It was a dark scary night. The Pandavas made their way slowly across the dense forest. The eeriness of the forest was enhanced by the sounds of the insects chirping. Nothing moved in the vicinity. Leaves were falling from the trees in dozens, the rain splattered all around. The air moving...
“STOPPPP!!! What the hell are you doing?”, Kittunni cried out with a sense of utter confusion.
5 year old Kittunni was on a mission. He had a school project to do - A play based on Mahabharata for Women's day - and unfortunately he had asked for Mohan's help. For Mohan it was an opportunity to bring out the inner artist within himself.
Mohan ventured to explain. “You see the house in which the Pandavas were staying was burnt down by the evil Purochana. Now they are escaping through the Jungle. I am describing the mood of the Jungle”, Mohan replied.
“Mood of the Jungle? Since when did Jungles started having any moods? All I can see are leaves falling and insects flying. How is all this related to Women's day?”, Kittunni asked angrily. Its been an hour since he asked for Mohan's help for his project but it seems to be going nowhere.
“Kittu my boy, you have to set the context well before we get right into the meat of the plot. That is how artists are born”, Mohan explained.
“I don't care about meat or chicken. I just want to make sure Sulochanna teacher doesn't give me a D grade for this project work. And looking at all the rain falling and rats running here and there, I am not expecting even a F”
“Its insects chirping, not rats running!”, Mohan growled. Kittunni was encroaching into his poetic and artistic boundaries.
Kittunni stuck his tongue out and made a comic face.
Mohan did not give up. “Kittu, listen, hear me out. What I am trying to say is...”
“The boy is talking sense. Listen to him”, interrupted a voice. It came from the kitchen. It was Manjulla. She was in the middle of preparing lunch.
“Sense? What sense? Its just nonsense”, Mohan snorted.
“You are telling the story from the perspective of the Pandavas - MEN. Kittu's project is to convey the story from a woman's perspective”, Manjulla explained.
“Hmmmm.....Ok....Fair point”, Mohan said, calming down a little. He thought for a minute. “Ok how about this?”. Mohan started moving both his hands in opposite directions, imitating a person about to tell a suspense thriller. He puffed up his face to give a more dramatic effect.
“It was a Daaark scary night. The Pandavas, along with Draupadi, made their way slowly across the dense forest. Draupadi saw that the eeeeeeriness of the forest was enhanced by the sounds of the insects chirping. Draupadi also saw that nothing moved in the vicinity. Draupadi also saw that leaves were falling from the trees....”
“Not insects and cockroaches again!”, Kittuni slammed his palm on his forehead.
“Hey! You wanted a woman in the story, I gave you a woman. Still you are complaining?”, Mohan barked,
Kittunni looked at Manjulla to help him out. Manjulla looked at Mohan.
“Telling the same thing by stretching out the words and saying Draupadi saw this, Draupadi saw that doesn't make it a woman's perspective”, Manjulla pointed out.
“Ok Artist Manjulla, please enlighten us ordinary folks with your thoughts on how to present from a woman's perspective”, Mohan replied in a sarcastic tone.
“No need!”, declared Kittunni. “Looks like I need to do something myself”, he thought. Indicating to Mohan and Manjulla to wait for sometime, he stepped out of the house. Mohan and Manjulla looked at each other, clueless. After a while, Kittunni returned. He was followed by Shanmugham Appuppa, Radhamma Ammumma and their son Manu Anna, their neighbors. Kittunni spends almost half of his time at their home and both the families were close to each other.
Mohan and Manjulla looked surprised. “Hello Uncle, Aunty, Manu”, Mohan said, waving his hand.
“Hello Mohan and Manjulla, how are you guys”, Shanmugham Appuppa said warmly. “Kittunni said he was directing a play at school and wanted our help. Anything for our dear Kittunni”, He moved his hands affectionately over Kittunni's hair.
“Directing???", Mohan thought, looking quizzingly at Manjulla. From her expression, she had the same thoughts.
“Yes, that's correct!", Kittunni said, as if reading Mohan's and Manjulla's thoughts. “Looking at the disaster that has been unfolding till now, I have come to the conclusion that the adults in this house are useless. Hence I have decided to take things into my own hands”.
“But tell me one thing", Manu asked. "Why do you require us in your play? We can't come to your school and perform!”
“Aree Manu Anna, I am just practicing with all of you. Once I get it right here, I will ask Ruhan, Karthik and others to do it at School", Kittunni explained.
“Ok fine. What to you have in mind sirji", Mohan asked mockingly.
And then came the bomb.
“We are going to do the Draupadi Vastra Haran scene”, Kittunni declared loudly.
“WHAAT???", came the voices from all direction in unison chorus. Mohan almost fainted with shock.
“Do you even know what that means!!!”, he asked angrily.
Kittunni looked back at Mohan. “How old do you think I am?”
“I know exactly how old you are. Just answer the damn question”.
“Vastra means cloth - Dupatta. Hara means Green. So it means Draupadi's green Dupatta. Happy?”, Kittunni snapped back.
"Eh???", Mohan blurted out.
Awkward Silence. Everyone looked at each other, not sure how to respond. Manu was trying hard not to laugh.
“Err Kittu, who told you this story”, Manjulla asked.
“Manu Anna”
Manu almost jumped. “What!!Me? No! When?”. He was no longer laughing. He could sense angry eyes boring onto him from all directions.
“Offo you forgot Manu Anna. Remember I brought to you this book which had this title 'Draupadi Vastra Haran'?. For some reason you told me not to read the book. When I insisted you told me the story yourself. Now to think of it, you never returned me that book”.
Memories started flooding back to Manu. A smile appeared on Manu's face. He turned to others. “Its ok. We are good”. Turning back to Kittunni he said, “Tell them the story that I told you”
“Alright. Here goes”, Kittunni said.
“Once upon a time there was a king called Dhritarashtra. He had 100 sons - The Kauravas. His brother, Pandu, who died few years back, had 5 sons - The Pandavas. All of them were 5 years old - like me. Draupadi was the best friend of Pandavas. She always wore a Green Dupatta because that is her favourite dress. The Kauravas and Pandavas always fought with each other - they never shared their toys with each other.
One day, Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, teased Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, saying that he is better than Yudishthira at Snake and Ladder game. Yudhisthira said he was better. They decided to play it out and decide a winner. It was decided that whoever wins the game will get Draupadi's Green Duppatta. Poor Draupadi was in her make-up room without knowing her Duppatta was being put up for bet. They started playing. Duryodhana cheated by asking his uncle, Shakuni who was the State Champion of Snake and Ladder, to play on his behalf. Yudhisthira lost the game. Duryodhana started dancing -'Yudhisthira is a loser, Yudhisthira is a loser'. Then Duryodhana ordered his brother Dushasana to bring Draupadi to him so that he can get her Green Dupatta.
When Bhim, the second Pandava and brother of Yudhisthira saw this, he secretly called up Draupadi in her mobile without anyone else seeing and told her what happened. Draupadi sensed danger. She calls up Krishna's mobile. Krishna was son of the Royal Tailor and was also Draupadi's friend. He was also a God. He had many powers. Krishna said don't worry I will help you.
Soon Dushasan came and took Draupadi to the palace. Duryodhana told her your Green Dupatta is mine. Draupadi said no this is mine. Duryodhana told Dushasana to snatch it. Dushasana tried to snatch it. Draupadi prayed to Krishna. Since Krishna was a God and son of a tailor he started making Dupatta bigger and bigger magically. Dushasana pulled and pulled but the Dupatta was getting longer and longer. Atlast he got tired and fainted and fell down. Draupadi turned to Duryodhana and delivered a powerful speech that would be remembered in the years to come. She said 'Na na na boo boo, Na na na boo boo'.
Thus we see how Draupadi was victimized and by delivering a strong speech to Duryodhana at the end, this story is very apt to be shown on Women's Day for which Sulochanna Teacher will definitely give me a minimum A+ if not A++”
Mohan let out a sign of relief. He went over to Manu and put a hand over his shoulder. “Thank you. That was very clever”. Manu nodded his head in acknowledgement and smiled.
Kittunni looked at Mohan smiling. “My father is so proud of me!”
Kittunni continued, “Ok everyone let's get to work. Acha you will be Dushasana since you look evil and ugly. Ammumma you can be Draupadi since you gave me 2 chocolates yesterday”.
Mohan looked at Radhamma, red in face with embarrassment. "Idiot!!!", he thought in his mind, but couldn't express it in front of others. He came close to Kittu's ears and whispered.
“Err Kittu I will be Yudhisthira. Let Appuppa be Dushasana”
“As if!!! It's my play and everyone will do as I say", Kittunni declared loud and stern. “Now go back to your place and start practicing pulling at Ammumma's Dupatta. I won't tolerate any mistakes”.
And thus the play continued.
No one knew for sure what grade Kittunni got for his play, but Mohan certainly learned a lesson - he might forget his own birthday, but he will never ever forget Women's day.
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