Historic Kolhapur Auditorium Ravaged by Massive Fire

A significant fire gutted the century-old Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha auditorium in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Built by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj in 1915, the renowned arts and drama venue was destroyed on Thursday night. District officials suspect a short circuit as the cause. An inquiry into the incident has been announced.

A major fire gutted a more than 100-year-old auditorium in Kolhapur city of western Maharashtra, officials said on Friday.

The auditorium, Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha, which stood as a symbol of arts and drama in Kolhapur, was gutted in the blaze that broke out on Thursday night, district officials said. The auditorium was built by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj in 1915. According to the district administration, a short-circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire.

'The fire erupted around 9.45 pm on Thursday. Following the call, fire tenders and water tankers were rushed to the site and attempts were made to douse the flames,' a fire brigade official said. Hasan Mushrif, the guardian minister of Kolhapur, later visited the spot and said an inquiry will be conducted. He said, 'It is unfortunate that the auditorium, which was built by Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj 109 years ago, was gutted in a fire. No one could have imagined that the auditorium would be destroyed like this.' The auditorium had been renovated after the state government granted Rs 10 crore for the work, he said.

'An inquiry will be conducted into the incident,' Mushrif said.

(With inputs from agencies.)