Andreasujg at 14:01, 13 November 2024

2024-11-13T14:01:46Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox writer
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| name = Baba Padmanji
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| image = Baba Padmanji.jpg
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| native_name =
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| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Baba Padmanji Mule
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1831}}
| birth_place = [[Belgaum]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1906|08|29|1831}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai|Bombay]]
| resting_place =
| occupation = Writer
| language = [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| nationality = Indian
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| period =
| genre = Novel, Poetry, Prose
| subject = [[Christianity]]
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'''Baba Padmanji Mule''', better known as '''Baba Padmanji''' (1831 - 29 August 1906) was an Indian writer, novelist, religious preacher and [[Protestant Christian]] reformer in the 19th-century [[Bombay Presidency]], who is known for contributing to [[Marathi literature]].<ref name=s>{{cite news |last1=Dandekar |first1=Deepra |title=Early feminist, pioneering novelist: Recalling colonial-era Marathi Christian reformer Baba Padmanji |url=https://scroll.in/article/997967/early-feminist-pioneering-novelist-recalling-colonial-era-marathi-christian-reformer-baba-padmanji |work=[[Scroll.in]] |date=4 July 2021 | accessdate=29 November 2022}}</ref> He is known for converting to [[Christianity]] from Hinduism in his early twenties and is considered the father of Christian literature in [[Marathi language]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Baba Padmanji Mule |url=https://map.sahapedia.org/article/Baba-Padmanji%20Mule/2507 |work=[[Sahapedia]] |publisher=Pune Cultural Mapping Team, Sahapedia |date=June 2021}}</ref> He has published over a hundred books. His novel ''[[Yamuna Paryatan]]'' is the first independent social novel in [[Marathi language|Marathi]].<ref>Karhadkar, K. C., Baba Padmanji: His times and work. Mumbai, 1959</ref><ref name=v>{{cite web |title=बाबा पदमनजी |url=https://vishwakosh.marathi.gov.in/29215/ |website=[[Marathi Vishwakosh]] |date=4 July 2019 |publisher=Government of Maharashtra}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Dandekar |first1=Deepra |title=Baba Padmanji (1831 – 1906): Conversion and Reform |url=http://www.ctla.llc.ed.ac.uk/baba-padmanji-1831-1906-conversion-reform/ |work=ctla.llc.ed.ac.uk |date=14 December 2017}}</ref>

== Life and work ==
He was born in May 1831 in [[Belgaum]] (now in [[Karnataka]]) to a [[Konkani people|Konkani]]-[[Marathi people|Marathi]] family. He attended a Christian missionary school in his hometown, where he developed his interest in [[Christianity]]. He went to complete his education at the Bombay Scottish Mission's [[Wilson College, Mumbai|Wilson School]] in 1849. Later, Baba worked as a teacher at the Free Church High School in [[Bombay]], where he taught [[catechism]] and other Christianity related subjects.<ref name=v/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hawle |first1=Prasad |title=स्त्रियांसहि ज्ञानाचें व धर्माचें खाजें पाहिजे! |url=https://www.loksatta.com/lokrang/marathi-valan/first-marathi-novelist-baba-padmanji-1403873/ |work=[[Loksatta]] |date=12 February 2017}}</ref>

He was mentored by [[John Murray Mitchell (missionary)|Murray Mitchell]], [[John Wilson (Scottish missionary)|John Wilson]] and Narayan Sheshadri. He was ordained Pastor at the Free Church in 1867, serving the Free Church of Pune till 1872.<ref name=s/>

He also owned a printing press called Victoria Press in Bombay. He headed various Christian journals and magazines and authored more than 100 Marathi texts on Christian themes. In 1877, he rose to prominence for producing the first [[Bible]] (New Testament) translation with commentary made by native Christians.<ref name=s/>

He died on 29 August 1906 and was buried at the Christian cemetery at [[Sewri]], in Bombay.<ref name=s/>

== Bibliography ==
[[File:पंढरीचा वारकरी cover.jpg|thumb|150px|A book cover of ''Pandharicha Varkari'', 1891, authored by Baba Padmanji ]]
Some of his notable works include ''Streevidyabhyas Nibandh'' (1852), ''Vyabhichaar-Nishedhak Bodh'' (1854), ''[[Yamuna Paryatan|Yamunaparyatan]]'' (1857), ''Sarvasangrahi urf Nibandhmala'' (1860), ''Shabdaratnavali'' (1860), ''Maharashtradeshachya Sankshipt Itihaas'' (1866), ''Streekanthabhushan'' (1868), A Comprehensive Dictionary of English and Marathi (second ed. 1870), ''Krushna Aani Khrista Yanchi Tulana'' (1873), ''Navya Kararavar Tika'' (1877) and ''Udgarmargvidnyan'' (1878).<ref name=v/>

He authored an autobiography titled ''Arunodaya'' (Ascent of the Sun), published in 1888. ''Arunodaya'' was translated into many languages. Some scholars consider his book ''[[Yamuna Paryatan|Yamunaparyatan]]'' (1857) to be the first independent novel published in Marathi.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Karambelkar |first1=Omkar |title=ख्रिसमस: विविध क्षेत्रांमध्ये उल्लेखनीय काम करणारे मराठी ख्रिश्चन तुम्हाला माहिती आहेत का? |url=https://www.bbc.com/marathi/india-55424338 |work=[[BBC]] Marathi |date=25 December 2020 |language=Marathi}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://archive.org/details/BabaPadamji/mode/2up ''Baba Padmanji: His times and work''] (A biography book written by KC Karhadkar)
* [https://library.columbia.edu/content/dam/libraryweb/locations/burke/fa/mrl/ldpd_4492547.pdf ''Arunodaya: The Autobiography of Bãbã Padamanjí'', 1944] (An autobiography)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mule, Baba Padmanji}}
[[Category:Indian Christian writers]]
[[Category:Indian Christians]]
[[Category:Indian religious writers]]
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]
[[Category:1831 births]]
[[Category:1906 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Belgaum]]
[[Category:Writers from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Scholars from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:People from British India]]

Baba Padmanji - Revision history

Andreasujg at 14:01, 13 November 2024