The Works of Narmadashankar Lalshankar Dave (1833 – 1886), popularly known as Narmad, consist essays, poems, plays and other prose were published in collections by Gujarati. He is considered as the founder of modern Gujarati literature.[1][2][3]

He introduced many creative forms of writing in Gujarati. He wrote pioneering work in such forms as autobiography, poetry, lexicography, historical plays and research in folk literature. He was also an outspoken journalist and a pamphleteer. Narmad was a strong opponent of religious fanaticism and orthodoxy. He promoted nationalism and patriotism with famous songs like Sahu Chalo Jeetva Jang, wrote about self-government and talked about one national language, Hundustani, for all of India, nearly five decades before Mahatma Gandhi or Nehru. He wrote a poem Jai Jai Garavi Gujarat in which he listed with a sense of pride all the cultural symbols that go into constituting the Gujarati identity. These symbols include even the things non-Hindu, implying that Gujarat belongs to all the castes, communities, races, religions and sects that inhabit Gujarat. The poem is now state song of Gujarat. Mahatma Gandhi had acknowledged him for his philosophy of nonviolence.[1][4][5][6][7][8]

His major collected works are Narmagadya (Gujarati: નર્મગદ્ય), collection of essays; Narmakavita (Gujarati: નર્મકવિતા), collection of poems; Narmakathakosh (Gujarati: નર્મકથાકોશ), collection of stories of characters of mythological literature and Narmakosh (Gujarati: નર્મકોશ), dictionary. His Mari Hakikat, the first autobiography in Gujarati,[A] was published posthumously.[B]

Poetry

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His Narmakavita:1-3 (1858), Narmakavita:4-8 (1859) and Narmakavita:9-10 (1860) were collected in Narmakavita:Book 1 (1962). Later Narmakavita:Book 2 (1863) was published. His all poetry were later collected in Narmakavita (1864).[2]

His poem, "Jai Jai Garavi Gujarat", (1873) is used as a de facto state song of Gujarat.[3]

Prose

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His Rasapravesh (1858), Pingalpravesh (1857), Alankarpravesh (1858), Narmavyakaran Part I and II (1865), Varnavichar (1865), Nayika Vishaypravesh (1866) are his collections of essays on poetics with historical importance.[2]

Rituvarnan (1861), Hinduoni Padati (1864), Kavicharit (1865), Suratni Mukhtesar Hakikat (1865), Iliadno Sar (1870), Mahipatram Rupram Mehta (1870), Mahapurushona Charitra (1870), Mahabharatano Sar (1870), Ramayanano Sar (1870), Sarshakuntal (1881), Bhagvadgitanu Bhashantar (1882) are his prose works. His other writings between 1850 and 1865 collected in Narmagadya (1865) and posthumously published Narmagadya-2 (1936) are his other prose works. Mari Hakikat, his autobiography written in 1866 and published posthumously in 1933, is the first autobiography of Gujarati. Uttar Narmad Charitra (1939) was also published chronicling his later life.[2]

His essays are collected and edited in three volumes. They are Narmadgadya or Narmadashankar Lalashankarna Gadyatmak Granthono Sangrah (1875) edited by Mahipatram Rupram Nilkanth, Narmadnu Mandir-Gadya Vibhag (1937) edited by Vishwanath Bhatt and Narmadgadya(1975) edited by Gambhirsinh Gohil. His fifteen prose were collected in Junu Narmadgadya Part I, II (1865, 1874) are also important.[2]

He had researched and edited several works. Manohar Swami's Manhar Pad (1860), Narmakosh: Issue 1 (1861), Narmakosh: Issue 2 (1862), Narmakosh:Issue 3 (1864), Narmakosh:Issue 4 (1865). Narmakathakosh (1870), Dayaramkrut Kavyasangrah (1865), Stree Geet Sangrah (1870) of songs popular in Nagar Brahmin ladies, Premanand's Dashamskandh (1872) and the complete issue of Narmakosh (1873) are his edited and researched works.[2]

Tusli Vaidhvyachitra (dialogue, 1859), Rmjanaki Darshan (1876), Draupadidarshan (1878), Balkrishnavijay (1886), Krishnakumari are his plays and dialogues. His Seetaharan (1878) is unpublished play. Rajyarang Part I, II (1874, 1876) are his works on ancient and modern history of world. Dharmavichar is his work on philosophy. Gujarat Sarvasangrah (1887) and Kathiawar Sarvasangrah (1887) are his historical works.[2]

Mari Hakikat, his autobiography written in 1866 and published posthumously in 1933, is the first autobiography of Gujarati. His some notes and letters were published as Uttar Narmad Charitra (1939).[10][2][1]

List of works

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The list is as follows:[1]

No. Year of Publication Name of the Publication
1 1850 - 51 Mandaii Malvathi Thata Labh
2 1856 Vyabhichar Nishedhak
3 1856 Muvan Pachhvade Rova Kutvani Ghelai
4 1856 Swadeshabhiman
5 1856 Nirashrit Pratye Shreemantna Dharma
6 1857 Pingal Pravesh
7 1857 Streena Dharma
8 1857 Guru ane Stree
9 1858 Narmakavita - 1, 2
10 1858 Alamkar Pravesh
11 1858 Rasa Pravesh
12 1858 Garibai Vishe Bhikharidasno Samvad
13 1858 Kavi ane Kavita
14 1859 Samp
15 1859 Vishayi Guru
16 1859 Guruni Satta
17 1859 Narmakavita - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
18 1860 Narmakavita - 9, 10
19 1860 Dayaramkrut Kavyasamgrah
20 1860 Punarvivah
21 1860 Lagna tatha Punariagna
22 1860 Bhakti
23 1860 Sakar
24 1860 Manhar Pad (Manohar Swaminan Pad)
25 1859 - 63 Tulji Vaidhvya Chitra (In the form of a dialogue)
26 1861 Narma Kosh - I
27 1861 Rituvaman
28 1862 Narmakavita - Book 1 (Collection of Poems for the last seven years)
29 1862 Narma Kosh - 2
30 1863 Narmakavita - Book - 2
31 1864 Hinduoni Padti
32 1864 Narmakavita (Comprehensive volume)
33 1864 Dandio (The journal was started)
34 1864 Narma Kosh - 3
35 1864 Ranman Pachhan Pagian Na Karva Vishe
36 1865 Narmagadya
37 1865 Kavicharitra
38 1865 Dayaramkrut Kavya Samgrah
39 1865 Narma Vyakaran Vol. I
40 1865 Suratni Mukhtesar Hakikat
41 1865 Narma Vyakaran Vol. 2. Part 1
42 1865 Narrna Kosh - 4
43 1866 Nayika Vishay Pravesh
44 1867 Mevadni Hakikat
45 1868 Sajivaropan
46 1868 Stree Kelavni
47 1868-69 Gujarationi Sthiti
48 1869 Kelavni Vishe
49 1869 Kul Motap
50 1869 Udyog tatha Vruddhi
51 1869 Sukh
52 1870 Ramayanno Sar
53 1870 Mahabharatno Sar
54 1870 Diadno Sar
55 1870 Narma Kathakosh
56 1870 Narma Kathakosh
57 1870 Nagar Streeoman Gavatan Geet
58 1872 Premanandkrut Dasham Skandh
59 1873 Narma Kosh (Complete)
60 1874 Mahadarshan (Jagatna Pracheen Itihasnun Samagra Darshan)
61 1874 Rajyarang -1 (Jagatna Pracheen tatha Arvacheen Itihas)
62 1875 Premanandkrut Nalakhyan
63 1876 Ram Janaki Darshan
64 1878 Shree Draupadi Darshan Natak
65 1878 Seetaharan Natak (Unpublished)
66 1881 Shree Sarshakuntal
67 1886 Balkrishna Vijay Natak*
68 1886 Dharma Vichar
69 1889 Kathiawad Sarva Sangrah (posthumous)
70 Rajyarang - Vol. 2
71 Arya Darshan
72 Krishna Kumari Natak
73 Shreemad Bhagvad Geeta
74 1887 Gujarat Sarva Samgrah (posthumous)
75 1911 Desh Vyavahar Vyavastha
76 1933 Mari Hakikat (completed in 1866)

Works about Narmadashankar Dave

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The list of works published about Narmad:[11]

No. Title Author Publisher
1 Kavijivan Navalram Pandya
2 Veer Narmad Vishwanath Bhatt
3 Narmad Shatabdi Granth Mumbai Narmad Shatabdi Samiti
4 Kavi Narmad Shatabdi Smarak Chitravali Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
5 Narmad: Arvachinoma Adya K. M. Munshi
6 Narmadashankar Kavi Ramnarayan V. Pathak
7 Narmad: Arvachin Gadya Padyano Adya Praneta Ramnarayan V. Pathak
8 Navyugno Prahari: Narmad Bhogilal Gandhi
9 Narmadashankar (in English) Gulabdas Broker
10 Narmad: Ek Character (Humorous sketch of Narmad) Vinod Bhatt
11 Society and Literature: Narmad in Critical Discourse Rakesh Desai (ed.)

Adaptation

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Narmad:Mari Hakikat or Narmad:My Life, a soliloquy based on his autobiography and life, was written and directed by Harish Trivedi while it was performed by Chandrakant Shah. It was premiered in Dayton, Ohio, US in 1995 and later toured India, UK, France.[12][13] It was critically acclaimed.[13]

Notes

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  1. ^ In the 1840s, Durgaram Mehta had written his personal diary , Nityanondh but it was not an attempt of autobiography as in western style. Mahipatram Rupram had written a biography, Durgaram Charitra (1879) based on the diary.[9]
  2. ^ Narmad had written his autobiography in 1866 but he had requested it to be published posthumously. It was published in 1933, on his birth centenary. Two autobiographies were published before it, Hu Pote (1900) by Narayan Hemchandra and Satyana Prayogo (1925-1929) by Mahatma Gandhi.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Dave, Narmadashanker Lalshanker (1994). "Apendix XII (Timeline of Life)". In Ramesh M. Shukla (ed.). Mari Hakikat (in Gujarati) (1 ed.). Surat: Kavi Narmad Yugavart Trust. pp. 183–184.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "નર્મદશંકર દવે (Narmadashankar Dave)". Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (in Gujarati). Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  3. ^ a b Bharat Yagnik; Ashish Vashi (2 July 2010). "No Gujarati dept in Veer Narmad, Hemchandracharya varsities". The Times of India. Archived from the original on November 13, 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  4. ^ Saurabh Shah. "'ડાંડિયા', 'નર્મકોશ' અને જય જય ગરવી ગુજરાત". Mumbai Samachar (in Gujarati). Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  5. ^ "Biography of Narmadashankar Dave". poemhunter.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  6. ^ "Poet Narmad". kamat.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Narmad, Gujarati Saraswats, Sangeet Bhavan". sangeetbhavantrust.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Gujarati Language, History of Gujarati Language". indianmirror.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  9. ^ Amaresh Datta (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. Sahitya Akademi. p. 527. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1.
  10. ^ a b Pandya, Kusum H (31 December 1986). Gujarati Atmakatha Tena Swarupagat Prashno. Thesis. Department of Gujarati, Sardar Patel University (in Gujarati). pp. 200–220. hdl:10603/98617. Retrieved 28 October 2016. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  11. ^ Broker, Gulabdas (1977). Narmadashankar. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 86.
  12. ^ Kumar, Alok. "India Foundation, Dayton, OH". OoCities. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Narmad". Internet Archive. 24 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-09-24. Retrieved 24 October 2016.