Great Warrior Of Ahimsa

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 26

ACT :I TIME : World War IV : 2048 A.D., One Hundred Years after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, Month of February. The 1st Scene takes place in the night at about 9-0 p.m.
PLACE & SCENES: Somewhere in the Western Part of the earth: World war's Battle field: Land-fighting spot of the Space War with developed ultramodern scientific weapons. The spot is in a forest having small hillocks in the distant background behind the wouds. The scene also includes the ruins of a small church and a building nearby in addition to the destroyed space-weapons and dead and live bodies of some heavily wounded soldiers and other people.
The Scene opens with the touching notes of a song and the entry of an old, whitebearded, Khaddar-clad wounded Indian pedestrian Peace-soldier 'Buddha Baba' with a torch and stick in his hand. He is loaded with a bundle and a bag and a water-bottle on his shoulders and the back. Though old, he is stout, resolute and of loveable personality. His eyes shining, words coming from the depths of Truth, heart full of love and the movements showing eagerness to render services to others even at this age.
The second entry is of the Hero of the Play, the Major General of a greatest existing nation and the celebrated warrior of the former, third World War. Uniformed with several badges, rational, lion-hearted and somewhat cruel Major enters unexpectedly through a space-parachute from which he descends and jumps on the stage without shading light.
The deep back stage provides the arrangements of Cyclorama curtain and other light-techniques for presenting visionary scenes and dream sequence taking place in the second act after the demise of the old Peace soldier.
BACKGROUND EFFECTS: Music-Western Instruments: (Harp, Violin....), Indian Instruments: ( Sitar, Flute, Drums, Trumpets,) Noises and sounds of Thunder, Sea-roaring, Tiger-roaring, Birds, Singing, Bombing, Space Fighting and intermittent shooting and firings... cries of dying women and children and soldiers, etc.
SONGS : Mostly in pieces are Indian (except one English verse). The languages are Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Gujarati ( Mahatma Gandhi's mother tongue) and Bengali (Tagore's mother tongue). Meanings of the songs in these languages are either given in the commentary or are inter-vowen in the dialogues. Mostly the songs are used in the form of play-back singing. They are intended to create the impressive background of the theme and the plots.
STAGE-TECHNIQUE APPARATUS: As the time is of 2048 A.D., developed audio-visual and stage-technique apparatus may be utilised and light-effects may be provided. The dream-sequences and visionary scenes are purposeful and symbolic and as such, the stagetechnique apparatus should be used in such a way that they may properly help in producing the emotional, imaginative and indicative aspects of the play.
Presentation along with appropriate effects is important throughout the play.