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Durai's Space |
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80th birthday skit
The Story
of J. Durai Raj
by Durai's neice Trixie
Asirvatham Note: This is a true story.
Narrator: You've heard of mixes and remixes. You've heard of ready-mixes and
custom-mixes. Well, we've got all the ingredients of a MASALA MIX. A daring hero. A lifetime love. Award-winning achievements. So ladies and gentlemen, we're proud to present Just one note - this story touches on the highlights of
his life, and so it's not in chronological order. Also note; This is an interactive presentation and the audience is expected
to participate. Look out for your cheerleaders and just follow what they do! So here we are then: The Best of 80. Introduction (To the rhythmic snapping of fingers: Audience to join in): Narrator:
Give me the best Give me some Japanese - bloodthirsty ones Mix in a lot of love Narrator:
1919 - a baby boy is born to Dr. Masillamomy and Thangam Mony. And the fairy godmothers were somewhat biased…
in his favour! Fairy Godmother 1: He'll be the firstest with the mostest! Fairy Godmother 2: He will create world-famous landmarks! Fairy Godmother 4: He will boldly go where others do not dare! Fairy Godmother 5: He will be a blessing to his family! Fairy Godmother 6: He will contribute greatly to the community! Narrator: And
what happened in all those 80 years? Fairy Godmother 1: Me first! He'll be the firstest with the mostest! Narrator: Durai was in a hurry to get on with life.
So he set a blistering pace in everything. (Durai enacts the narrator's talk - running and jumping from one end of the
stage to the other) Audience cheers: Yeah Durai! Narrator: And
at the early age of 14, he jumped into Audience: Yeah Durai! Narrator: In Engineering College, at 18 ½ years,
he was the youngest student to pass out of its portals, and the first to achieve first class honours with
95%. A record that's unbroken to this day! Cheerleaders lead audience in cheers: Narrator:
In 1939, the first World War sent the British professors scuttling back to Fairy Godmother 4: What about all those thrills you promised? Get to the juicy part now. The Great Escape! Narrator: In 1942, World War II began, and 21-year-old
Durai was an Executive Engineer in the Burma PWD. 70 bombers attacked One day, 14 miles from Durai: Where
on earth are all these people going? Cousin in car: Haven't you heard, my dear cousin? The British have ordered evacuation of Durai:
Well, I'd better go forward, then, with you! (hops into cousin's car.) Narrator: And Dorai hopped into his cousin's Morris car after re-arranging some luggage to make space for himself. With no possessions but the shirt on his back, he began the long and
difficult journey from At Durai was awarded the Burma Star by His Majesty the King of England
for his services in the British army. (Durai kneels to receive the Audience cheers: Yeah, yeah, yeah! Rah, rah, rah! Narrator: And
Durai went walking along in the Burmese jungle. (Durai walks along watched by Japanese soldiers in the jungle.) Waiting in the forests were Japanese soldiers on suicide missions,
gunning down anyone that passed by. (Japanese soldiers open fire. Sound effects: Rat-a-tat-a-tat-tat! Durai:
Whew! What a narrow escape! Fairy Godmother 4: Don't you worry, Durai. You're perfectly safe. God has lots of work for you to do! (Waves wand. Tinkling music.
She disappears) Narrator:
And so Durai hopped on to a raft and crossed the flooded Then came the hard part --- the arduous 21 day trek across
a mountain range, to (Durai walks with a crowd of people. As narrator speaks, they get tired, walk slower, clutch their chests and fall down.) Narrator: Cholera struck. Elephantiasis
struck. Starvation struck. People died… but Durai kept walking along.
By God's grace, he didn't fall ill for a single day! When they reached India and safety, the puris at the
Congress camp at Silchur never tasted so good. (Durai eats puris ravenously at Silchur. ) (Durai reaches Victor: (hesitantly)
Who are you? Durai… is it really you? You're alive! (They hug) Narrator:
Because of the war, there was no postal service, and back home in Narrator: We now go to Asansol, where young Durai is
on loan from the Burma PWD to the CPWD in Narrator: When he went back to So when the Durai: Now it's my turn to get married! Narrator:
In 1951, our hero married his lovely cousin Dr. Mabel on the 2nd of May … that's 50 years ago
on this very day! Let's give this long-distance pair a big hand! (applause) Cheerleaders and audience: Congratulations and celebrations Fairy Godmother 2: Hey, don't forget me! I said he would create world-famous landmarks! Fairy Godmother 1 (looking superior) : But he still
remains the Firstest with the mostest ! Narrator: We
now skip to the North East Frontier in India, where Durai did some pioneering work in building the NEFA border roads. It
was so dangerous that no engineer was prepared to go there. (Durai is left alone while all engineers run away.)
As if landslides, floods, snakes and jungles weren't intimidating enough, (Durai safely goes through all
these) the hostile Nagas didn't want aliens setting foot on their land. Naga warrior: (Charging with spear in hand): EEEEAAGH! Narrator:
Durai stands his ground fearlessly. Naga Chief: (speaking firmly, with dignity and authority): You
- go - back. Get off our land. Durai:
We have come to help you. Roads will help your people. Naga Chief: Tell those people to go. You come. Tell our people how to build roads on our land! Durai:
All right. (gestures to his folks) You go back. I'll stay. (His people look at him as if he is crazy, but leave
while Durai stays. The Naga Chief bows respectfully and regally walks backward, away from Durai. Durai follows suit, bowing
and backing away.) Narrator:
Recognition followed swiftly as Durai at age 37 was the youngest ever to receive the Padma Shri Award till that date.
The President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad honoured him with the Padma Shri Award. (Durai receives medal from Dr. Rajendra Prasad
and cheerleaders lead cheers of audience.) Audience: Yay!
We're related to a Padma Shri! Narrator:
Wait--- there's more! He was also decorated with a gold medal by the Advisor to the Governor of Audience cheers: Yay Durai! Way to go! Narrator:
We next visit the Hindustan Housing Factory where at 45 years, Durai was its youngest and strictest managing Director.
He gave the 4 Unions a hard time and they retaliated. Union members: (stealing up to Durai's car and setting it on fire): We'll show him! There goes his car! Ha ha ha! Narrator:
(Staff member bursts into meeting.) Staff member: Sir, sir… (agitated, wringing hands): They've set fire to your car! Narrator: But Durai is as cool as a cucumber. Durai:
The good news is, the AC is on fire, so they can't get in. The bad news
is, we can't get out. (lifts telephone calmly) Police? Emergency. Narrator:
Luckily, the police weren't the usual bumbling Hindi film types, and speedily arrived to get them out safely. (Police come
and rescue them.) But did Durai heave a sigh of relief and go home? No sirree! He joined the chase and nabbed
one hundred of the troublemakers by 1 am that night! As you can imagine, the loss-making company stood no chance against
this bundle of energy. He turned the Rs. 60 crore loss into a Rs. 15 crore profit! Audience cheers: 1-2-3-4 - whom do we cheer for? Indira Gandhi: How's the work going, Mr. Durai Raj? Do you think we will be ready in time? Durai:
I said 9 months, Mrs. Gandhi, and 9 months it will be … just like a baby! Narrator:
On waste land, 35,000 workers worked day and night to finish the mammoth task. With lunches at 4
pm and dinners at 1 am at night, it was no wonder that Durai's jet-black hair turned completely
grey in those 9 months … but he did it! Audience sings: (tune: "You did it" from My Fair Lady) Narrator:
The next thing he knew, a government official came around. Govt. Official: Sir, we have recommended your name for the Padma Shri Award. Durai: Thanks,
fellows. I already have a Padma Shri. Keep this one for someone else. Narrator:
Durai also built Audience sings: You….. did it! Fairy Godmother 3: You've forgotten my wish! I said he'd be a pillar of the church! Narrator: It
is said that the busiest people always find time to do things. (Action: Durai juggles paper plates.) And in And do you think he stopped when most ordinary people retire? No! Even today, at the age of 80, he is Engineering Consultant to Redecon,
and shuttles between Chennai, Arunachal Pradesh and Two of his special projects are the Media Centre in Fairy Godmother 5: So he was brilliant and goody-goody and a great achiever. What a bore! Good thing I was there to
make him… human! Narrator: Durai
was not just brilliant at studies, he was a boxer, a rough and tough football player and made the feathers fly at badminton!
He has a keen sense of humour and a hearty infectious laugh. (Durai slaps his thigh and laughs heartily… everyone
else follows suit.) Narrator:
He loves singing and he was the Choirmaster at St. Gabriel's Anglican Church, thoughtfully ferrying members to and from practice
in his car. Mabel and Durai kept an open home for friends and relatives. Their warm
Christmas get-togethers with carol-singing and yummy food were the talk of the town. Durai often organised large family picnics that required a lot of planning
and preparation to be affordable and fun. He created family history with "togetherness trips" - to scenic Kitty's 3 children would spend 2 weeks in the summer holidays with them…
and in the days of Family Planning, Durai and Mabel would encounter strange looks and raised eyebrows as they went about with
seven children. Mabel's flair with the sewing machine and her legendary Kawswey, fish pickle, chaat and macaoni cheese were
the stuff that holiday dreams are made of. Their daughters Malathi, Kamali and Roshini shone in studies and games
and went on to become doctors, while Suresh followed in his father's footsteps, and became an engineer with a triple MS. Durai
and Mabel are role models for their four grandchildren who are their delight. We would now like to present an award to the most awarded awardee…
the firstest with the mostest, our bold, brave, loving and giving Durai Uncle. (Durai Uncle comes up and receives award). Audience cheers: Yeah, Durai! Rah, rah, rah! Narrator closes with this rhyme spoken to the rhythmic snapping of
fingers, audience joining in: This is not the end Give me achievement
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