Shardha Ram Phillauri
Encyclopedia
Shardha Ram Phillauri 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."
family in the town of Phillaur
, Jalandhar
. His father, Jai Dyalu, was an astrologer. Their gotra was Moudgil. He did not have any formal education as such. 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).
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. As a result, he was exile
d temporarily from his home town, Phillaur.
A son of Sharda Ram died at an age of thirty. His grandson lived up to the age of 60. His great grandson, taught at D.A.V. College, Jalandhar, Punjab, India, and lived up to the age of 92. His great great grandson,Shri Sewak Ram Joshi, an alumnus of IIT Rorkee, lives in Canada.
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. His novel Bhagyawati
, believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar, was first published in 1888, after Shardha Ram's death. It is believed that his wife, a woman of strong will, played a major role in getting it published. The novel's portrayal of women and women's rights was progressive for its day. It is believed that he had also written his biography which was spread over 1400 pages which is considered to be lost for ever.
Shardha Ram died on 24 June 1881 at Lahore
.
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, social reformer, astrologer
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
, and writer, best remembered for his contributions to Hindi
Hindi literature
Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...
and Punjabi literature
Punjabi Literature
Punjabi literature refers to literary works written in the Punjabi language particularly by peoples from the historical Punjab region of India and Pakistan including the Punjabi diaspora. The Punjabi language is written in several different scripts, of which the Shahmukhi, the Gurmukhī scripts are...
. He has been called the “father of modern Punjabi prose."
Biography
Shardha Ram was born in 1837 to a BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family in the town of Phillaur
Phillaur
Phillaur is a town and a municipal council in Jalandhar district in the Indian state of Punjab.- Overview :Phillaur is the railway junction on the border line of Ludhiana and Jalandhar Cantonment. It was a junction for Lohian and Ferozepur. In pre-partition days, it was the main timber market of...
, Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
. His father, Jai Dyalu, was an astrologer. Their gotra was Moudgil. He did not have any formal education as such. At the age of seven, he learned Gurmukhi script. By age ten, he had studied Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, astrology, and music. Later, he was also a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
of traditional Hinduism (Sanatana dharma).
In his books, Shardha Ram documented Punjabi culture and language.
Shardha Ram gave forceful lectures on the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, and because of this was charged with conducting propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
against the British government in 1865. As a result, he was exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d temporarily from his home town, Phillaur.
A son of Sharda Ram died at an age of thirty. His grandson lived up to the age of 60. His great grandson, taught at D.A.V. College, Jalandhar, Punjab, India, and lived up to the age of 92. His great great grandson,Shri Sewak Ram Joshi, an alumnus of IIT Rorkee, lives in Canada.
Sharda Ram often visited Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
and adjoining Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, 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. His novel Bhagyawati
Bhagyawati
Bhagyawati is an 1888 novel by Shardha Ram Phillauri. The book is now acknowledged as the first novel in Hindi. Bhagyawati is believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar and was first published in 1888....
, believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar, was first published in 1888, after Shardha Ram's death. It is believed that his wife, a woman of strong will, played a major role in getting it published. The novel's portrayal of women and women's rights was progressive for its day. It is believed that he had also written his biography which was spread over 1400 pages which is considered to be lost for ever.
Shardha Ram died on 24 June 1881 at Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
.
Works
| Work | Year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sikhan De Raj Di Vithia (The Story of Sikh Rule) | 1866 | The book is an account of Sikh religion Sikhism Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing... and the rule of Maharaja Maharaja Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata... Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:... . The last of its three chapters documents Punjabi culture Punjabi Culture Punjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest in world history, dating from ancient antiquity to the modern era. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of... and language, including its customs, usages, and folk songs. The book was often prescribed as a text book. |
| Punjabi Batcheet | This book was specifically written to help the British understand the local dialect. It may have been the first book transliterated into Roman script from Gurmukhi script. The study of this was a requirement for admission into the administrative services. The book is taught to this day at schools affiliated with the Punjab State Education Board (PSEB) Mohali. | |
| Om Jai Jagdish Hare Jai Jagdish Hare Om Jai Jagdish Hare is a Hindu bhajan , composed in or near the 1870s by Pandit Shardha Ram Phillauri in Punjab, India. Even though it is in Hindi, it is universally used by Hindus around the world speaking any of the numerous Indian languages, or belonging to any one of many sects.It may have been... |
1870s | Translated in Punjabi the first time |
| Bhagyawati Bhagyawati Bhagyawati is an 1888 novel by Shardha Ram Phillauri. The book is now acknowledged as the first novel in Hindi. Bhagyawati is believed to have been written mainly in Amritsar and was first published in 1888.... |
published 1888 | This book is believed to be the first novel in Hindi. |
| Satya Dharm Muktavli | ||
| Shatopadesh | ||
| Satyamrit Pravaha |
External links
Further reading
- Singh Bedi, Harmohinder. Shardha Ram Granthawali. Nirmal Publisher. (A three-volume work by the dean and head of the Guru Nanak Dev UniversityGuru Nanak Dev UniversityGuru Nanak Dev University was established at Amritsar, India on November 24, 1969 to commemorate Guru Nanak Dev's birth quincentenary celebrations. Guru Nanak Dev University campus is spread over 500 acres near village of Kot Khalsa, nearly 8 km west of the Amritsar City on Amritsar - Lahore...
Hindi Department.)