The Immortal Song (अमर भूपाळी)

''Honaji, the poet''

This concerns the game played by the milkmaids.

Lord Krishna had assured the milkmaids..

that he would play with them in the Spring.

The milkmaids gathered on the banks of the Jamuna.

They spoke humbly to him.

Krishna was glad to see their humility.

He invited them to join Him for Ras Leela.

They gathered round him.

''Hey, Hona ! Look after your calf! ''

lt's loose!

''What are you doing, Sitting there?''

Krishna multiplied himself and danced with each girl.

Each girl was thrilled to be with Krishna.

The Gods came to see this divine game.

Krishna played the flute.

''The girls' bangles, belts'' and bells jingled.

Like lightning seen through the clouds. .

They looked lovely dancing with the dark Krishna.

Their feet and bodies moved to the beat.

They swayed to the music.

Their jewellery clinked.

They sang sweetly.

They looked like angels in the heavens above.

They were lost in their trance..

As if the gods themselves had planned it.

Suddenly Lord Krishna disappeared.

''Seeing him gone, the girls'' came out of their trance.

Where had Krishna gone?

''They were confused, restless.''

They were bewildered.

Where is Krishna?

''They cried, their throats choked.''

They asked : Where is my

''Mukund, my Murari?''

Has anyone seen him?

Have you seen Mukund?

''Where is my Nandkumar,'' my Shyamsunder?

''O trees, tell me. Has'' anyone seen our Mukund?

''Tell me, has anyone seen Mukund?''

He was playing with us in the forest.

And now he's gone.

Where has he gone to?

Your cows have gone grazing into my farm.

Take them away or l'll put them into the cattle pound.

Why yell at us? The owner will come.

Hand them over to the cattle pound. What's it to me?

All right. l will take them to the cattle pound.

Why are you screaming? Go.

Good ! The string broke. Braying like donkeys!

They need their heads broken.

We ought to hit you with ''our fiddle, old man.''

''Old man, am l? l'll break your head.''

''Whose? Think you're smart, do you?''

Come down here. l'll show you.

''Okay, we're coming. Let's'' have a showdown.

Where's Uncle? - lnside.

Uncle! They've actually come.

We're not afraid. Let's see the old man.

Play the drum. Start the milkmaid's song.

Shastriji? ''- Yes, Hona?''

Krishna disappeared. The milkmaids went crazy.

That description of Ras Leela the Puranas?

No. Not from the Puranas.

l saw the milkmaids. l saw Krishna face to face.

The girls sang :

''Sing those words again, Honaji.''

Well done !

l described the milkmaids.

But you made poetry of them.

''You made poetry, Hona.''

Shastriji ! Shastriji !

''Come in, Vithbai.''

Who are these people?

Who are you? Balya?

''l'm sorry, Vithabai.''

You were learning to be a tailor.

Have you become a tamasha singer?

He's the one who was creating a din next door.

And why have you come here?

To listen to his singing.

''You're here, Hona? The'' cows haven't come home.

There's chaos at home. What shall l do with him?

You should be proud of this boy.

Your Hona isn't meant to be a cowherd.

He's a poet. Listen to his songs.

''Shastri, l don't understand you.''

''Hona, dedicate this first'' poem to your mother.

Take her blessings. You'll be a fine poet.

Tell me: Has anyone seen Mukund?

''Mother-in-Law, uncle's angry'' because the cows are in the pound.

Hear that? What do l do with this boy?

How dare you put them in the cattle pound?

What else? Shall l come crying to you?

l can't afford such losses in my farm.

Shall l starve or rob to survive the rest of the year?

Teach Hona a lesson.

''Has your father taught you this,'' or your actor uncle?

What were you doing?

''lf you'd lost your own cows,'' you'd understand.

l pity your mother. But get out of my house.

Do what you will in your own house in Pune. Go.

Vithabai? Hona?

Where are you going?

We're going to Pune. - Pune? Why?

You heard about the cows in the cattle pound.

Hona's uncle's angry. We have to go.

Taking the cow too? - Yes.

Will she make it?

''lf she delivers on the way,'' it's a good omen.

''Shastriji is right, Mother.''

She won't wait till Pune.

Let's stop a while.Eat some food.

Let me make the cow comfortable first.

''Mother, look after her.''

ln the evening..

The people of Brij gather together.

''Mother, has she delivered?''

Let's ask if bala Bhairu the singer lives here.

This is it. Don't you hear the drum?

He knows the house. The English are well informed.

No wonder they know when to exploit our troubles.

You work for Bajirao. You should have known.

''My, my! Who's this?''

This is the Peshwa's officer. Come in.

Come in.

''Your wish, sir?''

''A show, of course.''

The Peshwa has invited British guests.

Really? - We want good performers.

''lf they appreciate us,'' we perform well.

We'll go now. - Already?

Come in the evening.

ls this your dancer? Looks like he knows his stuff.

Take care.

''My, my! ''

Good day.

''Vithabai, you're back! '' - Yes.

They invited us to perform for Bajirao.

''Hona, wait here.''

You've come at the right time.

You'll see the magnificence of the palace today.

''l'm glad you've come, Vithabai.''

l worry about delivering milk to the palace.

Why? We don't do it for money. lt's a matter of pride.

l don't like your uncle's tamasha troupe at all.

l lived in Saswad to keep you away from him.

A tamasha is a tamasha. Even if it's for Bajirao.

We won't go. We're happy as milkmen.

Give the cow hay. Put a sheet under her. l'll feed her.

''Bhairu, we want the'' best singers today.

Englishmen are coming to the tamasha.

The singer and drummer are away.

Let them go to hell.

He's become stuck up. Let him get lost.

Here's our singer.

Shivla's come too.

Where did Bala take you?

You're in time. Else l'd have beaten you. .

Where's Bala? - We should go now.

Let's go To Bajirao's palace. Get ready.

Where's Hona? We must take him along.

You're not going. l told you.

All right. Why did you bring him here at all?

My show will go on.

Protect him behind your sari.

You can't keep him a child. He will grow up.

Yes. But he won't be a tamasha singer.

Such pride in such poverty!

''Have you arrived, Bala?'' - Yes. l'm here.

Didn't you take along Shivla? - Who me?

Are you trying to break up my troupe?

Weren't you booed off the stage at Saswad?

Saswad? - l'll slap you.

Let it be. What's the point? Let's go.

l'll set up a new troupe. With Hona. l'll show them.

''Hona, you didn't go with your uncle.''

No. So what? Haven't you been scolded enough?

You mean Balabhau? F orget it. Who wants the tamasha?

l'm fine with my needle and thread.

You said it.

''Hona, l still remember your'' lavani from Saswad.

''That was because of Shastriji,'' - Whatever.

''Tell me, has anyone seen Mukund?''

''Hona, you can be a great poet.''

You say you're a tailor but you can't forget your drum.

l was telling Hona to forget the tamasha.

We'll go to the kirtan at Ramji Naik's.

No. He's tired. He has to deliver milk in the morning.

''To Bajirao? Go to sleep, Hona.'' - Go.

Kesar says the colours are beautiful.

Where have they gone?

Someone's coming. Let me see.

Get up. Start singing.

''Oh, hell, it's you, is it?''

Who else would come to listen to your boring music?

lf you don't sing lavanis no one will come.

You mean non-classical music? - Yes.

Are you willing?

Those ribald songs from Kolhapur?