My Thane

P. Savalaram (original name Nivrutti Patil) is an eternal source of pride for the citizens of Thane. Although born in Sangli district, it was in Thane where he established his permanent home in 1944, settling in the small locality in Naupada with his wife, Sunandabai. He initially took up a clerical job at the Ration Office in Kurla, commuting daily from the then quiet town of Thane. However, this period marked the beginning of his  poetic career that would redefine Marathi songs. Savalaram’s poetic sensibility was first awakened in his rural childhood by his mother, who composed ovya and abhang with ease, planting the first seed of poetry in him. While in school, he acquired the affectionate nickname ‘Savlya’ from his friend Vitthal Page. His formal literary growth reached its peak during his college years in Kolhapur, where esteemed professors like N.S. Phadke and especially Madhav Julian shaped his perspective. He eventually adopted the pen name P. Savalaram for his published wo...

Citizens of Thane, we must take immense pride in the profound legacy of Vinayak Lakshman Bhave (V. L. Bhave), a towering figure whose name remains immortal in the literary and cultural history of Maharashtra. Known as 'Saraswatkar,' Bhave gifted the region two invaluable treasures: the pioneering work, 'Maharashtra Saraswat,' and the institution he founded, the ‘Marathi Grantha sangrahalaya’. Bhave’s roots are deeply intertwined with our city. Born on November 6, 1871, he completed his schooling right here in Thane. During his formative years, he was heavily influenced by the poems published in Janardan Balaji Modak's Kavyeitihas Sangraha. Furthermore, local newspapers like Arunodaya, Jagat-samachar, and Hindu Panch, all published from Thane, helped cultivate in him a strong inclination toward seeking the truth. Remarkably, the foundational milestones of his life—the writing of the first edition of Maharashtra Saraswat and the establishment of the Marathi Granth San...