Mohan Rakesh : Trailblazer of Hindi Literature

Born in Amritsar on January 8, 1925, Rakesh lived through the freedom movement as a youth. As a studious youngster who was hungry for knowledge, Rakesh pursued MA in English and Hindi from Punjab University. He also received the title of Shastri in Sanskrit. He witnessed first-hand the non-violent manner in which millions rallied one flag during the Quit India movement. During World War II, he also witnessed the ugly face of imperialism. That environment left an impact on Rakesh.

Literary career

Before deciding to pursue literature to eke out a living, Rakesh took up jobs in Delhi, Jalandhar, Shimla, Mumbai and Lahore. He headed the Hindi department at DAV College, Jalandhar (Guru Nanak Dev University) and had taught at a school in Shimla for two years before returning to Jalandhar. In 1957, he resigned his job and decided to become a full-time writer. He also briefly edited the Hindi literary journal which was titled Sarika.

By the time he became a master playwright, Rakesh was already a consummate storyteller and novelist. Three of his noted novels — Andhere Band Kamre (Closed Dark Rooms) in 1961, Na Aanevala Kal (The Tomorrow That Never Comes) in 1968, and Antraal (Interval) in 1972, carved a niche in Hindi literature. In addition, he wrote short stories, travelogues, essays and even stories for children which became popular. His four plays are Ashadh Ka Ek Din (A Day of Ashadh) in 1958, Lahron Ke Rajhans (Swans of Waves) in 1963, Aadhe-Adhure (Half and Incomplete) in 1969, and Pair Tale Ki Zameen (The Ground Below the Feet) which was posthumously published in 1973. Ashadh Ka Ek Din played a major role in reviving Hindi theatre in the 1960s. The play was first performed by the Kolkata-based Hindi theatre group Anamika, under director Shyamanand Jalan in 1960 and subsequently by Ebrahim Alkazi at National School of Drama Delhi in 1962. It established Rakesh as the first modern Hindi playwright. In addition, he had also translated Mrichchkatikam and Shakuntalam (both are Sanskrit plays)

Legacy and death

Hindi theatre remains ever grateful to Rakesh for enriching it with first-rate works and for composing immensely popular plays. Today, he remains an inspiration for excellence in art and creativity. His plays Ashadh Ka Ek Din, Lahron Ke Rajhans and Adhe Adhure became seminal works of urban drama and theatre. He died of a heart attack on December 3, 1972 in Delhi at the age of 48. One of the finest playwrights of Hindi, his works were humorous, satirical studies of human foibles as well as profound, painful commentaries on the complexities of the human condition. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968. In 1971, he received the Jawarharlal Nehru Fellowship for research on The Dramatic Word. However, he could not complete it. Rakesh’s plays received acclaim worldwide. Aparna Dharwadker and Vinay Dharwadker’s authorised English translation of Ashadh Ka Ek Din was premiered at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA in 2010 and it also travelled to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in 2011.

INTERESTING FACTS

1. Mohan inherited from his father a keen interest in literature and music. The famous dramatist began his career as a postman at Dehradun and Bombay beginning in 1947. He continued in the profession till 1949.

2. In the mid-1950s, there was a group of 10-12 writers, including Rakesh who were primarily interested in writing short stories. All of a sudden, it seemed, there was a shift away from poetry to writing short stories.

3. According to Rakesh, the New Short Story movement did not begin as a movement. He said that with the shift of emphasis to interpreting the reality around them, many of them realised that they had a deal in common. Yet, most of those who were part of Nai Kahani genre, had retained their individuality. Rakesh Mohan’s works are now published in a book titled Another Life: Thirteen Stories And A Play.

4. Filmmaker Mani Kaul made a Hindi film based on Ashadh Ka Ek Din in 1971 by the same name. It won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie. It was preceded by Uski Roti in 1969 and Rakesh wrote its dialogues.

Source: Wikipedia, mapsofindia.com, swarajyamag.com, PTI