Shivpujan Sahay (1893-1963),famous for his pioneering Hindi regional novel Dehati Duniya, and his two short stories Mundamal and Kahani ja Plot. besides his semi-autobiographical literary memoirs collected in the volumes Wey Din:Wey Log, Mera Jeevan, and Smriti-shesh, had earned over his half-century-long career in literary journalism as editor of Matwala, Jagaran, Himalaya and Sahitya, an enviable stature as one of the greatest prose writers and literary editors of his time, after Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi. A four-volume edition of his writings, Shivapujan Rachanavali (1956-’59) was published in his lifetime.
Shivapujan Sahay had chosen to pursue the career of a writer in Hindi literature almost as early as 1910, when he was still a school student at Arrah, the headquarters of the Shahabad district of those days. Since then, his literary career spanned almost half a century of creative writing which comprised from fiction writing, literary prose and journalism to semi-autobiographical memoirs, diaries and literary correspondence. He was acknowledged as the most perceptive editor of literary texts after Achrya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, and is said to have edited countless texts, including much of the fictional and poetic creations of Jayshankar Prasad, Premchand and Nirala, besides many of his other contemporary writers.
Throughout his long life he amassed a vast collection of books, literary journals, manuscripts, photographs, letters, his own diaries, and other literary miscellanea. In his centenary year 1993, a Trust was created in his memory, called ‘Acharya Shivpujan Sahay Memorial Trust’ at Patna, in which the copyright of all his writings was duly vested; and the largest part of his vast literary collection, including his diaries, correspondence, manuscripts, etc were donated to the Nehru Memorial Library and Museum, Teen Murti House, New Delhi.
Now, in November, 2010, a 10-volume edition of his Complete Works known as Shivpujan Sahay Sahitya-Samagra ( edited by Dr Mangal Murty, his younger son) is being published by the Trust from Anamika Prakashan, New Delhi (anamikapublishers@yahoo.co.in : Ph. 9111-23281655). The price of the entire set of 10-volumes is Rs. 11,000, which is available for individual buyers at a reasonable discount. Those who may be interested, may contact the publishers directly, or through Dr Mangal Murty, Trust Secreatary (Mob. 919451890020/ Ph. 0542-2227479) email : bsmmurty@gmail.com .
Shivapujan Sahay Sahitya-Samagra: Ed. by Mangal Murty
The details of the contents of the 10 volumes are as follows:
Vol 1 : Fiction : Vibhuti (short stories), Dehati Duniya (novel), Asmanjas, Maya-Mandir, Anam Upanyas (incomplete novels), Gram Sudhar ( on rural uplift), etc
Vol 2 : Memoirs & Satire : Mera Jeevan, Smriti-shesh; Do Ghadi, etc.
Vol 3 : Essays & Editorial Notes : Selected essays and editorial notes(1912-’62).
Vol 4 : Miscellaneous Prose writings : ‘Matwala’ editorials, literary speeches, prefaces, reviews, Mahila Mahatwa, Adarsh Parichay, Bihar ka Vihar, Sewa-Dharm ( Tr. of Sidney Arundale’s ‘The Way of Service, pub. 1913), etc.
Vol 5 : Children Literature, etc : Bhishma, Arjuna, Ma ke Sapoot,Balodyan, Khoonta Pandit, Amar Senani Kunwar Singh, Abhimanyu, Bharat Charit; Vyakaran Darpan, Satya Harishchandra (ed.),Bibliographical lists, etc.
Vol 6 : Diaries (1) : Jeevan Darpan (1916-’55)
Vol 7 : Diaries (2) : Jeevan Darpan (1956-’63), Atma- Nandini.
Vol 8 : Literary Correspondence (1) : Letters of Hindi writers to Shivapujan Sahay (Ambika Prasad Vajpayee to Firaq Gorakhpuri)
Vol 9 : Literary Correspondence (2) : Letters of Hindi writers to Shivapujan Sahay ( from Harivansh Rai ‘Bachchan’ to Havaldar Tripathi)
Vol 10 : Literary Correspondence (3) : Letters of Shivapujan Sahay written to various writers, and to Smt Bachchan Devi(wife) and others in the family.
Each volume starts with the editor’s Preface and ends with Chitravali, a section containing an average of about 20 photographs of literary personages, book illustrations, documents, etc.
A few sample photos and facsimiles are given hereunder.
Clockwise: Shivji with Rahulji, Shivji and Bachchan Devi, Matwala, Nirala
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