Poets & Writers

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.: Kazi Nazrul Islam The rebel poet (vidrohi kobi) Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as rebel poet (vidrohi kobi), was born on the 25th May 1898 at Churulia in the district of Burdwan, West Bengal, India. He was an exceptional talented person in Bangla literature. This patriot, poet, composer writer, political figure or the myriad minded man edited a politico-cultural magazine "Dhumketu". When still a school student in his teens Nazrul joined the newly recruited Bengali regiment (1916) and sent to Mesopotamia some months before the armistice. The regiment was not given a chance to face battle but all the same Nazrul got his fill of the fighting gusto which later-found expression in poetic effusion and warmth. Kazi Nazrul Islam His first two significant poems, Pralayollas (Exhilaration at the Final Dissolution) and Vidrohi (Rebellion) appeared early in 1922 and his first book of poem Agnibina (The lute of fire) was out before the year was over. The book was received with an enthusiasm never experienced in India before or since. After he joined the Kollol group and wrote mostly deft and pungent verse and songs galore. Nazrul Islam wrote a good numbers of valuable poems, songs, novels, dramas. He had a good command on classic Indian song. He could sing, recite and act with considerable proficiency. Nazrul was an emotional soul, but his emotion was unstable and volatile. Those who came in personal contact with him were moved by his irresistible enthusiasm and sincerity. But his literary output falls far short of his merit, except the early poems in Agnibina. After Agnibina his best known books of poems and songs are Dolonchampa(1923), Biser Bansi (The poisonous flute, 1924), Bhangar Gan (Songs of break-up, 1924), Puber Haoya (The east wind 1925) and Bulbul(1928). The rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was crowned in 1972 as the national poet of Bangladesh. He was living such a life with no care in a shabby, nasty and crowded cottage in Calcutta. West Bengal government did not even arrange a bed in any convalescent home for the poet who was suffering from irreversible brain-damage and living nearly a vegetative life. Under the auspicious of Bangladesh government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the poet was moved to Dhaka; capital of newly liberated Bangladesh situated 125 km west of Trishal a small township in Mymensingh district where Kazi Nazrul Islam spent several years during his boyhood. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman arranged round the clock nursing, physiotherapy since his arrival in Dhaka. The poet died at Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh as National poet on the 29th August 1976. Nazrul Institute, an institution works for research and propagating the poet’s life, works and ideals, is situated in Dhaka with several branches in divisional towns. Bangla Academy has published collected works of the poet to celebrate the poet’s birth centenary in the year (1998).

.: Rabindranath Tagore The leading personalities of modern Bangladesh & India

Rabindranath Tagore, mystic, painter and Nobel laureate for literature is among the leading personalities of modern Bangladesh & India. He was born in Calcutta on May 7, 1861 and was the youngest of fourteen children. His father, Debendranath Tagore, was a Sanskrit scholar and a leading member of the Brahmo Samaj. Rabindranath's early education was imparted at home. In school, while others use to learn their lessons, he would slip into more exciting world of dreams. Inspired by his older nephew, he wrote his first poem when he was hardly seven. At the age of seventeen, his first book of poems was published. Rabindranath Tagore In 1878, he went to England for further studies but returned back in just seventeen months as he did not find the studies interesting. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913) for his collection of well known poems Gitanjali. Tagore was knighted by the ruling British Government in 1915, but within a few years he resigned the honour as a protest against British policies in India. Tagore had early success as a writer in his native Bengal. With his translations of some of his poems he became rapidly known in the West. In fact his fame attained a luminous height, taking him across continents on lecture tours and tours of friendship. For the world he became the voice of present Bangladesh & India's spiritual heritage; especially for Bengal, he became a great living institution. Although Tagore wrote successfully in all literary genres, he was first of all a poet. Among his fifty and odd volumes of poetry are Manasi (1890) [The Ideal One], Sonar Tari (1894) [The Golden Boat], Gitanjali (1910) [Song Offerings], Gitimalya (1914) [Wreath of Songs], and Balaka (1916) [The Flight of Cranes]. The English renderings of his poetry, which include The Gardener (1913), Fruit-Gathering (1916), and The Fugitive (1921), do not generally correspond to particular volumes in the original Bengali; and in spite of its title, Gitanjali: Song Offerings (1912), the most acclaimed of them, contains poems from other works besides its namesake. Tagore's major plays are Raja (1910) [The King of the Dark Chamber], Dakghar (1912) [The Post Office], Achalayatan (1912) [The Immovable], Muktadhara (1922) [The Waterfall], and Raktakaravi (1926) [Red Oleanders]. He is the author of several volumes of short stories and a number of novels, among them Gora (1910), Ghare-Baire (1916) [The Home and the World], and Yogayog (1929) [Crosscurrents]. Besides these, he wrote musical dramas, dance dramas, essays of all types, travel diaries, and two autobiographies, one in his middle years and the other shortly before his death in Calcutta on 7th August, 1941. Tagore also left numerous drawings and paintings, and songs for which he wrote the music himself.   .: Shamsur Rahman The greatest living poet of Bangladesh Shamsur Rahman (1929 -) is indisputably the greatest living poet of Bangladesh, with more than sixty books of poetry to his credit. The renowned critic, Syed Manzoorul Islam, speaks of Rahman as having "produced a solid body of work which has permanently changed the geography and the climate of Bengali poetry. He has given it a new dimension and a meaning, he has created an ethos which belongs indisputably to him. He has given us a language, which we did not have. Shamsur Rahman It is true he has built on the ground of the 30's poets, but he has developed the ground, explored into areas they thought too dark for exploration, has added new features to it, landscaped it and in the process left his footprints all over." The critic, Z. R. Siddiqui, describes Shamsur Rahman as one who is "deeply rooted in his own tradition." In his opinion, Shamsur Rahman "still soaks the language of our times, transcending the limits of geography. In his range of sympathy, his catholicity, his urgent and immediate relevance for us, Shamsur Rahman is second to none." Shamsur Rahman did his Honours in English literature from Dhaka University. He had a long career as a journalist and was the Editor of a national daily, Dainik Bangla. Awards: He has won numerous awards including: Bangla Academy Award (1969) Ekushey Padak (1977) and Swadhinata Award (1991) Shamsur Rahman on his 75th Birthday The Library of Congress has in its collection fifty titles by him, six translations of his poetry and three edited works by him. .: Jibanananda Das The strongest poet in Bengali literature Jibanananda Das (1899-1954) is the strongest poet in Bengali literature. He was in quest of the modern age through its sorrow that makes him quite different from all others. This mystic poet was born on 28th February of 1899 in a Brahmo family at Barishal, which is now in Bangladesh. He started his studies at Brojomohan school, later on he passed I.A from Brojomohan college. He settled in Calcutta and passed B.A exam with English Hons. from Presidency College. After completion of Post Graduation in 1921 he started his career as Professor in City College of Calcutta. Jibanananda Das His collection of first poetic works of Jharapalak came out in 1927, where he did not able to overcome the influence of Tagore but the said work was mercilessly criticized for its obscenity. Later Jibananda did overcome the influence of Tagore and accepting the rebellions of Kallol era he then followed T.S Elliot. Elliot’s feelings of History reflected in his next work. Dhusar Pandulipi (1936) – "Time present and time past are both perhaps present in the future and time future contained in time past." His search for history or better to understand the Root influenced throughout his poetic works – Banolata Sen(1942), Maha Prithbi (1944), Satti – Tarar Timir (1961), Ruposi Bangla (1957), Bela Abela Kalbela (1961), Sudarshama (1973) , Beat of Jibananda Das (1954). Collection of articles ‘Kobitar Katha’ two novels – ‘Subirtha’ Malyaban and some short stories are recently discovered. Among the modern poets of Bengali Literature the nature attracted Jibananda the most: Tagore expressed his poetry as Seenari. He was able to reach too close to the nature that makes nearer to Keats. Jibananda’s sense of nature created a myth of nostalgia. Most of the critics feel that his expression of nature scenery was like the ‘impressionists artists’. His creation forced towards the mystery of unworldly phenomenon. Like the impressionists with the use of one or a couple of words in his each and every poem. Another main feature of his poem is the feelings of the death obsession. His work Ruposi Bangla mainly deals with the natural scenery of Bengal but it deeply concerns with the feelings of death. Jibananda is the pioneer of Sur-realism in Bengali literature. Reality and fantasy come alive in his creation – ‘Banalata Sen’, ‘Aboshese’ or ‘Horinera’ may be referred to. This lonely poet passed away on 22nd October of 1954 in a road accident which is tent amount to his works - "When all the earthly light go off Creation, twinkles Birds come back to the nest, streams too. Death comes, Darkness left behind to close with Banalata Sen. .: Sukumar Ray The greatest writer and illustrator Sukumar Ray (1887-1923), one of the greatest writers and illustrators in the history of Bengali literature, was born in 1887. Like his father, Upendrakishore, and like his son, Satyajit, Sukumar, despite his sense of humour, had intense powers of concentration. He would become entirely oblivious of everything while working out a creative problem from the beginning to the end. Swift minded, he synthesized words and images. Unfortunately, his literary style is very difficult to translate. Satyajit made an effort to put into English some verses from "The King of Bombaria" , from the book, Abol-Tabol. At eight years old this embryonic family humorist completed his first creative feat - a poem to "Nadi", the river. Upendrakishore, "with the eye, hand and soul of an artist", was only too eager to watch for what his eldest son would produce next. Sukumar Ray It took some time, but the next year Sukumar, who showed inventiveness in sport and entertaining all the younger children, produced his second poem, "Tick, Tick, Tong". It was really a translation of "Hickory, Dickory, Dock". Father, who was already writing for children, gave Sukumar's poem to the children's magazine "Mukul". At nine, Sukumar emerged an author in print. When he was a student at Presidency College, he created the home-based Nonsense Club with membership open to those with a flair for the ridiculous, practical joking and, most of all, acting. At some point before 1911, when Sukumar was sent off to England, Suprabha Das, the rather tall and beautiful teenaged grand-daughter of the visionary Kalinarayan Gupta, was introduced to Sukumar's Nonsense Club. Sukumar, no doubt, had his eye on Suprabha Das before he went to England on a scholarship of Technology to study photography and half-tone printing. On Sukumar's return from England in 1914, he married Suprabha Das and their son, Satyajit, was born on May 2nd, 1921. By this time Sukumar was attacked by the bacteria of the then fatal disease of black-water fever. Fever penetrated deeper and deeper with the bacteria affecting one organ after another until Sukumar found himself tied to wheelchair. Yet he continued to write. His wit remained unimpaired. Persistently he continued to bring out "Sandesh", the children magazine. Sukumar Ray, who brought something new to Bengal's literature, died on September 10th, 1923. .: Sunil Gangopadhyay The prolific writer Sunil Gangopadhyay was born on September 7, 1934 at Faridpur in what is now Bangladesh. Sunil got his Master's degree in Economics from the Calcutta University in 1954. He is currently associated with the Ananda Bazar group, a major publishing house in Calcutta. Author of well over 200 books, Sunil is a prolific writer who has excelled in different genres but declares poetry to be his "first love". Sunil was the founder editor of Krittibaas, a seminal poetry magazine that became a platform for a new generation of poets experimenting with many new forms in poetic themes, rhythms, and words. His Nikhilesh and Neera series of poems have been extremely popular. Sunil Gangopadhyay As in poetry, Sunil is known for his unique style in prose. Arjun, Pratidwandi, filmed by Satyajit Ray (English title: The Adversary), Aranyer Din-Raatri (also filmed by Satyajit Ray - The Days and Nights of the Forest), Ekaa ebong Koyekjon are some of his well known works of fiction. His historical fiction Sei Somoy, translated into English by Aruna Chakravorty as Those Days) received the Indian Sahitya Akademi award in 1985. Sei Somoy continues to be a best seller more than a decade after its first publication. The same is true of Pratham Alo (also translated recently by Aruna Chakravorty as First Light), another best selling historical fiction. Sunil has written (and still writes) in many other genres including travelogues, children's fiction, short stories, features and essays. Among his pen-names are: Nil Lohit, Sanatan Pathak, and Nil Upadhyay.

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