A Critical Analysis of Vijay Tendulkar's Ghashiram Kotwal

Ghashiram Kotwal is set in eighteenth century Pune at the time of the Peshwa rule. The play features the Peshwa's chancellor Nana Phadnavs and when it was first staged it came up against a lot of criticism of or showing the revered Nana's character in a derogatory light.This 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 Peshwa, Nana Phadnavis or Ghashiram. n e moral of this story, if there is any, may be looked for elsewhere.