The industrial hub of Pimpri-Chinchwad is gearing up to host the 100th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan on January 6 and 7 at the Morya Gosavi Sports Complex.
The event promises an eclectic mix of theatrical performances, including popular commercial dramas, children's plays, one-act plays, experimental productions, and musical dramas. Various auditoriums like the Ramakrishna More Auditorium in Chinchwad, Nilu Phule Auditorium in Sangvi, Ga Di Madgulkar Auditorium in Pradhikaran, and Ankushrao Landge Auditorium in Bhosari will stage a total of 64 diverse cultural programmes and plays.
History of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan:
A glimpse into the history of Marathi theatre and the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan reveals its evolution. Marathi theatre initially flourished in western Maharashtra—Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik. Post-independence, its influence extended across Maharashtra, reaching Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan. The support of Municipal Corporations and the State Government led to the establishment of theatres in various cities.
The roots of Marathi theatre trace back to Vishnudas Bhave, its pioneer, who initiated Marathi theatre in 1843. The inaugural Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan in 1905 in Mumbai marked a significant milestone. However, due to various challenges, it couldn't be held annually. Within the initial 50 years, 40 Sammelans took place across Pune, Mumbai, and Nashik—20 of them in Pune alone. Subsequent Sammelans were hosted in cities like Mumbai (13 times), Nashik (5 times), and Sangli, Kolhapur, and Nagpur (4 times each). The Sammelans were twice held in cities like Pimpri-Chinchwad, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Satara, Nanded, Malvan, Baramati, and Kankavali. Furthermore, the event ventured beyond Maharashtra, being held in New Delhi, Baroda, Goa, Belgaum, Hyderabad, Gwalior, Indore, and even once in New Jersey, United States.
Over this century-long journey, illustrious figures such as Acharya Atre, Nana Patekar, Ga Di Madgulkar, Dadasaheb Phalke, Narayan Shripad Rajhans (Bal Gandharva), Jabbar Patel, among others, have graced the role of Sammelan president.
The grand inauguration of the 100th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan will be in Pimpri-Chinchwad, followed by the conclusion in May 2024 at Ratnagiri. In between, various programmes are scheduled in Ahmednagar, Solapur, Beed, Latur, Nagpur, and Mumbai.
