Indian writer and activist (1921?1977)
Phanishwar Nath Renu
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Born
| (
1921-03-04
)
4 March 1921
Araria,
Bihar
, India
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Died
| 11 April 1977
(1977-04-11)
(aged 56)
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Occupation
| Novelist
,
memoirist
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Notable works
| Maila Anchal
(The Soiled Linen, 1954)
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Spouses
| Rekha, Padma and Latika Renu
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Children
| Kavita Roy, Padam Parag Venu, Navneeta, Aparajit, Dakshineshwar Prasad Rai
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Parent
| - Sheela Nath Mandal (father)
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Phanishwar Nath Mandal 'Renu'
[1]
(4 March 1921 ? 11 April 1977) was one of the most successful and influential writers of modern
Hindi
literature in the post-
Premchand
era. He is the author of
Maila Anchal
, which after
Premchand
's
Godaan
, is regarded as the most significant Hindi novel.
[2]
Phanishwar Nath (Mandal) Renu was born on 4 March 1921 in a small village Aurahi Hingna near Simraha railway station in Bihar. The mandal community of Bihar to which Renu belonged constitutes an under-privileged social group in India. Renu's family, however, enjoyed the benefits of land, education, and social prestige. Renu's father, Shilanath Mandal, had been active in the Indian National Movement and was an extremely enlightened individual, taking a keen interest in modern ideas, culture and art.
[3]
Phanishwar Nath Renu is best known for promoting the voice of the contemporary rural India through the genre of
Aanchalik Upanyas
('regional story'), and is placed amongst the pioneering Hindi writers who brought regional voices into the mainstream Hindi literature. Renu was very close associate of Bengali novelist
Satinath Bhaduri
. He wrote a memoirs named
Bhaduriji
(Mr. Bhaduri) in
Bengali
.
[3]
His short story "Maare Gaye Gulfam" was adapted into a film
Teesri Kasam
(The Third Vow),
[4]
by
Basu Bhattacharya
(produced by the poet-lyricist
Shailendra
) in 1966 for which he also wrote the dialogues.
[5]
Later his short story "Panchlight" (Petromax) was made into a TV short film. The 2017
Bollywood
Film
Panchlait
is also based on this short story.
[6]
Biography
[
edit
]
Phanishwar Nath Renu was born on 4 March 1921 at village Aurahi Hingna near
Forbesganj
, in
Araria
district (then
Purnia district
),
Bihar
. He was educated in India and Nepal. His primary education was held in Araria and
Forbesganj
. He did his Matriculation from Biratnagar Adarsh Vidyalaya(school),
Biratnagar
,
Nepal
while staying with the
Koirala Family
. After passing out IA from Kashi Hindu Vishvavidyalay (university) in 1942 he took part in the
Indian Freedom Struggle
. Later he participated in the
Nepali revolutionary movement in 1950
which resulted in the establishment of democracy in Nepal.
[7]
[3]
He ushered in the
Anchalik-katha
of
Hindi
writing. He had a very close friendship with
Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayana
Agyey - his contemporary poet.
[8]
A biography on the writer has also been produced with the name: Phanishwar Nath Renu in Unki Nazar Unka Shahar.
[9]
Writing style
[
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]
His first novel which is also considered his masterpiece,
Maila Anchal
(The Soiled Linen, 1954), was a
social novel
that depicted the life of rural Bihar and its people, especially the backward and the deprived. He was subsequently awarded one of India's highest civilian honours, the
Padma Sri
in 1970.
[1]
He returned the
Padma Sri
in protest of the proclamation of
Internal Emergency
.
[10]
Literary works
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]
Novels
[
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]
Memoirs
[
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]
- Rinjal Dhanjal
- Van Tulsi ki Gandh
- Nepali Kranti Katha
- Shrut Ashrut Purva
- Totapur
Story
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]
Personal life
[
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]
He married three times, first wife was Rekha Renu (unknown person), second was Padma, and the third Latika (d. 2011). He met his third wife Latika, a nurse, while he was admitted at Patna Medical College and Hospital. They married in 1951. She has been the inspiration behind
Maila Anchal
,
Parti Parikatha
and
Mare Gaye Gulfam
. His elder daughter Kavita Roy (Rekha Renu's daughter) was reported to be living in poor condition in
Katihar
, Bihar. Padma Renu's son Padma Parag Renu remained an MLA from Forbesganj, while younger son, Dakhineshwar Renu, ran an organization, Renu Samaj Seva Sansthan.
[11]
References
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Further reading
[
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]
- 1. ?????????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ????????? ?? ????????? ?????? : ?? ????????? ??, ???? ???????, ???????
- 2. ?????????? ????, ?????? ??????? (????? ?????? : ????? ??????), ???????? ???????, ????????
- Dr. Renu Shah (Associate Professor, J.N.V. University Jodhpur).
Phanishwar Nath Renu Ka Katha Shilp
. Published under
University Grants Commission (UGC)
Grant. 1990.
- Maare Gaye Gulfaam
by Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' (Hindi)
- The Third Vow and Other Stories: and other stories
. Tr. by Kathryn G. Hansen. Chanakya Publications, 1986.
ISBN
81-7001-013-6
.
External links
[
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]
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