Harivansh Rai Bachchan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harivansh Rai Bachchan
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Bachchan on a 2003 stamp of India
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| Born | Harivansh Rai Srivastava 27 November 1907 Babupatti, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Died | 18 January 2003 (aged 95) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Pen name | Bachchan |
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| Language | Awadhi and Hindi |
| Alma mater | Allahabad University (B.A) St Catharine's College, Cambridge (PhD) |
| Notable awards | Padma Bhushan (1976) |
| Spouse |
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| Children | 2 (including Amitabh Bachchan) |
| Relatives | Bachchan family |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 3 April 1966 – 2 April 1972 |
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| Constituency | Nominated |
| Signature |  |
Harivansh Rai Bachchan (born Srivastava; November 27, 1907 – January 18, 2003) was a famous Indian poet and writer. He was part of a special poetry movement called Nayi Kavita (New Poetry) in the early 1900s. He was also well-known for performing his poems at Kavi Sammelans (poetry gatherings). His most famous work is Madhushala.
Harivansh Rai Bachchan was the father of the well-known actor Amitabh Bachchan. His wife, Teji Bachchan, was also a social activist. For his great contributions to Hindi literature, he received the Padma Bhushan award in 1976.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Harivansh Rai Bachchan was born on November 27, 1907. His birthplace was Babupatti, in what was then British India. His family name was Srivastava. He later chose to use "Bachchan" as his pen name. This word means "child-like" in Hindi.
From 1941 to 1957, he taught English at Allahabad University. After that, he spent two years studying at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. There, he earned a PhD by studying the poet W. B. Yeats.
Family Life
Harivansh Rai Bachchan first married Shyama in 1926. Sadly, she passed away in 1936. In 1941, he married Teji Suri.
They had two sons. Their elder son, Amitabh Bachchan, was born on October 11, 1942. Their younger son, Ajitabh, was born on May 18, 1947.
When their elder son was starting school, Harivansh Rai and Teji decided to use "Bachchan" as their family's last name. They did this because they did not support the Indian caste system. This is how "Bachchan" became the family's official surname. Harivansh Rai Bachchan was also a close friend of the famous Hindi actor Prithviraj Kapoor.
Writing Style
Bachchan was very good at several Hindi languages. These included Hindustani and Awadhi. He used many Hindustani words in his poems. He wrote them using the Devanagari script.
Even though he could not read Persian script, he was inspired by Persian and Urdu poetry. He especially admired the poet Omar Khayyam.
Poetry in Movies
Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poems have been used in movies and songs. Lines from his poem "Agneepath" were featured in the 1990 film Agneepath. His son, Amitabh Bachchan, starred in this movie. The poem was also used in the 2012 remake of Agneepath, starring Hrithik Roshan. You can also hear his work in the TV show Ishqbaaz.
One famous quote from his work is:
Mitti ka tan, masti ka man, kshan-bhar jivan – mera parichay.
(मिट्टी का तन, मस्ती का मन, क्षण भर जीवन, मेरा परिचय)
(Body of clay, mind of fun, life of a moment, my introduction)
Famous Works
Harivansh Rai Bachchan wrote many poems and other works. Here are some of his well-known creations:
Poems
- Madhushala (मधुशाला) (1935)
- Madhubala (मधुबाला) (1936)
- Madhukalash (मधुकलश) (1937)
- Nisha Nimantran (निशा निमंत्रण) (1938)
- Ekaant Sangeet (एकांत संगीत) (1939)
- Satarangini (सतरंगिनी) (1945)
- Halaahal (हलाहल) (1946)
- Milan Yamini (मिलन यामिनी) (1950)
- Aarti aur Angaare (आरती और अंगारे) (1958)
- Do Chattane (दो चट्टानें) (1965)
- Agneepath (अग्निपथ)
- Aathmaparichai (आत्मपरिचय)
Autobiography
Harivansh Rai Bachchan also wrote a four-part autobiography. It tells the story of his life:
- Kya bhooloon kya yaad karoon (क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं) (1969)
- Neerh ka nirmaan phir (नीड़ का निर्माण फिर) (1970)
- Basere se door (बसेरे से दूर) (1977)
- Dashdwaar se sopaan tak (दशद्वार से सोपान तक) (1985)
See also
- Indian Writers
- Indian Poets
