THE centenarian editor of the Shaogal. Moha mmad Nasiruddln who died last week, on one occa sion related that the first of Kazi Nazrul Islam's writings was published In the Calcutta based Shaogat in 1920

Just after six months of Its publication. Shaogat carried a story Memoir of a Vagabond and a poem Samadhi (gravey ardl which Havildar Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote from Bangall Paltan. Karachi.

Kazi Nazrul Islam, who trav elled from one place to an other like a nomad Joined the 49th Bengal regiment in 1917 when he was a student of class ten. Mohammad Nasiruddln also had recalled with sadness the end of the poet's literary life and said his last writing "Kabir Mukti" (salvation of the poet) also appeared, in the Shaogat. incidentally. After one month of the publication of this writing poet Nazrul Islam lost his voice and became paralysed.

Another leading litterateur, octogenarian poet Sufla Kamal also recalls the fond memory of the poet with whom she had correspondences as an admirer at her tender age.

Nazrul was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Rather, he came of a poor family. He was the sixth Issue of his parents and lost his father In 1908 at the age of eight. At that age Nazrul started earning his livelihood as a Khadlm of a local mosque at Churulla village of Asansol in Burdwan district. He was also associated with the local opera party as a singer, dancer, composer and director of ballads. At eleven, he ran away from his village home and was employed at a

bakery shop at Asansol to earn his livelihood when most of the young boys of his age went to school On being moved by his talent he was sent, by a po lice officer, from Asansol to Mymenslngh s Dartrampur High School for prosecution of studies He did not stay there for more than a year and again came back to Asansol. where he was admitted in the local school by Its headmaster when a poem composed by Nazrul was shown to him.

While studying in class ten he surreptitiously went to Calcutta to join 49th Bengal regi ment In 1917. Here again he refused to fight against his Turkish brethren and was not called out of Karachi for active service From here he began his writings after amassing a store of experience through many years of travel and adven ture His poems and songs reveal a mind trained and tried in hardship and suffering, and enriched and deepened by a wide knowledge of life Nazrul practically lived with pangs of poverty. Poverty was his pride. This has amply been reflected in the poem Poverty', where he says. "O poverty thou hast made me great, thou hast made me honoured like Christ with crown of thorns. Thou hast given me courage to reveal all."

Born in an impoverished family and hiving experienced all the adversities of poverty Nazrul Islam distinguished himself from other contemporary writers in thought and style. In his writings the problems of the poor were truly reflected as he felt deeply for the poor which others hardly demonstrated. From his biography it is known that Nazrul Islam did not subscribe to the ideology of partisan politics but most of his poems channelised the sentiment of his owp class — the have-nots. The songs of the peasant, collies and labourers and a new world represent their sentiment.

Poets overwhelming love for the downtrodden and the exploitation of his people by the British Raj evoked reaction In him and he voiced his anger against the oppression which is found in his famous poem 'Vldrohi' (the rebel). For this very poem which was widely

acclaimed on the one hand but resented by a small section of non liberal Muslims, he came to be known as the rebel poet This was followed by poems one after another which had majesty of dynamism and were boisterous In rhythm. In fact he raised his voice against all kinds of exploitation and oppression — political, social and religious.

In 1922 Nazrul brought out a bi-weekly journal with the a tie Dhumketu (the comet) to launch a campaign for the independence movement for which he was sentenced to imprisonment for one year on a charge of sedition'. This had in fact, offered him Immense opportunity to write more powerful poems and patriotic songs His celebrated Shlkal-parar Gaan (verses of enchainment) Is one such example Apart from these, he Was possibly the lone vocal secularist poet of his time whose writings reflect life and culture of various religious communities of the British India advocating communal harmony By suitable and appropriate use of Arabic. Persian and Urdu words ■ tn his writings Nazrul Islam enriched the Bengali literature Itself.

Kazi Nazrul Islam is perhaps the only Bengali poet who has written a large number of devotional songs for both the Muslim and Hindu communities. It Is on record that Nazrul is still at top in respect of recorded songs. Their number runs into thousands. As a young man his songs were full of the spirit of revolt and his composition at a later stage tended more towards romanticism and soon he came to be acclaimed as one of the greatest poets of the time. He Is not only held In high esteem as a famous poet and lyricist but also as a great musician In his own right. If not anything else but for songs Kazi Nazrul Islam will remain Immortal as a great composer.

While he was full bloom in writing poems, novels and songs, he lost his beloved son Bulbul tn 1930 and his wife Prameela also became paralysed in 1940. All these worries coupled with economic hardship gave a fatal blow to his

health and brought an untimely end to his career In 1942.

Nazrul Islam was brought to Dhaka from Calcutta with Ian fare immediately after the emergence of independent Bangladesh and was decorated with the title of the National Poet Despite requests by litterateurs and Intelligentsia not much attention was paid to butid a house in the name of Poet Nazrul Islam where his works would be preserved and research carried out on his works However. Nazrul Institute was established at Dhan-mondi in 1985 after eight years of his death and that too under pressure from literary-minded people spearheaded by no less a person than Moham mad Nastruddin. It was again Mohammad Nasiruddin who was Instrumental for establishment of Nazrul Institute. It is perhaps a positive sign to note that Nazrul Institute succeeded in bringing out as many as 48 publications on Nazrul which of course Include speeches, records and notations of Nazrul songs and the Institute s journal. This list was released by the Institute on the occasion of the 106th anniversary of birth of Mohammad Nasiruddin.

Nazrul breathed his last In Dhaka in 1976 and was buried on Dhaka University campus. On the occasion of Nazrul Za-yanti (Nazrul's anniversary of birth) we pay glowing tribute to the poet but I feel his soul may really rest in peace if more research Is conducted on his works for appreciation and understanding the greatness of Kazi Nazrul Islam