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{{other uses|Saraswatichandra (disambiguation)}}
{{short description|Gujarati novel by Govardhanram Tripathi}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Saraswatichandra
| title_orig = સરસ્વતીચંદ્ર
| translator = [[Tridip Suhrud]]
| image = Sarasvatichandra Part I cover page.jpeg
| caption = Cover of English translation of 1st Part by Tridip Suhrud, 2015, cover artist: Binita Desai
| author = [[Govardhanram M. Tripathi]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist =
| country = [[India]]
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| series =
| subject =
| genre =
| publisher = [[Orient Blackswan]] (English ed.)
| pub_date = {{plainlist|
* '''Part 1:''' 1887
* '''Part 2:''' 1892
* '''Part 3:''' 1898
* '''Part 4:''' 1901
}}
| english_pub_date =
| media_type =
| pages =
| isbn = 81-260-2346-5
| oclc = 933425258
| dewey = 891.473
| congress =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| native_wikisource = સરસ્વતીચંદ્ર
| orig_lang_code= gu
|external_url=
| wikisource =
| website =
}}

'''''Saraswatichandra''''' ({{IPA-gu|sʌrʌsvʌtɪtʃʌndr|pron|Gu-Saraswatichandra.ogg}}) is a [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] novel by [[Govardhanram Madhavaram Tripathi]], an author of early twentieth century from [[Gujarat]], [[India]]. Set in 19th-century India, It is acclaimed as one of the masterpiece of [[Gujarati literature]].<ref name="Malhotra2005">{{cite book|author=R. P. Malhotra|title=Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Asian Novels and Novelists: A-I|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0v8xZwx2OIC&pg=PA290|access-date=15 March 2018|year=2005|publisher=Global Vision Publishing House|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-8220-067-8|page=290|archive-date=10 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810225056/https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0v8xZwx2OIC&pg=PA290|url-status=live}}</ref> Though the novel was published in four parts, each part has a distinct thematic content, its own cast of characters and independent beginnings and ends. It was adapted into several plays, radio plays, films and TV series. It was well received by the number of critics, and was translated into several Indian languages, along with English. However, [[Suresh Joshi]], a strong proponent of [[Formalism (literature)|formalism]] theory, criticized the novel for its structural failure.

==Publication history==
[[File:Govardhanram Tripathi 2013-11-14 23-12.JPG|thumb|upright=0.7|Govardhanram Tripathi]]
The novel takes its title after the name of its protagonist.<ref name="Kothari 2018">{{cite web | last=Kothari | first=Rita | author-link=Rita Kothari | title=A modern, abridged retelling of 'Saraswatichandra' offers a debatable way to read a classic | website=Scroll.in | date=28 July 2018 | url=https://scroll.in/article/888266/a-modern-abridged-retelling-of-saraswatichandra-offers-a-debatable-way-to-read-a-classic | access-date=3 July 2020 | archive-date=3 July 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703100158/https://scroll.in/article/888266/a-modern-abridged-retelling-of-saraswatichandra-offers-a-debatable-way-to-read-a-classic | url-status=live }}</ref>

The novel was written over a period of 15 years, with the first volume being published in 1887 and the fourth one in 1901.<ref name=mint>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/JLEYRaHV7KJgbDyUTWarKJ/Saraswatichandra--Not-a-love-story.html|title=Saraswatichandra-Not a love story|author=Salil Tripathi|date=2013-03-30|access-date=2013-11-14|publisher=livemint.com|archive-date=2018-12-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225154508/https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/JLEYRaHV7KJgbDyUTWarKJ/Saraswatichandra--Not-a-love-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Govardhanram began to write first part on 18 September 1885 and published it in April 1887. He started to write second part in 1888, completed in June 1891 and published it on 9 June 1892, and in the next year he started to write third part, which he completed in 17 October 1896 and published in 1898. On 20 December 1896, he started to write fourth part and completed it on 23 December 1901. The fourth part was published in 1902.<ref name=ManoramaGandhi>{{cite book |last=Gandhi |first=Manorama |work=Gujarati Navalkathano Sanskritik Itihas |title=Saraswatichandra Navalkathakar: Govardhanram M. Tripathi |year=2010 |publisher=Suman Book Centre |location=Mumbai |pages=37, 51}}</ref>

==Characters==
There are about 150 characters in the novel,<ref>{{cite book|last=Joshi|first=Ramanlal|author-link=Ramanlal Joshi|title=વિવેચનની પ્રક્રિયા|trans-title=The Critical Process|language=gu|year=1981|publisher=R. R. Sheth & Co.|location=Ahmedabad|page=48|oclc=9255383}}</ref> among which the principal characters are:<ref name=MasterpicesOfIndianLit>{{cite book |title=Masterpieces of Indian Literature |volume=1 |editor-last=George |editor-first=K. M. |year=1997 |publisher=[[National Book Trust]] |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-237-1978-7 |page=255}}</ref>
* Saraswatichandra - a young lawyer, an idealist
* Lakshminandan - Saraswatichandra's father, a rich merchant
* Gunasundari - Saraswatichandra's mother-in-law
* Kumud or Kumudsundari - betrothed to Saraswatichandra
* Buddhidhan - minister of Suvarnapur
* Pramadadhan - son of Buddhidhan
* Kusum - sister of Kumud
* Guman - stepmother of Saraswatichandra

==Structure==
[[File:Sarasvatichandra volumes in library.jpg|thumb|Volumes of ''Saraswatichandra'' at [[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]] library]]
Spanned about in 2000 pages, the novel divided into four parts with subtitle: ''The Administration of Buddhidhan'', ''The Family-maze of Gunasundari'', ''The Political Administration of Ratnanagari'' and ''The Dreamland of Saraswati''. As the titles suggest, the first part is about the administration of Buddhidhan, the second about Gunasundari's family life, the third about the politics of Ratnanagari, and the fourth about the consciousness of Saraswatichandra, the hero.<ref name="Mehta2005">{{cite book|last=Mehta|first=Chandrakant|translator-last=Maru|translator-first=Pallavi|title=Indian classics - Gujarati|url=https://archive.org/details/indianclassicsgu00newd|year=2005|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-230-1120-2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/indianclassicsgu00newd/page/n12 1]–2}}</ref><ref name="Joshi1979">{{cite book|author=Ramanlal Joshi|title=Govardhanram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SOEQAAAAMAAJ|year=1979|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|page=17|oclc=6950984}}</ref>

The novel begin with the Saraswatichandra's arrival in Suvarnapur and his meeting with Buddhidhan, a [[Divan]] of Suvarnapur. Hence, the first part gives an account of politics and conspiracy in Suvarnapur under the administration of Buddhidhan. At the end of the first part Kumud, wife of Pramadadhan who is a son of Buddhidhan, leaves Suvarnapur to visit her parents home. Thus, the second part gives an account of Kumud's family. As Kumud's father is a Divan in Ratnanagari, the third part is about the political administration of Ratnanagari. While all social, political and religious reflections are concentrated in the last part.<ref name="DattaLal2007">{{cite book|author1=Amaresh Datta|author2=Mohan Lal|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Navaratri-Sarvasena|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sOsbAAAAIAAJ|year=2007|edition=4th|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]]|location=New Delhi|pages=3819|isbn=((978-81-260-1003-1))}}</ref>

==Plot summary==
{{expand section|date=December 2018}}
The novel take place in two fictional towns, Suvarnapur and Ratnanagari.

Saraswatichandra, the protagonist of the novel, is a well educated, young lawyer deeply interested in literature, quite emotional and idealistic. He has been engaged to marry Kumudsundari (daughter of Vidyachatur - a [[Divan]] of Ratnanagari), a charming and proficient lady. But for certain reasons, Saraswatichandra renounces his home. He assumes the name Navinchandra and starts his pilgrimage. As a result, Kumudsundari's parents marry her to Pramadadhan, the wayward son of Buddhidhan of Suvarnapur. Subsequently, Saraswatichandra (with the pseudonym of Navinchandra) arrives in Suvarnapur and has a meeting with Buddhidhan. Impressed by his eloquent talk and command over English, Buddhidhan invites him to stay with him. Saraswatichandra accepts Buddhidhan's proposal, resides at his home and finally becomes important member of Buddhidhan's family.<ref name=MasterpicesOfIndianLit/>

But soon after, Saraswatichandra leaves Buddhidhan's house due to the tensions that contact with Kumud is causing them both, but on the way, he is attacked by bandits. The [[Sadhu]]s of Sundargiri pick him and nurse him. At the same night, Kumud also leaves Suvarnapur to visit her parents home and on the way, get attacked by the same bandits gang, but is saved by her grandfather, who had come halfway to receive her. Kumud somehow falls into the river and is picked up by [[Sadhu|Sadhvis]] at the bank of the river.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Joshi|first=Umashankar|author-link=Umashankar Joshi|title=Govardhanram's 'Sarasvatichandra': A Modern Gujarati Classic|jstor=23335276|date=March–April 1987|journal=[[Indian Literature (journal)|Indian Literature]]|volume=2|issue=118|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|pages=57–74}}{{Subscription required |via=[[JSTOR]]}}</ref>

==Reception and criticism==
{{quote box
| align = right
| width = 25em
| bgcolor=#DEDEE2
| quote = "To the first part he (Govardhanram) gave all his art. The novel is imbued with aesthetic delight; the characterization is matchless. The second part depicts Hindu society, his art went deeper in the third part, and he gave all that he wished to give to the world in the fourth part."
| salign = right
| source = ― [[Mahatma Gandhi]]<ref name="Suhrud2017">{{cite book|last=Tripathi|first=Govardhanram Madhavram|title=Sarasvatichandra Part I: Buddhidhan's Administration|translator-last=Suhrud|translator-first=Tridip|year=2017|orig-year=2015|location=Hyderabad|publisher=Orient BlackSwan|page=ii|isbn=978-81-250-5990-5}}</ref>
}}
''Saraswatichandra'' has been described as a [[magnum opus]] of Govardhanram, and as a 'highest pinnacle of Gujarati literature'.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Shukla|first=Yashwant|title=Social Ideals and Patriotism in Gujarati Literature (1900—1930)|journal=[[Indian Literature (journal)|Indian Literature]]|date=May–June 1977|volume=20|issue=3|pages=69–73|location=New Delhi|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|jstor=24157489}}</ref>

[[Anandshankar Dhruv]] described the novel as a [[Puranas|purana]]; Vishwanath Bhatt called it an 'epic in prose'; while [[Dolarrai Mankad]] hailed it as 'Sakalakatha'. [[Umashankar Joshi]] also appreciated the novel and called it 'the poem of the Age written in prose'. The size of Saraswatichandra was criticized in the context of form-content relationship. But, [[Ramnarayan V. Pathak]] observed that the looseness of the novel does not diminish from its aesthetic beauty.<ref name="DattaLal2007"/> However, [[Suresh Joshi]], a strong proponent of [[Formalism (literature)|formalism]], criticized the novel for its structural failure.<ref>{{cite book |last=Joshi |first=Suresh |author-link=Suresh Joshi |work=Kathopakathan |title=Navalkatha Vishe |url=https://ekatra.pressbooks.pub/kathopkathan/chapter/નવલકથા-વિશે/ |year=1972 |access-date=2021-07-17 |archive-date=2021-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129161959/https://ekatra.pressbooks.pub/kathopkathan/chapter/%E0%AA%A8%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%B2%E0%AA%95%E0%AA%A5%E0%AA%BE-%E0%AA%B5%E0%AA%BF%E0%AA%B6%E0%AB%87/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Patel |first=Bholabhai |author-link=Bholabhai Patel |title=Adhuna (Essays in Literary Criticism) |date=July 1973 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.537955 |publisher=Vora & Co. |language=gu |location=Ahmedababd |pages=145–146 |oclc=20752713}}</ref> One of his student and critic [[Suman Shah]], also supported Joshi's statement.<ref name=ManoramaGandhi/>

[[K. M. Munshi]] called it the 'gigantic' work of Govardhanram and wrote, "The ''Sarasvatichandra'', as a work of fiction, is poor, but as a record of the impact of the West on the thought, outlook and life of India, it is the most outstanding work in Gujarati literature. It exerted profound influence on Gujarat during the last decade of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th"<ref name="Majumdar1981">{{cite book|editor-last=Majumdar|editor-first=Ramesh Chandra|title=The History and Culture of the Indian People: British Paramountcy and Indian Renaissance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0RFuAAAAMAAJ|edition=2nd|volume=II|year=1981|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan|location=Bombay|pages=192–193|oclc=42837574|access-date=2019-02-17|archive-date=2021-08-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801185431/https://books.google.com/books?id=0RFuAAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>

It is believed that Govardhanram has sketched his own various personality through this novel.<ref name="Mehta2005"/>

==Translation and adaptations==
''Saraswatichandra'' was translated and published in English by the director of [[Sabarmati Ashram]], [[Tridip Suhrud]], in four volumes starting 2015.<ref name="Paul John 2015">{{cite web | last=John | first=Paul | title='Saraswatichandra' in English after 128 years | website=The Times of India | date=2015-08-11 | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Saraswatichandra-in-English-after-128-years/articleshow/48430810.cms | access-date=2015-08-14 | archive-date=2018-12-25 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225154512/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Saraswatichandra-in-English-after-128-years/articleshow/48430810.cms%20 | url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to that, Vinod Meghani had published its English translation in abridged form in 2006.<ref name="The Times of India 2009">{{cite news|title=Jhaverchand Meghani's son passes away|newspaper=The Times of India|date=16 February 2009|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/jhaverchand-meghanis-son-passes-away/articleshow/4139101.cms|access-date=22 February 2021|archive-date=1 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801185432/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/jhaverchand-meghanis-son-passes-away/articleshow/4139101.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> The book was also translated into [[Hindi]] by Alok Gupta and Virendranarayan Sinh in 2015 and was published by [[Sahitya Akademi]], New Delhi.<ref name="HighBeam Research 2015">{{cite web | title=Saraswatichandra's Hindi Translation Finally Published | website=HighBeam Research | date=2015-12-13 | url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3893171671.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410072554/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3893171671.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=2018-04-10 | access-date=2018-04-09}}</ref>

The novel was adapted in several plays, radio plays, films and TV series. One play was adapted in lifetime of Tripathi. One adapted was adapted by Raghunath Brahmabhatt of [[Nadiad]] which became very popular. It was adapted for radio too. The Hindi film ''[[Saraswatichandra (film)|Saraswatichandra]]'' (1968) was based on this novel.<ref name=hindu>{{cite news |title=Saraswatichandra (1968) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article87279.ece |date=January 21, 2010 |access-date=Feb 8, 2013 |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225154515/https://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article87279.ece%20/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=mint/> [[Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma]] had adapted it into a play produced by Aryanitidarshak Natak Samaj which premiered on 11 March 1912.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=ગુજરાતી રંગભૂમિ: રિદ્ધિ અને રોનક (Gujarati Rangbhoomi: Riddhi Ane Ronak)|publisher=Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust|year=2004|editor-last=Choksi|editor-first=Mahesh|location=Ahmedabad|pages=124|trans-title=Compilation of Information regarding professional theatre of Gujarat|editor-last2=Somani|editor-first2=Dhirendra}}</ref>

The novel was adapted in 1972 Gujarati film ''Gunsundarino Gharsansar'', directed by Govind Saraiya, which won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati]] at the [[20th National Film Awards]].<ref name="20thaward">{{cite web|url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm20thNFAAward.aspx|title=20th National Film Awards|publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]]|access-date=September 26, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105220349/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm20thNFAAward.aspx|archive-date=5 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The film was considered important for its artistry and aesthetic.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Gujarat: A Panorama of the Heritage of Gujarat|publisher=Smt. Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra, Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust|year=2007|editor-last=Thaker|editor-first=Dhirubhai|editor-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|edition=1st|location=Ahmedabad|page=530|editor-last2=Desai|editor-first2=Kumarpal|editor-link2=Kumarpal Desai|series=Prakashan: 2}}</ref>

It was adapted in TV serials four times. The 2013 [[Saraswatichandra (TV series)|television series of the same name]] based on the novel was broadcast on [[Star Plus]] in 2013–14.<ref name="GS2013">{{cite web | title=ધારાવાહિક : ૧૪ આનાનો ગુજરાતી વૈભવ | website=www.gujaratsamachar.com | date=11 December 2016 | url=http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/index.php/articles/display_article/ravi-purti/ravipurti-serial-14-anano-in-splendor-11-december-2016 | language=gu | access-date=27 March 2017 | archive-date=27 March 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327170034/http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/index.php/articles/display_article/ravi-purti/ravipurti-serial-14-anano-in-splendor-11-december-2016 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="hindu" />

The novel was retold in abridged version by Sameer Acharya. The version was published by HarperCollins India in 2018.<ref name="Kothari 2018"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://www.gandhiheritageportal.org/ghp_booksection_detail/NjMzLTE0MDMtMTE=#page/26/mode/2up Review of Saraswatichandra] by [[Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi]]

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{GujLit book}}
* {{Internet Archive|id= in.ernet.dli.2015.537849}}
* {{Google book|id=id=1VG7BQAAQBAJ}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Indian novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Indian feudalism]]
[[Category:1887 novels]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language novels]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian novels]]
[[Category:Indian novels adapted into plays]]
[[Category:Novels adapted into radio programs]]
[[Category:Epic novels]]
[[Category:Indian novels adapted into television shows]]
[[Category:Indian romance novels]]
[[Category:Third-person narrative novels]]

Saraswatichandra (novel) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article