INTO THEPAST WITH PAIN...105

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN.. 105
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Acharya N G Ranga and Nehru are seen knocking at the door of MK Gandhi in heavens. )

Gandhi. Who is there? Please come in. The door is open.

(Nehru and Ranga walkin and they wish Gandhi)

Gandhi. Hello Ranga and Jawaharlal. I was expecting you rather. In the mean time, you knocked the door. After all you are disciplined soldiers of freedom fight.

Nehru. Heee..Heee

Ranga. Hee..Heee ( with in himself. I hope he is not pulling a fast one on me..)

Gandhi. Please be seated.

(All are seated in chairs. Suddenly Ranga falls down from the chair while the leg of the chair gives away)

Ranga. Oh.. Bhai .. uttao mujhe. Margaya (Please life me. I am killed)

( Nehru lifts Ranga and offers him another chair)

Ranga. Bapu. It is time you change these old chairs. These belong to your South African days. Eee..eee.. It is paining.

Gandhi. Sorry Ranga. Last time we met, we decided to go to India particularly to Hyderabad where Chief Minister NTR was stabbed in the back by his son in law to usurp power. Now let us go. We can come back fast too.

Nehru. True

Ranga. That is fine. I shall also come.

(All of them land up in Sultan Bazar of Hyderabad. Ranga is still limping slightly.)

Gandhi. Ohfo. What a place! There is no place to walk. Entire area is full of hawkers and scrap. One guy is falling over other. Pigs and dogs are roaming everywhere. Have I brought freedom to see this discipline? Eee..Eeee.. What happened to my dreams? Mera Bhaarat… Mera Bhaarat. Ise bachao bhai (Please save this country)

Nehru. Bapu Please do not sing and do jig now here. There is no place around.You may trample some one.

( In the mean time a RTC bus ploughs in and it is about to climb on Gandhi and is saved in time as Nehru pulls Bapu away from the bus. Then suddenly an auorikshaw suddenly screams in from somewhere and almost dashes against Gandhi)

Gandhi. Eee..eee.. Margaya.. Mardiya saale ne. Kahanse aagaya ye badmaash. Koi control nahee. ( oh. I am dead.. The guy has killed me.From where this crook has come and he has no control?)

Auto driver. Chal Buddhe Kisko bolrahaare. Teri baap kaa road hai ka. Side se chal Buddha kainka..( Get lost old man. Whom you are telling? Is the road belonging to your dad? Walk on the side old man)

Gandhi. Ok Bhai. Gusse me math aana. Hame maaf karo bhai.aap thoauto driver hain. Galti karhee nahee sakte. ( Oh Brother, please pardon me. You are the auto driver. You can never be wrong)

( Auto driver goes away throwing abuses at Gandhi )

Gandhi. What type of people are these? It appears there is no discipline. Independence means they can do any thing. Shame on Indians.

Ranga. Bapu. You have not seen anything. Lot of things is to follow. If you travel in auto, you shall realize every thing.

Gandhi. I am getting vomiting sensation. Look at the garbage dumps. I must clean these at once. After all I did these things to improve Harijans. But I have no bucket and broom.

Nehru. Bapu. You should not call Harijans. They will be after with a sickle. They will be up in arms. Call them Dalits. That is the latest word. They get offended if they are called Harijans.

Gandhi. Why all this now.

Ranga. Don’t know ( sings)

The caste system that prevails with us
It has been used for political circus
The nation is split into Castiest groups
People are made into different troops

Gandhi. It looks the government has not cleared garbage after independence

Nehru. How can they? When do they have time? They are busy cleaning garbage within themselves. More they clean more is produced. They themselves are a huge garbage dump. They are busy trying to hold on to power some how (sings and does jig)

The rulers in state are always busy
With dirtiest games that are lousy
Always busy in floor crossing tricks
While people have failed to give them a mighty kick.

Gandhi. Very well said Jawaharlal.

( In the mean time they see many lorries passing carrying loads of people)

Gandhi. What is this al about? Where so many guys are going?
Nehru. I think they are going for a meeting at Nizam college grounds. Leaders of ruling party will address them.

Gandhi. That is a good show. That means so many people do not have other work. This is working time.

Ranga. Bapu. This is the actual work for today. All these are paid workers hired by MsLA and their Chamchas stooges and goons. They have no other work. This is casual labor. Many come to see the city. Some come to see the tamasha going on. They are absolutely clueless. They come, shout mouthed slogans and leave. Many are left high and dry afterwards. Some are not paid also. These crowds are also experts in throwing choicest abuses.

Gandhi. How sad? They have no ethics. I think this is the order of the day. So many trucks and loads of people will surely create chaos and traffic jams.

Nehru. True Bapu, People are fooled. But who is bothered. This is all a dirty game of politics. People elect a bunch of jokers. Hence they play jokes with all like what they are doing now.

Gandhi. What a sad day for me! (Sighs)

(They keep walking on the road and come across a public meeting where NT Rama Rao is see addressing the crowd.)

Nehru. Look Bapu. He is NT Rama Rao we were talking about. He has been ditched by his son in law. He is seeking justice from people.

Gandhi. What exactly happened?

Ranga. ListenBapu. NT Rama Rao came to power after dethroning Vijay Bhaskar Reddy of congress who is always ready to hand over the power on a silver plate. This time Rama Rao married a lady Laxmi Parvathi much younger to him. It is claimed that she looked after him very well when he fell sick while his own family members did not bother. This lady boosted his image in rural areas. He won with thumping majority.

Nehru. He also promised 2 Kg rice free to all and promised prohibition in state.

Gandhi. What ? Prohibition? How can he do it? Even I failed. No one can implement. This is a fool’s game

Ranga. The joke is that he exempted toddy from prohibition/. We can drink it.

Nehru. This is unfair. Toddy is also a great intoxicant. This is all a big joke. But govt knows that they will be thrown out, if Toddy is prohibited.

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. Why NTR was ditched? Is it for money or sharing of loot and spoils?

Ranga. It seems NTR was trying to boost up Parvathi and make her his political heir. Naturally his sons in law awaiting power got vexed up an wanted her to be thrown out.

Gandhi. How can they do it?. She is after all his wife.

Nehru. SeeBapu. This is a changed world. At present family rules are there every where. You never promoted your sons.

Gandhi. True. My sons all died unsung and unheard. But you have established your dynasty. New type of Mughals in Delhi. Your daughter promoted her sons. This has become your family profession.

Nehru. What is wrong in this? I do not find anything abnormal in this. After all my children also have to survive.

Ranga. MereBapu. Let us not wash our dirty linen in public.

Gandhi. Then what happened?

Ranga. When Rama Rao was away from Hyderabad Naidu struck. All MLA were confined at viceroy hotel at tank bund opposite Buddha statue NTR went there with his wife and they abused each other in filthy language. Chappals and shoes also they there at each other

Gandhi. What a shame? They made state their personal property. Disgraceful conduct by a bunch of …. Mera Bharat.. Mera Bharat ( He beats his chest and weeps) eee..eeee…ee…aa…aaa.. ( sings)


Oh my mother the greatest India
You are ruined by a bunch of scoundrels
Ruled by those who have no basic idea
That is running for personal laurels?

Gone are the peaceful days once we had
When leaders strived hard for nations cause
Leaders of today are mad and make me sad
They are ruining the nation without a pause

Thank god that I died in correct time
Having been shot by the Godse’s pistol
If I lived it would have been a rime
And I would have run away to live in Bristol

( In back ground great singer Hemant kumar is heard singing..

Zameen chal rahee hai
Aas man chalraha hai
Ye kis ke ishare hai
jaha chalraha hai.

( the earth is moving
And the sky too moves
On whose directions
These are moving?) ( From Pehli Jhalak )

(Gandhi sobs and wipes tears . In the mean time suddenly there is a commotion and the supporters of NTR and Naidu start fighting. Choicest abuses are being hurled at each other. Stones are flying everywhere. It is free for all. Gandhi gets worried. He runs with his long stick towards the crowd to pacify them. In the mean time police men rush to do lathi charge. They see Gandhi running with his stick. They run and catch him thinking him to be arsonist with a stick)

Constable. You old man. How dare you are to attack with this stick? That too when we are here I shall show you mine.

(He lifts his lathi and crashes on Bapus head. Bapu cries loudly and collapses. There is a great commotion all around. Constables also bash up Nehru and Ranga too and their clothes are torn to shreds. After some time the crowd melts away. Nehru and ranga get up and wipe blood from their wounds and go to Gandhi and lifts him up. He is gasping)
Gandhi. Jawaharlal and ranga are you safe? What a tragedy here? There is no law or government here)

( Great singer actor Surendra nath BA LL B is heard from distance singing)

Kyo yaad aa rahe hai..ye..ye
Guzre hue zamanae
Ye dukh bhare phasane
Rote hue fasaane
Kisko sunarahe hai
Who Yadd aa rahe hai….. ( from Film Anmol Ghadi… 1946)

The pathetic song puts ff Gandhi and he sobs hysterically. Nehru and Ranga comfort him)

Nehru.Mere Bapu. Enough of this. This nation does not need us. They are doomed. ( sings)

Gone with the wind the Indian spirit
That has failed to reach the summit
Villains are in the front with credit
And money is swindled without any audit

Great were the days when we had some shame
People then worked for nation’s welfare
Leaders are now working for personal fame
Always busy with some type of fane fate

The country is doomed to eternal disgrace
Where all are after wealth and fame
None is there to give Bapu some solace
Who is already down with personal shame

Raga. Bapu and Jawaharji, Let us go, Bapu is highly upset. We shall come some other time..


( In the distance KL saigal is heard singing..

Pnachi re. yee.yee. Panchee.. eee…eee
Kahe ko hoat udaas Panchi…
Thoo Thodana manki aaas panchi..

( Hey birdie why get into despair
Do not give up expectation Oh Birdie)

Nehru. Look Ranga. How true is Saigal.He is telling us not to loose heart. Aftr all we must be optimistic. Ups and down always come in ones life. This is also a passing phase. I believe.

Ranga. Hope so. But I have my own doubts. Indian swil never learn from past. We were enslaved by Muslims, Englishmen Afghans, Iraninas, turks, Moghuls, porugese and even rench. Every foreigner thoroughly screwed Indians. I get worked up wheh I read our slavish history. We could not get ourselves freed for centuries. Now we are slaves of new dynasties. We are no way have to feel proud. How sad. ( sings)

People of India have been slaves
Devoid of respect and naïve
Nation was looted by outside thieves
People have failed to roll up the sleeves

Nehru. True. Really Bapu is great. He has led us to victory. But we are sorry because Indians are squandering all resources and best opportunities in terms of money and time. God only can save them.

I have no sympathy. 9 sings)

None is greater than our beloved Bapu
Reached heights more than Bhutan’s Thimpu
He feels however das for Indians misdeeds
Who are running crazy with eternal greed

Gandhi. But I am helpless because I am already dead ( sighs)

(In the distance great singer actor Surendra nath BA LLB sings)

Alakh niranjan..Alakh Nianjan
Alakhniranjan…Japore maya
Ho Bhavsagar par
Maiya Pingala
Bhikha de de maiya Pingala
Jogi khada hai dwar
Mayya Pingala

( Say god is great
Recite oh mother
You shall get freed
From this bondage of world
Give alms Oh mother Pingala) ( From film Raja Bharthruhari. 1944)

(Gandhi gets sentimental and wipes tears. Nehru cries loudly a d Ranga consoles)



CURTAIN FALLS