INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…222
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(It is Golconda Fort in Hyderabad. Every where one finds heaps of rubble, broken mansions, buildings, stables and over grown bushes. Great cannons on bastions and here and there stare into distance at unknown enemy. Gandhi, Nehru and patel are seen at the fort inner gate)
Gandhi. Patel, I have been itching to see this place since long. To day we had some time to see this place.
Patel. Bapu. It is good to see. I do not know what will happen to morrow.
Gandhi. What can happen here? This is there since many years.
Patel. Bapu, I know that. But the way locals are stealing away the fort property daily, I am sure one day there will not be a fort here. All stones are being taken away by the locals, miscreants who trespassed into the fort lands and trying to build houses.
Gandhi. How this happens. What govt is doing?
Patel. Govt is there. This fort is with archeological dept of India. They do not have many guards to take care of this vast area. Army also is occupying a gate near Arty center.
Gandhi. What govt can do? Where is the time for them? They are busy with politicking and guarding their chairs and power. In fact no governing goes on.
Patel. Wells said, Bapu. You are great.
Nehru. That was good Patel. You already started your sycophant game.
Patel. What I have done?
Nehru. What else you will do? Whatever Bapu says, like a clown you dance clapping.
Patel. Look Jawaharlal. Behave yourself. Bapu is great. His words are great. His knowledge is also great. He has great intelligence. You can not underestimate him.
Gandhi. Come on guys. Have we come here to fight? Let us go into the fort.
(The trio purchases tickets at the counter and enter the inner gate)
Patel. Bapu. This is the important entrance. If some claps here the sound can be heard on top of the fort and it is called Bala hissar,
Gandhi. That is great indeed. This fort looks very large. But it is badly maintained.
Patel. Most of the fort is damaged as it was neglected for centuries.
Gandhi.. Iam not very sure of its history. Probably Jawaharlal can throw some light. He is an historian. He wrote a book too . It was discovery of India.
Patel. True Bapu. He is considered as a reputed historian too. He has many qualities. This is one among them.
Nehru. Bapu. This fort belonged to Kutubshahi dynasty that ruled here.
Gandhi. Where the dynasty has gone? Are they settled in USA now.
Nehru. No.No.. the fort was over powered by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1687 and the last ruler Tanasha was captured and sent to Daulatabad and he died there later .
Gandhi. Ohfo. How bad it was? I know Aurangzeb did not like other Muslim rulers. He was aSunni and these guys were Shia. Only he wanted to be the ruler. He considered himself to be a puritan.
Patel. From then onwards, the fort was neglected. Later Nizams too neglected it.
Gandhi. This has to happen one day. Otherwise how the local guys will get their house building materials for their houses around Golconda all these years.
Patel. Ha..haa..haa. It is a joke .
(The trio keeps walking and suddenly they come across an old Muslim man sitting on a large stone. He appears weak but has aristocratic look. He is reciting some poetry from a old book. Gandhi and Patel go to him.)
Gandhi. Hello Bhai, Salam walekum.
Stranger. Walekum salam. I am Mohammed kuli
Patel. That is great name.
Gandhi. Are you related to the royal family?
Stranger. What do you mean? I am Mohammed Kuli Kutubsha, the former ruler of Golconda.
Patel. Sir. Please be happy. When we say we are Gandhi and patel, people laugh at us.
Stranger. How dare you talk like that? I was the sovereign ruler of Golconda. I was the 4 th ruler and son of great Ibrahim Kutubshah who built the Purana pul in Hyderabad over Musi river.
Patel. Where is the river now? It is a dirty stream full of night soil.
Kuli. It was Great River full of water when I was the king..
Gandhi. The guys built reservoirs over it in last century. So there is no water. Now people can wade through. But no one ventures. It is so dirty. Hyderabad is known by Charminar and dirtiest Musi river. If we consider the worlds rivers, Musi will get international award no 1 for being the shittiest river.
Kuli. Please do not talk like that. I feel pained. I used to cross it over horse to meet my girl friend,
Patel. You mean Bhagmati.
Kuli. Yes sir. Later I named her Hyder Mahal after I married her. I also built this city of Hyderabad around Charminar.
Gandhi. I saw Charminar. It is great. But the area is very congested and filthy too.
Patel. Bapu. Less talk better it is about old city. It is the most congested, trouble some and dying city. Nothing can be developed.
Gandhi. Sir, I learnt that Old city of Hyderabad has one organization called Quli Kutubshah urban development authority ( QUDA). People call it QUDA fondly.
Patel. Haa..Haa..Haa. Bapu. In Hindi KOODA means all dirt, Kachra, filth, shit and non sense items put together.
Gandhi. hee..hee.. What a coincidence indeed. Poor city planners must have never thought that it will be like that.
Patel. It has turned to be a KUDA indeed. Talk less. There are no funds with them. It is a dead organization like this Golconda fort.
Kuli.( weeps) What happened to my golden city of Hyderabad? It was Bhagya Nagar ( City of luck).
Patel. Please do not cry sir. These things will happen. All emperors have vanished
into dark pages of history. Only few are remembered once in a while. You are one among them. People know that you were a poet too. Once in a while people go to your grave at Kutubshahi tombs and conduct a function on your birth day. I do not think now they are doing. Who has time? People are busy in politics of filth and city is neglected.
Kuli. I have not seen city after my death.
Patel. You can not recognize it. It is den of miscreants and unlawful elements too. Recently a MLA of a political party from old city was stabbed right in old city in his constituency. Luckily he did not die. The guys is still in hospital. Things are bad there.
Kuli. I feel ashamed to hear these. How is Charminar, my Charminar? Are there still four Minars to it?
Patel Yes sir. Luckily there are four ( Char) Minars. Receltly some plaster pieces came off and fell down and luckily no one was hurt. Govt is trying to repair them.
Kuli. Will they be able to do?
Gandhi. I doubt that can do a good work. Some chow… chow work will be done. Much money will be eaten away. It is sorry state of affairs in city.
Kuli. Iam sure one day it may loose one Minar.
Patel. Then it will be a theen ( three) Minar. I am hundred percent sure our guys can not build the fallen Minar. They may try., but it can not be like original. People will be scared to go there. It will be then called lamed Charminar.
Kuli. ( cries) aaa.., aaa.. ee..eee ( sings)
Oh My Charminar, the lovely one
Are your days numbered soon
I feel bad to hear all this today
Oh my city has become den of goons
Gandhi. sir, Please do not cry.
Nehru. (In slow tone) Bapu. Do you think he is real Kuli Kutubshah?
Gandhi. We have to believe him. We are also asking people to believe that we are real Gandhi, Nehru and patel.
Nehru. This argument is also true.
Kuli. Sir, Do you doubt that I am not Kuli?
Gandhi. Please do not mind sir. He is a master of doubts.
Kuli. Dear sir , what happened to my Purana Pul? Is it there?
Gnadhi. Yeah. Once we went there. It is still there.
Patel. They built another bridge next to it. They spoiled the entire show. The city planners are bunch of nuts. They have no aesthetic sense and a sense of beauty. They made some cockeyed bridge. It is already showing cracks.
Gandhi. your old bridge has been occupied by all types of vendors. One can not even walk there. It is a chaos. No one can set them right. Police does not venture to go there and bring some order thee. It is free for all . Haa..haaa…
Kuli. ( Cries loudly) Oh my Hyderabad.. Oh My Hyderabad.. What happened to you? Are you dying? Are you being killed?
Patel. Maa Badaulat .Please console your self sir.
Kuli. Iam very happy. You are addressing me as king should be. But I am helpless. I can not give you any reward.
Patel. Please do not mind sir. Your word is more than enough.
Kuli. You appear to be a very polite and honest person. What were you?
Patel. I was deputy PM of India of , this nation after 1947.
Gandhi. Deputy PM means Naib Mir Jumla in your times.
Kuli. That was great. I am happy to know that. By the by what are you ( looking at Gandhi)
Gandhi. I was no one.
Patel. Sir. He was a great leader. He is Mohandas Karam chand Gandhi, He is from Gujarat state. He has been conferred the title of father of nation meaning Qaid E Azam in Urdu language.
Kuli. Oh. That is very great sir.
Gandhi. Sir. Please do not glorify us. We are happy like this. We are simple guys.
Kuli. How about the third guy ( looks at Nehru).
Patel . He was the first Mir Jumla of India after 1947.
Kuli. Am happy to meet people like you. But I feel sad to know about Hyderabad city.
Patel. Huzure ala.. Maa Badaulat. You also must know that in Mecca Masjid that was completed after your death, had some trouble too. Few years ago, some miscreants put bombs there and Few died . Later there was trouble and some died in Police firing.
Kuli. What is this police?
Patel. They take care of law and order.
Kuli. Oh, that means they were soldiers of kotwal.
Patel. True. Things are bad in Hyderabad. Iam sure thins are going out of control. Most of the international thugs are hiding in the old city. Police has great difficulty in catching them. They merge with locals. Pakistanis and Bangladeshis look like us only and some locals protect them . Some time ago men of Harkat ul Jihadi Islam ( HUJI) from Bangladesh were caught in old city.
Kuli. Why this Jihadi word. Sir?
Patel. Sir, Now some sections in India are waging Jihad against India.
Kuli. That is bad. Why they should do it? Are they mad persons?
Patel. Looks so.
Kuli. During my time no such nonsense was there. All were happy.
Gandhi. Your times were different. Now things are different.
Kuli. I feel pained to hear these things.
Gandhi. Better Relax sir. You can not do any thing.
Kuli. My soul haunts over Golconda most of the time. I feel upset seeing these ruins. Look at Red fort at Delhi. That was fort was as old as Golconda. But it is still standing majestically there. See my fort. People of Hyderabad have eaten away the fort.
Patel. This is Hyderabad sir. If we are not careful even we will be eaten. Even your graves at Kutubshahi tombs are not safe. They are already crumbling. People are waiting to grab stones and building materials from these places.
Kuli, Oh , true I must run to my place and see that my grave is still there.
Patel. Please go sir, or you may be late.
( Kuli vanishes)
Gandhi. Patel, It is getting dark now. Look Watch man is coming here.
( In the mean time watch man arrives)
Watch man. Sir. It is already dark. Where were you sir? We were searching for you. Things are not safe here. There are many snakes too. Ghosts are also there.
Gandhi. What ghosts will do? Only human beings are dangerous. Will ghosts take away these stones? Poor souls they cry here.
Watch man. Sir. Are you not scared of Ghosts?
Patel. We are not scared because we our selves are ghosts.
Gandhi. Come on . We are not joking Bhai. We are real Ghosts. Please touch us.
Watch man . Sir. You re joking with me, haa..haaaa
Gandhi,. No. No we are ghosts in real
Patel. Please look at me.
( Patel displays his skeleton in fading light)
Watch man. Oh..no.. This is ghost, Oh..no.. Please save me.. run from here
(Watchman runs away in panic)
( The trio walks away laughing haa..haa..hee..heee..hoo..hoo)
CURTAIN FALLS
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...220
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…. 220
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are walking on Hyderabad roads. They are at Basheer Bagh crossing . They find many people dancing on the road while crackers are being burst. Band also is being played)
Gandhi. Look Patel. What is going on? Why this merry making?
Patel. Bapu, Don’t you know? Kadapa election results are out.
Gandhi. What happened? There was great tension everywhere.
Patel. What else can happen? Jagan won with hands down. He got more than 5 lakh majority.
Gandhi (throws his hands into air and does fast jig) Yeah.. Yeah.. That was great indeed.
Nehru. Bapu, Are you with Jagan?
Gandhi. Iam with none. I am appreciating the great winner. Winning must be like this. Nor scraping through. It was a convincing win.
Patel. The AP government has been white washed. The CM has lost his face along with his coterie.
Gandhi. Why so?
Patel. All these days he left no stone unturned in the state to ensure defeat of Jagan. He sent nearly 18 ministers and many Ms LA and all the district administration was sent on leather hunt by his.
Gandhi. Why he should do that?
Patel. This is the way elections work in India.
Gandhi. Haa..haaa.. Is this democracy?
Patel. Bapu. Many candidates lost deposit. They are hiding faces now. They boasted high at top of voice.
Gandhi. Why this wind fall win for Jagan?
Patel. There is great sympathy factor for Jagan in his state. His mother too won with great margin. She bull dozed all.
Gandhi. Now what will happen?
Patel. What can happen. The CM, his coterie. Congress state president, High command and Chidambaram will suck their fingers for rest of their lives.
Patel. Better I hide my thumb and Bapu you also hide your thumb..
Gandhi. Patel. But these nuts were shouting that Jagan is finished and he will loose badly and they started a campaign against him.
Patel. Nothing worked . They went for a six.
Gandhi. That was good lesson for congress for persecuting Jagan. He was hounded out of the party.
Patel. Bapu, have you heard this? Every leader now says that they accept people’s verdict, as if he has some choice. These guys are just nuts and pose as if they are great democrats. They are just crap and opportunists of first order.
Gandhi. What else they can do? They jolly well do it. ( I do not want too say bloody well) Do you think they have a choice? To say these words it is a joke. They say as if they are clean and great democrats and parliamentarians. Most of them came up being street politicians and street shady men.. More over the CM declares it as a dark day as if only his candidate should win. Only he wins whom people like and vote for. Will people vote for some one because CM says he should win. Haa..haaa..haa..heee..hee
Patel. Bapu, Indira Gandhi once had a choice. She imposed emergency when she lost court case at Allahabad.
Gandhi. I know. It was a do or die for her. But these characters can not do any thing. What they can do except suck their thumbs as you said.
Patel. Any how it looks the state will get into trouble. Jagan has been saying that he would pull down govt soon. He is finding difficult because Telugu Desam party is supporting Congress govt against his moves.
Gandhi. How long Chadrababu will do?If he does he will loose his ground.
Patel. Iam sure slowly the MsLA will turn to Jagan and desert CM. Then it will fall.
Gandhi. That will be a great fun. Musical chars will start. Patel. I have a sixth sense that the present CM will be shown the door as he has goofed up things in this leection. Jagan won with such great majority. What face he can show to Madam Sonia?
Patel. True. Probably he will go on wild goose chase and leather hunt.
Gandhi. Let him enjoy. He had enough. Then who can become CM
Patel. It is left to high command. There is no inner party democracy in Congress party. These guys will leave every thing to high command. They have no voice of their own. They are mere puppets and dance to tune of Delhi. Like this.. see Bapu
( Patel acts as if he is a puppet and dances singing)
I am a puppet of high command
And I have no voice of my own
I jump like a clown from a circus
Whenever a string is pulled under my gown
I dance this way and that way
And I behave like a comedy clown
Entire state laughs at me with wide teeth
While my faculties are buried deep down
Hee.heee,,heee ..hee
Haa..haaa..haaa.hhaa
Oh..Oh..Ohh..Oh..Ohh..Oh
Ou..Ou..Ou Ou..ou..ou
Gandhi. ( Claps ) Very good Patel. What a dance and song too!.
Nehru. You guys, Can’t you better speak something different?
Patel. Look Punditji. This is the hottest topic now. Plesae you also take part
Nehru. Better I keep quiet than indulge in all shit talk.
Patel. Better Relax. Bapu. Punditji is getting upset. Let us go.
Gandhi. That is fine. Let us go.
( The trio walks away singing Ram Ras bares re manwa……)
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are walking on Hyderabad roads. They are at Basheer Bagh crossing . They find many people dancing on the road while crackers are being burst. Band also is being played)
Gandhi. Look Patel. What is going on? Why this merry making?
Patel. Bapu, Don’t you know? Kadapa election results are out.
Gandhi. What happened? There was great tension everywhere.
Patel. What else can happen? Jagan won with hands down. He got more than 5 lakh majority.
Gandhi (throws his hands into air and does fast jig) Yeah.. Yeah.. That was great indeed.
Nehru. Bapu, Are you with Jagan?
Gandhi. Iam with none. I am appreciating the great winner. Winning must be like this. Nor scraping through. It was a convincing win.
Patel. The AP government has been white washed. The CM has lost his face along with his coterie.
Gandhi. Why so?
Patel. All these days he left no stone unturned in the state to ensure defeat of Jagan. He sent nearly 18 ministers and many Ms LA and all the district administration was sent on leather hunt by his.
Gandhi. Why he should do that?
Patel. This is the way elections work in India.
Gandhi. Haa..haaa.. Is this democracy?
Patel. Bapu. Many candidates lost deposit. They are hiding faces now. They boasted high at top of voice.
Gandhi. Why this wind fall win for Jagan?
Patel. There is great sympathy factor for Jagan in his state. His mother too won with great margin. She bull dozed all.
Gandhi. Now what will happen?
Patel. What can happen. The CM, his coterie. Congress state president, High command and Chidambaram will suck their fingers for rest of their lives.
Patel. Better I hide my thumb and Bapu you also hide your thumb..
Gandhi. Patel. But these nuts were shouting that Jagan is finished and he will loose badly and they started a campaign against him.
Patel. Nothing worked . They went for a six.
Gandhi. That was good lesson for congress for persecuting Jagan. He was hounded out of the party.
Patel. Bapu, have you heard this? Every leader now says that they accept people’s verdict, as if he has some choice. These guys are just nuts and pose as if they are great democrats. They are just crap and opportunists of first order.
Gandhi. What else they can do? They jolly well do it. ( I do not want too say bloody well) Do you think they have a choice? To say these words it is a joke. They say as if they are clean and great democrats and parliamentarians. Most of them came up being street politicians and street shady men.. More over the CM declares it as a dark day as if only his candidate should win. Only he wins whom people like and vote for. Will people vote for some one because CM says he should win. Haa..haaa..haa..heee..hee
Patel. Bapu, Indira Gandhi once had a choice. She imposed emergency when she lost court case at Allahabad.
Gandhi. I know. It was a do or die for her. But these characters can not do any thing. What they can do except suck their thumbs as you said.
Patel. Any how it looks the state will get into trouble. Jagan has been saying that he would pull down govt soon. He is finding difficult because Telugu Desam party is supporting Congress govt against his moves.
Gandhi. How long Chadrababu will do?If he does he will loose his ground.
Patel. Iam sure slowly the MsLA will turn to Jagan and desert CM. Then it will fall.
Gandhi. That will be a great fun. Musical chars will start. Patel. I have a sixth sense that the present CM will be shown the door as he has goofed up things in this leection. Jagan won with such great majority. What face he can show to Madam Sonia?
Patel. True. Probably he will go on wild goose chase and leather hunt.
Gandhi. Let him enjoy. He had enough. Then who can become CM
Patel. It is left to high command. There is no inner party democracy in Congress party. These guys will leave every thing to high command. They have no voice of their own. They are mere puppets and dance to tune of Delhi. Like this.. see Bapu
( Patel acts as if he is a puppet and dances singing)
I am a puppet of high command
And I have no voice of my own
I jump like a clown from a circus
Whenever a string is pulled under my gown
I dance this way and that way
And I behave like a comedy clown
Entire state laughs at me with wide teeth
While my faculties are buried deep down
Hee.heee,,heee ..hee
Haa..haaa..haaa.hhaa
Oh..Oh..Ohh..Oh..Ohh..Oh
Ou..Ou..Ou Ou..ou..ou
Gandhi. ( Claps ) Very good Patel. What a dance and song too!.
Nehru. You guys, Can’t you better speak something different?
Patel. Look Punditji. This is the hottest topic now. Plesae you also take part
Nehru. Better I keep quiet than indulge in all shit talk.
Patel. Better Relax. Bapu. Punditji is getting upset. Let us go.
Gandhi. That is fine. Let us go.
( The trio walks away singing Ram Ras bares re manwa……)
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...221
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…221
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen walking near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. They are in their usual dress and appear to be in normal mood. Patel is seen munching fried ground nuts from a packet. Patel offers some nuts to Nehru.)
Look Jawaharlal. How about some ground nuts. These are tasty.
Nehru. No Thanks.
Patel. Why? Don’t you like them?
Nehru. This is not the way to eat them on roadside.
Patel. Oh. I am sorry. You were PM once. It will not be appropriate to eat these nuts on roadside.
Nehru. You may think any thing. I did not say any thing.
Gandhi. What troubles you guys. Patel. If Jawarhal does not want to eat them, let it be so. Why make an issue out of it.
Patel. Iam not doing anything. That guy has still some hang up. He has not yet returnrd to ground earth.
Gandhi. Oh I see.
Patel. There is nothing to see here. It is simple one. Jawahrlal still suffers from his ego of having been the PM once.
Gandhi. Let him be like that. If he feels happy like that let him be. Every one has his ways.
Patel. Bapu, Look at yourself. You are great Mahatma, Father of Nation, great Bapu. But still you are simple. Even now you are not putting full clothes. But this guys till thinks he is the PM. Look at his achkans and rose at his button.
Gandhi. People have their own ways. We must not bother for them.
Patel. OK Bapu. If you say so I am happy.
( They come across an old man with shaggy look, He is lean and lanky. He is holding a sickle in one hand and in another hand he has hammer. )
Gandhi. Bhai. Who are you? Why these gadgets with you. Are you looking for some job?
Patel. Bapu, Have you not recognized him. He is Charu Mazumdar, the great Communist revolutionary from West Bengal
Nehru. I do not know him much.
Gandhi. What is so great about him?
Patel. Bapu, He has become famous from Naxalbari movement. Along with Kanu sanyal, he was formidable.
Majumdar. You have recognized me correctly.
Gandhi. Bhai, Why are you on this street?
Mazumdar. Where I shall be? Where I will be? Where I have to be?
Patel. Why. India is very large. Even Bengal is very large.
Mazumdar. Friends. Now Red sun has sunk in West Bengal.
Gandhi. Yeah. You guys enjoyed for the last three decades. Now Mamta has thrown you out lock stock and Barrel.
Patel. Their top leaders have lot election including the CM.
Gandhi. As you sow , so you reap.
Mazumdar. Yeah. Very correct. They had to pay for their deeds. But no one expected that they would loose so badly.
Patel. Defeat should be like this only. It has to be convincing. Now we have to see how this new lady would do. People have lot of expectations from her. She has to perform really. It will be very difficult task indeed for her.
Gandhi. She will have support from center. Only thing she has to ensure that her colleagues do not gobble up things as they got a chance after so many years to be in power. Usually such things happen.
Patel. Wait and see. Congress govt at center is known to be scam happy.
Gandhi. We are going to eat cake soon. Why discuss its taste now?
Patel. Hee..hee. Look Mazumdar Bhai.. I shall call you comrade.. What are your plans? Your CPI ML is a gone case now in the state.
Mazumdar. Keep watching. You hall know soon. One day it will come back to its glory.
Patel. But CPI ML does not believe in elections. They live in gun culture.
Mazumdar. True. They have their own manifesto and believe in it. You know they are doing a great job in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa. They are of course weak in Andhra and Maharashtra.
Patel. Look Mr Comrade, Don’t you think it is outdated philosophy?
Mazumdar. No.. No.. Never. It is always fresh and convincing.
Patel. Except in China everywhere they are fading. In China too it will go one day.
Mazumdar. That is your dream. Any how we are poles apart. Bye . Take care of yourself.
Gandhi. That is fine sir. You look famished much. Please take care of yourself first.
( Mazumdar walks away dragging his feet)
Gandhi. Look Patel, This lady Mamta successfully derailed Tatas Nanos project in west Bengal. The investments have gone out of the state. Will she be able to bring investments into state
Patel. Bapu. During the last three decades the state suffered greatly. Most of the industies opted out from the state. No new guy from outside would venture being a communist dominated state. Now things will change. But where people will go? There will be lot of unrest in the state. It will not be easy for het to settle things in these five years. She has to set things right that have been goofed up in three decades.
Gandhi. True. In next elections if center looses power she will have trouble. It is unlikely that the congress govt will return due to multiple scams. The states also are changing. I think there will be great changes in next election.
Patel. Till then they can have happy time. More scams will be un earthed. Rest of the time will be lost in defending scams. It will be a scams galore. ( sings and does jig)
Iam a hero of Indian scams
And yet go uncaught
I shall make Tonnes of money
Even though many laws are brought
It will be scams galore
I live in place like Phantoms crooks den
One day I would write my history
Using a mighty golden pen
Gandhi. Ha..ha.. Well sung Patel. Iam proud of you.
Nehru. What else you can say Bapu. This patel has put you in his basket.
Gandhi. You also may try. Who stops you?
Nehru. I have better things to do. My level of imagination is at higher plane. I do not sing cheap songs.
Gandhi. It may be so as you like. May god bless you.
Nehru. Thanks.
Patel. Bapu.. Look at distance. I see a huge sculpture. It was not there earlier in Delhi.
Gandhi. Let us go and see it from close.
( They go near the sculpture. They get astonished)
Gandhi. What a statue!
Patel. Bapu. Look at him. It is the figure of some one with a big sack on his shoulder. The sack is marked Loot. In his hands he has many cheque books of Swiss bank. He is also pushing a small trolley suit case marked scams money. Bapu. On the pedestal it is written dedicated to Nation.
Gandhi. It is a fashion to dedicate big projects and dams to the nation. The leaders who go there to inaugurate declare accordingly. If these guys do not dedicate where it will go. Will it go to Pakistan? It will still remain with in this nation. This is all tamsha by the leaders. The flunkies executives in govt plan all these tricks and the leaders nod their heads like asses. They want their names on plaques. Hee..heee..hee.
Patel. Haa..haaa.. God bless this nation and common man. In fact a very big statue resembling Laxmans common man ( Cartoon) should be erected in all Cities and declared dedicated to the nation. Haa..haaa.. Hoo.. Hoo..
Gandhi. Hee…heee
Nehru. Bapu. Iam vexed up with you guys. I am going.
Gandhi. Thanks dear. Yu saved us. Your agony is over.
( CURTAIN FALLS)
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi, Nehru and Patel are seen walking near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. They are in their usual dress and appear to be in normal mood. Patel is seen munching fried ground nuts from a packet. Patel offers some nuts to Nehru.)
Look Jawaharlal. How about some ground nuts. These are tasty.
Nehru. No Thanks.
Patel. Why? Don’t you like them?
Nehru. This is not the way to eat them on roadside.
Patel. Oh. I am sorry. You were PM once. It will not be appropriate to eat these nuts on roadside.
Nehru. You may think any thing. I did not say any thing.
Gandhi. What troubles you guys. Patel. If Jawarhal does not want to eat them, let it be so. Why make an issue out of it.
Patel. Iam not doing anything. That guy has still some hang up. He has not yet returnrd to ground earth.
Gandhi. Oh I see.
Patel. There is nothing to see here. It is simple one. Jawahrlal still suffers from his ego of having been the PM once.
Gandhi. Let him be like that. If he feels happy like that let him be. Every one has his ways.
Patel. Bapu, Look at yourself. You are great Mahatma, Father of Nation, great Bapu. But still you are simple. Even now you are not putting full clothes. But this guys till thinks he is the PM. Look at his achkans and rose at his button.
Gandhi. People have their own ways. We must not bother for them.
Patel. OK Bapu. If you say so I am happy.
( They come across an old man with shaggy look, He is lean and lanky. He is holding a sickle in one hand and in another hand he has hammer. )
Gandhi. Bhai. Who are you? Why these gadgets with you. Are you looking for some job?
Patel. Bapu, Have you not recognized him. He is Charu Mazumdar, the great Communist revolutionary from West Bengal
Nehru. I do not know him much.
Gandhi. What is so great about him?
Patel. Bapu, He has become famous from Naxalbari movement. Along with Kanu sanyal, he was formidable.
Majumdar. You have recognized me correctly.
Gandhi. Bhai, Why are you on this street?
Mazumdar. Where I shall be? Where I will be? Where I have to be?
Patel. Why. India is very large. Even Bengal is very large.
Mazumdar. Friends. Now Red sun has sunk in West Bengal.
Gandhi. Yeah. You guys enjoyed for the last three decades. Now Mamta has thrown you out lock stock and Barrel.
Patel. Their top leaders have lot election including the CM.
Gandhi. As you sow , so you reap.
Mazumdar. Yeah. Very correct. They had to pay for their deeds. But no one expected that they would loose so badly.
Patel. Defeat should be like this only. It has to be convincing. Now we have to see how this new lady would do. People have lot of expectations from her. She has to perform really. It will be very difficult task indeed for her.
Gandhi. She will have support from center. Only thing she has to ensure that her colleagues do not gobble up things as they got a chance after so many years to be in power. Usually such things happen.
Patel. Wait and see. Congress govt at center is known to be scam happy.
Gandhi. We are going to eat cake soon. Why discuss its taste now?
Patel. Hee..hee. Look Mazumdar Bhai.. I shall call you comrade.. What are your plans? Your CPI ML is a gone case now in the state.
Mazumdar. Keep watching. You hall know soon. One day it will come back to its glory.
Patel. But CPI ML does not believe in elections. They live in gun culture.
Mazumdar. True. They have their own manifesto and believe in it. You know they are doing a great job in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa. They are of course weak in Andhra and Maharashtra.
Patel. Look Mr Comrade, Don’t you think it is outdated philosophy?
Mazumdar. No.. No.. Never. It is always fresh and convincing.
Patel. Except in China everywhere they are fading. In China too it will go one day.
Mazumdar. That is your dream. Any how we are poles apart. Bye . Take care of yourself.
Gandhi. That is fine sir. You look famished much. Please take care of yourself first.
( Mazumdar walks away dragging his feet)
Gandhi. Look Patel, This lady Mamta successfully derailed Tatas Nanos project in west Bengal. The investments have gone out of the state. Will she be able to bring investments into state
Patel. Bapu. During the last three decades the state suffered greatly. Most of the industies opted out from the state. No new guy from outside would venture being a communist dominated state. Now things will change. But where people will go? There will be lot of unrest in the state. It will not be easy for het to settle things in these five years. She has to set things right that have been goofed up in three decades.
Gandhi. True. In next elections if center looses power she will have trouble. It is unlikely that the congress govt will return due to multiple scams. The states also are changing. I think there will be great changes in next election.
Patel. Till then they can have happy time. More scams will be un earthed. Rest of the time will be lost in defending scams. It will be a scams galore. ( sings and does jig)
Iam a hero of Indian scams
And yet go uncaught
I shall make Tonnes of money
Even though many laws are brought
It will be scams galore
I live in place like Phantoms crooks den
One day I would write my history
Using a mighty golden pen
Gandhi. Ha..ha.. Well sung Patel. Iam proud of you.
Nehru. What else you can say Bapu. This patel has put you in his basket.
Gandhi. You also may try. Who stops you?
Nehru. I have better things to do. My level of imagination is at higher plane. I do not sing cheap songs.
Gandhi. It may be so as you like. May god bless you.
Nehru. Thanks.
Patel. Bapu.. Look at distance. I see a huge sculpture. It was not there earlier in Delhi.
Gandhi. Let us go and see it from close.
( They go near the sculpture. They get astonished)
Gandhi. What a statue!
Patel. Bapu. Look at him. It is the figure of some one with a big sack on his shoulder. The sack is marked Loot. In his hands he has many cheque books of Swiss bank. He is also pushing a small trolley suit case marked scams money. Bapu. On the pedestal it is written dedicated to Nation.
Gandhi. It is a fashion to dedicate big projects and dams to the nation. The leaders who go there to inaugurate declare accordingly. If these guys do not dedicate where it will go. Will it go to Pakistan? It will still remain with in this nation. This is all tamsha by the leaders. The flunkies executives in govt plan all these tricks and the leaders nod their heads like asses. They want their names on plaques. Hee..heee..hee.
Patel. Haa..haaa.. God bless this nation and common man. In fact a very big statue resembling Laxmans common man ( Cartoon) should be erected in all Cities and declared dedicated to the nation. Haa..haaa.. Hoo.. Hoo..
Gandhi. Hee…heee
Nehru. Bapu. Iam vexed up with you guys. I am going.
Gandhi. Thanks dear. Yu saved us. Your agony is over.
( CURTAIN FALLS)
Friday, May 13, 2011
THE PRINCES WHO LOVED SLAVERY THAN FREEDOM AND SELF RESPECT
THE PRINCES WHO LOVED SLAVERY THAN FREEDOM AND SELF
RESPECT
Afzal –ud-Daula the V th Nizam of Hyderabad ( Deccan)
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
The war of 1857 is dubbed as Sepoy Mutiny by the English historians while Indians claim it as first war of Independence. The war was mostly confined to Delhi, Kanpur. Meerut, Lucknow, Bareli, Faizabad and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Arrah in Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. Other north Indian States and south India were peaceful although some isolated actions were fought that were crushed easily. The causes for this war were many. However they can be briefly stated as ( 1) :
a. The arrival of missionaries had caused great unease among the Indians. Evangelical
Christians had little understanding of, or respect for, India's ancient faiths. The attitude of scrupulous non-interference in religious affairs that had characterized British rule in the 18th century was forgotten. Native populace started to believe that the British wished to convert them. The passing of Act XXI of 1850, which enabled converts to inherit ancestral property, confirmed this belief; the new law was naturally interpreted as a concession to Christian converts. Hindus and Muslims were forced into Christianity. The British were rude and arrogant towards the Indians who they described as barbarians without any culture. The European judges hardly ever convicted British for their crimes.
b. Thousands of soldiers and nobles got unemployed when Lord Dalhousie annexed Avadh. Under his 'Doctrine of Lapse' the princes were denied the long-cherished right of adoption; in this way Dalhousie annexed the Maratha States of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi and several minor principalities. On the death of the ex-Peshwa, Baji Rao II, the pension granted to him was abolished and the claims of his adopted son, Nana Sahib, were disregarded.
c.British administrative laws ruined both the peasants and landlords. Indian handicrafts completely collapsed and the craftsmen were impoverished. India became a market place for finished goods from England. Poverty increased and the discontent among the masses motivated the Indians to join the revolt in large numbers. Thus, the British drained India of her wealth and all her natural resources.
The most important personalities who had grievances against the British rule were Nana Saheb, adopted son of former and last Peshwa of Maharshtra, Rani Laxmi Bai ( Widow of ruler Gangadhar Rao) of Jhansi, Begum of Awadh, Kunwar singh of Arrah, Emperor ( Namesake) Bahadur shah ( Zafar) II at Delhi (2). Unfortunately many princes of native states did not join the struggle. They did not want to take risk of loosing their states and power. They preferred to be with the Company. They lacked true patriotism and spirit of conviction and determination. The Nizam 7 Afzaluddaula was one among them. Hyderabad ( Deccan ) was a very important state in south India and enjoyed confidence of the English men. The rulers were from Asifia dynasty. It can be traced to Kamruddin Chin khilij khan , a Mughal Subedar appointed by Farookh siyar, a later Moghal. All the Mughal rulers after Aurangzeb ( Died in 1707) are called as later Mughals ( 1707-1857). These were insignificant and incompetent rulers who contributed to rapid decay of the empire in changed circumstances and very soon they became puppets in the hands of court nobles and Europeans. The Deccan Subedar took advantage of their incompetency and threw away their over lordship and functioned independently. For all purposes Nizams were sovereigns. They however accepted Mughal emperor as supreme and embossed the emperor’s name on coins issued by them.
Afzaluddaula became the fifth Nizam when his father Nawab Mir Farkhonda Ali Khan, Siddiqui Naseer-ud-Daula, Nizam ul mulk Asf Jah Bahadur, Nizam IV passed away on 16 May 1857. This was the most eventful year as Sepoy mutiny broke out that very soon engulfed north India. The Europeans were caught unawares who did not expect such large scale revolt from natives. The aggrieved rulers soon joined the fray and gave direction to the sepoys. Very soon it was major war. Nizam Afzaluddaula is titled as Asaf Jah V , Nizam V, Nizam –Ul—Mulk, Afzalud Daula, Nawab Mir Tahniyat Ali Khan siddiqui, Bahadur, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI. Soon he was faced with the greatest turmoil of his times, the first war of independence. Although the East India Company was caught unawares, soon they rallied themselves. Unexpectedly they received great support from majority of native rulers. Afzaluddaula was among them. His support became very important for continued rule by the Nizams at a later date even after India got independence in which . Nizam 7 Mir Osman ali KhanAsaf Jah, harbored the idea of remaining an independent ruler after 1947. However he was deposed after Police action by Indian army in 1948.
Afzaluddaula at the out break of revolt was advised by his advisors in both ways. It is learnt that a section supported the idea of joining and supporting the rebels while Salar Jung the I the senior noble preferred to support the English men. The Nizam preferred the second one. He became the staunch ally of the English men. The war was over in course of time and the Queen of England recognized his services in a difficult situation and conferred on him the title GCSI ( The Knight grand commander of the order of the star of India). It is learnt that although he refused it initially he accepted in 1861 with some hesitation. The title ‘ Our faithful ally “ accompanied with medal.
Once the war was over the Mughal emperor Bahadur shah who was arrested at Delhi after its fall was tried and he was exiled to imprisonment in Burma at Rangoon. The Mughal rule was terminated. Consequently the title of Bahadur Shah on coins of Nizam was removed and the name of Nizam V was embossed on coins. It is claimed that he was hesitant, but accepted it under advise from his counsel. These coins were known as Hali Sicca and these were in circulation and were minted till the rule of last Nizam VII in 1948. Once the name of former emperor Bahadur shah was removed, the Nizam became free from being the Subedar of the Emperor. He became independent ruler. All ties with Delhi’s emperor broke (3). He settled down for a comfortable rule. The most busy Afzal Gunj Bridge on Musi river was constructed by him linking old and new cities of Hyderabad. Destiny however did not him a long life and he passed away on 26 Feb 1869 after a rule spanning 12 years leaving an infant son Mir Mahboob Ali Khan to succeed him as Nizam VI.
Afzaluddaula thus supported the East India Company in their effort in crushing the rebels and thus earned titles, gun salutes and other favors. He was not alone in this direction. There were many like him in India who preferred to turn their eyes from the patriots who were shedding blood for gaining independence from the foreign rulers. Personal safety, well being and comforts were important for all these men than the hardships of the battle field. They have not preferred the glorious death on battle field by letting their blood to flow on battle field and preferred the comforts of palaces, harems, Concubines and dozens of wives. They became the faithful allies of the British empire. Can they be really blamed? Some might argue that the days were different. Make hay while sun shines was the motto. Selfishness was rampant. There was no national outlook. These princes were no doubt narrow minded and did not risk their kingdoms by joining the rebels. Destiny of course smiled on them and the Englishmen became victorious while the rebels lost their lives and their kingdoms. All the patriots who fought in the 1857 war have special place in the history of India while these rulers of native states who preferred to support the East India Company are no more remembered and no doubt they have vanished into dark pages of history for their inability to rise on the occasion overcoming the personal selfish interests.
Bibilography
1.Indian History, British period, First war of independence, www.gatewayforindia.com/hi
2. Dr K Prabhakar Rao, Was Rani Laxmi Bai the valiant warrior queen betrayed in 1857 by our own princes? Sanghparivar.org, May 10, 20100, 02:41
3.Mir Tahniat Ali Khan, hyderabdplanet.com/mir-tahniat-ali-
RESPECT
Afzal –ud-Daula the V th Nizam of Hyderabad ( Deccan)
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
The war of 1857 is dubbed as Sepoy Mutiny by the English historians while Indians claim it as first war of Independence. The war was mostly confined to Delhi, Kanpur. Meerut, Lucknow, Bareli, Faizabad and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Arrah in Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. Other north Indian States and south India were peaceful although some isolated actions were fought that were crushed easily. The causes for this war were many. However they can be briefly stated as ( 1) :
a. The arrival of missionaries had caused great unease among the Indians. Evangelical
Christians had little understanding of, or respect for, India's ancient faiths. The attitude of scrupulous non-interference in religious affairs that had characterized British rule in the 18th century was forgotten. Native populace started to believe that the British wished to convert them. The passing of Act XXI of 1850, which enabled converts to inherit ancestral property, confirmed this belief; the new law was naturally interpreted as a concession to Christian converts. Hindus and Muslims were forced into Christianity. The British were rude and arrogant towards the Indians who they described as barbarians without any culture. The European judges hardly ever convicted British for their crimes.
b. Thousands of soldiers and nobles got unemployed when Lord Dalhousie annexed Avadh. Under his 'Doctrine of Lapse' the princes were denied the long-cherished right of adoption; in this way Dalhousie annexed the Maratha States of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi and several minor principalities. On the death of the ex-Peshwa, Baji Rao II, the pension granted to him was abolished and the claims of his adopted son, Nana Sahib, were disregarded.
c.British administrative laws ruined both the peasants and landlords. Indian handicrafts completely collapsed and the craftsmen were impoverished. India became a market place for finished goods from England. Poverty increased and the discontent among the masses motivated the Indians to join the revolt in large numbers. Thus, the British drained India of her wealth and all her natural resources.
The most important personalities who had grievances against the British rule were Nana Saheb, adopted son of former and last Peshwa of Maharshtra, Rani Laxmi Bai ( Widow of ruler Gangadhar Rao) of Jhansi, Begum of Awadh, Kunwar singh of Arrah, Emperor ( Namesake) Bahadur shah ( Zafar) II at Delhi (2). Unfortunately many princes of native states did not join the struggle. They did not want to take risk of loosing their states and power. They preferred to be with the Company. They lacked true patriotism and spirit of conviction and determination. The Nizam 7 Afzaluddaula was one among them. Hyderabad ( Deccan ) was a very important state in south India and enjoyed confidence of the English men. The rulers were from Asifia dynasty. It can be traced to Kamruddin Chin khilij khan , a Mughal Subedar appointed by Farookh siyar, a later Moghal. All the Mughal rulers after Aurangzeb ( Died in 1707) are called as later Mughals ( 1707-1857). These were insignificant and incompetent rulers who contributed to rapid decay of the empire in changed circumstances and very soon they became puppets in the hands of court nobles and Europeans. The Deccan Subedar took advantage of their incompetency and threw away their over lordship and functioned independently. For all purposes Nizams were sovereigns. They however accepted Mughal emperor as supreme and embossed the emperor’s name on coins issued by them.
Afzaluddaula became the fifth Nizam when his father Nawab Mir Farkhonda Ali Khan, Siddiqui Naseer-ud-Daula, Nizam ul mulk Asf Jah Bahadur, Nizam IV passed away on 16 May 1857. This was the most eventful year as Sepoy mutiny broke out that very soon engulfed north India. The Europeans were caught unawares who did not expect such large scale revolt from natives. The aggrieved rulers soon joined the fray and gave direction to the sepoys. Very soon it was major war. Nizam Afzaluddaula is titled as Asaf Jah V , Nizam V, Nizam –Ul—Mulk, Afzalud Daula, Nawab Mir Tahniyat Ali Khan siddiqui, Bahadur, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI. Soon he was faced with the greatest turmoil of his times, the first war of independence. Although the East India Company was caught unawares, soon they rallied themselves. Unexpectedly they received great support from majority of native rulers. Afzaluddaula was among them. His support became very important for continued rule by the Nizams at a later date even after India got independence in which . Nizam 7 Mir Osman ali KhanAsaf Jah, harbored the idea of remaining an independent ruler after 1947. However he was deposed after Police action by Indian army in 1948.
Afzaluddaula at the out break of revolt was advised by his advisors in both ways. It is learnt that a section supported the idea of joining and supporting the rebels while Salar Jung the I the senior noble preferred to support the English men. The Nizam preferred the second one. He became the staunch ally of the English men. The war was over in course of time and the Queen of England recognized his services in a difficult situation and conferred on him the title GCSI ( The Knight grand commander of the order of the star of India). It is learnt that although he refused it initially he accepted in 1861 with some hesitation. The title ‘ Our faithful ally “ accompanied with medal.
Once the war was over the Mughal emperor Bahadur shah who was arrested at Delhi after its fall was tried and he was exiled to imprisonment in Burma at Rangoon. The Mughal rule was terminated. Consequently the title of Bahadur Shah on coins of Nizam was removed and the name of Nizam V was embossed on coins. It is claimed that he was hesitant, but accepted it under advise from his counsel. These coins were known as Hali Sicca and these were in circulation and were minted till the rule of last Nizam VII in 1948. Once the name of former emperor Bahadur shah was removed, the Nizam became free from being the Subedar of the Emperor. He became independent ruler. All ties with Delhi’s emperor broke (3). He settled down for a comfortable rule. The most busy Afzal Gunj Bridge on Musi river was constructed by him linking old and new cities of Hyderabad. Destiny however did not him a long life and he passed away on 26 Feb 1869 after a rule spanning 12 years leaving an infant son Mir Mahboob Ali Khan to succeed him as Nizam VI.
Afzaluddaula thus supported the East India Company in their effort in crushing the rebels and thus earned titles, gun salutes and other favors. He was not alone in this direction. There were many like him in India who preferred to turn their eyes from the patriots who were shedding blood for gaining independence from the foreign rulers. Personal safety, well being and comforts were important for all these men than the hardships of the battle field. They have not preferred the glorious death on battle field by letting their blood to flow on battle field and preferred the comforts of palaces, harems, Concubines and dozens of wives. They became the faithful allies of the British empire. Can they be really blamed? Some might argue that the days were different. Make hay while sun shines was the motto. Selfishness was rampant. There was no national outlook. These princes were no doubt narrow minded and did not risk their kingdoms by joining the rebels. Destiny of course smiled on them and the Englishmen became victorious while the rebels lost their lives and their kingdoms. All the patriots who fought in the 1857 war have special place in the history of India while these rulers of native states who preferred to support the East India Company are no more remembered and no doubt they have vanished into dark pages of history for their inability to rise on the occasion overcoming the personal selfish interests.
Bibilography
1.Indian History, British period, First war of independence, www.gatewayforindia.com/hi
2. Dr K Prabhakar Rao, Was Rani Laxmi Bai the valiant warrior queen betrayed in 1857 by our own princes? Sanghparivar.org, May 10, 20100, 02:41
3.Mir Tahniat Ali Khan, hyderabdplanet.com/mir-tahniat-ali-
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...219
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN…. 219
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi, Patel and Nehru are seen strolling on a road in heavens. They are found conversing actively. Suddenly they find some darkness at a distance.)
Gandhi. Patel. What is that darkness at a distance? Any India
Patel. I am not sure about it. I am also seeing it for first time.
Gandhi. Then we must explore it.
Nehru. Bapu. Why bother for it. As it is we keep getting into some or other problems everytime. Let us relax.
Patel. Jawaharlal. Be dynamic. Look, Bapu is much older than us. When he died he was 79 years while I was 48 years. You were also of same age. He was three decades senior. But he is much dynamic than you and me.
Gandhi. Thanks dear for compliments.
(They go towards darkness. As they go, it recedes into distance. They pursue it relentlessly and travel over long distance. They get perplexed)
Gandhi. What is this Patel? There appears to be no end to this tamasha. What can be the reason for this? Is a heaven endless? What lies across the darkness?
Patel. Bapu. Plesae remember after darkness always lies the light. Plesae remember the song by great and immortal Surendranath ( Surendra) from old film Anmol Ghadi ( sings)
Ab kaun hai mera kaho
Ab kaun hai mera.
Faryad hai…. Faryad hai
Takdeer ne loota hai basera
Ab loota hai basera….
Farya hai
Kya khatm na honge
kabhi ye gamke fasaane,, ye,.
Furkhat ke zamane
Kahtehai har ik..raat kaa…aaa….aa
Kahtehai har ik
Raat ka Hota hai Savera…aaaa
Ab kaun hai mera..
Ab kaun hai mera kaho
Ab kaun hai mera.
Faryad hai…. Faryad hai
Takdeer ne loota hai basera
Ab loota hai basera….
Farya hai… ( Surendranath from Anmol Ghadi.. 1946)
Gandhi. Hera ..hear .. Great song and well sung dear. That means after this darkness we shall find light.
Patel. Surely Bapu. Plesae await
( The suddenly come across a plaque . Gandhi goes to it and reads)
Gandhi. Stop. Do not go beyond this. This is the limit of Hindu Paradise.
Patel. What does this mean. What is this Hindu paradise? A strange word indeed. Does it mean that there is another paradise for others?
Gandhi. I also feel this looks strange. Shall we go ahead?
Nehru. Bapu. Better stay back. As it is we had many problems in past. It may be risky to venture into darkness.
Gnadhi. But Patel says after darkness light will be there.
Nehru. Bapu. After all that was a song to give some hope to strugglers. Here we have to face reality. We might land up in trouble. Who knows? Hell may be on the othrside. We may get caught there.
Gandhi. What you say is also true. Let us not venture into unknown places.
Patel. Bapu, If all were like Jawaharlal, probably Africa would have remained a dark continent and South pole would not have been explored by the great Capt Scot. Pahraoh Tutunkmans golden head gear would not have been found from Egyptian pyramids.
Gandhi. You are also true to great extent. I am unable to decide.
Patel. Panchatantra says that wise men take their own decisions.
( They suddenly find a man emerging from darkness and walking towards them. He stops at the sign board and Is not making any efforts to move further towards the trio. Gandhi, Patel and Nehru look at each other in hesitation. There is lot of mist and the figure is not very clear. Slowly the figure emerges clear. He is alean and tall figure dressed in military fatigues. He has white Afghan turban with long flowing beard. He has sharp piercing eyes . He is heavily armed with an assault rifle of automatic make.)
Nehru. Bapu. He looks a terrifying figure. Why he is armed and in army fatigues? What he has to do here?
Gandhi. Bhai. Who are you. Why are you here. Why are you armed like this. You appear to be a guerilla fighter.
Stranger. Yes . Iam a guerilla. You guessed correctly.
Patel. You look familiar to me. I saw your snaps in many news papers for the last few years. I am trying to recollect your name (He scratches his bald head). Yeah. Iam at it now. You are Osama Bin Laden, the Alqaeda Chief. Am I correct?
Stranger. Hundred percent you are correct brother. You could identify me correctly. Iam Bin Laden, the noted guerilla.
Nehru. Bapu. He is the dreaded Chief of Al Qaeda the most dangerous terrorist organization of the world
Gandhi. Oh I see. We have nothing to do with worldly organizations. We are dead now and we left our moorings on the earth. Once we died we have been freed from all attachments.
Laden . Very correct.
Patel. If I am correct, you were being sought by American forces for the last ten years. Entire NATO forces were after you.
Gandhi. I thought you were alive still.
Laden. I was alive till yesterday.
Patel. What happened?
Laden. American special forces led by Helicopter bound Navy seals tracked me in my place of hiding and killed me in a special operation.
Gandhi. I see. Could you be tracked by them?
Laden. Yes . they did it cleverly.
Patel. Americans are very cleaver unlike Indians. Indians had been sucking thumbs ever since Bombay attack took place that is called 26/11. They beg to terrorists, they weep and fall at feet of thugs not to attack again. They are fed like hogs in jails and do not punish them. They want votes from minorities. National security is thrown to winds for sake of votes.
Nehru. Look Patel. You dot allow a chance to escape to deride Indians.
Patel. Am I deriding Indians? I am telling truth . Please accept if you can. Truth is difficult to swallow. I am frank and do not lick boots for positions and chairs of power. I do not do chamchagiri and I am not a sycophant.
Nehru. Hope you are not aiming at some one or my people.
Patel. Why should I do? You imagine things and feel guilty.
Gandhi. OK Mr. Laden, we know that you escaped from Afghanistan when Americans fell on Taliban after 9/11. By the by what was the necessity to bomb WTC center?
Laden. That was very much required. I wanted to teach Yankees a strong lesson. They have interfered in all world affairs. Muslim world has suffered greatly at the hands of Americans and their policies.
Patel look. Mr Laden. There is saying in Hindi, Jis ka lathi us ka Bhains. Meaning a Buffalo belongs to the guy who has the stick. America is the strongest power in world. Naturally they will dominate every one. He become big brother. ( sings)
If I have a stick in my hand
I shall use and get very strong
The world will fall at my feet
Although Iam hundred percent wrong
Gandhi. Very good Patel. Well sung by you. Iam proud of you.
Patel. Thanks Bapu, Iam honoured.
( Nehru coughs and looks other way)
Laden. How can we accept it? After all Islam is great. It has to be protected. The American influence on Islamic youth has been bad. It had to be curbed.
Patel. No one is asking Islamic world to follow west. They are doing on their own.
Laden. That is the tragedy. Therefore I have started indoctrination of Muslim youth to be a fundamentalist and be a Jihadi. Their first action is to safe guard Islam from deteriorating from its values. You know that Pakistan has become a great fundamentalist nation. There are thousands of Madrasas in that country and they turn out Jihadis without break.. Now Pak Taliban are on every street.
Patel. We thought Taliban were there only in Afghanistan.
Laden. No.. No.. They are there everywhere. Soon Taliban will rule Pakistan. All its nuclear weapons will be at the feet of AlQaeda. Once we get hold of nuclear weapons we shall drop them on America first and then on Western countries. India also will not be spared.
Gandhi. How about India?
Laden. India also will have Indian Taliban. There is already organization called SIMI in India and has many sister organizations in India. Many will grow soon. We are at it. They promote Talinbaism in India. Soon they will rise to heights. Indoctrination is going on without break. We are trying to hasten up things.
Gandhi. That is dangerous. India is a secular country. I made India secular in 1947
Laden. Who is this man? What he has done in 1947. I am not aware of it.
Patel. India got independence in 1947 by the efforts of many patriots. But mostly people think that India was given independence by this old man called MK Gandhi. But I am sure the Englishmen got vexed up with India and left, but not before creating Pakistan. A permanent sore in Asia. He is also titled as Mahatma ( great soul) and father of India. We are also a party to it being his associates.
Laden. That means you were slaves earlier. I learnt from history that India was ruled by Muslim kings right from 12 century for nearly 600 years. Indians were slaves to Muslim rulers. All came from Afghanistan. This land was ruled by Islam. It has to be the property of Islam. Spain was ruled by Moors. One day it has to be an Islamic state. I shall ensure it.
Gandhi. We were not slaves. We were only ruled by Afghan Sultans and Mughals.
Laden. That means you could not defeat them. So you had to be slaves. You had no choice. Beggars have no choice.
Gandhi. Please do not be harsh. We were not slaves.
Laden. Only slaves do not have freedom. They have to be given freedom.
Gandhi. Mr Laden. You are very strong in Islamic views. Do you think no other guy should live in world except Muslim.
Laden. I did not say that. My contention is that Americans must stop exploiting Islamic world.If in an Islamic state Kafirs live they will be under protection and they have to pay tax for that purpose.
Gandhi. This is a vague statement. No one prevented Muslims to be modern and developed. For their failures why West should be blamed? West has developed scientifically. They invented many things, modernized agriculture, Industrial revolution took place in west. So they have progressed. How you can blame them for backwardness of Islamic world? It is their own doing.
Laden. Look old Man. America is our No 1 enemy. We have to destroy them. I proclaimed that it will be erased from world map. Whoever is an American stooge he is our enemy. Our bombing of WTC towers was only a warning. They must learn lesson and behave and leave Islamic world and get out of Middle East.
Patel. But they taught you many lessons. You were hounded out of Afghanistan. Have you achieved any thing? You were living like fugitives all these years. World wide Al Qaeda is seen as a dangerous terrorist net work. Even entire Muslim world is not with you. How can you succeed?
Laden. By Jihad we shall succeed. There is no other pious action for a Muslim than Jihad. We shall turn entire Islamic world into a Jihadi net work. We shall make world a fire ball.
Patel. You have failed to do that. Many Islamic nations are not with you.
Laden. They are my enemies. They are as bad as Kafirs. We shall punish them. They are un Islamic. Any one who does not subscribe to Wahhabi thought is our enemy. We shall teach them strong lessons. We shall punish all such guys.They will be wiped out from this earth.
Patel. Come on Mr Laden. Be practical. See Reason. You have already died. Poor Pakistan has been caught in a very tight corner. They do not know what answer they can give. All these years they pretended as if you were not in Pakistan. You were hiding in that house close to capital right in cantonment at a military training academy for the last 6 years,. Who will believe that Pakistan does not know this?
Laden. Surely they knew it. Without their support how can I hide there? My house had seven feet high compound wall with fence. Any person will ask why such security was required. They would have enquired surely.
Patel . Poor Pakis will, bite dust now. Iam happy they have to bow at the feet of America to be forgiven. I am sure about it. They have to their noses at the feet of America.
Gandhi. They may do it. After all they need American dollars.
Patel. This time America will be careful. I am happy that Pakistan was exposed with their pants down.
Gandhi. Patel. Please be modest in your words.
Patel. Should we be modest with Pakis? They left no stone unturned to trouble us all these years. We should celebrate at their present condition. They need no mercy.
Gandhi.Patel. Plesae relax. Mr Laden. We saw you emerging from Darkness. What is there across the Darkness.
Laden. There is heavens there.
Patel. This is also heavens
Laden. That one is Islamic heavens. There is only one heaven. That is Islamic. You are Kafirs. Therefore you have to be in hell. All unislmaic guys will be the dwellers of hell. I came direct to heavens after I was shot dead because I died for the cause of Islam. I was a jihadi. As per Islam, all the guys who get killed and lay down lives for the Islam will go directly to heavens.
Gandhi. I see.
Laden. There is nothing to see. I came direct here and am in great comforts here.
Patel. It is said that in heavens men like you are given all comforts such as 75 virgins to enjoy .
Laden. Very true. I am more comfortable here than in Afghanistan, Tora bora caves or in Pakistan right near capital. Haa..haa.. More over I became a martyr in Islamic world.
Patel. In America, every one danced on streets the moment President Obama declared that you were slain.
Laden. I know that. Soon they have to repent for it.
Gandhi. Why?
Laden. Al Qaeda will take revenge soon. I am not sure how they will take. But I am sure they will do it. After all AlQaeda does nor end with me. I have built it world wide. We have strong and committed cadre. The next person will step into my shoes soon.
Patel. But none of your deputies have your image. You became an icon for terrorism and among terrorists.
Laden. We were not terrorists. We were Jihadis. Both are different.
Patel. But to day terrorism is part of jihadi philosophy. Both are synonymous.
Laden. It is your view. I do not agree with it.
Patel. Dear Mr Laden. Please know that AlQaeda is more feared than respected. You are trying to take guys into medieval era into the times of the Prophet ( PBUH)
Laden. This is not correct. We are only safe guarding Islamic values. Holy Koran is very clear in it’s teachings. No dilution can be tolerated at any cost. Even if I am not there, the struggle will continue. It will not die.
Gandhi. We know that there was unhappiness in certain quarters. Communists are not happy with Laden’s killing.
Patel. Bapu. They will never be happy with Americans at any point of time. Whatever they do they will be first to criticize in most powerful words. They have only one track thinking.
Gandhi. How about minorities?
Patel. At many places special prayers were held to mourn Laden. Anger was visible at American actions. Many were quiet watching mood of others and situation. Any how things were calm in India. Many guys celebrated in India. They burnt crackers too.
Laden. All such guys are my enemies. We shall take care of such guys in future.
Patel. How many guys you shall take care of?
Laden. Let it be any number. Please do not think that AlQaeda is finished. I shall live in every ones mind and actions. Long live Al Qaeda.
Gandhi. OK Mr Laden. A chapter is closed with your slaying. Let us watch and see how things will move now.
Laden. Ohfo I ma getting late. All my virgins will be waiting for me. I have to go soon. OK see you guys.
Patel ( within himself) I do not want to see you again
Gandhi . OK. We shall take leave.
Laden. I spent lot of time talking to wasteful guys like you. I go now.
( Laden turns back and runs back waving his rifle)
Patel. Bapu. We are saved from the guy.
Nehru. Next time we should not come this way.
Gandhi. Relax. Whatever happens it is for our good. Let us go.
( The trio walks back home singing Ramdhun)
(CURTAIN FALLS)
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Gandhi, Patel and Nehru are seen strolling on a road in heavens. They are found conversing actively. Suddenly they find some darkness at a distance.)
Gandhi. Patel. What is that darkness at a distance? Any India
Patel. I am not sure about it. I am also seeing it for first time.
Gandhi. Then we must explore it.
Nehru. Bapu. Why bother for it. As it is we keep getting into some or other problems everytime. Let us relax.
Patel. Jawaharlal. Be dynamic. Look, Bapu is much older than us. When he died he was 79 years while I was 48 years. You were also of same age. He was three decades senior. But he is much dynamic than you and me.
Gandhi. Thanks dear for compliments.
(They go towards darkness. As they go, it recedes into distance. They pursue it relentlessly and travel over long distance. They get perplexed)
Gandhi. What is this Patel? There appears to be no end to this tamasha. What can be the reason for this? Is a heaven endless? What lies across the darkness?
Patel. Bapu. Plesae remember after darkness always lies the light. Plesae remember the song by great and immortal Surendranath ( Surendra) from old film Anmol Ghadi ( sings)
Ab kaun hai mera kaho
Ab kaun hai mera.
Faryad hai…. Faryad hai
Takdeer ne loota hai basera
Ab loota hai basera….
Farya hai
Kya khatm na honge
kabhi ye gamke fasaane,, ye,.
Furkhat ke zamane
Kahtehai har ik..raat kaa…aaa….aa
Kahtehai har ik
Raat ka Hota hai Savera…aaaa
Ab kaun hai mera..
Ab kaun hai mera kaho
Ab kaun hai mera.
Faryad hai…. Faryad hai
Takdeer ne loota hai basera
Ab loota hai basera….
Farya hai… ( Surendranath from Anmol Ghadi.. 1946)
Gandhi. Hera ..hear .. Great song and well sung dear. That means after this darkness we shall find light.
Patel. Surely Bapu. Plesae await
( The suddenly come across a plaque . Gandhi goes to it and reads)
Gandhi. Stop. Do not go beyond this. This is the limit of Hindu Paradise.
Patel. What does this mean. What is this Hindu paradise? A strange word indeed. Does it mean that there is another paradise for others?
Gandhi. I also feel this looks strange. Shall we go ahead?
Nehru. Bapu. Better stay back. As it is we had many problems in past. It may be risky to venture into darkness.
Gnadhi. But Patel says after darkness light will be there.
Nehru. Bapu. After all that was a song to give some hope to strugglers. Here we have to face reality. We might land up in trouble. Who knows? Hell may be on the othrside. We may get caught there.
Gandhi. What you say is also true. Let us not venture into unknown places.
Patel. Bapu, If all were like Jawaharlal, probably Africa would have remained a dark continent and South pole would not have been explored by the great Capt Scot. Pahraoh Tutunkmans golden head gear would not have been found from Egyptian pyramids.
Gandhi. You are also true to great extent. I am unable to decide.
Patel. Panchatantra says that wise men take their own decisions.
( They suddenly find a man emerging from darkness and walking towards them. He stops at the sign board and Is not making any efforts to move further towards the trio. Gandhi, Patel and Nehru look at each other in hesitation. There is lot of mist and the figure is not very clear. Slowly the figure emerges clear. He is alean and tall figure dressed in military fatigues. He has white Afghan turban with long flowing beard. He has sharp piercing eyes . He is heavily armed with an assault rifle of automatic make.)
Nehru. Bapu. He looks a terrifying figure. Why he is armed and in army fatigues? What he has to do here?
Gandhi. Bhai. Who are you. Why are you here. Why are you armed like this. You appear to be a guerilla fighter.
Stranger. Yes . Iam a guerilla. You guessed correctly.
Patel. You look familiar to me. I saw your snaps in many news papers for the last few years. I am trying to recollect your name (He scratches his bald head). Yeah. Iam at it now. You are Osama Bin Laden, the Alqaeda Chief. Am I correct?
Stranger. Hundred percent you are correct brother. You could identify me correctly. Iam Bin Laden, the noted guerilla.
Nehru. Bapu. He is the dreaded Chief of Al Qaeda the most dangerous terrorist organization of the world
Gandhi. Oh I see. We have nothing to do with worldly organizations. We are dead now and we left our moorings on the earth. Once we died we have been freed from all attachments.
Laden . Very correct.
Patel. If I am correct, you were being sought by American forces for the last ten years. Entire NATO forces were after you.
Gandhi. I thought you were alive still.
Laden. I was alive till yesterday.
Patel. What happened?
Laden. American special forces led by Helicopter bound Navy seals tracked me in my place of hiding and killed me in a special operation.
Gandhi. I see. Could you be tracked by them?
Laden. Yes . they did it cleverly.
Patel. Americans are very cleaver unlike Indians. Indians had been sucking thumbs ever since Bombay attack took place that is called 26/11. They beg to terrorists, they weep and fall at feet of thugs not to attack again. They are fed like hogs in jails and do not punish them. They want votes from minorities. National security is thrown to winds for sake of votes.
Nehru. Look Patel. You dot allow a chance to escape to deride Indians.
Patel. Am I deriding Indians? I am telling truth . Please accept if you can. Truth is difficult to swallow. I am frank and do not lick boots for positions and chairs of power. I do not do chamchagiri and I am not a sycophant.
Nehru. Hope you are not aiming at some one or my people.
Patel. Why should I do? You imagine things and feel guilty.
Gandhi. OK Mr. Laden, we know that you escaped from Afghanistan when Americans fell on Taliban after 9/11. By the by what was the necessity to bomb WTC center?
Laden. That was very much required. I wanted to teach Yankees a strong lesson. They have interfered in all world affairs. Muslim world has suffered greatly at the hands of Americans and their policies.
Patel look. Mr Laden. There is saying in Hindi, Jis ka lathi us ka Bhains. Meaning a Buffalo belongs to the guy who has the stick. America is the strongest power in world. Naturally they will dominate every one. He become big brother. ( sings)
If I have a stick in my hand
I shall use and get very strong
The world will fall at my feet
Although Iam hundred percent wrong
Gandhi. Very good Patel. Well sung by you. Iam proud of you.
Patel. Thanks Bapu, Iam honoured.
( Nehru coughs and looks other way)
Laden. How can we accept it? After all Islam is great. It has to be protected. The American influence on Islamic youth has been bad. It had to be curbed.
Patel. No one is asking Islamic world to follow west. They are doing on their own.
Laden. That is the tragedy. Therefore I have started indoctrination of Muslim youth to be a fundamentalist and be a Jihadi. Their first action is to safe guard Islam from deteriorating from its values. You know that Pakistan has become a great fundamentalist nation. There are thousands of Madrasas in that country and they turn out Jihadis without break.. Now Pak Taliban are on every street.
Patel. We thought Taliban were there only in Afghanistan.
Laden. No.. No.. They are there everywhere. Soon Taliban will rule Pakistan. All its nuclear weapons will be at the feet of AlQaeda. Once we get hold of nuclear weapons we shall drop them on America first and then on Western countries. India also will not be spared.
Gandhi. How about India?
Laden. India also will have Indian Taliban. There is already organization called SIMI in India and has many sister organizations in India. Many will grow soon. We are at it. They promote Talinbaism in India. Soon they will rise to heights. Indoctrination is going on without break. We are trying to hasten up things.
Gandhi. That is dangerous. India is a secular country. I made India secular in 1947
Laden. Who is this man? What he has done in 1947. I am not aware of it.
Patel. India got independence in 1947 by the efforts of many patriots. But mostly people think that India was given independence by this old man called MK Gandhi. But I am sure the Englishmen got vexed up with India and left, but not before creating Pakistan. A permanent sore in Asia. He is also titled as Mahatma ( great soul) and father of India. We are also a party to it being his associates.
Laden. That means you were slaves earlier. I learnt from history that India was ruled by Muslim kings right from 12 century for nearly 600 years. Indians were slaves to Muslim rulers. All came from Afghanistan. This land was ruled by Islam. It has to be the property of Islam. Spain was ruled by Moors. One day it has to be an Islamic state. I shall ensure it.
Gandhi. We were not slaves. We were only ruled by Afghan Sultans and Mughals.
Laden. That means you could not defeat them. So you had to be slaves. You had no choice. Beggars have no choice.
Gandhi. Please do not be harsh. We were not slaves.
Laden. Only slaves do not have freedom. They have to be given freedom.
Gandhi. Mr Laden. You are very strong in Islamic views. Do you think no other guy should live in world except Muslim.
Laden. I did not say that. My contention is that Americans must stop exploiting Islamic world.If in an Islamic state Kafirs live they will be under protection and they have to pay tax for that purpose.
Gandhi. This is a vague statement. No one prevented Muslims to be modern and developed. For their failures why West should be blamed? West has developed scientifically. They invented many things, modernized agriculture, Industrial revolution took place in west. So they have progressed. How you can blame them for backwardness of Islamic world? It is their own doing.
Laden. Look old Man. America is our No 1 enemy. We have to destroy them. I proclaimed that it will be erased from world map. Whoever is an American stooge he is our enemy. Our bombing of WTC towers was only a warning. They must learn lesson and behave and leave Islamic world and get out of Middle East.
Patel. But they taught you many lessons. You were hounded out of Afghanistan. Have you achieved any thing? You were living like fugitives all these years. World wide Al Qaeda is seen as a dangerous terrorist net work. Even entire Muslim world is not with you. How can you succeed?
Laden. By Jihad we shall succeed. There is no other pious action for a Muslim than Jihad. We shall turn entire Islamic world into a Jihadi net work. We shall make world a fire ball.
Patel. You have failed to do that. Many Islamic nations are not with you.
Laden. They are my enemies. They are as bad as Kafirs. We shall punish them. They are un Islamic. Any one who does not subscribe to Wahhabi thought is our enemy. We shall teach them strong lessons. We shall punish all such guys.They will be wiped out from this earth.
Patel. Come on Mr Laden. Be practical. See Reason. You have already died. Poor Pakistan has been caught in a very tight corner. They do not know what answer they can give. All these years they pretended as if you were not in Pakistan. You were hiding in that house close to capital right in cantonment at a military training academy for the last 6 years,. Who will believe that Pakistan does not know this?
Laden. Surely they knew it. Without their support how can I hide there? My house had seven feet high compound wall with fence. Any person will ask why such security was required. They would have enquired surely.
Patel . Poor Pakis will, bite dust now. Iam happy they have to bow at the feet of America to be forgiven. I am sure about it. They have to their noses at the feet of America.
Gandhi. They may do it. After all they need American dollars.
Patel. This time America will be careful. I am happy that Pakistan was exposed with their pants down.
Gandhi. Patel. Please be modest in your words.
Patel. Should we be modest with Pakis? They left no stone unturned to trouble us all these years. We should celebrate at their present condition. They need no mercy.
Gandhi.Patel. Plesae relax. Mr Laden. We saw you emerging from Darkness. What is there across the Darkness.
Laden. There is heavens there.
Patel. This is also heavens
Laden. That one is Islamic heavens. There is only one heaven. That is Islamic. You are Kafirs. Therefore you have to be in hell. All unislmaic guys will be the dwellers of hell. I came direct to heavens after I was shot dead because I died for the cause of Islam. I was a jihadi. As per Islam, all the guys who get killed and lay down lives for the Islam will go directly to heavens.
Gandhi. I see.
Laden. There is nothing to see. I came direct here and am in great comforts here.
Patel. It is said that in heavens men like you are given all comforts such as 75 virgins to enjoy .
Laden. Very true. I am more comfortable here than in Afghanistan, Tora bora caves or in Pakistan right near capital. Haa..haa.. More over I became a martyr in Islamic world.
Patel. In America, every one danced on streets the moment President Obama declared that you were slain.
Laden. I know that. Soon they have to repent for it.
Gandhi. Why?
Laden. Al Qaeda will take revenge soon. I am not sure how they will take. But I am sure they will do it. After all AlQaeda does nor end with me. I have built it world wide. We have strong and committed cadre. The next person will step into my shoes soon.
Patel. But none of your deputies have your image. You became an icon for terrorism and among terrorists.
Laden. We were not terrorists. We were Jihadis. Both are different.
Patel. But to day terrorism is part of jihadi philosophy. Both are synonymous.
Laden. It is your view. I do not agree with it.
Patel. Dear Mr Laden. Please know that AlQaeda is more feared than respected. You are trying to take guys into medieval era into the times of the Prophet ( PBUH)
Laden. This is not correct. We are only safe guarding Islamic values. Holy Koran is very clear in it’s teachings. No dilution can be tolerated at any cost. Even if I am not there, the struggle will continue. It will not die.
Gandhi. We know that there was unhappiness in certain quarters. Communists are not happy with Laden’s killing.
Patel. Bapu. They will never be happy with Americans at any point of time. Whatever they do they will be first to criticize in most powerful words. They have only one track thinking.
Gandhi. How about minorities?
Patel. At many places special prayers were held to mourn Laden. Anger was visible at American actions. Many were quiet watching mood of others and situation. Any how things were calm in India. Many guys celebrated in India. They burnt crackers too.
Laden. All such guys are my enemies. We shall take care of such guys in future.
Patel. How many guys you shall take care of?
Laden. Let it be any number. Please do not think that AlQaeda is finished. I shall live in every ones mind and actions. Long live Al Qaeda.
Gandhi. OK Mr Laden. A chapter is closed with your slaying. Let us watch and see how things will move now.
Laden. Ohfo I ma getting late. All my virgins will be waiting for me. I have to go soon. OK see you guys.
Patel ( within himself) I do not want to see you again
Gandhi . OK. We shall take leave.
Laden. I spent lot of time talking to wasteful guys like you. I go now.
( Laden turns back and runs back waving his rifle)
Patel. Bapu. We are saved from the guy.
Nehru. Next time we should not come this way.
Gandhi. Relax. Whatever happens it is for our good. Let us go.
( The trio walks back home singing Ramdhun)
(CURTAIN FALLS)
Monday, May 9, 2011
INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN ...215
INTOTHE PAST WITHPAIN….215
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton are seen sitting in white House lawns and they are being safely guarded by security guards who are highly armed)
Obama.( Looking relieved and sipping drink) IThank god,that rascal Laden is no more now. We had no sleep all these years.
Hillary. True Mr President. It was really a nightmare and entire Americans are thanbkfu to you for getting that thug killed.
Obama.Thanks dear. Credit must equally go to Mr George Bush too.
Hillary. Why not? He faced 9/11. He hammered Taliban out of Afghanistan and waged war against Jihadis. It is still going on now. What he could not do in his time you have done now.
Obama.Imust thank American forces and other international forces for sustaining this operation eversince it was taken up after 9/11.
Hillary.That is wehy Americans aregreat. Whole world looks at Us with awe andget inspired.
Obama. True
( In the mean time a guard arrives andhesalutes.)
Guard.Your excellency. There is a gentleman named Mr MK Gandhi waiting outside to see you. He landed up all of a sudden and insists that he must see you at once.
Obama.Ohfo. Mr MK Gandhi. I know him. He does this. Does not matter. Please allow him.
( Along with MK Gandhi, Nehru and Patel also walk in )
Gandhi. Good evening Mr President and Madam clinton. How are you?
Pastel.Good evening Gentlemen
Nehru. Good evening to all.
(Obama and Madam Clinton return greetings and request the trio to be seated)
Obama. MrGandhi. you took all the trouble of visiting this place. What troubles you sir?
Gandhi. Nothing serious in fact. Yesterday your forces killed Osama Bin Laden , the Al Qaeda supremo right in Pakistan. I learnt about it.
Obama. Very true. Any problem?
Gandhi . Was it really required? He must be already ailing, sick and bedridden .He would have died natural death in few years.
Clinton. But he would have planned further trouble all over globe. You know he was a great thug and highly dangerous guy. I am sure you must have seen clippings of 9/11.
Obama. If you have seen the clippings, you would have not argued like this as you are doing.
Gandhi. I am not arguing. I am suggesting.
Clinton. I am not convinced .
Gandhi. He was killed in Pakistan very near the major military unit. All these years your hubby Pakistan was telling that he was not in their country. What answer they can give now?
Obama. True. They are finding it very difficult to answer. But we knew that they were lying. We had our own plans. When we attacked b they did not know. They were caught with their pants down.
Patel. I am very happy with your action sir.
Obama. Thanks sir for compliments .But your friend Gandhi is not happy.
Gandhi. t is not that I am not happy. I feel bad that a life has been lost. W can take life. but can not give it back.
Obama. Who wants to give Laden’s life back. He was international rogue. In fact we wanted to catch him alive. But it was not possible. The rogue resisted. So he was shot dead. If he that rascal was caught alive, he would have faced trial in USA and we would have hanged him at the same site where WTC towers stood.
Patel. That should be the spirit of the nation. Look at us. Thinkof 26/11 at Bombay. Till now nothing has happened to the rogues in Pakistan. We have not even hanged Kasab the lone terrorist alive after 26/11.
Obama. What can I say. That is your inefficiency. You have your own problems with minorities. You guys want minority votes. You have your own Indian democracy n your own style.haa…haaaa
Nehru.Mr Obama. What makes you laugh loudly at our democracy.
Obama. I laugh at your inability to take decisions. You postpone actions. You guys are scared to take actions. You are taken over by emotions. You are Vacillating in your thinking. You are scared of taking strong actions. You day dream of some miracle to happen.
Patel. Very true sir. You hit the nail on the head.
(Gandhi searches for a nail on his bald head and finds none.)
Patel.Bapu. Hitting nail does not mean someone has hit a nail on you head.
Gandhi.Mr Obama, Do you think you have won over Jihadis and terrorism with killing of Laden?
Obama. I never said that. This is a major event. I know that he spread his wings in many countries and even in USA. We shall eliminate every leader one by one.
Gandhi. I think Al Zawahari is next target.
Clinton. No names please. You may assume anything.
Gandhi. How long you are going to kill people like this.
Obama. Till they are eliminated.
Gandhi. Don’t you think sir, by talking over we can settle matters and remove hatred.
Obama. Mr Gandhi, In which world you are living? Could you prevent creation of Pakistan in 1947 although you were discussing all the time with Mulsim league leaders? What is the use? Talking will be fine when other guy wants to listen. When he is hell bent on crating trouble what is the answer. Stick is the answer.
Patel. Very well said, Mr President.
Obama. Thank you Mr Patel for compliments.
Gandhi. But as far as I know there were no attempts to talk to them.
Obama. There was no scape. The scoundrels killed Americans right on main land by destroying twin WTC towers. They bombed USS naval ship in a far off Dock yard away from main land. They bombed US embassies around world. They wanted to kill every American and all whites. Is this acceptable. Will you keep quiet if that guy wants to kill all Indians?
Gandhi. Yet I would prefer to talk to them first before I decide to kill them.
Obama. Look Mr Gandhi, When Muslims invaded Afghanistan long ago when it was Buddhist state, all monks bowed to invaders and all of them butchered mercilessly. The result is that entire Afghanistan that was a Buddhist state became an Islamic state. Whole world knows this. How can any one talk to such thugs who are born with hatred?
Patel. Bapu. Why are you arguing with President who has done the best thing to day. That clown also preferred to kill Indians and interfere in Jammu and Kashmir.In fact we must celebrate that a greatest evil man has been destroyed. We must congratulate Obama who engineered his slaying. Three cheers to Mr. President ( Does jig )
( In the mean time drinks arrive in a Trolley and Gandhi , Nehru and patel prefer soft drinks while Obama fill sup his glass. The trolley is taken away)
Gandhi. Mr president, You have been celebrating that Laden has been slain. Where is the guarantee that real Laden has not escaped . The slain one can be a dupe.
Obama. You can be rest assured. We are not fools.
Gandhi. I am sorry. You appear to be offended.
Obama. No . Not at all. I am least concerned. We do our job in best way.
Patel. Mr President. All these years you have been funding Pakistan with great amounts of money to fight terrorism. Now you have seen that they have harbored the Laden in their own country. I am sure they have taken you for a camel ride. You were in fact misled. They always insisted that Laden was niot in Pakistan.
Clinton. True. They also misled George Bush earlier. Of course we had our own doubts and plans.
Gandhi. You could have been tough with them if that was the case
Obama. Look , Mr Gandhi, there are many issues in these things. It was necessary for us to keep them in good humor. We knew that all types of thugs are staying in Pakistan and the most dangerous plans against humanity emanated there. We had to strike at the most appropriate time.
Patel Good thing really.
Obama. If we had warned Pakistan about our plans, Laden would have escaped. Some guys in Pakistan that is in league with him would have hidden him somewhere. So it was a top secret mission.
Patel. Now Pakistan is not in a position to reply to world. This country should be declared a terrorist state.
Obma. We have to look into it. The guys have swindled billions of US dollars and most probably hidden Laden with them all these years. They need to be tackled in proper way.
Patel. You must do it sir at the earliest. We are very keen that they are taught good lesson. In fact you must take away their nuclear weapons. What will you do if the hand over them to Pak Talibans.
Obama. There is a danger.
Clinton. It is a good point. We are equally concerned. We shall take care of it.
Gandhi. OK MR President. I am sorry I gave you trouble. We shall take leave now.
Obama. That is fine. Plesae take care of your country. Ask them to be assertive and bold. Let them not while away time in scams all the time. One can not have play all the time. One has to work also. How long you guys will investigate Kasab and Afzal Guru. I do not know why they are being fed well in jails. What prevents their hanging. All Americans are surprised. Iam sure one day they will escape from prison. There should be limit to vote bank politics. Better you guys start working.
Gandhi. That sis fine sir. We shall take leave.
Patel. Thank you sir
Nehru. OK Gentleman. Bye
( Obama and Clinton escort the trio to the door and the trio walks away.)
Obama. Thank God. The guys have left finally. They are from a different world altogether. Patel is practical while Nehru is non committal and prefers to be cat on wall. Most of the time the guy preferd not to talk.
Clinton. OK Mr President. They left us now. Let us celebrate Laden killing Cheers.
Obama. Cheers
( CURTAIN FALLS
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
(Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton are seen sitting in white House lawns and they are being safely guarded by security guards who are highly armed)
Obama.( Looking relieved and sipping drink) IThank god,that rascal Laden is no more now. We had no sleep all these years.
Hillary. True Mr President. It was really a nightmare and entire Americans are thanbkfu to you for getting that thug killed.
Obama.Thanks dear. Credit must equally go to Mr George Bush too.
Hillary. Why not? He faced 9/11. He hammered Taliban out of Afghanistan and waged war against Jihadis. It is still going on now. What he could not do in his time you have done now.
Obama.Imust thank American forces and other international forces for sustaining this operation eversince it was taken up after 9/11.
Hillary.That is wehy Americans aregreat. Whole world looks at Us with awe andget inspired.
Obama. True
( In the mean time a guard arrives andhesalutes.)
Guard.Your excellency. There is a gentleman named Mr MK Gandhi waiting outside to see you. He landed up all of a sudden and insists that he must see you at once.
Obama.Ohfo. Mr MK Gandhi. I know him. He does this. Does not matter. Please allow him.
( Along with MK Gandhi, Nehru and Patel also walk in )
Gandhi. Good evening Mr President and Madam clinton. How are you?
Pastel.Good evening Gentlemen
Nehru. Good evening to all.
(Obama and Madam Clinton return greetings and request the trio to be seated)
Obama. MrGandhi. you took all the trouble of visiting this place. What troubles you sir?
Gandhi. Nothing serious in fact. Yesterday your forces killed Osama Bin Laden , the Al Qaeda supremo right in Pakistan. I learnt about it.
Obama. Very true. Any problem?
Gandhi . Was it really required? He must be already ailing, sick and bedridden .He would have died natural death in few years.
Clinton. But he would have planned further trouble all over globe. You know he was a great thug and highly dangerous guy. I am sure you must have seen clippings of 9/11.
Obama. If you have seen the clippings, you would have not argued like this as you are doing.
Gandhi. I am not arguing. I am suggesting.
Clinton. I am not convinced .
Gandhi. He was killed in Pakistan very near the major military unit. All these years your hubby Pakistan was telling that he was not in their country. What answer they can give now?
Obama. True. They are finding it very difficult to answer. But we knew that they were lying. We had our own plans. When we attacked b they did not know. They were caught with their pants down.
Patel. I am very happy with your action sir.
Obama. Thanks sir for compliments .But your friend Gandhi is not happy.
Gandhi. t is not that I am not happy. I feel bad that a life has been lost. W can take life. but can not give it back.
Obama. Who wants to give Laden’s life back. He was international rogue. In fact we wanted to catch him alive. But it was not possible. The rogue resisted. So he was shot dead. If he that rascal was caught alive, he would have faced trial in USA and we would have hanged him at the same site where WTC towers stood.
Patel. That should be the spirit of the nation. Look at us. Thinkof 26/11 at Bombay. Till now nothing has happened to the rogues in Pakistan. We have not even hanged Kasab the lone terrorist alive after 26/11.
Obama. What can I say. That is your inefficiency. You have your own problems with minorities. You guys want minority votes. You have your own Indian democracy n your own style.haa…haaaa
Nehru.Mr Obama. What makes you laugh loudly at our democracy.
Obama. I laugh at your inability to take decisions. You postpone actions. You guys are scared to take actions. You are taken over by emotions. You are Vacillating in your thinking. You are scared of taking strong actions. You day dream of some miracle to happen.
Patel. Very true sir. You hit the nail on the head.
(Gandhi searches for a nail on his bald head and finds none.)
Patel.Bapu. Hitting nail does not mean someone has hit a nail on you head.
Gandhi.Mr Obama, Do you think you have won over Jihadis and terrorism with killing of Laden?
Obama. I never said that. This is a major event. I know that he spread his wings in many countries and even in USA. We shall eliminate every leader one by one.
Gandhi. I think Al Zawahari is next target.
Clinton. No names please. You may assume anything.
Gandhi. How long you are going to kill people like this.
Obama. Till they are eliminated.
Gandhi. Don’t you think sir, by talking over we can settle matters and remove hatred.
Obama. Mr Gandhi, In which world you are living? Could you prevent creation of Pakistan in 1947 although you were discussing all the time with Mulsim league leaders? What is the use? Talking will be fine when other guy wants to listen. When he is hell bent on crating trouble what is the answer. Stick is the answer.
Patel. Very well said, Mr President.
Obama. Thank you Mr Patel for compliments.
Gandhi. But as far as I know there were no attempts to talk to them.
Obama. There was no scape. The scoundrels killed Americans right on main land by destroying twin WTC towers. They bombed USS naval ship in a far off Dock yard away from main land. They bombed US embassies around world. They wanted to kill every American and all whites. Is this acceptable. Will you keep quiet if that guy wants to kill all Indians?
Gandhi. Yet I would prefer to talk to them first before I decide to kill them.
Obama. Look Mr Gandhi, When Muslims invaded Afghanistan long ago when it was Buddhist state, all monks bowed to invaders and all of them butchered mercilessly. The result is that entire Afghanistan that was a Buddhist state became an Islamic state. Whole world knows this. How can any one talk to such thugs who are born with hatred?
Patel. Bapu. Why are you arguing with President who has done the best thing to day. That clown also preferred to kill Indians and interfere in Jammu and Kashmir.In fact we must celebrate that a greatest evil man has been destroyed. We must congratulate Obama who engineered his slaying. Three cheers to Mr. President ( Does jig )
( In the mean time drinks arrive in a Trolley and Gandhi , Nehru and patel prefer soft drinks while Obama fill sup his glass. The trolley is taken away)
Gandhi. Mr president, You have been celebrating that Laden has been slain. Where is the guarantee that real Laden has not escaped . The slain one can be a dupe.
Obama. You can be rest assured. We are not fools.
Gandhi. I am sorry. You appear to be offended.
Obama. No . Not at all. I am least concerned. We do our job in best way.
Patel. Mr President. All these years you have been funding Pakistan with great amounts of money to fight terrorism. Now you have seen that they have harbored the Laden in their own country. I am sure they have taken you for a camel ride. You were in fact misled. They always insisted that Laden was niot in Pakistan.
Clinton. True. They also misled George Bush earlier. Of course we had our own doubts and plans.
Gandhi. You could have been tough with them if that was the case
Obama. Look , Mr Gandhi, there are many issues in these things. It was necessary for us to keep them in good humor. We knew that all types of thugs are staying in Pakistan and the most dangerous plans against humanity emanated there. We had to strike at the most appropriate time.
Patel Good thing really.
Obama. If we had warned Pakistan about our plans, Laden would have escaped. Some guys in Pakistan that is in league with him would have hidden him somewhere. So it was a top secret mission.
Patel. Now Pakistan is not in a position to reply to world. This country should be declared a terrorist state.
Obma. We have to look into it. The guys have swindled billions of US dollars and most probably hidden Laden with them all these years. They need to be tackled in proper way.
Patel. You must do it sir at the earliest. We are very keen that they are taught good lesson. In fact you must take away their nuclear weapons. What will you do if the hand over them to Pak Talibans.
Obama. There is a danger.
Clinton. It is a good point. We are equally concerned. We shall take care of it.
Gandhi. OK MR President. I am sorry I gave you trouble. We shall take leave now.
Obama. That is fine. Plesae take care of your country. Ask them to be assertive and bold. Let them not while away time in scams all the time. One can not have play all the time. One has to work also. How long you guys will investigate Kasab and Afzal Guru. I do not know why they are being fed well in jails. What prevents their hanging. All Americans are surprised. Iam sure one day they will escape from prison. There should be limit to vote bank politics. Better you guys start working.
Gandhi. That sis fine sir. We shall take leave.
Patel. Thank you sir
Nehru. OK Gentleman. Bye
( Obama and Clinton escort the trio to the door and the trio walks away.)
Obama. Thank God. The guys have left finally. They are from a different world altogether. Patel is practical while Nehru is non committal and prefers to be cat on wall. Most of the time the guy preferd not to talk.
Clinton. OK Mr President. They left us now. Let us celebrate Laden killing Cheers.
Obama. Cheers
( CURTAIN FALLS
WAS RANI LAXMI BAI THE VALIANT WARRIOR QUEEN WAS BETRAYED IN 1857 WAR BY OUR OWN PRINCES?
WAS RANI LAXMI BAI THE VALIANT WARRIOR QUEEN BETRAYED
IN 1857 WAR BY OUR OWN PRINCES?
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
Rani Laxmi Bai, the queen of Principality Jhansi in today’s Uttar Pradesh ( formerly Bundelkhand) sacrificed her life on battle field fighting the forces of East India Company in 1857.She has become the symbol of patriotism, courage, staedfastness determination, bravery and valor. Although she was a woman, she wore male’s attire and led troops on battle field from front holding sword in her hand. Thus she shines gloriously in the pages of world history as a dominant warrior queen. How about many princes of India who preferred the comforts of cozy palaces and company of concubines and pretty wives while gulping liquor down their throats watching Muzra by the dancing girls instead of dangerous battle fields? Many of them chose to be the illustrious and honorable supporters of East India Company rule and of Governor General. How shameful and unpatriotic it was! All these princes were bestowed with many titles, honors, awards and entitlement to various gun salutes once the war was over, for letting down their nation and patriots who were fighting the war and shedding their blood. Indian history books have been silent on this aspect and have not been highlighted. 1857 war was mostly fought in northern India in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi while isolated actions and revolts took place in other parts of India including southern India that was mostly peaceful. Areas such as Kanpur, Faizabad, Patna, Lucknow, Jhansi, Meerut, Delhi and Gwalior were very active and most of pitched battles were fought in these areas and the outcome of the war was decided in these sectors ( 1 ). One of the most important point to note in the 1857 war was the aspect of participation by various centers and princes in this great war. It will be found that most of the princes who plunged themselves in this war were either felt humiliated or were victims of the policies of East India Company. Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi was one among them. She refused to part with her state on the orders of the East India company after her adoption case was rejected.
It will not be out of place to mention about the case of Rani Chinnamma of Kittur in Karnataka state ( now) in 1812 who waged war against the East India company on similar account. It was a lonely battle. On the refusal of Rani Chinnamma to hand over her state as per company’s policy, her state was attacked by the Collector of Dharwad who led the company troops. He was killed in the battle by the queen at Kittur fort and also lost some European military officers. But the victory was short lived and soon her army was over powered by the arrival of reserve troops and she was imprisoned at Bailhongal fort in Karnataka .She died in confinement after few years dreaming that some day she would be able to retrieve her state. Kittur state disappeared from the map ( 2). The policies of the East company and humiliation to the native states and men resulted in the catastrophe as the great 1857 war that has been coined as the First war of independence by Indians while the Englishmen dubbed it as the Sepoy Mutiny. However a limited section of nobility and their troops participated in this war while many princes kept themselves away. Those who participated had genuine grievances and were over taken by patriotism too. Those who stayed away obviously played safe and can be clubbed into the group of opportunistic, selfish and non patriots if not treasonous persons. The important reasons for out break of the war can be summarized as (3) :
Reasons for hostilities
1. The arrival of missionaries had also caused great unease among the Indians. Evangelical
Christians had little understanding of, or respect for, India's ancient faiths.The attitude of scrupulous non-interference in religious affairs that had characterized British rule in the 18th century was forgotten. Native populace started to believe that the British wished to convert them. The passing of Act XXI of 1850, which enabled converts to inherit ancestral property, confirmed this belief; the new law was naturally interpreted as a concession to Christian converts. Hindus and Muslims were forced into Christianity. The British were rude and arrogant towards the Indians who they described as barbarians without any culture. The European judges hardly ever convicted British for their crimes.
2. Thousands of soldiers and nobles got unemployed when Lord Dalhousie annexed Avadh. Under his 'Doctrine of Lapse' the princes were denied the long-cherished right of adoption; in this way Dalhousie annexed the Maratha States of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi and several minor principalities. On the death of the ex-Peshwa, Baji Rao II, the pension granted to him was abolished and the claims of his adopted son, Nana Sahib, were disregarded.
3.British administrative laws ruined both the peasants and landlords. Indian handicrafts completely collapsed and the craftsmen were impoverished. India became a market place for finished goods from England. Poverty increased and the discontent among the masses motivated the Indians to join the revolt in large numbers. Thus, the British drained India of her wealth and all her natural resources.
The most important personalities who were part of this war were:
1.Bahadur Shah II, nominal Mughal emperor of India who was much aggrieved by loss of his empire, British domination and being reduced to be a pensioner.
2.Begum of Awadh who was much aggrieved after her state was annexed by the East India Company .
3.Nana sahib the adopted son of Baji Rao II, the last Peshwa who was refused pension and the title after the death of last Peshwa
4. Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi who refused to annexation of her state after her adopted son was not accepted by the company .
They were joined by local nobles who were against foreign domination and humiliation caused to them.
Although revolt spread at many places in Northern India, Rani relatively kept Jhansi calm and she was hesitant to rebel against the British. Soon Sir Hugh Rose laid siege to Jhansi on 23 March 1858 along with British troops. Rani Laxmibai with her faithful warriors decided not to surrender. The fighting continued for about two weeks. Shelling on Jhansi was very fierce. In the Jhansi army, women were also carrying ammunition and were supplying food to the soldiers. Rani Lakshmi Bai was very active. She herself was inspecting the defenses of the city. She rallied her troops around her and fought fiercely against the British. In the mean time an army of 20,000, headed by the rebel leader Tantya Tope, was sent to relieve Jhansi and to take Lakshmi Bai to freedom. However, the British, though numbering only 1,540 in the field so as not to break the siege, were better trained and disciplined than the “raw recruits,” and these inexperienced soldiers turned and fled shortly after the British began to attack on 31st March 1958. Lakshmi Bai’s forces could not hold out and three days later the British were able to breach the city walls and capture the city. Yet Lakshmi Bai escaped over the wall at night and fled from her city, surrounded by her guards ( 4).
Along with the young Anand Rao, the Rani decamped to Kalpi ( Near Gwalior) along with her forces where she joined other rebel forces, including those of Tantya Tope. The Rani and Tantya Tope moved on to Gwalior, where the combined rebel forces defeated the army of the Maharaja of Gwalior Jayajirao Scindia after his armies deserted the rebel forces. They then occupied a strategic Gwalior fort. It is claimed that Rani Laxmi Bai was given a weak horse by the Gwalior king to ride because her trusted horse died after her escape from Jhansi. It said that the horse did not respond effectively and could not jump over canal when required and she had to recharge back into enemy’s forces at Gwalior. She was seriously injured in this battle and she died on 17 June 1858 while fighting 8 Hussars of East India company at Kotah ki Sarai near Phool Bagh area (5). . In the report of the battle for Gwalior, General Hugh Rose commented that the Rani, "remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance", had been "the most dangerous of all the rebels.
The point of contention is about the aspect of weak horse she was riding in the battle. After nearly 160 years after her death, questions are being raised about the aspect of weak horse and betrayal by Gwalior Maharaja (6). The Maharaja of Gwalior probably in no way was aggrieved of the East India Company rule like most of the Indian princes from Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Western Punjab ( Now in Pakistan) Gujarat and Hyderabad ( Deccan) and southern states like Mysore, Travancore Cochin, who kept themselves away from the conflicts and rebels. They knew that support to rebels means loosing their estates. Patriotism was limited to only few sections in India. This has been the major reason for the failure of 1857 rebellion that is called first war of Indian independence. However the war was dubbed as Sepoy mutiny. If all the princes out of patriotism took up sword even if they were not aggrieved, the Englishmen would have been cut to pieces and thrown out from thus land long ago. There would not have been a rise of MK Gandhi in the land. The aspect of weak horse although is being raised by a section of people in the present Bundelkhand region, it can not be proved conclusively. However people are much cut up and sentiments drive them to criticize the role played by Maharaja of Gwalior at that time. People have great sympathy for the Rani who was the symbol of patriotism. There is a point in their criticism. Like other princes in India who did not support rebels, maharaja of Gwalior also has to be blamed. He thought it was better to support the Englishmen than support a loosing side. We are witnessing similar situation in Indian politics. There are many leaders who change parties like garden lizards when party becomes weak and has no chances of winning. Loyalties disappear in to winds. Therefore Maharaja of Gwalior can not be singled out. No doubt, he falls into category of all those princes who of course betrayed national cause by not actively taking part in 1857 war. They are surely at guilt. Apology by the descendents of the dead princes for the acts of former princes shall not serve any purpose infact. Rani Laxmi Bai and her associated have failed in their mission, but they have occupied a special place in the history of India while all the princes who let down the movement have vanished into dark pages of history unsung and un heard.
Bibiography.
1.Rani Laxmi Bai, Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rani_Lakshmibai -
2.Kittur Rani Chinnamma. Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittur_Chennamma -
3. Indian History, British period, First war of independence, www.gatewayforindia.com/history/british_history2.htm -
4. Rani Laxmi Bai, Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rani_Lakshmibai -
5.. Ibid
6.wn.com/Rani_Lakshmi_bai_3d_animation_movie,_rani_laxmi_bai,_Jhansi_ki_rani
IN 1857 WAR BY OUR OWN PRINCES?
Dr K Prabhakar Rao
Rani Laxmi Bai, the queen of Principality Jhansi in today’s Uttar Pradesh ( formerly Bundelkhand) sacrificed her life on battle field fighting the forces of East India Company in 1857.She has become the symbol of patriotism, courage, staedfastness determination, bravery and valor. Although she was a woman, she wore male’s attire and led troops on battle field from front holding sword in her hand. Thus she shines gloriously in the pages of world history as a dominant warrior queen. How about many princes of India who preferred the comforts of cozy palaces and company of concubines and pretty wives while gulping liquor down their throats watching Muzra by the dancing girls instead of dangerous battle fields? Many of them chose to be the illustrious and honorable supporters of East India Company rule and of Governor General. How shameful and unpatriotic it was! All these princes were bestowed with many titles, honors, awards and entitlement to various gun salutes once the war was over, for letting down their nation and patriots who were fighting the war and shedding their blood. Indian history books have been silent on this aspect and have not been highlighted. 1857 war was mostly fought in northern India in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi while isolated actions and revolts took place in other parts of India including southern India that was mostly peaceful. Areas such as Kanpur, Faizabad, Patna, Lucknow, Jhansi, Meerut, Delhi and Gwalior were very active and most of pitched battles were fought in these areas and the outcome of the war was decided in these sectors ( 1 ). One of the most important point to note in the 1857 war was the aspect of participation by various centers and princes in this great war. It will be found that most of the princes who plunged themselves in this war were either felt humiliated or were victims of the policies of East India Company. Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi was one among them. She refused to part with her state on the orders of the East India company after her adoption case was rejected.
It will not be out of place to mention about the case of Rani Chinnamma of Kittur in Karnataka state ( now) in 1812 who waged war against the East India company on similar account. It was a lonely battle. On the refusal of Rani Chinnamma to hand over her state as per company’s policy, her state was attacked by the Collector of Dharwad who led the company troops. He was killed in the battle by the queen at Kittur fort and also lost some European military officers. But the victory was short lived and soon her army was over powered by the arrival of reserve troops and she was imprisoned at Bailhongal fort in Karnataka .She died in confinement after few years dreaming that some day she would be able to retrieve her state. Kittur state disappeared from the map ( 2). The policies of the East company and humiliation to the native states and men resulted in the catastrophe as the great 1857 war that has been coined as the First war of independence by Indians while the Englishmen dubbed it as the Sepoy Mutiny. However a limited section of nobility and their troops participated in this war while many princes kept themselves away. Those who participated had genuine grievances and were over taken by patriotism too. Those who stayed away obviously played safe and can be clubbed into the group of opportunistic, selfish and non patriots if not treasonous persons. The important reasons for out break of the war can be summarized as (3) :
Reasons for hostilities
1. The arrival of missionaries had also caused great unease among the Indians. Evangelical
Christians had little understanding of, or respect for, India's ancient faiths.The attitude of scrupulous non-interference in religious affairs that had characterized British rule in the 18th century was forgotten. Native populace started to believe that the British wished to convert them. The passing of Act XXI of 1850, which enabled converts to inherit ancestral property, confirmed this belief; the new law was naturally interpreted as a concession to Christian converts. Hindus and Muslims were forced into Christianity. The British were rude and arrogant towards the Indians who they described as barbarians without any culture. The European judges hardly ever convicted British for their crimes.
2. Thousands of soldiers and nobles got unemployed when Lord Dalhousie annexed Avadh. Under his 'Doctrine of Lapse' the princes were denied the long-cherished right of adoption; in this way Dalhousie annexed the Maratha States of Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi and several minor principalities. On the death of the ex-Peshwa, Baji Rao II, the pension granted to him was abolished and the claims of his adopted son, Nana Sahib, were disregarded.
3.British administrative laws ruined both the peasants and landlords. Indian handicrafts completely collapsed and the craftsmen were impoverished. India became a market place for finished goods from England. Poverty increased and the discontent among the masses motivated the Indians to join the revolt in large numbers. Thus, the British drained India of her wealth and all her natural resources.
The most important personalities who were part of this war were:
1.Bahadur Shah II, nominal Mughal emperor of India who was much aggrieved by loss of his empire, British domination and being reduced to be a pensioner.
2.Begum of Awadh who was much aggrieved after her state was annexed by the East India Company .
3.Nana sahib the adopted son of Baji Rao II, the last Peshwa who was refused pension and the title after the death of last Peshwa
4. Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi who refused to annexation of her state after her adopted son was not accepted by the company .
They were joined by local nobles who were against foreign domination and humiliation caused to them.
Although revolt spread at many places in Northern India, Rani relatively kept Jhansi calm and she was hesitant to rebel against the British. Soon Sir Hugh Rose laid siege to Jhansi on 23 March 1858 along with British troops. Rani Laxmibai with her faithful warriors decided not to surrender. The fighting continued for about two weeks. Shelling on Jhansi was very fierce. In the Jhansi army, women were also carrying ammunition and were supplying food to the soldiers. Rani Lakshmi Bai was very active. She herself was inspecting the defenses of the city. She rallied her troops around her and fought fiercely against the British. In the mean time an army of 20,000, headed by the rebel leader Tantya Tope, was sent to relieve Jhansi and to take Lakshmi Bai to freedom. However, the British, though numbering only 1,540 in the field so as not to break the siege, were better trained and disciplined than the “raw recruits,” and these inexperienced soldiers turned and fled shortly after the British began to attack on 31st March 1958. Lakshmi Bai’s forces could not hold out and three days later the British were able to breach the city walls and capture the city. Yet Lakshmi Bai escaped over the wall at night and fled from her city, surrounded by her guards ( 4).
Along with the young Anand Rao, the Rani decamped to Kalpi ( Near Gwalior) along with her forces where she joined other rebel forces, including those of Tantya Tope. The Rani and Tantya Tope moved on to Gwalior, where the combined rebel forces defeated the army of the Maharaja of Gwalior Jayajirao Scindia after his armies deserted the rebel forces. They then occupied a strategic Gwalior fort. It is claimed that Rani Laxmi Bai was given a weak horse by the Gwalior king to ride because her trusted horse died after her escape from Jhansi. It said that the horse did not respond effectively and could not jump over canal when required and she had to recharge back into enemy’s forces at Gwalior. She was seriously injured in this battle and she died on 17 June 1858 while fighting 8 Hussars of East India company at Kotah ki Sarai near Phool Bagh area (5). . In the report of the battle for Gwalior, General Hugh Rose commented that the Rani, "remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance", had been "the most dangerous of all the rebels.
The point of contention is about the aspect of weak horse she was riding in the battle. After nearly 160 years after her death, questions are being raised about the aspect of weak horse and betrayal by Gwalior Maharaja (6). The Maharaja of Gwalior probably in no way was aggrieved of the East India Company rule like most of the Indian princes from Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Western Punjab ( Now in Pakistan) Gujarat and Hyderabad ( Deccan) and southern states like Mysore, Travancore Cochin, who kept themselves away from the conflicts and rebels. They knew that support to rebels means loosing their estates. Patriotism was limited to only few sections in India. This has been the major reason for the failure of 1857 rebellion that is called first war of Indian independence. However the war was dubbed as Sepoy mutiny. If all the princes out of patriotism took up sword even if they were not aggrieved, the Englishmen would have been cut to pieces and thrown out from thus land long ago. There would not have been a rise of MK Gandhi in the land. The aspect of weak horse although is being raised by a section of people in the present Bundelkhand region, it can not be proved conclusively. However people are much cut up and sentiments drive them to criticize the role played by Maharaja of Gwalior at that time. People have great sympathy for the Rani who was the symbol of patriotism. There is a point in their criticism. Like other princes in India who did not support rebels, maharaja of Gwalior also has to be blamed. He thought it was better to support the Englishmen than support a loosing side. We are witnessing similar situation in Indian politics. There are many leaders who change parties like garden lizards when party becomes weak and has no chances of winning. Loyalties disappear in to winds. Therefore Maharaja of Gwalior can not be singled out. No doubt, he falls into category of all those princes who of course betrayed national cause by not actively taking part in 1857 war. They are surely at guilt. Apology by the descendents of the dead princes for the acts of former princes shall not serve any purpose infact. Rani Laxmi Bai and her associated have failed in their mission, but they have occupied a special place in the history of India while all the princes who let down the movement have vanished into dark pages of history unsung and un heard.
Bibiography.
1.Rani Laxmi Bai, Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rani_Lakshmibai -
2.Kittur Rani Chinnamma. Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittur_Chennamma -
3. Indian History, British period, First war of independence, www.gatewayforindia.com/history/british_history2.htm -
4. Rani Laxmi Bai, Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rani_Lakshmibai -
5.. Ibid
6.wn.com/Rani_Lakshmi_bai_3d_animation_movie,_rani_laxmi_bai,_Jhansi_ki_rani
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