Rabindranath and Nazrul on Humanity

Literature is an integral part of the culture of a nation; it has an indomitable power to rediscover the hidden self of its people. And of course, it plays a vital role in reviving the human spirit, even as it speaks of humanity. In this regard, Bangla literature has a great impact on the people of this region. It also enjoys a strong position in the global arena because of so many wonderful writings by Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first Asian to win a Nobel prize (for literature), and Kazi Nazrul Islam, a rebel poet who was honoured as the national poet of Bangladesh.
These two icons of Bengali literature were always in favour of the betterment of humankind. Their creative works suggest they were both just and non-communal in their views and way of life. They believed in the universal love of all human beings.  
As May is the month of their births _ Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, and Nazrul Islam on May 24, 1899 _ we take a look at some of their literary works to discover their common depictions of social justice, non-communalism and humanity,  though it may seem like a folly as they have both covered every literary field with their individual excellence.
Rabindranath and Nazrul had a lot in common, most of all mutual respect. Nazrul had said in his writings that he revered Tagore as a devoted follower. Despite a 38-year age gap, they enjoyed a close relationship, blended with respect and love. There was a wide difference in their circumstances. In a sense, Nazrul had no strong cultural background, and it is almost a miracle that he composed so many poems, songs and novels. He also excelled in many languages. On the other side, Rabindranath came from a rich cultural background and he used that perfectly.
Rabindranath and Nazrul became closer in the 1920s. It was a critical time in the Indian Subcontinent. The movement against British colonial rule had started. Inspired by the political demand of the time, Nazrul took part in the movement.
The 22-year-old Nazrul made a difference by composing a poem. The grind of poverty in then Bengal, landlords’ torture on poor farmers and religious orthodoxy, inspired Nazrul to compose the poem ‘Bidrohi’ (The Rebel):
 
Say, Valiant,
Ever high is my head!
I am irresponsible, cruel and arrogant,
I am the king of the great upheaval,
I am cyclone, I am destruction,
I am the great fear, the curse of the universe.
I have no mercy,
I grind all to pieces.
I am disorderly and lawless,
I trample under my feet all rules and discipline!
I am Durjati, I am the sudden tempest of ultimate summer,
I am the rebel, the rebel-son of mother-earth!

In this poem, the philosophy of Nazrul is clearly expressed. Here, he calls for a society free of all injustices, hunger and discrimination. The poem helped him to become famous overnight, but it also drew the attention of the British colonial administration that later banned many of his works. Rabindranath also raised his voice against social injustices, like the inhuman practice of caste system in Hindu society, through his novels such as ‘Gora’ (Fair-faced).
Nazrul was also an outspoken critic of fanaticism in religion. He shows this in his composition ‘Hindu Mussalman’, where he says: “I can accept Hinduism and Islam, but I can’t stand tikism (tiki is a long strand of uncut hair worn on a shaved head by Hindu priests) and beardism (the practice of keeping a beard by Muslims). Tiki doesn’t mean Hinduism, nor does a beard mean Islam”. It may be interesting to note here that Nazrul’s father was an imam and he himself worked as a muezzin (person who gives the call for prayers) once at a local mosque in their village of Churulia in West Bengal’s Bardhaman district.  
‘Visarjan’ (The Sacrifice) and ‘Chaturanga’ (Quartet) by Rabindranath are also fine examples where he advocates social reforms and criticises orthodoxy. Rabindranath’s father, Debendranath Tagore, was one of the founders of Brahmoism, a reformist movement in Hinduism that tried to follow the original religious principles as laid down in ancient texts, namely the Upanishads.
Nazrul’s creative works speak firmly against fascism and oppression. He fought against the sectarianism of divide regarding religion, ethnicity, and even nationality. He wrote in his fortnightly publication Dhumketu (The Comet) that the supreme religion of mankind is humanity.
In the poem ‘Kandari, hushiar’ (Beware, my captain), a landmark in Bangla literature, Nazrul depicts a motionless nation and its cry to bring about changes for the better:

Are they Hindus or Muslims?
Who asks this question, I say.
Tell him, my captain,
The children of the motherland are drowning today.
Actually, it is difficult to cover all the dimensions of the Nazrul’s compositions. So many features are seen in his works. Readers can easily see the perfect display of the life and conditions of the downtrodden in his creative works. Nazrul made several suggestions for their emancipation. He was dead against all bigotry and prejudices.
On the other hand, the themes of the writings of Rabindranath Tagore are also multi-dimensional. He also speaks for humankind. Coming from a zamindar (landlord) family, Rabindranath often visited Shilaidaha in Kushtia district to take care of his family’s country estates, where he experienced at first hand the sufferings of the impoverished villagers. To improve their condition, Rabindranath first introduced a microcredit system to disburse small loans among poor farmers. It was a successful attempt by him and thus, he got the chance to serve humanity directly.
“Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam are the great humanist writers. Humanism is the root of their philosophical thoughts, which they have depicted in their writings. Their sense of humanity was mainly influenced by the European Renaissance of 14th Century. Their evaluation of man was not confined to any kind of religious, sectarian, racial or geographical point of view. They were totally free from all kinds of communal thinking. Rabindranath expressed his views in a highly sophisticated, artistic way. Nazrul expressed his ideas more directly, sometimes even not caring about literary values. In particular, Tagore expressed his non-communal views in his drama ‘Bisarjan’, novel ‘Chaturanga”, essay ‘Manusher Dharmo’. And Nazrul Islam expressed it in his poem ‘Manush’, ‘Kandari, hushiar’, novel ‘Kuhelika’, ‘Mrittu Khudha’ and essay ‘Mondir o Masjid’,” Mahbub Hossain, head of the Department of Bangla Language and Literature, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University in Trishal, Mymensingh, said about the two literary icons.
Rabindranath is known as ‘Bishwakobi’ (World Poet), and Nazrul can be said to be a poet of all faiths. Nazrul used to attend pala gaan (musical folk theatre) and leto naach (folk dance drama) sessions where he observed the devotional appeal of songs. He was a non-communal poet, who equally wrote Islamic devotional songs like ghazal, hamd and naat, and Hindu devotional songs like shyama sangeet, bhajan and kirtan. Through his short essays, he gives the message of unity in diversity.
“We haven’t come out of our narrow-mindedness regarding Nazrul’s views on life.  Though the duration of his creative works was only 20-22 years, he did a lot of writings in that time. His pain and struggle are expressed in his works. He brought spring in the life of the nation. So, Rabindranath dedicated his lyrical play ‘Bashanta’ (Spring) to him,” said Anindita Kazi, daughter of Kazi Nazrul Islam, in an interview with Voice of America Bangla service in July 2016. In reply, Nazrul composed the poem ‘Aj Sristi Sukher Ullase’, expressing his gratitude to Tagore.   
About religious faith, in his lecture series ‘Manusher Dhormo’ (The Religion of Man), Rabindranath said: “During the discussion of my own religious experience, I have expressed my belief that the first stage of my realisation was through my feeling of intimacy with nature, not that nature which has its channel of information for our mind and physical relationship with our living body, but that which satisfies our personality with manifestations that make our life rich and stimulate our imagination in their harmony of forms, colours, sounds and movements.”
Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam both possessed open minds with a deep devotion for humankind. These giants of Bangla literature were the poets of all beings. That is why they always spoke of communal harmony and tried to bring out humanity among all the people. Thus, their works are very much relevant today, and they will be read through the ages.

Photos: Internet
(Edited by Parveen Ahmed)

 

Rabindranath and Nazrul on Humanity

Literature is an integral part of the culture of a nation; it has an indomitable power to rediscover the hidden self of its people. And of course, it plays a vital role in reviving the human spirit, even as it speaks of humanity. In this regard, Bangla literature has a great impact on the people of this region. It also enjoys a strong position in the global arena because of so many wonderful writings by Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first Asian to win a Nobel prize (for literature), and Kazi Nazrul Islam, a rebel poet who was honoured as the national poet of Bangladesh. These two icons of Bengali literature were always in favour of the betterment of humankind. Their creative works suggest they were both just and non-communal in their views and way of life. They believed in the universal love of all human beings. As May is the month of their births _ Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, and Nazrul Islam on May 24, 1899 _ we take a look at some of their literary works to discover their common depictions of social justice, non-communalism and humanity, though it may seem like a folly as they have both covered every literary field with their individual excellence. Rabindranath and Nazrul had a lot in common, most of all mutual respect. Nazrul had said in his writings that he revered Tagore as a devoted follower. Despite a 38-year age gap, they enjoyed a close relationship, blended with respect and love. There was a wide difference in their circumstances. In a sense, Nazrul had no strong cultural background, and it is almost a miracle that he composed so many poems, songs and novels. He also excelled in many languages. On the other side, Rabindranath came from a rich cultural background and he used that perfectly. Rabindranath and Nazrul became closer in the 1920s. It was a critical time in the Indian Subcontinent. The movement against British colonial rule had started. Inspired by the political demand of the time, Nazrul took part in the movement. The 22-year-old Nazrul made a difference by composing a poem. The grind of poverty in then Bengal, landlords torture on poor farmers and religious orthodoxy, inspired Nazrul to compose the poem Bidrohi (The Rebel): Say, Valiant, Ever high is my head! I am irresponsible, cruel and arrogant, I am the king of the great upheaval, I am cyclone, I am destruction, I am the great fear, the curse of the universe. I have no mercy, I grind all to pieces. I am disorderly and lawless, I trample under my feet all rules and discipline! I am Durjati, I am the sudden tempest of ultimate summer, I am the rebel, the rebel-son of mother-earth! In this poem, the philosophy of Nazrul is clearly expressed. Here, he calls for a society free of all injustices, hunger and discrimination. The poem helped him to become famous overnight, but it also drew the attention of the British colonial administration that later banned many of his works. Rabindranath also raised his voice against social injustices, like the inhuman practice of caste system in Hindu society, through his novels such as Gora (Fair-faced). Nazrul was also an outspoken critic of fanaticism in religion. He shows this in his composition Hindu Mussalman, where he says: I can accept Hinduism and Islam, but I cant stand tikism (tiki is a long strand of uncut hair worn on a shaved head by Hindu priests) and beardism (the practice of keeping a beard by Muslims). Tiki doesnt mean Hinduism, nor does a beard mean Islam. It may be interesting to note here that Nazruls father was an imam and he himself worked as a muezzin (person who gives the call for prayers) once at a local mosque in their village of Churulia in West Bengals Bardhaman district. Visarjan (The Sacrifice) and Chaturanga (Quartet) by Rabindranath are also fine examples where he advocates social reforms and criticises orthodoxy. Rabindranaths father, Debendranath Tagore, was one of the founders of Brahmoism, a reformist movement in Hinduism that tried to follow the original religious principles as laid down in ancient texts, namely the Upanishads. Nazruls creative works speak firmly against fascism and oppression. He fought against the sectarianism of divide regarding religion, ethnicity, and even nationality. He wrote in his fortnightly publication Dhumketu (The Comet) that the supreme religion of mankind is humanity. In the poem Kandari, hushiar (Beware, my captain), a landmark in Bangla literature, Nazrul depicts a motionless nation and its cry to bring about changes for the better: Are they Hindus or Muslims? Who asks this question, I say. Tell him, my captain, The children of the motherland are drowning today. Actually, it is difficult to cover all the dimensions of the Nazruls compositions. So many features are seen in his works. Readers can easily see the perfect display of the life and conditions of the downtrodden in his creative works. Nazrul made several suggestions for their emancipation. He was dead against all bigotry and prejudices. On the other hand, the themes of the writings of Rabindranath Tagore are also multi-dimensional. He also speaks for humankind. Coming from a zamindar (landlord) family, Rabindranath often visited Shilaidaha in Kushtia district to take care of his familys country estates, where he experienced at first hand the sufferings of the impoverished villagers. To improve their condition, Rabindranath first introduced a microcredit system to disburse small loans among poor farmers. It was a successful attempt by him and thus, he got the chance to serve humanity directly. Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam are the great humanist writers. Humanism is the root of their philosophical thoughts, which they have depicted in their writings. Their sense of humanity was mainly influenced by the European Renaissance of 14th Century. Their evaluation of man was not confined to any kind of religious, sectarian, racial or geographical point of view. They were totally free from all kinds of communal thinking. Rabindranath expressed his views in a highly sophisticated, artistic way. Nazrul expressed his ideas more directly, sometimes even not caring about literary values. In particular, Tagore expressed his non-communal views in his drama Bisarjan, novel Chaturanga, essay Manusher Dharmo. And Nazrul Islam expressed it in his poem Manush, Kandari, hushiar, novel Kuhelika, Mrittu Khudha and essay Mondir o Masjid, Mahbub Hossain, head of the Department of Bangla Language and Literature, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University in Trishal, Mymensingh, said about the two literary icons. Rabindranath is known as Bishwakobi (World Poet), and Nazrul can be said to be a poet of all faiths. Nazrul used to attend pala gaan (musical folk theatre) and leto naach (folk dance drama) sessions where he observed the devotional appeal of songs. He was a non-communal poet, who equally wrote Islamic devotional songs like ghazal, hamd and naat, and Hindu devotional songs like shyama sangeet, bhajan and kirtan. Through his short essays, he gives the message of unity in diversity. We havent come out of our narrow-mindedness regarding Nazruls views on life. Though the duration of his creative works was only 20-22 years, he did a lot of writings in that time. His pain and struggle are expressed in his works. He brought spring in the life of the nation. So, Rabindranath dedicated his lyrical play Bashanta (Spring) to him, said Anindita Kazi, daughter of Kazi Nazrul Islam, in an interview with Voice of America Bangla service in July 2016. In reply, Nazrul composed the poem Aj Sristi Sukher Ullase, expressing his gratitude to Tagore. About religious faith, in his lecture series Manusher Dhormo (The Religion of Man), Rabindranath said: During the discussion of my own religious experience, I have expressed my belief that the first stage of my realisation was through my feeling of intimacy with nature, not that nature which has its channel of information for our mind and physical relationship with our living body, but that which satisfies our personality with manifestations that make our life rich and stimulate our imagination in their harmony of forms, colours, sounds and movements. Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam both possessed open minds with a deep devotion for humankind. These giants of Bangla literature were the poets of all beings. That is why they always spoke of communal harmony and tried to bring out humanity among all the people. Thus, their works are very much relevant today, and they will be read through the ages. Photos: Internet (Edited by Parveen Ahmed)