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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Labhshankar Thakar
| image = Labhshankar Thaker.jpg
| caption = Thakar at Ahmedabad, 1999
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = gu
| pseudonym = Lagharo, Vaidya Punarvasu
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1935|1|14}}
| birth_place =Sedla village near [[Surendranagar]], [[Gujarat]]
| death_date ={{Death date and age|df=y|2016|1|6|1935|1|14}}
| death_place = [[Ahmedabad]], Gujarat
| occupation = Poet, playwright, novelist, short story writer, journalist
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| nationality = [[India]]n
| education = [[Master of Arts]]
| alma_mater = [[Gujarat University]]
| period = Modern [[Gujarati literature]]
| genres =
| subjects =
| movement =
| notableworks =
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives =
| awards = * [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] (1991)
* [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] (1980)
* [[Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar]] (2002)
| signature =
| years_active =
}}
'''Labhshankar Jadavji Thakar''', also known by his pen names '''Lagharo''' and '''Vaidya Punarvasu''' (14 January 1935 – 6 January 2016), was a [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] poet, playwright and story writer from India. Educated in languages and Ayurveda, he taught at colleges before starting practice of [[Ayurveda]]. He had a modernist approach in literature and was heavily influenced by [[absurd theatre]] and the traditions of [[experimental literature]]. He chiefly wrote plays and poetry.

==Life==
Thakar was born on 14 January 1935 in Sedla village near [[Surendranagar]], [[Gujarat]]. He was a native of [[Patdi]] village of [[Surendranagar district]]. He completed Bachelor of Arts in Gujarati in 1957, Master of Arts in 1959 from [[Gujarat University]]. He taught at various colleges in [[Ahmedabad]] for seven years and simultaneously studied [[Ayurveda]]. He received Diploma in Suddha Ayurveda in 1964. Later he started an Ayurvedic clinic ''Kayachikitsa'' and continued his practice.<ref name="Lal2006">{{cite book|author=Mohan Lal|title=The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Sasay To Zorgot)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KnPoYxrRfc0C&pg=PA4312|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1221-3|pages=4312–4313|volume =5}}</ref><ref name=gsp>{{cite web|url=http://www.gujaratisahityaparishad.com/prakashan/photo-gallery/sahitya-sarjako/Labhshankar-Thakar.html|title=Labhshankar Thakar|language =gu |publisher=[[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]] |access-date =6 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museindia.com/authprofile.asp?id=379|publisher=Muse India ejournal|access-date=6 October 2014|title=Labhshankar Thakar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107012044/http://www.museindia.com/authprofile.asp?id=379|archive-date=7 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name= "agsi">{{cite book|title=અર્વાચીન ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યનો ઈતિહાસ - આધુનિક અને અનુઆધુનિક યુગ (History of Modern Gujarati Literature – Modern and Postmodern Era)|first=Prasad|last=Brahmabhatt |publisher=Parshwa Publication|location=Ahmedabad|year=2010|pages=43–53|isbn=978-93-5108-247-7|language=gu}}</ref>

He died on 6 January 2016 at Ahmedabad after prolonged illness.<ref name="DeshGujarat 2016">{{cite web | author=DeshGujarat | title=Noted Gujarati Litterateur Labshankar Thakar passes away | website=DeshGujarat | date=2016-01-06 | url=http://DeshGujarat.Com/2016/01/06/noted-gujarati-litterateur-labshankar-thakar-passes-away/ | access-date=2016-01-06}}</ref><ref name="Chitralekha2016">{{cite web | title=ગુજરાતના પ્રસિદ્ધ સાહિત્યકાર, વૈદ્ય લાભશંકર ઠાકર 'પુનર્વસુ'નું નિધન | website= Chitralekha | date=6 January 2016 | url=http://chitralekha.com/breaking-news/labhshankar-jadavji-thakar/ | language=gu | access-date=15 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115064345/http://chitralekha.com/breaking-news/labhshankar-jadavji-thakar/|archive-date=15 November 2016}}</ref>

==Works==
[[File:Gujarati Vishwakosh10.jpg|thumb|Thaker inaugurating the 9th volume of ''[[Gujarati Vishwakosh]]'']]

Thakar was a [[modernism|modernist]] author of Gujarati literature. He, along with [[Madhu Rye]], belongs to the Re School, a modernist tradition of [[Gujarati literature]] under the influence of [[existentialism]] challenging traditional literature styles.<ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/>

He had written nearly 56 books of different genres as well as 21 books on Ayurvedic treatments.<ref name="Chitralekha2016"/>

===Poetry===
Thakar initially wrote poetry in traditional metres and gradually shifted to more [[experimental literature|experimental]] one. He emphasized the process of poetry rather than final piece of poetry. He was more interested in the [[absurdism]] than the [[literary realism|realism]].<ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/><ref name="Saccidānandan2001">{{cite book|author=Saccidānandan|title=Indian Poetry: Modernism and After : a Seminar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AXiNXRM_KzMC&pg=PA94|year=2001|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1092-9|pages=94–95}}</ref><ref name="CushmanCavanagh2012">{{cite book|author1=Stephen Cushman|author2=Clare Cavanagh|author3=Jahan Ramazani|author4=Paul Rouzer|title=The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics: Fourth Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uKiC6IeFR2UC&pg=PA590|date=26 August 2012|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-4142-4|page=590}}</ref><ref name="(India)1971">{{cite book|author=Maharashtra (India)|title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: General Series|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e0FuAAAAMAAJ|year=1971|publisher=Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications|page=406}}</ref>

His ''Vahi Jati Pachhal Ramya Ghosha'' (1965) was in traditional metres but soon he wrote modern long poem ''Manasni Vaat'' (1968) exploring new styles. His ''Mara Namne Darwaje'' (1972) and ''Boom Kagalma Kora'' (1974) deal with absurdity and illogicality of life. ''Pravahan'' (1986) is long poem about process of poetry formation paralleled with excretion of [[human feces|feces]]. ''Kalagranthi'' (1987) is the collection of six poems.<ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/><ref name="Iyengar1973">{{cite book|author=K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar|title=Indian Literature Since Independence: A Symposium|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cN9jAAAAMAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|pages=77–78}}</ref> ''Tola Avaj Ghonghat'' (1990) is his acclaimed work. His other collections of poetry are ''Kalpayan'' (1999), ''Kichud Kichud'' (1999), ''Hathiyar Vagarno Gha'' (2000), ''Samay Samay'' (1999), ''Tev'', ''Chhe Pratiksha'', ''I Don't Know, Sir'', ''Chhe'', ''Kathakno Ka'', ''Aav'', ''Me Commit Karyu Chhe Shu?'' and ''Ramat''.<ref name= "agsi"/>

===Plays===
Thakar was heavily influenced by [[Theatre of the Absurd]] and [[Samuel Beckett]]. He along with playwright Subhash Shah, wrote ''Ek Undar ane Jadunath'' based on Beckett's ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' in 1966.<ref name="Lal2006"/> ''Ek Undar ane Jadunath'' is considered to be the first absurd play in Gujarati.<ref name="George1992">{{cite book|author=K. M. George|title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA140|access-date=22 February 2017|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-324-0|page=140}}</ref> His first [[one-act play]] ''Asatyakumar Ekagrani Dharpakad'' was published in collection of one-act plays, ''Make Believe'' (1967) with five other Re School writers. His collection of seven one-act plays, ''Mari Jawani Maza'' (1973) is in absurd style. ''Bathtub ma Machhali'' (1982), a collection of seven one-act plays, has an overtone of satire and irony. His ''Pilu Gulab ane Hu'' (1985) is two-act play about the agony of an actress who is craving for true love. It was directed by [[Kanti Madia]]. It was originally improvised work for [[Darpana Academy of Performing Arts]]. ''Kahe Koyal Shor Machaye Re'' (1993) was originally a scene from ''Pilu Gulab ane Hu'' (1985) and later produced as one-act play. It was later turned into three-act play.<ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/> ''Mansukhlal Majithiya'' (1993) is six scene play.<ref name= "agsi"/>

He was active in workshops for playwrights called ''Aakanth Sabarmati''.<ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/><ref name= "agsi"/>

===Other===
''Akasmat'' (1968) and ''Kon?'' (1968) are his novels. His humour novels include ''Hasyayan'' (1993), ''Champak Chalisa'' (1994), ''Anapsanap'' (1994), ''Pivari'' (1996). He also wrote some more novels later ''Maro Driver'' (2002), ''Bako Chhe, Kalpo'' (2006) and ''Kuhoo Kuhoo Bole Koyaliya'' (2008).<ref name= "agsi"/>

''Malela Jeevni Samiksha'' and ''Inner Life'' (1969) are his works of criticism. ''Inner Life'' was written with Dinesh Kothari. ''Malela Jeevni Samiksha'' is a criticism, written with [[Chinu Modi]] and [[Manhar Modi]], of ''[[Malela Jeev]]'' by [[Pannalal Patel]].<ref name= "agsi"/> His works of journalism and other essays are collected in ''Ek Minute'' (1986), ''Kshana Tatkshana'' (1989), ''Sooraj Ugyo Kevadiayani Fanase'' (1993), ''Aa Howana Sandarbho'', ''Nisbat'', ''Manjal Thambh Thayelu'', ''Hamari Salam'', ''Vinimayvriksha'', ''Dholi Gaya Je Tadko'', ''Thodo Amasto Tadko'', ''Kagalni Punchhadi'' and ''Zakalno Za''. ''Maari Ba'' (1989) and ''Bapa Vishe'' (1993) is a biographical work about his mother and father respectively. He also wrote several books on Ayurveda.<ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/><ref name= "agsi"/>

He wrote five children's stories in 1994; ''Mumbaini Kidi'', ''Kagada Uncle Mamaravala'', ''Nadi-Kanthe Drau Drau'', ''Tadkano Papad'' and ''Kanpau Rakshash''. ''Sarva Mitra'' (1986) is collection of essays on Ayurveda published in his column in ''Liksatta'' under pen name Punarvasu. He had edited three [[akhyana]]s with Prasad Brahmabhatt; ''[[Nalakhyan]]'', ''Kunwarbai nu Mameru'' and ''Sudamacharitra''.<ref name= "agsi"/> He published several magazines including ''Kriti'' and ''Unmoolan''.<ref name=gsp/><ref name="Chitralekha2016"/><ref name= "agsi"/>

==Awards==
He received [[Kumar Chandrak]] in 1962 and [[Narmad Suvarna Chandrak]] also. He was also awarded [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] in 1980 which he returned due to personal reasons and later accepted it in 1994. He was awarded [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Gujarati|Sahitya Akademi award]] in 1991 for his poetry, ''Tola Avaaj Ghonghat''. He also received [[Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar]] from Gujarati Sahitya Akademi in 2002.<ref name= "agsi"/><ref name="Lal2006"/><ref name=gsp/>

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

==References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Vat Manasni (Study of Labhashankar's Works) |editor1-last=Chaudhari |editor1-first=Raghuveer |editor1-link=Raghuveer Chaudhari |editor2-last=Dave |editor2-first=Ramesh R. |editor3-last=Dudhat |editor3-first=Kirit |date=2017 |publisher=Rangdwar Prakashan |location=Ahmedabad |isbn=978-93-80125-93-0}}

==External links==
* {{Gbooks-author|Lābhaśaṅkara Ṭhākara}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thakar, Labhshankar}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language writers]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language poets]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Gujarati]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]]
[[Category:Novelists from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Poets from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Journalists from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

Labhshankar Thakar - Revision history

imported>Citation bot at 15:53, 29 March 2021