most places - few of the rulers and gods in the world are kind to those who humble them. Still, there are those who have learned the wisdom of humility, and have members of their court who have the express duty to remind the leader that they are no better or wiser than anyone else.
The Bāgh-e-Raaz & the Babeslea
For centuries, the heir to the throne of Herria has held the title of Babeslea (or Protector), and been the kingdom's representative on Irlatxikia. Each prince or princess has spent years living among the Nagahasana, often in the Bāgh-e-Raaz itself, learning the intricacies of Hansee ka Pyaar. They do this because the Zai family has long believed that this education was critical to avoiding over-proud and narcissistic rulers - the irreverence with which the Nagahasana attack any self-delusion doesn't leave much room for hubris. So far, it's worked out pretty well, and there is no plan to change this arrangement in the future. The current Babeslea is Zuzenna Zai, and she has thoroughly embraced the Nagahasana philosophy.
Babeslea Zuzenna Zai
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I find this so interesting. I love that the point of the school is the power of laughter, and how the different masters focus on different facets of it. Skopgaldur is someone I never want to be selected by! One of my favourite entries I've read so far. :)
Thank you so much! I wanted to do something a little different than the other schools in my world, and this seemed like it might be interesting to write.