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Balwantray Thakore | |
|---|---|
 Balwantrai Thakore | |
| Born | Balwantray Kalyanray Thakore (1869-10-23)23 October 1869 |
| Died | January 2, 1952(1952-01-02) (aged 82) |
| Pen name | Valkal, Sehni |
| Occupation | Poet, Critic |
| Language | Gujarati |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Master of Arts |
| Alma mater | Deccan College, Pune |
| Period | Pandit Era |
| Genres | Sonnet |
| Years active | 1886 - 1952 |
| Notable works |
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| Spouses | Chandramani |
Balwantray Kalyanray Thakore (23 October 1869 – 2 January 1952), popularly known asB. K. Thakore (Gujarati:બ.ક.ઠાકોર), was a poetry teacher and one of the great pioneers of thePandit yug, during the turn of the twentieth century period inGujarati literature. Known as 'Ballukaka' in his intimate circle, he played a key role in the development of modern Gujarati poetry.[1]
The son of a lawyer, Thakore was born on 23 October 1869 inPorbandar, and later moved toBharuch inGujarat. After attending school in Bharuch, he went toRajkot for further education where he became acquainted withNavalram Pandya, a contemporary ofNarmad,Mahatma Gandhi andManishankar Bhatt 'Kant'. While studying at Rajkot, he came under the influence ofChristianity. In his later life he also appreciated certain principles ofIslam. At age 18, he married Chandramani. He later remarried after the death of his first wife.[1]
Thakore learnedSanskrit fromManilal Dwivedi, a language in which he also composed poetry.[citation needed] He hoped to study abroad but was unable to do so due to the death of his wife, after which he had to take on the responsibility of raising his children. He graduated with honors fromDeccan College inPune, where he was awarded an Ellis scholarship for his high marks inEnglish. Afterwards he went toMumbai to sit theIndian Civil Service examinations, and started writing articles forThe Times of India to support himself. He later worked as an assistant editor with theIndian Spectator. He subsequently returned to Deccan College to pursue his master's degree in arts. He was offered the position of assistant editor for the celebrated news weeklyMaratha, but he declined the invitation. In 1983, he was awarded a gold medal for his historical essayAn account of the first Madhavrao Peshwa.[1]
Thakore taught history, economics, political science, logic, and ethics at theD. J. Sindh College inKarachi. He remained active throughout his life, even lecturing atWilson College, Mumbai at the age of 80. He also started his own publishing house at around the same time, hoping to invigorate Gujarati literature. He died shortly after, at the age of 82, in Mumbai.[2]
Thakore wrote under the pen-names 'Sehni' (Senani or military officer, after his great-grandfather Anuprai, who had been an officer in the army of theScindias) and 'Valkal'. He wrote his first poem in 1886, published in the same year. His first essay on was published in 1891.[citation needed]
His sonnet sequencePremo Divas ("Day of love") and the collection of poemsBhankaar (published in 1917) are major contributions to Gujarati literature.[citation needed] They were followed byMhara Sonnet (1935). He also wrote books on literary criticism; his first collection of critical essays,Kavitashikshana, was published in 1924, followed byLyric (1928),Navin Kavita Vishe Vyakhyano (1943),Vividh Vyakhyano andPraveshako.[citation needed] Thakore emphasized very strongly the need of intellection in the meaning of poetry and of flexibility in its metre.[3]
As an editor, he compiled a collection of Gujarati poetry,Aapani Kavita Samriddhi, in 1931, with the aim of introducing readers to some of the best poems in Gujarati literature. It has 85 poems written by 57 poets. The collection is considered to be a landmark in the history ofGujarati literature.[4] With the same aim he started contributing a regular feature to a literary magazine calledPrasthan, edited byRamnarayan V. Pathak, where he selected a poem and discussed it in detail. He also edited Vachak Manimanikya'sAmbad Vidyadhar Ras and Vachak Udaybhanu'sVikramcharit Ras. In co-operation with other scholars, he edited a series of six medieval 'Ras' poems calledGurjar Rasavali.[citation needed]
As a translator, he produced versions from Sanskrit ofKalidasa'sAbhijnan Shakuntalam in 1906,Malvikagnimitra in 1933 andVikramorvarshiyam in 1958. He adapted a Russian comedy byValentin Kataev calledQuadrature of the circle.[citation needed]
He also authored two plays,Ugati Jawani ("Rising Youth") andLagnaman Brahmacharya, both published in 1923. A collection of his short stories was published asDarshaniyun in 1924.B.K. Thakoreni Dinki (1969) is a diary work by him. His historical works includeItihas Digdarshan (1928),An account of First Madhavrao Peshwa (1897) andIndian Administration to the Dawn of Responsible Government (1922).[citation needed]
The Shree Lalshankar Umiyashankar Arts and Harivadan and Padmaben Thakore Commerce College for Women was established in part by Thakore's support.[5][1][6]
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