What do you think?
Rate this book
देवबाभळी
प्राजक्त देशमुख यांनी लिहिलेल्या या नाटकात मराठी संस्कृतीचा स्वच्छ असा तळ आपल्याला दिसतो आणि संस्कृती म्हणजे काय आणि त्याची अभिरूची म्हणजे हे नाटक. आपली मराठी संस्कृती, वारकरी परंपरा तसेच मानवी नात्यांचं सुंदर वर्णन, बाईचं मन समजावून घेत हे नाटक पुढे जाते.
57 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
26 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 31, 2025
Devbabhali is a beautiful Marathi natak that tells the untold story of two women — Vithoba’s wife Rakhumai and Tukoba’s wife Awalee. While Shri Vitthal and Sant Tukaram are deeply revered in Maharashtra and have been portrayed in countless books, films, and plays, very little is spoken about their wives. All we know is that Rakhumai was once angry with Vitthal and left him, and Awalee is often described as quarrelsome and sharp tongue, especially toward Vitthal. They are always in the background, hidden in the shadows of their husbands’ greatness. Isn’t that the story of so many women?
The play is based on a popular folklore — when a thorn pricks Awalee, Vitthal himself comes to remove it. The writer has taken that simple story and built something so deep, and emotionally rich narrative around it. In this version, Rakhumai disguises herself as Lakhumai and comes to care for the injured Awalee. As the story unfolds, we begin to see the striking parallels between the two women: one is a goddess, the other an ordinary housewife, but both long for their husbands’ attention and affection. Both suffer share the same pain of emotional neglect.
The conversations between Lakhumai and Awalee are so touching and thought-provoking. Lakhumai encourages Awalee to not lose herself in service and duty, to remember her own identity. Awalee, in turn, teaches Lakhumai that harboring anger serves no purpose — that devotion and responsibility must be carried out selflessly, without expectation. In the end, Lakhumai realizes that despite being divine, she never really understood her husband, while Awalee, a mortal, somehow in her own way did. The scene where Rakhumai bows to Awalee before leaving is powerful — showing that even a goddess can learn something from a human.
What stayed with me most was how this story reminded me of my own mother and grandmother (Nani). Their hard work, sacrifices, and quiet strength often go unnoticed — just like Rakhumai and Awalee. They give their all, without asking for anything in return. This play made me think of them, and so many other women who live their lives silently in the background, holding everything together.
The play has received widespread critical acclaim for its powerful performances and soulful music, winning several prestigious awards. The reviews included at the end of the book are equally compelling and beautifully written — they do justice to the emotional depth of this play.
Lastly, Devbabhali makes you pause and reflect. It’s a simple story, yet so deep. It makes you think — how did someone even come up with this idea? It’s not just a story from the past — it could easily be the story of any woman today.
The play is based on a popular folklore — when a thorn pricks Awalee, Vitthal himself comes to remove it. The writer has taken that simple story and built something so deep, and emotionally rich narrative around it. In this version, Rakhumai disguises herself as Lakhumai and comes to care for the injured Awalee. As the story unfolds, we begin to see the striking parallels between the two women: one is a goddess, the other an ordinary housewife, but both long for their husbands’ attention and affection. Both suffer share the same pain of emotional neglect.
The conversations between Lakhumai and Awalee are so touching and thought-provoking. Lakhumai encourages Awalee to not lose herself in service and duty, to remember her own identity. Awalee, in turn, teaches Lakhumai that harboring anger serves no purpose — that devotion and responsibility must be carried out selflessly, without expectation. In the end, Lakhumai realizes that despite being divine, she never really understood her husband, while Awalee, a mortal, somehow in her own way did. The scene where Rakhumai bows to Awalee before leaving is powerful — showing that even a goddess can learn something from a human.
What stayed with me most was how this story reminded me of my own mother and grandmother (Nani). Their hard work, sacrifices, and quiet strength often go unnoticed — just like Rakhumai and Awalee. They give their all, without asking for anything in return. This play made me think of them, and so many other women who live their lives silently in the background, holding everything together.
The play has received widespread critical acclaim for its powerful performances and soulful music, winning several prestigious awards. The reviews included at the end of the book are equally compelling and beautifully written — they do justice to the emotional depth of this play.
Lastly, Devbabhali makes you pause and reflect. It’s a simple story, yet so deep. It makes you think — how did someone even come up with this idea? It’s not just a story from the past — it could easily be the story of any woman today.
May 15, 2023
Good book. It's basically a musical play for the worshipers of God pandurang. Whether you are worshipers or not, you will enjoy this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2019
सध्या रंगभूमीवर प्रचंड गाजत असलेल्या संगीत देवबाभळी नाटकाचं देवबाभळी हे पुस्तक रुप आहे. पुस्तकाबद्दल थोडक्यात सांगायचे म्हणजे ही दोन बायकांची गोष्ट आहे. त्यातली एक आहे संत तुकारामांची बायको आवली व दुसरी विठ्ठलाची बायको रखुमाई. तुकोबांना न्याहारी घेऊन चाललेल्या आवलीच्या पायात काटा घुसला व तो विठ्ठलाने काढला ही आख्यायिका प्रसिद्ध आहे. त्याचाच आधार घेऊन लेखकाने पुढे अशी कथा मांडली आहे की विठ्ठलाच्या आज्ञेवरून रखुमाई लखुबाई होऊन आवलीला घरी घेऊन येते व तिचा पाय बरा होईपर्यंत तिची शुश्रुषा करते. त्यादरम्यान त्या दोघींमध्ये जे काही संवाद/जुगलबंदी होते ते म्हणजे हे नाटक/पुस्तक.खरं तर यातील लखुबाई म्हणजे असामान्य/दैवी स्त्री त्याऊलट आवली ही एक अगदी सामान्य स्त्री पण तरीही दोघींची व्यथा एकच आहे फक्त त्याचं रुप निराळं आहे.
पुस्तकाची संवादशैली ही वेगळ्याच गावरान जातकुळीची पण अतिशय गोड आहे. त्यामुळेच 'कडेलोटाच्या क्षणापर्यंत पोचून परत माघारी का गं फिरायचं आपणच' अथवा 'मानूस विसरून जाईल इतका पन अबोला बरा न्हाई. रूसलं ना की जास्त आकळून बोलायचं. पाऊस येओ न येओ प्रत्येकाने आपआपल्या वाट्याचं नांगरत रहावं' तसेच 'आमच्या घराला इठ्ठल नावाची चिघळलेली जखम झालेली आहे' यासारखे
उत्कृष्ट पण विचार करायला लावणारे संवाद वाचायला मिळतात.
तसेच या पुस्तकात मुळ नाटकाव्यतिरिक्त काही निवडक मान्यवरांचे नाटकाबद्दलचे समिक्षण व प्रतिक्रिया वाचायला मिळतात त्या देखिल वाचनीय आहेत. कारण बर्याच वेळा एखाद्या गोष्टी/प्रसंगाबद्दल आपला दृष्टिकोन व समोरच्याचा दृष्टिकोन किती वेगळा असू शकतो याचीसुद्धा आपल्याला
काही प्रतिक्रिया वाचताना जाणिव होते.
थोडक्यात काय तर देवबाभळी हे नाटक व पुस्तक दोन्हीसुद्धा विलक्षण अनुभुती आहे जी एकदा तरी अनुभवावीच.
पुस्तकाची संवादशैली ही वेगळ्याच गावरान जातकुळीची पण अतिशय गोड आहे. त्यामुळेच 'कडेलोटाच्या क्षणापर्यंत पोचून परत माघारी का गं फिरायचं आपणच' अथवा 'मानूस विसरून जाईल इतका पन अबोला बरा न्हाई. रूसलं ना की जास्त आकळून बोलायचं. पाऊस येओ न येओ प्रत्येकाने आपआपल्या वाट्याचं नांगरत रहावं' तसेच 'आमच्या घराला इठ्ठल नावाची चिघळलेली जखम झालेली आहे' यासारखे
उत्कृष्ट पण विचार करायला लावणारे संवाद वाचायला मिळतात.
तसेच या पुस्तकात मुळ नाटकाव्यतिरिक्त काही निवडक मान्यवरांचे नाटकाबद्दलचे समिक्षण व प्रतिक्रिया वाचायला मिळतात त्या देखिल वाचनीय आहेत. कारण बर्याच वेळा एखाद्या गोष्टी/प्रसंगाबद्दल आपला दृष्टिकोन व समोरच्याचा दृष्टिकोन किती वेगळा असू शकतो याचीसुद्धा आपल्याला
काही प्रतिक्रिया वाचताना जाणिव होते.
थोडक्यात काय तर देवबाभळी हे नाटक व पुस्तक दोन्हीसुद्धा विलक्षण अनुभुती आहे जी एकदा तरी अनुभवावीच.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews