Nazrul: An Enduring Voice, A Neglected Legacy (1899-1976) Mohammad Omar Farooq Courtesy: Alochona Magazine [May 2003]

Among all those people that are sources of pride for Bengal is Nazrul, popularly known as the Rebel Poet. Writing a general article about someone like Nazrul is an extraordinary challenge. A 300-400-page book could not do justice to the life and works of such a life. Many have tried that already. In this case, Bangla Academy has now a bibliographical book of all works (books, articles, etc.) on Nazrul, Bangladesh�e Nazrul Charcha that in itself is 400+ pages. An even bigger challenge is due to the fact that Nazrul was so versatile, and surrounding him is so much confusion. There are so many people who are eager to claim him as their own flag bearer and there are so many more who are equally ready to disclaim and disown him. Many of us are familiar with him based only on the "impressions" derived from Nazrul's book consisting his own selections, Shanchita, and from the popular, folk-level Nazrul that they are familiar with through his hamd, naat, patriotic and romantic songs. Some Muslims, whose tear start flowing at some of the hamd/naat of Nazrul, face a rude awakening when they learn about Shayma Sangeet, hymns in Hindu tradition. The leftists and the rightists, the Indians and the Pakistanis claimed and disclaimed him conveniently. The same was the case with the secularists and the religionists. The tug of war never ended and probably never will.

Understanding or better understanding of Nazrul in the context of so much contradictory thought and perception surrounding him rests on several factors. First, one should avoid being judgmental or partisan in regard to him so that one can learn and understand him, whether his thought or ideas were to his liking or not. Second, one should desire to learn and understand Nazrul comprehensively, not based on merely selective works to one's liking, nor limiting oneself to one or two popular works of Nazrul. If someone wants to uphold an opinion or view about Nazrul, it is a good idea that he should be familiar with the Nazrul Rachonaboli (4 voluminous volumes). Reading him comprehensively can be a genuine eye-opener. Third, in formulating any thought about him and in communicating, one should place due emphasis on Nazrul's own words. Fourth, one should also take into consideration the unfolding of his life as most people go through many transitions, including dips and swings, in their lives. Life of Nazrul: A Brief Sketch Kazi Nazrul Islam was born on May 24, 1899 at the village of Churulia in the District of Burdwan, West Bengal, India. As an orphan at an early age, he had only limited formal education, a good part of which was in local maktab.  In 1911, he joined a 'leto' group (folk musical troupe) with the encouragement and help from his uncle, Kazi Bazle Karim, a singer-song-writer-composer, himself a 'Goda Kobi' (the leading poet) of his troupe. Nazrul succeeded him as the 'Goda'. Nazrul continued his education up to the pre-test at Searsol Raj High School in Raniganj, Burdwan, where he met Satish Kanjilal, a teacher with some mastery in classical music, who actively encouraged Nazrul to continue to develop his musical talent. At a young age of 19, Nazrul became exposed to an underground revolutionary organization committed to go as far as armed struggle against the British colonial government. Attracted by the thought of utilizing the training later for the freedom movement, Nazrul decided to join the army in 49th Bengali Paltan. In the year 1919, came out his first publication, Bounduler Atma-kahini (Life Story of a Vagabond), a short story, in Saogat magazine. His first published article was during the same year "Turki Mahilar Ghomta Khola" (The Unveiled Face of a Turkish Woman), also in Saogat. First published poem was Mukti (Freedom) in the Bangiyo Mussalman Sahitya Patrika (Bengal Muslim Literary Magazine). His political involvement started at an early age, when in 1920 he returned to Calcutta, staying in a rented apartment with Comrade Muzaffar Ahmad. Nazrul's affinity with him grew much stronger through the Labor Swaraj Party of the Indian National Congress and its Party magazine Langol (plough), which contained Nazrul's set of poems on egalitarianism (Shammyobadi). In May 1920 with the financial sponsorship of Sher-e-Bangla, A. K. Fazlul Huq, an evening daily "Nabajug" (New Age) started publishing under joint editorship of Nazrul and Muzaffar Ahmad. He severed his relationship with that publication toward the end of the year. In the autumn of 1921, he wrote his most famous "Bidrohi" (Rebel) poem. After the publication of "Bidrohi" and "Kamal Pasha" in Moslem Bharat in 1922, his fame exploded instantly. He was crowned as the Rebel Poet forever. In 1922, the colonial government arrested and tried Nazrul under the charge of sedition and he was imprisoned for a year. It was during this time, when he was only 23, when Rabindranath dedicated one of his dramas, Bashanto, to Nazrul. Rabindranath also arranged through Pabitro Gangopadhdhaya to deliver a personally autographed copy of that drama to Nazrul in prison. Nazrul always revered this act of graciousness on the part of Rabindranath. During that period, when Nazrul was on hunger strike in the prison, Sharatchandra Chattopadhdhaya wrote in a letter to someone: "In Hooghli prison, our poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is dying from his hunger strike. I am going by 1pm train. Let's see if I would be allowed to see him and if I can persuade him to give up his strike. I don't see any other recourse. A true poet. Except Rabi Babu, I don't think there is another such great poet now." [Sushilkumar Gupta in Nazrul Charit-Manosh, p. 66] It is also notable that many other luminaries of the time tried to persuade him to break his hunger strike. Among them were Deshbondhu Chittaranjan, Acharya Prafullachandra, and, yes, Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath sent a telegraph to Nazrul in jail: "Give up hunger strike, our literature claims you." [Sushilkumar, p. 65] It is remarkable that all these events as well as the attention he received were when he was just 23-24 years old. Nazrul faced tremendous financial hardship, especially due to non-payment for his writings by several publishers; faced health crisis as well as growing threats and harassment by both the British government and the Hindu and Muslim conservative members of the society; even was subjected to physical attacks. Nazrul�s own selection, Shanchita, was published in 1928. Due to both financial and health considerations, Nazrul's friends and well-wishers associated with Saogat and helped the family to move to Calcutta. The same year Nazrul attended the conference of the Nikhil Bharat Krishak 0 Sramik Dal (All India Farmers and Workers Party) and sang the inaugural song. Also, in December, Nazrul sang the inaugural song at the meeting of the All India Socialist Youth Congress at Calcutta, presided by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1929, at the age of only 30, a grand National Civic Reception for Nazrul was held at Albert Hall, Calcutta, organized by the Saogat Sahitya Majlis (Saogat Literary Society) with Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, an eminent Bengali scientist, presiding, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the celebrated political leader and freedom fighter, as the chief guest. For a period lasting several years in the �30s, Nazrul's career flourished with a variety of roles, including as a recording artist with gramophone companies, a composer, music director, singer, song and story writer, actor, etc. in films, plays, and radio programs. Nazrul's association with gramophone companies brought him a few years of financial success. It was difficult for Nazrul to get a recording contract because the British authority would not allow the recording of his songs on political grounds. Even the admirers of Nazrul were subject to scrutiny. Harendra Dutta sang and recorded a song of Nazrul but kept Nazrul's name out of the label fearing that the British authority of the recording company (His Master's Voice) would not permit the recording. But the recording companies finally gave in to the immense popularity of Nazrul and, sensing profit in it, started offering him contracts. The chief trainer of His Masters Voice was Ustad Jamiruddin Khan, a reputed master of Hindustani classical and semi-classical music. Nazrul trained under him, and upon Ustad Jamiruddin Khan's death in 1932, succeeded him as the chief trainer, in addition to his current position as the chief composer. Nazrul also associated himself closely with many other eminent musicians, including Ustads Kader Bux, Manju Saheb, Dabir Khan, Mastan Gama, Pandits Jnanendraprasad Goswami and Suresh Chakravarty. In the '30s his interaction with the people of East Bengal grew further as he was recognized at various Bengali Muslim literary and youth conferences and receptions, for example, Chittagong (1929), Sirajganj (1932), and Faridpur (1936). In 1938, he presided over the Bangiyo Mussalman Sahitya Sammelan (Bengali Muslim Literary Conference) in Calcutta. He also withdrew from the literary circle and devoted more to music as well as Islamic mysticism in the '30s.  In 1938, when his wife, Pramila, was afflicted with paralysis of the lower half of her body, his financial crisis re-emerged and he made a tragic, but desperate choice of mortgaging the royalties of his gramophone records and literary works for a mere sum of 4,000 rupees. In August 1941, Tagore died in Calcutta and Nazrul read his poem, "Rabihara" (Loss of Rabi) on All India Radio, Calcutta, soon afterwards. On July 10, 1942, while participating in a children's program on All India Radio, Calcutta, Nazrul was struck by the loss of his power of speech. Gradually, it worsened into a more debilitating rare disease permanently affecting his mental capacity. From treatments in a sanatorium in Ranchi to clinics in London and Vienna, there was no improvement. In 1972, Nazrul was brought to Bangladesh under a state arrangement, accompanied by Uma Kazi, the wife of his son Kazi Sabyasachi. In 1975, Dhaka University conferred an honorary D. Lit on Nazrul and in 1976 Bangladesh citizenship was conferred on him. On Sunday 10:00 am, August 29, 1976, Nazrul died in P. G. Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As a fulfillment of one of his ghazals, Masjideri pashe amar kobor diyo bhai, he was buried in the yard of the University of Dhaka mosque. Toward understanding Nazrul Nazrul was recognized as the national poet of Bangladesh. However, he clearly proclaimed: "Even though I was born in this country (Bengal), in this society, I belong to the world." While many people have a tendency to straightjacket him into their favorite labels, most such labels are inappropriate for him. Based on the life and works of Nazrul, it can be said that he deserves to be known to the world as: 1.  An extraordinary and most versatile poet, lyricist, and writer (He holds a world record in terms of number of songs written and composed. Although his primary contributions are in the areas of poetry and music, including classical music, he also wrote a good number of novels as well as prose.) 2. A mass-oriented, revolutionary, literary figure 3. A voice against bigotry, injustice, oppression and inequality of all kind 4. A personality full of love - romantic and humanistic - who could also express his feelings in the most beautiful way 5. A fearless and undaunted activist always feared by the establishment 6. A passionate advocate of religious/ideological harmony as reflected particularly in his contribution toward better Hindu-Muslim relationship (even Rabindranath Tagore did not write a Hamd/Naat, but Nazrul wrote Shayma songs) 7. An uncommon voice of Islam proclaiming universal values, peace, freedom, justice, harmony and cooperation, while repudiating any bigotry, extremism, fanaticism, narrow-mindedness, judgmentalism, exploitation in the name of any religion or ideology including Islam 8. A symbol of ever fresh youth, valor, creativity, freedom and indomitable human spirit 9. And, most importantly, as a wonderful, warm-hearted, loving human being He is hailed as the national poet of Bangladesh. Every year many also remember him on Nazrul anniversary on both sides of the border. But unfortunately his legacy as a messenger of liberating the human spirit, of universal brotherhood, of courage and dignity, of peace and harmony, of unity and cooperation, of what is right and just, of what is true and beautiful, of love and compassion, of non-dogmatism and non-fanaticism is so terribly neglected.

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