INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN..285

        INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN… 285

                                        Dr K Prabhakar Rao

                     (Gandhi, Patel and Nehru are seen near Purandar fort.)

Gandhi. Patel. I think we are near the place. I saw a sign board.

Patel. True Bapu. We are close to it. Bapu, Please tell me. Why you wanted to see this old fort specially.

Gandhi. I heard much about this place in the history of Marathas. Jawaharlal, why are you quiet. You are a master historian. You wrote Discovery of India.

Patel. Bapu. True, He wrote the book. He must know much and he must act as a guide.

Nehru.  Probably I may not do justice. I may tell some broad things. But to know details we must have some local guide.

Patel. That is better.

( The trio slowly  climbs the path to the fort entrance and it is not that easy. Nehru gasps for breath.)

Nehru. Huffo..Huffo. I am done. I am exhausted. The climb is not that easy.

Patel. Jawaharlalji. It is not easy to climb these places. It is not like ruling India from air conditioned offices and by traveling in air crafts and choppers , with lot of security men and with stooges around.

Nehru. What you want to say? You can be frank.

Patel. I am saying frankly only. Do you know that Shivaji Maharaj led his men from front? He fought battles along with them and not hiding behind troops. He killed Afzal khan the wicked Bijapur General with his own hands at a great personal risk.

Gandhi. Patel. Please do not trouble Jawaharlal. Those days were different. Modern days are different.

Patel. Bapu. The days are same. Leadership qualities remain same.

Gandhi. True. We do not expect a Prime Minister of a country to fight along with army in war. The concept of warfare has changed now.

Patel. Bapu.  It is not new for me. You always defend Jawaharlal and prefer him. It happened in past too.

Gandhi. Forget past. We have come to see Purandar fort.

Patel. True. Let us go ahead. Now Jawaharlal is also fresh. He can take strain now.

Nehru. True. Let us go..

( The trio comes close to entrance Door of the fort with huge  imposing bastions on sides. They see a large statue of a warrior on a pedestal holding sword  in his hand )

Gandhi. This  gentle man must be great warrior and must be a General and Commander of the fort.

Nehru. Looks so. Otherwise  why his statue must be here?

Patel. It is not like today. Now we erect statue of leaders everywhere  whether they did some thing or not.

( Suddenly the sky becomes cloudy and sun light is very much reduced. Atmosphere becomes tense while lightening flashes are also  seen.)

Patel. Why this sudden change. I do not understand. Last time we visted Panhala fort also, similar situation was there.

Nehru. True. I am a bit scared.

Patel. Why. We are already dead. Nothing can happen to us. Hee..hee. Let us go near the statue that  may protect us from wind.

( The trio goes near to the statue. A flash occurs and Patel read the plaque on the pedestal)

Patel. The name of the statue is Murarbaji Prabhu, Commander of the fort Purandhar.

Gandhi. Didn’t I tell you guys?

Nehru. Bapu. You are always great. That  is why you are called Mahatma.

Gandhi. Hope you are not pulling my leg.

Nehru. Why should I do that?

Gandhi. What great act he might have done here that warrants his statue at the entrance?

( Gandhi feels that some one is touching him from behind. He looks back and finds well built  man on the pedestal holding a sword)

Gandhi. Bhai. Who are you on this pedestal? Earlier a statue was there.

Murarbaji. Hello friends. I am Murarbaji prabhu. I was the commander of this great fort.

( He jumps from the pedestal holding  the long sword)

Patel. Baji Prabhu sahib. Welcome. We are honored to see you here.

Murarbaji. Who are you guys? From which land you come? You do not look like Marathas. What work you have in this place. This place is desolate and scary too.

Patel. We are the Congress leaders from  this land. My name is patel. The others are MK Gandhi and Jawaharlaal. MK Gandhi is the father of nation.

Murarbaji. Haa..haa.. What is this father of nation? To which nation he gave birth?

Patel. Please do not laugh sir. He gave birth to India .

Murarbaji. What  is this India?

Patel. That is nothing but Bharat or Hindustan.

Murarbaji. Hindustan was there earlier also. How can you give birth to it?

Patel. Sir. It was there. But it was enslaved by Europeans

Murarbaji. Who are they? How could they do? How dare they are to do that. I shall show them what I am.

(Murarbaji lifts his sword with great vigor and swings in air   and  sings )

I am the great commander  Murar baji

I shall cut the guys like aalu pyaz and  bhaji

Show me the guys who enslaved  this land

And I shall cut them to pulp with this sword in my hand

Patel. Please cool down sir. The English men have already gone away.

Murarbaji. How? Did you kill most of them?

Patel. We did not kill. They only went away from here.

Murarbaji. Why? They must haves some reason for that.

Patel. We launched non co operation by masses. They got vexed up and went away.

Murarbaji. I can not believe that. They can not be that weak who enslaved you. You are hiding some thing from me.

Nehru. Why should we hide?

Murabaji. Just because you guys  did not cooperate they did not run away. I am sure about it. The guys would have surely made a pulp out of you and made you to cooperate.Could you guys dare to do in the days of Aurangzeb or any other Mughal ruler? They would have made an example out of you and that would have made others to fall in line.Understand!

Patel. What you said is  true to some extent.

Murabaji. Not partly bhai. It is fully correct. Next time do not say that they ran away because you guys did not cooperate. Why it was not earlier. Those guys  enslaved you for many years. Give me an answer.

Gandhi. I am sure they had change of heart and realized that they could not rule without the cooperation of locals.

Murarbahji. You think like that. But surely it was not so. Though I am from a different age I know what has happened.

Patel. Kindly tell us.

Murarbji. The country of Englshmen was very powerful  but suffered greatly at the end of World War II.  One of your colleague named Netaji Bose wage war against them by joining their enmies. He raised armed force. He was like Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. He did not believe in non violence and Ram Bhajan. Do you know that?

Gandhi. Yes. We know it. We parted ways in  1939 itself. He was from our party.

Murarbaji. You guys could not adjust to his presence in the party.

Gandhi. It is not like that.

Murarbaji. Please do not interrupt and listen to me.

Gandhi. Sorry sir.

Murarbaji.  The Englishmen were rather shocked at Bose’s ways and they could no longer depend on British Indian army with which they could rule you. They decided to leave. It is a bad luck that Bose disappeared at the end of World War II. If he was present he would have become father of nation surely.He would have ruled with iron hand.

Nehru. It is up to people to decide.

Patel. Your case in 1947 was not decided by people. Bapu decided to make you the PM.

Gandhi. I never wanted to become father of nation. In fact it is a burden.

Murarbaji. What burden are you taking brother.Any how, you guys are lucky that Bose was no more on the scene. You enjoyed power and your  children and grand children   are enjoying power.

Gandhi. My children are no more on scene. They had no power.

Patel. Same case with me.

Murarbaji. How about the third guy? He is keeping quiet.

Nehru. No doubt we enjoyed power, but it is not their fault. People elected them.

Murarbaji. The party  was turned into that state.All guys were turned into dummies. Haa..haa..haa. Any how,  I am not bothered. As you sow so you reap.

Patel. True. I agree with you sir. You guys worked hard for Shivaji Maharaj with selfless devotion. Now the guys  serve leaders with selfish motives. They go down into dark pages of history.

Murarbaji. No one will ever remember you after another 100 years.

Patel. I doubt the  country remains intact after 100 years. We are in deep trouble.

Murabaji. Keep doing  Ram Bhajan as per your practice while your enemies hammer you black and blue from all sides staying right next to you and amidst you. Shame on you guys. You have no spirit. I am fed up of  even  looking at you.

( There is a big flash and  Murabaji climbs the pedestal and turns into statue. Slowly the clouds clear off and bright sun shows itself)

Patel. Bapu, Let us go inside and see the fort.

Gandhi ( Wipes his fore head). What a guy he was! Let us go inside.

Ehru. Bapu, Should we go ? I am feeling tired. I shall stay here and wait for you.

Patel. Jawaharlal. Please  follow us. Or else, Murarbaji might come gain.

Nehru. Oh! No I shall come with you.

Patel. Hee..Hee,, There you are.

        ( The trio enters the fort while Murarbaji smiles on pedestal)

                                          CURTAIN FALLS