The Prowess of Nazrul's Poetry
Dr. Soumitra Shekhar, professor of Bangla at Dhaka University, is a close observer of Bangla literature, and a literary analyst and critic as well. The author of “Nazrul Kobita'r Path-Bhed O Onnanyo Proshongo” recently spoke to The Daily Star, about what makes Kazi Nazrul Islam's poetry stand out. Excerpts:
“When Nazrul began writing, Rabindranath Tagore was reigning in the Bangla poetry scene – in the sense that many had followed his writing style to become poets. From the outset, Nazrul wanted to step out of Tagore. Even before he published 'Agniveena', he had poems like 'Bidrohi', 'Muharram' published in magazines like Muslim Bharat. He arrived in the literary scene to create a poetry style of his own, distinctively different from that of Tagore. And for the next 10 years, he vociferously wrote poetry, before he concentrated in writing songs."
“The first thing that strikes us about Nazrul's poetry is that he spoke of breaking the shackles of the Colonial Rule in his poetry. That kind of sentiment was seen more commonly in politicians, and not in poets. From within the British Raj, Nazrul published 'Dhumketu', and said it wants complete freedom of India. And in his poems, he spoke about it repeatedly -- sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly."
“But it was not just rebellion that we find in his poems. We find romance in his poems; we find love for humanity, and a sense of deep sensitivity and emotions. So Nazrul is a poet of love as well. He has also expressed these emotions expertly in his songs. His book 'Doloncha(n)pa' was a tribute of his love to his wife Ashalata Sengupta, who he lovingly called Duli. In his iconic creation 'Bidrohi', the phrase 'Momo Ek Hatey Ba(n)ka Basher Bashori, Ar Hatey Rono-Turjo' epitomises Nazrul as a poet, who mingled love and rebellion."
“Nazrul's poetry impacted the anti-British political leaders more than the general literary audience: there wouldn't be a meeting or rally by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose where his songs and poems would not be performed; Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das did the same. The most prominent anti-establishment political figures were the first to have been drawn to Nazrul."
“A number of Nazrul's contemporary poets were impacted by Nazrul's poetry. Even if they did not follow Nazrul's political ideals, their style of expression resonated with poets like Mangalacharan Chattopadhyay, Subhas Mukhopadhyay, and Sukanta Bhattacharya. Verses like 'Bidroho Aj Bidroho Charidike, Ami Jai Tar'i Din-Ponjika Likhe' ('Onubhobon' by Sukanta) resonate with Nazrul's form of expression. And even poets of later generations -- during the Liberation War and the anti-dictatorship movement, wrote poems that belong to the Nazrul genre of poems. 'Ekhon Joubon Jar, Juddhe Jabar Tar Shreshtho Somoy' ('Nishiddho Sompadokiyo' by Helal Hafiz), are somehow or the other the impact of Nazrul. It was he who combined youth, love and rebellion and brought them straight to the streets, and poets of generations after generations have drawn inspiration from it.”
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