Harji Lavji Damani

Harji Lavji Damani, better known by his pen name Shayda (24 October 1892 – 31 May 1962) was a Gujarati language poet, novelist, short-story writer and playwright from Gujarat, India. He is known as Ghazal Samrat, the king of ghazal poetry, as he established the Gujarati ghazal form in Gujarati literature.

Biography Damani was born on 24 October 1892 in Pipli, a village near Dhandhuka, Gujarat to Lavjibhai and Santokbahen. His family belonged to the Islamic Khoja Shia Ishna Asheri community. He studied until the fourth year. In 1912, one of his poems appeared in print for the first time in Bombay Samachar. Subsequently, he started writing ghazals (traditional songs), novels, short stories and plays, including Kumali Kali, which we both wrote and directed. He was the founding editor of the Gujarati weekly magazine Be Ghadi Moj (first issue, 17 August 1924

Works Shayda means 'mad with love' in Urdu.

His works on Gujarati poetry and ghazals include Jay Bharati (1963), Gulzare-Shayri-Shayda (1961), Dipak Na Phool (1965), Chita (1968) and Ashru Chalya Jaay Che (1999). Jay Bharati is a long narrative poem, composed in Dalpatram-style. His novels deal with social and historical themes. The most famous among his social novels are Maa Te Maa and Moti Bhabhi. Maa Te Maa is a tragic story of love and sacrifice of a mother for her children. Some of his novels dealt with typical communal problems. His well-known novel on this theme, Amaanat was published posthumously. Another tragic novel Masuma described the problems of Islamic culture and religion.

Pankhadio (1938), Amizarana, Kerini Mosam Ane Biji Vaato are his story collections.

Recognition Shayda was felicitated in Mumbai on 15 April 1957 with an award of Rs. 7000. A road in Mumbai was named after him as Shayda Road in 1968.

In his remembrance, the Indian National Theater gives Shayda Award to a young Gujarati ghazal poet every year.