https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Annasaheb_KirloskarAnnasaheb Kirloskar - Revision history2026-07-31T21:46:32ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Annasaheb_Kirloskar&diff=467811&oldid=prevTajWagstaff at 10:43, 24 December 20242024-12-24T10:43:43Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian playwright (1843–1885)}}<br />
[[File:Annasaheb Kirloskar.jpg|thumb|Annasaheb Kirloskar]]<br />
'''Balwant Pandurang Kirloskar''' (31 March 1843 − 2 November 1885), popularly known as '''Annasaheb Kirloskar''', was a [[Marathi language|Marathi]] playwright from the [[Bombay Presidency]] in [[British India]].<br />
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Kirloskar was born on March 31, 1843, at [[Gurlhosur]] in [[Belgaum district]] to a [[Karhade]] Brahmin family.<br />
After completing schooling in his native place, at the age of twenty, Annasaheb moved to [[Pune]] to pursue further education. His overwhelming interest, however, lay in theatre and he faced parental pressure for his continued disinterest in formal education. His father pressurised him to return to his native [[Belgaum]].<br />
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To support himself, Kirloskar then worked for eight years as a school teacher in [[Belgaum]]; he subsequently worked for a few years in the police department and then as a clerk in the revenue commissioner's office. Despite his lack of much formal education, Kirloskar was well-versed in [[Sanskrit]] literature.<br />
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==Marathi theater history==<br />
In 1843, the same year in which Kirloskar's was born, [[Vishnudas Bhave]] pioneered presentation of [[Marathi language|Marathi]] plays by staging the play ''Seeta Swayamwar'' (सीतास्वयंवर), the [[Raja]] of the princely state of [[Sangli]] being then in attendance among the audience.<br />
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While working as a school teacher in Belgaum, Kirloskar established ''Bharatshastrottejak Mandali'' (भरतशास्त्रोत्तेजक मंडळी) in 1866. Seven years later, he completed composition of his first prose play ''Shri Shankar Digvijay'' (श्रीशांकर दिग्विजय) for public presentation by ''Kolhapurkar Natak Mandali'' (कोल्हापूर नाटक मंडळी). Around 1874, he founded ''Kirloskar Natak Mandali'' (किर्लोस्कर नाटक मंडळी).<br />
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In 1879, playwright and producer Trilokekar independently presented his musical play ''Nal-Damayanti'' (नल-दमयंती) to Marathi public. It was the first musical play on Marathi stage.<br />
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===Shakuntal===<br />
Kirloskar felt inspired to produce a similar musical play in Marathi in a full-fledged manner. Accordingly, translating into Marathi the first four acts of [[Kālidāsa|Kalidas]]'s renowned [[Sanskrit]] play ''Abhidnyan Shakuntalam'' or "Abhijñānashākuntala" (अभिज्ञानशाकुंतलं), he presented them on stage in 1880 as a musical play titled ''Shakuntal'' (शाकुंतल).<br />
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The next year, he translated the remaining three acts of ''Abhidnyan Shakuntalam'' and staged the entire play. He performed in the play himself.<br />
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Kirloskar incredibly included 198 musical pieces in his Marathi ''Shakuntal''. They consisted of a mix of [[Hindustani classical music|Hindustani]] and [[Carnatic classical music]], and lighter music.<br />
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===Saubhadra===<br />
One year later, in 1882, Kirloskar presented on stage his musical ''Saubhadra'' (सौभद्र). This play too contained well over 100 musical pieces, and once again he acted in the play.<br />
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Because of its multifaceted quality, ''Saubhadra'' surpassed even the high popularity of ''Shakuntal''. Innumerable performances of these two plays have been presented by different performing groups to the Marathi audience since their premiere 130 years ago.<br />
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===Ram Rajya Wiyog===<br />
In 1884, Kirloskar presented to the audience the first three acts of his musical ''Ram Rajya Wiyog''. Before he could finish writing the planned remaining three acts of this play, he died on 2 November 1885 at age 42.<br />
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==Marathi theater companies==<br />
''Kirloskar Natak Mandali'' founded by Anna Saheb in 1880 was the pioneer and breakthrough performing company in Marathi theater.<ref>India's Shakespeare: Translation, Interpretation, and Performance edited by Poonam Trivedi And Dennis Bartholomeusz, Poonam Trivedi(2005) pp:50</ref> It was the prime performing company in Marathi language until 1913. After Kirloskar's death, it presented plays of [[Govind Ballal Deval]] and Shripad Krushna Kolhatkar besides Kirloskar's ''Shakuntal'' and ''Saubhadra''. It toured through [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]] and [[Maratha]] princely states in North India under the [[British Raj]] at that time - [[Indore]], [[Baroda]], [[Gwalior]] etc. The ''Mandali'' had several star singer-actors in its employ, including [[Bal Gandharva]], Govindrao Tembe, Master Krushnarao, and [[Ganesh Bodas]].<br />
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''Kirloskar Natak Mandali'' folded around 1935.<br />
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[[Bal Gandharva]]'s ''Gandharva Natak Mandali''; Vasudeorao Dongre's ''Dongre Mandali''; Pandoba Gurav Yavateshwarkar's ''Waikar Sangeet Mandali''; Janubhau Nimkar and Keshavrao Bhosale's ''Swadesh-Hita-Chintak Mandali'', which evolved into ''Lalit-Kaladarsha Mandali''; and Master Dinanath's ''Balwant Natak Mandali'' were the other main performing companies which were formed in Maharashtra after 1913.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*{{Commonscatinline}}<br />
* http://www.kamat.com/indica/music/natya_sangeet.htm<br />
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{{Marathi Theatre}}<br />
{{authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirloskar, Annasaheb}}<br />
[[Category:1843 births]]<br />
[[Category:1885 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from British India]]<br />
[[Category:People from Bombay Presidency]]<br />
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]<br />
[[Category:Marathi theatre]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]<br />
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Karnataka]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian male writers]]</div>TajWagstaff