The rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is my favorite poet. He is one of the most outstanding poets of indo-Pakistan-sub continent. He is the national poet of our country. I become fully one with him when he says,
"I belong to all nations, all times."
Nazrul was born in 1899 in the village of Churulia in west bangal. His father, Kazi Fakir Ahmed, was the Imam of a mosque and the caretaker of a mausoleum. He got his boyhood education in his village Maktob. After his fathers death, Nazrul took up his fathers job and also served as Muazzin of the mosque to support his family. Due to his sorrowful life he was called as Dukhu Mia by the people.
Nazrul possessed a deep passion for folk theatre, poetry, song and dance. After his father's death, he left his duties at the mosque, and joined a "leto" group. This was the beginning of Nazruls life as a poet and artist. Though he had great regard and admiration for the older poets and writers, he did not imitate any poet or writer, even not Rabindranath, though it was a fashion of the day.
From his early life, he had an indomitable spirit to see the unseen and explore the unexplored. When he was only twelve years old, he fled away to Asansol. There he worked in a bakery-shop for taka five a month. Then a sub-inspector of police took him to Mymensingh. Later on, he got admitted into a high school. Then the first-world war broke out. He gave up his studies and joined the war. He showed a great bravery in the war and won the position of a Habilder.
I like Nazrul Islam most for his rebel voice of Bengal. Then Indian sub-continent was ruled by the British colonial government. They ruled with iron hand. They tortured and oppressed people barbarously. Nazrul stood up against those tortures and oppressions. The white rulers threw him into the jail, but they could not dominate his undaunted spirit. He called upon his fellow prisoners to rise up and revolt,
"Kick and break of the prison lock. Set fire on all the prison cells, Set fire and root out everything."
Nazrul Islam wrote an overwhelming number of poems and prose pieces. The number of his songs exceeded even that of Rabindranath Tagore. Agni-Beena, Badanhara, Sarbohara, Chakrobak, Mrittu-Khudha, Fonimanosha, Rickter Bedon, Sesh Shaogat are his most outstanding works. All his works are full of spirits and rebellious thoughts. He was put into the jail for writing a fiery poem called 'Anandamoyeer Agomone. But the poet went on composing verses and prose pieces one after another.
Nazrul Islam was one of the greatest patriots of the world. He made a clarion call to his countrymen to shatter the chains of slavery. He wielded his mighty pen against the atrocities of the ruling class. Most of his poems are full of patriotic feelings. This great patriot breathed his last on the 29th august, 1976.
Nazrul made a fine blending of words from different languages and cultures. This has made his poems appealing to the people of all castes, colors and creeds. He will live within millions of hearts forever.
