Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Harivansh Rai Bachchan (né Srivastava; 27

November 1907 – 18 January 2003) was an Indian poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan
and writer of the Nayi Kavita literary movement
(romantic upsurge) of early 20th century Hindi
literature. He was also a poet of the Hindi Kavi
Sammelan. He is best known for his early work
Madhushala.[3] He was the father of Amitabh
Bachchan, and grandfather of Shweta Bachchan and
Abhishek Bachchan. His wife Teji Bachchan was a
social activist. In 1976, he received the Padma
Bhushan for his service to Hindi literature.[4]

Early life
Bachchan was born in Babupatti, United Provinces of
Bachchan on a 2003 stamp of India
Agra and Oudh in British India on 27 November 1907
Born Harivansh Rai Srivastava
into a Hindu Kayastha family.[5][6] His family name
27 November 1907
was Srivastava.[7] He began using the pen name
Babupatti, United Provinces of
"Bachchan" (meaning child) for his Hindi poetry. From
Agra and Oudh, British India
1941 to 1957, he taught in the English Department at
Died 18 January 2003 (aged 95)
the Allahabad University and then spent the next two
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
years at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, completing
Pen name Bachchan
a PhD on W. B. Yeats.[3]
Occupation Poet · writer
Language Awadhi and Hindi
Personal life Alma mater Allahabad University (B.A)
St Catharine's College,
Bachchan married Shyama in 1926 who died of Cambridge (PhD)
tuberculosis in 1936. In 1941, he married Teji Notable Padma Bhushan (1976)
Suri.[8][9] Their elder son Amitabh Bachchan was born awards
on 11 October 1942, followed by their younger son, Spouse Shyama Bachchan
​​(m. 1926; died 1936)​
Ajitabh, on 18 May 1947.[10]
Teji Bachchan ​(m. 1941)​
He had used the pen name Bachchan ("child-like" in Children 2 (including Amitabh
colloquial Hindi), under which he published all of his Bachchan)[1]
works.[11] When looking to get their elder son admitted Relatives Bachchan family
to a school, he and Teji decided the family's surname
should be Bachchan instead of Srivastava, as both Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha[2]
parents opposed the caste system.[12] Thus, it became In office
3 April 1966 – 2 April 1972
the legal surname of the family.[13] He was close Constituency Nominated
friends with the Hindi Cinema Thespian Prithviraj Signature
Kapoor.

Bachchan died on 18 January 2003 due to respiratory

failure.[14][15]

Writing career
Bachchan was fluent in several Hindi languages (Hindustani and Awadhi).[16] He incorporated a broadly
Hindustani vocabulary,[17] written in Devanagari script.[16] While he could not read Persian script,[16] he
was influenced by Persian and Urdu poetry, particularly Omar Khayyam.[18]

Works used in movies

Bachchan's work has been used in movies and music. Couplets of his work "Agneepath" are used
throughout the 1990 film Agneepath, featuring his son Amitabh, and also later in the 2012 remake
Agneepath, starring Hrithik Roshan, as well as in the TV Serial Ishqbaaz.[19]

Miṭṭī kā tan, mastī kā man, kṣan bhar jīvan, merā paricay.

(मिट्टी का तन, मस्ती का मन, क्षण भर जीवन, मेरा परिचय)
(Body of clay, mind of fun, life of a moment, my introduction)[3]

List of works

Poems

Chal Mardane
Barsaat Ki Aati Hawa
Tera Haar (तेरा हार) (1932)
Madhushala (मधुशाला) (1935)
Madhubala (मधुबाला) (1936)[20]
Madhukalash (मधुकलश) (1937)
Raat Aadhi Kheench Kar Meri Hatheli
Nisha Nimantran (निशा निमंत्रण) (1938)
Ekaant Sangeet (एकांत संगीत) (1939)
Aakul Antar (आकु ल अंतर) (1943)
Satarangini (सतरंगिनी) (1945)
Halaahal (हलाहल) (1946)
Bengal ka Kaavya (बंगाल का काव्य) (1946)
Khaadi ke Phool (खादी के फू ल) (1948)
Soot ki Maala (सूत की माला) (1948)
 Milan Yamini (मिलन यामिनी) (1950)
Pranay Patrika (प्रणय पत्रिका) (1955)
Dhaar ke idhar udhar (धार के इधर उधर) (1957)
Aarti aur Angaare (आरती और अंगारे) (1958)
Buddha aur Naachghar (बुद्ध और नाचघर) (1958)
Tribhangima (त्रिभंगिमा) (1961)
Chaar kheme Chaunsath khoonte (चार खेमे चौंसठ खूंटे) (1962)
Do Chattane (दो चट्टानें) (1965)
Bahut din beete (बहुत दिन बीते) (1967)
Kat-ti pratimaaon ki awaaz (कटती प्रतिमाओं की आवाज़) (1968)
Ubharte pratimaano ke roop (उभरते प्रतिमानों के रूप) (1969)
Jaal sameta (जाल समेटा) (1973)
Nirman (निर्माण)
Aathmaparichai (आत्मपरिचय)
Ek Geet (एक गीत)
Bhool gaya hai kyun insaan (भूल गया है क्यों इंसान)
Agneepath (अग्निपथ)

Miscellaneous

Bachpan ke saath kshan bhar (बचपन के साथ क्षण भर) (1934)

Khaiyyam ki madhushala (खय्याम की मधुशाला) (1938)
Sopaan (सोपान) (1953)
Macbeth (मेकबेथ)(1957)
Jangeet (जनगीता) (1958)
Omar Khaiyyam ki rubaaiyan (उमर खय्याम की रुबाइयाँ) (1959)
Kaviyon ke saumya sant: Pant (कवियों के सौम्य संत: पंत) (1960)
Aaj ke lokpriya Hindi kavi: Sumitranandan Pant (आज के लोकप्रिय हिन्दी कवि: सुमित्रानंदन पंत)
(1960)
Aadhunik kavi: 7 (आधुनिक कवि: ७) (1961)
Nehru: Raajnaitik jeevanchitra (नेहरू: राजनैतिक जीवनचित्र) (1961)
Naye puraane jharokhe (नये पुराने झरोखे) (1962)
Abhinav sopaan (अभिनव सोपान) (1964)
Chausath roosi kavitaayein (चौसठ रूसी कवितायें) (1964)
W. B. Yeats and Occultism (1968)
Markat dweep ka swar (मरकट द्वीप का स्वर) (1968)
Naagar geet (नागर गीत) (1966)
Bachpan ke lokpriya geet (बचपन के लोकप्रिय गीत) (1967)
Hamlet (1969)
Bhaasha apni bhaav paraaye (भाषा अपनी भाव पराये) (1970)
Pant ke sau patra (पंत के सौ पत्र) (1970)
 Pravaas ki diary (प्रवास की डायरी) (1971)
King Lear (1972)
Tooti Chooti kadiyan (टूटी छू टी कड़ियां) (1973)
Meri kavitaayi ki aadhi sadi (मेरी कविताई की आधी सदी) (1981)
So-ham hans (सोहं हंस) (1981)
Aathve dashak ki pratinidhi shreshth kavitaayein (आठवें दशक की प्रतिनिधी श्रेष्ठ कवितायें) (1982)
Meri shreshth kavitaayein (मेरी श्रेष्ठ कवितायें) (1984)
Jo beet gai so Bat gai

Autobiography

Kya bhooloon kya yaad karoon (क्या भूलूं क्या याद करूं ) (1969)
Neerh ka nirmaan phir (नीड़ का निर्माण फिर) (1970)
Basere se door (बसेरे से दूर) (1977)
Dashdwaar se sopaan tak (दशद्वार से सोपान तक) (1985), In the Afternoon of Time[21]
Bachchan rachanavali ke nau khand (बच्चन रचनावली के नौ खण्ड)

See also
Indian Writers
Indian Poets

References
1. Harivansh Rai Bachchan, R (2001). In the Afternoon of Time: An Autobiography ([Link]
[Link]/books?id=aWquGT2c6DkC&pg=PA327). Penguin books. p. 327.
ISBN 9780140276633. "When we entered Amit for school, we adopted 'Bachchan' as our
family name, registering him as 'Amitabh Bachchan'; and when our second son was born,
he was called 'Ajitabh Bachchan' "
2. "Nominated Members Since 1952" ([Link]
[Link]. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
3. Harivanshrai Bachchan, 1907–2003 ([Link]
[Link]/fline/fl2003/stories/[Link])[usurped] Obituary,
Frontline, (The Hindu), 1–14 February 2003.
4. "Padma Awards" ([Link]
d_files/mha/files/[Link]) (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of
India. 2015. Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]) (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
5. "खुली किताब सा जीवन : हरिवंश राय बच्चन की जीवनी के चार खंड!" ([Link]
1/harivanshrai-bachchan-autobiography-snippets/). The Better India - Hindi. 25 November
2016. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
6. "Harivansh Rai Bachchan | Indian poet" ([Link]
ai-Bachchan). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
 7. Harivansh Rai Bachchan. kya bhulun kya yaad karu. pp. 11–12.
8. "इस बीमारी से हुई थी हरिवंश राय की पहली पत्नी की डेथ, इनसे की दूसरी शादी" ([Link]
ews/ENT-FLAS-harivansh-rai-bachchan-death-sisteenth-anniversary-news-hindi-5507471-P
[Link]). Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
9. "एक अफे यर से लेकर दो शादियों तक, ऐसी थी Amitabh Bachchan के पिता हरिवंश राय की ज़िंदगी" ([Link]
[Link]/entertainment/life-facts-about-harivansh-rai-bachchan-1691718). ABP
News (in Hindi). 24 December 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
10. Singh, Yash (6 December 2023). "Who is Ajitabh Bachchan" ([Link]
tainment/news/who-is-ajitabh-bachchan-younger-brother-of-amitabh-bachchan-spotted-at-th
e-archies-screening-with-family-1263620). Pinkvilla. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
11. Bhattacharya, Sreemita (28 July 2011). "I am proud of my surname Amitabh Bachchan" (htt
p://[Link]/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/I-am-proud-of-my-surna
me-Amitabh-Bachchan/articleshow/[Link]). The Times of India. Archived ([Link]
[Link]/web/20180830194021/[Link]
bollywood/news/I-am-proud-of-my-surname-Amitabh-Bachchan/articleshow/[Link])
from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
12. "Amitabh Bachchan got his surname because of caste system" ([Link]
ainment/bollywood/amitabh-bachchan-got-his-surname-bacause-of-caste-system-1.655255
80). Gulf News. IANS. 30 July 2019. Archived ([Link]
1/[Link]
e-of-caste-system-1.65525580) from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved
22 September 2020.
13. Bachchan, Harivansh Rai (1998). In The Afternoon Time. Viking Pr. ISBN 978-0-670-88158-
1.
14. "Thousands mourn poet Bachchan" ([Link]
BBC. 19 January 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
15. "Harivansh Rai Bachchan passes away" ([Link]
hindi/bollywood/news/harivansh-rai-bachchan-passes-away/articleshow/[Link]).
The Times of India. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
16. West-Pavlov, Russell (2018). The Global South and Literature ([Link]
oks?id=yMdJDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA167). Cambridge University Press. p. 167.
ISBN 9781108246316.
17. Williams, Mukesh; Wanchoo, Rohit (2008). Representing India: Literatures, Politics, and
Identities ([Link] Oxford University Press.
p. 73. ISBN 9780195692266. "Harivansh Rai Bachchan recalled how some of the Urdu
vocabulary used by audiences in appreciating poetic recitals in Hindi kavi sammelans was
consciously changed to Sanskritized Hindi creating an artificial Hindi idiom."
18. Gopal, Madan (1996). Origin and development of Hindi/Urdu literature ([Link]
com/books?id=D8djAAAAMAAJ). Deep & Deep Publications. p. 204. "He was influenced by
Persian and Urdu poetry, especially by Omar Khayyam and started versifying in the
Bachchalian style."
19. Harivansh Rai Bachchan (1907–2003) ([Link] IMDb
20. Bachhan, Harivansh Rai. Madhubala by Harivansh Rai Bachchan ([Link]
ooks/madhubala-harivansh-rai-bachchan-ebooks).
21. Baccana; Bachchan, Harivansh Rai (1 April 1998). In the Afternoon of Time: An
Autobiography: Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Rupert Snell, Baccana, Harivansh Rai
BacHChhan: 9780670881581: [Link]: Books. ISBN 0670881589.
External links
मधुशाला का मूल पाठ ([Link]
i/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E
0%A4%BE) (विकीस्रोत पर)
हरिवंश राय बच्चन (हिन्दी विकीपीडिया पर)
मधुशाला (हिन्दी विकीपीडिया पर)
हरिवंश राय बच्चन ([Link]
0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B6_%E0%A
4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%
9A%E0%A4%A8) (विकीस्रोत पर)
A Collection ([Link]
chchan) Archived ([Link]
m/indian_poetry_list.asp?author=Harivansh_Rai_Bachchan) 10 May 2020 at the Wayback
Machine

Further reading
1. Kaveendra, Anil Pushker. Harivanshrai Bachchan Ki Anuvad Drishti (Hindi) (Hardcover)
(2013). Ruby Press & Co. ([Link]
[Link]/), New Delhi. ISBN 978-93-82395-20-1
'कविता -नीड़ का निर्माण फिर फिर ([Link]
[Link]/2018/03/[Link])

Retrieved from "[Link]