Yes, I'm not scared of ghosts either. What do you mean? I mean that from today I'll live here, too! And the rent? But... there isn't any rent to pay. Well, I'll pay half of nothing, too.
How is that possible? The hut is too small for the three of us. There's me, Moti and you. And there is only one bed. So? I'll sleep on the floor. Moti can sleep under the bed. Suppose you're cold at nights? We'll squeeze in with you this website. Don't you dare do that! I'll smash your head in. OK! You sleep comfortably on your bed. I'm used to the floor. I think we should get food organised. Let's share our earnings. Out with the money! Yes, of course. Why not? Here, sit down. Altogether that makes three rupees forty five paise. So that means you get one rupees and fifteen paise. One rupee and fifteen paise are mine. And one rupee fifteen paise for Moti. - Moti gets a share, too? - Why not? Isn't Moti human? So Minoo, how was our circus? - First-class! - Partner, let's shake on it. Minoo Master, your hand is just like girl's hand. Don't call me a girl! I'll cut you! I'll kill you! Bravo! Now clap, Children! Saw how the African lion jumped through the ring? Now all of you watch Minno's marvel! Master Minoo will risk his life. Through a ring... ...of knives sharp as swords he will jump. Come on Master Minoo, show your wonders! Be careful. You nearly tore your expensive shirt. I will explain everything. Minoo master lied! Raju, don't leave me alone. You're back. Where were you all night? In hell or in heaven... who are you to ask? I'm your friend, Minoo master. You're not master but Miss Minoo. You're no friend. You can't be. What is it? What sin have I committed that ends friendship? That sin is called lying. I can tolerate a lot. I've lived through a lot... ...unfaithfulness, selfishness and injustice. But I can't tolerate lies. Your friendship was based on a lie. It was a lie. But you were responsible for it. - Me? - Yes, you! Not you alone, but all men. You don't know... ...how many trials a parentless girls has to face. I arrived in Bombay with high hopes. I had dreams of becoming an actress, of working in films. But it is very tough for a girl to live respectably in a city. Very difficult, Raju. Everyone eyed me with an evil motive. I decided that in order to save my honour, I had to die. The long-haired Meena died. In her place... ...was born a knife-wielding vagabond.
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Whatever I had, I gave you. My life is all that's left. I have heard and seen love talk. But what did she say in Russian before she left? She reminded me of an old song. "My gaiety veils my sorrow and I sing a song of joy" "My heart is filled with pain, but I wear a smile on my face" "O world!
I'm just a victim. A victim of fate" "I'm a tramp, just a tramp" What are you looking at Mr. Rajendra Kumar? Someday, my face will be on an even bigger poster. You thief! Running away with my Moti! Is Moti your dog? He's really a gem. A gem or a pearl. He is mine. If you touch him... Good grief! Are you a boy or a film gangster? How you wield a tin knife! Shall I show you how sharp it really is? Well, kid? Children don't play with knives. Get it? Here... You think I was running away with your dog? I'm not that stupid, I've nothing to eat, how do I feed it? Was I kidnapping you? Come, Moti. - What's your name? - Minoo. What's yours? Raju. Have you a job? Sometimes I get this work. Putting up posters? And otherwise? Nothing. That means we're both in the same business. Let's try turning tables. Raju and Minoo. And Moti too. But what can we three do? Minoo, what can't the three of us do. Let's shake hands! Am I not right, Moti? Now you watch what we three will do. You've seen the great footpath circus performers perform. Now let us see kind-hearted souls perform. Put your hands in your pocket. Take out some money. Be a rupee, or two rupees or a five rupees! One, two rupees... Five paise, ten paise, fifteen... Ten paise, five paise, three paise... Your smallest coin will be like a million for us. Give freely, Give generously! Three Cheers! Minoo, Moti, Raju... Hurray! Master, which gutter are you taking me into? Hey mister, don't you dare call this a gutter. This leads straight to heaven. Here's heaven. It's very nice. You must have paid atleast a 2000 deposit, how did you do it? I got it for free. The poor man who build it died. He died? See that bridge. He came under a train. Ever since then, people say his ghost haunts the house. - His ghost? - Yes, that's what people think. That's why no one dares enter. Aren't you scared of ghosts? Me? Raju, in this world I see nothing but ghosts about me. Why should I fear that poor man's ghost? Aren't I right? They are our friends. But they belong to a foreign land. Their language, culture differ.
Maybe you don't know, every country is separated by a wall. To come here they need passports, to go there... ...we need passports. I know all that. I was trying to forget. My naive mother dreamt of a fairy-like daughter-in-law. She knows no walls. Trust in me. I won't forget now. Your mother is very ill. She wants to see you and her daughter-in-law. Daughter-in-law? What have you done? For the first time ever, you've found a mother And you will hurt her? She loves you. You'll reject her? What shall I do? What am I to do? Come in. Come, daughter. My daughter. How are you? I was telling Raju only today... ...to bring my fairy. I'd see her and I'd be fine. Raju is a very good man. His heart is... You're crying? My heart is crying! My child... Your son is a wonder. He makes everyone roar with laughter. So he does, does he? That's what I feared. Please sit in the front. 'The circus was life for him. The circus meant death for him.' 'When he fell from the trapeze. The audience thought...' '..here's the clown's latest act.' 'He was breathing his last breath and they applauded.' Mother! Now you know the truth. Don't be annoyed with me; what else could I do? Where else could I go? My father's blood... ..runs in my veins and says: Here I shall live and die Where else can I go Raju's mother. Raju, you're on. Raju, you're on next. The microphone. Now we present... ...the most unusual clown. The bravest of them all. Our dearest laughing and singing, Raju! This is your test, Raju. Today you must prove to the world how big the heart of a clown is! This was near her when she died. Yes, this is the circus. And the show lasts for three full hours. "The first hour is one's childhood" "The second hour is one's youth" "The third hour is one's old age" And after that... "No mother, no father, no son, no daughter, no you, no me" What's left... "Empty chairs, empty tents empty nets, it's all empty" "with no one to fill them... nothing left" "Nothing belongs to you or me" You're crying? We say, we shall meet again. We'll meet again. If we never part, how do we meet again? - I'm not a philosopher. - Every clown is a philosopher. I love you. To meet and to part... To part and to meet, that's life! If that's life, what's death? I don't know. You aren't annoyed, are you? Are you sad? Take those glasses off. May I ask you for something? |
AuthorI'm an high school art teacher who's really interested in student choice and creating opportunities for self expression. I'm also a writer at the Students QA platform and co-author of the soon to be published book The Open Art Room. In my free time I love to garden, cook and jog - all while chasing two boys under four! Archives
April 2019
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