The Geeta in Leisure: An English translation of Marathi Book 'Zopalyawarchi Geeta'

Mr. Rajendraprasad Sakharam Masurkar is a senior journalist, writer & well read personality in Ratnagiri (Maharashtra, India). He has written the biography of eminent biographer Dhananjay Keer. He also translated the biography of Lokmanya Tilak in Marathi, which was originally written in English by Dhananjay Keer.

About Anantatanay

After learning that Dattatray Anant Apte alias Anantatanay was the author of 'Zopalyavarchi Geeta', the search for knowing more about him started. Information scattered in several books, was the result. Marathi Encyclopedia (Marathi Vishwa Kosh), another books and websites were the sources of that fragmented information, which seems to be hopefully very helpful as collective material for the knowledge of the life and works of Anantatanay.

    A reference of the foundation of 'Kavya Vihar Mandal', a group of poetry lovers, in a college at Nasik by Dattatray Anant Apte is obtained. Poet Keshavsuta is known as the father of modern Marathi poetry, and has his place undisturbed for more than a century; however, there is a clear evidence that Anantatanay, his contemporary (1879-1929) was his staunch opponent. Although it was the age of Keshavsuta created neo-poetic, a number of poets had been still enjoying the pleasure of traditional and past style of poetry. They include Vitthal Bhagawat Lembhe (1850-1920), Ganesh Janardan Agashe (1852-1919), K. N. Athalye (1852-1923), Moro Ganesh Londhe (1854-1920), Purushottam Balkrishna Joshi (1856-1930), Gangadhar Ramchandra Mogare (1857-1915), Vasudevshastri Khare (1858-1924), Vidyadhar Waman Bhide (1861-1936), Eknath Ganesh Bhandare (1863-1911), Laxman Ganesh Lele (1870-1932), Balkrishna Anant Bhide (1874-1929), Radharaman (1877-1927), Sadhudas (1884-1948) and Anantatanay (1879-1929).

Anantatanay wrote an article titled 'The Evolution of Marathi Poetry and Keshavsuta' in 'Kavya Charcha', a book edited by himself with N. M. Bhide. He argued that 'not revolution, but only an evolution what is Keshavsuta attributed for,' which deviated from the established view. 'RaviKiran Mandal', a famous poets' club was established in Pune in the 1920s. It substantially contributed to bring fame to the Marathi verse. The club successfully tried to free Marathi poem from its confinement in the medieval form of classical composition, and introduced stranger forms such as gazal and sonnet. However, above mentioned poets including Anantatanay took a stand against the club.

Variety of the literary works of Anantatanay include 'Hriday Tarang - 3 volumes', 'Padma Dal and Tilak Vijay' - (Tilak's verse biography containing 248 pages, published by S.N.Joshi-1928) His works may be enlisted as follows:- Bal Geeta (The Gita for children, part I- chapters 1 to 9, 121 pages, pub. Chitrashalaa Press , 1924), Bal Geeta (216 pages - pub. Shankar Narhar Joshi, 1926), Shree Sharadaa Dootikaa (1913), Punyachi Parvati (Parvati hill near Pune-1920), Kavi Charitra (Character of a poet- part I - 1906), Kavi Charitra (part 2 - 1907), Sanatan Dharmache Swaroop (An outline of conventional religion- part I, 1904). Besides his independent writing, he also edited many books including the one above mentioned 'Kavya Charcha' (A debate on poetry); all Marathi books viz 'Collection of the Poems of Saint Eknath - co- editor Ramchandra Dattatray KinjawadekarShastri - (pub. Shankar Narhar Joshi, Chitrashala Press, 1930); The Poetry of Vinayak (compiled in 1920). Born in Dhule, Vinayak served the Police department for a piece of time lived an unstable life. He was a friend of Keshavsuta and Rev. N. V. Tilak, then senior poets. He composed only 61 poems, which were posthumously compiled and published by Apte. He was a supporter of 'Shree Maharashtra Sharadaa Mandir,' a society of poets.

Anantatanay too translated some Bengali songs into Marathi. People of the Konkani language have honoured his literary work. 'Geet Govind', a Sanskrit verse that had been translated into Bengali, was brought by Anantatanay in Marathi as 'Radha Madhav Vilas'. A mention of his history of the Jain people is found. Third edition of his 'Zopalyavarchi Geeta' was published in 1929. He died on 11 June of the same year.