INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..261,

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN… 261

Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(Nehru is seen in very sad mood in heavens and is sitting in his room dejected. In the corner of room a spring wound Gramophone is kept and a song from it is being played. It has a brass trumpet.

Jab dil hee toot gaya… Jab dil hee toota gaya
Hamjeeke kya karenge . Jab dil hee tootagaya
Ulfat ka diya hamne iss dil ko jalaya tha
Ummeed ke phoolonse iss gharko sajajjaya tha…
Ik Bhedee loot gaya.. aaayin.. Ik Bhedee loot gaya ( KL Saigal from Shahjehan..1944)

Nehru wipes tears with a cloth but can not control himself)

Gandhi. I have not seen Jawaharlal since yesterday. Hope he is fine. I have to enquire from Patel.

( He goes out of his room and knocks at the door of Patel that is next door)

Patel ( from within) Who is there? What troubles you at this time?

Gandhi. Patel. This is Bapu, Your Bapu, Great Bapu

( Patel opens the door with sleepy eyes)

Patel. Namste Bapu. What is the matter? Why you have come? Any problem now? Are you allright?

Bapu. I am fine Patel. I have not seen Jawaharlal since yesterday. I am worried.

Patel. Bapu, Relax, He must be busy writing his new book. He told he is writing “India rediscovered”

Gandhi. I am not sure. Let us go to his room and see. He is not that type. He at least sees me once daily.

Patel. Otherwise he will not get sleep. Seeing you is like a sleeping ill for him.

Gandhi. No jokes, please. Let us go to his room.

Patel. OK Bapu, As you say. Let us go.

(They walk to Nehru’s room and find it locked from within. Patel knocks on the door nd there is no reply.)
Gandhi. Patel. I am much worried. Hope everything is fine with him.

Patel. What can be wrong with him. The guy must be deeply engrossed in his book or sleeping. I am sure about it.

Gandhi. Call again. Jawaharlal. Please open the door . Iam Bapu. Patel is also here. What happened to you. Please open the door.

( There is no reply from the room and Patel kicks the door strongly and the latch breaks behind the door. The door opens violently. Both get into the room and find Nehru slumped in a chair. They go to him)

Gandhi. Jawaharlal.. Jawharlal.. What happened to you? Ohfo.. You are crying. What is the matter?

Patel. Bhai , Jawaharlal What is the matter?

( Nehru embraces Bapu and cries )

Nehru. Aaaa..aaa….aaa…eeee….eeee…eee……ooooo…oooo..ooooo

Patel, Jawaharlal, Please control yourself. What happened.

( Patel brings a glass of water and gives to Nehru and he rinks with many hiccups)

Gandhi. Now tell me what happened. Are you worried that you have to go to hell after some time.

Nehru ( With hiccups) Bapu, Congress has lost elections in UP in India.

Gandhi. So what? Some one has to loose and some one has to win.

Nehru. Bapu. This time my grandson’s son Rahul took charge of congress in UP and canvassed for it… eeee…eee..eeee. He lost elections.

Patel Bhai. Who took him seriously in UP. I knew earlier that he shall loose the game. Congress lost UP long ago. Mayawathi saw that it is sent on wild goose chase.

Gandhi. Rahul is still very young. Who takes him seriously? More over people are fed up with the scams in Congress led govt.

Nehru. Mayawati sgovt was no better.

Patel. So she also lost it. Mulayam singhs party won. Congress was never considered serious rival.

Gandhi. Jawaharlal. Your days are over in UP. Who cares for you now in UP? Poor Rahul has to cut a sorry figure.

Patel. Poor Priyanaka and her husband thought they would be of some worth. People came to see the Tamasha. They voted for others. Haa..haaa.. heee

Nehru. Are you guys feeling happy.

Gandhi. It is not feeling happy. This is democracy. People will elect men of their liking. Why they should elect Rahul’s men. Is it because he belongs to your family. Those days are over. They can not be fooled always.

Patel. They had enough of it. So you were crying over demise of your party in UP.

Gandhi. These elections have exposed the popularity of the young prince.

Nehru. Eee..eeee.. Iam much hurt.

Patel. Please learn to accept changed scenario.

Gandhi. Patel tells correctly. Please come out of your fad. Jawaharlal, Plesae have great heart and accept verdict

Nehru. ( sobs) eee..eee….eee… Plesea leave me alone.

Patel. OK Bapu. Let us leave him alone. He will be OK after some time.

Gandhi. As yous ay. Bye . Take care of yourself.

( Gandhi and Patel leave the room. Nehru puts off the gramophone and slumps into chair sobbing)

CURTAIN FALLS