Fagu — Mediated Wiki

'''''Fagu''''', also spelled '''''Phagu''''', is a genre of poetry in Old Gujarati language popular during early period of Gujarati literature.

==Etymology == ''Fagu'' is derived from Sanskrit word ''Falgu''. As an adjective, it means beautiful, handsome, fine, etc. As a noun, it became synonyms of the Spring season. ''Falguna'' (also spelled ''Phalguna''), a spring season month according to Hindu calendar, is origin of this word.<ref name="Datta1988">{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1258|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|page=1258}}</ref><ref name=KKS>{{cite book|year=2002|title=Gujarat Darsana: The Literary History|last=Shastree|first=K. K.|publisher=Darshan Trust, Ahmedabad|pages=56–57}}</ref>

==Form== Fagu is a lyrical form depicting beauty of nature during spring. It also portrays joys and pleasures of love, fears and hopes separation and union of lovers. This form was popular among Jain poets who were mostly monks, so many of these Fagu start with erotic sentiments and ends with renunciation or self restraints.<ref name="Datta1988"/><ref name="Nagendra1988">{{cite book|author=Nagendra|title=Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dqGojPpe8DIC&pg=PA282|year=1988|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|pages=282–283}}</ref><ref name="JhaveriAkademi1978">{{cite book|last=Jhaveri|first=Mansukhlal|author-link=Mansukhlal Jhaveri|title=History of Gujarati Literature|url=http://www.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/460465|year=1978|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|pages=14, 242–243|access-date=2016-12-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220031359/http://www.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/460465|archive-date=2016-12-20|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History == An oldest known Fagu is ''Jinachandra Suri Fagu'' (about 1225) by Jinapadma Suri. It has 25 verses with 6 to 20 verses missing. <ref name=KKS/> The first complete Fagu is ''Sthulibhadra Fagu'' composed between 1234 and 1244 <ref name=KKS/> or in 1344<ref name="Datta1988"/> or 1334.<ref name="Nagendra1988"/> It describes rainy season instead of spring.<ref name=KKS/> The separation of Rajula and Jain Tirthankara Neminatha was a popular theme among Jain poets. Some examples are ''Neminatha Fagu'' (1344) by Rajshekhar, ''Neminatha Fagu'' (1375) by Jayashekhar and ''Rangasagara Neminatha Fagu'' (1400) by Somsundar. A poem ''Neminatha Chatushpadika'' (1269) by Vinaychandra depicted the same story. There are twelve known Fagus of these period and majority of them are written by Jain monks. Only two Fagus, ''Vasanta Vilas Fagu'' and ''Narayana Fagu'', written by unknown authors are of non-Jain poets. ''Vasanta Vilas Fagu'' written in the fourteenth century by unknown author is beautiful Fagu without any religious sentiments. ''Narayana Fagu'' (1441) is about Krishna.<ref name="Datta1988"/><ref name="Nagendra1988"/><ref name=KKS/><ref name="JhaveriAkademi1978"/><ref name=Parul1983>{{cite thesis |last= Shah|first=Parul |date= 31 August 1983|title= The rasa dance of Gujarata |volume=1|type= Ph.D.|chapter= 5|pages=134–156|publisher= Department of Dance, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda|hdl=10603/59446 }}</ref>

==Further reading== * {{cite book|last=Sandesara|first=Bhogilal|authorlink=Bhogilal Sandesara|title=Prācīna phāgu-saṅgraha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i6cRAQAAIAAJ|year=1966|publisher=Mahārāja Sayājīrāva Viśvavidyālaya; [Prāptisthāna: Yunivarsiṭī Pustakavecāṇa Vibhāga]}}

==References == {{reflist}}

Category:Genres of poetry Category:Gujarati literature Category:Cultural history of Gujarat