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The Diwali Nose and
other Marathi Tales A good collection of short stories, The Diwali Nose and other Marathi Tales, has tales that have been passed down the generations. We all have either read these tales or heard these from our grandmothers or narrated these to our children. These are all very interesting, fascinating and colourful tales of characters that regale children with their antics and make elders smile. Diwali Nose is the tale of two neighbours, Sukhi and Dukhi. The latter is airways copying Sukhi. On Diwali day, Sukhi and her husband plan to teach her a lesson so that Dukhi would finally stop copying Sukhi. Two Travellers is the story of Pendya and Gondya, who travel together from village to the town of Wardha. Cunning Gondya makes a fool of simpleton Pandya, who gets the moral: "Never look down upon what you have just because of another’s remarks." Clever Mhatare, Mhatare’s Berries and Puran Poli are stories of old Mhatare, who saves her life from the wicked animals of forest, catches a thief who had stolen her berries, makes Madhav wonder how Mhatare must have made puran polis. The Rat who Married a Princess and The Rat with a Hat are irrepressible stories of a clever rat that eventually gets his way. The tales are short, sweet and pleasurable, and bring back your childhood. These are the tales you were so fond of as a child. These tales do not belong to one state, but have a universal appeal, with a little variation here and there. The New Arabian
Nights
The key stories of Shahriyar and Sheherazade, Ali Baba and Alladin are fun-filled script, in which tales of clever women, foolish men, lovable crooks and talking animals delight children. The language of the play is simple and stage settings have been described in detail. Silk cushions, carpeted, colourful walls, satin costumes and swivelling panels create changing locations and the fantasy effect. Narrators beautifully describe the atmosphere. The writer has added even songs and dance sequences to the script to make it more interesting. Evil powers of the sorcerer and how he mutters incantations over his cauldron have also been well portrayed. The King, the Vizier, the Princess and the maids in waiting form a scintillating atmosphere. Three stories are interwoven so well that it weaves a magic spell around the reader. These are the stories from our childhood that still hold their magic. Naharwar’s plays have been directed by some of India’s most prominent theatre personalities like Adi Marzban, Feisal Alkazi and Pearl Padamsee. |
The New Arabian Nights
by Kamala Ramchandani Naharwar is delightful, interesting and simple
presentation of three stories adapted for stage. Simple and imaginative
costumes, sets and language make it ideal for children’s theatre.