Santosh pathak at 04:22, 1 May 2026

2026-05-01T04:22:25Z

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{{Infobox writer 
| name = Barkat Virani
| image = Shunya Palanpuri Barbad Junagadhi Barkat Virani And Musafir Palanpuri.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = [[Goregaon]], 1981
| pseudonym = Befam
| birth_name = Barkat Ali Ghulam Hussain Virani
| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|11|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[:gu:ઘાંઘળી (તા. સિહોર)|Ghanghali]], near [[Sihor]], [[Bhavnagar]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|1|2|1923|11|25|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]]
| resting_place =
| occupation = Poet, Novelist, Short story writer
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| nationality = [[India]]n
| education =
| alma_mater =
| period =
| genre = [[Ghazal]], [[Novel]], [[Short story]]
| subject =
| movement =
| notableworks = * ''Ghata'' (1970)
* ''Pyas'' (1980)
| spouse = Ruqaiyya ( 1952 - 1994), his death
| children =
| relatives = [[Harji Lavji Damani|Shayda]] (father in law)
| awards =
| signature = Barkat Virani Autograph.jpg
| years_active =
| website =
}}

'''Barkat Ali Ghulam Hussain Virani''' (25 November 1923 – 2 January 1994), popularly known by his pen name '''Befām''', was an Indian [[Gujarati-language]] poet, novelist, short story writer and playwright. He is known for his [[ghazal]]s<ref name="Datta1988">{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1390|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|page=1390}}</ref><ref name="Kendra2007">{{cite book|author=Smt. Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra|title=Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4oMAQAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust|page=392}}</ref>

==Life==
Barkat Ali was born on 25 November 1923 in [[:gu:ઘાંઘળી (તા. સિહોર)|Ghanghali]] village near [[Sihor]] in [[Bhavnagar district]]. He was interested in literature since age of fourteen when he wrote his first ghazal.<ref name=a>{{cite book|title=Poet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o-1HAAAAMAAJ|year=1974|publisher=K. Srinivas|page=128}}</ref> He completed his primary and secondary education from [[Bhavnagar]]. He was taught poetry by Qismat Qureshi. He left [[matriculation]] to participate in 1942 [[Quit India Movement]]. He moved to [[Mumbai]] in 1945 on suggestion of Shayda. He met [[Mareez]] there and was later employed at [[All India Radio|Aakashvani radio]]. He married Ruqaiyya, the elder daughter of [[Shayda]], in 1952. He died on 2 January 1994 in [[Mumbai]].<ref name="સુરેશ 2006">{{cite web | author=સુરેશ | title=બેફામ, Befam | website=ગુજરાતી પ્રતિભા પરિચય | date=25 November 2006 | url=https://sureshbjani.wordpress.com/2006/11/25/befaam/ | language=gu | access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>

He was associated with [[Gujarati cinema]]. He appeared in Gujarati film ''[[Mangalfera]]'' (1949) and wrote lyrics of several film songs; ''[[Divadandi]]'' (1950), ''Akhand Saubhagyavati'' (1963), ''Kulvadhu'' (1997), ''Jalam Sang Jadeja'', ''Snehbandhan''.<ref name="RajadhyakshaWillemen2014">{{cite book|author1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha|author2=Paul Willemen|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rF8ABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1994-IA877|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-135-94325-7|pages=317, 1994–}}</ref><ref name="Majmudar1965">{{cite book|author=Manjulal Ranchhodlal Majmudar|title=Cultural History of Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mjpXAAAAMAAJ|year=1965|publisher=Popular Prakashan|page=96}}</ref><ref name="ff">{{cite book|title=Indian Films|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jF4JAQAAIAAJ|year=1974|publisher=B. V. Dharap|page=271}}</ref><ref name="DeshGujaratn2011">{{cite web | author=DeshGujarat | title=Veteran Gujarati singer/musician Shri Dilip Dholakia passes away | website=DeshGujarat | date=2 January 2011 | url=http://DeshGujarat.Com/2011/01/02/veteran-gujarati-singermusician-shri-dilip-dholakia-passes-away/ | access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Abhyaskram 2006">{{cite web | title=બરકત વિરાણી 'બેફામ' 2 જાન્યુઆરી | website=Abhyaskram | date=25 November 2006 | url=http://abhyaskram.blogspot.in/2012/01/2.html | language=gu | access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>

==Works==
He published [[Ghazal]] poetry collections; ''Mansar'' (1960), ''Ghata'' (1970), ''Pyas'' (1980), ''Parab''.<ref name="JhaveriAkademi1978">{{cite book|author=Mansukhlal Maganlal Jhaveri|author-link=Mansukhlal Maganlal Jhaveri|title=History of Gujarati Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DA0RAAAAMAAJ|year=1978|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|page=211}}</ref> He has also written short stories, stage plays, radio plays and film songs.<ref name=a/><ref name="સુરેશ 2006"/> His several songs are popular across Gujarat such as "''Nayanne Bandh Rakhine''", "''Thay Sarkhamni To Utarata Chhie''", "''Milan na Deepak Sahu Buzai Gaya Chhe''".<ref name="DeshGujaratn2011"/> ''Aag Ane Ajawala'' (1956) and ''Jivta Soor'' are two of his Short story collections while ''Rangsugand'' parts 1-2 (1966) is a novel by him.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title = Virani Barkat Ali Ghulam Hussain |encyclopedia = Gujarati Sahitya Kosh (Encyclopedia of Gujarati Literature)|year = 1990|publisher = Gujarati Sahitya Parishad|location = Ahmedabad |page =545 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Gujarati-language writers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Gujarati Vishwakosh}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virani, Barkat}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language poets]]
[[Category:People from Bhavnagar district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Poets from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

Barkat Virani 'Befam' - Revision history

Santosh pathak at 04:22, 1 May 2026