આનંદ આશ્રમ

Dr. Niranjan Rajyaguru is a prominent scholar in folklore, hagiography, saint-lore of Gujarat. He has authored of numerous works on Hagiography and Saint-lore. He is a collector of folklore, a research scholar, an editor, a journalist and columnist. is an Indian Folklorist and proponent Artist of the Folk Arts. His scholarliness is not limited to research and collection of folklore/saint-lore but he is renowned for his performing skills as well. He knows all the ancient cadences of hymns traditioanlly sung in Gujarat. He is a B-HIGH+ grade Artist in All India Radio.  He is a recognized folk-singer, folktale artist and devotional music artist and folklore expert at Prasar Bharti -Doordarshan.

Niranjan has sung Hundreds of Gujarati Bhajans and Folksongs, he has a genuine Folk voice without any improvisation very simple and straight singing  In these forty five years Niranjan has travelled on motorcycle over four lac km in Gujarat, visiting more than thousands villages, meeting Folk, Devotional Music artists of performing art genre,

he has not only taken up research work in the field of traditional arts but   also lends active support to the artists to encourage them to preserve and sustain their arts, popularised folk arts, patronised Folk Artists by promoting them on various mass media sites including TV and Radio,

He as earned his PhD from Saurashtra University writing a disseration on DasiJivan’s Life and Literature. He started his career as a Lecturer in Arts College of Keshod and later moved to Department of Gujarati Language and Literature, Saurashtra University for a brief period of 7 years before fully devoting himself to research activities in folk and saint-lore along with Bardic literature and Medieval Gujarati literature. He is also a recognized refree for PhD in Saurashtra University.

Since then, he has authored more than 40 books and numerous articles on folklore, bardic literature, saint-lore, hagiography, devotional music, folk music and other folk performing arts. His articles are published in numerous prestigious magazines and journals across India. He has delivered numerous talks on the same subjects at various national-international conferences, seminars, symposiums; not to forget the talks on wider platforms like All India Radio, Door-Darshan, Vividh Bharati and other private channels. He regularly writes weekly columns on saint-lore in Phhulchhab and Mumbai Samachar newspapers entitled ‘Bhajan BhedhaiNyara’ and ‘Alakh no Otalo’ respectively.

He is associated with various prestigious literary institutes i.e. Gujarat Sahitya Akademi, Sahitya Akademi Delhi, Sangeet NatakAkademi amongst others.

He has received numerous awards and fellowships for his work in the field of folklore and saint-lore including Dr.Homi Bhabha Scholarship (First Recipient In Gujarat),

Kaag Award, Jhaverchand Meghani  Lokasahitya Awards and Rashtriya Gaurav Puraskar from Sangeet NatakAkademi, Delhi. He is also the founder and Managing DIrector of Sat Nirvan Foundation near Gondal, Gujarat where there is a library containing 18000 rare books and 700-800 hours of folk-music’s recordings. These recordings and books are available to everyone on his wesite www.ramsagar.org free of cost. He has been helping other folk artists to find a proper platform as well.This foundation preserves such rare folkloric items as well as help the scholars and researchers for their works. This foundation also takes care of rare breed of Gir cows and neighbouring people are availed with milk and buttermilk free of cost. He has been commemorated with post of  Shree shree 1008  Maha Mandaleshwar by Rashtriya  Sanatan Dharma Sabha in 2020. He has visited Kenya, Thailand, U.K. for academic activities. He has uploaded 181 vidoes of folklore/saint-lore/ folk music on his YouTube channel named Niranjan Rajyaguru which has more than 8000 subscribers.

Any other relevant information  _

Dr. Niranjan Rajyaguru has not only re-searched medieval saint-lore and folklore of Gujarat but also has successfully evoked interest for the same in common public through his performing skills. His significant contribution can be stated as below:

1. Through numerous books and articles, he has significantly enriched the research tradition within areas of folklore, saint-lore, hymns, folk music, folk arts, history and medieval literature.
2. His talks on saint-lore of Gujarat, accompanied by his soulful musical rendition of the same had not only fascinated audiences across the world but his simplistic approach has evoked interest for saint-lore in many young minds.
3. His insights in folklore, especially saint-lore have opened new horizons in thematical studies of the same which was so far a marginal area within academics.
4. His knowledge in history of saint-lore and hagiography, as reflected often in his books, articles and talks has helped the tradition to thrive even in the diverse times of 21st century.
5. His knowledge of various cadences of hymns, peculiar to the region of Saurashtra (Gujarat, India) is mostly a forgotten art. His talent as a singer has not only kept this intangible heritage alive but its preservation and distribution by him (through       his website, free of any cost of course) has remained an inspirational and    educational resource for learners/ researchers.
6. The well-maintained library at Sat Nirvan Foundation, Gondal (Gujarat) containing more than 18000 books is not just a private reservoir but a tangible resource center for aspiring scholars and researchers. Scholars from across the world       have visited this place to avail these resources and expertise of Dr Niranjan       Rajyaguru for their respective researches in folklore of Gujarat.
7. He also has recorded seven to eight hundreds hours of folk music by travelling across Gujarat which he has not only properly maintained by also passes it to whomsoever requires it for research purposes without charging a penny.

Impact/Outcome of the work done by the person being nominated *

1. Dr Niranjan Rajyaguru’s Sat Nirvan Foundation Trust is a trusted research centre for any scholar/researcher/student who is working on any topic of folklore/saint- lore/hagiography/ medieval literature. His expertise in saint-lore is not limited to          Gujarat but pan-Indian.
2. His authored books, numbering more than 25, and various other articles published in reputed magazines and journals across India are ready-references for researchers of the same area. His work ‘Gujarat no SamruddhVangmayaVarso’ is a prescribed textbook in Course of Folklore at Post Graduation Course (M.A.),     Department of English and COmparative Literary Studies, Saurashtra University,         Rajkot.
3. His Youtube channel ‘Niranjan Rajyaguru’, which has 181 vidoes of explanatory talks and soulful renditions of Bhajans, remains an inspirational source for learners of folk music and also a delight for those who just want to listen these Bhajans in         its most original form and cadence.
4. The place where Sat Nirvan Foundation Trust is located, known as Anand Ashram near Gondal (Gujarat) is a place without any walls and gate! Artists, scholars, researchers, students and even passer-bys are welcomed warmly at this place   and offered all sorts of help possible by the entire Rajyaguru family. In addition,      there are almost 60 cows of rare Gir breed within the ashram. The milk and           buttermilk is free of cost distributed to the neighbouring 45 families daily.
5. He is the first recipient of Dr Homi Bhabha Scholarship awarded only to the PhD scholars in 1992 A.D. He was awarded this scholarship for research in folklore and folk music of Gujarat. He is noticeably the first recipient of this scholarship          from Gujarat for Gujarati Literature.

Any Other Relevant Information

1. Lectures delivered to the students of primary levels to colleges and universities on the theme of Unity in Diversity in Indian Saint Literature.
2. Travelled extensively, delivered lectures and talks,written articles and published books for the cause of eradicating differences based on caste, race, religion and languages in order to awaken national  consciousness.
3. Have built a library housing a huge collection of over 18,000 reference books on Indian   culture, Literature, History and art forms, giving free access to the researchers and scholars across Gujarat, India and abroad.
4. Established a Go Samvardhan Gaushala for research,revival and conservation of Gir breed of Cows, where 50 pure breed Gir Cows are taken care of, and products like cow milk, buttermilk and ghee are distributed free of cost to the needy people.
5. Established Sat Nirvan Foundation Trust to carry out research, documentation and publication of Sant Sahitya, Folk Literature, Folk Music and Bhakti Sangeet, Devotional music. and provide financial aid for education to bright students in need and poor patients for Medical Treatment.
6. Collaboration with various National, Social, Cultural, Literary and Religious Institutes.
7. Ex.Member National Sahitya Akademi NewDelhi. Gujarati Language and Literature Advisory Board.
8. Ex.Member The Programme Advisory Committee Prasar Bharati All India Radio Rajkot.
9. Ex. Member Gujarati Sahitya Parishad Ahmedabad Central Committee.
10. Member THE BRITISH LIBRARY LONDON
11. Managing Director Saint Literature and Folk-Lore Research Centre Anand Ashram.