NEW DELHI: “Raja Shiv Chhatrapati”, a show depicting the life of Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj, will return to the Red Fort grounds after a gap of four years. Based on Shiv Babasaheb Purandhare’s famous play, the show is being performed from November 2-6. More than 200 artistes from Pune have arrived in the city to participate in it. The fort grounds have been decked up with bright outfits and traditional flags for a grand display of the Maratha empire. Photo — Tarun Rawat (TOI)Thirteen-year-old Atharv from Pune is getting ready for his performance as young Shivaji at the fort grounds. He has been associated with the organisers for the past few years. “It will be a three-hour show to educate the public about the life of Shivaji Maharaj,” said Vaibhav Dange, coordinator of the organising committee. The live show will begin with the pre-Shivaji era, during Allauddin Khilji’s invasion. According to the play’s organisers, the show will end with the crowning of Shivaji Maharaj. It will be enacted on a four-storey stage depicting Raigad Fort where, according to historians, Shivaji was formally crowned ‘Chhatrapati’, making him the first emperor of the Maratha empire. “The show was held for the first time in Delhi in 2018, in Hindi. We have now returned with the artists. The play is about a person considered one of the greatest nation builders. Shivaji’s life story is about nationalism above politics and it is very important that the current generation knows about our culture,” said Ajit Apte, who has been associated with the group since its inception 25 years ago and will play the role of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. Meanwhile, Chanchal Sharma is busy looking for any last-minute touches that her daughter Kashve, who studies in class V, might require with her outfit and makeup for her role of a traditional dancer. “I am very excited to have my daughter associated with a play on the life of Shivaji Maharaj. She is keenly interested in this and I am here to show my support,” said Sharma, who lives in Shahdara. The play was originally written by veteran historian Purandare in Marathi. It was later translated into Hindi. More than 1,000 performances of the show have been staged across the country, apart from the US and the Wembley Stadium in the UK. The entry is free of cost. The show is being organised in association with the Union ministry of culture. The play comes at a time when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections are coming up. According to Jaiprakash Narayan, a BJP functionary who was former mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, “This is a mega event which showcases our cultural heritage in a good light. It is sure to start a conversation among the people. This show will find support from the general public.”
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-after-4-years-play-on-shivaji-maharajs-life-returns-to-red-fort/articleshow/95264714.cms