ACT XXI : SCENE 1

EASWARAMMA: Sathyam, my child, if Your mother asks You to do something, You will do it, won’t You?

SATHYA: I know what you want to ask.

EASWARAMMA: You know?

SATHYA: Yes... I know everything.

EASWARAMMA: Sathyam!

SATHYA: Yes, what I say is indeed Sathyam [Truth]! When I am here, neighbours come to you with all their problems… and you become their spokesperson, don’t you?

EASWARAMMA: Yes! But son, what am I to do? When they worry so much and carry such a heavy burden in their hearts, how can I say no? So…

SATHYA: You carry their problems to Me! And I must give the solutions, isn’t that so? You are becoming their postman!

EASWARAMMA: I don’t know about that… If only I could help them a little bit... Poor things, they are so agitated. Sathyam... Sathyam... Please oblige this mother of Yours and provide the solutions to their problems.

SATHYA: Yes, I will do so, but…

EASWARAMMA: But? What is the meaning of this ‘but’?

SATHYA: Will you prepare the dish Bobbatlu for Me?

EASWARAMMA: I shall certainly do so, my son! Why only Bobbatlu? I will make whatever You want, my dear son!

SATHYA: Poor thing! All these people are troubling you, are they not? Ask them to come to Me, and tell Me directly their problems. Without fail, I shall give them the solutions.

EASWARAMMA: So be it. As You say, my son!

SATHYA: Lady, don’t forget the Bobbatlu…

EASWARAMMA: My son! My Sathyam! I won’t forget; I certainly will not!

SCENE 2

The place is vibrant and colourfully decorated; many devotees come to have Swami’s darshan.

GROUP: Get down… get down… slowly, get down slowly… (from the cart)

GROUP: We have come for Swami’s darshan.

GROUP: Careful, you may fall down, get down slowly.

There is a general murmur amoung the crowd.

(To be continued…)

Dear reader, this is the penultimate part of this serial. Yes, it is very short compared to the previous episodes, but that is because we have saved the best for last!