Maithilisharan Gupt

Dr Maithilisharan Gupt<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (3 August 1886 – 12 December 1964<ref name=":0" />) was one of the most important modern Hindi poets.<ref>Sanjeev Chandan (4 August 2009) 'Anthropologists' work inspired by Premchand'. Times of India.</ref> He is considered one among the pioneers of Khari Boli (plain dialect) poetry and wrote in Khari Boli dialect,<ref name=":0" /> at a time when most Hindi poets favoured the use of Braj Bhasha dialect.<ref name="SnellRaeside1998">Template:Cite book</ref> He was a recipient of the third highest (then second highest) Indian civilian honour of Padma Bhushan.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For his book Bharat-Bharati (1912),<ref>राष्ट्रकवि व उनकी भारत भारती, जागरण, Oct 15, 2012</ref> widely quoted during India's freedom struggle, he was given the title of Rashtra Kavi<ref name=":0" /> by Mahatma Gandhi.

In 1956, Rashtrakavi Maithili Sharan Gupt Abhinandan Samiti Calcutta published an Abhinandan Granth, a comprehensive 1000 page document in honour of his life and work.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

His family now runs the RMSG Group of Institutions<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in Chirgaon, promoting his ideals of empowering education, especially among girls.

Early life

He was born in Chirgaon, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> in the Kankane clan of the Gahoi Bania community in a family that was once a wealthy zamindar family, but the wealth was lost by the time he was born.<ref>Shri hargovind, "Dadda Ki Chhaya Me", in Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Granth, Ed. Agravaal Vaasudevasharana, 1959, Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Committee Calcutta, p. 101.</ref> His father's name was Seth Ramcharan Gupta<ref name=":0" /> and his mother's name was Kashibai. Both his father and his brother Shearamsharan Gupta were prominent poets.<ref name=":0" /> He disliked school as a child, so his father arranged for his education at their home.<ref name=":0" /> As a child, Gupt studied Sanskrit, English and Bengali.<ref name=":0" /> Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi was his mentor. He married in 1895.<ref>Rishi jaimini Kaushik Barua, "Ikhattara Varshon ki Abhinandaniya Gatha", in Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Granth, Ed. Agravaal Vaasudevasharana, 1959, Raashhtarkavi Maithiliisharana Gupt Abhinandan Committee Calcutta, p. 150.</ref>

Literary works

Gupt entered the world of Hindi literature by writing poems in various magazines, including Saraswati. In 1909, his first major work, Rang mein Bhang was published by Indian Press. With Bharat Bharati, his nationalist poems became popular among Indians, who were struggling for independence. Most of his poems revolve around plots from Ramayana,<ref name=":0" /> Mahabharata, Buddhist stories and the lives of famous religious leaders. His famous work Saket revolves around Urmila, wife of Lakshmana, from Ramayana, while another of his works Yashodhara revolves around Yashodhara, the wife of Gautama Buddha.Template:Citation needed

प्राण न पागल हो तुम यों, पृथ्वी पर वह प्रेम कहाँ..

मोहमयी छलना भर है, भटको न अहो अब और यहाँ..

ऊपर को निरखो अब तो बस मिलता है चिरमेल वहाँ..

Creative style

His works are based along patriotic themes,<ref name=":0" /> among others poets such as Ramdhari Singh Dinkar and Makhanalal Chaturvedi. His poetry is characterized by non-rhyming couplets in Khadi Boli. Although the couplet structure is non rhyming, the prominent use of alliterations lends a rhythmic backdrop due to the rhythmic alterations between vowels and consonants. He was a religious man, and this can be seen in his works.<ref name=":0" />

Major works

Poetry:

• Saket(1931)<ref name=":0" />
• Rang mein Bhang(1909)
• Matrubhumi
• Bharat-Bharati(1912)
• Jayadrath Vadh(1910)<ref name=":0" />
• Vikat Bhat
• Plassey ka Yuddha
• Gurukul
• Kisan
• Panchavati(1925)
• Nirjhar
• Yashodhara(1932)<ref name=":0" />
• Manushyata
• Kinaro ka khel
• Dvapar(1936)
• Anagh(1928)

Political career

After India got independence in 1947, he was also made an honorary member of the Rajya Sabha, where he used poetry to put his opinions before the other members. He remained a member of the Rajya Sabha till his death in 1964. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1954.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• List of Hindi-language poets

External links

• Maithili Sharan Gupt at Kavita Kosh Template:Webarchive
• Three poems of the poet from Bharat Bharati are available for readers at www.geeta-kavita.com