A Hindi play ‘Jwala’ depicting the life of Rani Durgawati was staged at Ravindra Bhavan Auditorium here on Tuesday. Directed by noted and renowned theatre director KG Trivedi, the play is written by Hemant Devlekar. The artists of Trikarshi Theatre Group, Bhopal, gave a splendid performance.
Beginning from the childhood of Rani Durgavati, the play focused on how this brave Rajput female warrior fought against Mughal Emperor Akbar to save her empire.
While talking to The Pioneer, director of the play KG Trivedi said, “Rani Durgavati is famous in Indian history for refusing to submit to the Mughul emperor Akbar as he pushed ever deeper into Central India as part of his goal of dominating all of India.”
Elaborating further about her, Trivedi said, “Notably, her kingdom, Gadha, was one of five traditionally independent Gond states. She was offered the choice of peacefully becoming a vassal of the Mughal Emperor, but she refused and prepared to fight him.”
The play begin with the Raj Tilak of Durgavati’s husband, Raja Dalpat Shah where he is informed about Rani Durgawati and he visits her palace on her birthday in the attire of a common man. Rani Durgawati is seen distributing gifts in her kingdom and later she is informed that Raja Dalpat Shah was also present there. One day when Rani Durgawati went for hunting she was saved by Raja Dalpat Shah and eventually they both got married. Suddenly, Raja Dalpat Shah died and Rani Durgawati inherited the throne as her son was too small to take charge. After her counsellors advised her to let the Mughals conquered the kingdom as they have a larger army, Rani Durgawati refused and instead decided to fight. At the end of the play she is seen stabbing herself rather to be a puppet in the hands of the Mughals. The war scene and the lighting effect of the play added more zeal in the presentation. The heavy dialogues and the huge set and costume were also the centre point of attraction for the audiences to enjoy the play. This was the first show of Jwala in the city.