INTO THE PAST WITH PaIn ..333

                                      Dr K Prabhakar Rao

 

Gandhi, Patel and nehru are  sitting  in Heavens. Gandhi is lying on a cot. Room is simply furnished. Gandhi occasionally coughs.. says ram.. ram.aaa  margaya ( dead )…  aa..eee.

Patel Bapu.. Are you having lot of pain in the leg after you fell down yesterday?

Gandhi. Yes. It is much painful. Unable to bear it.

Nehru. Bapu.   You should not  show off as if you are young. Your days were over long ago. People even forgot about you in India.

Patel. Yes. You are correct.

Gandhi. I can not change my way of working.

Patel. Now people are tired of seeing your photo on the notes.

Gandhi. I never said that notes must have my photo.

Patel. You were made father of nation.  So your photo has to be there.

Gandhi. Why on all notes? There were many patriots too.

Patel. Then it becomes cheap practice. It becomes like a postal stamp practice.

Nehru. Every guy wants a postal stamp  in his name. 

Gandhi. But when I go  to post office , I feel bad. Every where we can see my photo stamps   pasted on old covers are thrown all over on roads and people spit over them, urinate too in corners. Is it a good thing? Some times gum is not available at post offices. People spit on back of th stamp and paste it on cover. Cheee,,chee, How shameful

Patel Bapu that is our  culture. A national trait.

Gandhi. Many places I find  the   stamps are torn into bits and thrown around.

Eee…eee.. aaa . aah .. Is this my life? Then why print my stamps when no respect is to be shown.

Nehru, Bapu respect can not be demanded.  Our nation is very strange type. All types of guys are there. .

Patel.. Look Bapu .. it is time for you to take the cough syrup.

Gandhi. Please give me . I can not get up.. coughs. ugh…ugh..

Patel  gives the syrup  and a spoon and Gandhi gulps..

Gandhi.  This syrup tastes well. sweet it is.

Patel. Cough syrup always tastes good. Otherwise who takes.

Gandhi. Hope this is made in India now.

Nehru. Yes. If we can not manufacture it after  65 years  of freedom we are not worth.

Patel. Hee..hee..Some imported syrups are also there. But very few.

Gandhi. Now I am feeling better. I think we must visit India once. Many days have passed since we went.

Patel. Bapu ,no one bothers for us. People do not recognize us. Many think we are some  actors and on begging spree. They try to offer some coins.

Gandhi. This is bad. Once ,I went to Exhibition ground in January in Hyderabad. There I found a person dressed like me with silver paint begging.  People were giving some coins. Some were laughing. Have I become a laughing stock. A police man even used lathi on him to drive him away.

Patel. You know it better.

Gandhi.  Most of Indians do not recognize Patel.  Any one  with bald   head with stick has to be Gandhi. Nehru is of course is recognized with his cap.

Nehru. How does it matter to us? We are already dead since long.

Patel. True. Bapu. Now it is getting late, Take rest . We will meet tomorrow and chalk out plan.

Gandhi, Are you tired of me , Hope not ,  Fine, good night.

Nehru and patel ..  Good night Bapu,  see you..

They walk away to their rooms

                                      CURTAIN FALLS