PONDA: For the first time, around 660 artistes will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents through 11 Marathi historical plays during the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations that commence on Friday. The dramas will be staged at 11 locations across the state. Celebrations will continue till February 28, minister for art and culture Govind Gaude said.
He said the plays would depict Maratha history or the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji and have been selected from a recent competition held at the Rajiv Kala Mandir, Ponda.
The main programme paying homage to the Maratha king will be held at Farmagudi, Ponda, on Friday morning during which chief minister Pramod Sawant will garland the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Children will sing ballads during the garlanding which will see several MLAs and politicos participating.
After garlanding the statue, historian from Mumbai, Chandrashekhar Patil, will present they key note address in a function that will be held in the precincts of the Shree Gopal Ganapati temple. Gaude said that for the first time a procession will be held from Rajiv Kala Mandir to the Farmagudi fort. The procession will commence at 7.30am.