Pakistan is a paradigm example of a failed state that has undergone an extremely dangerous form of radical Islamisation.
Jaishankar Prasad
Jaishankar Prasad was born on January 30, 1889 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.He
came off a well-to do family. His father Babu Devki Prasad was a businessman. He
was also known as Sunghani Sahu.Jaishankar`s father died when he was child.So he
had to face tremedous financial crisis in his young age.But he studied
literature, language, and history deeply from his childhood.He was greatly
influnced by Vedas.He had also inclination towards ancient relics.
From his young age he started wrtiting poetry.He was one of the pillers of
Chhayavad movement in Hindi Literature along with Sumitranandan Pant, Mahadevi
Verma and Suryakant Tripathi `Nirala`.He crafted Vedas philosophy and art in his
writings.He mixed mainly Tatsam and Tatdbhav words in his poetry,which was
considered as Khadi dialect or Sanskritized Hindi.But his first poem anthology-
Chitraadhar, was in Braj dialect of Hindi. He wrote poems in various subjects.
Like- From contemporary subject to romantic version. His patriotic poem, `Himadri
Tung Shring Se`, was very popular during the Freedom Movement in India.But his
best work in poetry was Kamayani. It got several literally acclaim.It is
considered as one of the best works in Hindi epic poetry.
The protagonists of this poetry are Manu (a male) and Shradha (a female) and its
story evolves around a great flood.Manu`s character represents the human psyche
and Sradha is a symbol of love.There is an another female character , Ida who
represents rationality. Jaishankar Prasad amalgamated and epitomised three main
characteristic- knowledge, action and desires- of human beings by three
characters.Apart from Kamayani. His popular poems are-Kanan ,Kusum ,Prem Pathik
,Jharna ,Aansoo,Lehar ,Maharana ka Mahattva ,Arun yeh madhumay desh hamara .
He was also a great dramatist of Hindi language. Initially he was immensely
inspired by Sanskrit dramas.Later he was influnced by Bengali dramas and Persian
dramas.The subject of his dramas were based on historical events of India.He
also selected mythological plots for his drama. Prasad`s famous dramas are
Skandagupta, Chandragupta and Dhruvaswamini,Parinaya ,Ek Ghoont ,Karunalaya ,Praayashchit
,Taskiyya ,Rajyashri ,Vishakh ,Ajaatshatru ,Kamana ,Janamejaye ka Naagyagya,. He
penned many Short Stories and and a few Novels.The content of the Short Stories
and Novels remained same as drama.His famous novels are-Titali ,Kankaal ,Iravati
.His well-known short stories are-Mamta ,Bandi ,Akashdeep,Puraskar, Chhota
Jaadugar and anthlogy of short stories are-Pratidhvani, Akashdeep ,Aandhi ,Indrajaal
,Shivendra .
Apart from his writing he was a philosopher, historian and a sculptor.He had
also great interest in chess, gardening, shashtrarth and poetry recitation.He
passed away on January 14, 1937.
Major Works
- Poetry: Kaanan Kusum, Maharana ka Mahattva, Karunalaya, Prem Pathik, Jharna,
Aansoo, Lahar, Kamayani.
- Drama: Sajjan, Parinaya, Ek Ghoont, Karunalaya, Praayashchit, Rajyashri,
Vishakh, Ajaatshatru, Kamana, Janamejaye ka Naagyagya,
Skandagupta, Chandragupta, Dhruvaswamini
- Novels: Titali, Kankaal
- Story collections: Chhaya, Pratidhvani, Akashdeep, Aandhi, Indrajaal
