Stamp on Bhartendu Harishchandra

Bhartendu Harishchandra (9 September 1850 – 6 January 1885) is known as the father of modern Hindi literature as well as Hindi theater. He is considered one of the greatest Hindi writers of modern India. A recognized poet, he was a trendsetter in Hindi prose-writing. He was an author of several dramas, life sketches, and travel accounts; he used new media like reports, publications, letters to the editor, translations and literary works to shape public opinion.

Writing under the pen name "Rasa", Harishchandra represented the agonies of the people, country's poverty, dependency, inhuman exploitation, the unrest of the middle class and the urge for the progress of the country. He was an influential Hindu "traditionalist", using Vaishnava devotional to define a coherent Hindu religion. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India gives Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards since 1983 to promote original writings in Hindi mass communication.

Some of the compilation of his great writings are:

Drama:

• Vaidik Hinsa Hinsa Na Bhavati in 1873.
• Sahitya Harishchandra in 1876.
• Bharat durdasha in 1875.
• Satya Harishchandra.
• Chandrawali in 1881.
• Shri Chandrawali in 1876.
• Prem Yogini.
• Dhananjay Vijay.
• Mudra Rakshas.
• Neeldevi in 1881.
• Andher Nagari in 1881

Poems:

• Prem Tarang in 1877
• Prem Malika in 1871
• Prem Maduri in 1874
• Raag Sangraah in 1880
• Varsha Vinod in 1880
• Bhagat Sarvagya
• Prem Fulwari in 1883
• Prem Srowar
• Holi in 1879
• Madhu Mukul in 1889
• Prem Pralap in 1877
• Danlila
• Pholoo ka Guchha in 1882
• Vinay Prem Pachassa in 1889
• Krishna Charitra in 1883
• Bakari Vilap
• Bandar Sabha
• Sumnanjali
• Sake of Mother Tongue (has ten couplets)
• Uttarardh Bhaktmal between 1876 and 1877
• Bhaktsarvasva in 1870.
• Geet Govindanand in 1877-78.
• Raag Sangrah in 1880.
• Varsha Vinod in 1880.

Translations:

• Karpoor Manjari from Prakrat.
• Harsha Ratnavali, Visakhadattas Mudra Rakshasa and Vidya Sundar from Bengali.
• Durlabh Bandhu from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.

Journals:

• Kavivachan Sudha
• Balabodhini Patrika
• Harish Chandra Chandrika
• Hagwadbhaktitoshini

Essay:

• Bharatendu Granthawali in 1885.