Ranchhodbhai Dave

Ranchhodbhai Dave Biography

Ranchhodbhai Dave was a Gujarati writer, who is considered the father of modern Gujarati theatre and plays in Gujarati literature. He was a doyen in writing plays of Gujarati, and he also succeeded as a producer and translator. He served as the president of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in 1912 and also resided the meetings held at Vadodara. He was deeply dissatisfied with adult-comedy being performed in traditional-folk Gujarati play form called Bhavai. It prompted him to develop pure and sober forms of Gujarai plays. That’s how he laid foundation to modern Gujarati plays. He lived during the period, 9 August 1837 - 9 April 1923. He died of following brief illness of brain fever.

Ranchhodbhai Dave was born on 9 August 1837 in Mahudha near Nadiad. His birth place now belongs to Gujarat state. His early education was done in a local school at his rural village, and later he moved to Nadiad to study English. He completed his law studies from Ahmedabad in the late 1850s. He initially worked in Collector Office in Ahmedabad. Later he moved to Mumbai where he worked at M/s Lawrence Company as a representative. He worked in different parts of Mumbai state, then known as Bombay.

As he was dissatisfied with Bhavai art form, he started writing plays on social and moral issues. Apart from authoring 10 plays, he translated 4 Hindi mythological works from Sanskrit. Initially he serialized his plays in Gujarati magazines and later converted them to book. When his play Harishchandra (1871) was staged it was watched by Mahatma Gandhi, who was deeply impressed by it. Taramatiswayamvar, Premrai Ane Charumati , Bhanasur Madmardan, Madalasa ane Hritudhwaj, Nala-Damatanti, Nindya Shringarnishedhak Roopak, Verno Vanse Vashyo Varso and Vanthel Virhana Kunda Krutyo are his other plays. He also started a theatre group to stage his plays.

Published: January 17, 2019

Updated: January 17, 2019