Detha has more than 800 short stories to his credit, which have been translated into English and other languages. With Komal Kothari, he founded Rupayan Sansthan, an institute that documents Rajasthani folklore, art, and music. His literary works include Bataan ri Phulwari (Garden of Tales), a 14-volume collection of stories that draws on folklore in the spoken dialects of Rajasthan. Many of his stories and novels have been adapted for the stage and the screen: adaptations include Mani Kaul's Duvidha (1973),[3]Habib Tanvir and Shyam Benegal's Charandas Chor (1975),[4]Prakash Jha's Parinati (1986),[5]Amol Palekar's Paheli (2005),[6] Pushpendra Singh's The Honour Keeper (2014),[7]Dedipya Joshii's Kaanchli Life in a Slough[8] (2020), and Pushpendra Singh's Laila aur Satt Geet (2020).[9]
Biography
Detha said, "My land [Rajasthan] is full of stories, whatever I've written is just a drop of the ocean". Detha, was inspired by Shah Govradhan Lal Kabra to write in Rajasthani "till date I have not written in any other language", he said regarding his love for the language. He portrayed the sufferings of the poor in his writings and was also tipped for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2011 which ultimately went to Tomas Tranströmer.[10]
Works
Rajasthani
Batan Ri Phulwari, vol. 1–14, 1960–1975, folklores Published by Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur
Prerana co-edited with Komal Kothari, 1953
Soratha, 1956–1958
Parampara , edited three special issues – Folk songs, Gora Hatja, Jethava Ra
Rajasthani Lokgeet, folk songs of Rajasthan, six volumes, 1958
Tido Rao, first pocket book in Rajasthani, 1965
Uljhan,1984, novel
Alekhun Hitler, 1984, short stories
Roonkh, 1987
Kaboo Rani, 1989, children's stories
Hindi
Due to respect for his mother tongue Rajasthani, Bijji has never written in any other language, most of his works are translated into Hindi by one of his sons Kailash Kabeer.
Baton Ki Bagiya vol. 1–14, 2019, (Hindi translation of Batan Ri Phulwari) Published by Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur
Usha, 1946, poetry
Bapu ke teen hatyare, 1948, critics
Column in Jwala Weekly, 1949–1952
Sahitya aur samaj, 1960, essays
Anokha Ped, illustrated children's stories, 1968
Phoolwari, Hindi translation by Kailash Kabir, 1992
Chaudharain Ki Chaturai, short stories, 1996
Antaral, 1997, short stories
Sapan Priya, 1997, short stories
Mero Darad Na Jane Koy, 1997, essays
Atirikta, 1997, critics
Mahamilan, novel, 1998
Priya Mrinal, short stories, 1998
Detha also been credited for editing following works[11]
Dutt, Kartik Chandra (1999). Who's Who of Indian Writers. India: Sahitya Akademi. pp. 317–318. ISBN81-260-0873-3.
"Padma Shri Award". National Portal of India, Govt. of India. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
"Biodata – Vijaydan Detha". Shree Sabal Woman Teacher's Training College, Borunda, Jodhpur. 15 October 2007. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
