Senapati, our showman

Senapati, our showman

P K Routray

 

A scene since a year

“Our show pal in the bier

with the pathos of loud cries around

deafening the maddening vehicular sound

over the crowded over bridge near bye.”

haunt us and will haunt us till we die

Even the trees in the courtyard and his parental mansion,

the lanes and by-lanes neighbors to him as a child known

all were dumbstruck as their Pradipta have untimely gone.

Heaven’s tear fell through raindrops from the gloomy sky.

They all loved Pradipta, but the Lord had different say.

Our showman was in his last show

with silent posture but with eloquence glow

to speak to mankind on the truth eternal

“The soul is immortal, the body is ephemeral,.

the sole changes its role and change the robes

enacting the characters the supreme Director loves.”

To repeat us thus, the lord gave us this lethal blow

through our friend a real actor lauded on the stage show.

Hey Krishna! Hey Lord How long we will wait

for the repeat show of cherished scene, you swear to create.

Will we get our same Senapati a real actor on stage

and a stage actor in real life, in us ever that blaze

His dialogues to himself on hostels’ corridors

our fun at him for his dramatized gestures,

his halt after a day’s hard labor to gaze at the setting sun

his real-life dialogues with love affection and frolic and fun,.

his bonded family over three generations with rare distinction.

His spouse Bijay Laxmi daughters, sons-in-law, and grandsons

swear to brave the time to be with the scene of fond memories

where their Papa was their loving doll without elderly masteries.

Boast, we

with tears in the eye

for his roles on the theater

as an artist amateur

stealing time from his hard profession,

family, kith and kin and social obligation

with astounding performances

envied by many professionals of eminences.

Many a time clapped the audience nonstop

with frenzied demand, the screen should not drop

as their hearts, Senapati’s acting and dialogues did conquer

when he went to the stage enacting a character

villain, hero, comedian or any supporting role

he was par excellence actor, every heart he stole.

His role as Sakharam. the binder

turning obscene to scenes of morale teller

watched by a family parents children together

Must have it gladdened Tendulkar its Marathi writer.

Hey Lord! Can we wait at the doorstep of your green room

to see our showman to come out with his different costume.

Do not be cruel to his spouse and daughters and their family

with your grace, their earthly burden, bless them to carry.

His choice of profession in the metallurgical industry

with abnormal pollutants, heat, sound, speed to carry

the process adopted from and accustomed to an alien land

had on our slim lanky Pradipta strenuous demand

thar he endured with his family’s care as long as he could

on the altar of nation, he sacrificed his health for good.

Being together since teen

more than five decades have passed in between

With countless fond memories to cherish

we, his classmates pray the Almighty and wish

“Our Senapati always must play roles most loving to the Lord

with peace and bliss to his soul at his Heavenly abode.

 

 

 

(N. B -On 21st June Our Senapati breathed his last leaving his classmates wrecked. We together with pradipta Senapati read engineering wef 1965 to 1970 at R E C Rourkela.he served all his life in Rourkela Steel Plant)