Vijaydan Detha (1 September 1926 – 10 November 2013), also known as Bijji, was a noted Indian writer of Rajasthani literature. He was a recipient of several awards including the Padma Shri and the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Detha has more than 800 short stories to his credit, which have been translated into English and other languages. With Komal Kothari, he founded Rupayan Sansthan, an institute that documents Rajasthani folklore, art, and music. His literary works include Bataan ri Phulwari (Garden of Tales), a 14-volume collection of stories that draws on folklore in the spoken dialects of Rajasthan. Many of his stories and novels have been adapted for the stage and the screen: adaptations include Mani Kaul's Duvidha (1973), Habib Tanvir and Shyam Benegal's Charandas Chor (1975), Prakash Jha's Parinati (1986), Amol Palekar's Paheli (2005), Pushpendra Singh's The Honour Keeper (2014), Dedipya Joshii's Kaanchli Life in a Slough (2020), and Pushpendra Singh's Laila aur Satt Geet (2020).
Biography
Detha said, "My land [Rajasthan] is full of stories, whatever I've written is just a drop of the ocean". Detha, was inspired by Shah Govradhan Lal Kabra to write in Rajasthani "till date I have not written in any other language", he said regarding his love for the language. He portrayed the sufferings of the poor in his writings and was also tipped for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2011 which ultimately went to Tomas Tranströmer.
Works
Rajasthani
Batan Ri Phulwari, vol. 1–14, 1960–1975, folklores Published by Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur Prerana co-edited with Komal Kothari, 1953 Soratha, 1956–1958 Parampara , edited three special issues – Folk songs, Gora Hatja, Jethava Ra Rajasthani Lokgeet, folk songs of Rajasthan, six volumes, 1958 Tido Rao, first pocket book in Rajasthani, 1965 Uljhan,1984, novel Alekhun Hitler, 1984, short stories Roonkh, 1987 Kaboo Rani, 1989, children's stories
Hindi
Due to respect for his mother tongue Rajasthani, Bijji has never written in any other language, most of his works are translated into Hindi by one of his sons Kailash Kabeer.
Baton Ki Bagiya vol. 1–14, 2019, (Hindi translation of Batan Ri Phulwari) Published by Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur Usha, 1946, poetry Bapu ke teen hatyare, 1948, critics Column in Jwala Weekly, 1949–1952 Sahitya aur samaj, 1960, essays Anokha Ped, illustrated children's stories, 1968 Phoolwari, Hindi translation by Kailash Kabir, 1992 Chaudharain Ki Chaturai, short stories, 1996 Antaral, 1997, short stories Sapan Priya, 1997, short stories Mero Darad Na Jane Koy, 1997, essays Atirikta, 1997, critics Mahamilan, novel, 1998 Priya Mrinal, short stories, 1998