INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...183

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN….183

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

( Gandhi, Patel and Nehru are seen strolling near Rajghat where Gandhi’s ashes lay buried tightly under a black heavy Marble with security all around. Gandhi takes a glimpse at his Samadhi)

Gandhi. Look Patel. I can see my Samadhi from here. How serene it is?

Patel. Yes Bapu. Now people remember you yearly twice, once on your birth day and another on your death day.

Nehru. It is not respectful to call it a death day. It is respectfully called Vardhanthi. Oh I forgot. Today it is your Vardhanthi. I do not want to see the Tamasha that goes on here.

Patel. Let us enjoy the Tamasha.

Nehru. I am not keen. I think we should not watch it.

Gandhi. I do not feel so. If you are not keen stay away and sit in the park some where and sleep.

Nehru. OK.

Patel, Bapu. Let us coolly, sit behind the Marble, behind a bush and watch.

(Gandhi and Patel enter the premises. They are stopped by the security guys. They are many and armed with all types of weapons including, SLR 7.62, AK 47, LMG, 0. 303 Enfield bolt actions, pistols, revolvers, twelve bore guns and muskets too. Some have only Lathis)

Gandhi. Please allow us inside. To day it is Gandhi’s death day.

Patel. Mere Bap. Please allow us inside.

Constable. We can not allow you. To day all VVIP will be visiting this place. Their program is very long and probably we may not allow any one. Please do not create problem to yourself and leave this place.

Gandhi. Mere Bhai ( My brother). I am MK Gandhi, The father of nation of India.

Constable. If you are MK Gandhi, how you are alive? Just now you said it is your death day. Are you fooling us?

Patel. You will not understand this aspect.

Constable. Please go away immediately.

Patel. Bapu. Let us move from this place. We know what to do later

( In the mean time a convoy arrives and from it gets down the PM, and from other vehicles get down the cabinet ministers, Ministers of state and speaker and many officials. All are behind PM with folded hands with drooping shoulders. They come to the gate. The security guys get active and they see Gandhi and his friends still hanging around. They shower choicest abuses and one constable gives a blow to Gandhi on his head. Gandhi shuots loudly.. Patel pulls away the stick from the hands of constable. There is a minor scuffle. The PM and his close associates arrive at the scene. They see Gandhi fallen on ground)

PM. What is happening here? To day Gandhijis Vardhanthi. Why you guys are beating him?

Inspector. Sir. To day we don’t permit any outsider due to security reasons. These old men are pestering us since an hour.

( PM sees the old man lying on ground)

PM. He looks like Gandhiji. How it is possible


Patel, He is Bapu. Real Bapu.

PM. You also look familiar. You are looking like Patelji.

Patel. Iam not looking like Patel. Iam real Patel

PM ( Smiles). That is fine. It is a good effort to dress like them on this day. I appreciate well. I think I must reward you.

Patel. No thanks sir.

PM. Then what do you want?

Patel. We want to go inside.

PM. I do not interfere with duties of security people. They will decide.

( PM and his coterie moves inside and proceed to Rajghat Samadhi. Gandhi and patel are not allowed inside. Gandhi is found bleeding. No one cares for him . Patel takes him to a side and wipes his head with his dhothi and comforts him. Inspector with few police men go to him)

Inspector. Have you got a lesson now? Pack up soon or I shall put a bullet in you.

Patel. Are you threatening us? You can not fire because there are no bullets in your hand gun.

Inspector. I shall show.

( He takes out his revolver and opens the cylinder and find no cartridges in the chambers. Yeah. Where they have gone?)

Patel. They are here ( He shows the cartridges in his palm)

Inspector. How it is possible? Is it some magic?

Patel. You know better.( Patel throws the cartridges into bushes) Take them now.

Inspector. Come on constables . Catch these guys and put them in van. We will give them some treatment of Delhi police.

( The constables fall on Gandhi and Patel and they vanish suddenly and land behind Rajghat Samadhi and hide behind bushes. In front of Samadhi large white cloth sheets are spread and some charkhas are also kept. PM and his flunkies are seen sitting and trying to spin yarn from Charkahas)

PM. I am trying to spin some thing since half an hour. The thread breaks off everytime and I am able to only spin the wheel.

Speaker. Sir . that is enough. In fact no one can spin charkha effectively now a days.if we atlesat act as if we are spinning that is OK.Bapus soul will be happy.

Gandhi ( Behind bush) Look Patel. How bad are these guys? They want to act. To please whom? Let God bless… oh no curse these nuts.Let all these guys spend billions and billions of years in hell suffering the pains.Let them be born later as insects in shit pots.

Speaker. ( looks at PM) Sir. It is time to sing Ramdhun.

PM. Yeah..Yeah.. It is time surely.

( One official arrives and distributes script of Ramdhun to all)

PM. This is good. Most of us do not know the words completely.

( They start singing Ramdhun in chorus and all have scripts in hand )

Patel. ( From behind bush) Ram nam Japna .. Parya mal apna. Ho Paraya mal apna.

PM. ( stops singing and looks at his secretary) Look some guy is singing from somewhere and his words are of concern. He is singing all trash.

( Patel continues singing loudly. Secretary and an Inspector from security look around and find none)

PM. Let us continue with our singing.

( They start singing and again Patel starts singing his tune much louder)

Ram nam Japna
Paraya mal apna
Sara Mal apna
Duniyaka mal apna

Karodo roopya lootna
Aur swiis banko mein dalna
Ho Ram nam japna
Paraya mal apna

Kursee ko garam rakhna
Saare mulk ko lootna
Mauka shayad phir na aana
Chalo mulk ko lootna

Haa Ram nam japna
Paraya mal apna
Ho Parya mal apna
Saare Duniya apna

PM. This is much embarrassing. We are unable to sing Ramdhun . Let us go from here. Iam feeling upset.

( All ministers and officials also get up looking at each other and they walk behind PM and go out of the gate.)

PM. Look secretary. Please find out how this lapse has occurred in security. How some guys were allowed inside and they were singing all nonsense although there was great truth in his song? Get all the security staff sacked. They should be dismissed and no pension should be given to them. To day we escaped great threat. They could be terrorists.
( Suddenly a voice is heard)

Patel ( Hidden ) Hello Bade Bhai ( Big brother) Just think who is a threat to day. Is it me or some one. Your own consciousness will tell you. You guys are all well educated and hold degrees like masters and doctorates.Try to find who is the real threat to this nation.

PM. Who are you? Come out and speak?

Patel. Hee. Hee. Keep getting worried all the time. Be of your own. Act on your own. Have some courage. Have some spirit. Or else there will not be a golden page in history for you.You shall be called charitra heen.. Bye.

PM. Come out.. You fool. come in open.

( No one comes out and PM and his coteries leave the place. Every one leaves and security guys fan out in Rajghat searching every place for intruders. They find none)

Gandhi. patel. Enough for today. Let is go to Jawaharlal. He must be sitting and sulking on a roadside bench.

( They go out and meet Nehru and the trio walks away singing Ramdhun

CURTAIN FALLS