Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayan 'Ajneya'

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Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayana 'Ajneya' (सच्‍चिदानन्‍द हीरानन्‍द वात्‍स्‍यायन 'अज्ञेय') (March 7, 1911–April 4, 1987), popularly known by his pen-name Ajneya also Agyeya (Beyond Comprehension), was a pioneer of modern trends not only in the realm of Hindi poetry, but also fiction, criticism and journalism. He was one of the most prominent exponents of the Nayi Kavita (New Poetry) and Prayogvad (Experimentalism) in Modern Hindi literature ^[1][2], edited the 'Tar Saptaks', a literary series, and started his own Hindi weekly, Dinman ^[3].

Agyeya also translated some of his own works, as well as works of some other Indian authors to English.

[edit] Biography

Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayana was born on March 7, 1911 at Kushinagar, Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh ^[4]. His father was an archaeologist, and an expert in the Sanskrit language. His childhood was spent in many different places, including Lucknow, Jammu, and Srinagar. He studied science for Intermediate at Madras Christian College, and passed out in 1927, thereafter he studied at Forman Christian College, Lahore, where he did his B.Sc. in 1929, and joined M.A. English, but couldn't complete his studies as soon he joined the Indian freedom movement activities, and spent his next six years, 1930 to 1936, in various prisons.

Agyeya travelled extensively, both in India and abroad. Between 1961 and 1964, he held a visiting faculty position at the University of California, Berkeley.

In 1965, he returned to India and became editor of the weekly 'Dinmaan'. He remained in India till 1968, before embarking on a trip to Europe. In 1969 he returned to Berkeley as Regents Professor, and continued there till June, 1970. In 1976, he had an 8 month stint at Heidelberg University, as a visiting professor.

He died on April 4, 1987 in New Delhi.

[edit] Literary works

Poetry anthologies:

• Bhagnadoot (1933)
• Chinta (1942)
• Ityalam (1946)
• Hari ghaas par kshan-bhar (1949)
• Baawra Aheri (1954)
• Indradhanu raunde hue ye (1957)
• Ari o karuna prabhamaya (1959)
• Aangan ke paar dvaar (1961)
• Poorva (Ityalam & Hari ghaas par kshan-bhar) (1965)
• Sunahale Shaival (1965)
• Kitni naavon mein kitni baar (1967)
• Kyonki main use jaanta hoon (1969)
• Saagar-mudra (1970)
• Pahle main sannata bunta hoon (1973)
• Mahavriksha ke neeche (1977)
• Nadi ki baank par chhaya (1982)
• Prison days and other poems (in English) (1946)
• Agyeya Kavya Saptak
• Tar Saptak
• Doosra Saptak
• Teesra Saptak

Novels:

• Shekhar: Ek Jeevani I (1941)
• Shekhar: Ek Jeevani II (1944)
• Nadi ke dweep (1952)
• Apne-apne ajnabi (1961)

Stories anthologies:

• Sampurn Kahanian (2005)
• Jaidol
• Meri Priya Kahaniyan (2004)

Critic:

• Atmanepad

Travelog:

• Ek Boond Sahsa Uchli Si (2003)
• Smrati Ke Galiyaron Se (2000)

Translations:

• First Person, Second Person, A Selection of Poems from the Work of "Agyeya" (with Leonard Nathan) (1971)

[edit] Awards and honors

• Sahitya Akademi Award 1964 for Aangan Ke Par Dvar (Poetry).
• Jnanpith Award in 1978, for 'Kitni Naavon mein kitni baar', an the anthology of poems ^[5].
• Bharatbharati Award
• Golden Wreath Award for poetry in 1983 ^[6].

[edit] Further reading

• Ajneya by Vishwanath Prasad Tewari. National Publishing House, New Delhi. 1978.
• Ajneya ka antahprakriya sahitya by Mathuresh Nandan Kulshreshtha. Chitralekha Prakashan, Allabad. 1984.
• Ajneya ki kavyachetana aur srijan ke kshana by Madan Lal Gulati, Siddhartha Publication, Karnal, 1987.
• The Quest of Ajneya by Roger by Hardham Hooker. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1998.
• Ajneya: Kavya rachana ki Visheshtayein by Krishna Sinha. Bihar Hindi Granth Akademi, Patna, 2000.

[edit] References

1. ^ Historical Development of Hindi University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
2. ^ S.H. Vatsyayan Personalities of India.
3. ^ Indian Poets Writing In Hindi
4. ^ Ajneya www.abhivyakti-hindi.org.
5. ^ Jnanpith Laureates Bharatiya Jnanpith website.
6. ^ Golden Wreath Award