KAZI NASRUL ISLAM-GREAT REBEL POET

[Amar-Sonar-Bangla]

Bangladesh National Poet

Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known asbidrohi kobi (Rebel poet) took the bengali literary world by storm by his poem, bidrohi or the Rebel. Probably no other single poem influenced the Bengali society and people so deeply, and this poem, alongwith many other patriotic poems and songs, inspired the freedom fighters during the struggle against the british, and also during the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.

His work seemed to give meaning to the suffering of bangalees during the conflict. Many regard him as the greatest poetic force in Bengali literature after world famous Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Both Nazrul's poems and prose writing exuberate a certain force and energy, denouncing all social and religious bigotry and plurality, cultural differences and oppression as the principal reasons for national discord and disharmony. Many of his songs and poems were banned by the british administration in pre-partition India.

Nazrul was a great proponent of religious harmony between Muslim’s and Hindu’s. For, in a celebrated poem he urged the helmsman of a boat caught in a storm:

‘If someone asks, who are drowning - Hindus or Muslims, tell them they are my mother's children.' (Sentimernts we can use nowadays!)

Accused of Anti-Islamic activity and overt secularism, he replied:

‘I rebelled - sang the song of rebellion - against wrong and injustice, against what is false and polluted, against the fabricated, rotten taboos and traditions, against the hypocrisy and superstition in the name of faith and religion’.

Nazrul also recieved equal prominence and popularity in writing songs, almost 3,000 of them, the largest by any Bengali poet and composing music. Many of his songs, particularly the love songs became instantly popular and are still revered. His songs are extremely romantic, lyric, appealing and rich in metaphors. All his works truthfully represent the life-style he led - the struggle of a poor childhood, his intense patriotism, and bohemian (simple) life as a poet.

His chief works are: Agnivina, Sanchita, Dolan Champa, Chayanat.

A truly GREAT Bangali. An inspiration for all Bangali’s to fight against poverty, ignorance and oppression, religious or secular.

Does anyone else have any information or opinions? Which of his works is best?

[S_BIBI]

Originally posted by Amar-Sonar-Bangla
Bangladesh National Poet

Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known asbidrohi kobi (Rebel poet) took the bengali literary world by storm by his poem, bidrohi or the Rebel. Probably no other single poem influenced the Bengali society and people so deeply, and this poem, alongwith many other patriotic poems and songs, inspired the freedom fighters during the struggle against the british, and also during the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.

His work seemed to give meaning to the suffering of bangalees during the conflict. Many regard him as the greatest poetic force in Bengali literature after world famous Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Both Nazrul's poems and prose writing exuberate a certain force and energy, denouncing all social and religious bigotry and plurality, cultural differences and oppression as the principal reasons for national discord and disharmony. Many of his songs and poems were banned by the british administration in pre-partition India.

Nazrul was a great proponent of religious harmony between Muslim’s and Hindu’s. For, in a celebrated poem he urged the helmsman of a boat caught in a storm:

‘If someone asks, who are drowning - Hindus or Muslims, tell them they are my mother's children.' (Sentimernts we can use nowadays!)

Accused of Anti-Islamic activity and overt secularism, he replied:

‘I rebelled - sang the song of rebellion - against wrong and injustice, against what is false and polluted, against the fabricated, rotten taboos and traditions, against the hypocrisy and superstition in the name of faith and religion’.

Nazrul also recieved equal prominence and popularity in writing songs, almost 3,000 of them, the largest by any Bengali poet and composing music. Many of his songs, particularly the love songs became instantly popular and are still revered. His songs are extremely romantic, lyric, appealing and rich in metaphors. All his works truthfully represent the life-style he led - the struggle of a poor childhood, his intense patriotism, and bohemian (simple) life as a poet.

His chief works are: Agnivina, Sanchita, Dolan Champa, Chayanat.

A truly GREAT Bangali. An inspiration for all Bangali’s to fight against poverty, ignorance and oppression, religious or secular.

Does anyone else have any information or opinions? Which of his works is best?

Hey thats way tooo song for me to read....

[Amar-Sonar-Bangla]

Sambyabadi, translated by Rezaul Karim Talukdar.
What a wonderful poem!

Sambyabadi

I sing the song of equality, in unison
Where all the differences and barriers are gone.
United where, the Hindus-Buddhist, Muslim-Christian
I sing the song of equality, in unison.
Are you parsic? Jain? Jews? Santal, Veel, Garo?
Confucian? Charvakist? Go ahead say more!
In your brain, on your back and shoulder
You carry, whatever you like, the book or scripture
Quran-Puran-Vedas-Vedants-Bible-Tripitak
Zendavesta-Granth Sahib, read you like whatever
Why this futile labour, taking pain in brain?
For what reason, is this bargain?
Watch, the road side flowers, time and again.
Within you, all the scriptures and knowledge, of all time are there
Friend, you will find all of them, just open your heart with care.
All the religions are within you and the preceptor
Your heart is the world temple, of the God all over.
Why do you search, for the God and Goddess, among the dead-book-skeleton
Smiling he is, just behind the screen of your nectar-heart alone
Friends, I did not tell a lie.
Here, all the crowns, drop and die.
In this heart, that Mountain, Kashi, Brindabon, Mathura
Jerusalem, Kaba, Madina, Buddha-Gaya.
Mosque is this, temple is this, church is this heart
Just here! Jesus and Moses knew the truth, not in desert.
The Flute-kid, sang the holy Geeta, at this war field
The sheepheard Prophets, became the God's friends, in this green field.
Sitting in meditation, at this heart-cave, Buddha gave up the throne
Hearing the call, of mankind's wail and groan.
The Arab-Darling, received the message, from this cavern
Just sitting here, he sang the song of equality, of the holy Quran.
Didn't listen a lie dear!
There is no temple or mosque greater-
Than this heart in compare.


We can learn alot today from this poets sentiments about religion.

Anyone heard of other works?

[Amar-Sonar-Bangla]

Hey anyone remember this from dithio shreni book? Ahhh...brings back memories!

Kural Shad

By Kazi Nasrul Islam


Ami hobo shokal belar paki,
shobar age kushom bage
utbo ami daki.

Shurjo mama jagar aghe
utbo ami jege,
hoine shokal, gumu ekon,
ma bolben rege.

Bolbo ami, alshe meye,
gumie tumi thako.
hoine shokal tai bole ki
shokal hobe naku?

Amora jodhi na jagi ma,
kemoni shokal hobe?
Tumar chele utile magu,
rath puhabe thobe.

Beautiful.

Is this a poem meant for the masses, a metaphor for Bangali's to 'wake up' and throw off oppression and injustice and gain independence?

[AGC]

Yeah, Nazrul Islam was one of a kind. Bangladeshis are proud of him. And all Bengalis are proud of Rabinranath Tagore, Nobel Prize Laureate for literature.