Saadat Manto - My Name Is Radha

ASGHARI ( rising, feeling battered ): Enough, Dulhan Begum, enough!

SAEEDA: I stand at a crossroads where the ground quakes under my feet. Whichever way I turn, it turns away from me. . Whatever I plan slips from my grasp; I rush after it pell-mell, and when I’ve caught it, it crumbles in my hand like sand. . Asghari, you don’t know how long I’ve been rolling around on this bed of live coals. When I douse them with water, the rising steam carries me to the highest point in space, only to hurl me down — ravaged, battered and mauled. . Every single bone in my body has been crushed. It would’ve been much better, Asghari, if I had been crippled instead of Amjad Sahib. ( After a long pause, during which ASGHARI stands frozen, while SAEEDA paces to and fro extremely agitated ) Tell me, what should I do?

ASGHARI ( roused from her thoughts ): What should you do?. . You should. . you should wait until Amjad Mian dies.

SAEEDA ( after a moment’s thought ): Call me heartless if you will. . but I have to ask. . When will he die?

ASGHARI: When God wills. ( Mumbles ) But Amjad Mian has cut off relations with Him.

SAEEDA: What? What did you say?

ASGHARI: Nothing. ( Taking hesitant steps, she exits. )

(SAEEDA continues to pace fretfully on the cool, comforting grass. )

( Curtain ) ACT VI

A large, spacious living room in Nigar Villa decorated with old-style furnishings that exude an aura of heaviness and durability. Oil paintings of various family members hang on the walls. One is of THE BEGUM from the time when she was young. She is sitting directly beneath it on the sofa. The gaiety and the carefree look of the painting contrast sharply with her present care-ridden face, ravaged by dark anxiety and sorrow. She’s knitting something out of wool, but it seems more like she’s untangling her confused thoughts that tangle up again like the yarn. ASGHARI enters.

BEGUM SAHIB: Did you find Majeed Mian?

ASGHARI: Yes.

BEGUM SAHIB: Where was he?

ASGHARI: In the garden.

BEGUM SAHIB: What was he doing?

ASGHARI: He. . ( faltering ) he was sitting there, all by himself.

BEGUM SAHIB ( looking at ASGHARI and then lowering her gaze ): Is he coming?

ASGHARI: Yes, he is.

BEGUM SAHIB: You may go now.

(ASGHARI leaves just as MAJEED enters, looking at her. )

MAJEED: What is it, Mother?

BEGUM SAHIB: Oh, nothing. Sit down.

MAJEED ( sitting in the chair near the couch ): It’s chilly in here.

BEGUM SAHIB: Yes, quite chilly.

MAJEED ( after a pause; uneasily ): I have the distinct feeling that you’ve called me here because you have something to say.

BEGUM SAHIB: Yes. .

MAJEED: Well? I’m listening.

BEGUM SAHIB: I want to send you away from here.

MAJEED ( rising suddenly ): Me? Where?

BEGUM SAHIB: Sit down.

MAJEED ( sitting ): Okay.

BEGUM SAHIB: I haven’t told Amjad yet.

MAJEED ( rises again ): About what?

BEGUM SAHIB: That I’m sending you away.

MAJEED: But why? I mean. . is it some important business or. .?

BEGUM SAHIB: Sit down.

MAJEED ( sitting down again ): Is it?

BEGUM SAHIB: No.

MAJEED: Then why, may I ask, do you feel it necessary to send me away?

BEGUM SAHIB: Because I think it’s better this way.

MAJEED: Better? Better for whom?

BEGUM SAHIB: For all of us. . for the family.

MAJEED ( gets up again ): You’re talking in riddles, Mother.

BEGUM SAHIB: Majeed, you’re my son and I’m your mother. . Nothing should happen between us that would stain this sacred relationship. . I want you to leave for Karachi today and stay there for as long as I say.

MAJEED: But, Mother. .

BEGUM SAHIB ( cutting him short ): You have plenty of friends there. I’m sure that with their help, or just on your own, you’ll get your boat safely ashore through this maelstrom we call life.

MAJEED ( wants to say something, but fails and sits back down ): Okay. . I’ll go.

BEGUM SAHIB: Your decision. . ( Drops into silence as she notices AMJAD enter the room in his wheelchair pushed by karim.)

AMJAD: You’re a strange fellow, Majeed. . All this time I was waiting for you in my room so we could decide what to get Saeeda for her birthday. . Instead, I find you lounging around here. ( To THE BEGUM) Ammijan. . so have you thought of something for a present? What kind should it be?. . I’m going crazy thinking about it.

BEGUM SAHIB: Why don’t you ask Saeeda?

AMJAD ( laughs ): Listen to that. You’re the limit, Mother dear. . If I ask her it wouldn’t be a surprise, no fun. ( To MAJEED) Well, Majeed? (MAJEED remains silent ) Speak up!

MAJEED ( rising ): Ask Ammijan. As for me. . well, I’m leaving.

AMJAD ( surprised ): Leaving? Wherever for?

MAJEED: Karachi.

AMJAD: Have you gone mad? Karachi. . What for?

MAJEED: What for?. . ( With a faint smile ) To get my boat out of a maelstrom.

AMJAD ( to THE BEGUM): What’s happened to him? ( To MAJEED) Sit down, yaar. . The day after tomorrow is her birthday. . we should make a decision right now.

MAJEED: The decision has been made.

AMJAD: What?

MAJEED: That I’m going to Karachi for good.

AMJAD: What are you babbling about? ( To THE BEGUM) Mother, what is all this?

BEGUM SAHIB: Nothing. . just a little mother — son quarrel.

AMJAD: Over what?

BEGUM SAHIB: That you can’t ask.

AMJAD: I may be overstepping myself. . but Majeed is my brother. If there’s been a misunderstanding between the two of you then it’s my duty to clear it up. . I know Majeed better than you do. . He couldn’t possibly do something that would cause such a problem. ( To MAJEED) Hey, come over here.

MAJEED: Bhaijan, I’ve got to pack now.

AMJAD: For heaven’s sake. . what’s going on? ( To THE BEGUM) Ammijan, for God’s sake, stop him! If not for me, then for Saeeda’s sake. He’s the only one here who keeps her spirits from sagging. He does so much for me. If you were to let him go, God knows what’ll become of me, Ammijan. Whenever he takes Saeeda out for a stroll, I imagine I’m the one who’s walking with her; whenever he plays some game with her, I feel the great void in my life created by Fate’s cruel hands beginning to fill. I often say to myself, ‘Amjad, what would your life be without Majeed for a brother? The debris of your life wouldn’t even be fit for the garbage dump.’ Please stop him. Why are you separating us? Don’t play God, Ammijan. ( Breaks into sobs. )

MAJEED: Ammijan, I’m leaving.

BEGUM SAHIB: Wait!

(MAJEED stops. )

BEGUM SAHIB ( gets up and begins to stroke AMJAD’s head affectionately ): Son, don’t cry. . Majeed’s not going anywhere. . everything will stay right where it belongs, for that’s the will of God. ( To MAJEED) You sit down with your brother and think about Saeeda’s birthday gift. ( Exits. )

MAJEED ( after thinking for a while moves towards AMJAD’s wheelchair and speaks in a hushed voice ): Bhaijan, please let me go.

AMJAD ( lifting his head up ): Let you go? Go where? Don’t be crazy!

MAJEED: You don’t understand.

AMJAD: I understand everything. Take out your handkerchief and wipe my tears, come on. ( After some hesitation MAJEED takes out his handkerchief and begins to wipe away AMJAD’s tears rather hastily. ) What are you doing, yaar? Not like that! You don’t even know how to wipe tears. . ( Smiles ) It’s really such a simple thing, you know.