Only, this 50 minute long programme punctuated with thundering dialogues by a spectrum of film and theatre celebrities and electrified by special light effects, will be depicted in Marathi, a language which many tourists visiting Pune, are unable to comprehend.

Considering the recent decision of the Central Government to put Shaniwarwada, the erstwhile citadel of the Peshwas on the international tourist map, this Rs 1.25 crore endeavour (the cost of the Light and Sound show, that is) would benefit only the Marathi speaking crowd. And that sounds quite disheartening.

But Ninad Bedekar, the script-writer of this show gives a glimmer of hope when he states, ``This programme will also be depicted in English, three months after the Marathi show begins.'' This puts the time frame somewhere in the month of April 2000. At the moment though, spadework regarding who will write the script in English, and whose voices will be lent for the English version of the show, has yet to begin. So, one wonders whether it will be only a faraway dream.

Presently, the Shaniwarwada is open to public between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Once the Light and Sound show begins on January 3, it will also be open for an hour, everyday, after twilight - between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., the show timings.

The Light and Sound Show will be a 50 minute capsule depicting Maratha history beginning from the time Chhatrapati Shivaji was brought to Pune along with his mother Jijabai and teacher Dadaji Kondke in 1637. Otherwise, the capsule will primarily cover the entire Peshwa period between 1713 and 1818. The show is being done in the form of an audio drama with well-known artists lending voice to it and special effects through lighting that will focus on the precise areas of Shaniwarwada where certain historic events took place.

The voice lenders include Dr. Sreeram Lagoo, Ramesh Bhatkar, Mohan Joshi, Satyadev Dubey, Nilu Phule, Vikram Gokhale, Mrinal Kulkarni amongst others. The drama is interspersed with four to five songs and the voices for these have been lent by eminent singers - Ravindra Sathe, Keshav Badge, Madhuri Purandare and Savni Shende.

Directed by the well-acclaimed theatre personality Dr. B V Karanth and co-ordinated by National School of Drama's Basanraj Patil, the show is in its final stages of recording and mixing at a studio in Mumbai. States an enthusiastic Bedekar, ``After a brief history of Chhatrapati Shivaji, we focus on the four generation Peshwas who resided in the royal premises of Shaniwarwada. We begin from Baji Rao I, highlighting his various victories in battles and his fascination for Mastani. After that, Nanasaheb Peshwa holds centrestage since he played a pivotal role in shaping Pune's water supply system and other civic development. Of course, we cannot afford to ignore the murder of Narayanrao by his ambitious uncle, Raghunathrao.

``We have also highlighted the Battle of Panipat which saw the Maratha defeat as well as the Battle of Wadgaon which saw the Maratha victory. The devastating fires that razed Shaniwarwada to dust and the role of Baji Rao II at the fag end of the Peshwa Period will also be in the spotlight.'' This mega project that had been progressing at a tortoise speed since the last two years, has suddenly gained momentum thanks to the generous aid of the National Culture Fund, to the tune of Rs. 68 lakh.

This has boosted the morale of the Pune Municipal Corporation, the Archaeological Survey of India and the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) who had together joined hands to make this Light and Sound show, possible.

The viewing gallery has already been constructed within the Shaniwarwada premises. The cassette for the show is also nearly completion. As January 2000 dawns, the otherwise placid and dusty environs of Shaniwarwada which was being used as a lazy picnic spot, will bounce back with the reverberations of the rise and fall of the Maratha power. In true hi-tech style.

It is indeed fantastic to let the common tourist/visitor know about an important chapter of Maratha history, and it is therefore pertinent that such a Light and Sound show should be addressed to a cosmopolitan audience. At the earliest!