Ranchhodbhai Dave
Ranchhodbhai Udayaram Dave (Gujarati:રણછોડભાઈ ઉદયરામ દવે) (1837-1923) was a Gujarati playwright. He is considered the father of modern Gujarati theatre in Gujarati literature.[1][2][3]
Biography
He was born to a Baj Khedawal Brahmin family in Mahudha, near Nadiad in the state of Gujarat, India. He was the Diwan of Cutch State. He was the president of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in the year 1921 in Vadodara. His oil painted picture can be found in the library of Arts & Commerce College at Mahudha.
Works
He was not happy with the adult-comedy being performed in traditional-folk Gujarati play form called Bhavai. So he decided to come up with pure and sober Gujarati plays.
Ranchhodlal first published his play in Gujarati monthly Budhhi-Prakash in serialized manner. The name of this play was Jaykumari-Vijay, He borrowed from Sanskrit plays and also used mythological themes. He belonged to Sudharak-Yug, so he also preached about social reforms in his plays. "Lalita Dukh Darsak" is a great example of his themes and his ability.
He wrote plays on social and moral issues.
His other works are Vyabichar-Khandan (written in censure of adultery), Madhyapaan-Dukhdarshak Natak (Written in censure of alcoholism).
He also wrote mythological play called Harishchandra, which was seen and lauded by Mahatma Gandhi.
He translated Rasmala, the history from 8th century to arrival of British and folk literature of Gujarat by Alexander Kinloch Forbes, in Gujarati in 1869.[4]
References
- ↑ Natarajan, p. 111
- ↑ Datta, p. 1071
- ↑ Mukherjee, p. 322
- ↑ Amaresh Datta (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1319. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
Bibliography
- Amaresh Datta (ed.) (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: devraj to jyoti, Vol. 2. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 8126011947.
- Nalini Natarajan; Emmanuel Sampath Nelson (1996). "Gujarati literature". Handbook of Twentieth Century Literatures of India. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313287783.
- Sujit Mukherjee (1999). A Dictionary of Indian Literatures: Beginnings -1850. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 8125014535.