The Works of Narmadashankar Lalshankar Dave (1833 – 1886), popularly known as Narmad, consist essays, poems, plays and other prose were published in collections by Gujarati. He is considered as the founder of modern Gujarati literature.
He introduced many creative forms of writing in Gujarati. He wrote pioneering work in such forms as autobiography, poetry, lexicography, historical plays and research in folk literature. He was also an outspoken journalist and a pamphleteer. Narmad was a strong opponent of religious fanaticism and orthodoxy. He promoted nationalism and patriotism with famous songs like Sahu Chalo Jeetva Jang, wrote about self-government and talked about one national language, Hundustani, for all of India, nearly five decades before Mahatma Gandhi or Nehru. He wrote a poem Jai Jai Garavi Gujarat in which he listed with a sense of pride all the cultural symbols that go into constituting the Gujarati identity. These symbols include even the things non-Hindu, implying that Gujarat belongs to all the castes, communities, races, religions and sects that inhabit Gujarat. The poem is now state song of Gujarat. Mahatma Gandhi had acknowledged him for his philosophy of nonviolence.
His major collected works are Narmagadya (), collection of essays; Narmakavita (), collection of poems; Narmakathakosh (), collection of stories of characters of mythological literature and Narmakosh (), dictionary. His Mari Hakikat, the first autobiography in Gujarati, was published posthumously.
Poetry His Narmakavita:1-3 (1858), Narmakavita:4-8 (1859) and Narmakavita:9-10 (1860) were collected in Narmakavita:Book 1 (1962). Later Narmakavita:Book 2 (1863) was published. His all poetry were later collected in Narmakavita (1864).
His poem, "Jai Jai Garavi Gujarat", (1873) is used as a de facto state song of Gujarat.
Prose His Rasapravesh (1858), Pingalpravesh (1857), Alankarpravesh (1858), Narmavyakaran Part I and II (1865), Varnavichar (1865), Nayika Vishaypravesh (1866) are his collections of essays on poetics with historical importance.
Rituvarnan (1861), Hinduoni Padati (1864), Kavicharit (1865), Suratni Mukhtesar Hakikat (1865), Iliadno Sar (1870), Mahipatram Rupram Mehta (1870), Mahapurushona Charitra (1870), Mahabharatano Sar (1870), Ramayanano Sar (1870), Sarshakuntal (1881), Bhagvadgitanu Bhashantar (1882) are his prose works. His other writings between 1850 and 1865 collected in Narmagadya (1865) and posthumously published Narmagadya-2 (1936) are his other prose works. Mari Hakikat, his autobiography written in 1866 and published posthumously in 1933, is the first autobiography of Gujarati. Uttar Narmad Charitra (1939) was also published chronicling his later life.
His essays are collected and edited in three volumes. They are Narmadgadya or Narmadashankar Lalashankarna Gadyatmak Granthono Sangrah (1875) edited by Mahipatram Rupram Nilkanth, Narmadnu Mandir-Gadya Vibhag (1937) edited by Vishwanath Bhatt and Narmadgadya(1975) edited by Gambhirsinh Gohil. His fifteen prose were collected in Junu Narmadgadya Part I, II (1865, 1874) are also important.
He had researched and edited several works. Manohar Swami's Manhar Pad (1860), Narmakosh: Issue 1 (1861), Narmakosh: Issue 2 (1862), Narmakosh:Issue 3 (1864), Narmakosh:Issue 4 (1865). Narmakathakosh (1870), Dayaramkrut Kavyasangrah (1865), Stree Geet Sangrah (1870) of songs popular in Nagar Brahmin ladies, Premanand's Dashamskandh (1872) and the complete issue of Narmakosh (1873) are his edited and researched works.
Tusli Vaidhvyachitra (dialogue, 1859), Rmjanaki Darshan (1876), Draupadidarshan (1878), Balkrishnavijay (1886), Krishnakumari are his plays and dialogues. His Seetaharan (1878) is unpublished play. Rajyarang Part I, II (1874, 1876) are his works on ancient and modern history of world. Dharmavichar is his work on philosophy. Gujarat Sarvasangrah (1887) and Kathiawar Sarvasangrah (1887) are his historical works.
Mari Hakikat, his autobiography written in 1866 and published posthumously in 1933, is the first autobiography of Gujarati. His some notes and letters were published as Uttar Narmad Charitra (1939).
List of works The list is as follows: No. Year of Publication Name of the Publication 11850 - 51Mandaii Malvathi Thata Labh 21856Vyabhichar Nishedhak 31856Muvan Pachhvade Rova Kutvani Ghelai 41856Swadeshabhiman 51856Nirashrit Pratye Shreemantna Dharma 61857Pingal Pravesh 71857Streena Dharma 81857Guru ane Stree 91858Narmakavita - 1, 2 101858Alamkar Pravesh 111858Rasa Pravesh 121858Garibai Vishe Bhikharidasno Samvad 131858Kavi ane Kavita 141859Samp 151859Vishayi Guru 161859Guruni Satta 171859Narmakavita - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 181860Narmakavita - 9, 10 191860Dayaramkrut Kavyasamgrah 201860Punarvivah 211860Lagna tatha Punariagna 221860Bhakti 231860Sakar 241860Manhar Pad (Manohar Swaminan Pad) 251859 - 63Tulji Vaidhvya Chitra (In the form of a dialogue) 261861Narma Kosh - I 271861Rituvaman 281862Narmakavita - Book 1 (Collection of Poems for the last seven years) 291862Narma Kosh - 2 301863Narmakavita - Book - 2 311864Hinduoni Padti 321864Narmakavita (Comprehensive volume) 331864Dandio (The journal was started) 341864Narma Kosh - 3 351864Ranman Pachhan Pagian Na Karva Vishe 361865Narmagadya 371865Kavicharitra 381865Dayaramkrut Kavya Samgrah 391865Narma Vyakaran Vol. I 401865Suratni Mukhtesar Hakikat 411865Narma Vyakaran Vol. 2. Part 1 421865Narrna Kosh - 4431866Nayika Vishay Pravesh 441867Mevadni Hakikat 451868Sajivaropan 461868Stree Kelavni 471868-69Gujarationi Sthiti 481869Kelavni Vishe 491869Kul Motap 501869Udyog tatha Vruddhi 511869Sukh 521870Ramayanno Sar 531870Mahabharatno Sar 541870Diadno Sar 551870Narma Kathakosh 561870Narma Kathakosh 571870Nagar Streeoman Gavatan Geet 581872Premanandkrut Dasham Skandh 591873Narma Kosh (Complete) 601874Mahadarshan (Jagatna Pracheen Itihasnun Samagra Darshan) 611874Rajyarang -1 (Jagatna Pracheen tatha Arvacheen Itihas) 621875Premanandkrut Nalakhyan 631876Ram Janaki Darshan 641878Shree Draupadi Darshan Natak 651878Seetaharan Natak (Unpublished) 661881Shree Sarshakuntal 671886Balkrishna Vijay Natak* 681886Dharma Vichar 691889Kathiawad Sarva Sangrah (posthumous) 70 Rajyarang - Vol. 2 71 Arya Darshan 72 Krishna Kumari Natak 73 Shreemad Bhagvad Geeta 741887 Gujarat Sarva Samgrah (posthumous) 751911 Desh Vyavahar Vyavastha 761933 Mari Hakikat (completed in 1866)
Works about Narmadashankar Dave The list of works published about Narmad: No. Title Author Publisher 1KavijivanNavalram Pandya 2Veer NarmadVishwanath Bhatt 3Narmad Shatabdi GranthMumbai Narmad Shatabdi Samiti 4Kavi Narmad Shatabdi Smarak ChitravaliGujarati Sahitya Parishad 5Narmad: Arvachinoma AdyaK. M. Munshi 6Narmadashankar KaviRamnarayan V. Pathak 7Narmad: Arvachin Gadya Padyano Adya PranetaRamnarayan V. Pathak 8Navyugno Prahari: NarmadBhogilal Gandhi 9Narmadashankar (in English)Gulabdas Broker 10Narmad: Ek Character (Humorous sketch of Narmad)Vinod Bhatt 11Society and Literature: Narmad in Critical DiscourseRakesh Desai (ed.)
Adaptation Narmad:Mari Hakikat or Narmad:My Life, a soliloquy based on his autobiography and life, was written and directed by Harish Trivedi while it was performed by Chandrakant Shah. It was premiered in Dayton, Ohio, US in 1995 and later toured India, UK, France. It was critically acclaimed.
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