Jaishankar Prasad, fondly called Prasad Ji, was not merely a great poet but a phenomenon with no parallel in Indian literary history. He was born on 30 January 1890, in an aristocratic family of Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. His parents’ early passing away cut short his formal education, but he was extensively tutored at home. He gained deep knowledge by studying Indian history, Sanskrit, literature, philosophy and the Hindu scriptures by himself. He is one of the most eminent pillars of the 'Chhayavad' movement, which emphasised spiritualism, humanism and romanticism, in Hindi literature. His contributions to Chaayavad have a spiritual base and universalism that touches the human heart. Prasad Ji’s literary output straddled the genres of poetry, drama and fiction. He pioneered historical drama set in ancient India.
When Prasad Ji’s glory was at its peak, he developed tuberculosis. He breathed his last on 15 November...