Pu La describes the lively character of KrishnaRao Harihar of Belgaum who is affectionately referred as Rao Saheb taught Marathi at Rani Parvatibai College (RPD) in Belgaum-1946.
Pu La- Purshottam Laxman Deshpande the noted Marathi literary who was in Belgaum for a couple of years wrote many books and one famous character was Rao Saheb which he wrote when he was in Belgaum. He later on moved in to Kirti College in Mumbai.
Read the Rao Saheb story here.
Mr.Harihar was a theatre owner and the meetings used to take place at the Ritz theatre (now Lokmanya Rang Mandir in Konwal Galli, near Tilak Chowk.)
Pu La Deshpande’s speech during a Kannada Sahitya Sabha in Pune and his thoughts on the Belgaum border issue are quite humbling… “Maharashtra and Karnataka are political entities while Marathi and Kannadiga are cultural entities… you have meeting lines in the later case and borders in the former… one welcomes each other… the other say don’t enter!”
He was born on 8 November 1919 in Mumbai. He has been awarded the prestigious awards like Padmashri, Padmabhushan, Maharashtra Bhushan, Sahitya Academy, Sangeet Natak Akademi. His work was dedicated in various fields like Drama, Literature, Music Humour, Philosophy and Broadcasting. P. L. Deshpande will be remembered in the newer generation for his Humorous books like Batatyachi Chal(बटाट्याची चाळ), Asa mi Asa mi (असा मी असामी), Vakti ani Valli (व्यक्ती आणि वल्ली), Varyavarachi Varat (वार्यावरची वरात), Bigari te Matrik (बिगरी ते मॅट्रिक), Hari Tatya (हरी तात्या), Mhais (म्हैस), Mi aani maza shatrupaksha (मी आणी माझा शत्रुपक्ष), Paliv Prani (पाळीव प्राणी), Panwala (पानवाला), Kahi nave grahayog (काही नवे ग्रहयोग), maze paushtik jeevan (माझे पौष्टीक जिवन), and many more.
Some of his movies include are कुबेर (Kuber), भाग्यरेषा (Bhagyaresha), वंदेमातरम्(Vande mataram), जागा भाड्याने देणे आहे(Jaga bhadyane dene aahe), मानाचे पान(manache paan), मोठी माणसे(mothi manase), गोकुळचा राजा(gokulacha raja), जरा जपून(jara japun), नवरा बायको(nawara bayako) and पुढचे पाऊल (pudhache paool). Pu La passed away on June 12, 2000 in Pune.
Well people should also know that he served as a lecturer in SKE SOCIETY’S RANI PARVATI DEVI COLLEGE TILAKWADI during his short stint in BELGAUM
Pu La Deshpande and Sunitabai Deshpande were regular visitors to Baba Amte’s Anandwan in the tehesil of Warora, Zilla Chandrapur, in the region of Vidarbha in Maharashtra. Seeing leprosy warriors and leprosy victors on the stage – singing, dancing, acting, and delivering fiery speeches in favor of nation-building, Pu La would say, “Elsewhere people try to hide leprosy affected human beings and keep them far away in a corner. But here in Anandwan, Baba Amte puts them on the center of the stage for every one to see”.
हो का गुरुजी…
खरं आहे…
Ohh,
I thought I am only mad about Rao Saheb
So many others also
My favorite one
Thanks for sharing information
Art Circle is still active in belgaum
yes he was
All these above posts indicate that none are really sure of who Raosaheb was and where did he reise. There i a sentence in Pu La’s “RAOSAHEB” where he says that Raosaheb resided in Tilakwadi. No photos, no family tree, nothing, nothing at all. I feel really bad that Raosaheb was just a fictional character – part truth, part fiction. I was a neighbor of Dr. Hanamsheth, Dr. Kulkarni was my family doctor, Balasaheb Gudi is also well known, as are Walwalkar, Bijapure and Mudholkar. But who is this fictional character, Raosaheb?
Raosahebs name was krishnarav harihar
His grandson madhav harihar was a chief
Engineer at pune municipal corporation..
RAvsaheb is not a fictional character..
Pu la was staying at outhouse on agarkar road..At bicchu.building..At tilakwadi.
The old generation people are still at belgaum who have seen and know about RAvsaheb.
I recently heard the story of mr Raosaheb Harihar through thr beautiful piece of literature of pu la. Since last year my son is staying at belgaum studying engg. I would love to visit the place at Belgaum where these events took place..
All his works are great. I have read/heard/seen some of his work.
Yes Arts Circle is still active I think.
When I visited Belgaum, I made it a point to find out and visit Ritz theater mentioned in Raosaheb.
Was Raosaheb real? Is there any photograph of Raosaheb?
yes …..
Yes
He was
Reading this post so l ate. I am going to visit belgaum soon and i am going to visit only to see ritz theater and be at the place which has given so much laugh to us.
ya
i ofcource knew it
Raosaheb is the most beautiful piece of literature by PuLa, for me.
I wanted to know wheather the Art Circle is still active in Belgaum?