Harji Lavji Damani, better known by his pen name Shayda (24 October 1892 – 31 May 1962) was a
Gujarati language
Gujarati (; gu, ગુજરાતી, Gujarātī, translit-std=ISO, label=Gujarati script, ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian state of Gujarat and spoken predominantly by the Gujarati people. Gujarati is descended from Old Gu ...
poet, novelist, short-story writer and playwright from
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, India. He is known as ''Ghazal Samrat'', the king of
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
poetry, as he established the Gujarati ghazal form in
Gujarati literature
The history of Gujarati literature ( gu, ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય) may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, othe ...
.
Biography
Damani was born on 24 October 1892 in Pipli, a village near Dhandhuka, Gujarat to Lavjibhai and Santokbahen. His family belonged to the Khoja
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
Ishna Asheri community. He studied until the fourth year. In 1912, one of his poems appeared in print for the first time in '' Bombay Samachar''. Subsequently, he started writing ghazals (traditional songs), novels, short stories and plays, including ''Kumali Kali'', which be both wrote and directed. He was the founding editor of the Gujarati weekly magazine ''Be Ghadi Moj'' (first issue, 17 August 1924) which established Gujarati ghazal as an independent genre from Urdu ghazal. It closed its publication in 1953. He also served as a subeditor of ''Ghazal'', a Gujarati poetry magazine. He died on 31 May 1962 in
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
Dalpatram
Dalpatram Dahyabhai Travadi (21 January 1820 – 25 March 1898) was a Gujarati language poet during 19th century in India. He was the father of Nanalal Dalpatram Kavi, a poet.
He led social reform movements in Ahmedabad, and wrote articles again ...
-style.
His novels include ''Maa Te Maa'' (1-2), ''Amina'', ''Chhelli Roshani'' (1-2), ''Bahadurshah Zafar'' (1-2), ''Azadini Shama'' (1-2), ''Khamma Bhaine'' (1-2), ''Dukhiyari'', ''Chandani Raat'', ''Mumataz'', ''Saundaryapuja'', ''Navo Sansar'', ''Jamaanani Zalak'', ''Layla'', ''Bhardariye'', ''Andhari Raat'' (1-2), ''Senthima Sindur'' (1-2), ''Amanat'' (1-2), ''Saabira'' (1-2), ''Moti Bhabhi'', ''Vanzari Vaav'', ''Virhaak'' (1-2), ''Jyoti Toran'', ''Betho Balavo'', ''Lakshminandan'', ''Dr.Anupam'', ''Shamshire Arab'' (1-2), ''Punit Ganga'', ''Lakheni Laaj'' (1-2), ''Jivata Soor'', ''Nani Nanadi'', ''Aag Ane Ajavala'', ''Shahzadi Kashmira'', ''Raajahans'' (1-2), ''Soorsamadhi'' (1-2), ''Dev Dulari'' (1-2), ''Hamida'', ''Mayanu Man'', ''Rajeshvari'', ''Raajaba'', ''Anavari'', ''Masooma'' and ''Doshiza''. His novels deal with social and historical themes. The most famous among his social novels are ''Maa Te Maa'' and ''Moti Bhabhi''. ''Maa Te Maa'' is tragic story of love and sacrifice of a mother for her children. Some of his novels dealt with typical communal problems. His well-known novel on this theme ''Amaanat'' was published posthumously. Another tragic novel ''Masuma'' described the problems of Islamic culture and religion.
''Pankhadio'' (1938), ''Amizarana'', ''Kerini Mosam Ane Biji Vaato'' are his story collections.
He wrote several plays: ''Sansarnauka'' (1921) and ''Karmaprabhav'' (1922) were produced by Parsi Imperial Natak Mandali; ''Vasant Veena'' (1927) produced by Deshi Natak Samaj; ''Kumali Kali'' (1926) and ''Narihriday'' (1945) produced by
Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali
Gujarati Natak Mandali (1878–89) and its successor Mumbai Gujarati Natak Mandali (1889–1948) was a theatre company in Bombay, British India. It gave immense contributions to the Gujarati theatre, with productions of more than hundred plays, ...
. His modern play ''Amar Jyot'' (1956) was performed in
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
. His other plays include ''Pujaar'' and ''Koiknu Mindhal Koina Hathe''.
His story ''Vanzari Vaav'' was adapted into the
Gujarati film
Gujarati cinema, also known as Gollywood or Dhollywood, is the Gujarati language film industry. It is one of the major regional and vernacular film industries of the cinema of India, having produced more than one thousand films since its ince ...
''Kariyavar'' (1977), directed by
Chandrakant Sangani Chandrakant Sangani ( – 28 July 1997) was an Indian Gujarati language director, writer and actor from Gujarat, who worked predominantly in Gujarati cinema.
Biography
Sangani was born in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India. Sangani started his ca ...
.
Recognition
Shayda was felicitated in Mumbai on 15 April 1957 with an award of Rs. 7000. A road in Mumbai was named after him as Shayda Road in 1968.
In his remembrance, the
Indian National Theater
The Indian National Theatre (INT) is a theatre organisation and troupe founded in 1943 and based in Mumbai, India. Although performing predominantly Gujarati theatre, the troupe has also produced a number of plays in other Indian languages. In ...
gives
Shayda Award
Shayda Award (Gujarati:શયદા ઍવોર્ડ) is an annual award given to a young Gujarati ghazal poet. It was founded by the INT Aditya Birla Centre for Performing Arts & Research. The award is named after Gujarati ghazal poet Harji La ...
to a young Gujarati ghazal poet every year.
See also
*
List of Gujarati-language writers
Well known laureates of Gujarati literature are Hemchandracharya, Narsinh Mehta, Mirabai, Akho, Premanand Bhatt, Shamal Bhatt, Dayaram, Dalpatram, Narmad, Govardhanram Tripathi, Mahatma Gandhi, K. M. Munshi, Umashankar Joshi, Suresh Joshi, Pan ...