INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...206

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…206

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Gandhi, Nehru and patel are on a trek near Pune near Sinhgarh fort. They are simply dressed and are carrying some water, snacks and are slowly climbing the slopes)

Gandhi. Patel. We have already climbed fairly high.

Patel. No Bapu. We have just started. It will take long time to climb these hills.

Gandhi, Why you selected this site for trekking?

Patel. Bapu. It must be worthy of exploring. There are other areas like Lonavala like Visapur, Loh Garh, Tikona and Tung forts that are extremely difficult to negotiate for us. We are old too.

Gandhi. If it is so difficult why those forts were built?

Patel. These forts were purposefully made difficult to reach. You know Chatrapathi Shivaji was an expert warrior and was very clever too.

Gandhi. What is the greatness of this fort Sinhgarh?

Patel. Bapu. Originally this was known as Kondhana. This fort was won over by Tanaji Malsure the General of Shivaji ina daring night operation from it’s commander Uday bhan. Uday bhan was killed by Tanaji in a duel and Tanaji was too badly injured in the fight and gave up his life. Shivaji later named this fort as Sinhgarh.

Gandhi. Tanaji must be a very rave man.

Patel. Surely.Shivaji maharaj was very sad to loose him in the operation.

Gandhi. True. He was a very great king, Guerilla war specialist, very brave and a very great patriot.

Patel. He is unlike today’s leaders.

Gandhi. Our present leaders want comforts of AC rooms, special and cozy beds, five star culture, Costly cars and VVIP treatment every where.

Patel. Shivajis ministers and Generals were very brave and intelligent and highly patriotic unlike our present leaders.

Gandhi. Yes. Look at our present guy Dr singh. He says he has no knowledge of any thing about the scams in which his ministers were involved. If he does not know why he should be there as their head.

Patel. This is the tamasha of modern times. The guys are given free hand to do loot mar,

Gandhi, Chee..chee.. How sad! In no way we can compare them to Shivajis times.

Patel They can be compared Bijapur sultans times. They were wretched and cruel sultans. They wanted to kill Shivaji maharaj.

Gandhi. Patel. Iam feeling slightly tired. We shall rest for some time here.

Patel. OK fine Bapu.

( They halt at a large stine on the way side and sit down. They drink water and munch few biscuits . They see a smart guy approaching them and he is accompanied by few men. When they come close they find that they are stragely dressed in medieval costumes.)

Nehru. Namste Bhai. Who are you? Why are you strangely dressed and carrying swords too. Is there any drama program around?

Stranger. Look. We are not from ant drama party. I am Shivaji Bhonsle and these are my men.

Nehru. That is good. Bhonsle family is well known in Maharshtra. They also ruled at Nagpur before English men took that state. Bhonsles also ruled at Kolhapur.

Stranger. Iam sure you have not recognized me. These are my men Tanaji and Angre and Ghorpade

Nehru. How and why I should recognize? There are thousands of Bhonsles in India.

Stranger. He is not normal Bhonsle

Nehru. This is strange. Why I should know?

Stranger. Please do not be like that. You appear to be elderly and learned but also to be a crank.

Nehru. Iam titled as Pundit

Tanaji. But you do not appear so. You are unable to recognize the great Rajadhi Raj Chatrapathi Shivaji Bhonsle Maharaj.

Gandhi. Pranam maharaj. We are sorry. We could not recognize you.

Patel. Namste Chatrapathiji. It is nice to see you here. We are on trekking
mission to Sinhgarh fort

Shivaji. That’s good. You shall go though some physical exercise. That is good for health too. How many of todays youth can withstand the struggles taken up by Generals like Tanaji.

Patel. Probably nil .

Gandhi. We know how Tanaji Malsure captured Sinhgarah fort Rather Kondhana in those days.

Shivaji. I am happy you guys are aware of such daring exploits of Tanaji.

Paatel. We know that Tanaji left the marriage of his son when he was called by you sir at Raigarh.

Shivaji. I know that. Without any hesitation he took up the mission to capture Kondhana fort the next day. How many of you guys can take up such challenges.

Patel. We are sorry sir. We are not that committed.We are good for nothing guys.

Gandhi. The present Indian leaders are selfish and want to hang on to chairs of power. Maharaj you know what type of leaders are ruling at Delhi.

Tanaji. I learnt that there some guys who do only boot licking, rather you guys call chamchagiri in your present terminology. They were exposed in the recent scam called 2 G spectrum. These are technical terms not known to us..

Gandhi. True Tanaji sahib. PM tried his best to save his men. They were so adamant that complete parluamnmetary session was lost where opposition demanded JPC ( Joint parliamentary committee).

Shivaji. You know I had Ashta pradhans ( 8 ministers) and ruled very effectively. I learn that the present prime minister Dr singh has dozens of Pradhans and doing nothing. Every one is playing tricks and looting while the main person does not know what is happening around him.His ears are tightly wrapped in turban and he can not hear any thing.

Gandhi. Hee..hee. Correctly said Maharaj... That is why he is called clueless Maha Pradhan.

Shivaji. How sad! We struggled in our days to establish Hindu Empire right under the nose of wretched Aurangzeb and succeeded. You guys have everything in hand now. There is no Aurangzeb or Bijapur sultan on top of you.

Patel. We have Pakistan now and many mini Auranagzebs and Afzal khans in the country. Things like SIMI ( Student Islamic Movement of India) comprises of many Aurangzebs and they want to Islamise the nation. They claim India belonged to Aurangzeb. So it has to be ruled by Muslims only.

Shivaji. What non sense these guys are talking.Are there still Afzal khans now in India. Where they are. Show me. I shall cut them to pieces. ( He gets annoyed and draws his mighty sword Bhavani from scabbard and raises the sword in to sky) ( excalims)

Let this sword Bhavani speak what I mean
I shall cut the guys like bunch of carrot and bean
Their brains are full of ideas unclean
And I shall cut their bowels and pull out spleen

This sword has cut many heads in past
And Afzal khans head was severed with this mighty blade
I shall soon cut such guys into a bloody pulp
And their souls will soon disappear over Kondhana and fade

Patel. Maharaj. Plesae cool down.You are very brave and Iam sure you can still do such things. But we are now in different age. Nearly 350years have passed since you left this world for heavens. India got independence from the Englishmen in 1947 and now we have parliamentary democracy in the country. Actions as enumerated by you can not be taken up now.

Shivaji. Why? Will the government keep looking at things when lawlessness is there. How Afzal khans are allowed to live.Why Aurangzebs are allowed to roam around free.

Patel. Laws are there and governments are also there.

Shivaji. Then what is the problem?

Patel. What is going on now is namke vasthe rule is going on. i.e namesake rule goes on.

Shivaji. Why. Are they impotent?

Patel. Of course physically they may not be. But mentally, psychologically and morally they are. They have no commitment to rule.

Shivaji. Then what they do all the time in this parliamentary democracy in this country as you stated?

Patel. They waste time. They appease minorities all the time.

Gandhi. Very true Maharaj. Your days of action were over long ago. If some thing was left that was over in 1857 war. A bit was left and it was over with me in 1947.

Shivaji. This is very bad.

Patel. Maharaj. Is shall give an example.

Shivaji. Plesae tell me.

Patel. Indian parliament was attacked in past and the terrorists were slain by the security forces present there. Some conspiratiors were arrested and tried. Afzal guru was sentenced to hanging by the supreme court of India and many years have passed nad still that guy is not hanged. He is enjoying the jail room with all comforts.

Shivaji. Why he is still there?

Gandhi. The government is scared that Muslims might get offended. As policy of appeasement his hanging is kept pending. I am sure some leaders from minority group are blackmailing the govt.

Shivaji. This is very unbecoming. If I was there I would have skinned such guys and thrown them down the ramparts of Raigarh fort. ( Draws his sword in anger)

Patel Maharah . Plesae cool down. We are sorry. We are putting you into great inconvenience.

Shivaji. Never mind friend. Iam an open man. I care for this land and not for individuals.

Patel. Maharaj. Each and every one in India I praying daily that time has come now for you to appear on the scene and set things right.

Shivaji. I wish this is possible. My Raigarh ramparts will not be sufficient to get rid of all the useless guys in one go. Probably I have to use Daulatabad ramparts in addition.

Tanaji. Maharaj. There are many places with steep slopes like Tung, Tikona, Visapur and , Bhamer
Shivaji. I know that .OK Mr Gandhi and Patel we are happy to meet guys like you today. We shall meet again.
Gandhi. Thank you Maharaj.
Patel. Thank you Maharaj. We shall take leave. We have to climb all the way up.
Shivaji. Bye , Best of luck. Jai Bhavani
Patel. Jai Bhavani. B harat Matta ki Jai
( Shivaji and his friends vanish while the trio start climbing the Sinhgarh fort with inspiration)

CURTAIN FALLS