Immerse in this play that uniquely unravels how widows navigated 19th century Maharashtra

The play is set in 19th Century Nashik, and tells the story of a group of widows battling a conservative social order. Pics courtesy/Prajakt Deshmukh, Wikimedia Commons

Set in 1890s Nashik, in the aftermath of the barber strike led by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule against the practice of shaving widows' heads, Karunashtake, translating to prayers for compassion in Marathi, follows seven widowed women gathered inside a wada, waiting for a barber who may or may not arrive. Written and directed by Prajakt Deshmukh, the Marathi play uses stereotypes to explore rebellion and the quiet ways women challenge the rules imposed on them.

Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule

"This is not about Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, and it is certainly not about portraying women as damsels in distress," says Deshmukh. "If people think that, you'll miss out on what the play is trying to say." The story begins when rumours spread that a widow is pregnant, unsettling the social order. Baibai, played by Geetanjali Kulkarni, is a staunch defender of tradition who gathers the widows of the neighbourhood in her wada while sending a few men to Bombay in search of a barber willing to break the strike and shave the woman's head, all while preparing for Ram Navami, which falls the following day.

Parna Pethe and Madhuri Bharti (in green)

Durga, a young widow from Pune, is the next to arrive. Her character, played by Parna Pethe, refuses to shave her head or conform to society's expectations. Her presence immediately threatens the order Baibai is determined to maintain. As the women wait and spend more time together, Durga repeatedly asks them one simple question: How did your husband die? Their answers reveal stories that are absurd and unexpectedly funny. When Durga asks Yami, played by Pratiksha Khasnis, how her husband died, the answer is far from sad. "He was swept away in the strong currents of Godavari," she laughs. Durga then asks the same question to Sindhu, played by Kiran Khoje, who replies, "He had gone to help Yami's husband, but he was also swept away."

A moment from the play staged at Shivaji Mandir in Dadar

Satire and humour sit at the heart of Karunashtake. Rather than portraying widows solely through suffering, the play imagines their inner lives. The women gossip, tease one another, reminisce and slowly begin questioning the rituals they have accepted for centuries. In one of the play's most moving moments, they talk about their hair - a symbol of identity and beauty that society has taken from them.

Prajakt Deshmukh

"Everything that made a woman bloom was forbidden if she had lost her husband," says Deshmukh. "Good food, mirrors, perfume, beautiful hair - taking away their identity was the point." Through Durga and the women around her, the play examines how rigid ideas survive, how rebellion begins and how solidarity emerges in the most unexpected places. The story is less about widowhood, and more about girlhood and camaraderie.

"While all the women discover their true selves, the ending leaves one question unanswered: What happens when the men who set out for Bombay return with a barber? Well, that is open to interpretation," laughs Deshmukh, carefully avoiding spoilers.

On June 13 and 14
At Mahakavi Kalidas Natya Mandir, Purushottam Kheraj Road, Mulund West (June 13); Prabodhankar Keshav
Sitaram Thackeray Natya Mandir, Sodawala Lane, Borivli West. (June 14)
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Tickets Rs 500 onwards