Modern Mahabharata in Minutes

Scene 1

Five children came running inside a gate of a cottage along with their mother Kanti (Kunti). The children’s aunt had been waiting outside a wooden door of the cottage.

“Welcome to Kuru! Hello all of you. It is lovely to see you.” said Aunt Sugandha (Gandhari)

The children and Aunt greet each other.

 “Hello Aunt Sugandhi!” said the children.

“Hello Sugandhi it is good to see you too!”said the children’s mother Kanti.

“Where is Kaurav?”asked Akul looking around for his unknown cousin.

“Oh naughty Gaurav ! I told him to wait for you!”Said his aunt “Now he has gone off somewhere. I must tell you, children, you may find him a bit difficult at first- he has always been on his own, you know, and at first may not like you being here. But you must not take any notice of that- he will be all right in a short time. I am very glad that you have come to live with us.”

Enter Uncle Sudhir (Dhitarashtra)

Their uncle Sudhir suddenly appeared. He was a blind man with a fierce frown on his forehead. He looked at the children and nodded his head.

 “Where is Gaurav?” Dhitarashtra asked.

“Gone off somewhere again” said Aunt Sugandha,

They all enter the house through the door and exit stage

Scene 2

Inside the house

“Hello Gaurav!  I am Dev” Said Dev (Sahadev)

Gaurav frowned hard at Dev and replied” I don’t like you! I didn’t want any of you to come to my home. It belongs to me! At least it will belong to me someday. It will be my very own.  You are interfering with my life here! I am quite happy on my own. Now I have to put up with silly boys like you!”

Dev felt offended “You are not very polite. If you are going to be nasty to us you won’t find that my brothers will take much notice of you!”

“Well who cares”  Gaurav flung open the door and marched out with his head held high and stopped suddenly as  the other four children enter.  

They all called together. “Cousin Gaurav” and look at one another in surprise.

“Gaurav won’t answer if you call him. He didn’t want us to come because we will interfere with his life here.  He laughed at me, and was very rude.” Said Dev

Udi puts his arm around Dev and said. “Cheer up! You have got us to stand for you.”

 

Scene 3

Inside the house

“Don’t look like that Gaurav! “ Said Sugandhi “I hope you have made friends already. You must take your cousins to the places around the house. It would be fun for you to play in the garden. You must take them there.”

“But I don’t want mother!” said Gaurav his face dark and sulky. “You know you said it is my house. It is my land. You said it could be mine. You did, you did!”

“I know Gaurav dear. But you really must be sensible. It won’t hurt to share. You all will have an equal share “

“Father Father! You know you said I could have them. You know you promised. I believed you! “Said Gaurav and he exited the stage in rage.

“Gaurav! Listen ……….!” Said Sudhir

Everyone exit the stage.

Scene 4

In the garden

“Come play with us Gaurav in the garden!” said Udi

“I won’t play with you. Get out of here!” Said Gaurav

“You do what you want to” said Arjun. “We don’t want to interfere with you, you know. We have got ourselves for company, and if you don’t want to be with us, you needn’t”

“But we did like you, all the same, if you would like to be with us” said Udi generously.

“No thanks! I won’t play or share my garden with you!” said Gaurav

“Don’t be silly Gaurav. It isn’t really yours. You know that. What is yours is ours too! The land rightfully belongs to us! But we are asking you only to share it with us.” Said Bhim.

“It is mine! Everything is mine and I won’t share an inch! All is mine. I will bring all my brothers and sisters to fight with you all. From now it is open war between us and you can’t stop it!” Said Gaurav.

 Scene 5

The war of Mahabharata begins