If there is one good example of the evolution of language, it is Hindi. And it is always the authors and the poets responsible for evolving a language. Just as Shakespeare played a great role in how English is spoken in the modern world, Bhartendu Harishchandra played a great role in how Hindi is spoken.
The life of Bhartendu Harishchandra was short yet meaningful. The poet, author, playwright and journalist was born on 9 September 1850 and died on 6 January 1885. A mere 35 years. Yet his writings were impactful enough to earn him the title of ‘The Father of Modern Hindi.’ He made the most out of his life and directed all his energy towards his passion.
Of the name Bhartendu Harishchandra, Harishchandra was his actual name. Bhartendu was the name he went by. His writings mark the beginning of modern literature in Hindi. It also marks the beginning of Hindi plays. Before him, there were plays in Hindi. However, they were presumably in the form of folk theatre, which, after a point, could not be considered‘ drama.’ Bhartendu correctly wrote down a structure in Khadi Boli or the ancient spoken Hindi. That laid the foundation for Hindi plays.
A person like Bhartendu came at an opportune time. The torch he held led others with a pen to the development of the Hindi language. During British rule, people who were influenced socially, culturally, economically, and politically changed the way the country worked. When people think about a revolution in a country, they think of politics, society, and maybe the economy. But they seldom look at culture, language, or how writing influences society. Bhartendu responded to the European drama tradition by mixing it with the Sanksrit tradition.
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