Come winter and Nagpur’s cultural scene lights up. And the staging of celebrated Marathi musical, ‘Sangeet Devbabhali’, added much more than just a sparkle to the cultural line up. A tale of two women and their individual struggles had the audience engaged in an emotionally stirring presentation that felt like one was wading through the seemingly simple yet deep expanse of a poetic creation. Currently, touring throughout Maharashtra, the play had a show in Nagpur on Sunday at the Kavivarya Suresh Bhat Auditorium. But, looking at the overwhelming response from the audience, organisers promptly announced that another show of the play would be staged around yearend as well. ‘Sangeet Devbabhali’ is the story of Lakhubai/Rakhumai, played by Mansi Joshi, and Avali by Shubgangi Sadavarte. While the former is the wife Lord Vitthal, the latter the better half of Sant Tukaram.

 

They are two women caught in the cross hairs of a devotee’s devotion and God’s compassion. A pregnant Avali is pricked by a (Devbabhali) thorn and is in deep pain. Knowing that nothing can deter Sant Tukaram from his ‘bhakti’ and Avali would be all alone in her difficult time, Lord Vitthal sends Rukhmai to take care of her till the wound heals. And there starts an engaging bitter-sweet interaction between the two women. While Sant Tukaram is away, immersed in his devotion, Avali is left to battle the vagaries of everyday life, an empty kitchen, the loss of near ones. She blames it all on Lord Pandurang and Sadavarte’s Avali makes that angst quite palpable. Lakhubai or Rukhmai, on the other hand, is baffled as to why did her husband care so much for Avali who would never spare a good word for Him. Rukhmai herself is battling with bitterness in marital life.

 

While she abhors Avali’s disdain for her husband, as a woman, she also understands the underlying pain. Together, the women find joy, even though momentary, in drowning their sorrows in raindrops, swaying to the rhythm of Indrayani (river) and floating on the scents of wild flowers. Both women have their reasons to stick around in their difficult marriages, which may appear ‘outdated’ in today’s context, but actually, speaks volumes of their character. They complain but they cannot cease the caring. So woman like! Presented by Prasad Kambli and written and directed by Prajakt Deshmukh, Sangeet Devbabhali has completed over 700 shows. Meanwhile, some goof ups with the microphone and stage management apart, the presentation was seamless. Both Sadavarte and Joshi gave a power-packed performance which was punctuated evocatively with their live abhang singing. Sant Tukaram’s beautiful creations and their mellifluous singing transcended the audience into a spiritual realm in no time. And even as the play ended what lingered on was an infalliable fragrance of Avali and Rukhmai.

 

With ‘Sangeet Devbabhali’, Kavivarya Suresh Bhat Auditorium witnessed an unprecedented turnout for a Marathi play. The show, tickets of which were sold entirely through an online platform, was “sold out” three days in advance. For a city whose association with Marathi theatre has arguably been on the wane over past few decades, this was a pleasant surprise. The handsome turnout showed Nagpur’s appetite for quality theatre and that it is ready for some more.