THE MAHATMA – M.V. Rama Sarma

Movva Venkata Rama Sarma was born in 1920. He was an eminent teacher of English, an editor, scholar, novelist and playwright. He was also a member of the military society of America. His work “The Mahatma” is an one act play which was published in 1982. This play is true to the facts and it picturizes the life of Mahatma, his ideas, principles and his assassination. It is a play on martyrdom.

 This play consists of two scenes. The first scene takes place on January 20, 1948 near the Birla house, which is in New Delhi. The second scene takes place on the day on which Gandhi was assassinated that is on January 30, 1948.

                On January 20, 1948 many people are gathered near the Birla house to listen to Gandhiji. They were eagerly waiting for the arrival of Mahatma. But in a corner Nathuram Godse and three other youngsters, who hate Gandhiji, his ideas and principles are planning to kill him. Nathuram Godse and the other ones with him thought that they could not establish Hindu raj in India, till Gandhiji was alive. They thought that the Hindus in Pakistan are suffering and they need to do something about it.

            Just then Gandhiji entered and started addressing the people. Gandhiji appealed to the people to forget their differences of caste, creed and religion and requested them to live together like members of the large family. According to Gandhiji, foes can be changed into friends by appealing to their heart and by inducing the human instincts within them. Gandhiji said that Goodness lies in doing good against evil and one should love and pray even for their enemies.

           According to Gandhiji, Courageous is not in assaulting and murdering but real courage lies in tolerance and one who can forgive even his enemy is the real hero. Victory got over bloodshed is temporary and violence is just a physical force. He strongly believed that love begets love. Gandhi was against the divided India and he wanted to create a greater India which means an India where the Hindus, the Muslims, the Sikhs, the Christians and the other sects of people live together and consider India as their home. He wanted all the sects of the people to live as brothers and sister.

When the people were almost immersed in Gandhiji’s speech a bomb blast occurred and all the people got confused. Gandhiji pacified them and asked them not to get angry on the one who threw the bomb. Manohar and Lalitha, the followers of Gandhiji thought that, God has saved Gandhiji because God wanted Gandhiji to do more good deeds and Gandhiji is meant for a great and nobler end. Gandhi too thought to go for a walk across the country as a mission to spread peace and love and to unite India and Pakistan. He planned to go Pakistan on 2nd February.

The second scene takes place on January 30, 1948. People are waiting for the arrival of Gandhiji. In the midst Shankar, Mukherji, and few other disciplines of Gandhiji praised Gandhiji as the father of the nation, liberator, light of India, saint among politicians, Karma Yogi, emancipator of women and much more. They praised Gandhiji’s spirit of forgiveness and hailed that Gandhi bought ethics in politics. They saw Buddha and Christ in Gandhiji.

They also felt proud of the three great and successful movements of Gandhiji which were the boycott of British goods movement of 1920, Salt Satyagraha movement of 1930-31 and the Quit India Movement of 1942. Mukherji praised Gandhiji’s experiments in Bramacharya, his ability to conquer his ego and senses, his aversion to pomp and show, and his readiness in accepting even the unfair criticism. He highlighted the London conference as an example for his simplicity. They also added that even the great medical experts wondered at his fast. 

While the people were discussing, Gandhiji entered holding his niece’s hands and he was little upset with his niece for being late for the meeting. As soon as he got up the stage Nathuram Godse went near him, and pushed the niece aside and shot Gandhiji three times in the chest. Gandhiji fell down uttering the name of God. The play ends with a voice, which tells about the future of India, without Gandhiji. It tells the light that illuminated the whole world has gone and though Gandhiji’s ideas sounds utopian, it will be understood only when mankind undergoes suffering because of war and violence. Thus this play reveals the Mahatma’s humility, simplicity and piety. It shows his basic humanity for which he paid the price.

------HAPPY LEARNING-----