IKRS 27th October 2015 ep 68 My Take
How the tables turn.. after Viplav finishes off his speech in favour of Dhani a widow in the avatar of goddess Durga.The magistrate speaks to all, points to Dhani and Dulari.. friends these people have lied.. disapproves of Viplav's speech content. He complains to Dashrant,they respect him but what his grandson has done is beyond religious tolerance. It's highly offensive to people's spiritual sentiments. Viplav was not going to accept his condemnation and he lashes out, he is intolerable? what of the intolerance of chucking shoes at women? he challenges and questions the magistrates education and awareness, of reality as seen. Tripurari as usual does an obvious taking steaming out of Viplav.. who goes off stage in a huff any way, dismissive of the whole ensemble which to Viplav is ends completely in shambles! The magistrates then keeps face and panders to the mood of the fanatical crowd and turns it round to the party of the poor widows.. friends these people lied and took part in the competition! They are perhaps not aware that a lie never wins, so the trophy now goes to the runners up! Basically the magistrate too is yet another so called educated professional man, who is no different from the shoe flingers! in fact the magistrate passes his unprofessional bigoted judgement in a most professional manner. His verdict is the widows lied! The punishment is their win denied and offered to another!..
In the dressing room, mother and daughter bond again. Dhani's mother turns maternal and showers her child with motherly consolation by clasping her disappointed Dhani to her bosom. Dulari calms her daughter and alongside realizes that her daughter Dhani sits safely beside her courtesy of Viplav.. had he not jumped in to avert the rage of the spectators they would have lynched her on stage. Dulari and Dhani are still shaken by the crowd's reaction. Dulari is so insecure that she wants her daughter out of the colourful Durga costume as soon as possible. The crowd did refer to a widow dressed in colourful clothes! rajilaxmi tells Dulari , if you ask me , in this whole city vikal babu is the only man who is truthful and honest ! this is the difference between an illiterate and educated human being.. an educated person's thinking differs from the mind set of others who are not. an educated person considers the needs of others, works to attain .. and here there is nothing but ignorance, no vision.. what there is, are age old values which govern peoples life.. they talk of celebrating Dushera ,but it's real significance bypasses them to differentiate between who stands for Ram and who propagates ravan!
Viplav flees from ignorance, frustrated that his concerted efforts in bringing about a revival in people's mindset ends disastrously. However one defender of spiritual knowledge his dada ji , tries to reason with him, by praising his efforts but reminding him simultaneously that changing people's thinking takes time it cannot be done overnight! However, ulterior motives too exist. Dashrant attempts to make good use off a vulnerable, enraged Viplav.. he seizes the opportunity and cushions it with emotional blackmail and cajoles Viplav to return home with him where his loved ones await his company for the Dushera celebrations.
From the dressing room.The divine signal for Dhani is to remain in the goddess Durga avatar. For the judgement on her dance worship is about to be challenged by the heavenly dieties! The earthly hypocritical disbelievers with little faith would be shown the truth! ..a cry from outside , reaches Dhani's ears as a cry for help! A disclosure! An act of suspicion.. a serious incident. The same girl that Dhani saw in the mela. In the dead of the night being dragged away by a man. That was meant to be her father? the manhandling and the child's voice.. that spoke words that are not mute, let me go!! is anybody there? Dhani in the little girl can see herself being dragged forcibly , she can hear herself scream let me go! anybody there!! That was then, for now she has to answer to the cry for help! Possessed with a sense of a liberator! A champion of justice! she runs past her two friends arrives at the spot where the vulnerable girl child is being dragged by this man! he is commanded to stop! the child turns and finds her saviour, bites the man's hand and runs and hides behind her redeemer! The truth comes out as the predator demands the girl from Dhani. The girl child creates a noise , draws attention! and then discloses the man is not her father ,he is taking here somewhere , makes her do what she doesn't like.. colors to me have exposed the hush hush issue of child abuse.. here the focus is on the female child only , as it appears apt to approach it in the current track.. the girl child in the scene follows the procedure for child abuse.. raise alarm ,by shouting for help, when it arrives disclose the truth! The man demands the little girl be handed over to him as he bought her for a handsome price!.. A struggle ensues .The girl is freed from Dhani and dragged away once more. But this time Dhani fights the man along with the girl child. It's as if both struggled against the atrocities a woman faces at the hands of men in society. The child and Dhani put up a tough resistance where the man succeeds due to his physical strength. The idol of Durga goddess from her niche, watches the scene where the women suffer at the hands of a hedonistic male. Dhani with a blow is thrust aside and she falls at the small altar of the powerful goddess Durga... the girl child is gagged and dragged away.. Her cries bounce off Dhani's human ears.. The child is taken farther away, but she still calls to her saviour, sister ! Save me! The child stirs a fainted Dhani at the stone altar..the man creeps behind the helpless girl child.. Her hope is lost as once he again lays his lusty hand upon her shoulder, she resists and tries to ward his dirty hands off her but once again as Dhani s lies fainted he drags his prize away...
Viplav accepts his dadaji's love and support but declines to go home with him.. Dashrant fed up off by Viplav's his obstinacy sits in his car and is driven off by Tripurari .Suvarna and Rajlaxmi wander over to him , asking if he had seen Dhani, she ran away in a hurry. Viplav goes on red alert! Bids them to take the widows back to the Ashram ,while he finds her and brings her home .
When the goddess herself descends from her seat to answer to the plight of helpless!! to prove her point...
The spiritual eyes of a humble , devotee open slowly at the altar of the goddess Durga who too witnessed the cruelty to the girl child. Miraculously the eye is stern and fixed; determined and set to act. The eye orders the hand! to grab the goddess Gauri's trident firmly with both hands and she turns with vermillion smeared on her forehead.. Ready for battle! From her temple,with her fierce fiery eyes stay fixed on the girl child being dragged by an animal . With each drag of the girl , the mighty trident armed goddess takes determined steps towards her target, the predator.. Naught! Will stop the warrior goddess .. Her slow march .. Stuns the beast in awe, it's eyes are mortified at the sight of the goddess herself who has stepped out of the small temple and now walks life size towards the beast.. The girl child sees her hope approach slowly to her.. She keeps moving on wards with her trident a dreaded sight..The man lets go of the child runs to save his life.. He trips ,stumbles and falls! But the goddess still moves towards him..Her nostrils flare with rage as she gathers her strength and thumps her foot on the chest of the beast man. She looks down at him quashed under her foot ready to smite him there and then! by driving the sharp pointed forks of her trident! He looks up in horror at her ..when I told you to leave the girl you ignored me... Viplav stands in the shadows and cannot believe his eyes.. Was this an apparition? Or is this who he thinks she is? How dare you do such a revolting act the goddess rumbled at the vanquished man, you will not take the girl anywhere! She decrees and that's it the goddess has spoken and she raises up her trident gripped in both hands and lowers it with force towards the man's jugular.. Viplav yells Dhani!!!!.. and she stops the trident inches away from the man's neck... Dhani stares down at the man quashed under her foot. Viplav runs up to her , her eyes are fixed on the man's face.. and he gently pulls away the trident from her hands.. the magistrate arrives backed with the police as Dhani pulls off her foot from the man's chest. the magistrate wants to know what she was about to do? Dhani replies , this man is a low life he was going to.. and she is to embarrassed to say further. Viplav orders the police to arrest the man .. I suppose on the serious charge of child molestation which comes under child abuse. Viplav now points to the magistrate, it was imperative that he saw this with his own eyes! what was he saying we are liars, in auspicious! This is what he was trying to explain this to them all at the competition! this Durga worship ,this dushera is all about purging the evils that resides within ourselves and the society we live in. it's not about singing dancing and dressing up! why do we worship our dieties so we can strengthen ourselves from within.. so we can fight the evils within our society.. but it's a pity.. that people nowadays fail to spot the evil within themselves, so involved they are in their own fake ideals of respectability and double standards .however to attack a vulnerable woman not much is needed to break all standards of decency! Yells Viplav angrily. today a man was about to kidnap a girl child.. and this woman whom all called blasphemous and a widow! she came and saved this girl!now had this widow woman not saved the girl today , imagine what could have happened today?? well done to Dhani for saving this girl in front of all , she has proved in her own right that she is the real Durga! The real goddess resides in her! this is whats called the real worship of Durga! Reinforces Viplav with gusto and gives Dhani a clap! He yells at the magistrate, this is the kind of person our Benaras needs one who can hunt the devil within us and smite him! not such hypocrites that stand here! get lost the lot of you! he dismisses them angrily. Dhani decides ,till this child's parents are not located ,she would stay with them at the Ashram..
Tripurari as usual gives Kanak the full report of the dance competition . How Viplav protects Dhani from all who pelted shoes at Dhani. He rubs it in her son is madly in love with the widow and that for Dhani's sake Viplav babba was bashed by a volley of people's shoes! Tripurari and his petty pleasures of little bit of stirring here and there!
Back at the Ashram the traumatized child is showered with love , care and a glass of water from the ready to serve Viplav. Sita maa praised Viplav and blessed him with longevity. He smiles at her and admits that when one gets an elders blessing, one knows one has done a good deed. and that he is getting a blessing before he leaves. Dhani startle and stares disspointed at Viplav tells them ,now he can leave happily... yes they heard right ,it's time for him to go home .. Suvarna reminds him but they didn't win and he replies , but what they did today by saving this girl child that is much more than one lakh for him! so not even the repayment of his money will stop him this time..Dhani has a fear within her self.. is he really leaving? Viplav continues , he knew that if humanity existed anywhere in all of Benaras ,it does so in this Ashram.. it was just hidden and frightened. by saving this girl , today he has come to believe now that they have the valour now to bring out the humanity within .. he didn't come here to dress them in coloured clothes and to make them part of some competition what they did was brilliant, it was people who created a problem but at least they now realize that this socity wants to steal their joys ! he just wanted to stay close to them so he could point out that the talents they have , society has clothed them in white and rendered them fragile.. but he wanted to bring out their real strength..and tenderly he says to Dhani.. that in woman their exists the powerful Durga goddess. And Sarwasti .. too with whose help any woman can reach to the sky..he smiles like a trooper talking to his batillion.. that's all that he wants to say.. his work here has ended now..he is confident that they all will be confident and determined intheir way of life and stand up boldly about their rights.. ok now every one lets take an oath to this. he offers his hand he calls Dhani who reluctantly joins in too .. and Viplav confirms he 's sure no one can turn them out of this Ashram now you don't need a Viplav Tirpathi he prays that he Ashram stays theirs and that they will be happy forever in it. and happily he leaves to get something and Dulari strares coldly , thank heavens god has heard our prayers at last...he'll leave this place forever .. and he brings back a photo frame with photos he took of them.. they all look sad all except Dulari! She appears cold and almost looks scoffing at the photo frame. he gives it to Sita maa ,and says to all .keep this and remember him.. don't forget him. they moan at him he's not going any where .. besides it's time to go to bed. they all leave and calls out weakly after them as they all go up the stairs to sleep. Dhani stands in the courtyard and vilav turns to face her.. he says ,at least she should understand what he's trying to say.. she walks off.. Dhani..he calls he'll have to leave...they have their back to each other ,then she turns and he does too and Thus they face each other. he sits down ,sighs ,his purpose at the Ashram has finished. When he came here.. there were a few women dressed in white saris . who opposed any change.. today those very women by saving a girl child have done wonders.. they not only saved that girl but proved that they can fight any battle that comes before them. whenever you feel sad ,just remember me and then laugh! You will become strong again! to fight for one's right the heart has to stronger.. got that! and Dhani replies you family too must be waiting for you.. and he tells her to sit by him.. she does.. sit down he says he wants to say something important.. he moves closer .. it's something important he says as he gives her a sided look.. she nods , go ahead.. I .. will get my stuff..and he leaves.. she stands up with tears in her eyes..
Such a brilliant episode.. Especially the goddess incarnate scene. The dialogues were so good that I forget what I was meant to do.. Instead translated the script in English.. The critic in me was stilled .. The play wright emerged somehow. The last scene was a shock.. Did he leave because of dulari's acidic attitude. Somehow viplav seemed hurt inside.. Finished his work?what Humbug!.. Hamlet53 28.10.15
Precap: he goes to the Ashram door . She runs behind him.. and he turns to face her.. she asks you haven't forgotten anything else? he replies don't know? might realize after leaving this place. Dhani looks at the watch he holds and asks, this is the same watch? and he replies ,yes the same , but times have changed..
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