Gujarati literature

Gujarati
ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī
Pronunciation	/ɡudʒ(ə)ˈɾat̪i/
Region	India, Pakistan, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, U.S., UK, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Portugal
Native speakers	46.1 million
Language family	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan Western Indo-Aryan Gujarati
Writing system	Gujarati script, former use of Devanagari before invention of Gujarati Script, also use of Arabic script by the Ismaili community and other Gujarati communities, mainly in Pakistan.
Official status
Official language in	Gujarat (India)
Language codes
ISO 639-1	gu
ISO 639-2	guj
ISO 639-3	guj
Distribution of native Gujarati speakers in India

Gujarati is an Indian language spoken in the state of Gujarat. Gujarati literature's history may be traced to the 1000 AD.Since then literature has flourished till date.Gujarati literature is unique in its own way, with almost no patronage from any ruling dynasty, but the composers. Well known laureates of Gujarati literature are Hemchandracharya, Narsinh Mehta, Mirabai, Akho, Premanand Bhatt, Shamal Bhatt, Dayaram, Dalpatram, Narmad, Govardhanram Tripathi, Gandhiji,K. M. Munshi, Umashankar Joshi, Suresh Joshi, Pannalal Patel and Rajendra Keshavlal Shah .

Gujarat Vidhya Sabha, Gujarat Sahitya Sabha, and Gujarati Sahitya Parishad are Ahmedabad based literary institutions promoting the spread of Gujarati literature.

Gujarati Language

Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī^?) is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is native to the Indian state of Gujarat, and is its chief language, as well as of the adjacent union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

There are about 46.1 million speakers of Gujarati worldwide, making it the 26th most spoken native language in the world. Along with Romany and Sindhi, it is among the most western of Indo-Aryan languages. Gujarati was the first language of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the "father of India", Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the "father of Pakistan," and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the "iron man of India.

Owing to its apparent youth with respect to its written history, the Gujarati script follows the Nagari writing system. Nagari is a derivative of the Devanagari script, with one notable difference being that the horizontal line is not utilised. Gujarati script also has a few other variations in terms of certain consonants and employs a slightly different set of symbols for numbers. Gujarati has also been the language spoken by two of South Asia`s greatest and most prominent leaders: the Father of the Indian Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and the Founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Gujarati (also having been variously spelled as Gujerati, Gujarathi, Guzratee, Guujaratee, Gujrathi, and Gujerathi) is a modern Indo-Aryan language evolved from Sanskrit. The traditional practice is to differentiate the IA languages on the basis of three historical stages:

1. Old IA (Vedic and Classical Sanskrit)
2. Middle IA (various Prakrits and Apabhramshas)
3. New IA (modern languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, etc.

Era or Yug

The factors such as policies of the Rulers, living style of people, the worldwide influence on the Society,etc. are important for any Literature to flourish. In Gujarat, due to the development of trade and commerce, religious influence of Jainism as well as Hinduism, and also due to the safety and encouragement of the Rulers like Siddhraj, Solanki and Vaghela Rajputs, the Literary activities were in full force from the 11th century.Literature in Gujarati is sometimes also classified into two broad categories, namely poetry and prose, the former savouring and basking with a long lineage, dating back to the 6th century. Poetry as a perception took place as a medium of expressing religious beliefs and judgements, a stronghold of the medieval Indian times. In this context of gradual evolution, history of Gujarati literature is generally classed into three broad periods, consisting of: Early period (upto c.1450 A.D.), the Middle period (upto 1850 A.D.) and the Modern period (1850 A.D. onwards). However, Gujarati literature and its tremendous maturation and proficiency in contributing is also retraced back to the sultanate (referring to the Muzaffarid dynasty, who had served as the sultans of Gujarat in western India from 1391 to 1583) days.

Gujarati literature is divided mainly in 2 eras or 'Yug'. They are medieval and modern. Then these eras are further sub-divided.

Medieval age (1000 AD-1850 AD) is sub-divided like 'before Narsinh', 'after Narsinh'. Some scholars also subdivide it as 'Rasa yug', 'Sagun Bhakti' and 'Nirgun Bhakti'.

Modern era (1850 AD- til date) is divided as 'Sudharak Yug or Narmad Yug', 'Pandit Yug or Govardhan Yug', 'Ghandhi Yug', 'Anu-Ghandhi Yug', 'Adhunik Yug' and 'Anu-Adunik Yug'.

Madhyakalin Sahitya (Medieval literature)

• Praag Narsinh-Yug (1000 AD to 1400 AD)

Distinguished and notable Jain monk and scholar, Hemchandracharya suri was one of the earliest schoolers of Prakrit and Apabhramsha grammars which is the mother of Gujarati language. He had penned a formal set of `grammarian principles` of the harbinger of Gujarati language during the reign of the Rajput king Siddharaj Jayasinh of Anhilwara. This treatise had formed the cornerstone of Apabhramsa grammar in Gujarati language, establishing a language from the combination of corrupted form of languages like Sanskrit and Ardhamagadhi.. He gave "Kavyanushasana": poetics or hand book of poetry/manual of poetry, "Siddha-haima-shabdanushasana": Prakrit and Apabhramsha grammars and "Desinamamala": a list of words of local origin.

It is a general accepted norm by historians and researchers in literary genres in Gujarati literature that the earliest writings in this very ancient language were framed by Jaina authors. These were further composed in the form of Rasas, Phagus and Vilasas. Rasas refer to those long poems which were heroic, romantic or narrative in essential nature. Salibhadra Suri`s "Bharatesvara Bahubalirasa" (1185 A.D.), Vijayasena`s "Revanagiri-rasa" (1235 A.D.), Ambadeva`s "Samararasa" (1315 A.D.) and Vinayaprabha`s "Gautama Svamirasa" (1356 A.D.) are the most hand picked examples of this form of literature in Gujarati language. The other notable Prabandha or narrative poems of this period include Sridhara`s "Ranamalla Chhanda" (1398 A.D.), Merutunga`s "Prabodhachintamani", Padmanabha`s "Kanhadade Prabandha" (1456 A.D.) and Bhima`s "Sadayavatsa Katha" (1410 A.D.). The phagus are poems that pictured the blissful and cheery nature of the spring festival (Vasantha). Rajasekhara`s "Neminatha-phagu" (1344 A.D.) and Ajnat (Un-Known) Kavi`s "Vasantha-vilasa" (1350 A.D.) are the unsurpassed instances of such texts. "Neminatha Chatuspadika" (1140 A.D.) by Vinayachandra is the oldest of the baramasi genre of Gujarati poems. The earliest work in Gujarati prose was Tarunaprabha`s "Balavabodha" (1355 A.D.). "Prithvichandra Charita" (1422 A.D.) of Manikyasundara, which essentially served as a religious romance, is the most paramount illustration of Old Gujarati prose and is reminiscent of Bāṇabhaṭṭa`s Kadambari.

Due to flourishing trade and commerce in Ahmedabad and Khambat (Cambay), the entertainment activities started developing. Through the Jain Saints, Story-tellers, Puppet Shows, Bhavai (dramas), the Literature related activities also began. This gave birth to Ancient literature and the 11th century noted poet Hemchandra (1088–1172).

• Narsinh-Yug (1400 AD onwards)

During the 15th century, Gujarati literature had come under the tremendous sway of the Bhakti movement, a popular cultural movement to liberate the religion from entrenched priesthood. Narsinh Mehta (1415-1481 A.D.) was the foremost poet of this era. His poems delineated the very saintly and mystical sense and bore an intense reflection of the philosophy of Advaitism. Narasinh Mehta`s "Govind Gaman", "Surat Sangram", "Sudama Charitra" and "Sringaramala" are stupendous and exceptional illustrations of devotional poetry.

• 'Bhakti-Yug (15th-19th century)

This is the age when Jain and Hindu poets have given Literauture in abundance, to Gujarat. The prose and poetry created were mostly to encourage religion and worship. The Gita, Mahabharat, Vedas, Bhagvat were instantly popular and worship and offering love to God through this, stayed in the hearts of people for long. Narsinh Mehta's creations are considered the best. With this there was also creations of prayers, Jain history, etc. During this period of the influence of Bhakti Movement upon Gujarati literature, the Ramayana, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yogavashistha and the Panchatantra were all translated into Gujarati language. This period also had remained witness to the colossal Puranic revival, which led to the rapid growth and maturation of devotional poetry in Gujarati literature This era is divided in two parts, "Sagun Bhakti Dhara" and "Nirgun Bhakti Dhara".

• "Sagun Bhakti Dhara"

In this "Dhara", the God is worshiped in physical form. It is considered that the God is having some form and virtues like Ram and Krishna.

Narsinh Mehta, Meera, and Dayaram were foremost contributors of this "Dhara". Bhalan (1434-1514 A.D.) had furnished a meritorious representation of Bāṇabhaṭṭa`s "Kadambari" into Gujarati. Bhalana had also composed other substantial and irreplaceable works like "Dasham Skandha", "Nalakhyan", "Ramabal Charitra" and "Chandi Akhyana". Meera gave many "Pada" (Verse). Premanand Bhatt, who is deemed as the biggest of all the Gujarati poets, was absolutely involved in taking and elevating Gujarati language and literature to new peak heights. Amongst Premananda Bhatta`s umpteen authorships, the most crucial ones comprise "Okha Harana", "Nalakhyana, "Abhimanyu Akhyana", "Dasham Skandha", and "Sudama Charitra". Shamal Bhatt was also an extremely creative and productive poet, who had given birth to unforgettable works like "Padmavati", "Batris Putli", "Nanda Batrisi", "Sinhasan Batrisi" and "Madana Mohan" in Gujarati verse writing. Dayaram (1767-1852) had given rise to religious, ethical and romantic lyrics referred to as 'Garbi'. His most authoritative works comprise "Bhakti Poshan", "Rasik Vallabh" and "Ajamel Akhyan". The "Ramayana" was authored by Giridhara in Gujarati during the middle of the 19th century. Parmanand, Brahmanand, Vallabha, Haridas, Ranchhod and Divali Bali were the other authoritative `saint poets` from this period of poetry predomination in Gujarati literature. Poets from Swaminarayan sect have also contributed immensely.

• "Nirgun Bhakti Dhara"

In this " Dhara", it is considered that the God is having no physical form.

Narsinh Mehta and Akho were the were foremost contributors of this "Dhara". Akho`s "Akhe Gita", "Chittavichar Samvad" and "Anubhav" Bindu" have always been illustrated as being `emphatic` compositions on the Vedanta. Yet another poet, Mandana had given form to immortal works like "Prabodha Battrisi", "Ramayan" and "Rupmangal Katha". Other contributors are Kabir-Panthi, Dhira Bhagat, Bhoja Bhagat, Bapusaheb Gaikwad, and Pritam.

Arvaachin Sahitya (Modern Literature) (1850 AD-Till date)

With the British Government and the new technology of printing and press, there began the education of English language. The new age brought a lot of newspapers, magazines, etc. to spread the awareness in the Society. With this, the literature became much more and activities started in all fields rather than just the ancient religious way of poetry. The creations reflect to social welfare, criticism, plays, new age thinking, country-worship, the values of life,etc. This era is sub-diveded in parts like 'Sudharak Yug or Narmad Yug', 'Pandit Yug or Govardhan Yug', 'Ghandhi Yug', 'Anu-Ghandhi Yug' and 'Adhunik Yug'.

• Sudharak Yug or Narmad Yug (1850-1885 AD)

From the middle of 19th century, Gujarati, like other regional Indian languages, came under strong western influence, precisely due to colonial residence and their reign. Dalpatram (1820-1898) and Narmad (1833-1886) are considered as the trailblazers of modern Gujarati literature. Dalpatram`s "Venacharitra" portrays his incredible command over hilarity and wittiness. The very first Gujarati dictionary known as "Narmakosh", was composed and compiled by Narmad, which essentially serves as a history of the world, also acting as an authority on poetics. Narmad also had endeavoured umpteen varieties of poetry and smoothly adapted a few English verses into Gujarati. His "Rukmini Haran" and "Virasinh" are always considered as masterpiece compendium of poems. The other great works in Gujarati literature in this era comprise - Bholanath Sarabhai`s "Ishvara Prarthanamala" (1872), Navalram's "Bhatt nu Bhopalu" (1867) and "Veermati" (1869) and Nandshankar Mehta's (1835-1905) "Karana Ghelo" (1866) was the first novel of Gujarati literature. Ranchhodlal Udayaram Dave (1837-1923) is almost always respected as the groundbreaker and trailblazer in the art of play-writing in Gujarati with his "Lalita Dukh Darsak" Natak (Play). The other significant dramatists were Dalpatram, Narmad and Navalram.

Present day exploration into Gujarat and its language is credited to British administrator Alexander Kinlock Forbes shortly after the British occupation of the region. Alexander Forbes carried out an extensive exploration of Gujarati culture and literature over the prior thousand years of history and amassed a large collection of manuscripts. An organisation named after him, called the Farbas Gujarati Sabha, dedicates itself to the preservation of Gujarati literature and language and history from its headquarters in Mumbai.

• Pandit Yug or Govardhan Yug (1885-1915 AD)

File:Govardhan-M-Tripathi.jpg

Govardhanram Tripathi

Govardhanram Tripathi is the main author of this age. Other's work like Narsinhrao Divetia`s "Smarana Samhit", "Kusumamala", "Hridayavina", "Nupur Jhankar" and "Buddha Charit"; Manishankar Ratanji Bhatt or Kavi Kant`s "Purvalap" ('Devayani', 'Atijnana', 'Vasanta Vijay' and 'Chakravak Mithuna') and Balwantray Thakore`s "Bhanakar". Nanalal was another important poet of this period in Gujarati literature, who had outshone incredibly in his "Apadya Gadya" or rhyming prose. Nanalal possesses to his recognition and reputation two poetic compilations, namely - "Vasantotsava" (1898) and "Chitradarshan" (1921), an epic referred to as "Kuruksetra" and numerous plays like "Indukumar", "Jayajayant", "Vihsva Gita", "Sanghamitra" and "Jagat Prerana".

Govardhanram Tripathi (1855-1907) was among the dazzling and stupendous novelists in Gujarati literature, whose celebrated and well-admired novel comprise "Saraswatichandra (novel)".

• Ghandhi Yug (1915-1945 AD)

Gandhiji

During this period, the Gandhiji and Gujarat Vidyapith became the nerve-centre of all literary activities, where new values emerged and more emphasis was given on Ghandhian values, Indianisation and simplification . Novels, short stories, diaries, letters, plays, essays, criticisms, biographies, travel books and all kinds of prose began to flood Gujarati literature.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Gandhiji, Ramnarayan Pathak, Kanaiyalal Munshi or K. M. Munshi,Swami Anand, Umashankar Joshi, Sundaram, Jhaverchand Meghani, Pannalal Patel, Jyotindra Dave, Chandravadan Mehta, Zinabhai Desai ("Snehrashmi"), Manubhai Pancholi ("Darshak"),Ishwar Petlikar are the main contributors of this age.

Modern Gujarati prose was ushered in with a bang by Narmada but K.M. Munshi and of course, the legend and nationalist himself, Mahatma Gandhi gave it prominence in this age. Gandhiji`s autobiography, An Autobiography of My Experiments with Truth ((Gujarātī "સત્યના પ્રયોગો અથવા આત્મકથા")), Satyagraha in South Africa about his struggle there, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, a political pamphlet, and a paraphrase in Gujarati of John Ruskin's Unto This Last. This last essay can be considered his program on economics. He also wrote extensively on vegetarianism, diet and health, religion, social reforms, etc. Gandhi usually wrote in Gujarati, though he also revised the Hindi and English translations of his books.

Gandhiji was a prolific writer. For decades he edited several newspapers including Harijan in Gujarati, in Hindi and in the English language; Indian Opinion while in South Africa and, Young India, in English, and "Navajivan", a Gujarati monthly, on his return to India. Later, "Navajivan" was also published in Hindi. In addition, he wrote letters almost every day to individuals and newspapers.

During the 1940s, there could be witnessed a rise in communistic poetry and this inspired a movement for progressive literature in Gujarati too. Meghani, Bhogilal Gandhi, Swapnastha and others began to preach class conflict and hatred of religion through their writings. K.M. Munshi is deemed one of the most multitalented and flexible and looming literary figures of Gujarati literature of the contemporary times. K.M. Munshi`s most bulky and voluminous works include dramas, essays, short stories and novels. His famous novels are enlisted within the list of "Patan ni Prabhuta", "Gujrata no Nath", "Jay Somnath" (1940), "Prithvi Vallabh", "Bhagavan Parshuram" (1946) and "Tapasvini" (1957).

Indeed, after the rise of Mahatma Gandhi`s prominence in a steadily strengthening struggle for Independence and social equality, a great volume of poetry, written by poets like Umashankar, Sundaram, Shesh, Snehrasmi and Betai, amongst others, were centred upon the existing social order, the struggle for Independence and the travails of Mahatma Gandhi himself. Highly inspired by Rabindranath Tagore`s dialogue poems, Umashankar Joshi enriched the existing Gujrati literature by penning in the same manner. His two such poems are "Prachina" and "Mahaprasthan". For his poem "Nishith", he was awarded Jnanpith Award in the year 1967. Pannalal Patel was awarded Jnanpith Award in the year 1985 for his novel "Maanavi Ni Bhavaai".

Gujarati novel was also made a household name by G.G. Joshi (`Dhumaketu`), Chunilal V. Shah, Gunvantrai Acharya, Jhaverchand Meghani, Pannalal Patel and Manubhai Pancholi.

Significant dramatists of this age are Chandravadan Mehta, Umashankar Joshi, Jayanti Dalal and Chunilal Madia.

Amongst the important essayists, citation can be made of Kaka Kalelkar, Ratilal Trivedi, Lilavati Munshi, Jyotindra Dave, Ramnarayan Pathak.

• Anu-Ghandhi Yug (1940-1955 AD)

In this era there is a dominance of poetry. Main contributors of this age are Rajendra Shah, Niranjan Bhagat, Benibhai Purohit, Prahlad Parekh and Balmukund Dave. Rajendra Shah won the Jnanpith — the Indian government's most prestigious literary prize — for the year 2001. The judges noted, "his intensity of emotion and innovation in form and expression which set him apart as a poet of great significance. The mystical tone of his poetry stems from the tradition of great medieval masters like Kabir, Narsinh Mehta and literary giants like them". he authored more than 20 collections of poems and songs, mainly on the themes of the beauty of nature, and about the everyday lives of indigenous peoples and fisherfolk communities. In his poems using Sanskrit metrics, he was influenced by Rabindranath Tagore.He was one of the giants of post Gandhi-era called 'Anu-Gandhi Yug' in Gujarati literature.

• Adhunik Yug (1955-1985 AD)

Post-Independence Gujarati poetry displays a higher form of subjectivity and explores newer philosophies and lines of thought and imagery. They were more subjective and brutal, discarding old imageries and symbols and replacing them with new ideas. Prominent Gujarati poets of the post-Independence era include critically acclaimed poets like Suresh Joshi, Gulam Mohamed Sheikh, Harinder Dave, Chinu Modi, Nalin Raval and Adil Mansuri, among others.

The post independence prose literature in Gujarati had two distinct trends, that of traditional and modern. The former dealt more with ethical values and its main writers were Gulabdas Broker, Mansukhlal Jhaveri, Vishnuprasad Trivedi and others. While existentialism, surrealism and symbolism have influenced the latter. However, the modernists want to do away with moral values and religious beliefs. Eminent writers of this trend comprise Chandrakant Bakshi, Suresh Joshi, Madhu Rai, Raghuvir Chowdhury, Saroj Pathak and others. Gujarati prose has recorded growth and literary feats quite rapidly in less than two hundred years and now can be counted among the front benchers in Indian literature.

• Anu-Adunik Yug (1985- Till Date)

In this age the main themes are Dalit literature and 'Feminist literature' .

Literary Forms

Kavi Kant

• Rasa

• Pada (Verse)

• Padhya-Vaarta

• Aakhyan

• Chhappa

• Khand-Kavya

• Bhavai

• Natak (Play)

• Navalkatha (Novel)

• Navlika (Short story)

• Urmi-Kavita (Lyric)

• Aatma-Katha (Autobiography)

• Jivan-Charitra (Biography)

• Nibandh (Essay)

List of Gujarati Authors/Poets ( A to Z )

• Adil Mansuri

• Akho

• Alexander Kinlock Forbes

• Amrut Ghayal

• Anandshankar Dhruv

• Anantray Rawal

• Ardeshar Khabardar

• Bachubhai Ravat

• Bakul Dave

• Bakul Tripathi

• Balmukund Dave

• Balwantray Thakore

• Bhagwati Kumar Sharma

• Bhalan

• Bhanuprasad Pandya

• Bholabhai Patel

• Bhupat Vadodariya

• Bindu Bhatt

• Botadkar

• Chandrakant Bakshi

• Chandrakant Shah

• Chandrakant Sheth

• Chandrakant Topiwala

• Chandravadan Mehta

• Chunilal Madia

• Chinu Modi

• Dalpatram

• Darshak or Manubhai Pancholi

• Dayaram

• Dhiru Parikh

• Dhiruben Patel

• Dhirubhai Thaker

• Diva Pandya

• Dhruv Bhatt

• Dhumketu or Gaurishankar Joshi

• Gandhiji or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

• Gani Dahiwala

• Geeta Parikh

• Gijubhai Badheka

• Govardhanram Tripathi

• Gulabdas Broker

• Gulam Mohammad Sheikh

• Gunvant Shah

• Harilal Upadhyay

• Harindra Dave

• Harikrishna Pathak

• Harivallabh Bhayani

• Harshad Chandarama

• Harshad Trivedi

• Hasmukh Pathak

• Heera Pathak

• Hemchandracharya (A.k.A Kalikalasarvagnya)

• Hemen Shah

• Indu Pawar

• Indulal Gandhi

• Ishwar Petlikar

• Jagadish Joshi

• Jawahar Bakshi

• Jaya Mehta

• Jayant Pathak

• Jayanti Dalal

• Jaydev Shukla

• Jayendra Shekhdiwala

• Jhaverchand Meghani

• Jyotindra Dave

• Kaka Kalelkar

• Kalapi or Sursinhji Takhtsinhji Gohil

• Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi or K. M. Munshi

File:K-M-Munshi.jpg

Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi

• Kavi Kant or Manishankar Bhatt

• Kanti Bhatt

• Karsandas Luhar

• Karsandas Manek

• Keshav Harshad Dhruv

• Kishore Shah

• Kishorelal Mashruwala

• Kismat Kureshi

• Krishnalal Shridharani

• Kundanika Kapadiya

• Labhshankar Thakar

• Lalji Kanpariya

• Madhav Ramanuj

• Madhukar Randeriya

• Madhu Ray

• Mafat Oja

• Mahesh Yagnik

• Mahesh Shah

• Makarand Dave

• Mala Kapadia

• Manhar Modi

• Manilal Nabhubhai

• Manoj Khanderia

• Mansukhlal Jhaveri

• Mariz

• Meghbindu

• Mehul

• Mirabai

• Mohammad Mankad

• Mukesh Vaidya

• Mukesh Choksi

• Mukundrai Parashya

• Nagindas Parekh

• Nalin Pandya

• Nalin Rawal

• Nandshankar Mehta

• Narmad

• Narsinhrao Divetia

• Narsinh Mehta

• Naushil Mehta

• Navalram

• Nayan Desai

• Nhanalal

• Niranjan Bhagat

• Nitin Mehta

• Pandit Sukhlalji (Pragnyachakshu)

• Panna Nayak

• Pannalal Patel

• Pinakin Thakur

• Praful Pandya

• Prahalad Parekh

• Pranjivan Mehta

• Pratap Rathod

• Pravin Darji

• Premanand Bhatt

• Priyakant Maniyar

• Pujalal

• Radheshyam Sharma

• Raghuvir Chaudhari

• Rajendra Shah

File:Rajendra-Shah.jpg

Rajendra Shah

• Rajendra Shukla

• Ramanbhai Nilkhanth

• Ramanlal Desai

• Ramesh Parekh

• Ramnarayan V Pathak

• Ranchhodlal Udayaram Dave

• Ranjitram Mehta

• Rasik Mehta

• Rasiklal Parikh

• Ramprasad Bakshi

• Saif Palanpuri

• Sarup Dhruv

• Shamal Bhatt

• Shayda

• Shekhadam Abuwala

• Shilpin Thanki

• Shivkumar Joshi

• Shirish Panchal

• Shobhit Desai

• Sitanshu Yashashchandra]]

• Snehrashmi or Zinabhai Desai

• Sunderji Betai

• Suresh Dalal

• Suresh Joshi

• Sundaram or Tribhuvandas Luhar

• Swami Anand

• Swami Sadchidanand

• Tarak Maheta

• Udyan Thakkar

• Umashankar Joshi

File:Umashankar-Joshi.jpg

Umashankar Joshi

• Utpal Bhayani

• Vadilal Dagli

• Vaju Kotak

• Varsha Pathak

• Vatsal Vasani (Vaidhya)

• Venibhai Purohit

• Vinesh Antani

• Vinod Adhvaryu

• Vinod Bhatt

• Vinod Joshi

• Vipin Parikh

• Vishnu Prasad Trivedi

• Yahwant Shukla

• Yashwant Trivedi

• Yousef Mekwan

Gujarati Journalism

As Gandhi’s birthplace and the scene of the celebrated salt march of 1930, Gujarat generated a press even more influenced by nationalist causes than elsewhere. Gandhi himself started the magazine Navjivan in Gujarati at the time he broke into India’s national politics in 1919. Gujarat Samachar and Sandesh, the two great rivals of the 1990s, both originated during the struggle against the British - Gujarat Samachar in 1932 in the heat of Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement and Sandesh in 1923, immediately after his non- cooperation movement. The Bombay evening daily, Janmabhoomi (nativeland), carries under its masthead the slogan in Gujarati, ‘Mother and Motherland are greater than Heaven’. Founded in 1934, Janmabhoomi is part of the Saurashtra Trust, which publishes a variety of Gujarati newspapers and magazines in Bombay and Gujarat. These include one of the first business magazines in an Indian language, Vyapar, founded in 1948, and Kutchmitra (friend of Kutch), a daily published from the town of Bhuj since 1955, which, the Trust claims, "Kutchhis, a large community of astute businessmen in Mumbai [and the] rest of India, make it a point to use... as their link with their home state".

Until the creation of a separate state of Gujarat in 1960, the heart of Gujarati culture and politics had been divided: Mumbai was as much a Gujarati centre as Ahmedabad. Indeed, in the early 1960s, the largest Gujarati daily newspaper continued to be published in Mumbai. Bombay Samachar, founded in 1822 and the oldest still- publishing newspaper in India, had a circulation of 51,000 in 1962, and its Mumbai rival, Janmabhoomi, 24,000. The two Ahmedabad dailies that came to dominate the Gujarati daily press - Gujarat Samachar and Sandesh - stood at 45,000 and 42,000.1 Once the state of Gujarat was created, however, the focus of Gujarati life turned increasingly towards Ahmedabad and the provincial towns of the new state. Education and administration in Gujarati also grew, and with both, the potential readers of publications in Gujarati.

Major newspapers

Gujarat Samachar:

Founded 70 years ago, published from Ahmedabad. Editions from Ahmedabad, Vadodara (Baroda), Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Mumbai and New York. Owned by the Lok Prakashan Ltd Group. Publisher: Shreyansh Shantilal Shah.

Divya Bhaskar

Published by the Bhaskar Group. Launched in 2003. Has a North American edition for NRIs in Gujarati. Published from Ahmedabad, Badodara, Surat, Rajkot. Sections- National, International, Sport, Business, and MUMBAI. City supplements for Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Uttar Gujarat, Dakshin Gujarat, Madhya Gujarat, Kutch, Saurashtra. Magazines- Woman Bhaskar, Bal Bhaskar, Dharma Darshan, Utsav, Aha! Zindagi.

It also has a literary supplement with features like Navalkatha, Navalika, Gazal ane Kavitha, Kahaveto, Hasya Lekh.

Sandesh

The Sandesh Limited has HQ at Ahmedabad. in 1923 Shri Nandlal Bodiwala started Sandesh daily on a small scale, But in 1958 when late Shri Chimanbhai Patel was at the helm of affairs. His unique contribution was Sunday Sanskar Poorti in Gujarati journalism, that included many celebrities as columnists . Thus he was the pioneer of Sunday Supplements in Gujarati journalism.Till 1984, Sandesh was a single edition newspaper published from Ahmedabad. Then under expansion programme new editions were launched Baroda, Surat,Rajkot & Bhavnagar in 1985, 1989, 1990 and 1998 respectively.

Gujaratmitra Darpan

Established 1863. A bi-weekly named 'Gujaratdarpan' was amalgamated in 1894 with the 'Gujaratmitra' and therefore the paper is known as 'Gujaratmitra & Gujaratdarpan'. Initially started as a weekly in 1936 the paper was converted into a daily. Founder: Shri Dinshaw Ardeshir Talyarkhan

Bombay Samachar

Launched in 1822 by Parsi priest Fardoonji Murazban. Its first issue was of 14 pages and contained: The first sheet consists of advertisements, two of these being about things lost, and one about the sale of some property, all relating to Parsis. Then follows what may be called an article on "Ourselves". Then there are four columns of short paragraphs about Government and Court appointments and changes, and powers of attorney taken from the court; about the arrival and departure of ships and of Europeans from Mumbai; and a list of European deaths; as well as of ships loading in the harbour. Six columns are given to Kolkata news taken from the Indian Gazette and the Calcutta Chronicle; one column to Chennai news from the Government Gazette of that city; two columns to London news, whilst a short paragraph of ten lines is devoted to news from Canton in China, given the prices of Opium. Of local Bombay news there is very little, except the short paragraph about appointments above.

A weekly till 1832, a bi-weekly till 1855 and a daily since then. Contained articles and letters by freedom fighters like Gandhi, Patel. The paper passed through various hands before coming into the hands of the Cama Family, its present publishers in 1933.

Akila Daily

Akila Daily is a Gujarati-language evening daily newspaper published from Rajkot, Gujarat. Black & White with spot colour ads in the middle of nowhere. It has 16 pages.

Sambhaav and Sambhaav Metro

Sambhaav was earlier a broadsheet morning Guj paper brought out by the Sambhav media group but in March 2005 it was modified into an afternoon tabloid- Sambhaav Metro. Published from Ahmedabad only. 6 days a week, not Sunday. It was changed ostensibly because the broadsheet was heavily dependent on agencies and they wanted to focus more on local news and features. Sambhaav media group is also a franchisee of The Asian Age for Gujarat, and publishes a socio political weekly magazine- Abhiyaan.

References

• Milestones in Gujarati Literature by K M Jhaveri.

• Brahmbhatt, Prasad. (2003) Kavyasarita. (Literary Criticism of the evolution of Poetry). Ahmedabad: Parshwa Publication.

• Trivedi, Ramesh. M. (1994) Arvachin Gujarati Sahityano Itihaas. (History of Modern Gujarati Literature). Ahmedabad: Adarsh Prakashan.

• Trivedi, Ramesh. M. (2005) Gujarati Sahityano Itihaas. (History of Gujarati Literature). Ahmedabad: Adarsh Prakashan.

• Jani, Nutan. (2005) Vishvakavita: Kavita-Tulana (World poetry: Comparison of Poetry). Mumbai.

• Joshi, Vidyut. (2004) Sahitya ane Samaj (Literature and Society) Ahmedabad: Parshwa Publication.

See Also

• Gujarati Sahitya Parishad

• Gandhiji

• Gujarati language

External links

• Official Website of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
• http://tahuko.com A website for the lovers of Gujarati poems/gazals
• http://www.readgujarati.com Collection of Gujarati Articles, Gujarati Stories, Gujarati Jokes, Gujarati Recipes and all types of Gujarati Literature.
• History of Gujarati Literature
• Bhasha India: Gujarati literature
• Culturopedia: Indian Literature - Gujarati literature