Surya Mall Mishran (Makers of Indian Literature)

Surya Mall Mishran, the 19th century bard from Rajasthan, belonged to the clan of Charans, the professional warrior-poets, who were given the pride of place in the darbars of the princely states of Rajputana. Though credited with the authorship of seven books Surya Mall Mishran's fame rests chiefly on two of his monumental works, Vansh-Bhaskar-and Veer-Satsai. The former, an ambitious though unfortunately unfinished work, almost as voluminous as the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, deals with the history of the house of the renowned chauhan rulers and is also a veritable treasure-house of ancient knowledge and wisdom.

Veer-Satsai is a soulful expression of the hopes and aspirations of the valiant Rajasthani Warriors and their spouses. It sings of those who indulged unflinchingly in the dangerous game of defiance and death, preferring extinction with honour to a life of slavery and shame.

The author, Vishnu Datt Sharma, gives the readers glimpse of the turbulent times in which Surya Mall Mishran lived and wrote and places him in the glorious tradition of Rajasthani heroic poetry. He brings out the deeply human qualities of Surya Mall-his dignity, self-respect, patriotism and passion for truth. Quoting profusely from his poetry, the aouthor illuminates the abundant variety of the bard's genius and proves, if proof were needed, that Surya Mall Mishran is an undisputed architect of modern Rajasthani literature.

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