Sharma : Going back to the Satya Shodhak movement, it was such a powerful movement that it involved a large number of people.
Chavan : It was.
Sharma : Who were the leaders who spearcheaded this movement in your area ?
Chavan : In my area, there were a large number of district leaders who spearheaded this movement. I remember, Bhau Saheb Kamb's name, who was active in my hometown and in surrounding areas. Later on, Bhaskarrao Jadhav, the leader from my district, was elected on the ticket of this movement and he became Minister of Agriculture. A. B. Latthe was another leader from Kolhapur. He later on became Diwan of Kolhapur. Then there were Kesavaro Vichare, Dhongi Patil and others.
Sharma : What part did Shahu Maharaj play in this ?
Chavan : Shahu Maharaj played an important part as he was one of the heroes of this movement. He did quite a lot to bring about a change in social outlook. As a king, he started many new things for poor people, for untouchables, for women, for removing religious superiority of the Brahmin class as a caste. People took inspiration from the persons, I mentioned to you. People also took inspiration from Sahu Maharaj in the field of education of the masses.
Sharma : He must have rendered financial help also ?
Chavan : That I don't know.
Sharma : You mentioned singing parties. Did they make use of the theatre also ?
Chavan : Well, tamashas we call it. Shahirs who used to sing "Powadas". Tamasha was a mass theatre. It was a very powerful media of propaganda and it used to affect the rural masses tremendously. Once or twice I attended the tamashas. I remember the tamasha of Rambhau ghatge of Kale, near by my village. The man had completely dedicated himself to this type of work.
