I belong to Saurashtra and yet I must admit that I am not
very familiar with its rich literature. There must be many like me and so this
post to throw some light on the history of literature in Saurashtra from the
book Saurashtra No Itihas -1807-1948 by S.V. Jani. Some excerpts from the
book are translated from Gujarati by me here:
“...Narsinh Mehta seems to be the first point/dot who contributed to the literature of Saurashtra...someone who can be considered
equal to him was poetess Ganga Sati of Samadhiyala near Dhasa. The Pads
[sonnets/verses/rhymes] she had written addressing her daughter-in-law Panbai
are known as ‘rural Upnishads’. Her poetry is very popular among the Bhajan
Mandlis for example:” [one of the popular songs of Ganga Sati is as follows]:
વિપત્તિ પડે તોય વણસે નહીં; સોઈ હરિજનનાં પ્રમાણજી.
ચિત્તની વૃતિ જેની સદા રહે નિર્મળી, ને કરે નહીં કોઈની આશજી;
દાન દેવે પણ રહે અજાચી, રાખે વચનમાં વિશ્વાસ જી – મેરુ.
હરખ ને શોકની આવે નહી હેડકી, આઠે પહોર રહે આનંદજી,
નિત્ય રહે સત્સંગમાં ને, ડે માયા કેરા ફંદજી – મેરુ.
તન મન ધન જેણે ગુરુને અર્પ્યાં, તેનું નામ નિજારી નર ને નારજી,
એકાંતે બેસીને અલખ આરાધે તો, અલખ પધારે એને દ્વારજી – મેરુ.
સતગુરુ વચનમાં શૂરા થઈ ચાલે, શીશ તો કર્યાં કુરબાન રે,
સંકલ્પ વિકલ્પ એકે નહિ ઉરમાં, જેણે મેલ્યાં અંતરનાં માન રે – મેરુ.
સંગત કરો તો એવાની કરજો, જે ભજનમાં રહે ભરપુરજી,
ગંગા સતી એમ બોલિયાં, પાનબાઈ જેનાં નેણોમાં વરસે ઝાઝાં નૂરજી – મેરુ.
Source: http://www.swargarohan.org/ganga-sati/002
“Similarly, Pipa Bhagat’s poems, composed six hundred years ago
had become popular among the people. Pipa Bhagat belonged to Pipavav. Gemal
Bhagat of village Kukad in Ghogha Taluka had composed such superior form of Garbis
[songs] that these are popular even today...
“In the early nineteenth century, a reformer Sahajanand Swami of
Saurashtra through his literature contributed significantly in bringing about good
conduct among the people...Earlier known as Lalji Suthar but later known as
Sant Nishkulanand composed twenty two volumes of poetry...Similarly in the
early nineteenth century... Bhoja Bhagat born in Devkigalol is famous...his creations
of poems are known as ‘Chabhka’ [poetry/verses with sharp messages or advise], which are very popular... As is the case in
Gujarati language Akha [famous poet from Gujarat] Na Chappa [poems with six lines], Narsinh Mehta’s Prabhatiyas [songs
sung in praise of God in the morning], Dayaram’s Garbi [a form of song],
Pritam’s Pads [verses], Dhira’s Kafi [one mode of song
and music], Bhoja Bhagat’s Chabkha are very popular. Many critics call
Bhoja Bhagat the Kabir of Saurashtra...’
One of his popular verses is as
follows:
‘Duniya Bhrmava Bholi Re, Chaliyo Bavo Bhabhuti Choli Re,
Dora Dhaga Ne Chitthi Kare, Bavo Ape Gunkari Goli e,
Chela Cheli Ne Bhega Kari, Bavo Khay Khir Khand Ane Poli Re,
Bhoja Bhagat Kahe Bhavsagarma, Bave [Bavae] Marya Boli Re.'
“Dalpatram Travadi who was born in Wadhwan is considered historically
as one of the pioneer poets of modern Gujarati literature. His play
Mithyaabhiman, and writings tilted ‘Dalpat Pingal' and 'Kavya Dohan' are his main contributions...he has
written ‘Vijayvinod’ and ‘Vijaykashma’ in praise of the Bhavnagar
Maharaja Vijaysinhji Gohil and ‘Takthavilas’, in praise of
Takhtasinhji...
 | |
| Dalpatram Travadi Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalpatram#/media/File:Kavi_Dalpatram.JPG |
'In the eighteenth century, the ruler of Rajkot, Mehramanji the third,
gained popularity by writing a volume titled, ‘Pravinsagar’, in Hindi. Later in
the nineteenth century, Lathi’s ruler Sursinhji Takthasinhji Gohil’s
poetry...became popular. He preferred to be called Kalapi...he has written 275
poems...his literature in the form of letters is also very rich. Six hundred and seventy-nine
of his letters have been published...”
 | |
| Kalapi Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapi |
One of the popular poems of Kalapi is titled Eak Ghaa:
તે પંખીની ઉપર પથરો ફેંકતા ફેફી દીધો,
છૂટ્યો તે ને અરરર! પડી ફાળ હૈયા મહીં તો!
રે રે! લાગ્યો દિલ પર અને શ્વાસ રૂંધાઇ જાતાં, નીચે આવ્યું તરુ ઉપરથી પાંખ ઢીલી થતાંમાં.
મેં પાળ્યું તે તરફડી મરે હસ્ત મ્હારા જ-થી આ, પાણી છાંટ્યું દિલ ધડકતે તોય ઊઠી શક્યું ના;
ક્યાંથી ઊઠે? જખ્મ દિલનો ક્રૂર હસ્તે કરેલો! ક્યાંથી ઊઠે! હ્રદય કુમળું છેક તેનું અહોહો!
આહા! કિંતુ કળ ઊતરી ને આંખ તો ઊઘડી એ, મૃત્યુ થાશે? જીવ ઊગરશે? કોણ જાણી શકે એ?
જીવ્યું, આહા! મધુર ગમતાં ગીત ગાવા ફરીને, આ વાડીનાં મધુર ફલને ચાખવાને ફરીને.
રે રે! કિંતુ ફરી કદી હવે પાસ મ્હારી ન આવે, આવે તોયે ડરી ડરી અને ઇચ્છતું ઊડવાને;
રે રે! શ્રદ્ધા ગત થઇ પછી કોઇ કાળે ન આવે, લાગ્યા ઘાને વીસરી શકવા કાંઇ સામર્થ્ય ના છે.
રે રે! લાગ્યો દિલ પર અને શ્વાસ રૂંધાઇ જાતાં, નીચે આવ્યું તરુ ઉપરથી પાંખ ઢીલી થતાંમાં.
મેં પાળ્યું તે તરફડી મરે હસ્ત મ્હારા જ-થી આ, પાણી છાંટ્યું દિલ ધડકતે તોય ઊઠી શક્યું ના;
ક્યાંથી ઊઠે? જખ્મ દિલનો ક્રૂર હસ્તે કરેલો! ક્યાંથી ઊઠે! હ્રદય કુમળું છેક તેનું અહોહો!
આહા! કિંતુ કળ ઊતરી ને આંખ તો ઊઘડી એ, મૃત્યુ થાશે? જીવ ઊગરશે? કોણ જાણી શકે એ?
જીવ્યું, આહા! મધુર ગમતાં ગીત ગાવા ફરીને, આ વાડીનાં મધુર ફલને ચાખવાને ફરીને.
રે રે! કિંતુ ફરી કદી હવે પાસ મ્હારી ન આવે, આવે તોયે ડરી ડરી અને ઇચ્છતું ઊડવાને;
રે રે! શ્રદ્ધા ગત થઇ પછી કોઇ કાળે ન આવે, લાગ્યા ઘાને વીસરી શકવા કાંઇ સામર્થ્ય ના છે.
‘Kalapi’s uncle
and Gondal’s ruler Bhagwatsinhji is generally known for the work of the encyclopaedia
titled ‘Bhagwadgomandal’[1 ] and
he is praised for the same. But he had maintained a diary of his travels
to England and Europe at the age of eighteen. This added to the literature...Moreover
to get the degree of MD in England, he had written an essay titled, ‘Brief
History of Ayurveda’...
 |
| H.H Bhagwatsinhji. Source:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons |
‘Junagadh’s Diwan,
Amarji Nanavati’s son, Diwan Ranchodji, wrote Saurashtra’s history in
Persian language titled ‘Tarikh-e-Sorath-v-Halar’, which became famous and he
gained popularity...Similarly the Diwan of Bhavnagar Gaga Oza, after
taking sanyast [2] wrote
‘Swaroopanusandhan’, based on Vedanta...He had also started a
monthly magazine titled, ‘Manoranjan Patra’. The compilation of his poems as ‘Ughadi
Rakhjo Bari’ and ‘Mitra’, introduces one to his poetry. ..Moreover his articles
have been complied and published as ‘Eak Vrudh ni Vicharpothi’ and ‘Vatona
Bodh’. Manishanker
Jatashanker Kikani of Rajkot...had written books like, ‘Dharmamala’, ‘Manvi
ni Bhasha’, ‘Gayanavli’, etc...
‘Col. J.W.Watson,
who was once the political agent based at Rajkot, wrote ‘Kathiawad gazetteer’...which
even today is a volume that gives fundamental and diverse information about
Saurashtra...he wrote the ‘Statistical Accounts’ of the States of Bhavnagar, Navanagar,
Porbandar and Junagadh...all these volumes were written between the years 1880
and 1885.....Political agent of Kathiawad, Wilberforce Bele wrote ‘History of
Kathiawad’, which was published from London in the year 1916...Saurashtra’s
agent’s judicial assistant C.A.Kinkei’s book, ‘Outlaws of Kathiawad’, was
published in the year 1905. He has written about several ‘Baharwatiyas’
[outlaws of Saurashtra]. C.J.Maine who was the principal of Rajkumar College for twenty
years wrote ‘History of Dhrangadhra State’. Thus these English administrators
have contributed to the diverse history of Saurashtra in English...
‘Contribution to
historical writing by Bhagvanlal Bhatt of Junagadh is very significant...he had
written thirty six articles regarding archaeology, inscriptions, coins, etc...his
work was recognized and he was awarded honorary PhD by Leiden university of Germany
in the year 1884...Girijashanker Vallabhji Acharya who was the curator at
Watson Museum [Rajkot] by publishing in three parts, ‘Historical Inscriptions
of Gujarat’, contributed significantly to this field... Junagadh’s Bhagvanlal
Sampatram Chatrapati, wrote “Saurashtra Desh No Itihas.’
 |
| Watson Museum, Rajkot. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org |
Further information
will be covered in the Part -2 of this post.
end
