SCENE (15) – POWER SHIFTS FROM SULTAN TO GANESH
Characters
- SULTAN
- GANESH
- PHULJANI, Begum Saheba (seated behind a lattice)
- SAFA
- MINISTERS / OFFICIALS
Setting
- The imperial council chamber, late afternoon sliding toward dusk.
- Windows open. Sound of distant movement—orders being carried out.
MINISTER (reads from a dispatch)
The eastern regiments have moved.
Grain routes secured.
River tolls suspended.
SULTAN
Moved—by whose order?
MINISTER
Raja Ganesh’s seal.
SULTAN
Raja Ganesh—
(GANESH steps forward calmly.)
GANESH
The decision could not wait. Any delay will cost us the river routes.
SULTAN
You ordered without imperial sanction?
GANESH
The necessity could not wait for the sanction.
The court was informed.
MINISTER
Begum Sultana was present then.
SULTAN
This council answers to me.
GANESH
Yes, my Sultan. But at times, it answers to necessity.
SULTAN
You mistake efficiency for authority.
GANESH
No, my Sultan.
I mistake hesitation for weakness.
SULTAN (asked the MINISTER)
When did you receive the regiment move order?
MINISTER
Three days ago.
SULTAN
Begum Saheba? Three – days!
(PHULJANI meets his eyes—then looks away.)
PHULJANI
You were in Malika-i-Jahan Begum’s quarter. I’m barred to enter there.
SULTAN
But yesterday?
PHULJANI
I tried. You were bathing in the harem with —
(PHULJANI does not complete the statement, but walks close to SAFA and looks at her.)
SULTAN
Safa.
(She steps forward.)
SULTAN (cont.)
You see what I do not. Tell me— since when did my court start taking decisions without me?
SAFA
When decisions began arriving before permission.
SULTAN
From him?
SAFA
From urgency.
Power does not announce its movement. It simply stops pausing.
SULTAN
Raja Ganesh is relieved of his duties.
MINISTER
My Sultan… the dismissal conflicts with standing directives.
(SULTAN looks sharply at MINISTER. MINISTER hesitates and looks at Raja Ganesh.)
GANESH
If you revoke the orders now, the borders will burn by morning.
You may remove me later. After the land is quiet.
SULTAN
Get out. You cannot enter again without summons.
(GANESH inclines his head.)
GANESH
As you command.
(He exits.)
SULTAN
Court is dismissed.
(Minister exits.)
(PHULJANI rises suddenly.)
PHULJANI
This is madness.
SULTAN
You hide things from me.
PHULJANI
Because you did not listen.
(She exits, furious.)
(Only SAFA and the SULTAN remain.)
SULTAN (asks SAFA)
Tell me the truth.
Can I still win this back?
SAFA
Yes. But not by force.
Anger narrows vision. You need clarity.
SULTAN
And where do I find that?
SAFA
In stillness.
(Outside, distant sounds of orders being executed—Ganesh’s orders.)
SULTAN
The palace still belongs to me.
SAFA
As you found already, the kingdom no longer waits.
(Lights fade.)
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