INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..122
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi and Patel and Nehru are seen at an old city shopping complex near madina. They are going around and at one store they see some fiber plastic boats and life jackets. They are surprised. The meet the owner of the shop whose name is Al HajKarim khan)
Gandhi. Salaam walekum
Karim. Walekum salaam
Gandhi. (Does jig and sings)
Salamm walekum antaa bagunnara
Meeranta baagunnara
Kalappaginchi choosthare
Nene nene bhai saab
Karim. That is a good song by Shiv Rao. I am happy. The song is from old Telugu film LailaMajnu of late forties. But, I have not recognized you sir. Who are you in this strange attire?
Patel. He is Bapu, Great Bapu. Hamara Bapu, Mohandas Karam chand Gandhi. Father of nation he is.
Karim. Oh Bapuji. Aap kaise aagaye, aap ko tho maardiyatha Godsene. Goli mar ke, Dilli mein, Aap bach nahee paye. Haina?
Gandhi. Bhai. Why remind me all those old things? Why worry how we are here?
Karim. That is fine. Now tell me what you want.
Gandhi. Bhai . Tell me why are you selling boats in Hyderabad. Where they will be used?
Karim. Bhai. These will be used every where,
Gandhi. They can be used in streams, rivers and lakes. Hyderabad is a big city. This is not like City of Venice in Italy
Karim. Haa…haaa.. Saheb aap maar khagaye yahan
Nehru. Why? What wrong Bapu said?
Karim. He does not know that in another fifteen days monsoon will set on. Hyderabad will soon become Venice as stated. The city roads are so bad and in a short rain, all roads will be flooded
Gandhi. Bhai sahib. Are you joking?
Karim. Bhai sahib. Why should I joke? It happened last year. Many colonies were flooded with 10 feet of water.
Gandhi. But I was told that in Hyderabad the municipal corporation had laid many drainage pipes.
Karim. True. But they allowed land grabbing in all canals. Now all canals are crammed up with slums and un authorized constructions. Do you think all these have come without officials looking other way
Gandhi. True they must have swindled plenty of cash. When nalas are jammed where the water will go? It flows into roads and colonies turning them into city of Venice.
Patel. Kindly describe your experiences. It is interesting.
Karim. Bhai During last year rain water entered colonies and all flats’s ground floors and cellars were full of water. People have to be rescued. Cars parked in cellars were drowned. Many cars on roadside floated and were thrown off by few miles. So they were washed away into bigger canals. In many colonies army boats were used and people were rescued. Army must be unhappy that they were not given many VSM for their devotion to duty during these relief operations..
Nehru. What a shame! Why discuss Army now?.
Karim. But the local government feels nothing. Because officials are staying in Banjara hills and jubilee hills MLA colony etc. They are least bothered. Affected are the worst common people.
Gandhi. How sad? But who bothers for them.
Karim. Sir. So I am selling these boats and having good business. Many colonies and individuals have purchased these boats and feeling safe..
Patel. Must be surely true. Karim Bhai . You are doing great service to this city people. It is OK you are making money and this is part of the show. But the tragedy is that the officials are making money by wrong means. I fail to know why seniors can not see the problem. They slept for last year Now rains are only few days away. What they can do now?
Gandhi. Karim Bhai. You surely deserve Bharat Ratna for this great service.
Karim. ( Showing great surprise) Bapu. Do I really deserve? I am not singer or musician or atlesat a politician to get Bharat Ratna. Patel Sahib. You a re already a Bharat Ratna.
Patel. When all nuts and bolts can be given Bharat Ratna why not you? . I was also given along with them. Now a day Tabla players, band masters, Nalli mein hawa phoonkne wale, Hukka peene wale, Baja bajjane wale, Trumpet blowers also get Bharat Ratna. Hee.. heee. I know one police guy got the award after cutting his hand with a blade accidentally while on Presidential security duty. That day a terrorist was killed 100 km away from where President was standing ( sings). He was given award for exceptional bravery of highest order in face of serious terrorist threat
Look oh guys here
Karim bhai deserves Bharat Ratna award
He surely must be given
Many songs must be sung by a ballad
Gandhi . What a joke realy.(sings and does jig)
Eeee..aaa.aa…aaa….aaaa
Ooo.oooo.ooo…oooo
Heee…hee…hee..Hee
Hoo..hooo..hooo…hooo
( Suddenly the sky gets over cast and with in few minutes very darkclouds gather and there is a down pour. It is raining cats and dogs. Within moments rain watersswirl up the roads and there is a sudden rush from the side Nallah an all shops get inundated. Every where rain water and Nalah water gush ut and nearly 10 feet of watewr starts collecting. Gandhi, Patel and Nehru grab one baot and sit in it. Karim Bhai also gets into a boat giving instructions to his workers to stay put there and look after property)
Karim. Bhai Bapu. Please take that boat free. T is a gift for you
Gandhi. Thanks Bhai. How generous you are bhai.
( The boat starts drifting and Patel tries to steady it with a bamboo pole. There some plastic oars in the boat and he starts steering the boat)
Gandhi. This is a nice experience (sings)
Hayya Hayya. Oh Hayya
Naya teri majdhar
Hoshi yaar Hoshi yaar
Hayya Hayya OhHayya
( Patel and Nehru sing Chorus)
(Entire old city and chaderghat, Afzal Gunj, Abids, Somaji guda, Narain guda, Malakpet are under flood. Every where people are seen roaming in boats. Some are selling vegetables in boats. All are happy. Some buffaloes are being milked standing on big rafts floating. Ever one is reconciled. There is a bar opened on a big boat and many are seen drinking in that boat)
Gandhi. What an experience of Venice city. We must thank the Municipal commissioner for planning this city making into Venice.
Patel. Should he not get Bharat Ratna for this?
Nehru. Why not? Hee…hee
(All shout Jaya Ho Bharat Ratna for Municipal commissioner, Mayor, Karim chacha. Local MLA, )
CURTAIN FALLS
