Mahadevi Varma, also known as ‘modern Meera’, was born on March 26, 1907, in Farukhabad into an orthodox family.
Though she was married at the age of nine in 1916, Varma remained at her parental home and continued her education at Crossthwaite Girls’ School in Allahabad.
Varma is considered to be one of the foundational poets of the Chhayavad – a literary movement of romanticism in modern Hindi poetry from 1914-1938.
Although she was spiritual and believed in Buddhist philosophy, she wrote about concrete issues of politics, social reform and women’s issues.
While both parents encouraged their daughter to pursue her education, it was Varma’s mother who inspired her daughter to write in Sanskrit and Hindi. While pursuing masters degree in Sanskrit, she penned her first verses in secret – only to be discovered by her roommate and friend, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan (herself a well-known poet).
Varma's writings and essays mark the beginning of "feminist" literature in Hind. ‘Srinkhalaa kee kadiyaan’ is considered her one of the best collections in which she illustrated the pitiable condition of women in India and possible solutions to the problem.
Today, Varma is considered one of the foundational poets of the Chhayavad movement in Hindi literature.
Her poignant poetry, and later, essays, often centered on the experience of being a woman. Her feminist work appeared in magazines and books, and her collection of short stories, “Sketches from My Past,” portrays the women she encountered while principal of an all-girls school. While she was a firm supporter of women’s rights, Varma also explored the topics of tradition and the past with great fondness. She was also honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1956, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 1979, and Padma Vibhushan in 1988.
