INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...315

                                    INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…..315

                                                Dr K Prabhakar Rao

(It is outskirts of Hyderabad and  it is morning hours. There is notmuch of traffic. Occasional  vehicle is seen passing lazily on the road, A group of people are seen at a bus stop near a tree. The re is an old mosque nearby and a shack selling tea. And  some eatables. In the mean time a lorry arrives  screamimg and halts near the group. The lorry has open top and some barrels are kept and some palm leaves are tied to them as  bunches.  The driver lazily gets down , yawns and sits on a roadside stone. The cleaner of lorry gets down and opens tailboard. Two people sitting in lorry jump out.  The  crowd of people gather around the truck. Narayana,  rasool,  and moses are among them.

Narayana. Yeah. The kallu has arrived at last.

Rasool. Bhai.It is not kallu. It is neera. Naryana. Soon it will become.

Moses.  Yeah. I am itching to drink.

Rasool. Whatever it is. Let us drink.

All of them jump on to lorry and grab few bottles and get down. The lorry driver laughs.

Rasool. (Gulping neera sings)

Piye jaa

Our piye jaa

Zindagi ka yehi hai mudda

Aur piye jaa.

Bothal uthha

Aur piye jaa   ( Saigal  sahib )

Moses ( drinks Neera in one gulp and sings )

Yo  yo Yo

A bottle of Rum

(In the mean time  a bus arrives t the spot and from it  get down Gandhi, Nehru and patel )

Gandhi. This is the place . Yeah.. Body is tired. Needs some rest. The bus seats are horrible.

Patel. Yes Bapu, There are no cushions on seats. The back rest is vertical. There is no leg space. They call it a luxary bus.

Gandhi, Be thankful. It  is rolling on road. We have not pushed it. Now it is Telangana state. The buses also have been divided. Bad buses will be shared equally. Look Patel. Find out if the shop has some cold rinks.

Patel. OK Bapu.

( He goes to the shop and enquires)

Patel. Brother do you have some limca, Coke or Gold spot

Shop vendor.  Nothing like that. We sell Telangana drink. That is Neera.

Patel. Is it similar to sprite?

Vendor. It tastes like  Coconut water.

Gandhi. Then it is fine. Let us have some.

( Actually   at this point of time the day is fully broken  and neera turns into toddy)

Patel. Nehru and Gandhi all collect two bottles of Neera  and start gulping. 

(Patel fetches some Mirchi Bajjis  that are fresh.)

Gandhi ( Bites one Bajji ) Ohfo . How nice it is?

Patel. That is why it is Telangana delicacy. There is a proposal to install a very huge replica of this Bajji infront of assembly hall. And in air port.

( The effect of Toddy slowly takes place on the trio). They become  a bit shaky ad are unable to stand.the slump to ground near the tea shop.

Gandhi. Bhayee.. Oh Patel. I feel  something funny. I feel I am floating. Am I on ground?

Nehru. Bapu. You are above ground. I am also above the tree.

Patel. You guys are getting drunk. This neera is changed to Tod

dy after sunrise. We have been fooled.

Gandhi. Chee..Chee.. Drink .. eee..eee.. b…aaaack… ( Vomits)

'''

After vomiting his  condition becomes more unstable. He gets up   swaying  and sings waving hands.

\

Bhool jaa… Bhool jaaa

Bhool jaa jo dekh ta hai

Jo bhi Dekha bhool jaa

Yad rakh kar kya karega

Ye tamasha bhool jaa           ( Surendranathji from Vishwas 1944)

(Gandhi embraces a nearby tree and hangs on ) Nehru is seen lying under the tree with half closed eyes and singing)

Chah barbaad karegee hame malumnatha

Rote Rote hi kategi Hame malumnatha

Chaha barbad karegi hame malumnatah

Chayeeghan ghor ghata chand sitare na rahe

Wo ummeede na rahee ab Wo sahare na rahe

Hampe aisye hi padegi hame malumnatha… ( Kl Saigal sahib from Shah je han,,1946)

Patel (. Balancing himself.)Come on guys get up. Enough of Tamasha of Neera. We in fcat drank Toddy thinking Neera.We shall take the shop guy to police station.

Gandhi. Going to police  is  waste of time. Nothing will be achieved. They may lock us up in turn as drunkards.

Pastel. It is also true

Nehru. Bapu. It is better we forget and forgive. Never  drink Neera in future

Gandhi. True. Let us go.

                                               CURTAIN FALLS