https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Dhumketu_%28writer%29Dhumketu (writer) - Revision history2026-11-05T07:03:50ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dhumketu_(writer)&diff=496951&oldid=prevManish Khouriwal: Put Up Basic Stub More To Come2025-12-31T07:57:34Z<p>Put Up Basic Stub More To Come</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian writer (1892–1965)}}<br />
{{Other uses|Dhumketu (disambiguation){{!}}Dhumketu}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=March 2020}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}<br />
{{Infobox writer<br />
| name = Dhumketu<br />
| image = Dhumketu(writer)Pic.jpg<br />
| caption = <br />
| native_name = <br />
| native_name_lang = gu<br />
| pseudonym = Dhumketu<br />
| birth_name = Gaurishankar Govardhanram Joshi<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1892|12|12}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Virpur (Rajkot)|Virpur]], [[Virpur State]], [[British India]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1965|3|11|1892|12|12}}<br />
| death_place = <br />
| occupation = Short story writer, novelist<br />
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]<br />
| education = <br />
| alma_mater = <br />
| period = <br />
| genre = <br />
| subject =<br />
| movement = <br />
| notableworks = ''[[Post Office (short story)|Post Office]]'' (1923)<br />
| spouse = Kashiben<br />
| awards = {{plainlist|<br />
* [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] (1935; declined)<br />
* [[Narmad Suvarna Chandrak]] (1949)<br />
}}<br />
| signature = <br />
| years_active = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Gaurishankar Govardhanram Joshi''' (1892–1965), better known by his pen name '''Dhumketu''', was an Indian [[Gujarati language|Gujarati-language]] writer,<ref name="Patel 2014">{{cite web | last=Patel | first=Ano | title=Ahmedabad to celebrate Dhumketu's 122nd birthday | website=The Times of India | date=7 December 2014 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/gujarati/theatre/Dhumketu-Ahmedabad-to-celebrate-Dhumketus-122nd-birthday/articleshow/45401654.cms | access-date=5 December 2016}}</ref> who is considered one of the pioneers of the [[Gujarati literature|Gujarati short story]]. He published twenty-four collections of [[Short story|short stories]], as well as thirty-two novels on social and historical subjects, and plays and [[Travel literature|travelogue]]s. His writing is characterised by a dramatic style, [[romanticism]] and powerful depiction of human emotions.<br />
<br />
== Early life ==<br />
Gaurishankar was the third son of Govardhanram Joshi and was a Baj Khedawal Brahmin by birth.{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}} He was born on 12 December 1892 at [[Virpur (Rajkot)|Virpur]], a place near [[Rajkot]] and [[Gondal, India|Gondal]] (now in [[Gujarat]], India). Gaurishankar served at Virpur School drawing a salary of four Rupees per month. During this period he was asked to read biographies, historical novels etc. before Khatijabibi, who was the wife of Ishan.{{who|date=December 2016}} This habit made Guarishankar take a deep interest in literature. He has also written famous English poems, chapters including ''The Letter'' which is still popular.<ref name="Datta1988">{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: devraj to jyoti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1007|access-date=2 August 2014|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|pages=1007–}}</ref><ref name="Kendra2007">{{cite book|author=Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra|title=Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4oMAQAAMAAJ|access-date=2 August 2014|year=2007|publisher=Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust|pages=369–370}}</ref><ref name="tri">{{cite book|title=Triveni: Journal of Indian Renaissance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QyQ6AAAAIAAJ|access-date=2 August 2014|year=1967|publisher=Triveni Publishers.|pages=53–55}}</ref><br />
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In 1908, he went to Bilkha, a place close to [[Junagadh]]. He married Kashiben, the daughter of Gaurishankar Bhatt. There was Nathuram Sharma's Ashram in [[Bilkha]]. It had a large library which helped him graduate with Sanskrit and English in 1920. He served as a clerk at [[Gondal, India|Gondal]] in railway for a year. In 1923, he left the government job and went to [[Ahmedabad]] and started teaching at the private school run by [[Ambalal Sarabhai]], father of [[Vikram Sarabhai]]. During this period his literary activities blossomed. His pen name ''Dhumketu'' (Nom – de – plume) became well known in Gujarati literature. He died on 11 March 1965.<ref name="Dhumketu, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad"/><br />
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== Works ==<br />
He is considered one of the pioneers of the Gujarati short story. He wrote 492 short stories. A collection of his short stories with the title ''Tankha'' was published in 1926. The four volumes of ''Tankha'' are considered as a milestone in Gujarati literature. His writing is characterised by a poetic style, romanticism and powerful depiction of human emotions. Through his short story, he gave a new dimension of experience, created characters drawn from different status and professions of life; and introduced a variety of locales and psychological moods. His first short stories collection ''Tankha'' (Sparks) was published in 1926,<ref name="Das1991">{{cite book|author=Sisir Kumar Das |author-link=Sisir Kumar Das |title=History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, struggle for freedom : triumph and tragedy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sqBjpV9OzcsC&pg=PA264|year=1991|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]]|isbn=978-81-7201-798-9|page=264}}</ref> followed by ''Tankha-2'' (1928), ''Tankha-3'' (1932) and ''Tankha-4'' (1935). His other short stories collections include ''Avashesh'' (1932), ''Pradeep'' (1933), ''Mallika Ane Biji Vartao'' (1937),''Tribheto'' (1938), ''Aakashdeep'' (1947), ''Parivesh'' (1949), ''Anamika'' (1949), ''Vanchhaya'' (1949), ''Pratibimba'' (1951), ''Vanrekha'' (1952), ''Jaldeep'' (1953), ''Vankunj'' (1954), ''Vanrenu'' (1956), ''Mangaldeep'' (1957), ''Chandrarekha'' (1959), ''Nikunj'' (1960), ''Sandhyarang'' (1961), ''Sandhyatej'' (1962), ''Vasantakunj'' (1964) and ''Chhello Jhabakaro'' (1964).<ref name="Dhumketu, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad">{{cite web | title=સવિશેષ પરિચય: ગૌરીશંકર જોશી ધૂમકેતુ, ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય પરિષદ | website=Dhumketu, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad |url=https://www.gujaratisahityaparishad.com/prakashan/sarjako/savishesh/Savishesh-Dhumketu.html | language=gu | access-date=5 December 2016}}</ref><br />
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He wrote novels, drama, biographies, reflective essays, satires and books for adults and children. He published more than 250 books in the various fields.<ref name="Patel 2014"/> He wrote 29 historical and 7 social novels. His historical novels are grouped in two series namely ''[[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukya Yuga]] Granthavalis'' and ''[[Gupta Empire|Gupta Yuga]] Granthavalis''. He has freely adapted [[Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi|Kanaiyalal Munshi]]'s dramatic devices in his historical novels.<ref name="Das1991"/> His historical novels include ''Chauladevi'' (1940), ''Rajsanyasi'' (1942), ''Karnavati'' (1942), ''Rajkanya'' (1943), ''Vachinidevi'' (1945), ''Jaysinha Siddharaj: Barbarjishnu'' (1945), ''Jaysinha Siddharaj: Tribhuvan Khand'' (1947), ''Jaysinha Siddharaj: Avantinath'' (1948), ''Gurajareshwar Kumarpal'' (1948), ''Rajarshi Kumarpal'' (1950), ''Nayikadevi'' (1951), ''Rai Karan Ghelo'' (1952), ''Ajit Bhimdev'' (1953), ''Aamrapali'' (1954), ''Nagari Vaishali'' (1954), ''Magadhpati'' (1955), ''Mahaamatya Chanakya'' (1955), ''Chandragupta Maurya'' (1956), ''Samrat Chandragupta'' (1957), ''Priyadarshi Ashok'' (1958), ''Priyadarshi Samrat Ashok'' (1958), ''Magadhsenapati Pushpamitra'' (1959), ''Kumardevi'' (1960), ''Gurjarpati Moolrajdev: 1-2'' (1961), ''Paradhin Gujarat'' (1962), ''Bharatsamrat Samudragupta: 1, 2'' (1963, 1964), ''Dhruvdevi'' (1966). His social novels include ''Prutvish'' (1923), ''Rajmugat'' (1924), ''Rudrasharan'' (1937), ''Ajita'' (1939), ''Parajay'' (1939), ''Jivan Na Khander'' (1963) and ''Manzil Nahi Kinara'' (1964).<ref name="Dhumketu, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad"/><br />
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''Kalikalsarvagnya Hemchandracharya'' (1940) is the biographical work written by him on the life of [[Hemachandra]], a [[Jainism|Jain]] scholar and poet. ''Jivanpanth'' and ''Jivanrang'' are two of his autobiographies which provided a vivid glimpse of his past life and an idea of how he became a writer.<ref name="Datta1988"/><ref name="George1992">{{cite book|author=K. M. George (writer) |author-link=K. M. George (writer) |title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA135|access-date=5 December 2016|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-7201-324-0|page=135}}</ref><br />
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== Recognition ==<br />
In 1935, he was awarded [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]], the highest award in Gujarati literature, which he refused to accept. He received [[Narmad Suvarna Chandrak]] for literary activities in 1949. He served as an adviser to the [[Sahitya Akademi]], [[Delhi]] for Gujarati in 1957. He won the rare honour to represent India in a book published in the US with the title ''Stories From Many Lands''. This was a collection of the best stories from sixty countries. His story ''The Letter'' (Originally published as ''[[Post Office (short story)|Post Office]]'') was included in it. Sahitya Akademi, Delhi published this story in ''Contemporary Indian Short Stories'' and Penguin Books published in ''The Best Loved Indian Stories of The Century'' (volume II).<ref name="Dhumketu, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad"/><br />
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== Bibliography ==<br />
<br />
=== Historical novels ===<br />
<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1954 |title=''Aamrapali'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:1 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-283-3}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1954 |title=''Nagari Vaishali'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:2 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-284-0 |oclc=22662239}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1955 |title=''Magadhapati'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:3 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-285-7 |oclc=22662256}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1955 |title=''Mahaamatya Chanakya'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:4 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-286-4 |oclc=22662233}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1956 |title=''Chandragupta Maurya'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:5 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Prakashan |isbn= 978-93-5162-295-6 |oclc=22662226}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1958 |title=''Priyadarshi Samrat Ashok'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:8 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-289-5 |oclc=9080792}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1959 |title=''Magadhsenapati Pushyamitra'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:9 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-290-1 |oclc=22453001}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1960 |title=''Kumardevi'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:10 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Prakashan |isbn= 978-93-5162-291-8 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1963 |title=''Bharat Samrat Samudragupta - 1'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:11 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-292-5}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1964 |title=''Bharat Samrat Samudragupta - 2'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:12 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-293-2}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1966 |title=''Dhruvdevi'' |series=Gupta Yuga Granthavali:13 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Prakashan |isbn= 978-93-5162-294-9 |oclc=279263294}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1945 |title=''Vachinidevi'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-212-3 |oclc=38033786}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1940 |title=''Chauladevi'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-270-3 |oclc=56533987}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1942 |title=''Rajsanyasi'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-214-7}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1942 |title=''Karnavati'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-215-4 |oclc=7945605}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1943 |title=''Rajkanya'' |series=Chaulukya Yuga Granthavali:6 |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-275-8}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1945 |title=''Barbarak-jishnu Jaysinha Siddharaj'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-276-5 |oclc=28293586}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1947 |title=''Jaysinh Siddharaj: Tribhuvankhand'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Prakashan |isbn= 978-93-5162-277-2 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1948 |title=''Avantinath Jaysinha Siddharaj'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-278-9 |oclc=85479661}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1948 |title=''Gurjareshwar Kumarpal'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-279-6 |oclc=56533988}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1950 |title=''Rajarshi Kumarpal'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-280-2 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1951 |title=''Nayikadevi'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-281-9 |oclc=225497714}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2015 |orig-year=1952 |title=''Rai Karan Ghelo'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-282-6 |oclc=28293579}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1953 |title=''Ajit Bhimdev'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1957 |title=''Samrat Chandragupta'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-287-1 |oclc=22662215}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1961 |title=''Gurjarpati Moolrajdev - 1'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-210-9}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1961 |title=''Gurjarpati Moolrajdev - 2'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-211-6}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Dhumketu |year=2016 |orig-year=1962 |title=''Paradhin Gujarat'' |location=Ahmedabad |publisher=Gurjar Granth Ratna Karyalaya |isbn= 978-93-5162-209-3 |oclc=23538240}}<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
* [[List of Gujarati-language writers]]<br />
<br />
==References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dhumketu}}<br />
[[Category:1892 births]]<br />
[[Category:1965 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Gujarati-language Indian writers]]<br />
[[Category:Novelists from Gujarat]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]<br />
[[Category:People from Rajkot district]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian historical novelists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century pseudonymous writers]]</div>Manish Khouriwal