drama written by vijay tendulkar

1. GHASIRAM KOTWAL
:-VIJAY TENDULKAR

2. VIJAY TENDULKAR(1928-2008)
 Born in lower middle class Brahmin family
 Favourite child in the family
 Father , a head clerk in orient Longman publisher
 Dhondopant his father : was an enthusiastic
writer,director,and actor of Marathi plays
 His father used to take him to book shop on Sunday where
he indulges himself in books
 He was influenced by Dinkar mokashi and Vishnu Bokil

3. CONTINUED………………….
 First play “GIRIHASTH” (1955) in his early twenties.
 Shrimant (hypocrisy of wealthy exposed), his second play established him
as a playwright.
 He has written original scripts for filmmaker.
 His play & film are penetrating studies of violence, power and repression
in different forms in Indian society without romanticising life..
 famous for his bitter satirical writing, Ghashiram was one of them. Vijay
Tendulkar was very choosy about the words. His each and every word
came to represent the reality. Tendulkar’s great strength lies in his
dialogues. He indicates every moment and it carries as much narrative
force as speech, song and action.

4. Introduction to play
 Most controversial play of Tendulkar. It concerns with reign of
peshwas in the 18th century in Maharashtra.
 It is the dramatic exposure of latent treachery, violence &
sexuality& immorality that characterize politics.
 The play shows a man who caught in the matrix of opportunistic
ethics of modern world, feels alienated.
 It shows how a common man ,seeking power, confronts the
people who were already in power and undergoes a organic
changes.

5. Summary of the play
 The play begins with an invocation to lord Ganesha. Then
the Brahmins of Pune introduce themselves and we can see
the morally corrupt state of affairs in Pune. Nana Phadnavis
who is the Diwan (Chief Secretary) of Pune is also corrupt
and visits the lavani dancer. Ghashiram is working with the
lavani dancer. Ghashiram being a Brahmin goes to collect
alms at the Peshwa's festival the next day. However he is ill-
treated there and is charged with pick-pocketing and
imprisoned for the offence. He then decides to take revenge.
So the play continues on to reach the next part of this play.

6. Continued…
 Ghashiram barters his own daughter to get the post of
Kotwal (police chief) of Pune from Nana. Having got the post
he begins to enforce strict rules in the city. He starts asking
for permits for everything and starts throwing people in jail
for the smallest offences. In the mean time, Ghashiram's
daughter is impregnated by Nana, and dies during childbirth.
The situation goes out of hand when a few people in the jail
die from suffocation. The Brahmins then complain to the
Peshwa. The Peshwa summons Nana who orders Ghashiram
to be killed in the most inhumane way possible.

7. The list of characters:-
1. Ghasiram kotwal
2. Nana phadnavis
3. Lalita gauri
4. Sutradhar (narrator)
5. Gulabi
6. Brahmans (chorus)

8. Introduction to the characters:-
1.Ghasiram kotwal
Ghashiram is a Kannoj Brahmin who comes to city of Poona to try his luck and
earn his livelihood. He leaves Kannoj for good but ends up falling a victim to
hypocrisy, evilness, duality, and corruption rampant at Poona. He comes with
his wife and a young and pretty daughter. He is not an egoist or a proud man.
2.Nana phadnavis
Nana as depicted in the novel is a womanizer from head to toe. Drenched in
corruption, lechery and evil, he is a Prince of Power and a cruel despot. In order
to achieve his objectives he can fall to any low and cares a damn even about
God. From the beginning to the end he becomes an audio visual incarnation of
lust and cruelty. He is an evil incarnate.

9. Continued……….
3.Lalita gauri.
Gauri is a daughter of Ghashiram Kotwal. Gauri becomes a
sacrificial goat in struggle for power. She is described as young,
pretty and innocent and falls at once a victim to Nana’s greed.
Gauri is voiceless, disempowered and victimized. She silently
bore the dictates of her father. She is the symbol of exploitation
of female sexuality to represent the loss and destruction in their
struggle for power. The pathetic Gauri represents the flip side of
Indian Women especially for their use and abuse in almost all
walks of life especially politics and power.

10. 4.The sutradhar
He is the narrator, commentator and interposer. He keeps
audience abreast with the information both on stage and off stage.
He comments on the past, present and future. He holds different
moods, situations and characters in one organic whole. Sutradhar is
the good friend of protagonist- Ghashiram. The Sutradhar is bold
and fearless enough in stalking the Brahmins in the opening scene
and constantly question them to extract the truth.

11. GHASIRAM KOTWAL: A CRITIQUE:
 It is deals with the “History of Maratha Samrajya”. Though
Vijay Tendulkar denied but it is highly represent the history.
Nana Phadnavis has been portrayed in dark shade who as
per the chroniclers was an able administrator and shrewd
politician who with his presight kept the Maratha Empire
integrated for more than 20 years. Even in “Bajirav
Mastani” film Nana sahib Peshwa portrayed very cunning
and shrewd.

12.  The religiosity, sex, and power often go hand in hand. Nana purchases sex by
dissipating power into the hands of a humiliated man who is starved of power.
Morality and God are the strengths of the weak.
 Sexuality especially the female sexuality has been used to represent loss and
destruction in struggle for power. The Poona Brahmins who represent the
different places of India are degenerated and morally bankrupt. They are
hypocrite, clever schemers. Instead of treading the path of spirituality they visit
the prostitutions. They do not see the difference between a Kirtan and a Lavani.
For them it is invariably the same. The Sutradhar in his Lampoon describes the
gardens of Krishna at Mathura descend on to Bavannakhani.

13. Poona Brahmans go
To Bavannakhani…
They go to the cemetery.
They go to the Kirtan.
They go to the Temple-as they have done every day.
The street of Bavanna became for a while.
The garden of Krishna.
The garden of Hir
The garden of saras
The garden of Moti
The garden of Poona
Become the gardens of Mathura
Where Krishna played”
 Nana with his insatiable desires for sex and with
numerous wives parodies Lord Krishna.

14. THEME
1. THEME OF POWER:-
The complexity of religion, power, and sex lies in this play – The Ghashiram Kotwal. The power and
overpowering goes on at the beginning. Ghashiram came to Poona city to achieve his livelihood but
every time he defeated or humiliated by the power. Thus, he came to the point that if he wants to
sustain himself he has the power.
NANA PHADNAVIS-
NANA means POWER itself. See the description:
The night progresses
The night progresses
And the Peshwa’s Chief Minister,
Nana of the nine courts,
Nana of the Wealth and Power,
Nana Phadnavis.

15.  Another line was that indicates the power of Nana:
“Nana sits on a high seat. All are below him. Nana ogles the women.
Smells the flower. Does not pay attention to the kirtan”
GHASIRAM KOTWAL
 Now his only wish to be powerful. He wants to be Kotwal at any coast. He
wants to take his revenge. See the dialogues after humiliated by the solders of
Nana:
“Ghashiram: “But I’ll comes back. I’ll come back to Poona. I’ll show my strength.
will cost you! Your good days are gone! I am a useless animal. There is no one to
stop me now, to mock me, to make me bend, to cheat me. Now I am a devil.”
“You’ve made me an animal; I’ll be a devil inside. I’ll come back like a boar and
stay as a devil. I’ll make pigs of all of you. I’ll make this Poona a kingdom of
Then I’ll be Ghashiram again, the son of Savaldas once more.”

16.  To get power he used his daughter as a tool which Nana craving more at any cost.
Through this he got power and becomes the kotwal of Poona city but he used the
power negatively. Nana was very cunning and shrewd power politician. He knows how
to use the power. What he say after giving the power to Ghashiram Kotwal:
”Nana: (suddenly brightening). Go, Ghashya, old bastard. We made you. We made
you kotwal. Raise hell if you wish. But you don’t know the ways of this Nana. This
there are two bullets in this gun. With the first one, we’ll make the city of Poona
Ghashya, child, you’re a foreigner. I have put you on Poona’s Back. What’ll happen
that our misdeeds will be credited to your account. We do it; our Kotwal pays for

17. Another thing is that here in the play Brahmins have the power
and it is used by them in very satirical way.
Second is about the WOMEN that they haven’t any kind of
power and they suppressed or oppressed by the power. They are
become the victims of the power.
 Thus, power remains at the center. Whatever happen it is
because of the power and whatever done by Nana it is
because of the power.

18. Feminism or Female sexuality as
perceived in the play:
 The female role in politics of power is limited only to surrender,
acceptance and suffering. The position of Indian Women at the very
beginning has been in a very pathetic condition.
 Gauri is representing the Indian women. Gauri is voiceless, powerless and
victimized. She does not have a say even in a matter relating to her. She
silently accepts what her father decides for her even though it meant
passing through a living hell or a life of eternal damnation. She is the
symbol of exploitation of female sexuality to represent the loss and
destruction in their struggle for power.

19.  Second is Gulabi. - Gulabi is no better though she wields some power and
is financially well off she too has to dance to the tunes of her customers
and Nana. She cannot think earn her livelihood without satisfying the
sexual overtures of her customers.
 Third is Nana’s Wives – Nana’s wives are mute spectators to the sexual
rendezvous of his husband.
 “Violence against women and violation of human rights of women are
rampant and this is pictured well in Ghashiram Kotwal”.

20. GHASIRAM KOTWAL :CRITICAL
ANALYSIS
ACT-1
 Act I of the play depicts the rise of Ghashiram from that of an outsider to
the position of the Kotwal of the city. The process whereby such a
position is attained however, is not a straightforward one. It involves
sacrifice of Ghashiram’s personal conscience and family ties as well as the
use of inhuman and immoral means.
 Also, we witness the religious and moral decadence of the Poona
Brahmins and the political corruption symbolized by Nana’s pleasure-
seeking ways.

21.  There are 5 significant episodes in the act1 which demonstrate these facts:-
1. Introduction of Poona Brahmins.
2. The Scene at Bhavanakhani.
3. Ghashiram in the prison cell.
4. Nana’s encounter with Ghashiram’s daughter and his attempts to capture her.
5. Nana-Ghashiram agreement by which Ghashiram is given the Kotwali of Poona

22. 1. The poona brahmins:-. The Brahmins, at the beginning of the play appears as pious , They have
come from various holy place of south and north India, but are now a part of the Brahmin
community of Poona. The social, intellectual and moral superiority of this community is however
immediately exposed to us in the encounters between the various individual Brahmins and the
Sutradhar.
The underlying issue in all these encounters is the overwhelming lustfulness, symbolic of the moral
corruption and decadence prevalent in this socially respected community of Brahmins.
2.The scene at bavannakhani:- “ red light area of poona” ,this comes out clearly in the interactions of
the sutradhar with brahmans.
The scene at Gulabi’s house has three parts to it: Brahmins at Gulabi’s house, Nana arrives at
Gulabi’s house and Ghashiram’s insult by Gulabi after nana departs.
3. Ghasiram in prison cell:-, Ghashiram is accused of stealing money even when someone else is the
thief. He again, invokes Nana’s authority and asks to be taken nana for identification. In the first
instance, he was wrongfully deprived of the necklace which was given to him, and now he is accused
of snatching another Brahmin’s money. Consequently ghashiram is beaten and put into the prison
cell.

23.  Ghashiram’s encounter with the Sutradhar brings to fore in a direct manner some of the key issues
concerning contemporary situation. . It dramatizes an encounter between the simpleton, Ghashiram
and the man of the world, the man of “experience” the Sutradhar.
4. . Nana’s encounter with Ghashiram’s daughter and his attempts to capture her:-If the first four
episodes of Act i of this play are devoted to Ghashiram, the remaining two unfold Nana’s character as a
lecherous and lustful politician who is willing to sacrifice the welfare of Poona to gratify his physical
desires.
The four episode of Act I of the play may again be divided into three parts: Nana at the Kirtan, Nana’s
attempt to capture Gauri and Nana-Ghashiram encounter.
Earlier in the play religious terminology was used to hide sexual motivations, here a religious cermony
is used by Nana to choose a woman for the satisfaction of his physical desires. He chooses a young girl.
Lalita Gauri.
5. Nana-Ghashiram agreement by which Ghashiram is given the Kotwali of Poona :-The dance of Nana
and Gauri, ghashiram’s outbursts before the audience, and his final bargaining with nana constitute the
concluding part of Act I.
Therefore, when nana begs Ghashiram to let him have Gauri one more time, ghashiram knows that
Nana’s weak hour has come. He does not let this occasio slip and asks for the Kotwali of the city.

24.  By making Ghashiram the Kotwal of Poona. Nana procures Ghashiram’s
daughter for his physical gratification, while on the poltical front he could
be used by Nana as afoul to the growing power of the Poona Brahmans.
Ghashiram could also be used to cover Nana’s “misdeeds.” While Ghashira
stans to merely satisfy his revenge motive, Nana stands to gain from this
arrangment, both personally and politically, and therefore consents to it.
The first Act thus concludes with Ghashiram being proclaimed the Kotwal.

25. ACT-2
In Act I of the play we witnessed the rise of ghashiram with sexuality playing a significant role in it.
Act II unfolds to us the consequences of such a rise while lead to Ghashiram’s final downfall. If
sexuality was the underlying governing force in Act I, it is violence that force the central focus of
the second Act.
 Similar to Act I, Act II of this play also 4 important episodes, namely:
1. Portrayal of Ghashiram’s rule, Ghashiram in action, as a Kotwal.
2. The ordeal of the innocent Brahman.
3. Ghashiram and Nana break apart.
4. The coming of the Telangi Brahmans; the final downfall of Ghashiram.

26. 1. Portrayal of Ghashiam’s rule, Ghashiram in action, as a Kotwal:- As the kotwal of poona
,Ghasiram unleashes a reign of terror . His real motives are however to treat the Ponna brahmins with
ruthlessness similar to the kind with which was treated earlier. ghashiram stands for the deputation of
that power: the executive authority.
 Such an exercise of power on the part of ghashiram leads to what is commonly known in our times
as the “license redeem,” that is, securing permits before doing anything. Caught up in such a
situation , the Poona community had no one to turn to. “Behind ghashiram is Nana,“ they fell so any
complaint against Ghashiram will be taken as a personal affront by Nana. If on the other hand, They
quietly submit to ghashiram’s whims, they will continue to suffer under his revengeful rule”.
2. The ordeal of the innocent Brahmans:-This ordeal of the innocent brahmin brings to the fore the
extent to which bestiality in human nature can take complete sway over himself

27.  3. Ghashiram and Nana break apart:- Ghashiram-Nana agreement falls apart in this part of the
play, but not before Ghashiram has paid a heavy price for being the Kotwal.
This section of the play has three parts to it: Ghashiram planning for the wedding of his
daughter, the celebration of Nana’s seventh marriage, and thirdly, the death of Gauri and
Ghashiram’s further degeneration.

28. 4. The coming of the Telangi Brahmans; the final downfall of Ghashiram:- At the end of the second
scene we see the South indian Brahmins coming to Poona in search of happiness and fortune. It is to
be noted that both Ghashiram and the South Indian brahmins have similar motives in coming to
Poona.
The Brahmins, newly come to poona and, unware of Ghashiram’s ways and whims, are arrested for
stealing fruits from his garden, locked up in the prison cell, and die of suffocation. These had come to
Poona in search of happiness and fortune, as Ghashiram did. Through their tortutous death, they
become the immediate cause of ghashiram’s death.
The Sutradhar, who has become an important link and actor in this section of the play information us
of the dark deeds done during Ghashiram’s rule where both the innocent as well as the guilty are sent
to prison, so much so, that there is no place in the cell for the twenty-two newly arrested Brahmins.
Ghashiram’s downfall at the end of the play is effected through 2 stages: the mob pressure on Nana,
and Ghashiram’s final execution.
(a)- The power implicit in the mob fury however, is not so easy to brush aside. Therefore, when the
Sutradhar comes and informs Nana that “angry brahmans have gathered in front of the place,” Nana
becomes perturbed. He considers the situation serious nana uses even this mob fury to his advantage
by signing the order “to behead Ghashiram Lotwal.”

29.  The public excution of Ghashiram is not dramatized on stage, but narrated to the audience by the
Suutradhar. Ghashiram is killed for his evil deeds.
 after the killing is over ,Nana joins the groups & declares three days of festivities to mark thre
occasion. Ultimately , the brahmins finishes the play in the same manner as it began, with the song
in praises of ganpati.
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