Chhayavaad ("Shadowism") refers to the era of Neo-romanticism

Neo-romanticism

The term neo-romanticism is used to cover a variety of movements in music, painting and architecture. It has been used with reference to very late 19th century and early 20th century composers such as Gustav Mahler particularly by Carl Dahlhaus who uses it as synonymous with late Romanticism...

 in Hindi literature

Hindi literature

Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...

 particularly Hindi poetry, 1917–1938, and was marked by an upsurge of romantic and humanist content. Chhayavad was marked by a renewed sense of the self and personal expression, visible in the writings of time. It is known for its leaning towards themes of love and nature, as well as an individualistic reappropriation of the Indian tradition in a new form of mysticism, expressed through a subjective voice.

Period

In Hindi literature

Hindi literature

Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...

, Chhayavad Yug is 1918 to 1937, and is preceded by Bharatendu

Bharatendu Harishchandra

Bharatendu Harishchandra is known as the father of modern Hindi literature as well as Hindi theatre. He is considered one of the greatest Hindi writers of modern India. A recognized poet, he was also a trend setter in Hindi prose-writing...

 Yug (1868–1893), and Dwivedi

Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi

Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi was a noted Indian Hindi writer. Adhunikkaal, or the Modern period of the Hindi literature is divided into four phases, and he represents the second phase, known as the Dwivedi Yug after him, which was preceded by the Bharatendu Yug , followed by the Chhayavad Yug and the...

 Yug (1893–1918), and is in turn, followed by the Contemporary Period, 1937 onwards.

Chhayavad continued till later half of 1930s, when the golden era of modern Hindi poetry was gradually replaced by social didacticism inspired by the uprising nationalist fervour, when some of the later poets of this era, like Dinkar, Mahadevi and Bachchan took nationalist and social critiquing within their poetry.

Notable authors

Jaishankar Prasad

Jaishankar Prasad

Jaishankar Prasad , one of the most famous figures in modern Hindi literature as well as Hindi theatre.- Biography :...

, Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala'

Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala'

Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was one of the most famous figures of the modern Hindi literature. He was a poet, novelist, essayist and story-writer...

, Sumitranandan Pant

Sumitranandan Pant

Sumitranandan Pant was one of the most famous modern Hindi poets. He is considered one of the major poets of the Chhayavaadi school of Hindi literature. Pant mostly wrote in Sanskritized Hindi. Pant authored twenty eight published works including poetry, verse plays and essays.Pant was born at...

 and Mahadevi Varma

Mahadevi Varma

Mahadevi Varma best known as an outstanding Hindi poet, was a freedom fighter, woman's activist and educationist from India. She is widely regarded as the "modern Meera". She was a major poet of the Chhayavaad generation, a period of romanticism in Modern Hindi poetry ranging from 1914-1938...

 are considered as the four pillars of Chhayavaadi school of Hindi literature. Other important figures of this literary movement were Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'

Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'

Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar was an Indian Hindi poet, essayist and academic, who is considered as one of the most important modern Hindi poets. He remerged as a poet of rebellion as a consequence of his nationalist poetry written in the days before Indian independence...

, Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Makhanlal Chaturvedi

Makhanlal Chaturvedi

Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi , also called Panditji, was an Indian poet, writer, essayist, playwright and a journalist who is particularly remembered for his participation in India's national struggle for independence and his contribution to Chhayavaad , the Neo-romanticism movement of Hindi...

. Though Harivansh Rai Bachchan became excessively critical of Chhayavaad later in his career and was associated with other genres like Rahasyavaad, Pragativaad and Haalaavaad.

Notable works

Jaishankar Prasad

Jaishankar Prasad

Jaishankar Prasad , one of the most famous figures in modern Hindi literature as well as Hindi theatre.- Biography :...

's Kamayani

Kamayani

Kamayani is a Hindi epic poem by Jaishankar Prasad . It is considered one of the greatest literary works written in modern times in Hindi literature...

 (Hindi:कामायनी) (1936) is considered an important magnum opus of this school, followed by Mahadevi Verma's , Nihar (Mist, 1930), Harivansh Rai Bachchan's, Madhushala

Madhushala

Madhushala , is a book of 135 "quatrains": verses of four lines by Hindi poet and writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan...

(Hindi: मधुशाला) (1935).

Criticism of Chhayavaad

When it arrived, Chhayavaad was very well received by readers and critics alike. However, subsequent scholars have criticized Chhayavaad for excessive use of decorative language, romanticism aloof from contemporary social and economic malaise and setting stricter rules on meter, rhyme etc.