Under the pen name Rasa, Harishchandra used his writings to create and shape public opinion about the freedom movement and exposed the agonies, exploitation and poverty faced by people
Bharatendu Harishchandra 1976 stamp of India. Wkimedia Commons
Bharatendu Harishchandra’s death anniversary is observed today, 6 January. The noted reformist, poet and writer, who was also called the “Father of modern day Hindi literature,” passed away on 6 January 1885.
The Bureau of Outreach and Communication, which comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, paid tribute to Harishchandra today, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
Harishchandra used his writings to create and shape public opinion about the freedom movement. Under the pen name of Rasa, Bharatendu (which means ‘moon of India) Harishchandra expressed the agonies of the public, as well as the exploitation and poverty faced by them.
Harishchandra laid the foundation stone of the first phase of the modern period of Hindi literature, known as Bharatendu Era, he is thus known as the father of Hindi literature and Hindi theatre. Under him Khadi Boli experienced a revival and found a place in Hindi literature.
Harishchandra was the great-grandson of Omichund, who had conspired with Mir Jafar to remove the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah from the throne.
The noted poet was born to a wealthy family in Varanasi in 1850 and grew up in a household which valued cultural pursuits. Harishchandra’s father, Gopal Chandra, was a poet and dramatist as well and is credited with composing Nahushnatak, the first modern drama in Hindi.
Between 1862 and 1865, Harishchandra intermittently attended Queen’s College in Varanasi. The poet also made his debut as an actor in the role of Lakshmana. He also started the literary journals Kavivachansudha and Harishchandra Chandrika.
While writing, Harishchandra favoured a simple Hindi with simple Sanskrit words included. He did much to favour the claim of Hindi being the national language of the country.
He also used his writing to take gentle jibes at the British rule in the country, most notably through his play Andher Nagari. Though his writings, he took potshots at the British Raj even as he professed loyalty to their rule publicly.
He was forced to forego his honorary positions when he refused to apologise for the remarks he had made against the British rule.
Harishchandra died in 1885, having done much to cement his reputation as one of modern Hindi’s champion.
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