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Bachchan’s early education took place at Kayastha Pathshala, Allahabad, followed by an MA in English from Allahabad University and a PhD on poet W.B. Yeats from Cambridge University.
Birthday of Iconic Hindi Poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan
New Delhi: Today marks the birthday of renowned Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, born on 27 November 1907 in Babupatti village, Pratapgarh district (then United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh). Celebrated for his unique style blending playfulness and lyrical intensity, Bachchan is best known for his iconic 20th-century poetic work, Madhushala.
Bachchan spent much of his childhood in the historic Amodha principality in Basti district, where his father served as an official. In his widely read autobiography, Kya Bhooloon Kya Yaad Karoon, he mentioned the pride he felt in his ancestral land, which had actively supported the 1857 First War of Independence. Despite family traditions cautioning against alcohol, Bachchan famously explored themes of wine and revelry in Madhushala, emphasizing the symbolic and philosophical aspects of life rather than promoting drinking.
Harivansh Rai Bachchan with wife Teji Bachchan and son Amitabh Bachchan
Over his lifetime, Bachchan authored over fifty books, including poetry collections like Nisha Nimantran, Satrangini, Khaadi Ke Phool, Soot Ki Mala, and Milan Yamini. Madhushala, though his second published work, became a cultural phenomenon, first appearing in the prestigious magazine Saraswati. Its popularity endures today, with translations in multiple languages, making Bachchan synonymous with the work itself.
Bachchan’s early education took place at Kayastha Pathshala, Allahabad, followed by an MA in English from Allahabad University and a PhD on poet W.B. Yeats from Cambridge University. He also served as a Hindi specialist in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.
Despite professional success, his personal life faced tragedy with the untimely death of his first wife, Shyama, which left him deeply depressed. He later remarried and continued his literary pursuits with renewed vigor.
Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan remembers his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan on social media X by quoting his lines in Hindi which translates as 'Body of clay, mind of fun, life of a moment, this is my introduction'
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"मिट्टी का तन , मस्ती का मन, क्षण भर जीवन, मेरा परिचय "
~ हरिवंश राय बच्चन27 November 1907 , उनकी याद में 🙏🙏
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 27, 2025
Bachchan received numerous accolades, including the Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademi Award for Do Chattanen, the Padma Bhushan, the Soviet Land Nehru Award, and the Afro-Asian Lotus Award. His works remain celebrated for their simplicity, depth, and ability to convey life’s joys and sorrows.
Harivansh Rai Bachchan passed away on 18 January 2003 in Mumbai at the age of 96, leaving a lasting legacy in Hindi literature. Today, as the literary world commemorates his birth anniversary, his poetry continues to inspire new generations with its timeless blend of mysticism, emotion, and human insight.
