The Mangalayanam

So In the aftermath of the whole world watching, our exploration into deep space, a subtle sepia toned flash back found me, sitting on one of the numerous entry porches of a famous engineering college in mysore. A dear friend had invited me to participate in a literary fest, that he was organizing. in college.

It  was an interesting program- two people where put together randomly, and given a start point to a plot.
“two astronauts, Indians of-course, land on moon, the first from us. once there, they realize that the Indian Flag that they were supposed to be hoisting on the planet, Is in fact, missing (rather left back on earth! talk Bout having a proper checklist!)
Continue the story as a Dialogue script, with the two characters mentioned already, a character from control room on earth and a new character as per your liking!

Below is what we Wrote:

C S- Captain Shankaran

L U – Lieutenant  UnniKrishnan

MC – Mission Control Manik-Chand Seth

M R- Mundurajan
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*For the benefit of the reader, the regional dialect accent, has been subdued in all cases, to facilitate efficient and non-frustrating reading experience.*
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LU : Uh-oh! Captain Shakharan Cheta, We ave a Small Problem, I am not able to Find the Flag that we are supposed to put on the moon!

CS : What! How can you be so stupid and miss that out til now?, Aah! Never-mind, Call Mission Control, They Might have kept it somewhere!

LU calls MS : from the background- “ello, ManikChand Seth here, I have just stepped out to make a deal on E-bay, Please leave a message and i Will get back to you, Maybe!” ” International Caller, Please call back after some time again!”

LU : Eda Cheta, We have a small problem, The flag that we had, is simply not to be seen ya! Please advice on further Course!
( Cuts the Call and turns to CS)
Captain Cheta, why don’t we see around if the flag is lying around somewhere, What do u think sir?

CS : @)U#%&(# Unni, Do you have even an iota of intelligence in that toddy soaked brain of yours? why are u waiting around looking at me? go and see around if you have left the flag lying around somewhere!

LU : (Muttering) Thats what i said!

So Captain and Lieutenant Set out to search the vast expanse of the moons surface, for the elusive Indian flag! and as they keep proceeding, their radio picks up a faint signal, gradually strengthening, eventually putting a smile across the two astronauts glass bubble head mask!
Static….. static…. I am a Ma(static)yalee!
I wear a (static) Lungi!
I am a Card-holding member of (static) Party! 

Like flies to the scent of meen Curry, The Two Astronauts are draw to the source. What they find leaves them speechless, OR not!
A MALLU PETTI SHOP! For the Love of all things Holy.. and Unholy!
Entering the Air Lock the Two Astronauts enter an animated conversation with the shop owner -Mundurajan, over the Price of sugar in space and the freshness of kappa meen, in moon, over a cup of chai!

the radio crackles bringing the MC Sound over to the moon
“Earth to CS. Earth to CS. Come in CS!”

CS : Captain Shankaran Here! Please proceed!

MC : What is the status of your mission? have you found the flag?

CS : We are now on a chai break, Will continue the search for the missing flag after this.

MC : Chai? On the Moon? Are you running low on oxygen value?

CS : It is a Chai Stall Run by a mallu!

MC : Oh! OK, Now I understand all those Fish Bones that we found on the moons orbit! Anyways, can he help us on the Flag front?

CS : hold on while i ask him. (turns to MR) Cheta, any Idea on where we can find an Indian Flag on the moon?

MR : The only piece of clothe that big is my ‘Mundu’ and I am wearing it!

MC From Earth overhears this on the comm and decides that the Gujju Skills of his has a lot of use now, in this fine negotiation.

MC : Respected Sir, Will you give your ‘Mundu’ to save your nations respect!

MR : I am not “respected Sir”. I am Mundurajan only. As for Mundu, What will i get in return?

For the sake of brevity (and the readers sanity) we shall Exclude the lengthy and complex Negotiations that took place between MunduRajan, The Malayalee tea stall owner, and Manikchand, the Gujarati, Mission Control Tech Guy. We cut to the point in space and time where the rights of a Certain mundu has been acquired by the Indian space research wing, in exchange for a years supply of kappa Meen to the malayalee Tea stall owner! After the finer details have been haggled around, the Astronauts realise that the Colours need to be added.

CS : Mundurajan Cheta, do you have any colour pens or paints on you?

MR : I have no colours, But i do happen to have green and orange chutni! take it or leave it!

CS : We shall take it.

some time later, back on the site, the mundu has been doused with general helping of chutnis and are now about to strike the mark .

LU : Sir, how do we secure the flag on the pole. without a stitch?

CS : Unni, I Dont care bout anything right now. Just stick the damn thing on the pole. stick the pole in the ground and lets get back to earth as soon as possible. i do not want to miss the TV premiere of the New mohanlal Movie!

And so they sail back happily to earth, leaving behind a very happy Malayalee tea stall owner and a chutney styled flag of Ireland on moon.
_____________________________the end___________________________________

Now this was the story that we put! terrible i know. but it was fun nonetheless. We were apparently disqualified, citing reasons of disrespectful towards ones country and all. we still refuse that logic, stating that if u give a start with Indian astronauts missing Indian flag, you are letting the story into murky territories indeed. also, as our friend told us that we have been disqualified, we very solemnly asked him if the judge was a malayalee! the answer to which explained away our wide grins for the day!