1. Balabhai Virchand Desai, better known by his pen name Jaybhikhkhu, was a Gujarati novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, and biographer from Gujarat, India.
22 Facts About Jaybhikhkhu
1. 2.
Jaybhikhkhu was born on 26 June 1908 at Vinchhiya, a village in Saurashtra to Virchand Khemchandbhai Desai and Parvatibahen.
3.
Jaybhikhkhu's father had served as an administrator of the Varsoda State and other principalities.
4.
Jaybhikhkhu's mother died in Wadhwan when he was four so he spent his childhood in his maternal uncle's home.
5.
Jaybhikhkhu received his primary education in Botad and in Varsoda near Vijapur.
6.
Jaybhikhkhu received secondary education till level 3 in English medium from Tutorial Highschool, Ahmedabad.
7.
Jaybhikhkhu left school and joined Shri Veertatva Prakashak Mandal in Vile Parle, Bombay founded by Vijaydharma Suri.
8.
Jaybhikhkhu studied Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati and English literature as well as Jain philosophy and poetics during these eight-nine years.
9.
Jaybhikhkhu received Nyayatirtha from Culcutta Sanskrit Association and Tarkabhushan from Shivpuri Gurukul.
10.
Jaybhikhkhu was influenced by religious environment in his family, his education in Jain philosophy and poetics.
11.
Jaybhikhkhu had decided to follow four rules in his life: never do a job, not take any property from his father, not give his son any property and earn living through writing.
12.
Jaybhikhkhu was a novelist, short story writer, playwright, biographer, children's writer and journalist.
13.
Jaybhikhkhu had written more than 300 books including 20 novels, 21 short story collections, 7 plays and 66 short biographies.
14.
Jaybhikhkhu wrote several popular columns in dailies including Int Ane Imarat in Gujarat Samachar, Na Phool Na Kanta in Gujarat Times.
15.
Jaybhikhkhu wrote columns in Jain Jyoti, Vidyarthi and Ravivar weeklies as well as Zagmag, a children's weekly published by Gujarat Samachar.
16.
Jaybhikhkhu wrote in modern period but the choice of his subjects, novel genres and style are consistent with the previous generation of writers.
17.
Jaybhikhkhu was among the first writers who selected mythological and historical subjects from Jain religious literature and wrote novels on them diluting its religiosity and highlighting the humanity.
18.
Jaybhikhkhu's writings are fast paced, picturesque and adorned with metaphors; influenced by his study of Sanskrit literature.
19.
Jaybhikhkhu has written animal fables in the style of Panchatantra drawing from Hindu, Jain and Buddhist literature.
20.
Jaybhikhkhu married Vijayabahen, a daughter of a businessman from Ranpur, on 13 May 1930.
21.
Jaybhikhkhu first published a biography of his guru Vijayadharma Suri in 1929 under pseudonym Bhikshu Saylakar, made up from his childhood name Bhikhalal and his native Sayla.
22.
Jaybhikhkhu created his pseudonym Jaybhikhkhu from a name of his wife Vijaya and his childhood name Bhikhalal.