Devaki Nandan Khatri

Indian writer, novelist

Devaki Nandan Khatri
देवकीनन्दन खत्री
Born(1861-06-18)18 June 1861
Muzaffarpur district, Bengal Presidency, British India
(present day Bihar, India)
Died1 August 1913(1913-08-01) (aged 52)
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Writer, novelist, publisher
Notable workChandrakanta

Devaki Nandan Khatri (18 June 1861– 1 August 1913) was an Indian writer who lived in Varanasi and wrote the historic fiction fantasy novel Chandrakanta.[1]

Biography

He was born on 18 June 1861 in a Punjabi family in Pusa village of Muzaffarpur district of Bengal Presidency, British India (present day Bihar, India). His father's name was Lala Ishwardas. His forefathers were residents of Punjab (Lahore) and held high positions during the reign of the Mughals. Lala Ishwardas settled in Banaras during the reign of Sher Singh, son of Maharaj Ranjit Singh.[2]

Khatri's early education was in Urdu-Persian. Later he also studied Hindi, Sanskrit and English.[3] After finishing his early education, he reached Tekari Raj in Gaya and got a job with the king there. Later, he established a printing press called 'Lahari Press' in Varanasi and started the publication of Hindi monthly Sudarshan in 1900.[4]

He died on 1 August 1913.[5]

Popular Works

Devaki Nandan Khatri contributed some of the most popular novels that not only helped to introduce a new genre in Hindi literature, but also led to the enrichment of the Hindi language as a whole. Some of the most important works of Devaki Nandan Khatri are:[6]

  • Chandrakanta
  • Chandrakanta Santati
  • Bhootnath
  • Kajar Ki Kothari
  • Narendra-Mohini
  • Kusum Kumari
  • Virendra Veer
  • Katora Bhar Bhoon
  • Gupt Godna

Death

Devaki Nandan Khatri passed away in 1913, leaving behind a collection of Hindi mystery novels that continue to captivate young readers. One of his notable works, 'Chandrakanta,' was transformed into a television series in the mid-90s, albeit with significant alterations to suit the television audience in terms of plot and characters.[7] 'Chandrakanta' stands out as Khatri's most beloved novel, and there are rumors of its imminent adaptation into a Bollywood film. If all goes as planned, we may witness Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan taking on key roles in the cinematic rendition of Devaki Nandan Khatri's 'Chandrakanta,' helmed by filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra.[6]

References

  1. ^ Mukherjee, Meenakshi (1985). Realism and Reality: The Novel and Society in India. Oxford University Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-19-563434-1.
  2. ^ "Devaki Nandan Khatri | Notable People of Arora-Khatri Community". arorakhatri-com.translate.goog. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  3. ^ Kumar, Kuldeep (26 April 2019). "Devaki Nandan Khatri: The man who blazed a new trail for Hindi novel-writing". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  4. ^ "शख्सियत: 'चंद्रकांता' के चरित्र को गढ़ने वाले देवकी नंदन खत्री, पढ़ें जीवनी". Jansatta (in Hindi). Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Bhojpuri में पढ़ें: ठेकेदार से उपन्यासकार कइसे बनलन बाबू देवकीनंदन खत्री? जानीं". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). 29 June 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Devaki Nandan Khatri Biography - Devaki Nandan Khatri Profile, Childhood, Life Timeline". www.iloveindia.com. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  7. ^ Chandrakanta (Fantasy), Shikha Swaroop, Shahbaaz Khan, Mukesh Khanna, Doordarshan, Prime Channel, retrieved 3 March 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

External links

  • Complete Chandrakanta at Gadya Kosh
  • Chandrakanta at columbia.edu
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