Damodar Hall

As a part of the Workingmen’s Institute scheme, the Natya Gruha was opened by the Sir Vithaldas Thackersey on 26 February 1992, especially to provide cheap and healthy amusement for the working class people. Sir Vithaldas himself contributed Rs.25,000/- and his company Rs.15,000/- from the fund of their mills towards the construction of the Gruha in memory of his father. The Gruha was fitted up with a small stage. Some amateur clubs, especially Sahakari Manoranjan Mandal, an amateur dramatic club organized by the League under the Co-operative Societies Act, used to give their performances in the Gruha.It was though afterword’s that if professional dramatic companies were induced to stage their popular dramas in the Gruha, which was not even self-supporting, it would help to increase the income of the Gruha, would serve as a guidance to the amateur clubs and would give healthy amusement to people in the locality. But it was not possible to do so without making suitable changes in the stage. The League, therefore, took a loan from a bank and carried out the necessary changes.