For the Bangladeshi politician, see Syed Nazrul Islam

South Asia Modern era
Name	Kazi Nazrul Islam
Birth	May 25, 1899
Death	August 29, 1976 (aged 77)
School/tradition	Hanafi Sunni
Main interests	poetry, music, politics, society
Influenced by	Islam; Shaktism; Rabindranath Tagore, Rumi
Influenced	Indian independence movement; Bengali poetry, Bangladesh Bengali Language Movement Bangladesh War

Kazi Nazrul Islam (Bengali: কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম Kazi Nozrul Islam) (25 May 1899–29 August 1976) was a Bengali poet, musician, revolutionary, and philosopher who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against orthodoxy and oppression. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Syed Nazrul Islam (সৈয়দ নজরুল ইসলাম Soiod Nozrul Islam) (1925 &ndash 1975 was a Bangladeshi politician and a senior leader of the Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Hanafi ( Arabic حنفي school is the oldest of the four schools of thought ( Madhhabs Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Shaktism ( Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ sa शाक्तं lit "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant Like the Bengali language, Bengali poetry traces its lineage to Pāli and other Prakrit socio-cultural traditions ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement (ভাষা আন্দোলন Bhasha Andolon) was a political effort in Bangladesh The Bangladesh Liberation War (i ( Bengali: মুক্তিযুদ্ধ Muktijuddho) was an armed conflict between West Pakistan (later Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between Bangladesh and India) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating Like the Bengali language, Bengali poetry traces its lineage to Pāli and other Prakrit socio-cultural traditions The music of Bengal, also referred to as Bangla music, comprises a long tradition of Religious and Secular song-writing over a period of almost a millennium The Revolutionary movement for Indian independence is often a less-highlighted aspect of the Indian independence movement -- the underground revolutionary factions Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language The word orthodox, from Greek orthodoxos "having the right opinion" from orthos ("right true straight" + doxa ("opinion His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi (Rebel Poet). Accomplishing a large body of acclaimed works through his life, Nazrul is officially recognised as the national poet of Bangladesh and commemorated in India. A national poet or national bard is a Poet held by tradition and popular acclaim to represent the identity beliefs and principles of a particular national ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Born in a poor Muslim family, Nazrul received religious education and worked as a muezzin at a local mosque. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The muezzin (via Turkish müezzin from Arabic: مؤذن mu’aḏḏin) is a chosen person at the A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger He learned of poetry, drama, and literature while working with theatrical groups. After serving in the British Indian Army, Nazrul established himself as a journalist in Kolkata (then Calcutta). See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. He assailed the British Raj in India and preached revolution through his poetic works, such as "Bidrohi" ("The Rebel") and "Bhangar Gaan" ("The Song of Destruction"), as well as his publication "Dhumketu" ("The Comet"). For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British His impassioned activism in the Indian independence movement often led to his imprisonment by British authorities. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant While in prison, Nazrul wrote the "Rajbandir Jabanbandi" ("Deposition of a Political Prisoner"). Exploring the life and conditions of the downtrodden masses of India, Nazrul worked for their emancipation.

Nazrul's writings explore themes such as love, freedom, and revolution; he opposed all bigotry, including religious and gender. Throughout his career, Nazrul wrote short stories, novels, and essays but is best-known for his poems, in which he pioneered new forms such as Bengali ghazals. In Poetry, the ghazal ( Arabic / Persian / Urdu: غزل; Hindi: ग़ज़ल Turkish gazel) is a Nazrul wrote and composed music for his nearly 4,000 songs (including gramophone records) ^[1], collectively known as Nazrul geeti (Nazrul songs), which are widely popular today. At the age of 43 (in 1942) he began suffering from an unknown disease, losing his voice and memory. What was later diagnosed as Pick's Disease, caused Nazrul's health to decline steadily and forced him to live in isolation for many years. Pick’s disease, also known as Pick disease and PiD, is a rare Neurodegenerative disease. Invited by the Government of Bangladesh, Nazrul and his family moved to Dhaka in 1972, where he died four years later. Politics of Bangladesh takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District.

Early life

Nazrul in the Army

Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in the village of Churulia in the Burdwan District of Bengal (now located in the Indian state of West Bengal). WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Churulia ( Bengali:চুরুলিয়া is a village under Jamuria block station Bardhaman ( Bengali: বর্ধমান bôrdhoman) is a district in West Bengal. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. ^[2] He was born in a Muslim family who is second of three sons and a daughter, Nazrul's father was the imam and caretaker of the local mosque and mausoleum. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion An imam (إمام plural ائمة A'immah, امام is an Islamic leader often the leader of a Mosque and/or community Nazrul's mother was Zaheda Khatun. Nazrul had two brothers, Kazi Shahebjan and Kazi Ali Hussain, and a sister, Umme Kulsum. Nicknamed Dukhu Mia (Sad Man), Nazrul began attending the maktab — the local religious school run by the mosque — where he studied the Qur'an and other scriptures, Islamic philosophy and theology. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran His family was devastated with the death of his father in 1908. At the young age of ten, Nazrul began working in his father's place as a caretaker to support his family, as well as assisting teachers in school. He later became the muezzin at the mosque, leading the community prayers. The muezzin (via Turkish müezzin from Arabic: مؤذن mu’aḏḏin) is a chosen person at the ^[3][4]

Attracted to folk theatre, Nazrul joined a leto (travelling theatrical group) run by his uncle Bazle Karim. Working and travelling with them, learning acting, as well as writing songs and poems for the plays and musicals. Acting is the work of an Actor or Actress, which is a person in Theatre, Television, Film, or any other Storytelling ^[2] Through his work and experiences, Nazrul began learning Bengali and Sanskrit literature, as well as Hindu scriptures such as the Puranas. Literature in Sanskrit begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The young poet composed a number of folk plays for his group, which included "Chasar San" ("The story of a Farmer"), "Shakunibadh" ("The Killing of a Vulture"), "Raja Yudhisthirer San" ("The story of King Yudhisthir"), "Data Karna" ("Philanthropic Karna"), "Akbar Badshah" ("Emperor Akbar"), "Kavi Kalidas" ("Poet Kalidas"), "Vidyabhutum" ("The Learned Owl"), "Rajputrer San" ("The story of a Prince"), "Buda Saliker Ghade Ron" ("Battered Old Bird") and "Meghnad Badh" ("The Killing of Meghnad"). ^[3]

In 1910, Nazrul left the troupe and enrolled at the Raniganj Searsole Raj School, and later transferred to the Mathrun High English School, studying under the headmaster and poet Kumudranjan Mallik. Kumud Ranjan Mullick (1883-1970 was a Bengali writer and poet one of the most eminent poets of the Tagore era of Bengali literature Unable to continue paying his school fees, Nazrul left the school and joined a group of “kaviyals”. Later he took jobs as a cook at the house of a Christian railway guard and at a bakery and tea stall in the town of Asansol. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth In 1914, Nazrul joined the Darirampur School (now Nazrul University) in Trishal, Mymensingh District. Trishal (ত্রিশাল is an Upazila of Mymensingh District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mymensingh (ময়মনসিংহ is one of the districts of Dhaka division, Bangladesh, and is bordered on the north by Meghalaya state of Amongst other subjects, Nazrul studied Bengali, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian literature and classical music under teachers who were impressed by his dedication and skill. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Persian literature ( spans two and a half millennia though much of the pre- Islamic material has been lost Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت ^[3]

Studying up to Class X, Nazrul did not appear for the matriculation pre-test examination, enlisting instead in the Indian Army in 1917 at the age of eighteen. He joined the British army mainly for two reasons: first, his youthful romantic inclination to respond to the unknown and, secondly, the call of politics^[5]. Attached to the 49th Bengal Regiment, he was posted to the cantonment in Karachi, where he wrote his first prose and poetry. The Bengal Regiment is a term ascribed a large number of Regiments first raised for the British Indian Army. Cantonment Florida is town north of Pensacola Florida See also Canton and Cantonist A cantonment is a (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million Although he never saw active fighting, he rose in rank from corporal to havildar, and served as quartermaster for his battalion. Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations In land armies it is a term referring to a military individual or unit who specializes in supplying and provisioning troops A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel ^[3] During this period, Nazrul read extensively, and was deeply influenced by Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, as well as the Persian poets Hafez, Rumi and Omar Khayyam. Sharat Chandra Chatterji ( Bangla: শরৎচন্দ্র চট্টোপাধ্যায় Shôrotchôndro Chôţţopaddhae) also known Khwāja Šamsu d-Dīn Muḥammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī, or simply Hāfez ( was a Persian mystic and Poet. For the Thoroughbred racehorse see Omar Khayyam (horse Ghiyās od-Dīn Abol-Fath Omār ibn Ebrāhīm Khayyām Neyshābūri (غیاث الدین He learnt Persian poetry from the regiment's Punjabi moulvi, practiced music and pursued his literary interests. The Punjabi people ( Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی also Panjabi people) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. Mawlawi (also spelled Maulvi, Moulvi and Mawlvi Persian مولوی is an honorific Islamic religious title often but not exclusively given His first prose work, "Baunduler Atmakahini" ("Life of a Vagabond") was published in May, 1919. His poem "Mukti" ("Freedom") was published by the "Bangla Mussalman Sahitya Patrika" ("Bengali Muslim Literary Journal") in July 1919. ^[3]

Rebel poet

Young Nazrul

Nazrul left the army in 1920 and settled in Calcutta, which was then the Cultural capital of India (it had ceased to be the political capital in 1911). ^[6] He joined the staff of the “Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Samiti” ("Bengali Muslim Literary Society") and roomed at 32 College Street with colleagues. College Street is a street in north Calcutta. It is the hub of intellectual activity in the city He published his first novel "Bandhan-hara" ("Freedom from bondage") in 1920, which he kept working on over the next seven years. ^[3] His first collection of poems included "Bodhan", "Shat-il-Arab", "Kheya-parer Tarani" and "Badal Prater Sharab" and received critical acclaim. ^[3]

Working at the literary society, Nazrul grew close to other young Muslim writers including Mohammad Mozammel Haq, Afzalul Haq, Kazi Abdul Wadud and Muhammad Shahidullah. Muhammad Shahidullah (মুহম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ popularly known as Dr He was a regular at clubs for Calcutta's writers, poets and intellectuals like the Gajendar Adda and the Bharatiya Adda. In October 1921, Nazrul went to Santiniketan with Muhammad Shahidullah and met Rabindranath Tagore. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Santiniketan ( Bangla: শান্তিনিকেতন Shantiniketôn) is a small town Despite many differences, Nazrul looked to Tagore as a mentor and the two remained in close association. ^[3] In 1921, Nazrul was engaged to be married to Nargis, the niece of a well-known Muslim publisher Ali Akbar Khan, in Daulatpur, Comilla. Comilla District is a District of Bangladesh located about 100 kilometers south east of Dhaka. But on June 18, 1921—the day of the wedding—upon public insistence by Ali Akbar Khan that the term "Nazrul must reside in Daulatpur after marriage" be included in the marriage contract, Nazrul walked away from the ceremony. Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar

Nazrul reached the peak of fame with the publication of "Bidrohi" in 1922, which remains his most famous work, winning admiration of India's literary classes by his description of the rebel whose impact is fierce and ruthless even as its spirit is deep:. ^[7]

I am the unutterable grief,
I am the trembling first touch of the virgin,
I am the throbbing tenderness of her first stolen kiss.
I am the fleeting glance of the veiled beloved,
I am her constant surreptitious gaze. . .

. . .

I am the burning volcano in the bosom of the earth,
I am the wild fire of the woods,
I am Hell's mad terrific sea of wrath!
I ride on the wings of lightning with joy and profundity,
I scatter misery and fear all around,
I bring earth-quakes on this world! “(8th stanza)” I am the rebel eternal,
I raise my head beyond this world,
High, ever erect and alone! “(Last stanza)”^[8] (English translation by Kabir Choudhary)

Published in the "Bijli" magazine, the rebellious language and theme was popularly received, coinciding with the Non-cooperation movement — the first, mass nationalist campaign of civil disobedience against British rule. The non-cooperation movement (असहयोग आन्दोलन was the first-ever series of nationwide people's movements of Nonviolent resistance and Civil Disobedience Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain Laws demands and commands of a Government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical ^[3]

Nazrul explores a synthesis of different forces in a rebel, destroyer and preserver, expressing rage as well as beauty and sensitivity. Nazrul followed up by writing "Pralayollas" ("Destructive Euphoria"), and his first anthology of poems, the "Agniveena" ("Lyre of Fire") in 1922, which enjoyed astounding and far-reaching success. He also published his first volume of short stories, the "Byather Dan" ("Gift of Sorrow") and "Yugbani", an anthology of essays.

Revolutionary

Nazrul with his first son Bulbul; his wife Pramila seated right and his mother-in-law Giribala Devi seated left, behind whom stands Bulbul's nanny

Nazrul started a bi-weekly magazine, publishing the first "Dhumketu" on August 12, 1922. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Earning the moniker of the "rebel poet”, Nazrul also aroused the suspicion of British authorities. ^[2] A political poem published in "Dhumketu" in September 1922 led to a police raid on the magazine's office. Arrested, Nazrul entered a lengthy plea before the judge in the court.

I have been accused of sedition. That is why I am now confined in the prison. On the one side is the crown, on the other the flames of the comet. One is the king, sceptre in hand; the other Truth worth the mace of justice. To plead for me, the king of all kings, the judge of all judges, the eternal truth the living God. . . His laws emerged out of the realization of a universal truth about mankind. They are for and by a sovereign God. The king is supported by an infinitesimal creature; I by its eternal and indivisible Creator. I am a poet; I have been sent by God to express the unexpressed, to portray the unportrayed. It is God who is heard through the voice of the poet. . . My voice is but a medium for Truth, the message of God. . . I am the instrument of that eternal self-evident truth, an instrument that voices forth the message of the ever-true. I am an instrument of God. The instrument is not unbreakable, but who is there to break God?^[9]

On April 14, 1923 he was transferred from the jail in Alipore to Hooghly in Kolkata, he began a 40-day fast to protest mistreatment by the British jail superintendent. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Alipore is headquarters of South 24 Parganas district and a neighbourhood in Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Hooghly-Chinsurah (also commonly known as Hughly-Chinsura or Chuchura) (চূঁচূড়া Nazrul broke his fast more than a month later and was eventually released from prison in December 1923. Nazrul composed a large number of poems and songs during the period of imprisonment and many his works were banned in the 1920s by the British authorities. ^[3]

Kazi Nazrul Islam became a critic of the Khilafat struggle, condemning it as hollow, religious fundamentalism. The Khilafat movement (1919-1924 was a political campaign launched mainly by Muslims in South Asia to influence the British government and to protect the ^[3] Nazrul's rebellious expression extended to rigid orthodoxy in the name of religion and politics. ^[10] Nazrul also criticised the Indian National Congress for not embracing outright political independence from the British Empire. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. He became active in encouraging people to agitate against British rule, and joined the Bengal state unit of the Congress party. ^[3] Nazrul also helped organise the Sramik Praja Swaraj Dal, a political party committed to national independence and the service of the peasant masses. The Workers and Peasants Party was a Political party in India, which worked inside the Indian National Congress 1925-1929 On December 16, 1925 Nazrul started publishing the weekly "Langal”, with himself as chief editor. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[3] The "Langal" was the mouthpiece of the Sramik Praja Swaraj Dal.

During his visit to Comilla in 1921, Nazrul met a young Hindu woman, Pramila Devi, with whom he fell in love and they married on April 25, 1924. Comilla (কুমিল্লা is a city in south-eastern Bangladesh. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Pramila belonged to the Brahmo Samaj, which criticised her marriage to a Muslim. Brahmo Samaj ( Bengali ব্রাহ্ম সমাজ Bramho Shômaj) is the societal component of Brahmoism. Nazrul in turn was condemned by Muslim religious leaders and continued to face criticism for his personal life and professional works, which attacked social and religious dogma and intolerance. Despite controversy, Nazrul's popularity and reputation as the "rebel poet" rose significantly. ^[11][3]

Weary of struggles, I, the great rebel,
Shall rest in quiet only when I find
The sky and the air free of the piteous groans of the oppressed.
Only when the battle fields are cleared of jingling bloody sabres
Shall I, weary of struggles, rest in quiet,
I the great rebel. ^[8]

Mass music

Nazrul on a hunting trip with friends in Sundarpur, India

With his wife and young son Bulbul, Nazrul settled in Krishnanagar in 1926. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Krishnanagar is a Municipality and administrative headquarters of Nadia district in the His work began to transform as he wrote poetry and songs that articulated the aspirations of the downtrodden classes, a sphere of his work known as "mass music. "^[12] Nazrul assailed the socio-economic norms and political system that had brought upon misery. From his poem Darido (Pain or Poverty):

O poverty, thou hast made me great.
Thou hast made me honoured like Christ
With his crown of thorns. Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Thou hast given me
Courage to reveal all. To thee I owe
My insolent, naked eyes and sharp tongue.
Thy curse has turned my violin to a sword. . .
O proud saint, thy terrible fire
Has rendered my heaven barren.
O my child, my darling one
I could not give thee even a drop of milk
No right have I to rejoice.
Poverty weeps within my doors forever
As my spouse and my child.
Who will play the flute?^[13]

Kazi Nazrul Islam

In what his contemporaries regarded as one of his greatest flairs of creativity, Nazrul began composing the very first ghazals in Bengali, transforming a form of poetry written mainly in Persian and Urdu. In Poetry, the ghazal ( Arabic / Persian / Urdu: غزل; Hindi: ग़ज़ल Turkish gazel) is a Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised ^[4] Nazrul for the first introduced Islam into the larger mainstream tradition of Bengali music. The first record of Islamic songs by Nazrul Islam was a commercial success and many gramophone companies showed interest in producing these. A significant impact of Nazrul's "Islamisation" of Bengali music was that it drew an audience amongst conservative Muslims, traditionally averse to music. Islamization (also spelt Islamisation, see Spelling differences) or Islamification means the process of a society's conversion to the religion of Islam Nazrul also composed a number of notable Shamasangeet, Bhajan and Kirtan, combining Hindu devotional music. A Bhajan is a type of Hindu Devotional Song, often simple lyrical and expressing love for the Divine. Kirtan ( Sanskrit - "to repeat" is call-and-response chanting performed in India's devotional traditions ^[14] Arousing controversy and passions in his readers, Nazrul's ideas attained great popularity across India. In 1928, Nazrul began working as a lyricist, composer and music director for His Master's Voice Gramophone Company. His Master's Voice, today usually abbreviated to HMV, is a famous Trademark in the music business and for many years was the name of a large record label The songs written and music composed by him were broadcast on radio stations across the country. He was also enlisted/attached with the Indian Broadcasting Company ^[15].

Nazrul professed faith in the belief in the equality of women — a view his contemporaries considered revolutionary. ^[16] From his poet Nari (Woman):

I don't see any difference
Between a man and woman
Whatever great or benevolent achievements
That are in this world
Half of that was by woman,
The other half by man. (Translated by Sajed Kamal^[17])

His poetry retains long-standing notions of men and women in binary opposition to one another and does not affirm gender similarities and flexibility in the social structure:

Man has brought the burning, scorching heat of the sunny day;
Woman has brought peaceful night, soothing breeze and cloud.
Man comes with desert-thirst; woman provides the drink of honey.
Man ploughs the fertile land; woman sows crops in it turning it green.
Man ploughs, woman waters; that earth and water mixed together, brings about a harvest of golden paddy. ^[17]

However, Nazrul's poems strongly emphasise the confluence of the roles of both sexes and their equal importance to life. He stunned society with his poem "Barangana" ("Prostitute"), in which he addresses a prostitute as "mother". ^[18] Nazrul accepts the prostitute as a human being, reasoning that this person was breast-fed by a noble woman and belonging to the race of "mothers and sisters"; he assails society's negative notions of prostitutes. ^[19]

Who calls you a prostitute, mother?
Who spits at you?
Perhaps you were sucked by someone
as chaste as Seeta. SITA is a multinational Information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the Aviation industry
. . . .
And if the son of an unchaste mother is 'illegitimate',
so is the son of an unchaste father.
("Barangana" ("Prostitute") Translated by Sajed Kamal^[20])

Nazrul was an advocate of the emancipation of women; both traditional and non-traditional women were portrayed by him with utmost sincerity. ^[21] Nazrul's songs are collectively called as Nazrul geeti.

Exploring religion

Kazi Nazrul Islam

Nazrul's mother died in 1928, and his second son Bulbul died of smallpox the following year. Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. His first son, Krishna Mohammad had died prematurely. His wife gave birth to two more sons — Savyasachi in 1928 and Aniruddha in 1931 — but Nazrul remained shaken and aggrieved for a long time. His works changed significantly from rebellious expositions of society to deeper examination of religious themes. His works in these years led Islamic devotional songs into the mainstream of Bengali folk music, exploring the Islamic practices of namaz (prayer), roza (fasting), hajj (pilgrimage) and zakat (charity). The music of Bengal, also referred to as Bangla music, comprises a long tradition of Religious and Secular song-writing over a period of almost a millennium Ṣalāt ( Arabic: صلاة‎, pl ṣalawāt, Qur'anic Arabic: صلوة ṣalawah) (also munz in Pashto and Sawm ( Arabic: صوم is an Arabic word for Fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world This is a sub-article of Islamic economical jurisprudence. Zakaat ( زكاة zækæːh zakaat or zakāh, has the implied This was regarded by his contemporaries as a significant achievement as Bengali Muslims had been strongly averse to devotional music. ^[22] Nazrul's creativity diversified as he explored Hindu devotional music by composing Shama Sangeet, bhajans and kirtans, often merging Islamic and Hindu values. A Bhajan is a type of Hindu Devotional Song, often simple lyrical and expressing love for the Divine. Kirtan ( Sanskrit - "to repeat" is call-and-response chanting performed in India's devotional traditions Nazrul's poetry and songs explored the philosophy of Islam and Hinduism ^[23].

Let people of all countries and all times come together. At one great union of humanity. Let them listen to the flute music of one great unity. Should a single person be hurt, all hearts should feel it equally. If one person is insulted; it is a shame to all mankind, an insult to all! Today is the grand uprising of the agony of universal man. ^[24]

Nazrul's poetry imbibed the passion and creativity of Shakti, which is identified as the Brahman, the personification of primordial energy. Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. He wrote and composed many bhajans, shyamasangeet, agamanis and kirtans. He also composed large number of songs on invocation to Lord Shiva, Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati and on the theme of love of Radha and Krishna. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the For Radha the mother of Karna from Mahabharata see Radha (Mahabharata Radha (Devanagari राधा IAST Rādhā is the principal Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism ^[4]

Nazrul assailed fanaticism in religion, denouncing it as evil and inherently irreligious. He devoted many works to expound upon the principle of human equality, exploring the Qur'an and the life of Islam's prophet Muhammad. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Nazrul has been compared to William Butler Yeats for being the first Muslim poet to create imagery and symbolism of Muslim historical figures such as Qasim, Ali, Umar, Kamal Pasha, Anwar Pasha and the prophet Muhammad. ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH Umar (a=عمر بن الخطاب|t=`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c 581-83 CE &ndash 7 November, 644) also known as Umar the Great or Omar the Great Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics ^[9] His vigorous assault on extremism and mistreatment of women provoked condemnation from fundamentalist Muslims, many of whom denounced him as a kaffir (heretic). This article is on the Islamic religious term For the pejorative racial slur see Kaffir (ethnic slur. ^[25]

In 1920, Nazrul expressed his vision of religious harmony in an editorial in Yuga Bani,

“Come brother Hindu! Come Musalman! Come Buddhist! Come Christian! Let us transcend all barriers, let us foresake forever all smallness, all lies, all selfishness and let us call brothers as brothers. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth We shall quarrel no more”. ^[26]

In another article entitled Hindu Mussalman published in Ganabani on September 2, 192 he wrote -

‘’I can tolerate Hinduism and Muslims but I cannot tolerate the Tikism (Tiki is a tuft of never cut hair kept on the head by certain Hindus to maitain personal Holiness) and beardism. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Events By Place Roman Empire Commodus is assassinated by a wrestler named Narcissus, at the behest of Commodus' Concubine Tiki is not Hinduism. It may be the sign of the pundit. Similarly beards is not Islam, it may be the sign of the pundit. Similarly beard is not Islam, it may be the sign of the mollah. Mullah ( ملا) is a Muslim learned in Islamic theology and sacred law All the hair-pulling have originated from those two tufts of hair. Todays fighting is alos between the Pundit and the Mollah: It is not between the Hindus nad the Muslims. No prophet has said, ‘’I have come for Hindus I have come for Muslims I have come for Christians. ” They have said, “I have come for the humanity for everyone, like light’’. But the devotees of Krishna says, “Krishna is for Hindus”. The followers of Muhammad (Sm) says, “Muhammad (Sm) is for the Muslims”. The Disciple of Christ is for Christian”. Krishna-Muhammad-Christ have become national property. This property is the root of all trouble. Men do not quarrel for light but they quarrel over cattles. ”^[27]

Nazrul was an exponent of humanism. Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal ^[28] Although a Muslim, he named his sons with both Hindu and Muslim names: Krishna Mohammad, Arindam Khaled(bulbul), Kazi Sazbyasachi and Kazi Aniruddha. ^[29]

Later life and illness

Nazrul, in the 1930s

In 1933, Nazrul published a collection of essays titled "Modern World Literature", in which he analyses different styles and themes of literature. Between 1928 and 1935 he published 10 volumes containing 800 songs of which more than 600 were based on classical ragas. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used Almost 100 were folk tunes after kirtans and some 30 were patriotic songs. Kirtan ( Sanskrit - "to repeat" is call-and-response chanting performed in India's devotional traditions From the time of his return to Kolkata until he fell ill in 1941, Nazrul composed more than 2,600 songs, many of which have been lost. ^[4] His songs based on baul, jhumur, Santhali folksongs, jhanpan or the folk songs of snake charmers, bhatiali and bhaoaia consist of tunes of folk-songs on the one hand and a refined lyric with poetic beauty on the other. Santali is a Language in the Munda subfamily of Austro-Asiatic, related to Ho and Mundari. Snake charming is the practice of apparently hypnotising a Snake by simply playing an instrument Nazrul also wrote and published poems for children. ^[4]

Nazrul's success soon brought him into Indian theatre and the then-nascent film industry. The Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of ticket sales and number of films produced annually (877 feature films and 1177 short films were released in the year 2003 The first picture for which he worked was based on Girish Chandra Ghosh's story "Bhakta Dhruva" in 1934. Girish Chandra Ghosh (1844– 8 February 1912) was a Bengali musician poet playwright novelist and actor Nazrul acted in the role of Narada and directed the film. Narad redirects here for the village in Slovakia see Ňárad. He also composed songs for it, directed the music and served as a playback singer. A playback singer is a Singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies ^[3] The film "Vidyapati" ("Master of Knowledge") was produced based on his recorded play in 1936, and Nazrul served as the music director for the film adaptation of Tagore's novel Gora. Nazrul wrote songs and directed music for Sachin Sengupta's bioepic play "Siraj-ud-Daula". Sachin Sengupta (1891 - 1961 was a prominent Bengali Playwright and the producer and director of theatrical plays in Calcutta, India. Mîrzâ Mohammad Sirâjud Dawla, more popularly known as Siraj ud-Daulah (1733 &ndash July 2, 1757) was the last independent Nawab of In 1939, Nazrul began working for Calcutta Radio, supervising the production and broadcasting of the station's musical programmes. He produced critical and analytic documentaries on music, such as "Haramoni" and "Navaraga-malika". Nazrul also wrote a large variety of songs inspired by the raga Bhairav. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used ^[30] Nazrul sought to preserve his artistic integrity by condemning the adaptation of his songs to music composed by others and insisting on the use of tunes he composed himself.

Nazrul's wife Pramila Devi fell seriously ill in 1939 and was paralysed from waist down. To provide for his wife's medical treatment, he resorted to mortgaging the royalties of his gramophone records and literary works for 400 rupees. ^[31] He returned to journalism in 1940 by working as chief editor for the daily newspaper "Nabayug" ("New Age"), founded by the eminent Bengali politician A. K. Fazlul Huq. Sher-e-Bangla redirects here For other uses of the term see Sher-e-Bangla (disambiguation. ^[32]

Nazrul also was shaken by the death of Rabindranath Tagore on August 8, 1941. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He spontaneously composed two poems in Tagore's memory, one of which, "Rabihara" (loss of Rabi or without Rabi) was broadcast on the All India Radio. All India Radio (abbreviated as AIR) officially known as Akashvani ( Devanagari: आकाशवाणी ākāshavānī ( Urdu: اکاشوانی Within months, Nazrul himself fell seriously ill and gradually began losing his power of speech. His behaviour became erratic, and spending recklessly, he fell into financial difficulties. In spite of her own illness, his wife constantly cared for her husband. However, Nazrul's health seriously deteriorated and he grew increasingly depressed. He underwent medical treatment under homeopathy as well as Ayurveda, but little progress was achieved before mental dysfunction intensified and he was admitted to a mental asylum in 1942. This article has been the subject of edit wars and has been placed on probation Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other Spending four months there without making progress, Nazrul and his family began living a silent life in India. In 1952, he was transferred to a mental hospital in Ranchi. With the efforts of a large group of admirers who called themselves the "Nazrul Treatment Society" as well as prominent supporters such as the Indian politician Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the treatment society sent Nazrul and Promila to London, then to Vienna for treatment. Syama Prasad Mookerjee (or Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, শ্যামা প্রসাদ মুখার্জী ( thumb|right|200px|An Indian postage stamp featuring London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. ^[33] Examining doctors said he had received poor care, and Dr. Hans Hoff, a leading neurosurgeon in Vienna, diagnosed that Nazrul was suffering from Pick's Disease. Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating those central, Peripheral nervous system and spinal column diseases amenable to surgical Pick’s disease, also known as Pick disease and PiD, is a rare Neurodegenerative disease. His condition judged to be incurable, Nazrul returned to Calcutta on 15 December 1953. ^[34] On June 30, 1962 his wife Pramila died and Nazrul remained in intensive medical care. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1972, the newly independent nation of Bangladesh obtained permission from the Government of India to bring Nazrul to live in Dhaka and accorded him honorary citizenship. ^[3] Despite receiving treatment and attention, Nazrul's physical and mental health did not improve. In 1974, his youngest son, Kazi Aniruddha, an eminent guitarist died, and Nazrul soon succumbed to his long-standing ailments on August 29, 1976. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In accordance with a wish he had expressed in one of his poems, he was buried beside a mosque on the campus of the University of Dhaka. The University of Dhaka (commonly referred to as Dhaka University or just DU) ( Bengali: ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় Đhaka Tens of thousands of people attended his funeral; Bangladesh observed two days of national mourning and the Indian Parliament observed a minute of silence in his honour. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. ^[35]

Criticism and legacy

Nazrul's tomb near the Dhaka University campus mosque

Nazrul's poetry is characterised by an abundant use of rhetorical devices, which he employed to convey conviction and sensuousness. He often wrote without care for organisation or polish. His works have often been criticized for egotism, but his admirers counter that they carry more a sense of self-confidence than ego. Egotism is the motivation to maintain and enhance favorable views of self They cite his ability to defy God yet maintain an inner, humble devotion to Him. ^[9] Nazrul's poetry is regarded as rugged but unique in comparison to Tagore's sophisticated style. Nazrul's use of Persian vocabulary was controversial but it widened the scope of his work. ^[9] Nazrul's works for children have won acclaim for his use of rich language, imagination, enthusiasm and an ability to fascinate young readers. ^[9]

Nazrul pioneered new styles and expressed radical ideas and emotions in a large body of work. Scholars credit him for spearheading a cultural renaissance in Muslim-majority Bengal, "liberating" poetry and literature in Bengali from its medieval mould. Nazrul was awarded the Jagattarini Gold Medal in 1945 — the highest honour for work in Bengali literature by the University of Calcutta — and awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honours in 1960. Formally established on the 24 January 1857, the University of Calcutta (also known as Calcutta University) (কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় The Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established on January 2, 1954 by the President of India. ^[36] The Government of Bangladesh conferred upon him the status of being the "national poet". ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially He was awarded the Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh. Ekushey Padak (একুশে পদক is one of the highest civilian awards in Bangladesh. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially He was awarded Honorary D.Litt. by the University of Dhaka . Doctor of Letters ( Latin: Litterarum doctor; DLitt; or Litt D The University of Dhaka (commonly referred to as Dhaka University or just DU) ( Bengali: ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় Đhaka Many centres of learning and culture in India and Bangladesh have been founded and dedicated to his memory. The Nazrul Endowment is one of several scholarly institutions established to preserve and expound upon his thoughts and philosophy, as well as the preservation and analysis of the large and diverse collection of his works. The Nazrul Endowment is one of several scholarly institutions established to preserve and expound upon the thoughts and philosophy of Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam The Bangladesh Nazrul Sena is a large public organization working for the education of children throughout the country. The Bangladesh Nazrul Sena ( Bangladesh Nazrul Army) is an NGO, public service organization working for the education health and upliftment of children adolescents ^[37]

See also

References

• Karunamaya Goswami, Kazi Nazrul Islam: A Biography, (Nazrul Institute; Dhaka, 1996)
• Rafiqul Islam, Kazi Nazrul Islam: A New Anthology, (Bangla Academy; Dhaka, 1990)
• Basudha Chakravarty, Kazi Nazrul Islam, (National Book Trust; New Delhi, 1968)
• Abdul Hakim, The Fiery Lyre of Nazrul Islam, (Bangla Academy; Dhaka, 1974)

Notes

This article contains Indic text. Bangla Academy (বাংলা একাডেমী established on 3 December 1955, is the national academy for promoting Bangla language in Bangladesh The Brahmic family is a family of syllabaries (writing systems used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central Asia and East Asia, Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated

External links

• Recitation of Nazrul Poems
• Banglapedia:Islam, Kazi Nazrul
• Kazi Nazrul Islam Page
• Nazrul Geeti - Songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam
• Kazi Nazrul Islam