Suryakant Tripathi
Suryakant Tripathi (21 February 1896[1] – 15 October 1961), known by his nom de plume Nirala, was an Indian poet, novelist, essayist and story-writer.
Tripathi was born on 21 February 1896 in Midnapore in Bengal (originally from Gadhakola, Unnao, Uttar Pradesh).[2] He participated in literary circles such as the Kavi Sammelan.[citation needed] Though a student of Bengali, Nirala took a keen interest in Sanskrit from the very beginning.[citation needed]
Nirala's life, barring short periods, was one long sequence of misfortunes and tragedies. His father, Pandit Ramsahaya Tripathi, was a government servant and was a tyrannical person. His mother died when he was very young. Nirala was educated in the Bengali medium at Mahishadal, Purba Medinipur.[3] However, after passing the matriculation exam, he continued his education at home by reading Sanskrit and English literature. Subsequently, he shifted to Lucknow and thence to Village Gadhakola of District Unnao, to which his father originally belonged. Growing up, he gained inspiration from personalities like Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore.
After his marriage at a young age, Nirala learnt Hindi at the insistence of his wife, Manohara Devi. Soon, he started writing poems in Hindi, instead of Bengali. After a bad childhood, Nirala had a few good years with his wife. But this phase was short-lived as his wife died when he was 20, and later his daughter (who was a widow) also expired. He also went through financial troubles during this time. During that phase, he worked for many publishers, worked as proof-reader and also edited publications including Matvala[4] and Samanvaya.
Most of his life was somewhat in the Bohemian tradition. He wrote strongly against social injustice and exploitation in society. Since he was more or less a rebel, both in form and content, acceptance did not come easily. What he got in plenty was ridicule and derision. All this may have played a role in making him a victim of schizophrenia in his later life and he was admitted to Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi.[5] (Incidentally Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam (who was later declared national poet of Bangladesh) had also been admitted to the same institute for schizophrenia).
Nirala died in Allahabad on 15 October 1961. The world of Hindi literature is remarkable for ideological and aesthetic divisions.[citation needed] But today, the same reviled Nirala is one of the very few people in Hindi literature who are admired and respected by almost all, across all divisions.
Today, a park, Nirala Uddyan, an auditorium, Nirala Prekshagrah, and a degree college, Mahapran Nirala Degree College, in the Unnao District are named after him.[2] His life-size bust has been installed at the main market square of Daraganj, Allahabad, a place where he lived for most of his life. His family still lives in Daraganj, Allahabad. The road on which his modest house was situated is now named "Nirala Marg".
Works
Poetry
- Ram Ki Shakti Puja (राम की शक्ति पूजा)
- Dhwani
- Apara (अपरा)
- Saroj Smriti (सरोज स्मृति)
- Parimal (परिमल)
- Priyatam (प्रियतम)
- Anaamika (अनामिका, 1938)
- Geetika (गीतिका)
- Kukurmutta (कुकुरमुत्ता, 1941)
- Adima (अणिमा)
- Bela (बेला)
- Naye Patte (नये पत्ते)
- Archana (अर्चना)
- Geet Gunj (गीतगुंज)
- Aradhana (आराधना)
- Tulsidas (तुलसीदास, 1938)
- Janmabhumi (जन्मभूमि)
- Jago Phir Ek Bar (जागो फिर एक बार)
- Bhikshuk
- Todti Patthar (तोड़ती पत्थर)
Novels
- Ram Ki Shakti Puja (राम की शक्ति पूजा)
- Dhwani
- Apara (अपरा)
- Saroj Smriti (सरोज स्मृति)
- Parimal (परिमल)
- Priyatam (प्रियतम)
- Anaamika (अनामिका, 1938)
- Geetika (गीतिका)
- Kukurmutta (कुकुरमुत्ता, 1941)
- Adima (अणिमा)
- Bela (बेला)
- Naye Patte (नये पत्ते)
- Archana (अर्चना)
- Geet Gunj (गीतगुंज)
- Aradhana (आराधना)
- Tulsidas (तुलसीदास, 1938)
- Janmabhumi (जन्मभूमि)
- Jago Phir Ek Bar (जागो फिर एक बार)
- Bhikshuk
- Todti Patthar (तोड़ती पत्थर)
Novels
- Apsara (अप्सरा)
- Alka (अलका)
- Prabhavati (प्रभावती)
- Nirupama (निरुपमा)
- Chameli (चमेली)
- Choti ki Pakad (चोटी की पकड़)
- Indulekha (इन्दुलेखा)
- Kale Karname (काले कारनामे)
Collections of stories
- Chhaturi Chamar (चतुरी चमार)
- Sukul ki Biwi (सुकुल की बीवी, 1941)
- Sakhi (साखी)
- Lily (लिली)
- Devi (देवी)
