BY

DR. RAM SHARMA, SENIOR LECTURER IN ENGLISH, J.V.P.G COLLEGE, BARAUT, BAGHPAT, U.P., INDIA

Vijay Tendulkar`s Ghashiram Kotwal was performed in 1972 in Pune.Whereever , the play was performed it was enjoyed by the audience of different languages and cultures because of its musicality and contemporary context.In this play Tendulkar has presented Ghasiram who is not the historical figure but we feel contemporsary Ghasirams who present  political and moral degradation in the society.In an author`s note ,Tendulkar says,

``This is not a historical play. It is a story , in prose , verse, music and dance set in historical era.Ghashirams are creations of socio-political forces which know no barriers of time and place. Although based on historical legend, I have no intention of commemtary  on the morals , or lack of them, of the Peshwa, Nana Phadnavis or Ghashiram .The moral of the story , if there is any , may be looked for elsewhere.[p-586]1

Ghashiram`s progress from a common man to the beast is the history of moral degradation , social decadence and spiritual regression of man. Grant Duff observes,

``No instance of greater neglect on the part of an administration ,or of more extraordinary criminality in a subordinate officer, is recorded  in the annals of any  state  than the case of GhasseeRam, Kotwal----`[Duff :1987]2``

Ghashiram, an innocent Brahmin of Kannauj, comes to Pune to try his luck .But he suffers unexpected humiliations at Pune when he is wrongly accused of the thievery and , therefore imprisoned.He cries out his innocence but nobody listens to him.

GHASHIRAM. I am Ghashiram Savaldas from Kanauj.

SECOND SOLDIER. Go on, move aside.Why are you here?

GHASHIRAM. They`re honouring Brahmans.There`s a feast.

FIRST SOLDIER.  What does that have to do with you?

GHASHIRAM. I`m a Brahman too.

SECOND SOLDIER. You are a Brahman!

                                  Where is your shaven head?

                                      Where is your holy thread?

                                      Where is your pious look?

FIRST SOLDIER.    Where is your holy book?

                                  Recite the hierarchy of caste!

                                    Tell us! When did you last fast?

SECOND SOLDIER. Looks like a thief!

FIRST SOLDIER.  Looks like scoundrel![p-373]3

He was arreasted and insulted and Sutradhar shows the decadence of the policemen in this speech

``SUTRADHAR. If the police let you!

                            Friend, the thief is dependent on the police,

                        Sometimes they break your bones,

                            Sometimes they crack your bones.

                         Sometimes you lose your life.

                         The thief earns what he thieves.

                       It`s easy income for the police.

                       It`s a partnership.

                      The thief is a simple thief.

                     The police are official thieves.

                   If a thief wants to live.

                   To the police he`s got to give.

                  You need protection money.

                And on the top of that.

               Their  mercy might end at any time.[p-376]4

He can`t tolerate this incident and decides to take revenge with Brahmins of Puna. He takes revenge in different manner. He knows  the weakness of Nana , that is woman. Ghashiram uses his daughter Lalita Gauri for his weakness.Nana has this very weakness that he can be seduced by any girl.

``NANA. That idol of holiness? That all holy Ganapati ? The maker of Good ? Look, he has two wives .One on this side , one on that side. If you sit on our lap , he won`t say anything.!

GIRL  . You are like my father.

NANA.  Only in age. But our devotion is—only to this graceful image—Don`t loose any more time .Youth will not come again , the bloom will not last.[He comes close and tries to put an arm around her.] My dear, you are like a daughter to us-someone else`s

GIRL [pulling back]  I`m afraid

NANA. Afraid ? But we feel only love , my dear.Oh ho ho, such shyness, such shyness[ p-378] 5

Ghashiram sends his daughter to Nanasahab  and she has caught his fancy.Ghashiram is also there  in the guise of a servant , and watches the reactions of Nana Sahab .Nana wants to touch Gauri , so he pats her soldier. But the innocent Gauri is embarrassed by his behaviour and feels scared and runs away from like a frightened deer and escapes from there. It is moral degradation from the part of the father who wants to use his daughter to grab power.Ghashiram again brings his daughter and offers to Nana. Nana dances with sensuously and gets himself amorously entangled with her. Ghashiram watches it from a little distance and feels happy to note that he has succeeded in trapping Nana through sex..

GHASHIRAM [suddenly cries out loud] Now he`s in my hands –Oh! My daughter---The beast –[ Then yells at the audience] Oh! You people .Look ! I`ve given my beloved daughter into the jaws of that wolf! Look .Look at this father .Putting the child of his heart  up for sale.[p-381]6

Ghashiram grabs power at the cost of his daughter.

NANA. Suggest something else.

GHASHIRAM  This is the only way .Otherwise the lovely Gauri will not come to this palace again.

NANA. No, ! send her.I`ll make you Kotwal. When will you send her. ?

GHASHIRAM . After I have the order , signed and sealed, in my hand.! [p-384]7

After gaining the power of Kotwali Ghashiram does what he wants.Everyone obeys his orders strictly.

``He has given a order, that everybody have to stay at their homes at night, they have to stay with their wives , they married.And the women have to do the same, they have to sleep with the man they are married.Official permit is made compulsory without it  people are not allowed , even to go out of their houses.[p-173]8``

Nana is really infatuated with Gauri but the hypocrite Ghashiram thinks that once he gets the power over Pune , he will save his daughter from the clutches of Nana. Ghashiram`s unusual bargaining power can seen here.

``NANA. [suddenly brightening] Go, Ghashya, old bastard .We made you .We made you Kotwal .Raise hell if you wish .But you don`t know the ways of this Nana. This time , there are two bullets in this gun.With the first one , we`ll fell your luscious daughter. But with the second we will make the city of Poona dance. Ghashya, child , you`re a foreigner.I have put you on Poona`s back .Why? As a countercheck to all those conspirators .You`ll not be able to join them , they`ll never trust you even if you do. Because you are a stranger, you`re an outsider. We just raised a dog at our dog to the position of the Kotwali. ! We are your sole support.Oh! you`re a bastard, Ghasya.Your manner will be more arrogant than that of  the Chitpavan Brahmans.You`ll manage the deference nicely.You`ll create a court- and a half! No worry about that.What `ll happen is that our misdeeds will be credited to your account .We do it, our Kotwal pays for it.[He claps his hands.] The opportunity comes in the shape of Ghashiram .And that luscious peach is at the hand to be devoured by Nana.Excelllent ! Yes , Ghashya, be Kotwal .This Nana blesses you .[p-385]9

Ghashiram rules in Poona in his own tyrannical way.Innocent Brahmins are arrested .They confess the guilt , they have not done any crime His imposition of rules on the behaviour of people verges on absurdity .He imprisons an innocent man returning home at night on the suspicion that he is going to a whore. The irrationality of his interrogatives is evident from the ruthlessness he shows to the Sutradhar who was going at the time of midnight to fetch a midwife for his wife`s delivery.

GHASHIRAM [grabbing his neck, laughing] Idiot! It`s good thing I caught you.Where are you going?

SUTRADHAR   Nowhere, my lord.

GHASHIRAM    To steal?

SUTRADHAR     No, Sir

GHASHIRAM      To whore?

SUTRADHAR      No, no, Sir.

GHASHIRAM [slaps his face]   Tell the truth

SUTRADHAR     No, no, Sir

GHASHIRAM   Then where?

SUTRADHAR      Home

GHASHIRAM    Whose home?[Hits him] Tell the truth Which whore were you going to?

SUTRADHAR      No, sir, to my own house.

GHASHIRAM  .Then why are you out this late? [ kicks him]Speak quickly.

SUTRADHAR. Sir, I was going to fetch the midwife.

GHASHIRAM.   Midwife.Who is delivering?

SUTRADHAR.   My wife

GHASHIRAM     Why does she deliver in the middle of the night?[ slaps him] Speak up.[ p-389]10

One such Brahman curses Ghashiram that he would die without children .Ghashiram orders to cut off the hands of the Brahman and to drive him out of Poona. The city trembles at Ghashiram`s name

GHASHIRAM [ enters smoothing moustache]. I`ve got the Kotwali and I`ve got Poona straightened out! All these hard , proud Brahmans are soft as cotton now. No one dares to look Ghashiram straight in the eye. ! Now, once I find a fitting husband for my darling daughter- that piece of my heart named Lalita Gauri –and get her married then everything will be the way I want it. I`ll make such a show of the wedding that no one`s tongue will dare utter one bad word  about my daughter. And if some tongue starts wagging, it`s easy to find a bridegroom when one has money , jewels and respect ! And my daughter`s beautiful –one in million ! I`ll send my men out right now to look for a husband and i`ll arrange everything.[Goes] [p-398]11

Nana`s search for new bride goes on and he succeeds in getting a `ripened bride` just for giving` a great big gift of land`Ghashiram was taken aback to learn that his only daughter is dead because of a forced abortion and she was buried at the order of Nana Phadnavis.This sudden twist of situation makes him into a `wounded tiger` .He turns Poona into a brutish city .His downfall begins with the capture of Brahmins as thief when he finds them stealing mangoes from his garden.He orders to push all of them in the cell .The cell is very small so the Brahmins in the cell can`t get enough air.Because of suffocation in the dungeon twenty Brahmins die and some more start dying. When the news circulate in the city , Sardar Phadke , the enemy of Ghashiram breaks opens the doors of the cell and brings out the dead , the dying Brahmins.Ghasiram was responsible for the death of poor Brahmans who die of suffocation.They revolt and demand to behead Ghashiram Kotwal .Nana obliges them by using a thorn to take out a thorn.

``SUTRADHAR.    They beat him,

                              They shaved his head,

                              They sindur-daubed his head,

                            They rode him around on a camel

                         They tied him to the leg of an elephant,

                         The city of Poona watched it all. [p-414]112

Ghashiram , in his quest for power forgets morality and duties of a father.His rising to power was a major incident in his life. His end is a tragic episode in the play. He accepts his moral decadence in these words,

GHASHIRAM . Hit me.Beat me .Beat me some more.Hit me!

       [ suddenly Ghashiram shields his face as if a stone hit him]

Why stay so far away ? Come on , you cowards .Still scared? I spit on you.Beat  me.Come on, beat me.Come on. Come on: Stone me , cowards, Pig shit! Come on ans beat me .I dare you. Hit me .Look – one of my hands is tied. And you`re scared! Come on, beat me.Crush me! [ The mob yells]

Ghashiram Savaldas! Ghashiram Savaldas! I danced on your chests but I wasted the life of my daughter.I should be punished for the death of my daughter.Beat me.Beat me.Hit me.Cut off my hands and feet. Crack my skull.Come on, come on.Look! I`m here.Oh, that`s good .Vey good .[p-415]113

In the end I can say that Vijay Tendulkar has presented  political and moral decadence in this play.

                   NOTES AND REFERENCES

1-Bandyopadhyay, Samik- A Note on The play, Collected Plays in Translation, Vijay Tendulkar, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2008, p-586

2-Duff, Grant- History of the Marathas, Vol 3 , M.M.Publications , New Delhi, 1987, p-120

3-Tendulkar, Vijay-  Collected Plays In Translation  Introduction by Samik Bandyopadhyay, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2008, p-373

4- ibidp-376

5- ibid p-378

6-ibid p-381

7- ibid p-384

8-Gaijam, M.B.- Ghashiram Kotwal in the Eyes of Audiences : Indian Writing in English : Translation and Modernity, op cit, p-173

9-Tendulkar, Vijay – Collected Plays In Translation Introduction by Samik Bandyopadhyay, Oxford University Press, New Delhi 2008, p-385

10-ibid p-389

11-ibid p-398

12 ibid-p-414

13 ibid p-415