INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...295

                            INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN… 295

                                     Dr K Prabhakar Rao

Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are  seen at Haridwar and they are on their way to Kedar nath. They are in usual dress and of course carrying simple  bags )

Gandhi. Patel. At last we  have reached this place.

Patel. Bapu , We are  still far away from our destination.

Gandhi. I know that.  Let us take bath in Ganges before we start our journey.

Patel. True. Some sins will be washed off.

Nehru. Patel. Please do not joke. It is   hurting.

Patel. If by taking  dip in Ganga if all sins are washed off then why do  many  yaganas , Yagas and other Bhajans etc.

Gandhi. I can not answer these questions. Did I say that sins will be washed off if we take bath in Ganges? Please  do not waste time.

( They go to the bathing ghat and  enter waters. Suddenly some object of large size submerged in water rises up and Nehru falls on it. )

Nehru. Eee..eee.. What is this wrapped up in cloths?

( Nehru standing in neck deep waters trys to pull out  from the clothes. He findsa human hand coming off from the bag )

Nehru. Eee…eeee…. Aahh..aaah.. It is part of dead body..  chee..chee. He throws it off into water. But it hangs around him

Patel. What happened Jawaharlal. Why are you shouting. Are you feeling cold?

Nehru.  This place looks like a grave yard. This  bag has a dead body.

Patel. Jawaharlal. Some people leave the dead in Ganges as a last ritual. Probably this is one. Any how you are  in waters of Ganges. No sin will be attached to you. Relax.

Nehru. Bapu. Let us come out of this place. Enough of this

Gandhi. As you wish .

( The trio come out of water and  stand in sun so that their bodies get dried up..They slowly walk to the  Bus stand. They meet the  bus conductors there.)

Gandhi. Brother. We are on our way to Kedar nath.Are some buses plying?

Conductor. Have you not read news papers.

Patel. Why? That we read every day. Last three days we did not read.

Conductor. Look friends. At Keadr nath great tragedy has occurred. There were torrential rains and  rivers flowing down the mountains destroyed everything in Kedar nath except temple pouring boulders and mud all over. All roads are cut off. Thousands  have been killed. Large rescue operations by Army and other  para military forces are going on. You can not go there.

Gandhi. Ohfo.. No..  We must go there and help the distressed.

Conductor. You guys  appear famished. I thought you are also victims of that tragedy. Why you want to go there? How can you  go there? Who will take you? All routes are blocked.

Gandhi.  Now what to do?

Patel. Bapu. Let us do Ram bhajan and pray to the god to save people.

Nehru. True. We must do.

Gandhi. But I can not keep looking at things like this. I must be at Kedarnath and help people.

Nehru. True Bapu. But we can not go there.

Conductor. Some  helicopters ply to that area.  But they are meant  for VIPs.

Gandhi. We are also VIPs

Conductor( Laughs) hee..hee.. Are you VIP. In what way? Are you a minister at center or state? What are you? You guys look like beggars. Hee..heee.. Who will believe you?

Gandhi. Come on. I am MK Gandhi Father of nation. He is Patel the iron man of India. This guy is Nehru the former PM of India.

Conductor. Haa. Haa.. ( Shouts) Brothers come here and watch the Tamasha for toady.

( Gandhi gets embarrassed)

Gandhi. Can we hire the chopper.

Conductor. Probably Yes. For very large sum you can have it. But to day only one chopper  is  present. You may try.

( Gandhi Goes to the chopper pilot)

Gandhi. Pilotji. Can we hire your chopper today.

Pilot. Baba. Where do you want to go at this time?

Gandhi. We want to go to Kedarnath and take part in humanitarian activities.

Pilot. Sorry. This chopper is waiting for some VIP. Please  excuse  us.

( In the mean time some Innova  cars arrive  and from them get down many leaders , all well dressed in white clothes sporting gold rings and chains. All are sporting different colored scarves around their necks)

Patel. Oh, Bapu , These are  from different political parties

The leaders rush towards the chopper. They are stopped by the pilot.)

Pilot. Look sir . This  chopper is booked by a minister from AP for his followers. Only they can travel.

Leader 1. So what. We are also VIP. There is nothing like booking chopper. You have to take us also.

Leader 2. True. We are from AP. You must take us

Leader 3..  We are also in line. You can not  neglect

Leader1.  You guys. Leader 3 is not from our party. Throw him out.

Leader 3. How dare you say that. I shall see your end today.

Pilot.  Sir  If you behave like this I shall take none.

Ledaer1. How dare you say that! After all you are a pilot and employee. I shall get you sacked soon.

Pilot. That you can not do. I have seen many jokers like you.

Leader 1. How dare you call mea joker! I shall see your end.

Pilot. Please do it. Now I am not going to fly this chopper.

Gandhi. Pilot sahib. Please forgive these men. They are clueless. Theya re all eager to go. So tempers are high.

Pilot. You appear to be a nice guy If I fly today I shall take you three.

Patel. Thanks dear

Leader. Look Plot. I am listening everything.. You can not take these beggars along  with us.

Pilot. Did I say that I shall fly you guys.

Leader. I shall see How  you will not fly us today.

Pilot. Keep trying sir.

( Leader 1  with his supporters try to rush into the Chopper. They are stopped by Leader 2 and his followers.  Leader 3 with his followers rain blows on others. Soon there is big commotion and there is free for all.  Stones keep flying. People are abusing others  in  the most filthiest words. )

Patel. Bapu. I am  hearing today the choicest  abuses all over.

Nehru. I am sure you are enjoying them.

Patel. You can also do that. Nothing prevents you.

(The leaders and their followers after great amount of fight find themselves in torn clothes, shaggy and look like pigs rolling in shit pond. In stone throwing the chopper is badly damaged. Its front glass is shattered. Rotor  blades are badly bent. It has become  not airworthy. All the people are badly injured in fist fight and stone throwing and ae found lying on  ground with bleeding wounds. )

Pilot.  Sorry Guys. The chopper is no more air worthy. I am going from here and I have to report to Head quarters. (He  goes away)

Gandhi. What a sorry state of affairs!.

Patel. Bapu. All these guys are  MsLA and ministers from various states. All are badly injured. Many are with broken limbs and smashed teeth. Some guys  have lost their ears. They were bitten off.Look. Bapu, Some guys are lying naked with wounds all over. It was a free for all.  I have not seen this type of Tamasha in my life time. Haa..haa..haaa

Nehru. Patel. Is this the time for jokes. Feel pity for them.

Patel. Why pity these nuts. They do not deserve any sympathy. Let us leave these guys to their fate.

Gandhi. In the night jackals  and Hyenas would arrive  and tear them to bits when they  are alive

Patel. It is a correct punishment for them.

Gandhi. Please do not say that.. We must take pity on them and save them. We need not go to Kedarnath now.

Patel. Bapu. You are a great guy. You have seen what type of nuts these guys were. Still you want to save them.

Gandhi. True. They are ignorant guys. So we must help them. Please follow me.

( The trio go to the injured people to take care of them )

                                        CURTAIN FALLS