Mansukhlal Maganlal Jhaveri (1907–1981) was a Gujarati language poet, critic, and literary historian of the Gandhian era. He was deeply interested in classical Sanskrit poetry[1] and authored History of Gujarati Literature (1978). Jhaveri had several pen-names including Devaki Ayodhya, Punarvasu, Madilant, Samintiyajak, and Siddhartha.[2]

Mansukhlal Jhaveri
Native name
મનસુખલાલ મગનલાલ ઝવેરી
BornMansukhlal Maganlal Jhaveri
(1907-10-03)3 October 1907
Jamnagar, Bombay Presidency
Died27 August 1981(1981-08-27) (aged 73)
Mumbai
OccupationPoet, critic, literary historian
LanguageGujarati
NationalityIndian
Notable worksHistory of Gujarati Literature (1978)
SpouseHasmukhgauri Jhaveri
RelativesAnu Gadhia (daughter)
Signature

Biography

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Mansukhlal Jhaveri was born on 3 October 1907 in Jamnagar, Gujarat. He completed his primary and secondary education in Jamnagar and matriculated in 1931. He acquired a Bachelor of Arts in 1935 and a Master of Arts in 1937 from Samaldas College, Bhavnagar. He subsequently taught at Raiya College in Mumbai, Dharmendrasinhji College in Rajkot from 1940 to 1945, and St. Xavier's College in Mumbai from 1945 to 1958. From 1958 to 1963, he served as principal of Madhwani Arts and Commerce College, Porbandar. In 1966, he returned to Mumbai to teach but soon after became a principal at BEC College, Kolkata. He died on 27 August 1981 in Mumbai.[3]

Works

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His first poetry collection, Chandradut (1929), is an adaptation of Meghadūta by Kālidāsa, written in Mandakranta meter. His other poetry collections are Phooldol (1933), Aaradhana (1939), Abhisar (1947), Anubhuti (1956) and Doomo Ogalyo (1975), which contain rhythmic poems about love, nature and God.[1] Deeply influenced by classical Sanskrit poetry, Jhaveri also wrote poems on mythological themes such as Abhimanyu and Ashwatthama.[4][2]

According to the Encyclopedia of Indian Literature, Jhaveri was a critic of the first order in the poet-critic tradition of Gujarati literature.[5] He deeply studied Eastern and Western concepts of literary criticism[1] and published several books of critical articles and reviews including Thoda Vivechan Lekho (1944), Paryeshana (1952), Kavyavimarsha (1962), Abhigam (1966), Govardhanram (1967), Nhanalal (1967), Kanaiylal Munshi (1970), Umashankar Joshi (1971), Gujarati Sahityabhasha (1972), Balwantrai Thakor (1976), Aapno Kavita Vaibhav Vol. 1 and 2 (1974, 1975), Drishtikon (1978), Gandhiyug Nu Sahitya (1978) and Umashankar Joshi – Natyakar (1979). In Aapno Kavita Vaibhav, he presented an anthology of Gujarati poetry from 1850 to 1973.[2]

Jhaveri wrote History of Gujarati Literature (1978), in English. In collaboration with other writers, he wrote a history of Gujarati literature in Gujarati: Gujarati Sahityanu Rekhadarshan (1953).[2]

Some of his works, including Gujarati Bhasha: Vyakaran ane Lekhan (1946), Bhasha Parichay Part 1 to 4 (1951 to 1957) and Vakapriththakaran ane Suddhalekhan (1965), are based on Gujarati grammar and language. Dashamskandha (1942), Mari Shrestha Vartao (1952), Navi Kavita (1952; with others), Gujarati Tunki Varta (1960), Dayaram (1960) and Aapna Urmikavyo (1976) are the compilations he edited.[2]

Jhaveri translated Kalidasa's Abhijnanshakuntalam into Gujarati as Smritibramsha athva Shapit Shakuntala (1928). He also translated Shakespeare's Hamlet and Othello into Gujarati.[4][2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Nalini Natarajan; Emmanuel Sampath Nelson (1996). Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-313-28778-7. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Topiwala, Chandrakant (1990). "Jhaveri Mansukhlal Maganlal". Gujarati Sahitya Kosh (Encyclopedia of Gujarati Literature). Vol. 2. Ahmedabad: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. pp. 158–159.
  3. ^ "મનસુખલાલ ઝવેરી, ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય પરિષદ". Gujarati Sahitya Parishad (in Gujarati). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b Sisir Kumar Das (1991). History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, struggle for freedom : triumph and tragedy. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. pp. 139 & 623. ISBN 978-81-7201-798-9. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  5. ^ Amaresh Datta (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 188 & 786. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

Further reading

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  • Pandya, Dushyant (1997). Mansukhlal Jhaveri. Gujarati Granthakar Shreni (1st ed.). Ahmedabad: Gurjar Grantharatna Karyalaya. OCLC 39516267.
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