The Hindi literary world is celebrating 125th birth anniversary of Hindi Bhushan Acharya Shivpujan Sahay and Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan. Interestingly, both were born in 1893 and died in the same year – 1963. Born on 9th August, 1893 in Unvaas (Buxar) in Bihar, Sahay was a true Gandhian who, like Premchand, resigned from a government school on the call of Mahatma Gandhi during the Freedom Movement. He was one of the great editors who edited 13 magazines and periodicals in the pre-independence and post-independence era . Some notables magazines that he gave shape include “Matwala”, “Madhuri”, and “Himalay” which was a landmark in the history of Hindi journalism. He also edited the autobiography of Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Premchand’s “Rangbhoomi”
He initiated the tradition of editing commemorative volumes in Hindi by presenting one on Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi in 1932. He brought out two commemorative volumes on Dr. Rajendra Prasad as well.
Apart from editing many books and magazines, Sahay contributed a lot to the development of Hindi prose through novels and short stories. He wrote the very first regional novel “Dehati Duniya” in 1926. Rooted in village culture, reflecting social life of that period, it appeared much before Premchand’s great novel “Godan” (1936). He was one of the few writers of Hindi who used local dialects phrases and idioms of Bhojpuri belt. “Kahani ka Plot” and “Mundmal” are two milestone stories penned by Sahay in the mid-1930s. He is also remembered for his satirical pieces in “Matwala” and in his book “Do Ghadi” where he presents ironical picture sketches of a barber and a washerman, who come from the marginalised sections of society. He raised the issue of women exploitation and rural problems through his writings. He was a great champion of true patriotism with progressive outlook and attacked on degrading religious values. He was a spokesman of Indian tradition and knowledge but he always welcomed new writings and encouraged many new writers like Suryakant Tripathi Nirala and Dinkar.
A towering personality, many critics termed him a saint, and called him Ajatshatru and Dadhichi of Hindi literature. Sankrityayan was also impressed by his polite, sober and honest persona, and planned to edit a commemorative volume on him to pay tribute to his immense contribution but, due to bad health, he couldn’t pursue it. The Government of India released a commemorative stamp in his memory on his 105th birth anniversary. In his memoir, Dr. Prasad remembered Sahay with great respect, calling him a ‘tapaswi’ and ‘Hindi sevi’ . When he passed away in 1963, Harivansh Rai Bachchan paid tribute by writing a poem in his memory.
