Ranchhodbhai Udayaram Dave (9 August 1837 – 9 April 1923) was a Gujarati playwright, producer and translator. He is considered the father of modern
Gujarati theatre
Gujarati theatre refers to theatre performed in the Gujarati language, including its Gujarati language#Dialects, dialects. Gujarati theatre is produced mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra, in cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Baroda, Surat and els ...
and plays in
Gujarati literature
The history of Gujarat, Gujarati literature () may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, other than its composers.
Gujarat Vidhya S ...
.
Biography
He was born on 9 August 1837 in a
Khedawal Brahmin family in
Mahudha
Mahudha is a Village and municipality in Kheda district in the Indian state of Gujarat.Mahudha is about 25 kilometres away (SE) from the pilgrim town of Dakor. The nearest city, Nadiad, is 16 kilometres south west.
Geography
Mahudha is located ...
near
Nadiad
Nadiad is a city in the state of Gujarat, India and the administrative centre of the Kheda district. It is known for the Santram Mandir, the Mai Mandir, (now in
Gujarat
Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
, India).
He completed his primary education in Mahudha and moved to Nadiad in 1852 to study in English. He joined Law Class in
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...
in 1857. He initially worked in Collector Office in Ahmedabad and later joined M/s Lawrence Company in Bombay in 1863 (now
Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
) as a representative of Bahechardas Ambaidas, a businessman from Ahmedabad. He also worked as a representative of
Gondal,
Palanpur
Palanpur (Gujarati language, Gujarati: ) is a city and a headquarters of Banaskantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Palanpur is the ancestral home to an industry of Indian diamond merchants.
Etymology
Palanpur in early times is said ...
and
Idar states in Bombay. He befriended
Mansukhram Tripathi there. He was awarded Huzoor Assistant by
Khengarji III
Maharajadhiraj Mirza (noble), Mirza Maharao Sir Khengarji III Sawai (title), Sawai Baghatur, Bahadur (23 August 1866 – 15 January 1942) was a progressive and List of longest-reigning monarchs, one of the longest ruling monarchs and also the l ...
of
Cutch State
Cutch State, also spelled Kutch or Kachchh and also historically known as the Kingdom of Kutch, was a kingdom in the Kutch region from 1147 to 1819 and a princely state under British rule from 1819 to 1947. Its territories covered the present ...
and later appointed a minister (Diwan). He retired in 1904. He was the president of
Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
Gujarati Sahitya Parishad () is a literary organisation for the promotion of Gujarati literature located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It was founded by Ranjitram Mehta with the aim of creating literature appealing to all classes of society and ...
in the year 1912 in
Vadodara
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is a city situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district. The city is named for its abundance of banyan ...
. He was awarded Dewan Bahadur by British Government in 1915. He died on 9 April 1923 following brief illness of
brain fever
Brain fever (or cerebral fever) is an outdated medical term that was used as a synonym for phrensy, beginning in early 19th century medical literature. Supposedly the brain becomes inflamed and causes a variety of symptoms, most notably mental co ...
.
His oil painting is placed in the library of Arts & Commerce College at Mahudha.
Works
Dave was not happy with the adult-comedy being performed in traditional-folk Gujarati play form called
Bhavai
Bhavai, also known as ''Vesha'' or ''Swang'', is a popular folk theatre form of western India, especially in Gujarat.
Etymology
''Bhavai'' may derive from the Sanskrit word ''Bhava'', meaning expression or emotion. It is also associated wit ...
. So he decided to come up with pure and sober Gujarati plays. He had written ten original and four adapted plays from Sanskrit literature. He borrowed from Sanskrit plays and also used mythological themes. He wrote plays on social and moral issues and some of these plays were performed in Bombay by Parsi theatre which caught attention of people. He first published his play ''Jaykumari-Vijay'' (1864) in Gujarati monthly ''
Buddhiprakash
(, English: Light of Knowledge) is a Gujarati language magazine published by Gujarat Vidya Sabha (formerly known as Gujarat Vernacular Society), Ahmedabad, India.
History
was established in 1850 as a lithotype fortnightly. The first issue ...
'' in serialized manner. It is considered as the first modern love-story of Gujarati. It featured an educated female protagonist. It became very popular in Gujarat. ''Lalita Dukh Darsak'' (1866) is a great example of his themes and his ability to address social reforms in his work. It was about an educated girl marrying an illiterate boy and thus passing through social and emotional trial which at the end result in his death. It became very popular and people shed tears at the performance. Nandan, the name of the illiterate boy, became synonymous for a heartless
rake
Rake may refer to:
Common meanings
* Rake (tool), a horticultural implement, a long-handled tool with tines
* Rake (stock character), a man habituated to immoral conduct
* Rake (poker), the commission taken by the house when hosting a poker game
...
. He also wrote mythological play called ''Harishchandra'' (1871) which was seen and lauded by
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
. His other plays are ''Taramatiswayamvar'' (1871), ''Premrai Ane Charumati'' (1876), ''Bhanasur Madmardan'' (1878), ''Madalasa ane Hritudhwaj'' (1878), ''Nala-Damatanti'' (1893), ''Nindya Shringarnishedhak Roopak'' (1920), ''Verno Vanse Vashyo Varso'' (1922), ''Vanthel Virhana Kunda Krutyo'' (1923). He formed a drama troupe and produced plays to differentiate from
Parsi theatre
Parsi theatre is a generic term for an influential theatre tradition, staged by Parsis, and theatre companies largely-owned by the Parsi business community, which flourished between 1850 and the 1930s. Plays were primarily in the Hindustani langua ...
.
His works on
prosody in three volumes ''Rannpingal'' (1902, 1905, 1907) are noteworthy. His essays are collected in ''Arogyasuchak'' (1859), ''Kul Vishe Nibandh'' (1867) and ''Natyaprakash'' (1990).
His other works are ''Santoshsurtaru'' (1866), ''Prastavik Kathasangrah'' (1866), ''Padshahi Rajniti'' (1890). ''Yuropianono Purvapradesh Aadi Sathe Vyapar'' Vol. I, IV, III (1916), II (1915), V (1918) are works on business.
He translated ''
Rasmala'' Vol I, II (1870, 1892), the history from 8th century to arrival of British and folk literature of Gujarat by
Alexander Kinloch Forbes
Alexander Kinloch Forbes (7 July 1821 – 31 August 1865) was a colonial administrator in British India.
Early life
Forbes was born in London on 7 July 1821 to John Forbes-Mitchell (1786-1822) of Thainston and Ann Powell (m. 1809 d. 1861). He was ...
, in Gujarati in 1869.
His translations from Sanskrit plays include ''Malvikagnimitra'' (1870), ''Vikramorvarshiya-trotak'' (1868), ''Ratnavali'' (1889) as well as ''Gujarati Hitopadesh'' (1889), ''Laghusiddhantkaumudi'' (1874). He was member of Shakespeare Katha Samaj.
He translated ''Shakespeare Katha Samaj'' (1878) and ''Barthold'' (1865) from English.
See also
*
List of Gujarati-language writers
The following is an alphabetical list of Gujarati writers who has contributed in Gujarati literature; presenting an overview of notable authors, journalists, novelists, playwrights, poets and screenwriters who have released literary works in the Gu ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dave, Ranchhodbhai
1837 births
1923 deaths
Gujarati-language writers
Indian male dramatists and playwrights
People from Vadodara
Gujarati theatre
Dramatists and playwrights from Gujarat
Dramatists and playwrights from British India
People from Bombay Presidency
19th-century Indian male writers
People from Kheda district
19th-century Indian translators
19th-century Indian essayists
20th-century Indian translators
20th-century Indian essayists
20th-century Indian male writers
Translators of Kalidasa
Presidents of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad