Govardhanram Madhavram Tripathi

Was a novelist from Gujarat, India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Govardhanram Tripathi is He is known for his novel Saraswatichandra, A masterpiece of Gujarati literature. The life of Gujarat in the early part of 19th Century is written in the novel.

Born in Vadnagar, in a Nagar Brahim family. Govardhanram was born on 20 October 1855 on Dashera festival day in Nadiad, The town came under Bombay presidency (now in Gujarat), Shivkashi his mother, and his father Madhavram. In Mumbai he studied in the Buddhivardhak Gujarati Shala and at Nadiad in Government English School. He joined Elphinstone High School and passed in matriculation in 1871. In the same year, Govardhanram Tripathi joined Elphinstone College in Mumbai to obtain his BA degree.

He passed his BA examination in 1875. He passed LLB examination after three unsuccessful attempts in 1883, and started working as a lawyer in Mumbai in 1884. He retired early at the age of 43 and settled in his hometown to contribute to Gujarati literature and public service.

On the evening of 4 January 1907 Govardhanram died in Mumbai.

Personal life

Govardhanram married Hiralakshmi in 1868, She died during a child birth in 1874, her daughter "Radha" also died soon after. He remarried Lalitagauri in 1876, they had three daughters, Lilavati (b. 1881), Jashvanti (b. 1884) and Jayanti (b. 1888); and a son, Ramaniyaram (b. 1886). He was the younger cousin of Gujarati writer Mansukhram Tripathi.

Works

He read a paper in 1875 which is considered as the key-stone of Govardhanram's ideology, character and aspiration, "A Rude Outline of the General Features of Practical Asceticism in My Sense of the World", before the Friendly Society. According to Gujarati critic Balwantray Thakore.

The first volume of Saraswatichandra was published in 1887, and volumes 2, 3 and 4 in 1892, 1898, and 1901, respectively; separate subtitle were used in each volume: The Administration of Buddhidhan, The Family-maze of Gunasundari, The Political Administration of Ratnanagari and The Dreamland of Saraswati.

The life of Gujarat during the early part of 19th Century is represented in the novel and focuses on contemporary social, political, philosophical and cultural issues. It is believed that Govardhanram has written his own personality in this novel.

He also took role in the Indian Congress during 1902 and in 1905, he was elected as president of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. He wrote in "Vasant" and "Samalochak" papers, which were later published as books

Govardhanram also wrote "Leelavati Jeevankala", "Navalramn Kavi Jeevan", "Sadavastu Vichar", "Snehamudra", and "Scrap Book" an autobiographical work.

His Classical Poets of Gujarat is a critical works with a historical approach. It discusses about Gujarati poets Mira, Narsinh Mehta, Akho, Premananda and Shamal; and the influence of these poets and their works on society and morals.

Legacy

The period from 1885 to 1915 is called "Govardhan-Yug" or "Govardhan-Era" in Gujarati literature. On 27 April 2016, a commemorative postage stamp was released by Indian Posts to honour Govardhanram Tripathi. The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel, released the postage stamp in Gandhinagar.