INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN... 108

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…108
Dr K Prabhakar Rao


(In a small room in heavens Gandhi is seen lying on an dilapidated cot and there is no mattress, A small wooden box is being used as a stool and few medicines are kept on the box. In a corner a charkha is kept. Occasionally he is uttering ram.ram.. hare ram. Indira Gandhi in green sari is sitting next to him. A red bandage is tied to het waist that still oozes some blood. She is seen offering cough syrup to Gandhi.)

Gandhi. Beti ( Daughter) Indira How are you? I am happy to see you. No..no.no.. Sorry to see you here with us. You are here rather early. What went wrong. I am getting sick of this violence in India

Indira. Bapu. I did not want to die. Why should I die? I was in full control of India. My security men shot me in cold blood. Bapu. There is no dharma in India.

( Just the ghost of Bhinderwale peeps through the window. He giggles and enters the room. Along with him some militants with weapons also enter. General ( retired) Shabeg singh is also with them.)

Bhinderwale. Sat sri akal Bapuand Madam, How is life now/ What a fate? All are together. Sorry madam. You thought you were permanent PM.
Gandhi. My son! I am much pained by your actions. I worked for unity of all religions. What you have done? Are Sikhs separate from Hindus?

Bhinderwale. Bapu. What t do? We were treated so badly. After all we also have self respect ( shouts) Raj karega Khalsa.. our aki rahe nakoi.

Indira, Aki or Baki?

Bhinderwale. Both I think.

Indira. You have been killing so many innocent men and women. What you have achieved? You lost so many of your own men. Super cop Gill has finally finished you guys.

Bhinderwale. Bapu and Madam .Listen to me You may kill any number. The moment you ill one ten may be born. We shall finally achieve Khalistan… Jai Khalistan..jai jai Khalistan

Gandhi,Son Look. You rare taking wrong actions. Did I get freedom see the country split in to Balkan states? It would have been better if I had not fought the Englishmen. All would have struggled under the Englishmen.

Bhinderwale. Bapu. Your days are over.Ab raj karega khalsa. Jai khalistan. Ok Bapu. I shall come some other time .. Bye

( Bhinderwale disappears)

( Secretary Mahadev Desai for Gandhi reports that Sir Winston Churchill was waiting outside to see him)

Gandhi, Desai. Kindly escort him with all respects.

( Churchill walks in and Indira gets up and bows to him and greets him. Churchill is in his usual black full suit with English hat and a cigar in mouth.)

Churchill. Hello Gandhiji. Nice to see you, but not in this state.

Gandhi. Namaste Mr hurchill. I am also happy to see you after long.These days I am much upset over the incidents happening in India. Look There are many problems. The congress party that I led is squabbling like rats. The original congress party is split into Congress A, B, C, D, E , F …. Etc. Is it not sheer nonsense. There are no ethics left. Criminals are ruling in India in all states. Goondas are thriving. Most of the ministers are involved in scams. Criminals are given party tickets and they are getting elected to parliament and state assemblies.

Churchil. Relax Gandhi.Did I not say at the time of being given independence in House of commons that India would be handed over to a bunh of scoundrels and it would be lost in squabbles and piece of loaf and glass of water would be taxed.

Gandhi. Yes I remember. At that time we abused you. Cursed you. You were correct and we were wrong. The time has probed that you were 100 percent correct, But the damage has been already done. (Weeps) eee..eee…aaa..aaa.

( In the distance KL saigal the great singer is heard singing the immortal song,


Jab dil hee toot gaya
Ham jeeke kya karenge
Jab dil hee tootgaya ( from Shahjehan. 1945)

Churchill. Mr Gandhi. Please do not feel bad. It is al fate. It can not be changed Did at any time I expected that I would loose to Mr Atlee.

Gandhi. I m happy that you lost. Otherwise we would not have got freedom from you guys.

Churchill. Probably that would have been better Gandhi. Any how thanks for realization. No I shall take leave of you. Take care of yourself. You very well know that heath is wealth

Gandhi. OK bye.

(Mahadev Desai escorts Churchill out of the room while Indira gets up and bows in reverence while Churchill leaves. Gandhi coughs vigorously and Indira gives him cough syrup and Gandhi gulps and says Ram. Ram..

In the distance great singer actor Surendranath BA LLB is heard singing the immortal song,

Kyon yaad aa rahe hain
Guzrehue zamane
Ye dukh bhare fasane. Ye..ye..ye
Rote hue tarane
Kisko suna rahe hain
Wo yaad aa rahe hain (Anmol Ghadi 1946)

( Gandhi gets sentimental and weeps. Indira wipes his eyes with Khadi hanky. In the mean time ghost of Babu Jagjivan ram enters the room)

Jagjivan. Bau. Namaste. I was lingering to see you. Finally I made it ( he trembles)

Gandhi. Hello Babuji . You appear to be very sick. I think I am better than you. How are you? I learnt that you could not make to the top as PM. It seems you have been denied chance

Jagjivan. True Bapu. Chaudhry Charan singh ruined everything. Neither he could continue as PM in Janata Govt nor I could become PM( weeps) eee…ee.. aaaa…aaa.I am sorry to say that Mrs.Indira ditched him and poor guy could not even face parliament. He resigned and I was getting ready..eee..ee…eee. aaa.aaa ( he sobs violently)

Gandhi. I was following events.

Gandhi. Even president Neelam Sanjeev Reddy was biased. He never me a chance onceto prove myself. After all I am from the scheduled class.. (sobs)… I could not bear it… (sobs)

Indira Babuji. Why feel bad.You joined hans with my opponents. Naturally every one is opportunistic in politics. It is aruthless game. That is my theory and I practiced it too.

Jagjivan. Madam I know it. You did not even resign after Allahabad judgment.

Indira.Why should I? I am not weakling. I know all tricks of trade. Babuji. Make hay while son shines Laughs)hee..heee.hee

Gandhi. I am not happy with what you have done. The original congress was split by you. That was the beginning of disintegration of congress which I carefully nurtured. ( sighs) Hare ram… Hare Ram

Indira. Bapu. Your days are over. The world has changeda lot. Youcould show otherside of cheek to slap if some one slaps you. Now the other guy will slap you on second chee happily. You will be treated as impotent. That is the world today Bapu.. Mere Bapu.

Gandhi. Bet , Indira. I will never agree with you. ( sighs) Probably if lal Bahadur lived longer moral standards of Indian politics would have been maintained to some extent.

Jagjivan. Perhaps Bapu. I am feeling not well. Plesae forgive me. Namaste ( He levaes the room)

(In the mean time Lal Bahadur walks in an Indira gets up and greets him with folded hans)

Lal Bahadur. Namste. Bapu. Ram ram indiraji. How is everything. I learnt Bapu is unwell. What went wrong?

Gandhi. Every thing went for a six. Couldn’t you live a little longer Lal Bahadur. What was the urgency to die at Tashkent? The country would have been different.

Lal Bahadur. Bapu. The strain of Indo Pak war was very high I could not bear. We already suffered from Chinese. Our prestige was at stake. I had to retrieve at any cost. I went all out to teach Pakistan a good lesson.

Gandhi. How?

Lal Bahadur. We reached outskirts of Lahore city. Reached Sialkot. We Raced in Rajasthan….. And.. and..

Gandhi. But I was told that at Chamb sector we fared very badly.

( In the mean time General Chaudhry walks into the room. He salutes Gandhi, removes cap and touches the feet of Bapu and stands next to Lal Bahadur in attention)

Chaudhry. Bapu. In war one loose at some places and wins at other places. I overall one must gain.

Gandhi. General sahib. You may gain useless places and loose best places. Chamb was vital for us. You know Pakistan celebrates 1965 war as victory parade. Was it a tie or draw. I am afraid it was not decisive.

Lal Bahadur (For some time he remains silent) Bapu. I wanted to make it decisive. But what to do?. The Russians were after us to stop the war. Or else the map of India would have been different.

Indira. Shastriji. I completed your unfinished work. They have been dismembered. It is fate. If you have lived long I could have never become the pm. Probably Nehru dynasty would have been out of the power line.
Lal Bahadur. Are you happy that I died within two years as PM

Indira. I did not say that. I also do not mean that. It was my luck. More over congress party can not be led b others when some one from Nehru family is there.

Gandhi. Is it your monopoly? How sad? I never visualized it would lead to dynastic rule.
Indira. Bapu. We never asked congressmen to make us the PM. They only gave u on silver plate. Ho will refuse?

Lal Bahadur. That is party’s bankruptcy. Congress men feel that they can ever win elections without a leader from Nehru family.

Gandhi. What a sorry fate and plight too! Look . None of my sons are in politics. There are any numbers of examples where political leaders have promoted their kin. My sons are no where. I even do not know where they are. Devdas Gandhi died some time ago and is never remembered.

La Bahadur. Bapu. You are an exception. That is why you are named as Mahatma.

Gandhi. I am very unhappy that things have become so bad.

Gen Chaudhry. Bapu. Lal Bahdur sir. May I go now? I think I am not required now.

Lal Bahadur. Thanks General. We shall meet again.

( Gen Chaudhry walks away after saluting Bapu and lal Bahadur and saying bye to Indira)

(In the distance Mukesh the great singer is heard singing)

Dil Jalta hai thojalne de
Aassoo nab aha faryad na kar
Dil Jalta hai tho Jalne de
Masom nazar pe theer chala.. aaain… ( From Pehlinazar 1945)

(Others get embarrassed and Indira sends Mahadev Desai to Mukesh wit a request to not to sing that song)

Desai. Mukesh Bhai. Zara ye gana math gao ( brother Mukesh . please do not sing this song

Mukesh. Why? How does it trouble you. Kya mujhe gana ganeka haq nahee ( What troubles you? Don’ I have right to sing?)

Desai. Bapu is getting hurt by this song.

Mukesh. Oh Bapu means Gandhiji. Then I will surely stop. Then can I sing another song.

Desai. Surely.

Mukesh. Thanks bhai.

Mukesh sings

Teri duniyaan mein dil lagtha naheen
vapas bula.aaa.. le mai sajde mein gira..aaa.. hoon
mujh ko aai maalik bulale…. ( FromBaware nain )

Desai. Ohfo.Oh Bhai Mukesh. This is equally a sad song.

Mukesh. What to do? My songs were mostly sad type. I tried to copy KL Saigal for many years.

Desai. Ohfo. What type of guy Mukesh is ? You may sing but in low tone.

( Desai goes away to Gandhi)

Gandhi. Thanks Desai.You prevented that song. It was embarrassing too. Lal Bahadur. I am proud of you for keeping up our traditions high. I knew you resigned the post of railway minister after the train accidents taking moral responsibility. Then you walked to your house refusing the car. You never cared for your security. That si what leader is. See now. The raiway minister says he has nothing to do with the accidents. Some gang man is fixed for the folly and nothing happen to others. No one seems responsible for any thing( weeps and beats his chest and cries)…Mera Bharat..Mera bharat…( after some time e gets composed). Beti Indira. I was much pained when I came to know that you imposed emergency.

Indira. What to do? The country was going to dogs. Jay Prakash narain was instigating people. He even asked army to revolt. The country was to be saved at any cost.

Gandhi. That is OK. Why so many people were forcibly castrated?

Indira. I do not know. My son got it doe. But he has cleaned up Chandni chowk at Delhi. Is it not good?

Gandhi. But lot of terror was created. I am getting sik of this nation that I led to freedom.

Indiara. You may eel so. That does not change the events. U can not even go on fast as you are already dead.

( Gandhi coughs vigorously a swoons. Desai runs to Gandhi and gives him water. Gandhi drinks water )

Desai. Indira and lal Bahadur. It is time for stopping this discussion. Bapu needs rest. We shall meet again and discuss things

Indira. That is OK Bapu. Please be cool and fine. See you. Bye ..bye

( Gandhi closes eyes and utters ram…ram…Hare rama.hare Krishna.. Krishna.. hare rama)

In the distane great singer actor singer Surendranath ALB is heard singing)

A raat gayee re beeth re
Ab raat gayee re beeth re
Aaya hai sawera pancheeko..o..o..o..o..
Milgaya Milan ka geeth re
Ab raaat gayee re beeth re……(From film Kamal 1949)

CURTAIN FALLS