Women Character of Ghashi Ram Kotwal

Woman Characters in Vijay Tendulkar’s
Ghashiram Kotwal

By

Jarnail Singh
Lecturer,
C.R.M. Jat College, K.U.K.
Hisar (Haryana)

Indian Drama has long history. It flourishes in ancient time. The Sanskrit Drama was main line in the ancient time. Modern Drama is influenced by classical Sanskrit Drama and Western theatre. Bharata’s Natyashartra is a great treatise in Sanskrit. He is in the range of Aristotle’s Poetics. Aristotle gave the theory of Imitation in Poetics and definition of tragedy “tragedy is the imitation of action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude; in a language beautified in different parts with different kinds of embellishment, through action and not narration and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about the catharsis of these emotions.” Kalidas Shakuntala (Circa 5th century) is a great drama. Bhasa wrote 134 plays. His master pieces is Swapana – Vasavadatta. The story is about king Udayana who is tom between his love for his wife Vasavadatta and the political necessity of marrying Padma Vati, the daughter of Harsha’s.
Alongwith Mohan Rakesh, Badal Sircar and Girish Karnard, Vijay, Tendulkar has pioneered modern Indian theatre. He is an eminent Marathi playwright, screen play writer, essayist, journalist and social commentator. His best known plays are Silence! The Court is in Session (1967), Ghashiram Kotwal (1970), Kamla (1981), Kanyadaan (1982), A Friend’s Story (1982), Safar (1991), Fifth Woman (2004). Silence! The court is in session exposes the basic hypocracy and double standards in the middle class society through a mock trial of Leela Benare, A School Teacher. It has social concern. It raises the questions on the need of maintaining social stability, moral sanctity and legal integrity. Leela Banare is guilty of promiscuity. Kamla is study of marital status. Kanyadaan is a complex play about the cultural and emotional upheavals of a family. It deals with the violence in the subconscious of a Dalit poet who is married to the daughter of a naïve socialist. A Friend’s story is about a lesbian and her conformation with society. Kamala (1982), and Kandyadan (1983) are insightful studies of women written as conventional three-act social dramas. His Fifth Woman (2004) is the last play, in which the two protagonists wait outside a hospital with a woman’s body in a hand cart.
Vijay Tendulkar is a leading contemporary playwright. In an interview, Tendulkar once said, “I have not written about hypothetical pain or created an imaginary world of sorrow. I am from a middle class family and I have seen the brutal ways of life by keeping my eyes open. My work has come from within me, as an outcome of my observation of the world in which I live. If they want to entertain and make merry, fine go ahead, but I can’t do it, I have to speak the truth.”[1]
Tendulkar’s plays have dealt with themes that unravel the exploitation of power and latent violence in human relationships. As he noted: “the basic urge (to write) has always been to let out my concerns vis a vis my reality: the human condition as I perceive it.” [2]
If there is one play in Tendulkar’s entire body of work that confirms his standing as one of the country’s finest playwrights, it is Ghashiram Kotwal. [3] Ghashiram Kotwal is Tendulkar most controversial play. It was staged in 1972. The depiction of the historical character Nana Phadnavis is very controversial. He was a revered statesman during the Peshwa rule in Maharashtra that angered Brahmins and led to protests. It is directed by noted director Jabar Patel. He is faced violent protests from the audience which targeted the artists with eggs and tomatoes in theatre halls to stop the performances. Ghashiram Kotwal is a musical historical play. Tendulkar came to the defense of the play, pointing out that Ghashiram Kotwal is not a historical play: “It is a story, in prose, verse, music and dance set in a historical era. Ghashirams are creations of socio-political forces which know no barriers of time and place. Although based on a historical legend, I have no intention of commentary on the morals, or lack of them, of the Peshwas, Nana Phadnavis or Ghashiram. The moral of the story, if there is any, may be looked for elsewhere.”[4]
Ghashiram Kotwal (1972) dealt political violence. The play is a political satire set in 18th century Pune. It combined traditional techniques, creating a new paradigm for Marathi theatre. The play demonstrates Tedulkars deep study of group psychology, and it brought him a “Jawaharlal Nehru fellowship (1974-75)” for a project titled. “An Enquiry into the Pattern of Growing violence in society and its relevance to contemporary theatre.
Tedulkar’s said, “My creative writing including my plays and films I have written, mostly dealt with my contemporary social reality. As a social being, I am against all exploitation and I passionately feel that all exploitation must end.” He has enriched Marathi theatre without completely breaking away from tradition.
As a playwright, Tendulkar’s great strength lies in his dialogues. It is as if he doesn’t need a director at all. The man seems to be able to ‘see’ every action, every move from curtain up to curtain down. He can probably even ‘hear’ it all…………5

Many of Tendulkar’s plays derived inspiration from real-life incidents or social upheavals. It was stopped because the right wing Hindu-nationalist R.S.S. found it “Anti-Brahamin” and described the negative depiction Nana Phadnavis historical.
Tendulkar’s approach about Feminism is reflected through his plays. Feminism refers to the belief that woman should have the same rights, power and opportunity that men have. Obviously, believing that women have been denied their real status in the society and personal relationship by man. Many playwrights like G.B. Shaw, Shelagh Delaney, Tennessee William’s, caryl Churchill etc. have turned into faminists directly or indirectly. Vijay Tendulkar has deep concern to the women and society. Women are mercilessly denied opportunity for open expression of their true feelings in the tradition – bound Indian society. In this respect and in many other respects they are at great disadvantages when compared to men.
This article tries to present the women character in Ghashi Ram Kotwal. The position of Indian women right from the beginning, they were deprived of their rights in many ways. Ghashiram is a true story of portraying of women, women play a key role in Tendulkar’s plays. His characters are drawn from day-to-day life is Kamla, Leela Benara, Gauri.
Women play a central role in Tendulkar’s plays. His female characters are mainly from the lower and middle classes, housewives, teachers, mistresses, daughters, slaves and servants. These women bring not just variety of social station but also a broad range of emotions into the plays: “from the unbelievably gullible to the clever, from the malleable to the stubborn, from the conservative to the rebellious, from the self-sacrificing to the grasping.”[6]
His characters are often composites of contradictory personality struggling between emotion and intellect, espoused values and conflicting actions; seeking independence yet submissive, struggling between physical desires and conscience. Tendulkar tended to minimize his personal influence on these characters and their personality development. They are in the play “with their own minds, ways and destiny,” he said. [7] Each of them her own separate existence and expression. Gauri, Gulabi, Brahaman wife each may individualized through distinctive expression, appearance and gate.
His notable creation remain his outstanding play for its bold societal themes and characterization. The depiction of women character is highly different Gauri is the central character in Ghashiram Kotwal.
Nana become happy and expresses his carnal desire to see Gauri.
Nana. “Oh, can we ? can we fine her ? How beautifully formed ? What a lovely figure! Did you see ? Erect! Young! Tender! Ah! Ho ho! We’ve seen so many handle so many, but none like that one. None her equal. We wonder who she is.
Ghashi Ram. Whoever she is, if the order is given, this servant will bring her.” p. [24]
Gauri charm bewitches Nana to such an extent that Nana says, “If she is not found, no one will help his head! Our grandeur’s gone if she’s not had. We tell you, if she is found, then this Nine Court Nana will conquer Hindustan! What a bosom! Buds just blossoming… We’ll squeeze them like this!” p.[24] She titillates Nana’s desires to such an extent that he is forced to wear his heart on his sleeve. “The chant continues. Nana comes in dancing to this rhythm. The young girl comes in, ready to dance. She moves to the rhythm, makes sensuous gestures, moves around Nana elusively, driving him berserk. She doesn’t touch him. Every now and then, Ghashiram is seen. Nana throws him favours and dances behind the girl. Brahamans sing to the rhythm of drum and cymbals. Turning their backs to the audience, the Brahamans from a garden. Nana chases the girl through the garden.” p. [25]
When Ghasiram comes to know reality he cries out loud.
Ghashiram. “Now he’s in my hands… Oh, my daughter….the beast…… Oh, you people. Look I’ve given my beloved daughter into the jaws of that wolf! Look. Look at this father. Putting the child of his heart up for sale. Look at my innocent daughter a whore. That old overripe bastard! Look at him, eating her like a peach…. Spit on me. Stone me. Look, look, but I will not quit. I’ll make this Poona a kingdom of pigs.”p.[26]
After the death of Gauri there was great change in Ghasiram. He feels wretched.
Ghasiram. “Oh, my child. My Gauri. A piece of my heart. Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! What has become of you ? What happened ? What did that devil Nana do ? That monster. Gauri, my dear-what happened to you, my daughter?” p. [50]
Gauri is viceless, powerless and victimized. She silently accepts the dectates of her father. Gauri is the symbol of exploitation of female sexuality to represent the loss and destruction in then struggle for power. Gauri’s death represent the flip side of Indian women for their use and abuse in all walks of life. Gauri seems to enjoy power for some time.She loses her honour, respect and finally life when her father was looking for a groom. She is pitiable character in the play. Her death brings a change in Ghashi Ram, he is mad with rage. He rocks the city of Poona with his Ire.
Gulabi, the Courtesan is a dancing woman. Her house is tilted with the people. The Brahamans of Poona are much charmed by her Lavanis. The people enjoy of her dance. They shout and throw their turban in the air. She becomes a special invitee of Nana and enjoys his patronage. She is the woman who give shelter and employment to Ghashi Ram. She tells to Nana that he is the foreigner and have no food. She gives shelter to live. Maratha women have been sketched in passive colours. They are the mute spectators of the tragedy. They do not say anything of their husband when they visit Gulabi’s house. They are also the victims of nana’s lust. Women of Poona are shown not virtuous by Tendulkar. Some have relationship with Maratha Sardars.
Gauri’s mother is silent sufferer. She does not object anything. She is also shown week. She does not object when Gauri is handed over to Nana by Ghashiram. All women in Ghashiram Kotwal are passive sufferer.

Tendulkar has delineated powerful female figures in several of his plays. The women are minor figures. We see several kinds of women: Gulabi, representing the prostitutes, the Brahman woman forced out of her house and accused of being prostitute, Gauri young and innocent representing all the young women prayed upon by people like Nana portrayed objects of exchange. The female characters and their status shows as sex objects. They are in the play – pawns and play things in the political game of Nana and Ghashiram. Ghashiram is not the declaration of a new aesthetics. According to Tendulkar, the combination of Marathi folk forms which he used came in answer to his search for a way to tell the story he wanted to tell:
“Ghashiram started with a theme, then came the specific ‘story’ or incident which was historical and then the search for the form began.” 8

The play shows moral deprivation, degradation and degeneration. The person who is in power his shown immoral. Gender based in heritance laws and practice deprive women of their economic, social and cultural rights. Violence against women is rampant and this is well shown in Ghashiram Kotwal.

1. Sumit Saxena, “A conversation with sir Vijay Tendulkar,” Passion for Cinema, 20 December, 2006.
2. Vijay Tendulkar, Five Plays (Bombay: Oxford University Press, 1992). The five plays translated in this book are: Kamala, Silence! The Court is in Session, Sakharam Binder, The Vultures, and Encounter in Umbugland. See the Introduction by Arundhati Banerjee, p.x.
3. Vijay Tendulkar, Ghashiram Kotwal, fourth edition (Pune: Neelkanth Prakashan, 1992).
4. Vijay Tendulkar, Ghasiram Kotwal, English trans. (Seagull Books, 1986). Quoted in introduction by Samik Bandyopadhyay, p.iv.
5. Nilu Phule in Mulye, Tapas, Naik eds., Ten Ami Anhi (Mumbai:Awishkar Prakashan, 1992), p. 57
6. Shanta Gokhle, “Tendular on his Own Terms,” in Geeta Rajan and Shoma Choudhry (eds) Vijay Tendulkar (New-Delhi: Katha, 2001) p.81.
7. Vijay Tendulkar, The Play is the Thing (New-Delhi: Sri Ram Memorial Lecture, Times, November 3, 2004).
8. Quoted by Samik Bandyopadhyay, in his introduction to this volume.