Plays
Power of Destiny is a one-act play,
delineating the political issues of
The Son of God; A Glorious Feast; and Prophecy of Islam, portray the sense of belief and disbelief in mortals chosen by God, and burdened with prophecies and revelations.
A Murderer Divine is a full-length play based on the story of Judith, who rises like a noble saint out of the very dreams of Nebuchadnezzar.
A Devil's Bride is another full-length play, based on the story of Tobit, scented with parables and philosophy.
Queen of Pandavas, based on the story of
Mahabharata is also complete.
A book of one-act and full-length plays available for publication
A sample play…
Lord Shiva inside a ring of fire is dancing. In his right hand he holds a small drum, in his left a flame. His foot rests on the back of a dwarf who appears to be sleeping, the Lord's left foot poised in an act of dancing.
Lord Shiva: Fear not, for all rests well in God. The forms that come and go...and of which your body is but one, are the flashes of my dancing limbs.
One teenager straggles on to the stage. One look at Lord Shiva, and he shrinks back screaming.
Ravi: Come, Raman, come. Look, a man...a circle of fire, come, come.
Ravi's older brother storms forward. Shaking Ravi violently, his own eyes fixed to Lord Shiva.
Raman: Stop bawling, you nitwit. No man, a yogi maybe? (addressing Lord Shiva) Who are you?
Lord Shiva: I am Shiva
Ravi (Whimpering) Shiva...of...fire...
Raman: (pushing his brother behind him) Shiva, really? Cool! A godlike name. A magician? What else can you do?
Lord Shiva: I can burn all the clouds in the heavens with shafts of lightning, and pour down rain from fire.
Raman: (laughing) So, you think you are a God. How can you burn clouds and make rain from fire?
Lord Shiva: Gods have mysterious ways to do all things, which seem impossible to little minds.
Raman: Gods, gods. What kind of god are you, really? If you are a god?
Lord Shiva: I am the god of death and resurrection. The Creator, the Preserver, the Destroyer.
Ravi: (shuddering) Creator...prese...what?
Raman: (kicking his brother in the ribs) Quiet, you little mouse. Quiet, I say. (his eyes flashing as he addresses Shiva) So, you like to kill people?
Lord Shiva: It's all an illusion.
Raman: (with a befuddled look) Illusion, illusion! You mean you admit you are not a god?
Ravi: Ill...what...I want to know.
Raman: (Waving fists at Ravi) How would you know, you scaredy cat, if you don't listen. Now don't talk, or I will stuff your face with fists.
Lord Shiva: (smiling at Ravi) By illusion, Ravi, I mean that life is an illusion as well as death.
Raman: (waving his arms) Illusion, whatever? Real gods will get you for lying and teasing little kids. Why are you smiling?
Lord Shiva: Gods are my friends. Real, or not real.
Raman: (with a sudden agog) Which ones?
Lord Shiva: Vishnu the Preserver, for one. He is my friend and a real good one too. He likes me...
Raman: (interrupting) Ahhh! You pretended you are a god, now you say gods are your friends. Cool! Do you know all the gods?
Lord Shiva: As much as I know myself.
Raman: Now you're talking like my dad. He doesn't make any sense either?
Lord Shiva: Because your dad didn't listen to his parents.
Raman: I knew it, I knew it. My dad knew his parents didn't make any sense.
Lord Shiva: Your dad thought his parents didn't make any sense. Now he knows.
Ravi: (Skipping in front of his brother) Know what, I want to...
Raman: If you don't stop babbling, Ravi, I am going to pull your ears to your chin. So, shut up.
Lord Shiva: (murmuring to himself) Child's innocence! (aloud) You might learn something from your younger brother, Raman.
Raman: (laughing) From him?
Ravi stands there in some sort of daze. Suddenly, he notices the dwarf under Lord Shiva's foot, and takes one step forward. The look in his eyes bold and smoldering.
Ravi: Lord Shiva, why are you standing on that man's back? How small he is? Isn't he hurting? Doesn't he know?
Raman: (astounded) What man? (becoming aware of his brother's discovery) Oh, that silly little. Is that a man? Of course, he. I don't think he knows.
Lord Shiva: (to Ravi) This dwarf is called Ignorance, Ravi. I am crushing it under my feet, so that people could live happily.
Ravi: Could you come to our house, Lord Shiva, could you? My mom is not happy, my sister sick, mom prays, yes, she does, could you?
Lord Shiva: Gods live everywhere, Ravi. In the hearts of all.
Raman: (confused and raging, turns to his brother) Didn't I tell you to shut up. Now shut up. (whirling back to Lord Shiva) If you are really a god, tell me, cool, tell me. How many gods do you know, how many are your friends?
Lord Shiva: Only one.
Raman: One! What about Vishnu, he is greater than you. And Brahma, don't you know him?
Lord Shiva: Lord Brahma, the One and the only One, how can one not know him? Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, Shiva the Destroyer, all three in One godhead, the trinity. Lord Brahma, the One and the Supreme.
Raman: Trinity, God, One! I got to tell my dad.
Ravi: Lord Shiva, can I touch that circle of fire?
Lord Shiva: Yes.
Ravi: It won't burn me, will it?
Lord Shiva: No. It doesn't burn, this is the Fire of Love.
Raman: Lord Shiva, don't let Ravi touch it. He kills everything he touches. He killed all my Power Rangers.
Lord Shiva: Power of Love never dies. It might lose its warmth, but it will smolder forever and forever.
Raman: Warmth. Smolder. I know. No, I don't know. Fire of Love, I like that, cool! How does it lose its warmth?
Lord Shiva: If one does something bad. Hurts someone, or says hurtful things...the Fire of Love gets damp and sweaty. Melting, melting, yet smoldering eternally.
Ravi: Can you give me this, Fire of Love, Lord Shiva? Can I take it home?
Lord Shiva: Sure. Keep it with you, always. Next time you feel angry, touch this Fire of Love. Sit quietly in your room and think. Think about love and goodness and all your wishes will come true.
Lord Shiva holds out the Ring of Fire to Ravi. Ravi claims it reverently, and stands there rapt admiring it. Raman is fascinated and speechless. Lord Shiva leaves.
Ravi: (murmuring) Wait till I tell dad.
Raman: Let me see.
The dwarf awakens, dazed and yawning.
Dwarf: Where did Lord Shiva go?
Raman: (startled) Where? So, you saw him too?
Dwarf: See who? I was with Lord Vishnu.
Ravi: You were asking about Lord Shiva!
Dwarf: Brahma was calling me.
Raman: You were sleeping.
Dwarf: (leaping toward Ravi) Give me that.
Raman: (Challenging the dwarf with clenched fists) You can't take that from my brother, you lazy dog.
Dwarf: (edging closer) You have no respect for an old man, do you? I will teach you.
Both
Raman: I will think about respect after me and my brother and this Ring of Fire are safe in our home.
Dwarf: I will kill you both.
Dwarf: (slumping down on the stage) Consciousness? Knowledge? Ignorance?