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{{Short description|Marathi poet}}
{{Infobox artist
| image =
| native_name = होनाजी बाळा
| name = Honaji Bala
|birth_name = Honaji Sayaji Shilarkhane<ref name="Vishwakosh">{{cite web |title=होनाजी बाळा (Honaji Bala) |url=https://marathivishwakosh.org/17993/ |website=मराठी विश्वकोश |publisher=[[Marathi Vishwakosh]] |access-date=21 April 2021 |language=mr-IN |date=29 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi">{{cite book |title=Sangeet Natak |publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi |pages=14 |issue=99-102 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p46fAAAAMAAJ |access-date=21 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
| field = Marathi Poetry
| birth_place = [[Saswad]], [[Pune]]
| birth_date = 1754
| death_date = {{death date and age|1844|||1754||}}
| death_place = near Pune
| nationality =
| awards =
}}

'''Honaji Sayaji Shilarkhane''' (1754–1844<ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta"/>), known professionally as '''Honaji Bala''', was a [[Marathi people|Marathi]] poet from [[Maharashtra]], India. Honaji's compositions were sung by his friend ''Bala Karanjikar'', and together the pair was known for their ''"Honaji Balacha [[Tamasha]]"''.<ref name="Vishwakosh"/><ref name="Gavankar"/> He is known for contributions to the field of [[Lavani]] music and several classical Marathi song.<ref name="GhanShyam Sundara"/>

== Biography ==
Honaji was born into a [[Gowari|Nandgawali]] family in [[Saswad]] and moved to Pune with his mother Vithabai. His father, uncle (''Bala Bahiru''), and grand father (''Satappa'') were also musicians (''shahirs'').<ref name="Vishwakosh"/><ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta"/> He was a milkman by day and musician in the evenings as a part of entertainment troupe at the Peshwa residence.

Honaji was initially patronised by [[Madhavrao II|Sawai Madhavrao]] [[Peshwa]] with an honorarium of {{INR}}300 per year.<ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta"/> After Madhavrao's death, he was supported by the last Peshwa [[Baji Rao II]]. Later in career, he moved to [[Baroda]] where he received an annual sum of {{INR}}200 from the [[Gaekwad dynasty|Gaekwad prince]].<ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta"/>

Mutual enmity brought about his murder in a forest near Pune.<ref name="Sangeet Natak Akademi"/><ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta"/>

==Career==
Honaji composed over 200 [[Lavani]] and [[Powada]]s.<ref name="Vishwakosh"/> He contributed significantly for the development of ''Lavani'' music genre. He was the first to set Lavanis using classical [[Raga]]s and converted [[Tamasha]]s into musical concerts.<ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta"/>

Honaji's work often promoted female perspective in poetry, and with encouragement from Peshwa [[Baji Rao II]], he composed [[Sringara]] lavanis.<ref name="Vishwakosh"/><ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Gadhave |first1=A.S. |title=Entertainments and Amusements during the Maratha Period |date=1986 |type=M.Phil |institution=[[Shivaji University]] |location=Kolhapur |pages=72-74 |url=http://ir.unishivaji.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/2649 |access-date=21 April 2021 |language=en |chapter=4. Rise and Growth of Romantic Entertainment}}</ref> In his historical/mythological ''lavani''s, Honaji followed the lyrical style of [[Shridhar Swami Nazarekar|Shridhar Kavi]] and Mukteshwar, [[Eknath]]'s grandson.<ref name="Vishwakosh"/>

He introduced ''[[tabla]]'' in place of the traditional ''[[dholki]]''. He also developed the ''baithakichi Lavani'', a subgenre, which is presented by the singer in the seated position.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XU8dmAiaZSgC|title=Intersections: Socio-cultural Trends in Maharashtra|last=Kosambi|first=Meera|date=2000|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=9788125018780|pages=197|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ranade |first1=Ashok D. |title=Essays in Indian ethnomusicology |date=1998 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788121508070 |pages=175-178 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SHNLAAAAYAAJ |access-date=21 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He incorporated [[Tanpura|Tambori]] in his performances.<ref name="Gavankar"/>

Honaji also wrote a few ballads but he was less successful in this regard.<ref name="Encyclopaedia_Datta">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1583|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti|last=Datta|first=Amaresh|date=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=9788126011940|pages=1583|language=en}}</ref>

== Media ==
The Marathi film, [[Amar Bhoopali]], produced and directed by [[V. Shantaram]] in 1953 is based on the life of Honjai Bala. Panditrao Nagarkar played the role of Honaji Bala with [[Lalita Pawar]] and [[Sandhya Shantaram|Sandhya]] in supporting roles. The screenplay was written by [[Vishram Bedekar]].<ref name="Gavankar">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xXrxLp3IxbUC&pg=PA53|title=The Desai Trio and the Movie Industry of India|last=Gavankar|first=Nilu N.|date=2011|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=9781463419417|pages=53|language=en}}</ref>

A Marathi play titled ''Sangeet Honaji Bala'' starring [[Bhalchandra Pendharkar]] and [[Suresh Haldankar]], first aired in 1954.<ref>{{cite web |last1=vibhas |first1=alka |title=संगीत होनाजीबाळा (Sangeet Honaji Bala) |url=https://www.aathavanitli-gani.com/Natak/Sangeet_Honaji_Bala |website=Aathavanitli Gani |access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>

== Poems ==
* गोल तुझ्या शरीराचा Gol Tujhya Shariracha<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aathavanitli-gani.com/Geetkar/Honaji_Bala|title=शाहीर होनाजी बाळा |last1=vibhas |first1=alka|website=आठवणीतली गाणी}}</ref>
* घडीघडी अरे मनमोहना Ghadi Ghadi Are Man
* घनश्याम सुंदरा श्रीधरा GhanShyam Sundara<ref name="GhanShyam Sundara">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V0fzGgAACAAJ|title=Lāvaṇya|last=Bala|first=Honaji|date=1924|language=mr}}</ref>
* तुझ्या प्रीतीचे दु:ख मला Tujhya Preetiche Dukha
* तू पाक सूरत कामिना Tu Pak Surat Kamina
* नको दूर देशी जाऊ Nako Dur Deshi Jau
* लटपट लटपट तुझं चालणं Latpat Latpat Tujha Chalana
* सांगा मुकुंद कुणि हा Sanga Mukund Kuni Ha
* श्रीरंगा कमलाकांता Shriranga Kamalakanta

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bala, Honaji}}
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Marathi-language poets]]
[[Category:Marathi-language writers]]
[[Category:Poets from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Artists from Pune]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:1754 births]]
[[Category:1844 deaths]]
[[Category:18th-century male writers]]

Honaji Bala - Revision history

UpdateBot at 15:05, 30 October 2021