Rambriksh Benipuri
Encyclopedia
Ramavriksha Benipuri (1899–1968) was a Hindi
writer. He was born in a Bhumihar Brahmin
family, in a small village named Benipur in the India
n state
of Bihar
. He had spent eight years in prison for fighting for India's independence.
Rambriksh Benipuri hailed from Muzaffarpur
in Bihar
and took active part in the Indian freedom movement. He was also a journalist of Hindi Literature
and started several newspapers like Yuvak in 1929 and regularly contributed in various others to spread the idea of nationalism
and freedom from British rule.
who adopted and converted to Buddhism
after meeting Buddha. Likewise Netradaan (that is, Gift of Eyes), another drama, is based on a historical legend involving Ashoka
and his son Kunal.
He was also a distinguished playwright.
, held under the auspices of railway ministry, was the former Prime Minister of India
Chandra Shekhar
. Main speakers included litterateur Namwar Singh and journalist Prabhash Joshi
. Namwar Singh described Benipuri as the only second litterateur who preferred to associate his name with that of his village.
Prabhash Joshi
ranked Benipuri with Makhanlal Chaturvedi
and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
who were both contemporary litterateurs and journalists as well. He said Benipuri was not like today's journalists who work only to earn. Benipuri had a desire to create a "samtawadi samaj" and fight against imperialism.
Hindi literature
Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...
writer. He was born in a Bhumihar Brahmin
Bhumihar
Bhumihar or Babhan or Bhuin-har is a Brahmin Hindu community mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.- Varna status :...
family, in a small village named Benipur in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. He had spent eight years in prison for fighting for India's independence.
Rambriksh Benipuri hailed from Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur Town is a town in Muzaffarpur district in the Indian state of Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of Muzaffarpur district and Tirhut division....
in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and took active part in the Indian freedom movement. He was also a journalist of Hindi Literature
Hindi literature
Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...
and started several newspapers like Yuvak in 1929 and regularly contributed in various others to spread the idea of nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and freedom from British rule.
Style and influence
Benipuri wrote mostly big stories and essays. His dramas covered mostly ancient events. For example, Amipure depicts the life of the famous courtesan AmbipureAmbapali
Amrapāli, also known as "Ambapālika" or "Ambapali", was a nagarvadhu of the republic of Vaishali in ancient India around 500 BC.. Following the Buddha's teachings she became an arahant...
who adopted and converted to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
after meeting Buddha. Likewise Netradaan (that is, Gift of Eyes), another drama, is based on a historical legend involving Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
and his son Kunal.
He was also a distinguished playwright.
Homage
In 1988, Benipuri was one of the Hindi writers depicted in a set of commemorative postal stamps released to celebrate the "Linguistic Harmony of India." marking the 50th anniversary since the Indian Union adopted Hindi as its official language.Centenary celebrations
The chief guest on the occasion of the birth centenary of Benipuri held in zonal railway training centre at MuzaffarpurMuzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur Town is a town in Muzaffarpur district in the Indian state of Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of Muzaffarpur district and Tirhut division....
, held under the auspices of railway ministry, was the former Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Chandra Shekhar
Chandra Shekhar
Chandra Shekhar Singh was the eighth Prime Minister of India.-Early years:He was born on 1 July 1927 to a Rajput farming family in Ibrahimpatti - Ballia in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Chandra Shekhar Singh did his Master of Arts at Allahabad University. He was known as a firebrand in student politics...
. Main speakers included litterateur Namwar Singh and journalist Prabhash Joshi
Prabhash Joshi
Prabhash Joshi was a noted Indian Journalist, especially Hindi journalism. He was a writer and political analyst. He was strongly in favor of "ethics and transparency"...
. Namwar Singh described Benipuri as the only second litterateur who preferred to associate his name with that of his village.
Prabhash Joshi
Prabhash Joshi
Prabhash Joshi was a noted Indian Journalist, especially Hindi journalism. He was a writer and political analyst. He was strongly in favor of "ethics and transparency"...
ranked Benipuri with Makhanlal Chaturvedi
Makhanlal Chaturvedi
Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi , also called Panditji, was an Indian poet, writer, essayist, playwright and a journalist who is particularly remembered for his participation in India's national struggle for independence and his contribution to Chhayavaad , the Neo-romanticism movement of Hindi...
and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi , was an Indian journalist, a leader of the Indian National Congress and an independence movement activist. He is mostly known as the founder-editor of the Hindi language newspaper, Pratap....
who were both contemporary litterateurs and journalists as well. He said Benipuri was not like today's journalists who work only to earn. Benipuri had a desire to create a "samtawadi samaj" and fight against imperialism.
Memoirs and essays
- Patiton Ke Desh Mein-1930-33
- Chita Ke Phool-1930-32
- Lal Taaraa-1937-39
- Kaidee Ki Patni-1940
- Maatee Ki Mooratein-1941-45
- Gehun Aur Gulaab- 1948-50
- Janjiren aur deewaren
- Zanjeeren Aur Deewaren
- Udate Chalo, Udate Chalo
Dramas
- Ambpali-1941-46
- Sita Ki maan-1948-50
- Sanghamitra-1948-50
- Amar Jyoti-1951
- Tathaagat
- Singhal Vijay
- Shakuntala
- Ramrajya
- Netradaan-1948-50
- Gaao Ke Devata
- Nayaa samaaj
- Vijeta-1953.
- Baiju Mama, National Book TrustNational Book TrustNational Book Trust, is an Indian publishing house, founded in 1957 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education within the Government of India....
, 1994
Works on Rambriksha Benipuri
- Gajanan Pandurang Chavan, Ramvriksha Benipuri aur unka sahitya, 1984.
- Ram Bachan Rai, Ramvriksh Benipuri, Sahitya AkademiSahitya AkademiThe Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
, 1995, ISBN 978-8172019742. - Raśmi Caturvedī, Rāmavr̥ksha Benīpurī ke rekhācitra, eka adhyayana, Sāhitya Nilaya, 2005.
- Indu Prakash Pandey, Hindi Literature: Trends & Traits, Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay, 1975.