Shahu Maharaj
The Kolhapur court was a patron of many arts. Ustad Alladiya Khan saheb, painter Abalal Rehman and many oher artists were under the patronage of the Kolhapur court. Tabla player Kantaprasad, Pakhawaj player Sadhle bua, singers Sarkarbai, Sahebjaan and Sobhijaan, Bapurao Shaligram, Govindrao Tembhe, Manjeekhan, Bhurjikhan saheb had made the sobriquet Kalapur for Kolhapur justified. Shahir Lahari Haider, sculptor Krishnarao Mestri, Madhavrao Dhurandhar, and embroidery artist Dattoba Jingar. Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj had built a Palace theatre and a gym maidan. Kolhapur was therefore famous for three "phads" (banners), sugarcane, lavni and kusti – all three showing the effort that was taken by Shahu Maharaj to develop the arts, even of the bahujan samaj.
File:Ieshr2004.pdf page 16 on- references to shahu maharaj's social reforms
from [history.newark.rutgers.edu/directory/facstaff/deshpande/ieshr2004.pdf]
wikipedia on shahu maharaj [1]
