Navalram Laxmiram Pandya was a Gujarati critic, playwright, poet, essayist, editor, educationist and a social reformer. He is considered to be a most important figure in modernGujarati literature. The first humourist, the first historical dramatist, the first critic and a leading scholar of his age, Navalram was the first to herald the new generation of writers like Manilal Dwivedi, Govardhanram Tripathi and Narsinhrao Divetia. His writings covered numerous areas, including philosophy, patriotism, reformation, education, journalism, grammar and literature.
Life
Navalram was born on 9 March 1836 in Surat to Nandkor and Lakshmiram Pandya. Physically weak as a child, he didn't take much interest in games and was introvert in nature. At the age of eleven, he passed the final vernacular exam and got admission in an English school as a free merit scholar. He passed his matriculation exam in 1853. Though he was a prodigy in mathematics he didn't go to college and joined as an Additional Teacher at the English High School in Surat in 1854. From there he went to Deesa and joined the Anglo Vernacular School. Then he became the assistant principal of Ahmedabad Training College and worked there from 1870 to 1876. In 1876, he became the Principal of Rajkot Training College and lived there until his death on 7 August 1888. In 1847, at the age of 11, he married Shivagauri, who died after 10 months of marriage. His second marriage was with Manigauri in 1850. His son, Dhimatram, was born in 1867, while his daughter, Kamla, in 1871. Govardhanram Tripathi and Vijayray Vaidya published his biography as Navalram Lakshmiram Ni Jivankatha and Shukra Tarak respectively.
Works
In addition to writing literary essays and book reviews, Navalram was a critic of distinction. He started his writing career with a report on the Maharaj Libel Case.
Plays
In 1867, he penned the Gujarati Bhatnu Bhopalu, based on Henry Fielding's The Mock Doctor, a play which in its turn had been adapted from French playwright Molière's Le Médecin malgré lui. He wrote the historical playVeermati in 1869, based on the story of Jagdev Parmar, published in Alexander Kinloch Forbes' Ras Mala.
Criticism
He reviewed the first Gujarati novel, Karan Ghelo in GujaratMitra daily in 1867, pioneering the criticism of Gujarati literature.
Prose
Navalram was an editor of Gujarat Shala Patra, a periodical on education. He wrote serial commentary on poetry with humour titled Akbarshah ane Birbal Nimitte Hindi Hasyatarang in the periodical from 1860 to 1870. His other serialized writing in periodical Engrej Lok no Sankshipt Itihas was later edited and published by Balwantray Thakore in 1924. He translated Kalidasa's Meghadūta in Gujarati and also discussed the methodology of translation in it. Kavijivan is a biographical work on Gujarati poet and social reformer Narmad based on his autobiography, Mari Hakikat.
Others
His poetry collectionsBalalagnabatrisi criticized child marriage while Balagarbavali is about ideals of life of women. He edited Premanand Bhatt's Kunwarbai nu Mameru. His Vyutpattipatha was a pioneer essay on philology in Gujarati while Nibandh-riti was an essay on writing essays. His complete works are published under Navalgranthavali, edited by Govardhanram Tripathi.
