Narration depicts feelings of kin while Savarkar was in jail

Nagpur: ‘Shatjanmacha Shodh’, a programme based on Swatantrayveer Savarkar, organized by Akhil Bharatiya Brahman Mahasangh at Scientific Society Hall on Wednesday, unfolded many events in the life of his kin when the freedom fighter was serving a sentence in infamous Cellular Jail in Andaman.
The programme, organized to mark the 136th birth anniversary of Savarkar, comprised music and reading sessions that highlighted the difficult times his wife and sisters-in-law were facing back home as his elder brother Ganesh was also jailed by the British and sent to Andaman.
The programme began with the song ‘He rashtra devatanche’, presented by eight singers, evoked patriotic feelings in the audience.
A brief sketch of what went into the minds of Savarkar’s wife and sisters-in-law was written by Aparna Vichore-Athalye. In the narration, Yesu Vahini and Lakshmibai were portrayed by Aparna while Savarkar’s wife Yamunabai alias Mai by Renuka Kulkarni.
“I have seen days turn into months, and months into years, but there seems to be no chance of seeing him,” says Yesu Vahini.
With husband in jail, Mai was poignant in saying that “I have stopped eating sweets and wearing ornaments other than mangalsutra. It sends chills down my spine to see him chained behind bars.”
As the story progressed, the arti of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and poems which have great literary value like ‘Sagara pran talmalala’, ‘Shaat janma shodhitana’, ‘Anandi me Anant tu’ and ‘Marma bandhatali thev hi’, all written by Savarkar, were presented.
The singers were Ram Wankar, Ameya Vaidya, Praveen Kolte, Vishram Pande, Swapnil Hardas, Dhyeya Chaskar, Varsha Lakhe, Rashmi Roopde and Rashmi Shukla. The accompanying artistes were Manish Shirbhai (tabla), Parimal Joshi (keyboard) and Vishal Dahashastra (octopad).
Videos showing the imageries of Savarkar’s cell and the Cellular Jail added to the melancholic yet energized atmosphere.
Sarita Patwardhan was the anchor.
The programme concluded with the song ‘Jayostute shri mahan mangale’, also written by Savarkar.
(Reporting by Sahil Bhalerao)