Nazrul’s legacy honoured with ‘Thumri’r Jalsa’ concert at Chhayanaut

Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh, a radical voice of the oppressed, and a relentless champion of equality, would have turned 126 this year. Nearly a century after his defiant verses rang out, Nazrul's revolutionary spirit continues to stir the nation's conscience, his poetry and music still shaping its cultural psyche.

Last evening, in honour of his birth anniversary, the Bangladesh Nazrul Sangeet Sangstha staged a distinctive homage through music. An event, titled "Thumri'r Jalsa", was held at the capital's Chhayanaut Auditorium and offered a rare performance that blended Nazrul's own thumri compositions with classical thumris rooted in foundational ragas.

Departing from the usual commemorative fare of patriotic or devotional pieces, the concert spotlighted Nazrul's lesser-explored work in the thumri genre, revealing his artistic range as a composer unafraid to traverse genres and expand musical language. Both celebrated vocalists and promising young talents took the stage, honouring the legacy while pushing it forward.

The evening was supported by Enigma Television as media partner, helping broadcast a performance designed not just to remember Nazrul, but to reaffirm his enduring place in South Asia's classical canon — not only as a poet of rebellion, but as a composer of remarkable depth and subtlety.

Read more

Celebrating the Rebel Bard: A Nationwide tribute to Kazi Nazrul Islam