A new historical play, “Padharo Maare Desh”, written by award winning playwright Dr. Rishikesh Raval that presents the history of Palanpur through music, dance and drama, will debut shortly in Mumbai.

The one and a half hour drama covers a period of 800 years depicting the important milestones in the development of the princely state and city. It goes as far back as the establishment of the Pataleshwar Mandir, moves on to the establishment of the city by Raja Prahladan, and then the founding of the Jain Derasar (or Mota Derasar). The next milestone is the historic meeting between Shri Hira Vijaya Suriji and Emperor Akbar, and the profound impact that the meeting had on the King who immediately banned the slaughter of animals. Finally the narrative comes to the establishment of the rule of the Nawabs through a gift from Emperor Akbar and traces the development of the city over the next 450 years from the building of the Nagdevi Mata ki Mandir, the setting up of the Eye Hospital and Female Hopsital with the help of a land grant from the Nawab, and the end of the rule of the Nawabs when Palanpur became the first of the princely states to accept the Constitution of India.