The staging of Kashidevi, a play in Nepali and Maithali languages, is slated to kick off today at Sarwanam Theatre in Kalikasthan.

The play revolves around the life of Kashidevi Jha, the widow of Durgananda Jha—a democratic activist who has also been dubbed the ‘first republican martyr of Nepal’.

At just 21 year of age, Jha was arrested and later executed for hurling a bomb at king Mahendra’s motorcade in January 1962, in Janakpur. King Mahendra was unharmed, but according to some accounts, offered to spare Jha his life if he apologised publicly. But according to director Sarita Sah, “Jha instead asked the king to apologise for all the lives that had been lost in the quest for democracy, which he hijacked.”

The subject of the play, Kashidevi Jha, remained active in politics and was elected as a member of parliament in the first Constituent Assembly in 2008. The play, according to organisers, is staged in honour of Durganand Jha and retells the story of life of Kashidevi following her husband’s execution.

Kashidevi is written by Nirajan Jha and produced by Purnendu Productions, the banner behind the recently released film Sanrakshan.

Kashidevi features actors Utpal Jha, Sarita Sah, Saraswati Adhikari, Surabhi Sapkota, Arjun Poudel, Raj Sharma and Krishna Mahato, among others.