Harivansh Rai Bachchan was an Indian poet 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. He was also the husband of social activist, Teji Bachchan, father of Amitabh Bachchan and Ajitabh Bachchan, and grandfather of Abhishek Bachchan. In 1976, he received the Padma Bhushan for his service to Hindi literature.

Early Life

Bachchan was born at Babupatti, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in British India on 27 November 1907 into an Awadhi Hindu Kayastha family. His family name was Srivastav. He began using the pen name "Bachchan" (meaning child) instead of Srivastava when he wrote Hindi poetry. From 1941 to 1957, he taught in the English Department at the Allahabad University and after that, he spent the next two years at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, completing a PhD on W.B. Yeats.

Writing career

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

Works used in movies

Bachchan's work has been used in movies and music. For example, couplets of his work "Agneepath" are used throughout the 1990 film Agneepath, featuring his son Amitabh Bachchan, and also later in the 2012 remake Agneepath, starring Hrithik Roshan. and recently in the TV Serial Ishqbaaz. 

Work Life

Harivansh Rai Bachchan is renowned for the iconic 142-verse lyrical poem "Madhushala" (The House of Wine), which he released in 1935 and is still being celebrated today. His work revolutionized Hindi poetry and was soon rendered into English and other Indian languages. The poem was wildly popular and it was no surprise when it made its way onto the stage as a performed piece. His poetic trilogy included "Madhushala", alongside the other two works "Madhubaala" and "Madhukalash".

He has become well-known due to the success of this trilogy. His four-part autobiography commenced with the publication of 'Kya bhooloon kya yaad karoon' in 1969. In 1970, the second part of the series 'Need ka nirmaan fir' was printed and then in 1977, the third instalment 'Basere se door' was released. After a long wait, the last section of the book 'Dashdwaar se sopaan tak' was eventually printed in 1985.

The series was met with great acclaim and Rupert Snell was commissioned to translate an abridged version into English, which was published in 1998 and titled 'In the Afternoon of Time'. This is a renowned work that is now seen as a ground-breaking achievement in Hindi literature.

Bachchan was a very talented writer, having released up to thirty collections of poetry, essays, travelogues and even some songs for the Hindi film industry during his time as a teacher and in the External Affairs ministry. He was not shy to perform his poems in front of large groups of people, leaving them mesmerized. He wrote his poem 'Ek November 1984' that was dedicated to Indira Gandhi in November 1984, shortly after her assassination.

Awards and Honors

As we told you that Bachchan ji had written many poems as a prominent literary poet and he was honored with many honors and awards for this, which we have mentioned below.

• Padmashree- 1976
• Sahitya Akademi Award- 1968
• Saraswati Samman- 1983
• Soviet Land Nehru Award- 1969
• Yash Bharti Award-
• Maharashtra Gaurav Award- 1994

Famous lines 

• “Ye bura ya accha, vyarth hai iss par din bitana, ab asambhav chhodh ye path, doosre path par pag badhana.”--PATH KI PEHCHAAN
• “Jab tak safal na ho, neend chain ko tyaago tum. Sangharsh ka maidaan chhodh kar mat bhaago tum. Kuch kiye bina hi jai jai kaar nahi hoti, koshish karne walo ki kabhi haar nahi hoti.”--HIMMAT KARNE WALO KI HAAR NAHI HOTI
• "Ek apni shanti ki kutheeya banana kab manaa hai? Hai andheri raat par diya jalana kab manaa hai?"--DARNA ZAROORI HAI
• "Chahe jitna tu pee pyala, chahe jitna tu ban matwala, sun bhed batati hun antim, yeh shaant nahi hoga jwala, main madhushala ki madhubala." --MADHUSHALA
• "Ho jaye path mein raat kahin, manzil bhi toh hai kahin, ye soch thaka din ka panthi bhi jaldi-jaldi chalta hai. Din jaldI-jaldi dhalta hai."--DIN JALDI-JALDI DHALTA HAI
• “Tu na thakega kabhi, tu na thamega kabhi, tu na mudega kabhi. Kar shapath! Kar shapath! Kar shapath! Agneepath! Agneepath! Agneepath!"—AGNEEPATH
• “Kabhi phulo ki tarah mat jina, jis din khiloge tutkar bikhar jaoge, jeena hai toh pattar ki tarah jio, ek din taraashe gaye to, bhagwan ban jaoge."--YAHAN SAB KUCH BIKATA HAI
• "Madhur prateeksha hi jab itni, priye tum aate tab kya hota?"--PRATEEKSHA

List of Poems

• Chal Mardane
• Barsaat Ki Aati Hawa
• Tera Haar
• Madhushala
• Madhubala
• Madhukalash
• Raat Aadhi Kheench Kar Meri Hatheli
• Nisha Nimantran
• Ekaant Sangeet
• Aakul Antar
• Satarangini
• Halaahal
• Bengal ka Kaavya
• Khaadi ke Phool
• Soot ki Maala
• Milan Yamini
• Pranay Patrika
• Dhaar ke idhar udhar
• Aarti aur Angaare
• Buddha aur Naachghar
• Tribhangima
• Chaar kheme Chaunsath khoonte
• Do Chattane
• Bahut din beete
• Kat-ti pratimaaon ki awaaz
• Ubharte pratimaano ke roop
• Jaal sameta
• Nirman
• Aathmaparichai
• Ek Geet
• Agneepath

Death

Harivansh Rai Bachchan passed away in 2003 at the age of 95. He was afflicted with breathing problems. His wife died four years later at the age of 93.

Personal life

After the demise of his first wife in 1936, Harivansh Rai Bachchan married Teji Suri in 1942. As per his own admission, his marriage to Teji changed the course of his life and his poetry. His literary career thrived, resulting in a 63-year-old literary journey. Harivansh Rai Bachchan fathered 2 renowned sons; Amitabh Bachchan who became a renowned Bollywood actor and Ajitabh Bachchan, a businessman. During his stint in Delhi, Harivansh Rai Bachchan and Teji Bachchan developed a close friendship with Indira Gandhi and blended into the social intellectual circles of Delhi. The husband-wife duo, throughout their career, sought to promote Hindi as the national, official language of India and represented India on various international and cultural forums.

Bachchan married Shyama Bachchan in 1926. The latter died of tuberculosis in 1936. In 1941, he married Teji Suri.