Maharaja of Chittor
Maharani of Chittor
Pathan General: Keshab Khan
Keshab Khan’s friend: Sher Khan
Maharani’s ladies, Maharaja’s soldiers, Pathan guards
Narrator
Scene I
Narrator:The Maharaja of Chittor is sitting at the window, deep in thought. The Maharani of Chittor, known for her melodious voice, is singing a Rajput ballad.
Mahaani(stops singing): Maharaja, What thoughts take you so far from my song? You are hardly listening. Does my voice no longer charm you?
Maharaja: My Rani, forgive me. Your voice is as lovely as it has always been. The real culprit is the darkness of my soul.
Maharani: Darkness? What makes you so sad?
Maharaja: I can no longer fight the Pathan general, Keshab Khan. So many brave Rajputs have laid down their lives to defend Chittor. In fact my army has become nearly half in strength. Keshab Khan grows stronger and bolder day by day.
Maharani: I know, Maharaja. So many of my ladies wear the widow’s white veil. And I have heard that now our Rajput youths, children as young as fifteen or sixteen, are joining the Rajput army. Is that true, Maharaja?
Maharaja(sighs): Yes, my Rani. Chittor is known for her valour. But I can no longer sacrifice her children. There has been too much bloodshed. Yet I cannot find another way out of this problem. Keshab Khan will not give up his seige until he crushes Chittor under his heel.
Maharani( after some thought ): My lord, I have a plan. If you permit…
Maharaja: Yes Maharani. Tell me what is on your mind.
Scene II
Narrator: Four magnificent tents have been put up in a clearing in deep forest. All around are tall trees. A line of palanquins are wending their way through the trees. The tents are guarded by huge Pathan guards in full armour. In front of the tents stand two men dressed in the rich clothes of Pathan nobles. One is a giant; Keshab Khan, the Pathan general, and the other is a slim, well built man; his best friend, Sher Khan.
Keshab Khan: So many palanquins? So the Maharani is actually accompanied by hundred ladies? What good fortune! Finally we will see the famous Rajput beauties!
Sher Khan: Yes Keshab. Only I am feeling a little uncomfortable.
Keshab(laughing): What? Uncomfortable with beauties?
Sher Khan: No Keshab. It is not a laughing matter. We have hardly any soldiers here. What if….
Keshab: We don’t need soldiers to defend us from beautiful women, do we?
Sher Khan: I wonder why the Maharani of Chittor wanted only both of us to come here. This is a lonely spot.
Keshab: You are always suspicious. Now. the Maharani of Chittor cannot play Holi with Pathans in front of the entire world, can she?
Sher Khan: Yes, but….
Narrator: The first palanquin decorated with flowers, is lowered by its bearers. The rest of the palanquins are also brought down. The curtains part. From the first one, a figure garbed in a dark pink ghagra, with ornaments tinkling, steps down. A light blue veil covers her face. Similar figures come out of the other palanquins. A procession of women headed by the Maharani starts moving towards the two men. Colourful veils drape them and hide their faces. They carry baskets of flowers and gold platters heaped with red, yellow, green, pink powder.
Keshab: Ah, the Maharani!(in a low voice) But, Sher Khan, she is veiled.
SherKhan(in a low voice): Rajput ladies do not show their faces to men outside the family.
Narrator: The Rani reaches the men. Her ladies surround them and start singing songs of Holi. The Maharani takes two palms full of flowers and offers it to Keshab Khan.
KeshabKhan (takes the flowers and throwing them high in the air, bows): Long live the Maharani of Chittor! It is an honour that Your Highness has agreed to play Holi with me. My men are waiting with coloured and scented powder to play with your ladies.
The Rani (bends her head. Then picks up red powder from a platter and throws it at Keshab Khan): Yes. Let us play Holi.
Narrator: The ladies sprinkle powder and flowers on Keshab Khan, Sher Khan, and the few Pathan gaurds. They, in turn, laugh loudly and throw fistfuls of coloured powder and flowers at the ladies.
Keshab(in low voice to Sher Khan): The Maharani’s voice is quite husky, isn’t it?
Sher Khan: Yes Keshab. I heard it too. The ladies also have quite deep singing voices.
Narrator: The ladies dance in a circle around Keshab Khan and the Maharani. They pull Sher Khan into the circle. Sher Khan looks in surprise at the hand holding his wrist and then looks up at the veiled lady.
Keshab(turns to the Rani): Come, Your Highness. Let us join the dancing.
Narrator: The Maharani and Keshab Khan join the dancers.
Sher Khan( coming close to Keshab): These ladies are not like flowers, soft and scented. They have hard and big hands.
Keshab: Sher Khan, these are ladies from Rajasthan’s hot and dry deserts. They are born strong and hardy, not like our Pathan ladies bred in shady palaces.
Narrator: The dancing and playing of Holi goes on till the sun dips in the west. Soon it is dark in the forest.Suddenly…
Maharani(shouts): It is time, my ladies. Har! Har! Mahadev!
Narrator: To the amazement and horror of the pathans, the ghagras fall off. The veils are torn away. Tanned arms and muscled bodies in armour are revealed. Sharp-edged swords in every hand gleam in the moon light.
Sher Khan: Keshab Khan! Save yourself! It is not the Maharani and ladies but the Maharaja of Chittor and his Rajputs who have come to play Holi. It is a trap, Keshab!
Narrator: There is a mighty clash of arms as the Rajputs slash and cut at the Pathans. Keshab Khan, Sher Khan and the Pathans fight bravely. But the hundred Rajputs easily cut then down. Soon the battle is over. Keshab Khan and Sher Khan are dead.
Maharaja(standing above Keshab Khan’s body): You wanted to play Holi with Rajputs. Of course, we play Holi with the enemy. We play Holi with his blood. You are dead, Keshab Khan and Chittor can finally live in peace! (bows looking towards Chittor) Thank you, my wise Rani of Chittor. Your plan was brilliant!
Based on ‘Hori Khela’ by Rabindranath Tagore from Katha O Kahini Copyright@Sutapa Basu.All rights reserved.
