BHOPAL: A Marathi play ‘Sant Tukaram’ based on the life of 17th-century Hindu poet and saint of the Bhakti movement Tukaram, was staged at Ravindra Bhawan in the city on Saturday evening.
It was part of the fourth -day of a nine-day fest ‘Gamak -4, ’organised by the directorate of culture.
Scripted and directed by Vikas Chauhan, the play highlighted the life Sant Tukaram Maharaj who is best known for his devotional poetry called Abhanga and community-oriented worship with spiritual songs known as kirtans. His poetry was devoted to Vitthala or Vithoba.
The 18th-century biographer Mahipati, in his four-volume compilation of the lives of many Bhakti movement saints, included Tukaram. Mahipati's treatise has been translated by Justin Abbott.
A translation of about 3,700 poems from Tukaram Gatha in English was published, in three volumes, between 1909 and 1915, by Fraser and Marathe. In 1922, Fraser and Edwards published his biography and religious ideas incorporating some translations of Tukaram's poems and included a comparison of Tukaram's philosophy and theology with those of Christianity. Deleury, in 1956, published a metric French translation of a selection of Tukaram's poems along with an introduction to the religious heritage of Tukaram (Deleury spells him as Toukaram). Arun Kolatkar published, in 1966, six volumes of avant-garde translations of Tukaram poems. Ranade has published a critical biography and some selected translation. Dilip Chitre translated writings of Sant Tukaram into English in the book titled Says Tuka for which he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award in 1994. A selection of poems of Tukaram has been translated and published by Daniel Ladinsky. Chandrakant Kaluram Mhatre has translated selected poems of Tukaram, published as One Hundred Poems of Tukaram.
The play was presented by 30 artists. Amay Dakwale played the role of Sant Tukaram and Varsha Sharma as the wife of Tukaram. Some Marathi Abhangs were also used. Gaurav Dabhade designed the lights.
Marathi Sahitya Akademi organised the event which was also streamed live on the social media platforms of the culture department.
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