Shardha Ram Phillauri
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- Phillauri redirects here. For the town of Phillaur, see Phillaur.
Pandit Shardha[1] Ram "Phillauri" (1837 – June 24, 1881) was a Punjabi missionary, social reformer, astrologer, and writer, best remembered for his contributions to Hindi and Punjabi literature. He has been called the “father of modern Punjabi prose."[2]
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[edit] Biography
Shardha Ram was born in 1837 to a Brahmin family in the town of Phillaur, Jalandhar.[2][3] His father, Jai Dyalu, was an astrologer.[2] At the age of seven, he learned Gurmukhi script.[2] By age ten, he had studied Hindi, Sanskrit, Persian, astrology, and music.[2] Later, he was also a missionary of traditional Hinduism (Sanatana dharma).[2][3][4]
In his books, Shardha Ram documented Punjabi culture and language.[2][3]
Shardha Ram gave forceful lectures on the Mahabharata, and because of this was charged with conducting propaganda against the British government[2][3] in 1865.[citation needed] As a result, he was exiled temporarily from his home town, Phillaur.[2][3]
Sharda Ram often visited Amritsar and adjoining Lahore, especially in connection with astrology.[2] During this time, he earned a reputation as an astrologer and wrote several books in Hindi.[2]
Shardha Ram has recently been acknowledged as having written the first novel in Hindi.[5][2][3] His novel Bhagyawati, believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar, was first published in 1888, after Shardha Ram's death.[2] The novel's portrayal of women and women's rights was progressive for its day.[2][3]
Shardha Ram died on June 24, 1881 at Lahore.[2]
[edit] Works
| Work | Year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sikhan De Raj Di Vithia (The Story of Sikh Rule)[3][2] | 1866 | The book is an account of Sikh religion and the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.[3][6] The last of its three chapters documents Punjabi culture and language, including its customs, usages, and folk songs.[3] The book was often prescribed as a text book.[3] |
| Partial translation of the Bible into Gurmukhi[2] | 1868 | This was the first time that the Bible was translated into Gurmukhi.[2] |
| Punjabi Batcheet[3][2] | This book was specifically written to help the British understand the local dialect.[3][2] It may have been the first book transliterated into Roman script from Gurmukhi script.[3][2] The study of this was a requirement for admission into the administrative services.[3][2] The book is taught to this day at schools affiliated with the Punjab State Education Board (PSEB) Mohali.[citation needed] | |
| Om Jai Jagdish Hare[3][2] | 1870s[citation needed]) | This prayer is today sung by almost every Hindu family in the world.[3] |
| Bhagyawati[3][2] | published 1888 | This book is believed to be the first novel in Hindi.[5][3][2] |
| Satya Dharm Muktavli[3] | ||
| Shatopadesh[3] | ||
| Satyamrit Pravaha[3] |
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Alternately spelled Shradha, Sharda, Shrada, Sharddha, or Shraddha.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Walia, Varinda. "Hindi novel’s first cradle." The Tribune (March 17, 2005).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Maitray, Mohan. "The creator of Om Jai Jagdish Hare." The Tribune (September 27, 1998).
- ^ http://www.faithandthearts.com/images/9_20070612201926.pdf
- ^ a b Previously, Lala Sri Niwas was credited with this achievement; his Priksha Guru was written in 1902. Walia, Varinda. "Hindi novel’s first cradle." The Tribune.
- ^ Sisir Kumar Das. A History of Indian Literature, p.540. Sahitya Akademi (1991), ISBN 8172010060.
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- Singh Bedi, Harmohinder. Shardha Ram Granthawali. Nirmal Publisher. (A three-volume work by the dean and head of the Guru Nanak Dev University Hindi Department.)
