INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..LXXII

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN.LXXII
Dr K Prabhakar Rao


(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen at Prashanta Nilayam in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh. They want to see Saibaba. They are seen waiting. There is a great rush too as usual.)

Patel. Bapu. There is a great rush here. I do not think we can have darshan (audience) to day.

Bapu. Let us wait and see. If not to day, some other day we shall see the Baba.

Nehru. That means we have to come again..eee…eee. I am tired.

Patel. Jawaharlal. Relax. Don’t cry. Some times we have to put hard work. Things will not work as per our expectations.

Bapu. Hee…heee.. well said Patel.

Nehru. That means I do not have patience.

Patel. You know it better.

Bapu. Look guys Some VIP is coming.

{ Security people and Police Inspectors escort a VVIP who is accompanied by some white shirt clad leaders. They appear to be VIPs too. The Police men are pushing the others ( common people who are treated as untouchables by politicians) away from the place and shouting too}

Inspector. Get lost you guys. Move away from here. Stay away from here. Or I shall show. My name is Khoonkhar singh.

Nehru. Bapu, I can see the VVIP. But who are all these white shirt clad guys with him?

Bapu. They are his flunkies and are also called side kicks. Havn’t you seen Hindi movies with Gabber Singh or Ajeet as some important characters and vilains. Wherever they go they have men with them. Actors like Mack, Christo, Roopesh kumar, Ranjit, Imtiaz, and many used to be there. This is also like that. Whether you are from ruling party or opposition, these side kicks have to be there. Otherwise the leader feels insecure.

Haa…haa..hee.. Then why have Police?

Bapu..Haa…haaa..hii..hii.. Ou..ou..ouu. True. But police has to earn bread.

Patel. Hello. Inspector. Why this commotion at this place that is considered sacred? He may be a VIP. But we are also human beings.

Inspector. Come on. Look old man. You three guys are old. Why are you here? You guys are not even well dressed. Have you come here to beg?

Patel. Is being old a crime? Are we looking like Beggars? How strange in deed! You can not even recognize Bapu, MK Gandhi, the father of nation. ( sings)

How sad that you are clueless
From others you are no less
You do not recognize us even
Do you know at least to count seven?


Inspector. You know the famous Telugu poet Sri Sri wrote in Mhaprashtanam that all old guys must die.You guys actually died at least thirty years ago before I was born. We are more worried about present. Past is past. Look for present and future.

Nehru. I see.. Good thought. You appear to be practical. Same thing will happen to you too.

( Inspector gets upset and raises lathi at Nehru and Patel holds the stick with his hand while inspector struggles)

Bapu. Patel. Leave him alone. We are here not to fight. We follow non violence.

( But Patel does not leave the stick. In the mean time the VVIP takes note of happenings and comes near them)

VVIP. We are sorry and caused inconvenience to you. I do not have sufficient time to wait in line. I am the chief Minister of this state. My name is Rosiah. I have come to see the Baba and take his blessings. By the by who are you guys. You are dressed just like the famous Bapu, Nehru and Patel. Plesae leave the stick.

Bapu. We are actually they.

Patel. In fact we are they. They are we.

Nehru. We are no one other than them. They are not different from us. We and they are same. Same are we and they. These two guys and me are them.

Rosiah. Ohfo. Shit indeed. I am confused really. ( tries to pull his hair, but nothing is there on his head)

Patel. Relax sir. ( sings)

How sad that you are clueless?
From others you are no less
You do not recognize us even
Do you know at least to count seven?

Rosiah. Come on. Behave yourself. Do not annoy me. Are you joking with me. I can take off your hand that you are waiving while dancing.This earlier did in assembly hall too.

Nehru. That is good. Are you fond of collecting hands? ( sings)

Please take my hand
That can help you playing band
Why waste time in this place of stones and sand
Please abstain from this errand

Bapu. Yeah.. You need hands to vote in your favor when CLP meets. Take my hand also.

Nehru. Take my hand fast.

Patel. Rosiah Sir. Please do not get worried ( sings and does jig)

Look Oh Mr. Ayya
My dear Chief Minister M. Rosiah
We are the past great men
Caught now in this cockeyed den

We also came to see the baba
And waiting in line like sheep shouting baa.. baa
This Inspector wants to hit us with this stick
His tempo however did not click

Rosiah. What happened? Was he rude to you. It is OK you are imitating the past leaders. I am happy with your fashion show. You deserve some praise. Do you want to be honored at Ravindra Bharathi at Hyderabad?.

Pate. Mr. Rosiah. We do not need your praise. We actually want to see Baba.

Rosiah. I am in hurry, You may have to wait.

Bapu. It is fine. We have no other work. We can wait even eternally. By the by how are you getting on? Please do not waste time going around temples. That will not help you. What is needed is efficient rule and firm handling. I was told that Jagan and his coterie played tricks ever since the chopper crashed. Jagan wanted to become the CM

Rosaih. I do not know.

Bapu. How can it be? Entire news papers are full with these news since chopper crashed and you say you have no idea. Sir Don’t you read news papers? What does the state intelligence agency do? Don’t they brief you? What for they are? I think they are there to let you know about things happening around in the state.


Rosiah. I refuse to answer your doubt.

Patel . We know that you had to perform tight rope walk all these days.

Nehru. Some time people like you have to do such tricks.

Patel. You are experienced in these tricks. After al you were the first PM of this beleaguered and unfortunate nation ruled by all sorts of people.

Bapu. There are some ministers who claimed that you should be sent out and replaced by Jagan. Don’t you think you should drop them from cabinet?

Rosiah I know some guys do that every day. Look I can not take rash actions. For every thing there is a time.

Bapu. Hee..hee

Rosiah. The drama I think is coming to end.

Bapu. How?

Rosiah. Recently Jagan was called to Delhi and had meeting with the high command. Things have been made clear. He was made wise. It is sure I shall continue

Patel. The other guys must be boiling inside. I remember a great song sung by the great singer actor singer Surendra in Anokhi Ada the filmof 1948.

Bapu. What is the song?

Patel ( sings)

Jalena kyo.. Jalena kyo..
Jalena kyo parwana… jalena kyo Parwana
Shama dikhakar husneke jalwe..
Banade jab deewana..
Jalena kyo Parwana..

Jalna hai tho phir jal jaye
Husne ke sache mey dhal jaye
Husne ke sache mey dhal jaye
Ishk me dono ek hai jab tho
Jeena ya marjana.
Jalena kyo parwana

Bapu. Great song indeed.

Rosiah. No comments

Patel Sir . You are very clever

Rosiah. One has to be.

Nehru. Now Jagan wants to contest Puivendula seat that fell vacant after YSRs death

Rosiah. I know. But high command will not allow that. That will be given to YSRs wife or daughter.

Patel. Hee..hee. Sure. After all this is a family drama of succession. How it can be given to outsiders? If not Jagan, YSRs wife or daughter has to be there.

Bapu. Why don’tt you guys amend constitution that only kith and kin should succeed the departed leaders.

Patel Yeah. What can he say? Correct way of expressing your helplessness.

Rosiah. What can I say? ( sings)

I am in chair with madams grace
For last one month I had no solace
Although I said I would step down
I was surely not happy to leave the ceremonial gown

Pate. But every time you said, you are ready to step down in favor of some one nominated by high command

Rosiah. That I have to say

Bapu. I understand. After all you got this opportunity out of blue from sky that you never anticipated. It is lifes chance. Look How Jagan is struggling now. You got the carrot from plate so easily.

Rosiah. I can not say any thing on this. It is destiny

Bapu. I agree

Patel. Are you scared that you may loose this and so visiting temples and babas

Rosaih No . it is not like that. It is a custom.

Patel. I know. Leaders after assuming important positions run to Tirumala and puttaparthi to get blessings from the god and Babas. But God knows what to do. He believes in Karma siddhantha more than visits to temples

Rosiah. You appear to be atheist.

Patel. Certainly not. But I do not believe in shows

Bapu Leave him. OK Rosiah Saheb. Go ahead and have darshan of Baba

Rosiah Thanks for leaving me. When I go back to Hyderabad I shall call you at Ravindra Bharathi and shall grant you awards for this good show of good dressing.

Patel What is this Mr Rosiah? You are still not sure that we are actually they.

Rosiah. Ohfo.. I am getting mad. How can you be they? They died long ago.

Nehru. You shall not understand and it is above your comprehension. Please go to Hyderabad and take care of flood victims.

Rosiah. That I am doing.

Nehru. Please ensure that flood relief money is not swindled.

Bapu. True. There are many swindlers in the state and they wait for the opportunities and for them this is a golden goose.

Rosiah. But all that is not that bad

Bapu. Time only will prove this ( sings)

There are scores of swindlers in state
And that is your sad fate
To speak like this, I hate
Kindly go as you are getting late

( Rosiah leaves with his side kicks to see Baba )

Patel. Hee..hee.. well sung Bapu

Nehru. Bapu is great. You must be given Nobel prize for poetry

Bapu. Do I deserve?

Patel. When Obama can be given Peace prize every one deserves Nobel Prize. So you also deserve. Three Cheers to Bapu

Bapu. Eee…eee.. I could not get peace prize

Nehru. Me too

Patel. I do not care. Let us go

Bapu OK Bye. We shall come again

(the trio slowly walk off and vanish)

CURTAIN FALLS