- Made a mistake by dressing Pradhan in khadi clothes instead of an English suit

- Chandravadan Mehta

Chandravadan Mehta, who contributed to various forms of Gujarati literature and served Gujarati theater for 70 years in a span of 90 years, is remembered today on April 6. Chandravadan Mehta means free air. A unique and rare personality that cannot be categorized or defined. Chandravadan's greatest contribution to Gujarati literature is the vast drama he created. Half as many of his literary works as Ponaso are plays, but today we want to talk about a whirlwind of controversy sparked by a play called 'Dharasabha'. 'Dharasabha' found in Chandravadanbhai's collection 'Pearl of love and other plays' was a satire on the manners of ministers.

Now it came to pass that the school students in Saurashtra's Dhrol village performed this play and after the performance of this play the matching turban was taken away. Digvijay Jadeja, a student of Dhrol, who played the play, wrote a letter to Chandravadan Mehta on 29th April 1952 and talked about how the play had caused a stir.

We enclose the letter of Digvijay Jadeja and the note made by Chandravadan Mehta in this regard. Digvijaysinh Jadeja, a student living in Govind Bhawan, Dhrol, writes-

"When we performed the play 'Dharasabha', we had no idea of ​​its serious consequences. The local workers here made a big fuss behind the play. According to him, the Saurashtra cabinet was criticized in this play. Alas, he himself criticized the activists. As you know, Bhanabhai, Dahyabhai, Vohra Pramukh, Doctor etc. are characters in 'Dharasabha'. Coincidentally, characters of this name are also present in this small village of ours!

'If you have Cousin in your play, these people took its literary meaning and reduced it to a personal name; And the worker of that name is in our village but really! The second is about an activist named Dahyabhai and in particular the president of the investigation committee appointed to find out why Bhanabhai got hit by a thorn in the play. Here there was a Vohra Sadgrihastha, the vice-president of the Prajamandal of this village, and he took off the cap that fitted the Parana and thus found the ends of the chain. We had no idea that such a meaning would be derived from an innocent play written ten to fifteen years ago, and it is natural that it should not.

'The most special tarkhat (to use Chapani Gujarati) was created by the character of Pradhan. It was alleged that the play deliberately criticized Saurashtra ministers. The play was written before the birth of the Saurashtra cabinet. No one heard that we were literally faithful to the thing and presented it.

'The two teachers who helped to stage the play were immediately replaced by one of the workers here. One Teacher was a double graduate, one was a teacher of Gujarati and the other was an undergraduate in science. These young teachers were student-friendly. The headmaster found his school work satisfactory. These teachers were severely reprimanded. The headmaster was reprimanded, and the teachers were fined ten rupees for such so-called anti-government activity. No one listened to his defense. The first of these teachers to be suspended has resigned from his post. He said in the defense application that freedom of speech as much as it was in England in the 18th century is not here in the 20th century! We went on a one-day token strike against the transfer of these teachers, met the Principal, made mass petitions but the order was not reversed.

'Don't stop there: this play was called a political conspiracy to make fun of the ministers in public. We made the mistake of dressing Pradhan in khadi, initially it was meant to be an English suit but later we gave the thing a 'logical colour' and khadi to make it more flattering. (It is difficult to call this a mistake, however.) Another thing is that Thakor Saheb of Dhrol was invited along with other householders as an elected representative of our village as well as a prominent citizen. Later, the police department conducted an investigation regarding this drama. In it, I was asked, where did the character Pradhan get the khadi clothes worn in the play?

Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Dhebarbhai and Finance Minister Shri Kotak explained this question together. The Chief Minister denied the second meaning of the play and said that the decision taken is correct.

And this play, the last chapter of the history of the 'Dharassabha' has been presented in the Supreme Court. The Regional Commissioner, the Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister sought an explanation from Dhrola Naresh regarding his presence in the drama program. The report of Dhrolanresh's application in the Supreme Court appeared in the daily 'Mumbai Samachar' and the Rajkot dailies. It contains the following reference to your play: 'That letter he (Mr. Dhebare) wrote to me dated. Written on August 29, 1949. In which Mr. Ch. A play written by Mehta which was performed by the students and in which I attended as an invited guest.' etc.

'Our headmaster sir has removed that book of yours from the library list and when you want to read that book, the school clerk says, 'It is poison!' At present, the truth like a mountain is hidden by swimming, but what about 'no one can see the mountain'?

Apologies for taking up your time. I don't know how this news will be useful to you, but I am writing this letter to express how important your work 'Dharasabha' has become in this way.

- Your obedient student Digvijay Singh Jadeja.'

Regarding this case, which happened in the last phase of his job, there was a paper work against Chandravadan Mehta, who was working in Akashvani, for two and a half years. They note:

'On my part, I was sent from Delhi by our Director General and I.N.B. This was first known when the Secretary of the Ministry started demanding explanations over the telephone: no one is Gujarati, does not know Gujarati and has no knowledge of Gujarati literature, he asks: 'C.C. Why did you write this play? Wrote from whose holiday? How much money was taken from Drola Maharaja? Why not send us a copy? The chapter dragged on. I gave the correct answers to those sirs, but they had only one thing to say, 'The job will go, the old age pension will stop.'

"After that I went to Rajkot and met Mr. Gijubhai Kotak, a colleague from the old 'Akho' play, then met Ushangarai Dhebar, Chief Minister of Saurashtra.

'In short, even my acquaintance with Dheberbhai was not new. In 1934 or '36, the campaign of 15-16 percent result given by Principal Hamill in the English paper of Matriculation in Mumbai University was carried out all over Gujarat. Shardaben Mehta, Mr. K. T. In Rajkot under the leadership of Shah, Mr. Dhebarbhai drank tea and water in his advocate's office and organized a meeting, he also gave a speech, I started to explain all the details to him. But apart from my argument, in response to Mr. Kotak Mitra's argument, his only answer - the report of our Chief Secretary Seshnagaan (or someone of the same name from South India) is correct. You have mocked us. Only what is legal will happen in this, go.'

'Finance Minister Kotak Sahib did not turn. What happens to this 'play writer without arrogance'? Thus, my pension is at risk.

But the merits paid off somewhere, in Ahmedabad, the government telephone bell of the ministers kept ringing above me. Suddenly, a sweet cry was heard, 'Chandravadan! Do you recognize it? I speak Motilal Setalvad.' Motilal Solicitor General in Delhi then, a patriotic gentleman. Known from the lifetime of his father Sir Chimanlal Setalvad. Our sage-like and eminent jurist, 'I.N.A.' Late who saved the military generals who fought with Subhashbabu from court martial. At the time of Bhulabhai Desai's death, we went to request Sir Chimanlal to pay tribute to him on Akashvani, and he promptly went to court and recorded a full tribute at eleven o'clock on the studio with such a highly suggestive feeling. Since then the relationship with that family is good so Moti Bhai knows me well. He said, 'Chandravadan, I understand your confusion. You will be showered with wrath from the officials of the Ministry. Not answering anything. Don't even write anything, just keep quiet.'

'The chapter went on for a long time. Justice Hiralal Kaniya with Shri Motilal Setalvad. Both saw this play performed in Khar at my own school in 1934-35. self Sir Chunilal Mehta's youngest daughter, Justice Kaniya's sister-in-law, matriculated in a fellowship school in this drama text book - aware of the details, Mr. Motilal briefly conveyed the above fact to Rajkot as well as the Central Government. 'If any charge is made against the author of this, I will have to take up his defense.' He wrote, called it 'Tempest in a Tea-pot' and made a sweet remark that the government of Rajkot has created a farce of a farce. The case flew out of the Supreme Court. Maharaja Dhrol survived. My pension was saved. The sad thing is that after meeting Dhebarbhai, he says 'Chandravadan! Did you have to tell me already?' Then I recommended about the teachers of Dhrol Nishal who were fired because of the drama, but it was not implemented. The reign of Seshnagano was going on! And the drama 'Dharasabha' created a big scandal.'

anecdotal

Searching for papers instead of exam drudgery!

In the middle of the night, the phone rang at the doctor's house. The patient's voice came from the front, 'Sir, the health has become very bad. Your treatment is urgently needed.'

The doctor said: 'That's enough, then come.'

The patient said, 'Yes, but first answer one of my questions.'

The doctor said, 'Ask, what do you want to ask?'

The patient said: 'Sir, if I come to you, how much will you charge for the examination?'

The doctor said: 'Two hundred rupees.'

The patient said: 'How much is your fee if I come to see you at your clinic?'

The doctor said: 'Fifty rupees.'

The patient said, 'So, sir, come to the clinic. I'm coming in the hour.'

We remembered this because, instead of working hard for the exam, searching for the upcoming question paper became important and as a result, the exams had to be postponed due to bursting of papers. There were many ways to tempt an examinee with a mentality like that patient's. Gujarat also got a bit of infamy, but now the situation is gradually changing, it seems that Gujarat will not get such infamy again. With the provision of severe punishment to the criminals who break the paper, everything will be organized now!