Dr. Dhere insists that medieval and ancient Marathi literary works should be assessed on the backdrop of the medieval and ancient cultures. Without this cultural context, even evaluation of these literary works will never be complete-forget the understanding, is what he himself has proved through his research.
Dr.Dhere seems to have touched all the vital types of such literature-Shaheeri, works of the ‘Pundits’, literature of saints and sages. Along with the known and famed saint poets, many hitherto unknown, major, minor, lesser known or unknown poets have been the topic of his pursuit.
Mahanubhav and Warkari are the two major cults in Maharashtra.But Dr.Dhere, along with them has also studied other streams like Veershaivas, Sufis, Dutta, Nagesh, Gaanapatya and the literary art of their devotees. Before Dr.Dhere’s time history was mostly studied from the political angle, or to study rise and fall of various regimes and rules; and to explore the literature of the elite class.Dr.Dhere has highlighted the importance of ancient Marathi literature in history.
His volume ‘Prachin Marathi Sahitya-Shodh ani Sameeksha’ hosts his elaborate discussion on how literature happens to be is an important resource to study cultural history. Also his other volumes like ‘Khandoba’,’Chakrapani’, ‘Shree Vitthal -ek Mahasamanvay’ also include some important cultural analyses with respect to Marathi literary tradition.
Dr.Dhere’s research has one more feature-Study of Ancient and medieval literature with a beam of folk element and folkloristics.All his writings, but specially the volume ‘Sant sahitya ani loksahitya-ek Anubandha’ is worth reading.
Dr.Dhere has brought to lightsome totally unknown or sidetracked literary creations and their creators from the ancient or medieval times. And this he has done with respect and reference to the myths, the social mindsets, or social history. His edited works ‘Harivarada’,’Murarimallachi Balkreeda’ etc demonstrate this. Even common fold creations like the ‘aartis’, strotras, Bhupalis, narrative songs, champus, bakhars, and akhyan kavyas have been the topics of his research and curiosity.
He has extrapolated the thought about literary works in Marathi from the boundaries of scripted works to the oral tradition. His cultural analysis of Vasudev songs, Bharadi, Gondhali, Potraj songs, or bharuds, laleets, jaagrans is found in various books.
Thus, in the mainstream of Marathi research, he occupies an unparalleled position owing to the cultural and folk based references
