Gautam Sharma "Vyathit"
Gautam Sharma "Vyathit" (born on 15 August 1938; born Gautam Chand Sharma), is a folklorist, playwright, and poet from Himachal Pradesh, India. He is also known as Gautam Chand Sharma "Vyathit" or just Gautam Vyathit. He is noted for his literary works in Dogri and Hindi, as well as for his various efforts to preserve and nurture the endangered folk arts of Himachal Pradesh, especially those of the Kangra region. Vyathit was the joint recipient of the 2007 Sahitya Akademi Award (Bhasha Samman) for his contributions to Himachali languages and literature. 'Vyathit', Gautam Sharma's pen-name in Hindi, means 'pained', or 'distressed'.
Personal life
Vyathit was born to Faquir Chand and Sheela Devi on 15 August 1938, at village Nerti in the
Works
Kangra Lok Sahitya Parishad
Vyathit has been the founder-director of the NGO 'Kangra Lok Sahitya Parishad' (translated as Kangra folk literature council), established at Nerti in 1973.[1][2] This NGO works for documenting and promoting the endangered folk arts of Himachal Pradesh. Its activities have included surveying and documenting these arts,[4][5] and organizing cultural events including poetry recitals,[6][7] folk theatre,[8] folk dances,[9] festivals,[10] and publications.[11][12] Vyathit has also developed an open-air theatre in Nerti, where the Parishad often hosts its activities.[1]
Works on Kangri folk arts
Vyathit's documentation and analyses of Kangra's folklore have been considered significant by scholars of disciplines including literature, anthropology, and folklore studies. These include Kirin Narayan,[13][14][15] and Alan Dundes,[16] besides others.[17][18] Since the early 1970s, Vyathit has been known for re-choreographing Kangra's Jhamakara folk-dance, which earlier used to be performed by women during marriage festivities only behind closed doors, and promoting this dance as a public art form.[1][9] Vyathit is known for revitalizing Kangra's traditional folk-theatre, infusing it with current themes and challenging traditional norms of participation in these plays.[8]
Poetry
Vyathit is widely considered a prominent poet from Himachal Pradesh.[17][19][20][3] He writes in Dogri and Hindi. His poems revolve around rural life and nature in Kangra. Atma Ram notes that Vyathit expresses the 'vyatha' (suffering; from which the pen-name 'vyathit' is derived) of the common person in rural Kangra.[2]
Linguistics
Vyathit contributed the sections on Kangri and Hindi for the Himachal Pradesh volume of the People's Linguistic Survey of India.[21]
Others
Vyathit is a member of the Himachal Pradesh Brahmin Kalyan Board.[22][23]
Recognition
Some among the numerous awards received by Vyathit are the following:[1][2]
- In 2007, Vyathit shared the Sahitya Academi Award (Bhasha Samman) with Pratyush Guleri for his contributions to the Himachali language and literature.[24]
- In 2014, Vyathit received the Shan-e-Himachal Award from Virbhadra Singh, then Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.[citation needed]
- In 2016, Vyathit received the Himachal Shiromani Samman from the Himachal Sanskritik Shodh Sansthan evam Natya Rangmandal.[citation needed]
- In 2022, Vyathit received the Himachal Gaurav Puraskar (Pride of Himachal Award) of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, from Jai Ram Thakur, then Chief Minister of the state.[citation needed]
Select Bibliography
- (1973) Kangri Lok Geet. Palampur: Sheela Prakashan
- (1973) Dholru: Himachal ki lok gathae.
- (1984) Kāṅgaṛā ke lokagīta, sāhityika viśleshaṇa evaṃ mūlyāṅkana. Jayaśrī prakāśana
- (2000) Bharatiya sahitya ke nirmata: Baba Kanshi Ram.
- (2006) Folklore of Himachal Pradesh. Delhi: National Book Trust.
References
- ^ a b c d e Joshi, Sriniwas (12 April 2015). "Dr Vyathit is Dr Modest". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7099-610-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-260-0873-5.
- ^ "पारंपरिक विवाह व रीति-रिवाज के गीत सहेजेगी कांगड़ा लोक साहित्य परिषद Kangra News". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "पारंपरिक लोक वाद्य एवं वादक विलुप्तता की कगार पर". khas khabar (in Hindi). 7 December 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "त्रिगर्त उत्सव | जिला काँगड़ा, हिमाचल प्रदेश सरकार | भारत" (in Hindi). Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "कांगड़ा की संस्कृति से रूबरू होंगे देश-विदेश के निवेशक". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Folk Theatre of Kangra". www.123himachal.com. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ a b ChandraKanta. "Jhamakada Folk Dance Of Kangra झमाकड़ा - काँगड़ा का लोक नृत्य". गजगामिनी. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ISBN 978-81-7387-082-8.
- JSTOR 23333170.
- ^ Rahi, Javaid. The Gujjars -Vol 04 (Gujjars History & Culture) by Dr. Javaid Rahi. Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture , Languages , Jammu.
- JSTOR 541878.
- ISBN 978-0-19-510348-9.
- ISBN 978-0-226-40756-2.
- ISBN 978-0-299-15070-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7201-798-9.
- ISBN 978-0-8223-7957-7.
- ISBN 978-81-7201-324-0.
- ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
- ^ "PLSI Contributors". bhasha.frappe.cloud. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "List of Members of H.P. Brahmin Kalyan Board" (PDF).
- ^ "CM announces Makar Sakranti of Brijeshwari Dham as District Level Festival".
- ^ "Sahitya Academy - List of Bhasha Samman Awardees" (PDF).