Ramnarayan V. Pathak

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Ramnarayan V. Pathak
Ramnarayan Pathak.jpg
BornRamnarayan Vishwanath Pathak
(1887-04-09)9 April 1887
Ganol, Dholka Taluka, Ahmedabad, Bombay presidency, British India
Died21 August 1955(1955-08-21) (aged 68)
Bombay (now Mumbai)
Pen nameDwiref, Shesh, Swairvihari
OccupationWriter, critic
Language Gujarati
NationalityIndian
EducationBachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Law
Alma mater Wilson College, Mumbai
Period Gandhian Era
Notable worksBrihat Pingal
Notable awards
Spouse Heera Pathak
Signature
Ramnarayan Pathak autograph.svg
Academic background
Title page of Brihatpingal, published in Devanagari by Gujarati Sahitya Parishad, 1955 Brihatpingal title page.png
Title page of Brihatpingal, published in Devanagari by Gujarati Sahitya Parishad, 1955

Pathak was a prolific writer of criticism, poetry, drama, metrics and short stories, and also edited and translated works of others. [1] Pathak was profoundly influenced by Gandhian thought but retained his originality and literary exuberance. [2] [ according to whom? ] He wrote short stories under the pen name "Dwiref", poems under "Shesh" and essays under "Swairvihari". [3] His literary career began with a critical article, "The poems of poet Balashankar Ullasram Kantharia", published in the first issue of Sabarmati in 1922. He also wrote literary observations for Yugdharm. [3]

Pathak is well known for his Gujarati short stories. [1] He published three volumes of short stories entitled Dwirefni Vato (1928, 1935, 1942). His most acclaimed stories are Mukundrai, Khemi and Jakshani. The first of these suggests that modern education degenerates human values; the second is of love between two members of the lower castes considered to be his most memorable characters; the third reflects his subtle sense of humor. [5] [6] His stories are emotionally linked with life. [7] [ according to whom? ]

He published a collection of 68 poems, Sheshna Kavyo (1938), expanded to 73 in a second edition (1951). Visheshna Kavyo, his other collection of poems, was published posthumously in 1959. [3] [8]

He considered criticism as an act of social responsibility. [7] [9] His critical works include Arvachin Kavya Sahityana Vaheno (1935) and Sahityavimarsha (1939). His other critical works include Arvachin Gujarati Kavyasahitya (1933), Kavya Ni Shakti (1939), Aalochana (1944), Narmadashankar Kavi (1936), Narmad: Arvachin Gadya Padya No Aadya Praneta (1945), Sahityalok (1954), Nabhovihar (1961) and Aakalan (1964). He wrote a critical introduction for Sharadsamiksha (1980), and translated stories of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Some of his critical articles are also published in Kavyaparishilan (1965). [3]

Kulangar ane Biji Krutio (1959, posthumous) is a collection of dramas while Swairvihar part 1-2-3 (1931, 1937), Nitya no Aachar (1945) and Manovihar (1956) are collections of his essays. [1] [3]

Pathak did extensive research in metres of poetry published as Brihat Pingal, for which he was recognized with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956. It is a scientific presentation of structure and history of Gujarati prosody. [10] [11] He co-edited several works with Umashankar Joshi; Kavyatatvavichar (1939), Sahityavichar (1942), Digdarshan (1942), Vicharmadhuri: Part 1 (1946). He also edited annotated edition of Purvalap, Apno Dharma (3rd edition, 1942), Ras Ane Garba (with Govardhan Panchal, 1954), Govindgaman (with Narhari Parikh, for textbook, 1923). He also edited Kavyasammuchchay Part 1-2 (1924) and Kavyaparichay (with Nagindas Parekh, 1928). [3]

He co-translated several works including Mammata Bhatta's Kavyaprakash 1-6 (with Rasiklal Parikh, 1924), Dhammapad (with Dharmanand Kosambi, 1924) and Chumban ane Biji Vartao (as Vama in second edition, with Nagindas Parekh, 1928). [1] His other works include Pramanpraveshika (1922) and Nityano Achar (1945). [3]

In his book Politics and the Novel in India, Gopalan V. Gopalan wrote that Pathak's 1937 Aavtikal (Lit. Tomorrow) is characterised by the Gandhian principle of non-violence, trade unionism and the Gandhian ideal of cottage and village industries. [12] But, according to Gujarati Sahityakosh (Encyclopedia of Gujarati literature) Vol. 2, Pathak had never written any novel. According to Gujarati Sahityakosh, the novel Aavtikal, published in 1936, was written by Ramnarayan Nagardas Pathak (1905–1988), another Gujarati writer associated with Gandhi's satyagraha movement. [13]

Recognition

R. V. Pathak Hall of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad is named after him. Ra.Vi Pathak Hall at Gujarat Sahitya Parishad.jpg
R. V. Pathak Hall of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad is named after him.

Umashankar Joshi honoured him as Sahitya Guru of the Gandhian era and Yashvant Shukla considers him "the highest peak of Gujarati short stories". [1]

He was awarded Motisinhji Mahida Gold Medal in 1943 for his short story Uttar Marg no Lop (1940), Hargovinddas Kantawala Award and Narmad Suvarna Chandrak for Prachin Gujarati Chhando in 1949 and Sahitya Akademi Award for Bruhat Pingal in 1956. [1] [3]

Further reading

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Borisagar, Bhavesh (2016). "Chapter 1" (PDF). Translation Of Selected Short Stories Of Ramnarayan Pathak From Gujarati Into English With A Critical Introduction (Ph.D). Saurashtra University. hdl:10603/126479 . Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Beyond The Beaten Track - Ramnarayan Pathak". Gujaratilexicon.com (in Gujarati). Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "સવિશેષ પરિચય: રામનારાયણ વિ. પાઠક". Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (in Gujarati). Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. Nalini Natarajan; Emmanuel Sampath Nelson (1996). Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 124. ISBN   978-0-313-28778-7 . Retrieved 8 March 2017.
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  6. Rajendra Awasthy (2004). Selected Gujarati Short Stories. New Delhi: Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. p. 8. ISBN   978-81-89182-01-4 . Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  7. 1 2 Nalini Natarajan; Emmanuel Sampath Nelson (1996). Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 113. ISBN   978-0-313-28778-7 . Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  8. K. M. George (1992). Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 132. ISBN   978-81-7201-324-0 . Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  9. Selected Stories from Gujarat. Mumbai: Jaico Publishing House. 1 January 2002. p. 12. ISBN   978-81-7224-955-7 . Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  10. Mohan Lal (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. Sahitya Akademi. p. 4148. ISBN   978-81-260-1221-3.
  11. Sisir Kumar Das (1991). History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, struggle for freedom : triumph and tragedy. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 850. ISBN   978-81-7201-798-9 . Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  12. Yogendra Kumar Malik; Carl Lieberman (1975). Politics and the Novel in India. Brill Archive. p. 115. ISBN   90-04-04243-1.
  13. Trivedi, Jayendra (1999). Topiwala, Chandrakant (ed.). Gujarati Sahitya Kosh (Encyclopedia of Gujarati Literature). Ahmedabad: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. p. 359.{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)