NAZRUL: The unparallel prodigy of music
The story of the birth of Kazi Nazrul Islam is more astonishing and important than that of his death. Born in an impoverished family, he lost his father at the age of nine and struggled throughout his life, after which he emerged as a comet into the sky of Bangla Literature. It's a wonder of the world how he grew up to expand the horizon of the Bangla literature, incorporating an uncommon theme of identity of the common people, through the mass movement against all kinds of oppression in socio-political landscape. His creative life spanned over a period of a little over 22 years. After a sudden attack of paralysis on July 10, 1942, he became silent forever and spent a further spell of 34 years before his death on August 29, 1976, the 12th of the Bangla month of Bhadra (today).
He was a poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, speaker, newspaper editor, a film actor and music director, a freedom fighter and a political activist. The single and most important aspect of his multifarious genius is that he was a brilliant lyricist and musician. Kazi Nazrul Islam enriched almost all the genres of Bangla songs. His compositions are based on the solid foundation of Indian classical music. In 1940 he had spoken on the radio about his feelings regarding that: “It is not possible for the modern tunes with their monotonous frivolousness to create the exquisite Rasa which may be created with the use of classical music and which may carry the people's minds to a world of an experience that is magnificent and superb”.
From this thought, he transformed the stream of classical music into a dominant one in Bangla music. Some of his songs based on some well-known Hindustani bandish are replete with wonderful poetic beauty, being freed from insignificant wordings of the original songs. Nobody has successfully adapted such a large range of North Indian musical styles like Dhrupad, Khayal, Tappa, Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, Chaiti, and Rasia.
During the last phase of his creative life, he retrieved many nearly-extinct ragas and wrote and composed songs based on them. He created 19 new ragas and wrote songs based on them. He also created 11 new taals. In Bangla music, no other musician has used so many ragas (about 200) as Nazrul has used.
A special category of songs on awakening, patriotism and struggle for freedom from oppression was introduced by Nazrul. His songs on communal harmony, socialistic idea and economic freedom are worth particular mention. His song “Durgama Giri Kantar Moru”, written in 1926, still remains unparalleled in its lyric, tune, and aesthetic excellence among songs of this category written till date. Nazrul successfully introduced Bangla Ghazals which were readily accepted by music lovers. In this arena he has no successor so far.
In the category of devotional and religious songs, Nazrul has numerous compositions to his credit. The deeply emotional and charming melodies have made such songs the most adored ones by the Muslims and the Hindus alike. He is the pioneer of composing Hamd, Naat and Islamic songs. Despite being a Muslim by birth, he created a large number of Bhajans, Shyama Sangeets, Agamanis, Kirtans and songs on invocation to Shiva, Lakshmi and Saraswati and on the theme of the love between Radha and Krishna.
Nazrul was one of the frontrunners and the most important composers of Bangla Adhunik songs and Kavyageeti. He had also composed folk songs genres like baul, jhumur, Santali, snake charmers songs, bhatiali and bhawaia. The songs evoke refined lyrics with poetic beauty.
Today is the poet's 41st death anniversary. True, death has taken away his physical presence from us. But the legacy that Nazrul has left behind is immense. The poet will stay alive in the hearts of Bangalees forever.
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