Girdhar or Giradhara or GiridharadÃÂsa (1787âÂÂ1852) was a Gujarati poet.
Girdhar best known for his poetic epic RÃÂmÃÂyaá¹Âa (1835) which is popular in Gujarat. He derived the story primarily from the RÃÂmÃÂyaá¹Âa of VÃÂlmëki and the HanumannÃÂá¹Âaka, with some inspiration from other Puranic texts. His version is lucid and musical as it is in simple language and uses traditional metres and melodies including DhanÃÂà Ârë, VilÃÂvala, MÃÂru, SÃÂmerë, SÃÂraga, Soraá¹Âha, ÃÂsÃÂvarë, Bhairava, DohÃÂ, CaupÃÂë, GhanÃÂká¹£arë, and others. His poetry Radha Virahna Barmas is influenced by the poetry of Vaishnavism. His Tulasë-VivÃÂha narrates the wedding of Krishna and Tulsi in 26 lyrics. It resemble the Kadva (cantos) style of medieval Gujarati poetry. He also wrote lyrics on Gopi and Krishna relations and wrote Ashwamedha and RÃÂjasà «yayajña. He based a large number of his poems on the Daà Âamaskandha of the BhÃÂgavata PurÃÂá¹Âa.
Girdhar or GiridharadÃÂsa was born in the village of MÃÂsar, Baroda State in a LÃÂḠVaá¹Âik family in 1785. His father, Garabaá¸ÂadÃÂs, worked as a patwari or village accountant and for some years Girdhar followed him in the profession and was educated in the requisite fields. At the age of twenty he moved to Baroda where he worked for his sister's husband's banking firm. In Baroda he was exposed to learned ascetics and holy men, and studied Sanskrit language and its epic texts. Some years later he was initiated into the Vallabha SampradÃÂya by GosvÃÂmë Puruá¹£ottamadÃÂs. Girdhar worked as a manager in the local Vallabhite temple. He was also a friend of an ÃÂcÃÂrya of the RÃÂdhÃÂvallabhë sect named Raá¹ÂgëlÃÂl MahÃÂrÃÂj. Girdhar's wife and son both died early in life. Girdhar traveled to several Vaishnav religious sites with Raá¹ÂgëlÃÂl. On the return journey, when Girdhar wished to visit à ÂrënÃÂthajë Raá¹ÂgëlÃÂl refused. Girdhar was anxious to get à ÂrënÃÂthajë's darà Âana, and soon died while meditating upon him in 1850.