Sumedha Raikar-Mhatre: Girgaum's drama queen

Hirabai Pednekar left her mark in a maledominated world of entertainment when women werenrsquot even at the peripheryJournalism is rife with strange coincidences That explains why the first female Marathi dramatist Hirabai Pednekar 18851951 an acclaimed singer with two plays to her credit did not find a biographer among her contemporaries or later chroniclers who recorded the history of Indian theatre Seven decades after her death a culture beat reporter Shilpa Surve 39 working in the Marathi daily Saamna has chronicled Hirabais life in a crisp 120page paperback titled Adya Mahila Natakkaar Hirabai Pednekar Dimple PublicationSurves debut biography is not a planned effort In her daily business of reporting on cultural trends and personalities she started researching an overlooked figure who is believed to be the first woman dramaturge in the Indian context too Even if we consider the possibility that women in Marathi and other languages may have written plays before Hirabai none were publicised or staged in the public realm which makes her exceptionalBiographer Shilpa Surve shares a geographical connect with the playwright residing less than a kilometre from Hirabairsquos Ganjawala chawl in Kandewadi Girgaum PicAshish RajeHirabai who has sofar attracted an alsoran mention in theatre encyclopedias left her mark in a maledominated world of entertainment when women werent even at the periphery Men played female parts on stage Pednekar was not just a popular singer her home was the nucleus for musicians and artists who sought her insights and brought their first drafts for corrections She gave music to milestone plays including Ram Ganesh Gadkaris Punyaprabhav the heroine of Premshodhan was modelled on young Hiras sparky character Hirabai solemnised both her plays in book form Jayadrath Vidamban and Sangeet Damini the second also performed by a known troupe almost as if she knew that publication was her sole means to achieve immortalityShilpa Surve started by following Hirabais trajectory which meant travelling to the village Palshet near Guhagar Ratnagiri where the playwright spent her last anonymous years Managing an eighthour day shift Surve devoted her afterhours in a Dadar library to immerse herself in the circumstances in which an orphaned Goan girl ended up in Girgaum at the end of the 19th century She revisited the terms accepted by Hirabai in the new home of her patron Krishnaji NeneTwo coincidences dragged Surve further into the selfinitiated project she is a resident of Sutar galli in Girgaum which is less than a kilometre from Hirabais Ganjawala chawl in Kandewadi and Surves hometown is in Guhagar which is a 15minute drive from Hirabais last shelter Palshet We share a marvellous geographical connect The subject was within me as if waiting for me to celebrate my Girgaum bonding with a respected figure If not anything else it is Girgaums role in her cultural upbringing that I couldnt have left unchronicledHirabais story indeed could not have progressed without Girgaum Born in Sawantwadi Goa to a nayakin courtesan from the Devdasi community who died prematurely Hira was adopted by her aunt Bhimabai and brought to Girgaum at the age of eight Hira didnt have a known father or any ancestral ties with Goa She was enrolled in the Naviwadi missionary school a formative influence that built her vivacious sociable personality Raised in a vibrant neighbourhood which was the culturaleducational heart of a big industrial city Hira benefited under the guidance of Father Joe and in the playful company of fellow mates Sudha and Anjani who remained her lifelong supportSince Bhimabai continued her life as a nayakin in the chawl premises earning the patronage and respect of benefactors like Cotton King Premchand Roychand little Hira could complete her schooling up to Std VII The mehfils at home did not affect her lessons On the contrary that developed her ear for music and trained her as a singerperformer She watched all landmark plays with her aunt Sangeet Sharada being a key influencer with a progressive message against early marriage of girls She became a keen observer of the theatre personalities who loved the latenight recitals but did not want any daytime association with the Ganjawala chawl Early on in life Hirabai recognised that she could climb the social ladder only if she is perceived as a writer more than as a singer which explains why she complemented her music riyaz with the learning of six languages including Sanskrit and Bengali She felt education could save her and other Devdasi girls from a dependant life That she couldnt attain independence despite the formal education is a tragedy that unfolds in Surves bookThe Hirabai tragedy has a direct link with the narrow insular world of literature and theatre entertainment which did not allow openings to a novice least of all an ambitious teenager from a lower caste who wanted to be looked on with respect After Hirabai wrote her first skit she did not expect praise as she was aware of the limitations of her writings She was looking for a few words of encouragement in select journals Yet her effort did not even merit a bad review She wanted to dedicate her second creation Sangeet Damini to her mentor who was the renowned playwright Shripad Krishna Kolhatkar Kolhatkar had fond feelings for beloved Hira he spent hours admiring her looks and voice But he didnt want to be publicly linked to the play of a nayakin Similarly Narayan Dattatray Joglekar the handsome actor and owner of the Kirloskar Natak Mandali could not push for Sangeet Daminis promotion He couldnt bring himself to lobby for her prospects as a playwright despite the sweet commitments hed made in private All the veteran men in her life most prominently Govind Ballal Deval whose disciples included Bal Gandharva and Ganpatrao Bodas could not stand by her in her crisesAt one point she vented her frustration in a satirical autobiography centered on a fictional frustrated playwright who has no takers but who eventually gets publicity when he is jailed for slanderous writing Many rookie writers feel the same today about the cliques and camps ruling the world of arts where an outsider is unwelcomeYoung practitioners of art especially those from modest backgrounds need inclusion and validation If they dont receive the right vibes at the right time not necessarily monetary help their dreams die unborn Hirabais story urges the reader not to lose out on moments when life puts us in a position to be generousSumedha RaikarMhatre is a culture columnist in search of the subtext You can reach her at sumedharaikargmailcomCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates