This Hindi play is an adaptation of the seminal Marathi novel "Anandowari”, written by D.B.Mokashi in 1974. Anandowari (Eng translation; the Verandah of Bliss) looks at 17th-century saint poet Tukaram’s story through his younger brother Kanha’s perspective. Tukaram has gone missing again. This time, though, the hints seem ominous. We travel through those 3 days of Kanha’s frantic search for Tuka and his many realisations about his brother.

In reminiscing about Tukaram, Kanha tries to grapple with Tuka’s many identities: Tuka his brother, the son, the householder, the creative genius, a saint, a reformer, a rebel. This act of reminiscence becomes an act of grappling with what and who he has lost, in the process giving us a great psychological insight into the events (personal, social and political) and impulses that shaped Tukaram’s consciousness and made him who he has, one of the most beloved Bhakti saint poets of Maharashtra, as tender as he was fierce, as compassionate as he was unforgivingly harsh, as much a reformist as he was a transcendentalist. Our adaptation focuses on the search that lies at the heart of the text. A devotee in search of God. A man in search of his brother. A writer in search of the poet Tukaram.

Original Novel Anandowari by D.B Mokashi

Adaptation and Direction: Gerish Khemani

Hindi Translation: Dr Jaya Dayal Acharya

Performed by: Varad Salvekar, Hrishabh Kanti

Background Score: Ruturaj Bhosle

Abhang Composition: Keshav Kudale

Light Design: Sachin Lele

Lights Operation: Sukrit Mahajan

Sound Operation and Production Support: Jaymin Thakkar

Poster and Creatives: Robin Patel