THE LEGEND OF GANESHA
(A puppet play by Dr. Utpal K. Banerjee)

Puppet Characters (according to entry)                                             

Shiva                                                                                          
Nandi (the bull)
Bhringi (companion of Shiva)
Parvati
Sakhis 2 (companion of Parvati)
Ganesha (with detachable head)
Elephant (with detachable head)

Music: Preferably Indian classical music

SCENE I
(Mount Kailash)

(Shiva sitting in the middle flanked by Nandi and Bhringi praying him)

Prayer Song:     Mahadeva Shiva Shambhu…

(In his unmindfulness, Shiva falls asleep. After hesitation and mutual consultation between Nandi and Bhringi, Nandi mugs Shiva)

Shiva:      (suddenly woken up) Bless you Nandi! Blass you Bringi! What should we do now?

Nandi:   We should sleep now!

Bhringi:  We should dance now!

Nandi:   Sleep!

Bhringi:  Dance!

Nandi:   No!

Bhringi:  No!

Shiva:     (slightly irritated) Stop it! We will now go to Parvati’s place.

Nandi:   Yes, Devi Parvati’s place!

Bhringi: Yes, Devi Parvati’s place!

Nandi:    Right now!

Bhringi: Immediately!

(Shiva stops them and exits, followed by Nandi & Bhringi)

SCENE II
(Parvati’s Place)

(Parvati sitting in the middle, flanked by Sakhis on two sides praying to her)

Prayer Song: Sharad Jyotsnam Shuddham…

Parvati:  (very pleased) Bless you, Sakhis! I wish to have a bath.

Sakhi-1: I will warm up the water.

Sakhi-2: I will bring the perfume.

Parvati:  Please send Ganesha on your way.

(Sakhis exit. Ganesha enters and salutes Parvati)

Ganesha: Pronam Ma!

Parvati:    Bless you, Ganesha!

Ganesha: Ma, did you send for me?

Parvati:   Yes Ganesha, I am going for a bath and you be at the door.

Ganesha: Yes Ma.

Parvati:    Please see that nobody gets in.

Ganesha: Nobody Ma?

Parvati:    Yes Ganesha, nobody.

Ganesha: Right Ma. I’ll be on the guard.

(Parvati exits. Ganesha walks up and down. Nandi enters)

Nandi:     Please open the door. Lord Shiva is coming.

Ganesh:   Go away!

(Nandi runs away scared. Bhringi enters)

Bhringi:   Lord Shiva is coming, please allow him to enter.

Ganesha: Go away!

(Bhringi is frightened and runs away. Shiva enters followed by Nandi & Bhringi)

Shiva:      Ganesha, I wish to see Parvati, please open the door!

Ganesha: I won’t.

Shiva:      Why won’t you?

Ganesha: Ma is having a bath and has asked me not to open the door to anybody.

Shiva:      Not even to your father?

Ganesha: No one, not even to myself.

Shiva:      Ganesha, I’m getting angry. Open the door immediately. I am not used to be kept waiting.

Nandi:     (getting bold) Open the door.

Bhringi:   (also getting bold) Lord Shiva is getting angry.

Ganesha:  (to Nandi and Bhringi) I told you to get lost. Don’t bother me.

                 (to Shiva) Sorry father, you’ll have to wait.

Shiva:       I’ll cut off your head, if you go on further.

Ganesha:  Do whatever you like father. I cannot let you in.

Shiva:      (getting wild) Off with your head!

(Nandi & Bhringi clasp each other in terror. Shiva makes a gesture and Ganesha’s head is chopped off)

Shiva:     Good! (Nandi & Bhringi are still terrified)

(Parvati enters and greets Shiva)

Parvati:    (bends) Pronam Lord!

(While getting up, she catches the sight of stretched Ganesha’s body)

Parvati:    What happened to my Ganesha?

Shiva:      I’ve cut off his head.

Parvati:   You did? But why?

Shiva:      Because he was adamant in not letting me in.

Parvati:    But I’d asked him not to let anybody in. Did he not tell you?

Shiva:      (a little morose) I’m sorry.

Parvati:    Moreover, he is your son. Did you not think of that?

Shiva:      You know Parvati, I get angry very quickly, I forgot myself.

Parvati:    (very tearful) You must get me back my beloved son.

Shiva :      How?

Parvati:     By putting back his head, and making him alive.

Shiva:       Since I’ve cut off his head, I cannot put it back. But I can replace it.

Parvati:     Please replace it, but do it quickly. I want to see my son alive.

Shiva:       (to nandi & Bhringi) Go and look for a head immediately. Bring me the first head you get.

Nandi & Bhringi:    Any head?

Shiva:       Yes, any head. Go fast.

(Nandi & Bhringi exit)

SCENE III
(Wild forest)

(Enter Nandi & Bhringi amidst strange sounds all round. They’re quite frightened)

Nandi:    I’m frightened!

Bhringi:  I’m scared stiff!

Nandi:    Not a soul around so far!

Bhringi:  Absolutely no head anywhere!

(Suddenly they spot a dead elephant lying under a tree)

Nandi:   What is that?

Bhringi: What a huge body!

Nandi:   Shall we carry his head?

Bhringi: What else can we do? This is the first head we’ve come across.

Nandi:    Let’s carry this head.

Bhringi: Let’s go back then.

(Nandi & Bhringi go to the elephant and pick up its head on their way out)

SCENE IV
(Parvati’s place)

(Parvati is sitting with Ganesha’s body on her lap, with head down. Shiva sits alongside and looking anxiously for Nandi & Bhringi)

(Nandi & Bhringi enter with the elephant’s head)

Nandi:    Pronam Devi. Pronam Lord.

Bhringi:  Pronam Devi. Pronam Lord.

Nandi:    Go ahead.

Bhringi: You go ahead.

Shiva:     (Impatient) Have you brought the head?

Nandi & Bhringi:  Yes, yes.

(They rush forward with the head)

Shiva:    I see it is an elephant’s head.

Parvati: (looking up) I am very glad. Elephant are noble creatures. They are sensitive and good in every      way.

Shiva:   Let me make Ganesh alive.

(He puts the elephant’s head on Ganesha body and Ganesha sits up)

Shiva:     May I bless you Ganesha to be the first among Gods to be worshipped. You will be the most   learned of all in music and dance, and most kind-hearted.

Ganesha: Thank you, father.

(Ganesha sits flanked by Shiva and Parvati)

Prayer Song: Vatapi Ganapati Vajenam….