Shardha Ram Phillauri

:"Phillauri redirects here. For the town of Phillaur, see Phillaur."

Pandit Shardha [Alternately spelled Shradha, Sharda, Shrada, Sharddha, or Shraddha.] Ram "Phillauri" (1837 – June 24, 1881) was a Punjabi missionary, social reformer, astrologer, and writer, best remembered for his contributions to Hindi and Punjabi literature. He has been called the “father of modern Punjabi prose."

Biography

Shardha Ram was born in 1837 to a Brahmin family in the town of Phillaur, Jalandhar.Walia, Varinda. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050317/aplus.htm#1 "Hindi novel’s first cradle."] "The Tribune" (March 17, 2005).] Maitray, Mohan. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/1998/98sep27/sunday/head6.htm "The creator of Om Jai Jagdish Hare."] "The Tribune" (September 27, 1998).] His father, Jai Dyalu, was an astrologer. At the age of seven, he learned Gurmukhi script. By age ten, he had studied Hindi, Sanskrit, Persian, astrology, and music. Later, he was also a missionary of traditional Hinduism (Sanatana dharma). [http://www.faithandthearts.com/images/9_20070612201926.pdf]

In his books, Shardha Ram documented Punjabi culture and language.

Shardha Ram gave forceful lectures on the Mahabharata, and because of this was charged with conducting propaganda against the British government in 1865.Fact|date=July 2007 As a result, he was exiled temporarily from his home town, Phillaur.

Sharda Ram often visited Amritsar and adjoining Lahore, especially in connection with astrology. During this time, he earned a reputation as an astrologer and wrote several books in Hindi.

Shardha Ram has recently been acknowledged as having written the first novel in Hindi.Previously, Lala Sri Niwas was credited with this achievement; his "Priksha Guru" was written in 1902. Walia, Varinda. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050317/aplus.htm#1 "Hindi novel’s first cradle."] "The Tribune".] His novel "Bhagyawati", believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar, was first published in 1888, after Shardha Ram's death. The novel's portrayal of women and women's rights was progressive for its day.

Shardha Ram died on June 24, 1881 at Lahore.

Works

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050317/aplus.htm#1 Painting of Shardha Ram Phillauri.]

Further reading

* Singh Bedi, Harmohinder. "Shardha Ram Granthawali". Nirmal Publisher. (A three-volume work by the dean and head of the Guru Nanak Dev University Hindi Department.)