Ajay Kumar at 17:52, 23 July 2023

2023-07-23T17:52:47Z

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{{Short description|Indian politician, writer and poet (1830 — 1914)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kaviraja Muraridan
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1830
| birth_place = Bhandiyawas, [[Kingdom of Marwar]]
| death_date = {{Death year and age |1914| 1830}}, [[Kingdom of Marwar]]
| constituency =
| office = [[Dewan]] of [[Kingdom of Marwar|Marwar]]
| term_start =
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party =
| residence = [[Luni, Rajasthan|Luni]]
| otherparty =
| country = India
| parents = Kaviraja Bharatdan
| children = Kaviraja Ganesh Dan
| relations = [[Kaviraja Bankidas Ashiya|Kaviraja Bankidas]] (grandfather)
| alma_mater =
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|Historian|Poet}}
| office1 = {{ubl|[[Hakim (title)|Hakim]] of Jodhpur|[[Hakim (title)|Hakim]] of Pachpadra}}
| predecessor1 =
| office2 = {{ubl|[[Judge]] of the [[Appellate Court]]|[[Officer]] of the [[Civil law (common law)|Civil Court]]}}
| 1blankname = Monarch
| 1namedata = {{ubl|[[Jaswant Singh II| Maharaja Jaswant Singh II]]|(1873–1895)}}
| honorific_prefix = Mahamahopadhyaya
| 1namedata2 = {{ubl|[[Sardar Singh of Jodhpur|Maharaja Sardar Singh]]|(1895–1911)}}
| 1blankname1 = Monarch
| 1namedata1 ={{ubl|Maharaja [[Takht Singh]]|(1843–1873)}}
| 1blankname2 = Monarch
| 2blankname1 =
| 2blankname2 = Notable works
| 2namedata2 ={{ubl|Yaśavaṃta-Yaśo-Bhūṣaṇa|Tawarikh Marwar|Saradāraprakāśikā}}
}}
'''Mahamahopadhyaya''' '''Kaviraja Muraridan''' '''Ashiya''' (1830 — 1914) served as the [[Dewan]] (Prime Minister) of [[Kingdom of Marwar|Marwar]] during the reign of [[Jaswant Singh II]] (1873–1895). Kaviraja is remembered as an astute politician and a farsighted administrator, who made significant contributions to the history of Marwar. He was a [[Tazimi]] [[sardar]] (noble) and a renowned scholar, known for his prominent works including ''Yaśavaṃta-Yaśo-Bhūṣaṇa'' and ''Tawarikh Marwar.''<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rudolph |first1=Susanne Hoeber |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Djabj9gefZ0C |title=Essays on Rajputana: Reflections on History, Culture, and Administration |last2=Rudolph |first2=Lloyd I. |date=1984 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bayley |first=C. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7nwUqnwj4h4C |title=Chiefs and Leading Families in Rajputana |date=2004 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-1066-8 |language=en |quote=Kaviraj Murardan, a member of the Council, and head of the Faujdari (Criminal) Court, is by caste a Charan and is Court Poet of Marwar. He is now fifty-six years of age and was formerly head of the Diwani ([[Civil law (common law)|Civil]]) and subsequently of the Appellate Court. He has received the honour of the single tazim from his Chief. He enjoys a grant of two villages and an annual salary in cash of R8,400.}}</ref>

== Early life & family ==
Kaviraja Muraridan was born in 1830 into the prominent family of Ashiya [[Charan|Charanas]] of Bhandiyawas. His father, Kaviraja Bharatdan, and grandfather, [[Kaviraja Bankidas Ashiya|Kaviraja Bankidas]], were renowned scholars-historians and administrators of the [[kingdom of Marwar]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=Archibald |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ohCAAAAIAAJ |title=The Western Rajputana States: A Medico-topographical and General Account of Marwar, Sirohi, Jaisalmir |date=1899 |publisher=Junior army & navy stores, limited |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Gulerī |first=Candradhara Śarmā |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-YIhAAAAMAAJ |title=Gulerī racanāvalī |date=1987 |publisher=Kitābaghara |language=hi}}</ref>

During his childhood, Muraridan learned bhasha-sahitya and [[Dingal]] from his father Bharatdan, [[Yati]] Jnanchandra taught him [[Sanskrit]].<ref name=":1" />

== Career ==
At the age of sixteen, Muraridan joined the court of [[Takht Singh|Maharaja Takhat Singh]] and held various administrative positions under him and later rulers, including [[Jaswant Singh II]] and [[Sardar Singh of Jodhpur|Sardar Singh]]. By 1870, he had been appointed as the [[Hakim (title)|hakim]] of Jodhpur pargana. He also served as the musahib and hakim of [[Pachpadra]] pargana.<ref name=":1" />

Kaviraja Muraridan was well-known for his role in the administration of Marwar. He served as a member of the Executive Council and was Head of the Diwani ([[Civil law (common law)|Civil]]) and the Faujdari (Criminal) Court. Subsequently, he was appointed as the Judge of the Appellate Court established in April 1882. Additionally, he served as the [[Magistrate]] and General Superintendent of the princely state of Marwar.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Shah |first=P. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XGseAAAAMAAJ |title=Raj Marwar During British Paramountcy: A Study in Problems and Policies Up to 1923 |date=1982 |publisher=Sharda Publishing House |isbn=978-0-7855-1985-0 |language=en |quote=The administration was left in the hands of a special committee of Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad and Kaviraj Muraridan. The most important and bold innovations of this committee in the realm of administration were the execution of famine-relief operations on modern principles and the introduction of imperial currency.}}</ref>

He also played a leading part in passing a set of laws ''Morishala'' (named after him), a type of the doctrine of lapse. According to these laws, the Jagir could not pass, by adoption or otherwise, to a person other than the progeny of the original grantee. Although he faced criticism for this act, it was viewed as a progressive move in terms of maintaining the stability of the jagir system.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Rajvi Amar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AZIMAQAAMAAJ |title=Mediaeval History of Rajasthan: Western Rajasthan |date=1992 |publisher=Rajvi Amar Singh |language=en}}</ref>

In addition to his political career, Kaviraja Muraridan also had an interest in education. He was one of the pioneers of the first school at Jodhpur, Gyananandi Pathshah, which was opened on April 1, 1897, with fifteen pupils. The pioneers of the school also started a Hindi weekly named ''Marudharmint'', which was printed in the lithographic press attached to it.<ref name=":2" />

In 1899, due to a lack of rain, [[Marwar]] was ravaged by a severe [[famine]]. [[Pratap Singh of Idar|Sir Pratap]] left India to participate in the [[China Campaign Medal|China campaign]], leaving the administration in the hands of a special committee consisting of Kaviraja Muraridan and Pandit Sukhdeo Prasad. The committee's most important achievement was the execution of [[famine relief]] operations based on modern principles, and the introduction of Imperial currency (1900) in the State.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rajasthan (India) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NQpTfoGGBx0C |title=Rajasthan District Gazetteers: Jodphur |last2=Sehgal |first2=K. K. |date=1962 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

Kaviraja Muraridan was one of the founding members of ''Rajputra Hitkarini Sabha'' and signatory of the meeting held in Ajmer on March 10th, 1888, as representative of the [[Charan|Charanas]] of the Jodhpur State.<ref name=":1" /> He also acted as the caste-head for the [[Charan|Charanas]] of Jodhpur.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marcus |first=George E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TYK2AAAAIAAJ |title=Elites, Ethnographic Issues |date=1983 |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |isbn=978-0-8263-0658-6 |language=en |quote=Prominent Charan dewans or senior court servants included Kaviraj (court poet) Shyamaldas at Udaipur and Kaviraj Murardan at Jodhpur.}}</ref>

== Estate ==
Aside from his ancestral [[Sasan (land grant)|sasan]] of Bhandiyawas, Kaviraja Muraridan also held the [[jagir]] of Luni. In 1894, Kaviraj Muraridan built an exquisite fortified haveli which is now famously known as Fort Chanwa.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Luni |first=Fort Chanwa |date=2018-04-13 |title=Fort Chanwa Luni, Jodhpur |url=https://www.fortchanwa.com/post/fort-chanwa-luni-jodhpur |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=Fort Chanwa Luni |language=en}}</ref>

During the reign of Jaswant Singh II, besides the revenue from his jagir, he was assigned an annual salary of Rs. 8,400.<ref name=":0" /> He continued in service even after the accession of Sardar Singh and was paid a yearly salary of Rs. 7,500.<ref name=":3" />

However, in 1941, his jagir of Luni lapsed back to the state as due to the absence of a direct heir, a result of the ''Morishala'' laws that he passed.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" />

=== Honours ===
Kaviraja Muraridan was presented with ''lākh-pasāva'' by Maharaja Jaswant Singh II upon his accession to the [[throne]]. His position in the court was regarded as equivalent to the highest rank of jagirdars. He was renowned throughout [[Rajputana]] for his erudition, benevolence, and farsightedness. The government wished to bestow several [[Title|titles]] and honors related to state administration on him at various times, but he declined most of them and accepted only the title of ''[[Mahamahopadhyaya]]'' in recognition of his literary accomplishments.<ref name=":1" />

== Works ==
Kaviraja Muraridan was not only a skilled administrator but also a prolific writer and a renowned scholar of multiple languages, including [[Dingal]], [[Sanskrit]], [[Prakrit]], and [[Braj Bhasha|Braj]]. His works include: <ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" />

# ''Yaśavaṃta-Yaśo-Bhūṣaṇa (यशवंतयशोभूषण)''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Murardan |first=Kabiraja |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nU4XmQEACAAJ |title=Jaswant jaso bhushan |date=1904 |publisher=Sanval |language=sa}}</ref>
# ''Jasavaṃtabhūṣaṇa'', a summary of ''Yaśavaṃta-Yaśo-Bhūṣaṇa (जसवंतभूषण)''
# ''Tawarikh Marwar (तवारीख़ मारवाड़)''
# ''Saṃkṣipta Cāraṇa Khyāti (संक्षिप्त चारण ख्याति)''
# ''Bar̥ī Cāraṇa Khyāti (बड़ी चारण ख्याति)''
# ''Saradāraprakāśikā (सरदारप्रकाशिका)''
# ''Ātmanirṇaya ([[Vedanta|Vedant]]) (आत्मनिर्णय (वेदांत))''
# A Commentary on Bihari Satsai (''Bihārī Satasaī Tīkā)''
# A Treatise on ''Nāyikā Bheda''

=== ''Yaśavaṃta-Yaśo-Bhūṣaṇa'' ===
This is a voluminous text, an exceptional modern treatise on [[Alankāra|alankāras]], the essence of which is '''Jasavaṃtabhūṣaṇa''<nowiki/>' and has also been printed in Sanskrit translation. Kaviraja has considered the names of the alankāras as their characteristics (''lakṣaṇa)''. Imagining the characteristic just from the name is the specialty of this text. Just as in the Chitramimamsa, where Appayya Dikshita has established all the alankāras as types of similes, similarly Kaviraja has defined the alankāras based on the meaning of their names without creating separate characteristics for them. By examining on the opinions of the ancients, he has counted the alankāras that come under the meaning of the word in that alankāra's category.''<ref name=":1" />''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Amarnath |first=Dr |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4c6nEAAAQBAJ |title=Hindi Alochana Ka Alochanatmak Itihas |date=2023-01-12 |publisher=Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-92757-60-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Seth Arjundas Kediya |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.478205 |title=Bharti-bhusan |date=1930}}</ref>

=== ''Muraridan ri Khyat'' ===
Aside from the above listed texts, one '<nowiki/>''Muraridan ri Khyat''' of unknown authorship is named after him which was discovered in the inner compartment of the walls in Jodhpur city, hidden before the occupation of Jodhpur by [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] after the death of [[Jaswant Singh of Marwar|Jaswant Singh I]] in 1678. Kaviraja recognized its importance and had it copied out in bahis and stored in his collection.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinh |first=Raghubir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fyJuAAAAMAAJ |title=Rao Udaibhan Champawat ri khyat: Up to Rao Rinmal and genealogies of the Rinmalots |date=1984 |publisher=Indian Council of Historical Research |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Bhāṭī | first=Vikramasiṃha | last2=भाटी | first2=विक्रमसिंह | title=Murārīdāna kī khyāta : Māravāṛa ke śāsaka evaṃ Rāṭhauṛa śākhāoṃ kā itihāsa | publication-place=Jodhapura | date=2014 | isbn=978-93-82311-43-0 | oclc=915775659}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==

* [https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/publications/eastern-encounters/loyal-address Loyal Address Jodhpur, 1877 by Poet Laureate Kaviraj Murardan]

[[Category:Poets from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Charan]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Rajasthani-language writers]]
[[Category:1830 births]]
[[Category:1914 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Dingal poets]]
[[Category:Sanskrit writers]]
[[Category:Administrators in the princely states of India]]
[[Category:Rajasthani people]]
[[Category:History of Jodhpur]]
[[Category:History of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Indian scholars]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Indian historians]]
[[Category:Indian Sanskrit scholars]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian scholars]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian scholars]]
[[Category:Indian dewans]]
[[Category:Rajasthani politicians]]
[[Category:Jodhpur]]
[[Category:Marwar]]

Kaviraja Muraridan - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 17:52, 23 July 2023