Bharatendu Harishchandra

About Bharatendu Harishchandra

• Bharatendu Harishchandra was a pioneering poet, writer and playwright.
  • He is known as the ‘father of modern Hindi literature’.
  • He wrote under pen name of “Rasa”.
• Early life: He was born on September 09, 1850 at Benares. He was the son of poet Gopal Chandra.
• Influence:
  • He was deeply influenced by the Bengal Renaissance.
  • The Revolt of 1857 also had a strong influence on him.
  • He was also known for his strong views on the social and economic condition of colonial India.
  • He wrote poems for Queen Victoria, but also strongly criticised the oppressive policies of the British government.
• Contributions: He played an important role in the first Hindi movement in the country.
  • He promoted hindi vernacular nationalism and was associated with the slogan “Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan.”
  • His works helped raise the status of Khariboli among readers in North India.
• Literary works: He wrote six plays and published nearly 14 collections of poetry.
  • His well-known plays include Bharat Durdasha, Satya Harish, NeelDevi, and Andher Nagri. 
    • His play Andher Nagari criticised poor administration and is seen as an allegory of British rule in India.
  • He founded and edited Bala Vodhini, one of India’s early women’s journals.
  • He also edited Kavivachansudha and Harishchandrachandrika.
• He died on 6 January 1885 at the age of 35.
• Recognition: In his memory, the Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards were established in 1983 for excellence in journalism and mass communication, national integration, women’s issues and children’s literature.