Hasu Yajnik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hasu Yajnik
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Hasu Yajnik in November 2018 at Amdavad National Book Fair
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| Born | Hasmukhray Vrajlal Yajnik 12 February 1938 Rajkot, Rajkot State, British India |
| Died | 10 December 2020 (aged 82) Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
| Pen name | Upamanyu, Pushpadhanva, B. Kashyap, Vajranandan Jani and Shridhar |
| Occupation | Novelist, short story writer, critic, editor, folklorist, children's writer |
| Language | Gujarati |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | MA, PhD |
| Alma mater | Dharmendrasinhji College, Rajkot |
| Spouse |
Hasumati
(m. 1964) |
| Children | Yuva Aiyer Nayan Yajnik |
Hasmukhray Vrajlal Yajnik (born February 12, 1938 – died December 10, 2020), known as Hasu Yajnik, was an Indian writer. He wrote mainly in the Gujarati language. He was famous for his novels, short stories, and for collecting folk tales. He also wrote books for children.
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His Life and Education
Hasu Yajnik was born on February 12, 1938, in Rajkot, which is now part of Gujarat, India. He was the eighth child of Vrajlal Yajnik and Pushpaben. His father worked as a clerk for the British government. His grandfather, Govindalal, was a survey officer. Hasu Yajnik was raised by his grandfather and learned a lot from him.
He went to primary and secondary school in Rajkot. From 1950 to 1954, he studied in Dhrangadhra. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1960. In 1962, he completed his Master of Arts (MA) in Gujarati and Sanskrit from Dharmendrasinhji Arts College in Rajkot. Later, in 1972, he received his PhD. His special study was on medieval Gujarati love stories.
Becoming a Professor and More
After getting his MA, Hasu Yajnik started working as a professor. In 1963, he taught Gujarati at M. P. Shah College in Surendranagar. He then taught at M. N. College in Visnagar in 1964. From 1965 to 1973, he worked at Gujarat College in Ahmedabad. He also taught at DKB College in Jamnagar from 1965 to 1979.
He returned to M. P. Shah College in Surendranagar from 1979 to 1982. From 1982 to 1996, he served as the registrar for the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi in Gandhinagar. He retired from this role. After retiring, he helped start and manage the Meghani Lokvidya Sanshodhan Bhavan in Ahmedabad from 1996 to 2005.
Hasu Yajnik passed away on December 10, 2020, in Ahmedabad. He died due to COVID-19.
What He Wrote
Hasu Yajnik used several pen names when he wrote. Some of these were Upamanyu, Pushpadhanva, B. Kashyap, Vajranandan Jani, and Shridhar. He wrote many different kinds of books. He published twenty novels and three collections of short stories. He also wrote two "jail stories" and four collections of medieval stories. He wrote critical reviews of four medieval works. Besides this, he edited twelve collections of folk tales and six books for children. His very first short story, "Lapsi," was published in 1954.
His Popular Novels and Stories
His novels were often easy to read and had simple themes. Some of his popular novels include Dagdha (1968), Highway Par Ek Rat (1981), Biji Savarno Sooraj (1982), Sol Pachhi (1986), and Neera Kausani (1987). Diwal Pachhalni Duniya is a collection of 28 true stories that he made into fiction. He also wrote short story collections like Mandani Maya (1985), Ek Jubanimanthi (1985), and Pachhitna Paththaro (1985).
Research and Folk Literature
Hasu Yajnik also did a lot of research. His research works include Madhyakalin Gujarati Premkatha (1974) and Madhyakalin Kathasahitya (1987). He wrote about the famous poet Shamal Bhatt in his book Shamal (1978). He also wrote Sanskrit Kathasahitya (1997). His book Kamkatha (1987) shares stories of Gujarati women from old Sanskrit and Prakrit writings.
He helped edit many collections of folk literature. These include Gujarati Lokkathao (1996), Saurabh Vratkathao (1996), and Saurabh Lagnageet Sangrah (1999). He also helped write down traditional devotional songs for books like Hari Ven Vay Chhe Re Ho Vanma (1988).
Works on Music
Hasu Yajnik also wrote some books about music. These include Violin-vadan (1992), Ragdarshan (1993), Harmonium-vadan (1997), and Bansari-vadan (1998). Some of his works, like Krishnacharit and Ramkatha, have been translated into other Indian languages such as Marathi, Odia, and Hindi.
Awards and Recognition
Hasu Yajnik received several awards for his writing. In 1954, he won a silver medal from Dharmendrasinhji College for his short stories. His book Diwal Pachhalni Duniya won a prize from the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. He also received an award from the Skylark in London in 1994. In 1997, he was given a fellowship from the Gujarati Sahitya Academy, also in London. He also won the first prize from the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi for his work Gujaratni Lokvidya.
His Family Life
Hasu Yajnik married Hasumati Vanravandas Dave in 1964. They had a daughter named Yuva Aiyer, who was born in the same year. They also had a son named Nayan Yajnik.
See also
- List of Gujarati-language writers
