Red Oleanders

Red Oleanders

This play is based upon reality. If the reader bestows the responsibility on some historian to find out the actual place of incident, then they might have to be deprived. Only it will be enough to know that according to the complete knowledge and beliefs of the dramatist, the incident is completely true.

It is very much a matter of argument among the Geologists about the proper name of the place of this incident. But everybody knows that the place is called the Yaksha Town. According to the scholars, Kuber’s jeweled throne was there at the mythical Yaksha Town. But neither this play belongs to the age of the myths, neither is it a symbolic one. The place we are talking about is where the wealth of the Yaksha is plinth under the surface of earth. Tunnels are dug to the chasm of earth to bring the wealth out after finding it, that’s why people call this the Yaksha town with affection. When the proper time will come during the act, we will come to know about the tunnel diggers.

No one expects any unanimity among the historians regarding the real name of the King of the Yaksha Town. We only know that he has a nickname – the Shark king. We will come to know the Yaksha town about the reason behind this nomenclature when the proper time arrives.

There is a window covered with cobweb on the outmost wall of the Royal Palace. From behind that curtain of cobweb, the Capricornus king meets his subjects as and when he wishes. But why he behaves in such a way, we know nothing more than the characters of the play discuss during the length of the act.

The chieftains of this kingdom are very much worthy and have seen much. They are the close companions of the king. It is for their carefully laid system that the tunnel diggers never get to relax and consequently the Yaksha Town continues to prosper. Once upon a time these headmen of this town were also the tunnel diggers, but they were promoted and rewarded for their personal worth and efficiency. Sometimes there devotion to their job surpasses even those of the chieftains. If the rules and regulations of the Yaksha Town may be compared with that of a full moon, according to our poet of course, then these headmen take the primary responsibility of being the black spots of that moon.

Apart from this, there is a spiritual leader, Gosainji, he prays the name of the God, but accepts his livelihood from the chieftains. He has many contributions to the Yaksha Town.

Sometimes a few inedible types of aquatic animals get trapped in the cobweb of the fisherman; neither can they quench hunger nor are they good to do business with. Moreover they sometimes do break away the cobweb. Just like that amidst the cobweb of incidents of this play, a girl, Nandini has been trapped. As if she is here to tear apart the barrier of cobweb behind which the Capricornus king resides.

At the very beginning of the play, we will meet this girl on the corridor in front of the window of web of the Capricornus king. How the window looks like, it is never possible to describe clearly by words. Only the skilled craftsmen know the tactics of it.

Whatever we can see of the drama, everything is taking place in front of the corridor of this window of web of the royal palace. Very little of that we come to know about what is taking place behind it.

The name of the place around which the action takes place is called the Yaksha Town. Laborers of the Yaksha Town are engaged to dig out lumps of gold from the beneath the surface of earth. The Capricornus king resides under a very complex cover. The only scene of the drama is the corridor in front of this window of web of the royal palace. Everything is taking place in front of that. 

[Enter Nandini & Kishore, the teenage tunnel digger]

Kishore:           Nandini, Nandini, Nandini

Nandini:          Why do you always call me again and again by that name? can’t I hear your call?

Kishore:           I know very well that you can hear me, but I love to call that name of yours. Anymore flower you need? Let me go then to bring those.

Nandini:          Go, go way, don’t delay any more. Go back to your work.

Kishore:           lumps of gold I dig up throughout the day, in between that, it makes me feel like a living being if I can steal a few moments to bring you these flowers.

Nandini:          O Kishore, if they come to know, they will punish you.

Kishore:           Then why did you say that every day you must, must have those red oleanders and look how fortunate I’m, that these red oleanders are very rare here, I found one behind the heap of garbage.

Nandini:          Show me the tree Kishore, I myself will go and pluck the flowers.

Kishore:           Do not be so cruel Nandini, do not ask for that. Let that tree be for me only like the only secret word of my life. Bishu sings his own songs to you, that is only for him, from now on I’ll procure flowers for you, those will only be mine.

Nandini:          But the beasts those are here beat and punish you. My heart breaks scatters around with that pain of yours.

Kishore:           The flowers I pluck for you become redder with that torture they do on me. They are my wealth of grief.

Nandini:          But how I bear that pain you receive from me?

Kishore:           Who bothers about pain? Sometimes I do think I’ll love to die for you.

Nandini:          Tell me a thing Kishore, so much you give me, so much you suffer for me, what should I give you in return?

Kishore:           Nandini, you just promised me that every morning you’ll take a flower from me.

Nandini:          All right, let that is. But better you be careful.

Kishore:           No, never I’ll. Never will I be careful. In spite of their beatings and tortures everyday I’ll bring red oleanders for you.

                                                                                                [Exit]

[Enters the Professor]

Professor:        Nandini, Don’t go, look back.

Nandini:          What’s the matter Professor?

Professor:        Why do you always suddenly disappear after startling the mind? And if you have stirred the soul then why don’t you stay back for a few moments, let’s speak a word or two.

Nandini:          What for do you need me?

Professor:        If you speak about necessity, then look here, piercing the bosom of earth, the tunnel diggers are coming out of darkness like vermins, carrying the burden of necessity op on their head. Whatever wealth we have accumulated in this Yaksha Town, is the wealth from that artery of that dust, the dust of gold. But o beautiful, you are not the gold of dust and stone dust; you are the light of this Yaksha Town. You are the light of gold. It is beyond the reach of the bondages of necessity to captivate you here in this Yaksha Town.

Nandini:          Every time the same words that you speak. Why are you so curious about me Professor?

Professor:        The light the flower orchards receive every morning has nothing to amaze. But when that light comes through the crack of a wall made of stone that is really different. You are that unexpected beam of light in this Yaksha Town. But will you tell me please, what do you think of the place?

Nandini:          Everything is just amazing. The whole city is groping in darkness with their head under the ground. You people are digging tunnel to the nether world to bring out the Yaksha’s wealth. That is the dead wealth of years forgotten long ago which the earth had hidden inside his womb.

Professor:        We perform the mystic right of contemplation with that dead soul of the dead wealth. If we can control the magical and mesmerizing quality of this gold, the earth belongs to us.

Nandini:          Moreover you always keep your King away from the eyes, hidden behind a curtain of cobweb. As if you are scared to reveal that he is nothing more than a human being. Sometimes I feel like opening up those dark covers of those subterranean passages and pour light inside it, or sometimes I do feel like tearing apart that ugly curtain and rescue out the human being that you have kept captivated behind.

Professor:        As the spirit of this dead wealth is enormously powerful, so is our omnipotent King is a very good judge of human beings.

Nandini:          All are baseless and fictitious what you are speaking

Professor:        Yes, everything is artificial, fictitious. There is no identity of someone nude; it is only the artificial attire they wear that makes a king or a beggar out of that. Come to my place, it’ll be my pleasure to discuss some theories with you.

Nandini:          As your tunnel diggers are going to the very heart of the cobwebher land, digging through days and nights, the same way you continue dig piles of manuscripts. What for will you waste your time for me?

Professor:        We are like insects living in holes made of stone without any time to spare, always engrossed in work. You are like the evening star at the western horizon of my spare time. Looking at you, our wings go restless. Come to my place. Let me allow wasting a few moments for you.

Nandini:          No, no, not now. I’ve come to see your king going behind the cobwebs and entering his room.

Professor:        He always stays behind the cobweb. You’ll never be allowed to get in.

Nandini:          I do not bother the cobweb; I’ve come to go in.

Professor:        You know Nandini, me to stay behind a cobweb. A lot of humanity I’ve to discard to pretend the scholar that I am. As our King is a dreadful King, I too is dreadful scholar.

Nandini:          Surely you are joking with me. I never find you dreadful. Let me ask you a question, they brought me here, but why didn’t they brought Ranjan along with us?

Professor:        They bring everything in parts, it is their system. But, still I should ask you one question, why you come here to kill your soul amidst this dead wealth of the Yaksha Town?

Nandini:          If I can bring Ranjan here, then a new vibrant life will start to dance within those dead ribs.

Professor:        only Nandini is enough to turn the head of the Group leaders, al puzzled and spell bound, what’ll happen to them if they bring here Ranjan too?

Nandini:          They never know hoe curious and strange are they. If suddenly God laughs out loud among them, only then their slumber will break and Ranjan is that divine laughter.

Professor:        It is like the rays of the sun that the smile divine is, that can melt the snow of a mountain, but can’t tumble a stone. You need physical power to fight with our Group leaders.

Nandini:          My Ranjan has the power like that Sankhini River of yours, he can destroy like that giggling river. Professor, today I give you secret news, today I’ll meet Ranjan.

Professor:        How can you do that?

Nandini:          yes, yes, the news I’ve got, today I’m going to met him.

Professor:        How can it reach you without the knowledge of the Group leaders?

Nandini:          The way I feel the advent of the spring, by the color of the sky mingled with the youthfulness of the air…

Professor:        That means the colorful sky, the playful air is spreading the rumor?

Nandini:          When will arrive I’ll show you how can a rumor turns into stern reality.

Professor:        You’ll never stop talking about Ranjan. Let it be. Let me escape to the depth of the science of materialism where I do belong. I’ve already been brave enough to cross the limits.

(Goes on to exit for some distance, but returns)

                        Nandini let me ask you one thing, aren’t you scared of this Yaksha Town?

Nandini:          Why should I be scared?

Professor:        The animals are scared of the eclipsing sun, but never of the full. The Yaksha Town is the town under an eclipse. The evil demonic gods of the tunnels of gold have taken a bite out of it. Neither he is complete, nor will he allow anybody the same. I’m telling you don’t wastes your time here, those dark entrances of those darker tunnels will open up widen after your departure, but still I plead you. Escape from here. Where people don’t dig through and bleed the motherly heart of the earth. Go and spend days of happiness in Ranjan’s company.

(He goes out to return again)

                        Nandini, will you pick out one of those Red Oleanders of that wristlet of your right hand for me?

Nandini:          Why? What will you do with that?

Professor:        Many a times I’ve thought that those ornaments of Red Oleanders that you wear must have some significance.

Nandini:          I don’t know if there is any significance of that.

Professor:        Perhaps your god knows that. That is not simply beautiful, an uncanny mystery as if is hidden behind that red glow.

Nandini:          you getting scared of me?

Professor:        The God has given the brush with blood to the beautiful. I don’t know what you want to say with those blood red colors. Malati, Mallika, chameli and numerous other flowers are there, but why on earth did you choose these Red Oleanders. You know, this is the way a man unknowingly decides his fate?

Nandini:          Sometimes Ranjan calls me the Red Oleanders with affection. I do feel that red is the color of Ranjan’s love and I’ve wear that color in my neck, my hands and on my bosom.

Professor:        Then give me a flower from there for a few moments only; let me try to understand the theory of color behind it.

Nandini:          Here it is, today Ranjan is coming and in that joy this flower I’ll gift you.

(Exits Professor)

(Enters Gokul the tunnel-digger)

Gokul:             For once would you turn to me, who are you? I can’t recognize you.

Nandini:          I’m nothing more than what you are seeing. Why do you need to know who am I?

Gokul:             It doesn’t feel good at all if I don’t understand anything. What for the king brought you here?

Nandini:          For the necessity of doing something unnecessary.

Gokul:             You are trapping everybody with some secret spell you have, you are fatal. Whoever looses himself in that beautiful face of yours is surely going to die. What’s hanging from your tiara let me have a look….

Nandini:          A spike of Red Oleanders

Gokul:             What does that mean?

Nandini:          There is no meaning in that.

Gokul:             I don’t believe you at all. You are planning something. Before the day ends, surely you are going to cause something catastrophic. That’s why you look so beautiful today; it is ruin that you bring you ruinous lady.

Nandini:          What did you find in me to scare?

Gokul:             By looking at you I feel like looking at a burning torch emitting red light. Let me go and tell those fools to be careful; careful they must be.

[Exit]

Nandini:          (Knocking at the door of cobweb), Can you hear me?

Background:   I can here you lady. But do not call me again and again. Little time I’ve. Little time.

Nandini:          Today, happiness is overflowing my heart, with that joy I want to enter your room.

Background:   No, you can never enter my room. If something you have to say, say it from outside.

Nandini:          covering with lotus leaves a garland braided with Kunda flowers I’ve bought for you.

Background:   You wear that.

Nandini:          It doesn’t look good on me; mine will be made of Red Oleanders.

Background:   I’m like those mountain peaks those touches the sky, in barrenness lays my beauty.

Nandini:          Streams also do flow down piercing the bosom of those rocky picks. Someday, there will be a garland for you too. Open that cobweb of yours, I want to come in.

Background:   Never will you be allowed! Little time I’ve, do hurry if you want to tell me something.

Nandini:          Can’t you hear the song coming from a distance?

Background:   Song? What song?

Nandini:          The song of the winter. The crops are ripe in the field. It is the time to harvest

(Song)

                        It is the call of the winter / come everybody / come / come first / the wintry basket is now full of crops ready to harvest / beautiful, how beautiful everything looks /

Can’t you see that the winter sun is spreading the grace of ripe corn around the sky?

                        Incited are the horizons beyond the fields of rice corn / the golden sunlight spread across the open earth / beautiful, how beautiful everything looks around /

You too come out of your cobweb; I’ll take you to the open fields

                        Happy is the sky with that tune from that earthen flute / today none will like to stay indoors /O everybody open your doors

Background:   I’ll go to the fields? What will I do there?

Nandini:          Working in the fields is much easier than the work you do in this Yaksha Town.

Background:   Doing something easy is not easy for me. No lake will ever be able to dance like a stream with the music it creates. Leave, leave, do not speak any more. Little time I’ve.

Nandini:          Amazing is your power. The day you allowed me to enter the store, those lumps of gold didn’t surprise me, but I was amazed with that enormous power by which you were arranging them in a big heap, one over the other. Still I should ask you, do those lumps of gold respond to the rhythm that is in those powerful hands as does the rice field? Will you tell me, O king, don’t you ever feel scared to handle this dead wealth of the earth all through day and night?

Background:   Why? Why should I be scared?

Nandini:          The earth happily gives away her wealth from her heart. But you bring in the curse of some blind demon when you pierce her bosom to collect those dead bones, that you call wealth. Can’t you see that everyone in this Yaksha Town is either angry, or suspicious or scared?

Background:   Curse?

Nandini:          Yes, the curse of murders and killings, of snatching and scrambling over.

Background:   About curses, I do not bother at all. I only believe that with certain power we do come on earth. Nandin, does my power impresses you?

Nandini:          It creates a joy as I’ve felt never before in my heart; that’s why I’m telling you to come out in the light, touch the ground beneath your feet and also let the earth be allowed to brim with joy too.

                        The joy of light erupted around / bright dew-drops shining on the ears of ripe paddy / the earth can’t bear any more and joy is overflowing all around / beautiful, how beautiful everything looks around

Background:   Nandini, do you know that the creator has also made your beauty ethereal hidden behind the veil of this earthly beauty of yours, always I wanted to snatch you out of that transcendent ethereality, but never I could I reach you. I want to see every nook and corner of your heart, and if I can’t, I want to break that and scatter into pieces.

Nandini:          How cruel are you to say something like that.

Background:   Why can’t I lop off the red glow from those Red Oleanders of yours and colyrium my eyes? A few protesting petals are concealed behind the open end of your dress. And that is the obstacle I face in you – you are so soft and that’s why you are too tough. Ok Nandini, tell me frankly, what do you think of me?

Nandini:          I’ll tell you that, but some other day. Today I’ve no more time to waste, I’m going.

Background:   No, no, do not go. Tell me, what do you think of me?

Nandini:          How many times I’ve told you that, I find you truly incredible. Enormous power is swelling up like storm clouds before a norwester in those powerful hands, and my heart dances looking at that

Background:   Your heart dances too, when you see Ranjan, is that too…

Nandini:          Let’s drop the matter, you have little time.

Background:   Just give me this answer; I’ll have time for that

Nandini:          Then my heart dances with a rhythm completely different, you’ll never understand that.

Background:   Of course I’ll. I want to understand.

Nandini:          I can’t explain everything clearly. Let me go.

Background:   Do not go Nandin, tell me, do you like me?

Nandini:          Yes, I do like you.

Background:   Just like Ranjan?

Nandini:          Every time the same question you ask. You just don’t understand these things.

Background:   But I do perceive a little. Perhaps I understand the difference between me and Ranjan. It is only power, that I do possess, but Ranjan has magic.

Nandini:          What is that magic that you are talking about?

Background:   Do I need to explain? The deity of power is there under the surface of the earth, amidst lumps of iron and gold. And up above the ground, where grasses so green sprout on a little stretch of wetland, where flowers do bloom – there is the mystery of magic. I can bring out diamonds and jewels from where none can tread, but, out of that simplicity I can never snatch that magic away.

Nandini:          So much you have, but still why you do speak like possessed by greed?

Background:   Whatever I have is nothing but burden. One can never collect enough gold to make a touchstone out of it. Enormous power I acquired, but it never reached the youth. That’s why to capture you I want to put guards all around. Only if I could have that youth of Ranjan, I’d have won you by letting you free as the air. I wasted all my time putting on knots on the rope with which I want to shackle you. Alas! Everything else I can conquer and take under control, but joy can never be shackled.

Nandini:          You are entrapped inside that cobweb that you yourself have created, but I can’t understand that, then why are you so restless?

Background:   You’ll never know. Like an enormous desert I am – stretching my hands so powerful towards a grass ling like you, ignominiously soft – here do I confess, burning I’m, barren and tired till the soul of mine. A thirst that never quenches, has made this desert to lick and lap fertile lands barren and burnt; that is only making the desert grow bigger, but can never have that life  that is there in that ignominious grass ling.

Nandini:          So tired you are, I could ever feel that looking at you. I can only see that enormous power that is in you.

Background: Nandin, in some distant past, on some distant land, a mountain I saw, as tired as me, I did never felt that every little rock of it was holding some pain back in their heart. Then, one day, at the dead of night, I heard a sound so tremendously loud, as if a demon is moaning aloud in some bad dream that suddenly was broken to pieces. The next morning I saw that the whole mountain has collapsed and crushed beneath the ground by a devastating earthquake. That particular day I realized that how power crushes down ignorantly under its own weight. And in you I find something else – exactly the opposite.

Nandini:          And what did you find in me?

Background:   In you I feel a rhythm, the rhythm that makes the universe dance with its tune

Nandini:          Nothing I understand.           

Background:   that rhythm, that makes everything lose the weight of their very existence, it’s that rhythm that makes the stars and planets dancing around from one sky to another like the dancing philanderers. This rhythm has made you so simply accessible, so very beautiful you are. You are too ignominious in comparison, but still I’m jealous of you.

Nandini:          You have deprived yourself by separating yourself away from others, why don’t you make yourself accessible?

Background:   Staying behind this cobweb, I’ve come to steal from the treasures of the earth. But all my powers fail to reach that wealth that the god has kept in his closed fists where those beautiful fingers like buds of flower can easily reach. I must open that closed fist of the god.

Nandini:          I can never properly understand what you do say. I’m leaving.

Background:   Alright, leave then, if you wish so, but I’m stretching my hand out of the window, just for once keep those hands of yours upon mine.

Nandini           No, no, scared I’m. if suddenly only a hand comes out of the window when I’ve come to see you in full.

Background:   Everyone tries to run away from me only because I want to touch everything with that single hand of mine only. But Nandin, for you, if I give away every single bit of my existence will you come to me?

Nandini:          You didn’t even allow me to enter your room. Then why are you tellimh all these things?

Background:   I don’t want to let you come amidst all these my busyness. When wind will spontaneously swell those sails, then the moment will come. It doesn’t matter if that wind becomes a storm. The proper moment is yet to come

Nandini:          o king, I’m telling you, Ranjan will bring that gust of air that will make the sails to swell. Wherever he goes, he brings in relief with him.

Background:   Do you think that I don’t know its who fills with honey from the red oleanders that the relief that Ranjan brings in. Nandini you gave me the emptiness of relief, but where from will I get that sweet simplicity?

Nandini:          Let me go now.

Background:   No, first you answer this.

Nandini:          The moment you see Ranjan by your eyes, you will get the answer by yourself that how sweet simplicity mixes with relief. So very beautiful he is.

Background:   Beauty responds to beauty only. And when the ugly demands for it, the strings of the lyre snap and there is no music left. No more, you leave now, otherwise there’ll be trouble.

Nandini:          I’m leaving, but I tell you, today my Ranjan’ll come. None would be able to stop him. He’ll come, of course he’ll.

[Exit]

[Enters Phagulal, the tunnel digger along with his wife, Chandra]

Phagulal:         Where have you hidden my booze Chandra? Bring those out.

Chandra:         what’s that? You’ll start boozing from so early in the morning?

Phagulal:         Today is holiday. Yesterday they performed rituals to please the deity of death. Today they’ll worship the flag.

Chandra:         Is it possible? Do they believe in divinity?

Phagulal:         Haven’t you seen that their winery, ammunition depot and temple are all adjacent to each other.

Chandra:         You’ll booze from the morning only because you have a day’s off and nothing to do. When we were staying in the village, during the holidays….

Phagulal:         A free bird opens its wings when he gets some leisure, but when it is caged, he has nothing to do but to rap his head against the iron bars of the cage.

Chandra:         Why don’t you leave this job? Let’s return home.

Phagulal:         As if you don’t know that all roads are closed, there is no way to return.

Chandra:         Why are they closed?

Phagulal:         It is because if we return home they will profit no more.

Chandra:         Do we stick to their like husks to rice grains; is there nothing useless to them?

Phagulal:         Our Bishu the simpleton says that it is only necessary for the goat to remain in complete shape, the people who eat them, eat them discarding the bones, the tail and the hoofs. Even they find it unnecessary when the poor animal bleats the last time for its life. There comes singing the crazy simpleton.

Chandra:         It seems that the flood gates of his heart have opened up and songs are overflowing out if it.

Phagulal:         I’ve noticed that too.

Chandra:         Now a days he is infatuated with Nandini, mesmerized is his heart, mesmerizing are the songs he sings.

Phagulal:         There is nothing strange about it.

Chandra:         No, there is nothing strange, nothing amazing. But better you be careful, otherwise someday she might make you sing too. Then what will people think of us? Illusive she is…

Phagulal:         It is nothing new to him. He knows Nandini for a long time, even before coming here.

Chandra”         Bishubhai, Bishubhai, where are u going. Pay us a visit. Here a few people who might prove to be great admirer of your songs.

[Bishu enters singing]

Who art thou, sailing with the boat of my dream / the intoxicating wind is swelling up the sails / and my restless heart goes on singing / you come and make me forget everything / and sail to this boat away to some distant shore /

Chandra:          Then we have no chance, we are so close

Bishu:              worthless all my concerns are and / let me leave them all behind me / remove your veil and thou cast your eyes upon me / and fill my heart with that smile of yours

Chandra:         Perhaps I know who sailing the boat of your dream

Bishu:              How can you know from here? You have never seen her in my boat

Chandra:         Someday your boat is going to sink only because of that desired Nandini of yours.

[Enters Gokul, the tunnel digger]

Gokul:             Look Bishu, I’m much concerned about your Nandini.

Bishu:              What happened? What has she done?

Gokul:             Nothing she does and that’s the trouble. Why the king brought her here if she has nothing to do?  I can never understand her queer manners.

Chandra:         In law, this is our land of sorrow; we can’t bear with that flaunting of her ravishing beauty.

Gokul:             We go for the simple, something heavy.

Bishu:              This is a catastrophe that the atmosphere of this Yaksha Town has reduced beauty to ignominy. There must be something beautiful in the hell also, but alas, who are there has lost their vision to appreciate that beauty, that’s the punishment they receive in hell

Chandra:         Well, I agree with you. We are the ignorant fools. But do you know that the foramens are also dead against her.

Bishu:              Be careful Chandra, those eyes of the Sardar must not corrupt your vision, and then you will also be dead against us. Phagulal what do you think

Phagulal:         Let me confess kin, whenever I see Nandini, I feel ashamed looking at myself. I can’t speak in front of her.

Gokul:             Bishu, that girl has made you lose your head, that’s why you can’t see the bad omens she is bringing with her. But I feel, soon you will understand that.

Phagulal:         Bishu beai, your keen sister wants to know why we always booze.

Bishu:              We are whipped by hunger from one end, and thirst is whipping from the other. That burning pain is forcing us to work more. And on the other end, the forest has spread out its green wings of magic, the golden sunlight is creating enchanting shadows, enchanting and intoxicating they are and crying for rest, shouting for relief.

Chandra:         This is what you call booze?

Bishu:              This is the wine of life. You’ll never completely inebriate, but you feel it throughout. Take this for a proof, we came to this land and employed ourselves in digging tunnel to the nether world. There stopped the allocation of the booze of nature and that’s why our soul is so very obsessed about the booze we buy from the market. It is only when you can’t breathe with ease, then you start to pant.

(Song)

Hey, is dry up all the flavor of your life / then fill your cup with the chyle of death / the melted fire of death it is / that cures the burning sensation of every humiliation / he colors up all emptiness with a guffow(Roar of laughter)

Chandra:         Come on in-law, let’s escape from here

Bishu:              under the blue sky open wide, among the gathering of rustic farmers boozing – there is no way. That’s the reason of such tremendous obsession on the booze that we get in this land of captivity, neither are we left with the sky, nor we have any time to spare, that’s why we have melted all the laughter and music of those twelve hours in every sip of that liquid fire. As hard the slavery is, it is equally hard to kill time here.

Your sun was behind the dense clouds / killed are your days doing worthless / let, let it come the darkest of nights / the ultimate companion of liberty / let your tired eyes cover all direction with a trance that it creates

Chandra:         Whatever you say Bishu beai, you men folk has lost your head after coming to this Yaksha Town. We, the women haven’t change at all.

Bishu:              how can you say that you haven’t at all. All the flowers that you had had withered and now the heart longs for gold.

Chandra:         No, never is it true.

Bishu:              But the painful fact is that it is absolutely true. Why does that Phagu, the worthless works over time for four hours every day? What’s the reason behind it? Neither he knows it nor you; it is only your God who knows everything. Your desire for gold whips him from inside and that hurts more than the whips of the Sardars.

Chandra:         Well, well, if that’s it, then why don’t you return to our village?

Bishu:              The Sardars haven not only closed all routes to escape, but have even taken away the desire to escape also. Today you may return to the village, but for long you won’t be able to stay there, the next day you will return here running as the opium addicted birds return to the cage after still being freed.

Phagulal:         Well, Bishu beai, once you were after the books and manuscripts and nearly lost your vision reading, then why did they make you to hold the spade along with the fools like us?

Chandra:         We are living together here for a long time; but never ever we could get this answer from him.

Phagulal:         But everybody knows the real answer.

Bishu:              Then tell me what that is?

Phagulal:         You were appointed to spy on us.

Bishu:              If everything you know, then why you people did spare me with my life?

Phagulal:         It is only because we also know that it is something that you can never do.

Chandra:         Beai, you couldn’t even continue with such a leisurely job?

Bishu:              You call it a leisurely job? Always spying behind somebody like some unwanted pimple at their back. I asked for a sick leave to go home. The Sardar said that how could I reach home if I’m so sick. But still I can have a try. I tried and realized that the moment you enter this Yaksha Town, all the gates are closed. There is no other way except the one that leads to all consuming hunger of this Yaksha Town. Today I am sunk beneath this lightless, hopeless black hole of this city. Now the only difference between you and me is that the sardar ignores me more than you. They hate broken pots more than the torn banana leaves.

Phagulal:         There is nothing to feel sorry brother, we have kept you very close to our heart.

Bishu:              I’ll die the day it is revealed. The sardar’s evil eyes fall on those particular things that you have some preference for. As the toad croaks to attract the frog and the sound reaches the viper.

Chandra:         How many days will take it to finish your job?

Bishu:              In the almanac there is nothing written about the judgment day. Every day is followed by the next; after the first comes the second, then the third….it goes on and on. We are digging tunnels yards after yards….one… two… three. Gathering lumps of gold, one lump after another. In this Yaksha Town numbers are moving in queues, no meaning is there. We are only numbers; they don’t even bother to consider us as human beings. Phagulal what is your number?

Phagulal:         At the back of my uniform it is embedded, I’, 47F.

Bishu:              I’m 69e. When we lived in our little hamlet, we were human beings. Now we have turned into tables of numbers. It is our heart that is they are gambling with.

Chandra:         in law, still haven’t they gathered enough of gold? How much more do they need?

Bishu:              Now, there is no end of that what we call necessity. When you feel hungry, you fill your stomach up with something and that’s over. Intoxication is not a necessity and certainly there is no end of it. Like booze these lumps of gold are, the solid booze of the Yaksha King, can’t you understand that.

Chandra:         No.         

Bishu:              When we take a sip of booze, we forget that we are limited by the boundaries of fate; we feel the freedom of doing nothing, and our king feels the same when he piles up those lumps of gold. the flavor of the field open and wide will never reach that height he is soaring into.

Chandra:         in the village everyone is preparing for the celebration of new harvest. I beg you, let’s return. If we request the Sardar, at least for once

Bishu:              As if yours feminine instincts failed to recognize the true character of him,

Chandra:         Why, I find him quite acceptable

Bishu:             yes, too much amiable he is, as smooth as a shark, always having a perfect bite. Even the king himself is not able to loosen his grip even he wants to.

Chandra:         There comes the Sardar.

Bishu:              Bother, perhaps he has heard everything we were saying.

Chandra:         So what? We say nothing which might…

Bishu:              in-law, we speak out the words but they make the meaning out of it. So one can never know which word will spark to put a house on flames.

[Enters Sardar]

Chandra:         Sardar brother

Sardar:             hey granddaughter, hope everything is fine?

Chandra:         Sanction a few days leave please. Want to go home.

Sardar:             what for? The quarters that we have provided you are far better than those homes you stayed in. Moreover you have guards for your protection, all expenditure bearded by the king. I always find it amazing to find you among these craftsmen, as if a crane has come to teach the ducks how to dance, a total misfit.

Bishu:              I’m not at all amazed by that joke. If my legs had enough power to make someone dance, the first thing that I would do is to run away from here. I’ve seen enough and know very well that how dangerous this business can be, in the sector under your control.

Sardar:             Granddaughter, there’s good news for you, Kenaram Gosain has been called for to pour in some words of wisdom to these boozers. The craftsmen will bear his remuneration. From Gosainji every evening they will…

Phagulal:         no, no, there is no chance of it Sardar sir, now at most we do a little revelry after boozing in the evening, and then if someone comes to advice, there is a good chance of human casualty

Bishu:              Oh, Phagulal, keep quiet.

[Enters Gosain]

Sardar:             I just mentioned about him and here arrives my lord. Accept my gratitude my Lord. These craftsmen of ours, sometimes they become restless and lose their temper. Some mental weakness they have. You have to pour in some words of peace to their ears, it is a dire necessity.

Gosain:            About them you are speaking about? Oh ho, they are the real Turtle Avatar of the great lord, carrying the weight of the universe on their back. That’s why everything still exists. It’s just amazing. 47F, my son, just think for once, you are the one who provides food to the mouth that always prays and sings the name of the Great Lord, this piece of cloth with the name of the Lord written all over it, that makes my body sacred, it is you who toiled hard to make them. Is not that enough? I bless you my son, that you can continue to tread the same way, and then the grace of the all powerful will continue to shower upon you. My son, for once only open up your heart and utter the name of the great Lord. it will relieve  the weight off your soul. That name of the great Lord is the beginning and end of everything.

Chandra:         How soothing words, my lord, it’s been a long time since I heard such beautiful words. Let me, let me touch your feet.

Phagulal:         Till now I’ve kept myself under control, but I can’t bear it any more. Will you please tell me the reason behind this needless expenditure? If you want some money for his expenditure, well, I agree to give that, but this hypocrisy I’ll never tolerate.

Bishu:              Quiet, quiet everybody. If Phagulal loses his temper then there is none to control him.

Chandra:         What the hell will happen to you? You are going to spoil both your present and the life after death. You were never like this. I can very clearly see that some spell of that Nandini is working upon you.

Gosain:            Whatever you say Sardar, what a simplicity. They speak out just exactly what they have in their mind. Who are not worthy to teach them, instead they can teach us, you understand?

Sardar:             Of course I do. Moreover I also have recognized the root of all problems. I myself have to take this responsibility. Gosainji, I think it will be better for you to spread the name of the Lord in some other sector, the saw men have started to fret a bit.

Gosain:            Which sector did you say Sardar, my son?

Sardar:             In sector T and S. 71T is the chieftain there. That sector is up to the left of the house of 65N.

Gosain:            My son, sector N is still not stable, but it seems that sector N1 has softened down a bit with this enchanting name of the Lord. I think it is a matter of only a few days to bring them to the spiritual path of the Omnipresent. Still I think it better to keep the army vigilant in that sector for a few more days. Because there is no such vice as harmful as pride. First the army will demolish the pride, then comes our turn. Well, now allow me to leave.

Chandra:         My lord, please prey for them that their good sense returns.

Gosain:            Don’t you worry my child. Very soon they will be completely cured of and under control.

[Exit]

Sardar:             Hey, 69E. it seems that the temper in your sector is a bit too high.

Bishu:              Very much probable. Gosainji called us the Turtle Incarnation of the Great Lord, but, as per the mythology the Great Lord keeps changing his avatars and sometimes the Turtle becomes the boar, when the protective shell on the back is replaced with tasks and the patience takes the form of stubborn obstinacy.

Chandra:         In- law will you stop for a moment please. Sardar sir don’t forget my request please.

Sardar:             Never I will. I listened to it and of course I’ll remember that too.

[Exit]

Chandra:         You see, how good a man he is, always smiling.

Bishu:              Those sharks like teeth open up with a smile but with a vicious bite it always closes.

Chandra:         Where do you find the bite here?

Bishu:              You are yet to know him properly. They have decided that from now on the wives will not be allowed to come here in this Yaksha Town along with their craftsmen.

Chandra:         Why?

Bishu:              We are counted as numbers in their lager book and are placed accordingly, but their numerical system fails to assimilate you females with mathematics.

Chandra:         My God, don’t they have wives at home? What do they say?

Bishu:              They have lost all their senses by consuming that that booze called gold. In this respect their greed is more than their husbands’. We are so ignominiously small to draw any attention of them.

Chandra:         Bishu in-law, as far as I know you had a wife back at home? What happened to her? For a long time there is no news of her.

Bishu:              As long as I worked in the respectable rank of a spy, she used to received invitation to play cards with the wives of the Sardars, but after I left them to join with Phagulal and his gang, then all invitations stopped and she left me cursing for my foolishness.

Chandra:         Shame on her, is it possible for someone to behave like that?

Bishu:              She will pay for the sin she has committed by being a Sardar’s wife in her rebirth.

Chandra:         Look, Bishu, in law, look there are some people going in a gorgeous procession. Peacock tailed vehicles following one after the other, look at those bright frills of the seats on elephant backs. Everything is shining so bright. How good looking those horse riders are with the sun shining bright on their spears.

Bishu:              There they are, the wives of the Sardars’ are going in procession to attend the feast of the flag worship.

Chandra:         Oh, what a grandeur, what an appearance. Well, in-law, tell me one thing, if you haven’t left that job, you too would dress such gorgeous like them and that wife of yours…

Bishu:              Yes, we would have been in that precarious condition too.

Chandra:         Now there is no way to return? No way at all?

Bishu:              Yes, there is, through the dirty drains.

From Background

                        Simpleton brother

Bishu:              You off- head, what’s the matter?

Phagulal:         There’s your Nandini calling you. Today Bishu in-law will be available no more

Chandra:         There is no more hope left for your Bishu brother. Well, in-law, tell me, by what blessedness she has mesmerized you?

Bishu:              It is grief by which she has mesmerized me.

Chandra:         In-law, why do you always speak in riddles?

Bishu:              You’ll never understand. There is some anguish that becomes more painful when you forget them.

Chandra:         Bishu brother, make it clear, otherwise I’m losing my temper

Bishu:              Let me explain. It is a beast who feels sorry for not getting things easily available, but what lies at a distant far, pining for that is more like a human being. The glow of the light of that eternal pain of mine is incarnated in her.

Chandra:         In-law, we don’t understand these things, but there is at least one thing that we do understand is that, the less you can understand a girl, the more you are attracted to her. We are rustic people without many demands, but at least we tread on the easy path. But today I tell you, that girl will ruin you in the trap of those red oleanders.

[Exists Phagulal & Chandra]

[Enters Nandini]

Nandini:          Brother Simpleton, did you hear that by those distant roads they are going to the fields singing the song of early winter.

Bishu:              My morning is not like yours that any song can reach.  Worthless swept away remains of those tired intoxicating nights.

Nandini:          Today so happy I am that I feel like climb up the walls of this Yaksha Town and go and join them. But no way was there. Only then I come to you.

Bishu:              I’m not the wall.

Nandini:          yes, you are my wall. Whenever I come to you I reach a new height and can see the beautiful world outside.

Bishu:              when you speak this way, it feels like amazing.

Nandini:          Why?

Bishu:              The day I came to this Yaksha Town I felt like I’ve lost my sky, I felt like pressurized into a kind of lump along with these incomplete human beings, there was no relief here, suddenly came you and stared at me in such a way that I felt like there is still some light left inside me.

Nandini:          Simpleton Brother, inside this fortress called the Yaksha Town, there is a little bit of sky still visible between you and me. Everything else is closed.

Bishu:              It is only because that bit of sky that I’m still able to sing for you……

[Song]

I’ll chant music for you / that’s why you never allow me sleep / thou, who awakens my slumbering soul through sudden calls from within / O invoker of my grief / O awakener of my soul / I’ll chant music for you

There descends the dark / there returns the nest bound birds and shore bound boats / only my heart keeps throbbing on / O desolater of my slumbering soul / I’ll chant music for you.

Nandini:          Bishu, the simpleton you are calling me the invoker of your sorrow

Bishu:              You are my messenger from the other side of the ocean that I can never reach, the day you came to this Yaksha Town, it felt like a gash of salty air blew pat my heart

In between the busy schedule of my everyday toil / thou allow me no control over my ever dangling smiles and tears / thou did touch me and feel me with a life divine \ then thou fade away and do stand alone in the dark shadows of my grief / O invoker of my grief, O desolater of my slumber / I’ll chant music for you 

Nandini:          let me tell you something, you simpleton, I could never perceive that sorrow, the grief that you sing.

Bishu:              Why? Not even from Ranjan?

Nandini:          No, with his life he plays the game of either victory or defeat, it is his nature to gamble with whatever he has, holding both my hands he can easily cross rivers turbulent, taking hold of the mane of wild horses he can ride me away to forests or laughs out loud hit on a prying tiger just between the eyebrows with his arrow and then laughing out loud to blow away my fear in the forest air, he jumps into the Nagai river and swims across the tide as if he is playing. He has won me with such playfulness. Someday, you too were like them, but god knows why you came out alone of that gambling crowd. At that moment of departure, for once you looked at me, so queer it was that I understood nothing, after that there was no trace of you for a long time, will you please tell me where did you go?

Bishu:              (Sings)

O moon           the high tide of your tears touched the soul of my ocean of grief / and the overflowing banks whispered to each other / my boat was anchored to banks known / and then broke the anchor / the wind float it away beyond some unknown shore  

Nandini:          From beyond that unknown ocean banks, who brought you here, in this Yaksha Town to dig tunnels?

Bishu:             It’s a girl. As a flying bird drops down to the ground hit by an arrow, the same way she had brought me amidst this dust and debris that I even forgot myself.

Nandini:          How could she reach you?

Bishu:              When real water to quench the thirst is beyond your expectation, then your mind is easily hallucinated by oasis. After that one lose all directions to find his real self again. One fateful day, through the western window, I saw the land of golden clouds. And she saw the golden palace domes of the Sardars’. With arching eyes she asked me to bring her here. I wanted to show her how much capable I were. I dared to say, “I’ll take you there”. I did bring her under that golden tower and it is only then that my hallucination broke.

Nandini:          I’ve come to take you out of here. That chain of Gold I’ll break.

Bishu:              you have even moved the king, and then who is capable of stopping you here? Tell me, aren’t you scared of him?

Nandini:          When seen from outside of this cobweb, then he really scares; but I’ve met him beyond that cobweb.

Bishu:              And what did you saw?

Nandini:          I saw a man, but enormous he is; his forehead is like the main entrance of a palace, the hands are like some iron bolt of some untradeable fortress, I felt as if somebody has comeback from the age of the myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Bishu:              What did you see entering the room?

Nandini:          A falcon was sitting on his left forehand. Putting it on its stand,  he stared at my face for some time, after that as he was caressing the falcon he took my hands in to his and was gently rubbing them, after sometime he suddenly asked “aren’t you scared of me?” I said, ‘not at all’, then he put both his hands inside my unbraided hair and for a long time sat his eyes closed.

Bishu:              And how did you feel?

Nandini:          I liked it. How can I explain that feeling, as if he is a banyan tree of thousands of years and a little bird I’m. if I rock a little on the light edges of the branches, that makes him happy. I felt like to give that happiness to that lonely soul.

Bishu:              And what did he do after that?

Nandini:          Suddenly he jerked off and with those piercing eyes staring upon me said.”I want to know you”. That made me shiver and I said, “What is there to know about me? Am I a book?” He said,”I know everything what is there in the books, but I don’t know you” then suddenly he eagerly asked, “I want to know about Ranjan. What do you know about him?” I replied the oar inside the water loves the swelling sail in the air, the music of the air makes the sail swell and the waves dance with the rhythm of the oar”. Like an eager child he silently listened to everything. All of a sudden he startled me by asking that, “Can you die for him?””Yes”, replied I, “do you want it right now?” “Never”, as if he roared in anger. I said at this very moment I can die for him; “but what will you profit from that?” asked he? I said, “I don’t know”. Then suddenly he became restless and asked me,” go away, leave my room immediately.” What he actually meant I couldn’t understand.

Bishu:              He wants to know the clear meaning of everything and when he can’t, that makes him restless and to lose his temper.

Nandini:          Simpleton brother, don’t you feel sorry for him?

Bishu:              He will die that day the God will feel pity for him.

Nandini:          No, no, you don’t know, hoe much anxious he is to stay alive.

Bishu:              Today you yourself will see what he means by staying alive, I don’t know whether you will be able to bear that or not.

Nandini:          Careful brother, here comes the Sardar. I’m sure that he heard all we speak.

Bishu:              Everywhere in the city you will find these shadows, there is no way that you can ignore them. By the way, what do you think of him?

Nandini:          I’ve never seen anything as lifeless as he is. Just like a cane pluck out long ago, no leaves are there, no roots, not a trace of life remaining at all, dry and wavering.

Bishu:              That unfortunate man lost his freedom of living by trying to get control over it.

Nandini:          Keep quiet. He may hear us.

Bishu:              He can even listen to our silence, and that creates more troublesome. When I am among the craftsmen, I try to be careful about my words with the Sardar, that’s why they have allowed me to keep on living this life of an worthless ignominious. Their punishment can never bother me. But you off-head girl, when I’m in front of you, then I can dare, then I loath to be careful with them.

Nandini:          No, no. do not ask for trouble any more. There, there comes the Sardar.

[Enters Sardar]

Sardar:             Hey, 69E, you seem to be in love with everybody, care for some choice at least

Bishu:              My love affair started with you too, but the moment I started to care for some choice at least, the affair broke apart.

Sardar:             So, what’s the conspiracy you were making?

Bishu:              We were discussing about the way by which we can escape this fortress of yours.

Sardar              What id you say? How dare you? You are not even scared to confess in front of me?

Bishu:              Sardar, ask your heart, nothing is unknown to you. Caged birds always strike its head on the bars of the cage, he can never love it. Why should I bother whether I confess it or not?

Sardar:             I know it very well that they never make love with each other, but it is only the last few days I can see that they even dare to confess that.

Nandini:          Sardar, you promised that, today you will bring Ranjan here. But why didn’t you keep your promise?

Sardar:             Of course you will see him today

Nandini:          I knew that for sure. But still the hope you gave, for that hail to you Sardar. Take this garland of white Kunda flowers.

Bishu:              Shame, shame, you are wasting the garland. Why don’t you keep that for Ranjan?

Nandini:          I’ve already braided another garland for him

Sardar:             Of course it is there, that is hanging from her neck – this garland of Kunda is the symbol of victory – a gift only from those hands, but that is the garland to welcome – made of Red Oleanders. That is the gift from the heart. The longer the wait is – the more precious it becomes.

[Exit]

Nandini:          (Getting closer to the window) can you hear me?

Background:   yes, you can speak if you need to.

Nandini:          For once come and stand in front of the window.

Background:   Here I’m.

Nandini:          Allow me to enter your room. I’ve so much to speak with you.

Background:   why do you always request for the impossible. The right moment is yet to come. Who is he along with you? Is he Ranjan’s companion?

Bishu:              No, o king, I’m the other half of Ranjan, where light can never reach – I’m the night of the new moon.

Background:   Then why do you need Nandini? Nandini what is your relation with this man?

Nandini:          My companion he is. It is he who teaches me to sing – he has taught me……

I love, I love the tune of that flute playing on land and water /far and near

Background:   Your companion he is? What happens if I make him devoid of your company right at this very moment?

Nandini:          Why did your voice suddenly changed like that. It’ll be better if you stop talking now. You don’t have any company?

Background:   My Companion? Is it possible for the mid day sun to have any?

Nandini:          Enough! Drop that mater. My god! What is there in your hand?

Background:   A dead frog.

Nandini:          What will you do with that?

Background:   This frog was buried alive inside a stone hole, surviving a few thousand long years. I tried to know the mystery behind such long survival. But it doesn’t know how to survive. I could not tolerate that and I broke open the protective stone. Today I made him free of his continuous existence for ever. Isn’t it a good news.

Nandini:          Today your fortress of stone will break down all around me. I know that. Today I’ll unite with Ranjan.

Background:   I want to see both of you in unison.

Nandini:          You can never see our union with those spectacled eyes and from behind that cobweb of yours.

Background:   I’ll allow you inside my room to see you together.

Nandini:          What for will you do that?

Background:   I want to know.

Nandini:          It scares me when you want to know about something?

Background:   Why?

Nandini:          I feel that you don’t have any attraction to whatever is to be felt by heart, what is beyond the capability of your knowledge

Background:   In fear of being cheated I dare not to believe. You leave now. Do not waste my time. No, no, wait for a moment. Give me that bunch of Red Oleanders hanging from your hair down the cheek.

Nandini:          What’ll you do with that?

Background:   Whenever I look at those flowers, I feel like that my satanic blood is melted with those flowers. Sometimes I do feel like snatch it from you and tear it apart or on some other day I imagine Nandini herself garlanding me with both that beautiful hands with that bunch of Red Oleanders. Then –

Nandini:          Then, what will happen?

Background:   Perhaps then I can have an easy comforting death.

Nandini:          Somebody loves those Red Oleanders. Its for him I’ve made my earrings out of those flowers.

Background:   Then I’m telling you it is an evil omen for me and him too.

Nandini:          Shame on you. Do you know what you are speaking? Here I leave….

Background:   Where will you go?

Nandini:          To sit beside the entrance of your fortress.

Background:   for whom?

Nandini:          Eagerly I’m waiting for Ranjan; they will bring him in by that way.

Background:   If, among that group, I crush Ranjan down to dust that you can never recognize you again.

Nandini:          What’s wrong with you today? You are making me scared for nothing.

Background:   Just for nothing I’m scaring you? Aren’t you aware of how tremendously powerful am I?

Nandini:          Suddenly why did you change to such a horrible mood? People are scared of you, do you enjoy that? In our village Srikantha used to act as a demon in the operas – when he gets up on the stage and the boys shrieked in fear – it made him feel good. In that same situation you are now. If you do not get angry, should I tell what I really feel about you?

Background:   tell me, what is it?

Nandini:          It is the business of the people of your town to create terror and cause fear. That’s why they have projected you as queer and strange by keeping you behind that cobweb. Don’t ever you feel ashamed to live such a scary lifeless idol.

Background:   Nandini, you know what are you saying?

Nandini:          The people, who are scared of you for so many days, someday they will feel the shame of being afraid. If my Ranjan would have been here, he would die with a smile, but afraid? He never can be.

Background:   How dare you? I’m feeling like making you stand on the mountain of debris that I’ve created by destruction for a long time. After that

Nandini:          After that, what?

Background:   After that I’ll destroy the last thing I must have to. As the juice of a pomegranate is squeezed out through between ten powerful fingers, lust like that, with these hands of mine - leave, leave, escape from here, escape now.

Nandini:          Here do I stand. You can do whatever you can. Why are you roaring so loud?

Background:   I feel like showing you everything to prove how much ruthless I am. Have you never heard dreadful moaning from inside my room?

Nandini:          Yes, I had.  But what can be the cause of those dreadful moans?

Background:   I reveal the magic of the creator. It is the wailing of those torn souls which I had snatched from the very core of the universe. If you want to steal fire from some tree, then you have to burn that tree out to ashes. Nandini that same fire is burning inside you, burning red that fire is, someday I’ll burn and bring that out, there is no other relief apart from this.

Nandini:          why so cruel you are?

Background:   Either I get or destroy. I can never show mercy to what I can’t achieve. Destroying something is also a kind of achieving something.

Nandini:          what is that? Why are putting your fisted hand outside the window?

Background:   Well, I pull it back, but you escape from here as a pigeon flies away even at the shadow of the falcon.

Nandini:          All right, I’m leaving; no more I’ll make you angry.

Background:   Listen, listen to me. Come back Nandini. Nandini! Nandini!

Nandini:          Yes, what is it?

Background:   In front of me, there is the playfulness of eyes in your eyes, in your face, and when you turn back, those black flowing hair seems like the stream of death. That day, these powerful hands of mine felt the comfort of death in your hair. I could never imagine that so enchanting death can be. I longed for sleep when my face was covered with those flowing tufts of hair. You just don’t know how much tired I’m.

Nandini:          Do you never sleep?

Background:   I’m scared to sleep

Nandini:          Then better I finish my song….

I love, I love the tune of that flute playing on land and water /far and near / in the sky some unknown soul is overflowing with tears and beyond the horizon shedding tears are a pair of beautiful black eyes

Background:   Stop, stop it. Don’t you sing any more.

Nandini:

That melody tears all bondages beshore the ocean unknown / as if boundless tears are swelling up / that melody rings in my heart to remind me lyrics of some song forgotten long ago / smiles and tears of some forgotten past

                        My simpleton brother had thrown the dead frog away and escaped without being noticed. He is scared to listen to my songs

Bishu:              the old frog residing in his heart has always kept safe distance from everything melodious, he feels like dying when he listens to your song. That’s why he is scared. You off-head, today I can see a glow in your face, some plan is brewing inside you, wouldn’t you tell me?

Nandini:          Today Ranjan will come; my heart has got the news.

Bishu:              What is the exact source of it?

Nandini:          Then let me tell you, every morning a blue throated bird comes and sit on the pomegranate tree just beside my window. Every evening I pray to the polestar, that if a feather of that bird flies inside my room, then I will know that my Ranjan is coming. Today, the moment I woke up, I saw that the northern wind has blown in a feather to my bed. Look, I’ve kept it in the folds of the cloth of my bosom.

Bishu:              that I can see. Today you have put on kumkum bindi also.

Nandini:          The moment I meet Ranjan, I’ll put this feather to his crown.

Bishu:              People say that the feather of blue-necked bird is a good omen for any journey to victory.

Nandini:          Ranjan’s journey to victory will pass through my heart.

Bishu:              Off-head, now it is time to return to my work.

Nandini:          No, today I’ll never allow you to work any more.

Bishu:              Then, what will I do?

Nandini:          Today, you will sing for me.

Bishu:              what should I sing for you?

Nandini:          Your songs of longing and waiting, the way

It is for ages that he longed for me / perhaps it is he waiting for me by the roadside / today why I suddenly remembered some distant dreams by the corner of my eyes / perhaps it is he waiting by the road side  / today we will welcome the moon with the light of music / a simple gesture will wipe the night away / under the light of the full moon, for a moment we will unite / no veils there will be / perhaps it is he who is waiting by the road side

Nandini:          You simpleton, when you sing, I feel like you deserve a lot from me, but just nothing I could give you.

Bishu:              With that ‘nothing’ that you gave, , crowning my forehead. go away will I forever. The songs that I sing are not available by mare money. Now, where will you go?

Nandini:          To wait beside the entrance through which Ranjan will enter the town and of course to listen more songs from you.

[Exits both]

[Enter the Sardar and the chieftain]

Sardar:             No, Ranjan can never be allowed to enter the town.

Chieftain:        My intention was to keep him separate. That’s why I sent him to work in the fortress of the thunder.

Sardar:             Now, what’s up?

Chieftain         nothing we could do. He said that he is not habituated to work under order’s.

Sardar:             Then why don’t you make him to develop that habit as soon as possible.

Chieftain:        We tried that also; even the senior most chieftains came along with the town commissioner of police. Nothing can make him scare. The moment your voice has sounds like a little threat, he starts to laugh out loud. If you ask him, he will say, “Seriousness is the mask of the fools. To remove that mask I’ve come.”

Sardar:             Why didn’t you put him along with the group of tunnel diggers?

Chieftain:        I did. I expected that he will succumb under pressure, but it turned out to be exactly the opposite. As if the pressure was released from the other diggers also. As if all intoxicated they were. They said, “today we will dance the dance of digging”

Sardar:             Dance of digging? What is the hell is that?

Chieftain:        Ranjan started singing. They said, “Where is the drum?” He said what for do we need that. If drums are not available, then spades are. The spades started to strike in a rhythm; they started playing with lumps of gold. What kind of process it was the chieftain asked?” Ranjan said “the bindings of work I’ve released, you don’t have to drag it any more, and it’ll go dancing its way”

Sardar:             That man is insane.

Chieftain:        Completely off his head. I asked him to pick the spade up and start working, instead he asked for a harmonium and even clamed that it will work more efficiently.

Sardar:             You sent him away to the fortress of Thunder, then how did he manage to come here to this fortress of Kuber?

Chieftain:        That is beyond my knowledge, my lord. With iron chains we did chained him, but within a few moments he startled us slipping out of it. There is no such chain ever made that can bind him. Moreover, he is always changing his appearance, so quickly he can change disguise. Just amazing he is. If he stays here for a few days, there will not be a single digger that we would be able to control.

Sardar:             Who is there? Isn’t it Ranjan singing on his way? Moreover he had also arranged for a broken harmony. Look, how dare he is, he is not even trying to conceal at.

Chieftain:        Indeed, indeed. He knows magic. He has broken through the iron bars of the prison.

Sardar:             Go and call him now. Inside this fortress he must not meet Nandini.

Chieftain:        everyday his followers are growing in numbers. I’m afraid someday we might start dancing to his tune.

[Enters the 2^nd Sardar]

Sardar:             Where are you going?

2^nd Sardar:       To arrest Ranjan.

Sardar:             Why you? Where is the one senior to you?

2^nd Sardar:       After meeting with Ranjan, so very much amused he is that he doesn’t even want to touch him. He is saying that how curious we Sardars have become so curious, I can understand that very well from his grin.

Sardar:             Listen to me, they are no need to arrest him, just send him to the king.

2^nd Sardar:       But he will never obey the king.

Sardar:             You just do as I say. You tell him that the king has made her his concubine.

2^nd Sardar:       But if the king..

Sardar:             that should not bother you. Well I myself is going with you.

[Exit all]

[Enters Professor and the Mythologist]

Mythologist:    as if some holocaust is going on inside the earth. What a terrible noise it is.

Professor:        Perhaps the king is angry with himself. So he is destroying something to pieces that he himself has created.

Mythologist:    It sounds like big columns are collapsing to ground.

Professor:        There was a lake beneath that mountain of ours. Water from the Sankhini river used to deposit there. Someday the big rock that held the water back tumbled down and the water flowed down like the laughter of some lady insane. For the lat few days I have a feeling that that the stone that guards the accumulation of the king is under some pressure, it has started to corrode from under the ground.

Mythologist:    You materialist, where did you bring me in and why?

Professor:        He wants to accumulate everything that is there to know. He has learnt everything of my material science. Now he is getting restless and saying that,” your knowledge is finding one problem after solving the previous one, but where is the key to enter the heart of that eternity. I thought let him forget about me and learn some myths. – All my knowledge he has acquired , now lets him bring under control with some mythology. ” can you see that? Who is going?

Mythologist:    A girl, wearing saree as yellow as golden rice grains.

Professor:        By her whole appearance she attracts all the possible happiness towards her. She is our Nandini. In this Yaksha Town, we have the Sardars and the chieftains; there are craftsmen and tunnel diggers here, even there is a scholar like me – we have the head of the guards, the professional killers, the dead body sweepers – every body has mingled in a whole. But she is a total misfit here. Amidst the din and bustle of the town she is the Tanpura tuned in music. On some days, the protective concentration on my material science shatters by the air when she passes by. My concentration opens up its wings like a bird wild and escapes through that net of my concentration.

Mythologist:    What are you saying? Can she even make your old bones dance with rhythm?

Professor:        When the attraction of heart becomes more powerful than the eagerness for knowledge, then it becomes very hard to take control over the attraction of skipping schools.

Mythologist:    Now, will you please tell me, where I will meet your king?

Professor:        There is no chance to meet him face to face. You will only speak with him with the cobweb in between.

Mythologist:    What did you say? A cobweb will be in between?

Professor:        What else can you expect? It is not like that you are speaking with some lady in her veil. Here only words do matter. Perhaps the cows in his stable directly secrete butter instead of milk.

Mythologist:    It is the tendency of the scholars to discard everything unnecessary and concentrate on only what that matters.

Professor:        But it was not the intention of the creator. He has created the useful only to nourish the useless. He honors the seed of the fruit but it is the flesh that he loves.

 Mythologist:   recently I noticed that your mind is continuously after the golden color of the rice grains. But you Professor, how do you bear with this king of yours?

Professor:        I tell you the truth; I’m in love with him.

Mythologist:    What did you say?

Professor:        He is so great that his vices can never overshadow is virtues.

[Enters Sardar]

Sardar:             hey, Professor, this particular man you chose. Our king lost his temper learning about the details of his knowledge.

Professor:        How can it be possible?

Sardar:             He says that there is nothing called myths. Only the present is stretching itself forward.

Mythologist:    If no myth is there then how is it possible that everything still exists. If there is no past, then how can the present be possible?

Sardar: The king says that eternity expresses itself through progress, the scholars do mislead us by saying that eternity is carrying us towards the past.

Professor:        The king is having momentary glimpse of that blissful eternity in the comforting dark shadows of Nandini’s youthful vivacity – he is not being able to get hold of it – and is getting angry with our material science.

[Nandini enters quickly]

Nandini:          Sardar, Sardar, what is that? Who are those people?

Sardar:             O Nandini, that white garland of Kunda flowers I’ll wear when the night will be dead, in that darkness when nearly one third of mine is invisible. It is only then that this white garland might look good on me.

Nandini:          Look there, how horrible it is. As if the door of hell has opened up. Who are they along with the guards coming through the backdoor of the Royal palace?

Sardar:             we call them the left over of the king.

Nandini:          What do you mean by that?

Sardar:             You’ll understand the meaning, but it will take some time. Drop the matter today.

Nandini:          But how queer their appearance is. Are they human beings made of flesh and bone-marrow? Is Life or heart still remaining in those shadows?

Sardar:             Perhaps not.

Nandini:          Now where are they lost?

Sardar:             You materialist, better you explain it to her. I’m leaving.

[Exit]

Nandini:          “Who are they? I can recognize some known faces among those shadows.. Surely they are Anup and Upamanyu, professor; they are from the village adjacent to us. Both the brothers are as tall as stout. Everybody called them Tal and Tamal. Every year they used to come to participate in the boat race in our river just before the full moon days during the rains, its shocking, who did this to them? There is Shaklu I can see – look here, look this way, here am I, yours Nandini, Nandini from the Eshani village. They didn’t look up. There heads are bowed down for ever. Who is thst? Isn’t he Kanku? Alas, they have sucked out the boy like sugarcane and threw him away. So shy he was. Whenever I went to fetch water from the river, there he always sat on the slope of the river bank, pretending that he had come to collect some reeds to make arrows out of them. In my playfulness I teased him a lot. O Koknu, look at me. Alas! He didn’t even answer me when someday his blood would dance with a single gesture of mine. All is lost. All the lights in our villages are burnt out. Professor, there is no more iron remaining, it is only the black rust that is left. Do you have the answer for why all this happen?

Professor:        Today, your vision witness the side where lies the ashes. Once you get a look of the flame, you’ll see the wavering greedy tongue burning.

Nandini:          your words I can’t understand.

Professor:        Haven’t you seen the king.. I think you were amazed by that stature.

Nandini:          Of course I have. It is a stature of enormous power.

Professor:        That amazing power is the debit and these cruel ugly shadows are the credit of it. Those who are small continue to turn to ashes and the more powerful continue burn like flames. This is the secret of progress.

Nandini:          that is the theory of demons.

Professor:        to get angry on the theory is useless. It is beyond good or evil. It describes just open happens and it will. If you go against that, you will go against the law of nature.

Nandini:          If this is the proof of being a human being, then I don’t want to be – I’ll also go away with those shadows, show me the way.

Professor:        When the time will come, they themselves will show you the way, before that, there is nothing to bother you called the way. Look there, the mythologist is slowly trying to escape with his life. Allow him to go for some distance, only then he will understand the cobweb stretches for miles uncountable. Nandini, are you getting angry? That bunch of Red Oleanders on your tiara is glowing like that crimson dusk that will destroy each and everything.

Nandini:          (Knocking at the window), will you listen to me, will you?

Professor:        Whom you are calling?

Nandini:          I’m calling your king, hidden behind that mist of cobweb.

Professor:        The door inside is already closed. He won’t be able to hear you now.

Nandini:          Bishu brother, simpleton brother…..

Professor         Why are you calling him?

Nandini:          He didn’t return yet, scared I’m.

Professor:        Just a few moments ago I saw him with you.

Nandini:          The Sardar said that he has been called for to identify Ranjan. I wanted to go along with him, but they didn’t allow me – what is that wailing of?

Professor:        I think it is that wrestler.

Nandini:          Who is he?

Professor:        You know that world famous Gajju, his brother Bhajan dared to challenge the king in wrestling, after that not a single thread of his wrestling cloth was found. To avenge that Gajju came challenging, the very first moment I warned him that “if you have to come to this Yaksha Town, come as a tunnel digger, then you might stay alive for a few more days dying moments, but your manliness will never be tolerated for a moment, this land is too much dangerous”.

Nandini:          Do they feel good working with these traps to catch people every moment?

Professor:        There is nothing good or bad in this, it is all about survival and this very existence of all those people has become so much heavy that they need millions of people can carry that burden. That’s why the cobweb is everyday stretching in length. They have to survive at any cost.

Nandini:          At any cost they have to stay alive? Where is the problem to die just to stay alive like human beings?

Professor:        Again that tempers that sounds like music? The symphony created of Red Oleanders? Very beautiful indeed, but what ever is true, is true. If you try to justify that you agree to die to stay alive, of course you can. But only they do exist who say that you have to kill to survive. You might say that this is the vice of  humanity, but that hot temper of yours makes you do forget that, after all this is what humanity truly is a tiger never eats another tiger, but we human beings grow bigger by consuming other people.

[Enters the wrestler]

Nandini:          O, ho, look at him; he is coming staggering his way. Wrestler, you lie here down. Professor, would you please see where the injury is?

Professor:        From outside you will never find any mark of injury.

Wrestler:          O merciful God, if I get my power back only for once, for a day only.

Professor:        Then what will you do?

Wrestler:          I just want to tear apart the neck of that Sardar.

Professor:        What the wrong he has done to you?

Wrestler:          He is at the root of everything. I never wanted to fight. Now he is telling everybody that it was my fault.

Professor:        Why, why will he do like that?

Wrestler:          He will be satisfied only when there will be no powerful man left on this earth, O my lord, someday I might be able to pluck those eyes out, I might be able to pull and tear that tongue apart.

Nandini:          wrestler, how are you feeling now?

Wrestler:          It seems like I have been hollowed from inside. Where from these demons came, magical power they do possess. They not only sucks out the physical strength but drains out the inner confidence also – if somehow for once – O you merciful almighty, ah, only for once – nothing is impossible for you – if I could only take a bite of that sordid chest of the Sardar.

Nandini:          Hold him, Professor; we will carry him to my shelter.

Professor:        I dare not Nandini. That’ll be a crime against the law of the land.

Nandini:          Don’t you feel that it is a greater crime to let this man die like this.

Professor:        If there is none to punish the crime, then you might consider it as a sin, but never a crime. Nandini, you come out off all this dirt for ever. The tree spread its roots beneath the ground just to consume and suck, there it doesn’t bloom the flowers, and they bloom on the branches looking at the eternity of the sky. You are Red Oleanders, why should you bother about what we are doing beneath the surface of the earth. We are looking up and forward to watch you dangling in the air. There comes the Sardar. Let me escape. He can never tolerate that I speak with you.

Nandini:          Why is he angry with me?

Professor:        Perhaps, I can guess. You pulled the strings of his heart from deep inside, creating a rhythm that he never knew and the more he fails to feel the symphony, the louder gets the cacophony.

[Exit]

[Enters Sardar]

Nandini:          Sardar

Sardar:            Seeing that garland of Kundo in my house, Gosainji’s eyes - hail, here he himself comes, bow to you my lord; this is Nandini who gifted me this garland

[Enters Gosain]

Gosain:            only a pious soul can gift garlands of such white stench less flowers created by the almighty – even it didn’t lose shabby in the hands of a wealthy man. Here I witness the power of virtue and the hope of reincarnation of the sinners.

Nandini:          Gosainji, do something for this man. There is a little life still remaining in him.

Gosain:            After considering all the possible aspects, the Sardar will keep him alive only as much as he needs to be. But, my child, discussion like this doesn’t sooth our ears – we do not like this at all.

Nandini:          So, in this land, there are some aspects to be considered to measure how much one can live his own life?

Gosain:            Of- course there is. The earthly life is limited. So you have to understand all the debits and credits and the management of all the divisions. Upon the people of our reputation, the creator has bestowed the enormous responsibility. We must have the bigger share of life. They don’t have any need to live longer. Isn’t it a great relief for them?

Nandini:          Gosainji, the god has provided you with the tremendous responsibility of looking after these people?

Gosain:            There is no need to quarrel upon this division which is beyond all limits. We have come here to show them the way to the heart. If they are satisfied with this only then we can be friends.

Nandini:          Will this man continue to lie here this way with the little and limited life still remaining in him?

Gosain;            Sardar, what do you say?

Sardar:             Right you are. How can I allow him to lie down here and die? From now on he will not have any need to use his power to move around. We, ourselves will make him move with our power. Hey, Gajju….

Wrestler:          Yes my lord!

Gosain:            O god, hail to you. The voice is already softened down quite a bit. I think now I can include him in my group to sing the name of the almighty.

Sardar:             You have been allowed shelter in the house of the chieftain of sector K and KH. Go there.

Nandini:          What are you saying? How is it possible for him to walk?

Sardar:             Look Nandini, it is our business to move people around. We know that very well that, even when somebody falls on his face, there is still some distance he can cover if pushed heard from behind. Go Gajju, go..

Wrestler:          As you order my lord.

Nandini:          I too am going to the chieftain’s house. There will be none to look after you.

Wrestler:          No, no, you stay here. The Sardar might get angry.

Nandini:          I’m not scared of his wrath.

Wrestler:          But I’m. I plead you, please do not create any more trouble.

[Exit]

Nandini:          Sardar, Sardar don’t go, where is Bishu, my simpleton brpther?

Sardar:             Who am I to take him? The wind carries the cloud away, but if you hold the wind responsible for that, then go and ask who has pushed the wind?

Nandini:          How ruinous a land this is. You people are not human beings – and whom you drive and move around aren’t they too? You are the gush of wind and they are the clouds. Gosain, you must have this information that where is Bishu, my simpleton brother?

Gosain:            of course I know. Where ever he is it is for the benefit of all.

Nandini:          For whose benefit did you say?

Gosain:            you will not understand that. Oh, leave, leave, it is my praying thread, there it snaps. Hey, Sardar, why don’t you do something about this girl?

Sardar:             Nobody knows how she could take shelter here exploiting the loop holes of the law, our king himself….

Gosain:            Now she is going to tear away the cloth written with the name the Lord, it is really bothering. I’m leaving.

Nandini:          Sardar, you must say where is my Bishu the simpleton.

Sardar:             They have summoned him to the court nothing more I’ve to say. Leave me alone. I’ve a lot of pending works to do.

Nandini:          Aren’t you scared only because of a girl I’m? The king of the Gods sends through the flames of the lightning, that thunder I’m carrying, it will break and bring down that golden tower of your leadership.

Sardar:             Then let me tell you the truth. It is you who are responsible for the trouble he is in.

Nandini:          It’s me?

Sardar:             Till a few days ago he was digging tunnel like a vermin in the nether world, it is you who taught him how to spread his wings to death. Quite a number of people you will attract, after that there will be the final settlement between you and me and that day will come soon.

Nandini:          Well, let that be. But before you leave, you tell me, will you allow me to meet Ranjan?

Sardar:             Never

Nandini:          Never! I’ll also see how you can. I’ll meet him. Surely I’ll. You see, surely I will. And I tell you that today we will unite.

[Exit Sardar]

Nandini:          (Knocking at the window), listen, listen to me O king, where is your court of judgment? I’ll tear apart this cobweb that is hiding you. Who is he? Isn’t he Kishore? Kishore, do you know where my simpleton brother is?

[Enters Kishore]

Kishore:           yes Nandini, this very moment you will see him again. Prepare your mind for that. I don’t know why the head of the guards took pity looking at my face. On my request he agreed to take Bishu by this way.

Nandini:          The head of the guards? Then is it…

Kishore:           Yes, there he comes

Nandini:          What’s that? You are hand cuffed? My simpleton brother, where are they taking you?

[The guards enter with Bishu]

Bishu:              Don’t you worry, you off-head. There is nothing wrong at all. After waiting for so long the day of my salvation has ultimately come.

Nandini:          I can’t understand what you are saying.

Bishu:              When I was always scared and cared for avoiding trouble at every step of my life, then free was I. there was no such bondage as that freedom.

Nandini:          But what have you done that they arrested and hand cuffed you?

Bishu:              After a long time today I dared to speak the truth.

Nandini:          Now what is the problem with that?

Bishu:              Nothing at all.

Nandini:          Then why did they put you in chains?

Bishu:              Chains can do no harm to me. I’ve reached my freedom by the way of truth – these chains are testimony of that.

Nandini:          They are making to walk by the streets like a beast in chains. Don’t they feel ashamed? Shame, shame, they are also called human beings.

Bishu:              But there is a horrible beast always residing inside – they never hesitate to insult, instead the bestial tail inside the heart swells up and starts to rock in pride.

Nandini:          O simpleton brother, have they beaten you? What are those marks on your body?

Bishu:              They whipped me with the whip they use to tame the dogs. The same thread that makes the whip also makes the praying beads of the Gosain.  They do forget it when they pray to God.

Nandini:          My brother, let them put me in chain also and allow you to walk beside you. I won’t be able to take a bite of food if I don’t  get my share of the torture you have bearded.

Kishore:           I can easily manipulate that they will take me instead of you. Of course if you permit.

Bishu:              You are speaking like an insane.

Kishore:           They can never bother me with torture, being much younger I can easily bear it with pleasure.

Nandini:          No, Kishore no, do not speak like that.

Kishore:           Today I skipped my job and they have noticed it. Most notorious spies are after me. The insult that I will face from them, this torture will save me from that.

Bishu:              No, Kishore, you have to remain free for some more time. There is something really risky still to do. Ranjan has arrived here. at any cost you have to free him. A tough job it is.

Kishore:           Nandini, then immediately I should leave. When I meet Ranjan, what will I tell him about you?

Nandini:          Nothing you have to say. Just give him this bracelet of Red Oleanders, everything he’ll understand.

[Exists Kishore]

Bishu:              At last you and Ranjan will unite.

Nandini:          But that will not be pleasing at all. I’ll never be able to forget that I could give you nothing. And that boy Kishore, what did he get from me?

Bishu:              The fire you have ignited in his heart that has exposed all the wealth of his soul. What more do you want? Do you remember that you have to put the feather of the blue bird in Ranjan’s crown?

Nandini:          Here it is. In the pleats of the cloth that cover my heart.

Bishu:              You off-head, can’t you here the song of harvesting.

Nandini:          Of course I can, and my soul is shading tears.

Bishu:              The magic of the field no more exists. The owner of the land is taking his harvest back home. Come on guards; let’s not waste time any more.

This is the last time we harvest / gather everything that you can / and what you cannot, let it be soiled to earth

[Exists everybody]

[Enters Doctor and Sardar]

Doctor:            I checked him. I found out that he is irritated with himself. The disease is not physical but mental.

Sardar:             What is the reason behind it?

Doctor:            A shock. That will shatter him. Either make him fight some other king or by creating some trouble among his own subjects.

Sardar:             That means, if he can not kill someone else, he will kill himself.

Doctor:            Rich people are they, they plays like grown up children, whenever they lost interest in something, at once a new one must be provided, and otherwise he will break the previous one. But be careful Sardar, there is only a little time at hand.

Sardar:             Looking at the symptoms, I’ve already kept everything ready. But alas, how painful it is, our city of gold was overflowing with wealth as never before. – and at the same time – well, you may go, let me think for some time.

[Exists Doctor]

[Enters the Chieftain]

Chieftain:        Sardar sir, you called for me? I’m the Chieftain of sector J.

Sardar:             you are number 321, isn’t it?

Chieftain:        What a memory sir, you don’t even forget somebody even as unworthy as me.

Sardar:             My wife is coming from the native place. The carriage will change near your sector. She should reach here as early as possible.

Chieftain:        There is an epidemic of cows in my canton. Bulls will be scarce to draw the curt. But you do not worry sir, I’ll engage the diggers.

Sardar:             Hope you know where to send her. It is the farm house where the Sardars will feast.

Chieftain:        I do sir. I’m going right now. But please allow me to tell you something and better you pay some attention to it. That man, 69E, everybody calls him Bishu. The simpleton, the time has come to treat him for his insanity.

Sardar:             What’s up? Is he bothering you?

Chieftain:        Not by his words but of course by his gestures.

Sardar:             you don’t have to worry about him anymore, you understand.

Chieftain:        Is that so? Then everything is going to be fine. And one more thing, sir, he has close acquaintance with that 47F.

Sardar:             Yes, I’ve noticed that too.

Chieftain:        There is nothing that can escape your eyes, my lord. But still – so many responsibilities are upon you – a few things you may miss. Just think No. 95 of my sector, a distant in-law of mine – ever ready to donate even his ribs to mend the shoes of the Sardar’s sweeper, even his wife respects him for his devotion, but still today –

Sardar:             his name has been include3d in the big ledger.

Chieftain:        O, at last, he is rewarded for his devotion. But I’ve to be careful while giving the news to him, he has epilepsy – who knows, everything is possible.

Sardar:             Well, I’ll take care of that, but you leave quickly.

Chieftain:        There is something more that I think I should bring to your notice – though he is my brother- in-law, , after his mother’s death it is my wife who took care of him – but still he needs to be loyal to his master.

Sardar:             Tomorrow we’ll speak about him. Now you do hurry to carry out the orders given to you.

Chieftain:        There comes the 2^nd Sardar. Please tell him something in my favor. He is not at all pleased with me. When that 69E was a frequent visitor to the masters, I believe, it was then when he…

Sardar:             No, no, he had never ever mentioned your name.

Chieftain:        That’s how much shroud he is. If a man is of some repute, then it is his way to crush down that man to death under the weight of his own reputation. It’s not fare to guile and say ill of others. Our 33 has the same disease. He has nothing to do, but is a very frequent visitor to the Master’s private chamber. I’m afraid what wrong he might say against somebody. But if you come to know about his personal affairs

Sardar:             Your time is up for today. You may go now.

Chieftain:        Then with your kind permission (but returns), one more thing, No. 88 of the other sector, it is only a few days ago that he was appointed with a salary of mere Rs. 30, but within a few years every month he is earning at least a thousand and half including the bribes.

Sardar:             Tomorrow we will speak about that.

Chieftain:        I’ve still some mercy and kindness left in my heart; I do not want to do any harm to him. Our Bishnudutta knows all about him. You just call him and ask

Sardar:             Well, I’ll call him today, but now you go.

Chieftain:        My lord, my third son is quite grown up now. He came here to pay respect to you – for three consecutive days he tried in vain. Quite distress he is. And my daughter-in-law also wants to send some special dish for the master

Sardar:             Well, ask her to come the day after tomorrow. I’ll meet her.                   

[Exists Chieftain]

[Enters the 2^nd Sardar]

2^nd Sardar:       I’ve just sent all the musicians and dancing girls to the farm house.

Sardar:             And what about Ranjan?

2^nd Sardar:       These types of jobs are beyond my capability. The Junior Sardar himself has taken the responsibility.

Sardar:             Has the king?

2^nd Sardar:       The king must have failed to recognize him. I put him inside a group. But I can’t approve this way of cheating to the king.

Sardar:             Sometimes it is our responsibility to cheat the king, or to prevent him. That is my responsibility. But immediately that girl must be…

2^nd Sardar:       No, no, these words are not for me. The Chieftain who has taken the responsibility, none is more suitable then him – doing the nastiest is just nothing for him.

Sardar:             Is Kenaram Gosain aware of Ranjan?

2^nd Sardar:       Everybody has guessed it, but none wants to know it clearly.

Sardar:             Why?

2^nd Sardar:       Perhaps, it gives them a scope to say, “I don’t know”

Sardar:             What’s wrong with that?

2^nd Sardar:       Don’t you understand, only one appearance we have, that of the Sardar’s. but from one side he is the Gosain and from the other he is the Sardar. The moment you take that cloth out with names of god written all over it, that Sardar self is revealed. So he has to pretend to be ignorant of the Sardarship, then it is less troublesome to take the name of god.

Sardar:             He can very easily stop taking the name of god.

2^nd Sardar:       It is very much probable that foul blood is flowing in his veins, but after all he is a person scared of religion, so he feels comfort when he takes the name of God in front of all, and be a Sardar at their back. It is only because of him that our god is in a comfortable position, he covers the dark spots of godhood, otherwise it won’t look good.

Sardar:             The blood in your veins is yet to achieve the nastiness of a Sardar.

2^nd Sardar:       When the blood will dry up, there won’t be problem anymore, and I hope there is some hope still left. But still I can’t tolerate that No. 321 of yours. Even with a tong I’ll loath to touch him. When I’ve to embrace him as a friend in public – I loathe it even more. Even a bath of sacred water will not chastise my heart. There, Nandini is coming.

Sardar:             Let’s go 2^nd Sardar.

2^nd Sardar:       Why? There is nothing to be afraid.

Sardar:             I don’t believe you anymore. I can see that you are quite mesmerized by that girl.

2^nd Sardar:       But you don’t know that even in your eyes the glow of Red Oleanders has mingled with the redness of power and duty and that is why they are so horribly red now.

Sardar:             May be, the mind seldom realizes what he wants. You come with me

[Exists both]

[Enters Nandini]

Nandini:          every moment the dusk is turning to crimson red with purple clouds. Is it the color of my reconciliation, as if the crimson vermillion of me forehead is spread across the sky. (Knocking at the window), listen, listen to me, unless you listen my words I won’t move an inch from here

[Enters Gosain]

Gosain:            Whom are you calling?

Nandini:          The python that niggles up human beings from behind that cobweb

Gosain:            O gracious god, when you decide to kill the inglorious, you do so by making them speak such tall words with their mouth so unworthy. Look Nandini, I hope you can understand that I’m praying for your good.

Nandini:          That will do no good to me.

Gosain:            Come to my temple; let me sing the name of god for you for some time.

Nandini:          What will I do with only the name?

Gosain:            At least you will have some mental peace

Nandini:          If it is still possible for my mind to have some peace, then shame on me. I’ll wait here, beside the door

Gosain:            you have more faith on those worthless people than you do have on God?

Nandini:          The deity of that flagpole will never soften down. But that man behind the cobweb, will he be confined forever? Go, go away, it is your business to tear the life apart from the soul and then make a fool of him by the name of God.

[Exists Gosain]

[Enters Phagulal & Chandra]

Phagulal:         Bishu came along with you, now where is he, tell me the truth.

Nandini:          They have arrested him and have taken to the prison.

Chandra:         You witch, you made him arrested, their spy you are

Nandini:          How could you blame me like that?

Chandra:         Otherwise, what are you doing here? You are roaming around only to make people infatuated with you

Phagulal:         Here everybody doubts everybody. But still we believe you. In our heart – but let’s drop the matter here. I’m feeling like something uncanny is going to happen today.

Nandini:          May be. Very much possible it is. It is only because of me that he is in danger. Once he himself said that it was much secure to stay among you.

Chandra:         You disastrous girl, then why did you mislead him here?

Nandini:          He said that he wants to be free.

Chandra:         Now, the ultimate freedom you have given him.

Nandini:          Chandra, I never really always understand what he really meant to say. Why did he say that when you sink beneath all the troubles, only then you can attain freedom? Phagulal who wants freedom from the tortures of security, then how could I save him.

Chandra:         Such things I don’t understand, if you can’t bring him back then you will die too, of course you will. I’m not going to be impressed by that beautiful face of yours.

Phagulal:         Your scolding is nothing but useless now. Let me gather some people from the craftsman sector. We will demolish that prison to debris.

Nandini:          I too will go along with you?

Phagulal:         What will you do there?

Nandini:          I’ll go to destroy.

Chandra:         You witch, already you have destroyed enough. Nothing more we expect from you.

[Enters Gokul]

Gokul:             The first thing that we should do is to burn that witch to death.

Chandra:         You’ll kill her? That is no punishment for her. The beauty with which she ruins, destroy that beauty of her, as you weed out grass with the spade, the same way weed her beauty away.

Gokul:             Very easily I can do that, with a single blow of this hammer in my hand.

Phagulal:         Be aware, if you touch her

Nandini:          Stop, Phagulal stop. A coward he is. He is scared of me. That is why he wants to kill me. I’m not scared of him at all. Let that coward do whatever he can?

Gokul:             Phagulal, till now you cannot think clearly. You take Sardar as your enemy. Let that be. If the enemy is straight forward, then he deserves some respect. But that girl, with that beautiful face

Nandini:          You respect Sardar as the dart respects the bottom of your feet. A slave can never respect.

Phagulal:         Gokul, the time has come to show your power as a man. But it is not in front of a girl. You come with me.

[Exists Phagulal Chandra & Gokul]

[Enters a group of people]

Nandini:          Hey, where are you going?

1^st:                   We are carrying the oblation for the flag worship.

Nandini:          Have you seen Ranjan?

2^nd:                   I saw him for once about five days ago, but not for once after that. you go and ask them, they might tell you.

Nandini:          Who are they?

3^rd:                   They are carrying wine for the Sardar s’ feast. Professor

[Exists the group]

[Enters another Group]

Nandini:          Hey, Red hats, have you seen Ranjan?

1^st:                   That night I saw him at Sambhu chieftain’s house.

Nandini:          Where is he now?

2^nd:                   Ask them, they are carrying the decorative elements for the reception. They do hear something which can never reach other ears.

[Exists the group]

[Enters another Group]

Nandini:          Hey, do you know where they have kept Ranjan?

1^st:                   Quiet, quiet

Nandini:          then it is sure that you know. You have to tell me.

2^nd:                   What enters through our ear, they never come in our mouth. That’s why still alive we are. There, they are carrying the weapons, ask them.

[Exit]

Nandini:          Hey, you wait for a minute, please tell me where is Ranjan?

1^st:                   Listen to me. The time has come. The king must come out of his cover to worship the flag. Better you ask him. We know the beginning, but we know nothing about the end.

[Exit]

(Knocking at the window)

Nandini:          The time has come. Open the door.

Background:   Again you have come at the wrong time. You leave now, leave quickly.

Nandini:          I’ve little time to wait. You must listen to me.

Background: what do you have to tell? Speak out from there and leave quickly.

Nandini:          The melody that is in my words won’t reach your ears from outside.

Background:   Today is the day of Flag worship. Do not disturb me. It will disturb the rituals. Leave, leave, and leave right now.

Nandini:          I’m not scared any more. You can’t drive me away like that. I’ll prefer to die, but I won’t move an inch without you opening the door.

Background:   Is it Ranjan that you want? I’ve given the Sardars order to bring him here right now. Do not stand at the door while I’m going to worship. Disastrous it will be.

Nandini:          The gods have enough time and they can wait for ages for being worshipped. The grief and sorrow of human beings tries to touch other humans. A little time he has.

Background:   Tired I am. Tired as someone dead.. I’ll get rid of this depression by worshipping the flag. Do not force me to take pity. Now if you try to obstruct, you’ll be crushed beneath the wheels of my chariot.

Nandini:          Let the wheels pass over my breast, I won’t move.

Background:   Nandini, I’ve pampered you enough, that’s why you can dare. But today you have to be scared of me.

Nandini:          I too want that; as you scare everybody else, try to scare me that way too. I hate those pampers of yours.

Background:   You do hate? Today I’ll destroy that hatred. Now the time has come to introduce my real self to you.

Nandini:          I’m eagerly waiting for that introduction. Open the door. (The door opens) what’s that? Who is lying there? He looks like Ranjan.

King:               What did you say? Ranjan? He can never be Ranjan.

Nandini:          yes, yes, this is my Ranjan?

King:               Then why didn’t he say his name? Why did he come with such obstinate brevity?

Nandini:          Wake up Ranjan, wake up and see at last I’ve come to meet you my friend. King, why isn’t he waking up?

King:               Cheating. They have cheated me. A disaster it will be. The machines I created, is obeying me no more. You, call the Sardar. Bring him here in chains.

Nandini:          King, wake him up. Everybody says you have magical powers. Wake him up.

King:               From the lord of death I’ve learnt my magic. I can destroy but I cannot awake him up.

Nandini:          Then put me to sleep too with that same magic. I can’t bear it any more. Why did you cause such disaster?

King:               With all the power I have – for so many days, it is youth that I’ve killed. Now the curse of that dead youth is casting its spell upon me.

Nandini:          Didn’t he tell my name?

King:               yes, he did, but he did it in such a way that I couldn’t tolerate – suddenly it was fire burning inside every vein of mine.

Nandini:          My valiant friend, here I’m putting the feather of the blue-throated bird on your crown. From today, starts your victorious journey and I’ll be the symbol of that journey – ah ha, here is that bunch of Red Oleanders. That means Kishore had met him. Where is he? King, where is that boy?

King:               Which boy?

Nandini:          The boy who gave Ranjan this bunch of flowers.

King:               A curious boy he is. His face was like a young girl, but obstinately rude were his words. He even dared to pounce on me.

Nandini:          then what happened to him? Tell me, what happened to you. Do not stay silent king, you must say.

King:               Like a bubble he vanished.

Nandini:          King, now the time has come.

King:               Time? For what?

Nandini:          With all the power that I’ve it is time for my war against you.

King:               You will fight against me? You know this very moment I can kill you?

Nandini:          after that every moment you will be killed by that death of mine. No weapons I have. Let death be my weapon.

King:               Then come close to me.  Do you still dare to believe me? Come with me. Nandin, today I’m your companion.

Nandini:          Where will we go?

King:               To fight against myself, with your hand held in mine. Can’t you understand that battle has already started? This is my flag. I’ll break the pole of it, and you tear the cloth apart. Let your hand be held in mine to kill myself – to kill me completely – only there lies my freedom, my salvation

Group of People:             O King, what a disaster you commit? What kind of insanity is this? You broke the flag down – the flag of our great lord, whose unconquerable spear pierces the earth on one side and the heaven on the other – the pious flag has broken down – a very bad omen on the day of the festival. What a great sinner he is. Let us go and inform the Sardars.

King:               There is still a lot left to demolish, Nandini, my guiding lamp on this path of death and destruction, will you be with me?

[Enters Phagulal]

Phagulal:         They will never release Bishu. Who is he? Isn’t he the king? You witch, you are conspiring with him. A traitor you are

King:               What happened to you? What do you want to do?

Phagulal:         To break open the door of the prison. We are ready to accept death, but never will we return.

King:               Why should you return? I’m also walking the same way of death and destruction. There is the first evidence of that – the broken flag of mine – my last work of some worth.

Phagulal:         Nandin, I can’t understand properly. Simple, rustic people we are. Take pity on us. Do not cheat. You are a girl of our clan.

Nandini:          Phagu brther, you have already chosen death as your destination, then there is nothing left to be cheated off

Phagulal:         Nandin, then you too come with us.

Nandini:          that’s why I’m still alive. Phagulal I wanted to bring in Ranjan among you. Look, there lies my valiant, victorious still after his death.

Phagulal:         there strikes disaster. Is that Ranjan? Lying silent?

Nandini:          no, not in silence, I can still hear his victorious voice amidst his death. He will again be alive – never can he die.

Phagulal:         Alas, Nandini, my fair lady, for this you waited for so long in this darkest hell of ours?

Nandini:          I waited for he will come and really did he come. I’ll keep myself prepared for his comeback, he will come back again. Where is Chandra, Phagulal?

Phagulal:         With Gokul she has gone to plead to the sardar. Still they have blind faith on him – but o King, did you understand properly? We are going to break open your Prison,

King:               Yes, my prison. Hand in hands, together we have to do the work and it is not something that you can do alone.

Phagulal:         The Sardars will come to prevent the moment they get the information.

King:               It is my war against them.

Phagulal:         But your guards will deny obeying your orders.

King:               Alone I’ll fight, and you people are with me.

Phagulal:         Will you be able to win?

King:               At least I can die. After so many days I understood the meaning of death – at last I’m free.

Phagulal:         King, can you hear that roar?

King:               Yes, I can see, the Sardar is coming with the guards. But how can it be possible so quickly. They must be ready beforehand, only I knew nothing. He cheated me. By my own power he defeated me.

Phagulal:         My people are yet to arrive.

King:               They are not going to come any more, Sardar must have stopped them.

Nandini:          You remember, they committed that they will bring Bishu, my simpleton brother to me. Will it ever happen?

King:               No way, I’ve seen none such able to block off roads as well as the Sardar.

Phagulal:         Nandini, first of all, let us take you to some safe place, and then we will see what can be done. If the Sardar finds you here then none will be spared.

Nandini:          You will send only me to the exile of safety? Phagulal, Sardar is better than you, he opened the gate of my path to my journey of victory. Sardar, Sardar, look he has put that garland of Kunda on the blade of his spear. With the blood of my heart I’ll give that white garland the color of Red Oleanders. Sardar, he has seen me – hail, hail to Ranjan.

[Exists in a hurry]

King:               Nandini

[Exit]

[Enters the Professor]

Phagulal:         Where are you running professor?

Professor:        someone said that after so many days the king has come out of his cover in search of real life – so I threw all my manuscripts away and came to give him company.

Phagulal:         There goes the King to die. He has heard the call of Nandini.

Professor:        At last his cobweb is broken, where is Nandini?

Phagulal:         She was the first to go, none can reach her now.

Professor:        It is the only way that you can get hold of her, no more she can ignore, of course I’ll reach her.

[Exit]

[Enters Bishu]

Bishu:              Phagulal, where is Nandini?

Phagulal:         How do you come here?

Bishu:              Our craftsman brothers have broken the prison down to dust. There they are going to fight. I came here looking for Nandini, where is she?

Phagulal:         She has gone ahead of everybody.

Bishu:              Where?

Phagulal:         For the final salvation. Bishu, can you see who is lying there?

Bishu:              Ranjan he is.

Phagulal:         And you see that line of blood on the dust?

Bishu:              I understand. That is the blood red thread that ultimately unites them together. Now it is my turn to start my final journey of ultimate salvation. Perhaps she will like to listen to some songs. My off-head. Come my gear, let us go to fight.

Phagulal:         Hail to Nandini.

Bishu:              Hail to Nandini

Phagulal:         Look there, her bracelet of Red Oleanders is down there on the dust, somehow broken off of her right arm. Today she left with nothing at all.

Bishu:              I told her that it is nothing that I’ll take from her. But at last I’ve to take the last gift from her.

[Exit all]                          `(Song from Background)

It is the call of the winter / come everybody / come / come first / the wintry basket is now full of crops ready to harvest / beautiful, how beautiful everything looks / Happy is the sky with that tune from that earthen flute / today none will like to stay indoors /O everybody open your doors

END

           

.