INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...114

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN….114

DR K Prabhakar Rao


( Gandhi, Nehru, Indira and Rajiv are seen walking on the Delhi streets. They are fuming and fretting. )

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. What a sad state of affairs today!. The present leaders are ditching our principles. I heard now a day the leaders do not contest from their constituencies. They seek some safe constituencies where party is strong.

Nehru. Very true Bapu. What you said is correct. In their original places they will loose deposit. Look Bapu, Narsimha Rao hails from Manthni in Karimnagar area of Andhra Pradesh. He was sure to loose from that place. So his election was arranged at Nandyal and winning was ensured. People talk all types of shitty things. This is the latest trick for the political leaders. Hee.hee..haa ( sings)

The leaders who can not win at their places
Contest from a safer one
Their winning is sure to take place
Morals are in shit pot all said and done

Rajiv. Very well sung Bapu. You are greater than Wordsworth in poetry. I do not know how you missed Nobel prize for Poetry.

Gandhi. Why not.? I am Bapu. The great one. Don’t you know I am a writer, orator, leader, freedom fighter, yoga master, researcher, great scholar, critic, and now poet too.

Nehru. Hear. Hear (Claps )

Indira. May I say some thing?

Gandhi. Not required. You started the drama of contesting from other places. You contested from Medak in AP state. Where was the necessity? You hail from UP. In what way you are concerned abut Medak. These are all tricks and parliamentary cheating tricks.

(After some he looks at Nehru )

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. I want to see Ram janma bhoomi. I am hearing much about it. This is my Ram’s place. Let us go there.

Nehru. Sure Bapu. But Bapu. I heard there is nothing there. All rubble and stones around are found there now.

Gandhi. Does not matter. Whole country is in rubble. Let us go.

( All of them sing Ram dhun and vanish in Delhi and land in Faizabad)

( They are all ghosts and could easily land near the lane leading to Ram janma Bhoomi. There is a barrier at that place and are stopped by security personnel)

Constable. Stop. Where are you going? You are very late. We shall open the gate at 2pm

Gandhi. My son! We have come from a far off place. Please allow us. We are pilgrims and not karsewaks.

Constable. Please listen to me. You can not go. What you are thinking about us? Are we here to keep looking at you when you guys break rules. Take care. I shall give blow on your head with this lathi and you will forget Ram for all the time.

Gandhi. Are you not a Hindu? Why do you want to beat me? I have been beaten by police men that too English police men. I am Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Father of nation too. What do you think of me?

Constable. Nothing doing. Go back.

Gandhi. Baba. Why do you want to be so rigid. What is there to loose.

Indira. What is there to loose and all has already been broken

Gandhi. What is this? In our own country can’t I see my Ram.. Shame indeed.( Looks at sky).Hey Ram. Look what is happening here? In your birth place, I can not see you. I am being stopped by a constable. Can’t you show your power?

Indira. Bapu. This is Kaliyuga. In this Yuga all cheats and worthless guys would flourish. Good people have no chance. Goondas will have nice time. Crooks will rule at al places. Dubious men will get elected to various houses. Money power has no parallel. All shit indeed.

Gandhi. Baby Indira , these good words do not appeal from you atleast.

Rajiv. May I say some thing?

Gandhi. Not required. (Holds head ) Ohfo. These guys have ruined my country. What was my India and what is now? When India was partitioned Babri Maszid issue was not important. Many people even did not hear about it. These nuts have politicized the issue for self gains. (Takes a stone and hammers his head) Kill me.. Kill me , I want to die instead of listening all these things.

Rajiv ( Holds hand of Gandhi) Bapu. Relax. You can not die as you are already dead. True bapu. Communal passions have been built up for vote banks and political gains.

Gandhi. I gave my life for communal harmony in India.

Indira. Sorry Bapu. You did not give life. All very well know that your life was taken by Nathuram Vinayak Godse.

Gandhi. Let them think ( sings)

Raghupathi Raaghava Raaja Raam .. aaain

Pateetha pawana seetha Ram aain.. Bolo.

( In the meantime, LK Advani and Bajpai and Ashok Singhal arrive to see Ram. They look lost when they see Gandhi and others, they bow to Gandhi and pay respects. To others they say just hoi and hello)

Advani. Bapu. How come you are here? Are you seeing the fate of Ram lala. In our country he has no place. You are aware of all these things. Baber demolished Ram temple that was here and built the Maszid. He killed many for constructing this mosque.

Bajpai. Bapu. Mir Baki was the general of Baber. He got the demolition done and built the mosque.

Singhal. The insult to our culture has to be undone.

Gandhi. Look my sons. What will we achieve by demolishing the old mosque except hatred? We can always build a temple close by and still be happy. After all God is there every where. Look, so many have been killed. Karsewaks were shot like cats. What is the gain? Just a temple! I am very un happy. You should have displayed better vision than narrow gains.

Advani. Bapu. This is some thing I did not expect from you. You are Ram Bhakta. And Ram pujari.

(In the distance great actor singer Surendra is heard singing a duet.)

bibbo:
pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao
nai.nno.n kii ga~Ngaa jamunaa me.n, saajan aa_o nahaa_o

surendra:
prem dev kii karo aaratii, sneh sudhaa barasaa_o
dil ke taaro.n par sajanii tum diipak raag sunaa_o
dono.n: pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao
surendra: pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao

bibbo:
bachapan ruuTh gayo kyuu.N mose, ko_ii ye batalaa_o
joban ruuTh na jaaye baalam, aisii raah bataa_o
dono.n: pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao
bibbo: pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao

surendra:
chandragrahan hai, chandramukhii tum aa_o yahaa.N chhup jaa_o
ruup-sudhaa kii mast pyaalii pii_o aur pilaa_o
dono.n: pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao
dono.n: pujaarii, more mandir me.n aao

(Gandhi takes a long breath after listening the song)

Gandhi. But first I am a humanist. I can not see humans suffering. See the country is divided on communal lines. I heard some one from south was demanding another Pakistan some time ago. Govt had no guts to try that guy for treason. he got away.

Advani. He is a crack pot. Such guys are also there. They are mad persons..

Bajpai. Do you think we will allow it to happen again? Kya tamasha hai kya ( Is this adram).They have to do it over our dead bodies.

Gandhi. I am happy for your sentiments and patriotism. I wish all were like you.. I am getting worked up by seeing police men around. Kya ( What), these guys have no other work?

Bajpai. This is their work.

Advani. Bapu. police must have some work. Otherwise how they will expand their empire? How many forces are there under ministry of Home affairs? These are CRPF, ITBF, BSF, Assam rifles, GRP, Black cats, Grey hounds, Rapid action force, leave army, air force, navy apart from various state police forces and state armed reserves( SAP)

Singhal. Yet there is no security for a common man. There is no security to the nation. Terrorists can strike at any time any place.

Bajpai. See the leaders of ruling party. They fear to go to their own people. They are heavily escorted. They also use bullet proof cars and, jackets. A district Collector moves only with police escort. He is shot scared.What a shame!

Gandhi. What a shame indeed! Somehow we have side tracked the issues. We were at Babri Maszid..

Bajpai. Bapu. Please do not call it a Maszid. Call it a structure.

Gandhi, Oh , yes. Structure. Both are different. Where no prayers are held, it is not a Maszid.

Gandhi. Do you think you can build Ram temple here? Do you think Muslims would allow.

Singhal. What they will do?

Gandhi. Things would be bad. I personally feel that all of you must live like brothers and not fight for silly things. Our country needs better development works than temples and mosques. (Sings)

Raghupathi Raaghava Raja ram.. aai…aai
Pateetha Pawana seetha Ram.. Bolo..

(In the mean time the barricade is lifted and visitors are allowed to enter a narrow passage leading to a cage like structure.)

Gandhi. eee…eeee.. Advaniji, What is this? Are we some wild animals that we are put in some type of cage?

Bajpai. I think police men consider every one as dangerous person except themselves

Singhal. Hee..heee A nice joke sir.

Bajpai. It is not a joke, A fact indeed.

Gandhi. Funny guys indeed. These guys could not do anything when the structure was razed to rubble. What we can do here? Do they think we are of some danger?

Singhal . Only god knows.

(A police man sees then and enquires)

Constable. Hey Buddhe ( old man) Do you have any weapon, knife, blade, Scissors, pen knife, pin or needle.

Bajpai. We have none of these

Constable. This Buddha (old man ) is holding a long stick. This is as good as a weapon You can not take it. give it to us.

Rajiv. Look Constable. He can not walk without the long stick

Constable. Then let him crawl. 9 he takes away the long stick from the hand of Gandhi)
Gandhi. eee..aaaa. even British police did not take this stick from me.

Nehru. Bapu. Relax. Constableji. I have a small pin. Plesae take it ( he removes a pin from his coat that was used for holding a rose)

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. These guys have made cages for humans. Even the English men have not treated us like this. Hey Ram.. What a sad fate!

Rajiv. Bapu, The Babri Maszid issue has become a boon to UP police men. They have more promotions, police medals, extra perks, what else and what not.

Gandhi. Only God can save this nation.

(In the distance great actor singer Surendranath BALLB is heard singing)

Ab kau hai mera ab kaun hai mera
Faryad hai.faryad hai takdeer ne
loota hai basera..aa..
Ab kaun hai mera

Barbaad hai dil ujada hua ashaunka mela
Hoo jagme akelaa
Ujadi huee basthi me hai..……………………….( Anmol Ghadi.. 1946)

(The haunting melody puts off Gandhi and he sobs. He betas his chest and waves hands. Nehru consoles him)

(They go to Ramlala make shift temple. It is nothing but a tent in which the idols are kept. Heavy police security is present. They are not allowed to stay and watch and they are being driven away by Pujari ( Priest) and the police men. The police men have fixed bayonets to the rifles and two police men aim rifles at on lookers and are ready to fire any moment if required. A light machine gun post is close by and the LMG is aimed at the visitors)

Constable. Hey Buuddha Kahanse aaya re? ( Hey old man . from where you have come?) Hey old man and party. You guys have seen Ram enough. Now start moving. I don’t know what types of jokers are in India. You guys have no work and except doing Bhajans ( prayers). What you guys need is hard kick and you should be made to work

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. Let us go from here. Ram is every where. There is no point in wasting time here. Why get Lathi blows? Oh God give some wisdom to these police men.

Constable. What are you talking? Are we not wise?

Nehru. No.. No.. You guys are very wise. In fact you guys should be given Nobel prize for good behavior.

Singhal. Bapu, This is no solution. You are running away from problem. Our temples and values and culture were rubbed down by the invading guys like Baber, Ghori and Ghaznavi, Is it not a national shame that we still continue to bear with these marks of insults. These monuments laugh at us and mock at our helplessness.

Bajpai. What answer Bapu can give?

Gandhi. My sons. Please do not ruin things. I beg you with folded hands.

Advani. Come on guys. Let us not waste time. We have many things to do.

( Advani, Bajpai and Singhal walk back)

( In the distance kavi Pradeep is heard singing)

Dekh tere sansar ki haalat
kya ho gayi Bhagwan
Kitna badal gaya insaan
Sooraj na badla chand na badla
Naa badla re aasman
Kitn badal gaya insaan ( Kavi Pradeep)

( Bapu and Nehru hold their heads and sob. Indira and Rajiv try to console them)

Gandhi (Gets composed) look Jawaharlal. We have seen enough. This place called India is highly polluted by mischief makers. Every one quotes my name, exploits people and gains public sympathy. They claim to be from congress. But it is fraud. They do not belong to any thing. They want money, land, estates, Swiss accounts, power, dynasty and perks. They are all crooks and bent on spoiling my name. The Indian politics are stinking and it is like a dead and stinking horse. The politicians are nothing but vultures feasting at dead bodies. There is no exception. All are like that. I do not think any one can save this nation. Even Englishmen would refuse to return to govern this nation. They are wise and got rid off us.

Nehru. Bapu. What we can do? We are helpless and clueless. We are also nuts of highest order.

(In the distance great singer actor KL Saigal is heard singing)

Andheki laathi tohee hai
Toohi jeevan ujiyaara hai
Toohi aakar sambhaal Prabhu
teraahi ek sahhara hai.. ( KL Saigal )

( Gandhi and Nehru sob uncontrollably while others watch0

CURTAIN FALLS