Activities

Educational, Social and Cultural

Drama Traning School:

Right from its inception till 1930, 'Social Club' alias 'Bharat Natya Samshodhan Mandir' was performing famous plays with the intention of public entertainment as well as for raising funds for socially charitable institutions. In 1935, the National Dramatics Meet (Bharat Natya Sammelan) No. 27 was held in Pune. On this occasion it was thought that the Institution should set up a drama training class. The thought was brought into execution in 1962 when a dramatic training class was started under the leadership of Mrs Vimaltai Sathe. But the effort was rather half-hearted and ran doddering for a year and a half. But, from 1966 drama critic Dr.R.S.Walimbe and Prabhakar Gupte continued the class very consistently and it is going on till today. Rajabhau Phadnis and Jayantkumar Tribhuvan organized the class well.




The class gives formal training in dramatics to young men and women. A fine blend of Bharat Munis' Natya Shastra and Stanislavaski's dramatic technique teaches students drama on physical, intellectual and psychological level. Training is imparted about tne human body, voice culture, yoga through actual demonstrations. The curriculum includes a study of Sanskrit, Marathi, English thetre, their history, basic schools of fine arts etc.


A study of the stage, play writing, play direction, acting and technical aspects of the theater such as acoustics, lighting, make-up, setting and costumes is a part of the training course. Eminent experts from various fields of the theater are invited to the class and training is imparted through their speeches, discussions etc. The course of 6 months' duration has until now trained thousands of theater-persons many of whom have become very successful in professional as well as amateur theater. The Institution is thinking of linking this drama training course formally to some University and of making it more authentic. The course students can avail of the facilities such as the library of the Institution and they have all the books at their disposal. Eminent theater personalities have, time and again, graced Bharat's drama training classes and have offered their valuable guidance to the students.


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Music and Dance Division:

It has already been mentioned elsewhere that the Institution did pioneering work in the field of prose Marathi theater when the musical Marathi theater was at its pinnacle. Around 1965 - 70, the prose Marathi theater was on the rise and today it is certainly far more popular than the musical theater. On this back-ground, Bharat has retained, preserved and grown the tradition of musical Marathi theater by performing musical plays consistently. Previously, producing such plays was a difficult task due to lack of finances. Since, 1970 the Club's own theater has become a good source of income for Bharat and the problem of finance was solved.




Vocal singing, playing of instruments and dance are the basic, foundational requirements of musical plays. Considering this, Baburao Vijapure thought of having a separate wing for training youth in music and dance in a classical and systematic way. With his initiative, regular classes for kathhak dancing and singing started in Bharat. Balasaheb Gokhale, an exponent and expert in the Benaras style of Kaththak took the responsibility of dance training since the inception of the Music and Dance Division, till 1982. Since 1982, his disciple Jaffer Mulla has handled the Division very efficiently, till today. The Division has supplied a number of singers and instrument players and dancers to take part in the Institution's musical plays. The Division offers training at nominal fees and the Club has made arrangements that its students can appear for examinations of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and Tilak Vidyapeeth. Due to this tie up, 'Bharat's students of this Division can excel in the fine arts till university level. The Institution has been granted status of Official Examination Center for such examinations. For some time, the training in singing was given by Janubhau Marathe who had lived in the company of Balgandharva. After the demise of Y.R.Karandikar, Mrs. Karandikar looks after the training and Pandurang Mukhde teaches the Tabla.


In addition to the traditional training in these fine arts, the Institution arranges training workshops, speeches and seminars of experts in different fields etc. On the foundation day of the Division, students present their art. The Division has received guidance by eminent artists such as Chota Gandharva, Jaimala Shiledar etc.


This Music and Dance Division, although sprang out of necessity, today has become a well-developed center for fine arts and has offered valuable contribution in the field of theater and art. The Division has added to Bharat's name and fame.


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Cultural Activities

The same Division, with a view to provide a platform for new artists, started 'Cultural Programmes' in 1998. New and inexperienced artists get the auditorium of 'Bharat' free-of-charge once a month. Artists perform their fine arts, such as singing, instrumental music, acting etc. The artists have to perform before an audience. The programme is free-of-cost, even for the audience.


Several up-coming artists have performed in such programmes and have experienced the thrill of performing before audience for the first time. This novel concept is thought of and implemented by Suresh Jog. demanded


Swasta Natak Yojana
Economical Play Scheme


People of Maharashtra are theater-maniacs. It is rightly said. theatergoers are sure to outnumber Marathi film-goers. Marathi man loves the theater. It is a fact that rates of theater tickets have always been slightly out of the reach of the common man. Regular theatergoers are also conscious of the rising ticket prices, let alone the common man who visits the theater once in a blue moon. This was one aspect of the problem. Another aspect was to fetch audience to the plays produced by amteur actors of the Institution.


Considering the two sides of the problem, the Institution-Bharat started a scheme after it had constructed an auditorium of its own, in 1970. The scheme was Economical Play Scheme (Swasta Natak Yojana), which planned to show four good plays to the members every year, charging very reasonable amount. Two entry-passes are given for this moderate amount and special concession is offered to the subscribers for all other activities and programmes of the Institution. Hence, the scheme was very audience-friendly. The scheme helped the Institution to produce its own plays, which were watched by a guaranteed audience. As the audience demanded anticipated plays produced by other groups and companies were also included in the scheme. The speciality of the scheme is one musical play that 'Bharat' produces every year. After 1970, this idea forwarded by Anant Kanho clicked very well and the Institution presented several first performances of its new productions in this scheme. Many new artists, actors and performers especially perform in this scheme to get a guess of how their new production will do at the box-office. The audience of the scheme is always eager to welcome musical plays and willing to give a pat of appreciation of the back of the young ones. We are fortunate to have many members of the scheme who have been members for years together. As compared to the professional theater, this scheme really brings plays to the audience's doorstep at a very reasonable price and; hence, has become very popular.


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Social Activities

No. Play Performed Year/ Date Theatre In the Aid of
55. Kichkavadh 13/1/1952 Pune Bhave High School (Girls’ Annual Social Function)
54. Kichkavadh 6/1/1952 Bhanuvilas theatre Seva Sadan Pune
53. Sangeet Devmanus 17/12/1951 LakshmichayaPraudh Varg
52. Agryahoon Sutka 5/3/1951 Bhanuvilas theatre Drama Competitions (Mumbai Sahitya Sangh)
51. Agryahoon Sutka 15/2/1951 Lokmanya Education Society
50. Agryahoon Sutka 17/6/1949 Deval Sabhagriha Education Girls’ High School ‘Imarat Fund’
49. Totayache Band 1/11/1948 Kelkar Smarak Samiti Late TatyaSaheb Kelkar’s death anniversary
48. Umaji Naik 30/11/1946 Pune Bhave High School
47. Goad Gondhal 23/12/45 Dhanraj Girji High School
46. Goad Gondhal 1/12/1945 Bhave High School
45. Upatshumbh 7/10/1945 Silver Jubilee Motor Sangh
44. Muncipalty 13/9/1945 Bhanuvila theatre PYC. Soc.
43. Premal Lafange 18/3/1945 Khadki Alegaonkar High School
42. Athvaninche Khandak 18/3/1945 Khadki Alegaonkar High School
41. Upatsumbh 25/2/1943 Kale’s High School
40. Goad Gondhal 15/2/1940 Vijayanand Theatre Rotar Association
39. Tratika 20/4/1935 Paral Eye Hospital
38. Kichkavadh 28/9/1935 Vijayanand Theatre Hanmantrao Ramnath Hospital
37. Kichkavadh 28/9/1934 Vijayanand Theatre Hanmantrao Ramnath Hospital
36. Kanchangadchi Mohana 17/4/1903 Pune Kirloskar Theatre
35. Kanchangadchi Mohana 15/2/1930 Panvel Sindh Relief Fund
34. Falgunrao 5/1928 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was present for the show
33. Sangit Saubhadra 15/5/1926 Alibaug Maternity Fund
32. Tratika 1/4/1926 Kirloskar theatre Bhor Praja Parishad Fund
31. Tratika and Devyani 15/4/1923 and 16/4/1923 Uma Vidyalay (in Modinimb)
30. Tratika 1/6/1923 Ganpatrao Joshi Fund
29. Mohan Tara 29/4/1923 Pune Anath Vidyarthi Griha
28. Tratika 22/4/1923 Camp Education Society
27. Kanchangadchi Mohana 19/4/1923 Swarajya Fund
26. Tratika 17/4/1923 Pune Swarajya Fund
25. Kanchangadchi Mohana 1/4/1923 Ahemednagar Pune Marathi Granthalaya
24. Tratika 31/3/23 Ahemednagar Pune Marathi Granthalaya
23. Kanchangadchi Mohana 1/3/1927 Pune Shrikrishna Vidyalaya
22. Kanchangadchi Mohana 7/1/1923 Pune Bengal Relief Fund
21. Mohan Tara 7/12/1922 Pune Bharat High School
20. Mohan Tara 9/10/1922 Laxmi Marathi Granthalaya
19. Tratika 16/5/1921 Pune Madyapan Nishedharth Mandal.
18. Satvapariksha 26/4/1921 Pune Mulshi Fund
17. Satvapariksha 11/2/1921 Kirloskar Theatre Marathi Granthalaya
16. Satvapariskha 17/9/1920 Kirloskar Theatre Tilak Smarak Fund
15. Tratika 12/12/1919 Nutan Aryabhushan In hounour of Lokamanya Tilak
14. Tratika 14/11/1919 Kirloskar Theater Pune Marathi Granthalaya
13. Satvapariksha 9/10/1917 Nutan Aryabhushan Arya Kridodharak Mandli
12. Satvapariksha 16/2/1917 Mumbai Brahman Hitawardhini Sanstha
11. Devayani 16/12/1915 Pune Free Public Library
10. Tratika, Devayani 1/9/1914, 19, 20/9/14 Pune Imperial War Fund
9. Devayani 02/05/1914 Kalyan Mumbai Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya.
8. Sharda, Devayani 26,27 April, 1 July, 14Sept., 1913 Nutan Aryabhushan Ahmednagar and Palithana Relief Fund
7. Tratika 22/11/1911 Ripon, Mumbai In the aid of Yawat Sanatorium
6. Sharada 20/03/1911 Ripon, Mumbai To aid Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya (Library)
5. Kanchangadchi Mohana 29/08/1910 To help Maratha Vyavaharik Shikshan fund
4. Mohan Tara and Zunzarrao 1908 To help the Mazoor Fund, Mumbai with Rs 2000/-. Kotilingarchan (a religious rite) at Wai, Bajarang Math at Kashi, Virupaksha Math at Hampi were also given financial aid
3. Mohan Tara 1907 Aryabhushan To help renovation of Omkareshwar temple. Eminent prescence of Lokmanya Tilak was the highlight of the occasion.
2. Zunzarrao Aug 1906 To help charitable organizations
1. Phalgunrao 12thApril 1906 Vijayanand For raising funds for the Institute ‘Paisa Fund’


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