INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..203

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…203
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Gandhi, patel and Nehru are at a roadside park in Bombay. They are in high spirits.)


Gandhi. Whole Bombay is in high spirits. Cricket fever is over.

Patel. True Bapu. What a chase it was!

Gandhi. We were lucky to witness the match. It was a life time thrill.

Patel. True Bapu. What a national spirit it was. It looked as if entire nation turned up for the show. I am sure such big crowd never turned up for your shows when you were alive.

Gandhi. I was not a cricketer. It was life or death match for Indians and Lankans..

Patel. The nation waited for 28 years to lift the cup.

Gandhi. It was a great team effort. Masters dream has been fulfilled.

Patel. In the past, Master brought the team to the final. But the team failed to stand in the final once Tendulkar fell cheaply. This time it was not like that, the team fought like a wounded tiger.

Patel. True Bapu. You made a great comparison comparing Indian team to a tiger . Iam getting inspired. ( He shouts) Grr..Grr..Grr

Gandhi. Hee..Heee, Lankans are lions. Indians have to be tigers. Tigers are more aggressive than lions. Some times lions keep watching when antelopes graze very close to them.

Patel. Hee..Hee True Bapu.

Gandhi. I am unhappy with Sehwag. Except his 175 score in past once in the tournament, he hardly made any score. In the match with Pakistani he made few quick runs and then fell as if he was in hurry to go some where. It was Tendulkar who played with great determination and scored 85 although he got some chances. Raina needs mentioning who scored invaluable 38 in the end. Bowlers need praising in that match. Every one got two wickets. It was a combined show. In this match also Sehwag fell cheaply. He puts entire team in to jitters by his wayward batting. What required is consistency in game. He flashes at everything as if he wants sixes and boundaries. Better we limit him to 20..20 game.

Patel. There was great pressure again on Master. Poor guy never gets a chance to play coolly. Every time Sehwag falls cheaply which is mostly occurring, Master is put to great pressure. I think Sehwag has to play a step down.

Gandhi. Any how the cup has been won. Dhoni has shown great commitment as a captain and won the cup. It was a life’s achievement. It was 28 years ago that we won the cup and Kapil was the captain.

Patel Bapu. Have you noticed? There were not great responses from Gawaskar and Kapil after this victory. We have not seen those guys much in the spectators or box. Have you seen them?

Nehru. I do not remember seeing them.

Gandhi. After victory too we have not seen them any where. Why?

Patel. They know it better. Their record has been broken by the present team.

Gandhi. Look at the way the nation has gone crazy.

Patel. Bapu. There was more craze when Pakistan was defeated.

Gandhi. True. But why people feel happy when we are one up against Pakistan.

Patel. The venom has gone into blood in both countries. They have not forgotten the partition and the subsequent actions of Pakistan. Generation after generation in India and Pakistan have grown with mutual suspicion and hatred. It will never go.

Gandhi. I feel sad .

Patel. Your feeling sad has no meaning. In fact you are blamed for all the mess up in 1947 and before that.

Gandhi. Am I to be blamed? Eee…eee…aa…aaa… ( Cries)

Patel. Why are you crying now after all things have been done?

Gandhi. I did so much for this thankless nation. Iam being called Mahatma. But behind the doors most of the guys hate me.

Patel. Plesae do not cry Bapu. As you sow so you reap. (Does jig and sings)

India has won the world cup
It was not a simple lolly pop
They guys have sweated fumed and fretted
At last they have been with world cup crested
Gandhi. Haa..haaa. ( gets up and also does jig holding his long stick)

(Suddenly they find the entire Indian world cup team at the park and they see Gandhi and patel and Nehru. They rush to them)

Dhoni. Bapu… We have won the cup. We defeated Pak in Semifinals. We ousted Australians from the tournament. Ponting became pale in the end. We have wiped off all our previous failings.

Tendulkar. Bapu. It was a great day.

Gandhi. Yes. You guys have made the nation very proud. We are proud of you.

Tendulkar. Thanks Bapu. In all world cups we defeated Pakistan.

Patel. That was great indeed. World cup is not the criteria. Defeating Pakistan team is the ultimate.

Gandhi. Iam not happy with this attitude.

Patel. Why Bapu?. Please do not forget realities.

Gandhi. I shall try. But my policies remain same.

POatel. No one can change you.

Tendulkar. Bapu. Forget past. Let us celebrate.

(He opens champagne bottle. Foam gushes out and is sprayed all over. The guys drink from the bottle and dance and shout… Chakde India.. Gumaake.. Jor lagake.. Lahgake.. Chakde India. All dance wildly pulling Gandhi. Nehru and Patel to dance. Gandhi does fast jig with his stick while Patel does break dance. Nehru does foxtrot holding Dhoni. All laugh loudly. In the distance on Red Fort Indian flag is seen fluttering proudly)

CURTAIN FALLS