A historical musical traces the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji through the eyes of his valiant warriors
The musical has 22 songs, performed over two-and-a-half hours; Marathi folk art forms such as gondhal and koli dance are also an integral part of the show
It was on a trekking trip where the concept of the historical musical, Shivrudrache Digvijayi Tandav, centered around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and conceptualised by the Mumbai-based Saisha Foundation, was born. Years ago, during his college days, Anil Nalawade had penned a couple of songs on his muse, Shivaji, that he had shared with his trekking companion, Padmashree Rao. Those musings during the treks eventually found a concrete shape in the form of a musical created by Rao, co-founder of Saisha, who is the director and narrator of this musical. It could stand apart from the many ballads composed on Shivaji, because it lays the focus on Shivaji’s many valiant warriors — the “unsung heroes”, as Rao calls them.
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“I have studied the life of the Chhatrapati in great detail, it has been one of my key areas of interest. While trekking in the Sahyadris and stumbling upon the forts that could be traced back to him, my interest peaked. I don’t even know how or why exactly I started penning the songs. It just happened, and then when I shared them with Padmashree and my other trekking partners, they were very appreciative and encouraging. I kept writing one song after another, until I had a collection of 42, which eventually led to the making of this musical,” says Nalawade, whose aim is to pen 50 songs and complete the collection. “I had to pay utmost attention to historical details because while talking of such figures, historical accuracy is of prime importance.”
The musical features 22 of those songs, which will be performed over two-and-a-half hours. “There is so little known about these great men and also other figures who were an important part of Shivaji’s life — these songs highlight that. For instance, we have a song based on Shivaji’s first wife, which is an emotional song that talks about how courageous one needs to be, to see their beloved leave for the battlefield. Then there is a qawali song that traces the time when Shivaji used to look after the upkeep of a dargah in Kelshi — the song is meant to send out a message of unity. Another song pays tribute to Bahirji Naik, who was Chhatrapati’s spy. There are so many more like his lookalike Shiva Kashid, a barber, who risked his life during Shivaji’s great escapes. So little is known about these people,” says Rao. The prelude to all songs will be narrated in English, Hindi and Marathi along with a message about national character development. The creators have used Marathi folk art forms such as gondhal, koli dance, waghaya murli and dhangar dance to tell the story. The recital will also incorporate the art of medieval warfare.
When: Oct 11, 2 pm
Where: Ravindra Natyamandir, Prabhadevi
Call: 9821554130
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