Madhusudan Dutt’s Meghnadvadh-kavya into Hindi. This period, which has
been described as ‘the didactic’ period, served as a bridge between the
Bharatendu age and the Chayavad.
    The post-Dwivedi Yug witnessed a new romantic upsurge in the form of
the Chayavad style of poet. This new poetic movement was described as an
aesthetic, subjective movement that revolted against formalism and
didacticism. Makhanlal Chaturvedi (1888–1968), Balkrishna Shama ‘Navin’
(1897–1959), Siyaram Sharan Gupta (b.1895), Jayashankar Prasad, Surya
Kant Tripathi ‘Nirala’ (1897–1963), Sumitranandan Pant (1900–1977),
Mahadevi Verma (b.1907) and Subhadrakumari Chauhan (1904–1948) were
the leading Chayavad poets. Makhanlal Chaturvedi’s works include Hima-
kiritni and Hima-tarangani. Nirala’s powerful poetry is reflected in works
like Juhi Ki Kali, Parimala, Anamika, Archana and Aradhana.
Sumitranandan Pant has several important works to his credit including
Pallava. Gunjana, Yugavani, Gramya, Svarnakirana, Silpi and Lokayatana.
The other important literary works of the Chayavad period include
Jayshankar Prasad’s Kamayani. Jharna. Amsu and Lahar; Mahadevi Varma’s
Rashmi (1932), Niraja (1934), Sandhyagita (1936), Yama (1940) and
Dipasikha (1942); Navin’s Kvasi and Apalaka; Gupta’s Gandhi, Unmukta,
Nakula and Mrinmayi and Subhadrakumari Chauhan’s Jhansi Ki Rani, Mukul
(1931) and Unmadini.
    The decline of the Chayavad movement saw the emergence of several
different styles in Hindi poetry. One popular style known as Pragativada or
progressive movement was popularised by the writings of Balakrishna
Sharma Navin (1897–1960), Bhagvati Charan Varma (b.1903), Ramdhari
Singh Dinkar (b.1908), Rameshwar Shukla ‘Anchal’ (b.1915) and Narendra
Sharma (b.1916). Harivansh Rai Bachchan (b.1907) enriched the world of
Hindi poetry with his three beautiful collections, Madhusala (1935),
Madhubala (1936) and Madhukalas (1936). Bachchan’s poetry was distinct
from the romanticism of Chayavad and the enthusiasm of the Pragativad. His
kind of poetry is sometimes referred as ‘Hridayvad’ or the poetry of passion.
Then followed an experimental movement called Prayogavada, which came
to be known in later times as the Nai Kavita. This movement brought about a
new poetic content and talent that reflected modern insight. The pioneers of
this trend were S.H. Vatsyayan         ‘Ajneya’ (b.1911), Shivmangal Singh