Today we watched Asia's greatest, world's second largest, megaplay - जाणता राजा.It is based on the life of the greatest Hindu warrior, leader, statesman and icon Shivaji Maharaj.
"Jaanata Raja" is being performed in Nagpur from 18th to 28th December this year.
It has a cast of about 300 artists. Only the key roles are fixed and artists for other roles are chosen from the local talent pool. The show is full of colours and the acts with horses and elephants receive an obvious thunder of applause.
But the most happening event is the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj.
The presentation, the sound effects, the fireworks - the entire ambiance takes you three centuries back and you tell yourself that this is how the real rAjyAbhiSheka must have taken place - this is how the world must have looked when the first Hindu simhAsana came to existence after centuries of Islamic invasion.
The play - as the title goes - is more about Shivaji the ruler, than Shivaji the warrior. Hence there is more emphasis on events like -
- a patil being punished for misbehaving with a widow
- hundis full of jewels found while constructing a fort, being deposited to the treasury by the workers - and their refusal to take prizes for this act
- Shivaji's letter to his officers on how an ideal administrator should behave with citizens
- Shivaji punishing his own maternal uncle for corruption
- Aurangzeb's speech before his courtsman why it is difficult to defeat Shivaji (because of his good administration and people's faith on him) ... etc
The day we went to watch the megaplay witnessed a turn-out of 19200 spectators. People from neighboring districts of Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh had come to Nagpur to watch the show.
Many schools had organised free or discounted passes for their students.
One could find people who have watched the megaplay every time it visited Nagpur.
"Jaanata Raja" is more than a play for lakhs and lakhs of people here.
The megaplay is written by "Shivashahir" Babasaheb Purandare, who is a phenomenon in himself. If there is a single man who deserves the credit for taking Shivaji to every home in Maharashtra, it's him. He has been doing this one job tirelessly throughout his life (of 86 years now). That's what is called one man - one life - one mission.
Incidently yesterday (Dec 24) was his 86th birth annivarsary.
राजमान्य राजश्री शिवशाहिर श्रीयुत बळवंत मोरेश्वर तथा बाबासाहेब पुरंदरे यांना मानाचा मुजरा ...
Could the timing be more apt for recollecting the life and times of Shivaji Maharaj ?
The nation is yet to emerge from the shadows of nov-26 terror attacks..
If Shivaji cannot inspire us at such a moment, then who can ?
Note: The picture in this post is taken from "Flickr" (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2240/2219271152_3cc6265b7d.jpg?v=0)
2 comments:
Was the pic taken by you?
Very nice post
No, the picture is borrowed from flickr. Thanks for making me realize that I should have acknowledged it in the post. (cs699 se ye hi to sikhna tha :) ). I have done so now. Thanks again.
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