Mohan Rakesh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohan Rakesh
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Born | Madan Mohan Guglani 8 January 1925 Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Died | 3 December 1972 (aged 47) Delhi, India |
| Occupation | Novelist, playwright |
Mohan Rakesh (born January 8, 1925 – died December 3, 1972) was a very important Indian writer. He helped start a new style of writing in Hindi literature called Nai Kahani, which means "New Story," in the 1950s.
He wrote the first modern Hindi play, Ashadh Ka Ek Din (One Day in Aashad), in 1958. This play won a special competition. Mohan Rakesh wrote many different types of stories, including novels, short stories, and plays. His play Aadhe Adhure is famous for showing how families in cities changed over time in India. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968 for his amazing work.
Contents
Mohan Rakesh's Early Life and School
Mohan Rakesh was born as Madan Mohan Guglani on January 8, 1925. This was in Amritsar, a city in the Punjab Province of British India. His father was a lawyer, but he passed away when Mohan Rakesh was only sixteen years old.
His family came from the Sindh region. They had moved to Punjab a long time before he was born. Mohan Rakesh studied at Punjab University, Lahore. He earned two master's degrees, one in English and one in Hindi.
Becoming a Writer: Mohan Rakesh's Career
Mohan Rakesh started his career as a postman in Dehradun from 1947 to 1949. After that, he moved to Delhi. He soon found a job teaching in Jalandhar, Punjab, for a short time.
Later, he became the head of the Hindi department at DAV College in Jalandhar. He also taught Hindi at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla for two years. In 1957, he decided to quit his teaching job. He wanted to focus on writing full-time. For a short period, from 1962 to 1963, he also edited a Hindi literary magazine called Sarika.
Famous Plays and Novels
Mohan Rakesh wrote several important novels. These include Andhere Band Kamare (Closed Dark Rooms) and Na Aane Wala Kal (The Tomorrow That Never Comes). His plays were very important for Hindi theatre.
His first play, Ashadh Ka Ek Din (One Day in Aashad), was first performed in 1960. It helped bring Hindi theatre back to life in the 1960s. Another famous play is Adhe Adhure (The Incomplete Ones or Halfway House), written in 1969. These plays are still performed and loved around the world today.
One of his plays, Lahron Ke Rajhans (The Swans of the Waves), tells an old Buddhist story. It is about the Buddha giving up his old life and how it affected his family. This play started as a short story and then became a radio play. Many famous directors in India have put on this play.
In July 1971, Mohan Rakesh received a special award called the Jawarharlal Nehru Fellowship. He was going to research "The Dramatic Word," but he sadly passed away on December 3, 1972, before he could finish.
Mohan Rakesh's Personal Life
Mohan Rakesh was married three times. His second marriage in 1960 did not last long. In 1963, he married Anita Aulakh, and they found love together. Anita was 21 years old when they got married. After Mohan Rakesh passed away, Anita wrote a book about her life with him.
Mohan Rakesh's Literary Works
Novels (Upanyas)
- Andhere Band Kamre (1961)
- Na Aanewala Kal (1968)
- Antaraal (1972)
- Bakalama Khuda (1974)
Plays (Natak-Ekanki)
- Aadhe Adhure / आधे अधूरे (1969) ISBN: 978-81-8361-325-5
- Lahron Ke Rajhans / लहरों के राजहंस (1963) ISBN: 978-81-267-1595-4
- Ashadh Ka Ek Din / आषाढ़ का एक दिन (One Day in Ashadha, 1958) ISBN: 9788170284093
- Mohan Rakesh ke Sampurn Natak, 1993, Rajpal. ISBN: 81-7028-152-0.
Works Published After His Death
- Pairon Tale ki Zameen (1973)
- Ande ke Chilke, anya ekanki tatha beej natak (1973)
- Rata Bitane Taka Tatha Anya Dhvani Nataka, 1974, Radhakrishna Prakashan. ISBN: 81-7119-332-3. (These were plays written for radio.)
Translations by Mohan Rakesh
Mohan Rakesh also translated old Sanskrit plays:
- Mrichchkatikam
- Shakuntalam
Story Collections (Kahani Sangrah)
- 10 Pratinidhi Kahaniyan (Mohan Rakesh)
- Rat ki Bahon Mein
- Mohan Rakesh ki meri prem Kahaniyan
His Works in Other Languages
Mohan Rakesh's plays have been translated into Kannada, another Indian language.
- Aashadada Ondu Dina by Siddhaling Pattanshetti (This is Ashadh Ka Ek Din)
- Alalegalalli Rajahamsagalu by Siddhaling Pattanshetti (This is Lahron Ke Rajhans)
- Aadha Adhure by Siddhaling Pattanshetti (This is Aadhe Adhure)
- Kaala Kelagina Nela by Siddhaling Pattanshetti (This is Pairon Tale Ki Zameen)
Mohan Rakesh's Stories on the Big Screen
Two of Mohan Rakesh's writings were made into movies by filmmaker Mani Kaul.
- The film Uski Roti (1969) was based on his short story of the same name. Mohan Rakesh even wrote the conversations for this movie.
- The film Ashadh Ka Ek Din (1971) was based on his play.
Images for kids
-
Mohan Agashe and Lillete Dubey performing in a play Aadhe Adhoore
