www.Jasimuddin.org
 

On Poet Jasim Uddin's 103 Birthday

jasim and monimala jasim in Moscow On 100 Birth Day
CONTENT

  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Autobiography
  • 3. Documentation
  • 4. Jasim Uddin's most favourite associates
  • 5. Visit Jasim Uddin House (1904-33), Ambikapur, Faridpur
  • 6. Conclusion

    padma-faridpur sunset


















    The 103st birth anniversary of Pallikabi Jasimuddin will be observed here today in a befitting manner. The Jasim Foundation, headed by deputy commissioner of Faridpur, has chalked out an elaborate program including a fortnight long "Palli Mela" (village fair) at Jasim Udyan located near the grave site of Jasimuddin on the bank of river Kumar. The poet's ancestral home is also at the same the place.

    INTRODUCTION

    jasim Mela Besides, other socio-cultural organisations and Ansaruddin High School, founded by the poet after the name of his father, have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day. Handicrafts, cultural objects and other indigenous products depicting rural Bengal will be on and sale.

    Besides academic curriculum at school and college levels, Jasimuddin's works do not get the exposure they deserve. While most of the 20th century Bengali poets are highly influenced by Rabindranath Tagore, Jasimuddin is one of the few who have developed their distinct styles. I believe that by labelling the poet 'Palli-kobi', the urban literature enthusiasts have 'subconsciously' sidelined his creativity. If a poet doesn't offer any new 'form' or 'idea', he/she can never survive the test of time. Jasimuddin is successful in presenting our rural culture in a modern light. To promote his work we will take more initiatives (Palli-kobi Jasimuddin Festival, Daily Star, June 5, 2007) .

    We are rich with the literary gift from three talents: Rabindranath- Nazrul -Jasimuddin. They are unique in their own world of art. Not only in poetry, but they are also distinct bright stars in the world of melody. Jasimuddin created his own world of music in folk style just as Tagore created his world in Dhrupadi and Nazrul in Kheyal. To practise the Viswakobi we have Shanti Niketan and Viswa Bharati, for our Jatiyo-kobi we have the Nazrul Academy and Nazrul Institute. But it's a matter of regret that still we do not have an institute to remember and practice the art of our beloved Pallikobi. (Daily Star, June 12, 2003)

    Whenever I read Jasimuddin, I feel myself immersed in the beauties of rural Bangladesh.”- (Md Hossain Seraj, Daily Star, July 6, 2006).
    'Reading Jasim Uddin's Jiban Katha (autobiography) is like eating country cakes from mother's own hand.' A reader -Preface- Jibon Katha 1964.















  • Jasim Uddin was born on January 1, 1904 (Accoding to his Matriculation Certificate, Prof. Aminul Islam, Jasimuddin, 1962), in a small village, Tambulkhana, in the Faridpur district of East Bengal. That was his grandparent's village, only eight miles from his parent's home in Govindapur (at that time Padma river was flowing by Govindopur). He has described these two villages and their manner of life in his autobiography. Many scenes from The Field and Gipsy Wharf have their setting in these villages. In those books Jasim Uddin is writing of a time when the land of Bengal had fewer problems than present day.

    In his autobiography Jasim Uddin tells much more about village life as he knew it. He swam in the ponds and canals, fished in the rainy season, watched the sugar cane being made into treacle, and ate his fair share of this tasty sweet. The boy Jasim built a banana-palm raft and sailed it one early morning to help herself to a neighbour's ripe dates. Like his hero Sojan, he knew where the weaver bird made its nest and admired the intricate construction. He knew when and where the best mangoes and plums were ripe. When the travelling theatre, the Jatra, came to town he and his cousin, Nehaj Uddin, would sneak off and stay up all night listening lo the play. Throughout the year they enjoyed both the Hindu and the Moslem holidays.

    Jasim Uddin is proud of belonging to the folk tradition of Bengali literature. He was pleased by a recent comment of one critic who, praising his autobiography, said: 'Reading Jasim Uddin's Jiban Katha (autobiography) is like eating country cakes from mother's own hand.'




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    2. Autobiography

    On his birthday some parts of his autobiography as follows:

    In my books Nakshi Kathar Math (The Field) and, Sojan Badiar Ghat (Gipsy Wharf) I was remembering the peoples of these villages. Even today this picture of plenty in the villages gives me pleasure when I think about it. If I could but change this joyless, needy land of today with all its prejudice for that land of happiness, song and prosperity, I would dance for joy. (Jasim Uddin, Jibon Katha, 1964).

    It was a land of plenty in those days with no need for much money or hard work. One might say Laksmi, the goddess of wealth, smiled on Bengal. 'In former days, in every quarter of the village there were song gatherings, Gajir songs, Jari songs and Keccha songs, which kept the villages in a state of excitement. The fields yielded good harvests. With a little scraping of the plough and a flick of the wrist to sow the seed broadcast, green sprouts appeared covering the paddy fields as far as the horizon. The rivers, canals and ponds swarmed with fish. One had only to scoop them out by hand. Very few things were bought with money. For a few sheaves of paddy the blacksmith would forge a plough, the barber would cut hair, the potter make pots; for a little mustard seed t loc oil presser would deliver mustard oil to every home. Even now this method of barrel' is in use in the villages.'(Jibon Katha)

    Poets father Ansaruddin students of ansauddin high school Present Ansaruddin High School, Jasimuddin Computer Center

    Jasim Uddin in 1968 spent all his savings to establish Ansar Uddin High School in 1969 in name of his father. Now most of people of Ambikapur and adjacent villages are educated.

    jasim uddin's mothe Ranga Chatu

    To myself I kept praising my mother. My mother knows so much. Receiving the magic touch of my mother's hand, the bits of rice and treacle would become such delicious rice cakes and be transformed into something new. This is the task of every artist. He takes what he has to work with and, manipulating it according to his liking, gives it new life (Jibon Katha, 1964).

    Padma oldest relicts- mahastangar


    When I must give up something today it is not difficult for me to do so. Besides this discipline, the knowledge I obtained when a boy, of the Hindu gods and goddesses, of the method of accomplishing tasks that at first seem impossible, has helped me immensely in my creative work.

    The literature of this land (Bengal) is not merely Hindu literature, nor can it be said to be a Moslem literature. Since both Hindus and Moslems have written in one language (Bengali), the literature of this land is both Hindu and Moslem. Those who would separate the two and make literature will not last many days, I am sure. Because of the universality of appeal in the world of literature, sectarian thought is out of place there. If my own writing has achieved anything of universal appeal, then it is thanks to that sannasi' (Jibon Katha, 1964).

    The sannasi probably had the strongest influence of any person outside his family on Jasim Uddin. The boy did, however, have other friends who helped him, particularly with his poetry. His interest began when he was very young, perhaps seven or eight years old.

    I only remember something he said one day. I had asked the Pandit, "I want to write Bengali books. You give me some good advice. What shall I do to succeed in this?"

    Laughing he replied, "You are a Bengali boy. Whatever you write will be Bengali. For that there is nothing you need do. Whatever you have to say, write it in the same manner as all are talking to me. That will be your best composition." Ail my life I have tried to apply the advice of this pandit to my work. (ibid)

    One day it suddenly occurred to me; how would it be if I wrote the words in my notebook in the same ready manner that I composed oral poetry. After writing three or four of my couplets in the notebook I was astonished. There were fourteen syllables in every line and the last syllable of every line rhymed with the second line's last syllable. I doubt whether Columbus discovering America felt such joy as I felt at this discovery. For so many days I was accustom eel to composing my verse to a tune. Without a tune I could not compose the words in poetical metre. Now that I discovered how to find the rhythm for my verse, who could hold me back? I filled notebook after notebook (Jibon Katha, 1964).

    Thus Jasim Uddin started reciting and composing poems at a very early age. By the time he was a student at Faridpur Rajendra College his poetry had already won him some fame. Kobor (Graves) was prescribed as the text for the Matriculation Examination at Calcutta University when Jasim Uddin was still a student in the 1. A. Class (Rajenra College, under Calcutta University)

    Barbara Painter, Washington, USA Writes:

    Gipsy Wharf and The Field, I think, are among Jasim Uddin's major work, but he is a versatile and prolific writer.
    Millons of copy of field and Gypsy have been sold in India and Bangladesh and almost every year a new edition is printed which is unique in Bangladesh. Also the same book in italien several editions have been printed:

    nakshi painted by zainul abedin Naksi kathar math in italien sujon in italien


    Like another famous Bengali poet, Rabindranath Tagore, Jasim Uddin has tried his pen in almost every field.
    Boba Kahini (Tale of an illiterate man) 1964, Bau Tubanir Phul, 1978, both are novels.
    He has written many short dance dramas: Beder Meye 1951 (The Gipsy Girl), Madhumala 1956 (from the fairy tale of Princess Madhumala), Palli Badhu (Village Bride) 1956, the plot of which, he writes, is borrowed from Tagore, Gramer Maya, Asman Singha, Karimkhar Bari

    Jasim Uddin has also collected and rewritten numerous folk tales and folk music
    (Jari Gan, Murshida Gan He has published two volumes Bangalar Hashir Galpa (Folk Tales) which has been translated in Czech language (Folk Tales of Bengal), and vol. I, 1961, vol. 2, 1964.


    Folk tales in Czech language Folk Tales in original folk tales in english by oxford university press


    Tuntuna and Tuntuni

    (From Folk Tales of Bangladesh)

    There were once two tailor birds called Tuntuna and Tuntuni....

    One day Tuntuna said to his wife. "My dear Tuntuni, I wish I had some money...." After many days of searching, he found a pence under a bush. He took it in his beak and carried it to Tuntuni.....
    "Tuntuni, we have become rich!".....
    They were so happy that they forgot about eating and sleeping. They just danced and singing:
    "How much money does the king have?
    That's how much money we have"
    ....When the king heard the words of the birds and made him very angry and ordered to catch them immediately.....
    The commander of Chief at last with the help of the fishermen caught the birds.
    The king gave the birds to his 101 queens...The birds were passed from one queen to another. The lazy queen did not hold the bird tightly, and first Tuntuna then Tuntuni flew out of her hands.....No one of the queens dared to tell the king what had happened.
    ... The next day, the king call all the wise men in the land to his court to judge the Tuntunis...
    The king ordered the birds to be brought into the court. He waited and waited, but the Tuntunis did not come....

    Suddenly, the Tuntunis came flying over the king's head.. and singing:
    "Tuntuna, Tuntunni,
    Tuntunis tun tun!
    All the queens noses
    Are as red as roses!
    Tun tun, tun tun, tun tun."
    The king could control his anger. "Catch those Tuntuni bird," he shouted....

    King and Tuntuni and tuntunaSoon the two birds were caught in the nets, but this time the king would not wait for his wise men to judge them. He took a glass and swallowed tuntuna and tuntuni.
    The wise men shook their heads. One of them said to the king's first minister, "The first time the king laughs the Tuntuni birds will fly out of his mouth."
    So the first minister ordered a soldier to stand on each side of the king. He said, "When the king laughs, the birds will fly out of his mouth .. You must cut off their heads with your sword as soon as you see them."
    Just then one of the queens came to talk to the king. She was the queen who was always laughing. When the king turned to speak to her, the queen began to laugh. Of course, the king has to laughs too.
    As soon as the king started laughing the Tuntunis flew out of his mouth. "Zing Zing," went the soldiers swords, but they did not catch the birds. Instead of chopping off the heads of the Tuntunis, the soldier had chopped off the nose of the king. Tuntuna and tuntuni flew round and round the room, singing:

    "Tuntuna, Tuntuni
    Tuntunis tun tun!
    The nose of the king,
    Was cut "Zing zing zing"!
    Tun tun, tun tun, tun tun."
    (From The Folk Tales of Bangladesh by Jasim Uddin)

    Palm trees in agricultural land, nesting place for birds"I'll fly to you like a bird !" thousands of years the love and passion for birds rooted in the society. but since independence plenty of arms are scattered all over the country. I was shocked to see how a few rural people kill bird just for fun or picnic. Many rich from the cities visits wetlands of Bangladesh during winter months well equipped with modern weapons just to kill migratory birds for their kitchen pots. The most shocking event is that when I saw school age children killing birds. They prepare small fishes treated with a poisonous pesticde locally named "Furan" (Carbonfuran is a banned pesticide) and lay near water bodies. When the bird eats the fish immediately die. A young boy was narrating me excitedly, how he collected 50 birds. This is painful at the same time disgusting. Where are the values of our life? Most people does not listen poetries, songs, folk tales that communicated values of our life since thousands of years but have enough time to watch or listen imported films, songs and the culture of the elite of the society through TV , radio from morning to dawn.

    How does the strange bird
    flit in and out of the cage,
    If I could catch the bird
    I would put it under the fetters of my heart
    ....................................................................
    O my mind, you are enamoured of the cage;
    little knowing that the cage is made of raw bamboo,
    and may any day fall apart
    Say Lalon, forcing the cage open
    the bird flitted away, no one knows where (Lalon Song).
    .
    The village birds return home after playing
    on the sand bank.
    The birds on the sand bank are continuously crying. ( Jasim Uddin)

    Among Jasim Uddin's song books, perhaps the best are Rangila Nayer Majhi (Boatman of the Gay Boat) 1933, Ganger Par 1952 and Padma Par (The Banks of the Padma River) 1949.







  • Nishite Jaio Phulobane.. Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: S. D. Burman
  • Dhire se Janain hindi from Nishite jaio: Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: S. D. Burman
  • Bandhu Rangila Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: S. D. Burman
  • O Amar Darodi, Lyric & Music by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Abbasuddin
  • Nadir Kul Nai Music and Lyric Jasim uddin, Singer: Abdul Alim
  • O Amar Darodi Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Nirmallendu Chaudhuri
  • Oi Shon kadamo Tale Music and Lyric by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Abbasuddin Ahmed
  • Amay Bhasalire..Lyrics and music by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Ferdausi Rahman
  • Ujan Ganger Naya Music &Lyric by Jasim Uddin, Singer:Nina Hamid
  • Amar Galar HarMusic & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Sabina Yesmin
  • Amay Ato Rate, Music & Lyric by Jasim Uddin, singer: Abbasuddin
  • Amar Bandhu binodia Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Farida Parveen
  • Rasul Name Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Farida Parveen
  • Nishite Jaio Phule Bane Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Sabina Yesmin

    Foremost of his lyrics are the books Rakhali (Pastoral Poems) 1929, Balu Char (The Sandbank) 1930, Dhan Khet (The Paddy Field) 1932, Jaler Lekhon Mago jalio Rakhish Alo, Vhayabaho Shai Dinguli.

    TitoHe has written books on travel to USA, Europe as Chale Musafir, Halde Parir Desh (Jugoslwia travel) obtained UNESCO Prize, Germanir Shahare and Bandere and Je Deshe Maush Boro Other important lyrics written recently are in the books Rupavati 1946 and Sakhina 1960, Halud Barani (both girls' names). The first book of lyrics published after the partition of India-Pakistan, when the poet moved permanently to Dacca, was the book. Matir Kanna (Sorrows of the Earth) 1955. This book has been translated into Russian.

    For Children he has written Hashu, Ek Paisher Bashie, Jamunabati, Dalim Kumar, Asmanir Kabi Bhai

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    3. Documentation

    A rare document: Greetings by Rabinranath Tagore - on Jasim Uddin's marriage:

    written by Tagore

    poets wife - monimalaeldest son hashu and wife at Shillong. India








    Jasim Uddin's poetry has a new trend, a new taste and a new langugage
    Rabinranath Tagore











    His poetry appears like the breeze from the countryside that that cools the sighs and sweats of urban living. He is congratulated for creating a new school of poetry.
    Dr. Dinesh Chandra Sen, Head of the Department of Bengali, Unversity of Calcutta.

    I read the poem with growing excitement and have returned it again and again to be delighted by its simplicity, and deep humanity.
    Verrier Elwin, Introduction to The Field of the Embrroideredv Quilt.

    If the sound of your flute
    Moves the water in my pitcher
    I shall put it to sleep
    By ringing my bracelet.
    How shall I tame my tears?
    Tell me, my love when you play your flute
    slowly, slowly.



    During Second World War Poet Nazrul Islam was selected by the British Government to head Song Publicity of Calcutta Information Ministry. As Nazrul became sick Jasim Uddin was summoned for this post from Dhaka University (Prothom Alo, January 3, 2003).

    As a song publicity organizer and his assistants Abbasuddin, Momtazuddin, Bedaruddin, Shorab Hossain and many renown singers travelled all over Bengal and gave speeches and educational folk songs that spread all remote villages. For example two popular songs to prevent malaria and cholera (From Ganger Par by Jasim Uddin):

    From Ganger Par by Jasim Uddin From Ganger Par by Jasim Uddin

    painted by zainul abedinJasim Uddin wrote and tuned folk songs which are still celebrated in the air and sky of Bengal. Jasim Uddin not only famous composer but he gave all the tunes of his music which is documented in gramophone records. Jasim Uddin collected several thousands of folk music from rural Bengal under the guidance of Prof. Dinesh Chandra Sen as a ramtanu Lahiri Scholar. He has written two books "Jari Gan and Murshida gan". The songs like O Amar Daradi, O Tui Jare aghat Hanlire, Nadir Kul Nai, O Amar Gahin Ganger Naya, Oi Shon Kadambo Tale ke, Ujan Ganger Naya. 'Nishite Jaio Phulo Bane', 'Prano shokhi re oi shone kodombo tole' or 'O amar dorodi age janle' and many others still persist and have been the backbone of Bengali folk music in this country.

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    4. Jasim Uddin's most favourite associates

    rabinra nath wanted jasimuddin to work at Santiniketan Abinranath Tagor Dr. Dinesh Chandra Sen

    Jasim Uddin became friendly with Tagore family and lived several years at Tagore's Jorashko house He has written a book (Thakur Barir Aginay) on memories at Tagores house (published in Kolkata, India). In his memory Jasim Uddin writes Abininranath Tagore was one of the greatest suppoerters of his poetry.



    by Abinranath Tagore by Abinranath Tagore by Abinranath Tagore

    Leader of the Revivalist Movement in the field of Modern Indian Painting in Bengal, Abanindranath Tagore is also credited with a key contribution towards ushering in the renaissance in Indian painting. Born on 7th August, 1871, at Jorasanko, at the family residence of the aristocratic Tagores, Abanindranath grew up in a family environment of multi-hued creativity, as the Tagores culturally spearheaded Calcutta in those days.

    In 1907, Tagore established the Indian School of Oriental Art and founded ‘The Bengal School’, which was responsible in pioneering the Bengal Revivalist movement. Under his guidance, a new generation of painters was raised, like Nandalal Bose, Asit Halder, Kshitindranath Majumder and Jamini Roy, S.N.Gupta and a host of others. Nandalal Bose (1882-1966), one of his most outstanding students, revived the study and practice of art in India, later in life.

    In his own way, Abanindranath also contributed to the Freedom struggle. Money was raised for the National Fund by singing processions who carried his painting, Bharat Mata, made into a flag. He also contributed handloom cloth from Jessore and Pabna to the swadeshi store. Abanindranath Tagore, regarded as the father of India's modern art, died in 1951

    I was surprised when in 1929 I read Jasim Uddin's poem "Kabar" in Calcutta University’s selection of Bengali texts for the Matriculation examination. A poem by a Muslim writer in the Matriculation selections! And that too under the auspices of the University of Calcutta? . . . A teacher of mine told me a story about this. There was forceful opposition in [the University's] Syndicate to the inclusion of by a student. But Dr Dinesh Sen was the number one advocate for Jasim Uddin. . . . Apparently, he countered the opposition by saying, "All right, please be patient and just listen to me recite the poem." He had a passionate voice and could recite poetry well. He read the poem with such wonderful effect that the eyes of many members of the Syndicate were glistening with tears.
    -
    Wahidul Alam, "Kabi Jasimuddin," Alakta, 5 no. 2 [1983]; quoted in Titash Chaudhuri, Jasimuddin: Kabita, gadya o smriti

    The poet asserts he gathered material for his plot from actual happenings in his own Faridpur district. 'In our Faridpur district there live many poor farmers, Moslem and Namasudra (Hindus). "But from my boyhood to the present day for the love aud affection which I received from the sannyasi there remains a love and respect in my heart which has not in the least bit been destroyed.For the friendship of the sannyasi and the insight he gave " him into Hindu culture,J asim Uddin is still grateful. It seems to me his broadmineledness and sympathy for Hindu as well as Moslem tradition are among his best qualities as a writer. Gipsy Wharf is almost a plea for bettel' Hindu-Moslem relations. Certainly he believes that the bonds which unite Bengali people are very strong, and the culture they have , made is both Moslem and Hindu.

    Sen’s relationship to Jasimuddin is the subject of the latter’s reminiscence in Smaraner sharani bahi (Calcutta, 1976). Jasimuddin writes:

    Here was a man who took me from one station in life to another. My student life perhaps would have ended with the I.A. [Intermediate of Arts] degree if I had not met him. Perhaps I would have spent my life as an ill-paid teacher in some village school. I think of this not just only once. I think this every day and every night and repeatedly offer my pronam [obeisance] to this great man. [P. 71]

    from jasimuddin's memeory on dinesh chandra senjasim cenentary -sukoor

    dinesh chandraSen was born to Ishwar Chandra Sen in the village of Bakjuri in the present-day Manikganj District of Bangladesh. In 1882, he passed his University Entrance examination from Jagannath School in Dhaka. In 1885, he passed his F.A. examination from Dhaka College. He passed his B.A. examination with Honours in English literature in 1889 as a private student. In 1891, he became the headmaster of the Victoria School in Comilla. From 1909-13, he was a reader in the newly founded Department of Bengali Language and Literature of the University of Calcutta. In 1913, he became the Ramtanu Lahiri Research Fellow in the same Department. In 1921, the University of Calcutta conferred on him the Doctorate of Literature in recognition of his work. In 1931, he received the Jagattarini gold medal for his contribution to the Bengali literature. He retired from service in 1932.[1] He died in Calcutta in 1939.

    He is mostly known for collecting and compiling the folklore of Bengal. Along with Chandra Kumar De, he published Mymensingh Gitika, or the Ballads of Mymensingh, a collection of 21 ballads.

    A few biographical details are in order. Born in a village in the district of Dhaka in 1866, Dinesh Chandra Sen (or Dinesh Sen for short) graduated from the University of Calcutta with honors in English literature in 1889 and was appointed the headmaster of Comilla Victoria School in 1891 in Comilla in Bangladesh.

    While working there, he started scouring parts of the countryside in Eastern Bengal in search of old Bengali manuscripts. The research and publications resulting from his efforts led to his connections with Ashutosh Mukherjee, the famed educator of Bengal and twice the vice chancellor of the University of Calcutta (1906–1914 and 1921–23).

    In 1909, Mukherjee appointed Sen to a readership and subsequently to a research fellowship in Bengali at the university. 5. Sen was eventually chosen to head up the postgraduate department of Bengali at the University of Calcutta when that department—perhaps the first such department devoted to postgraduate teaching of a modern Indian language—was founded in 1919. Sen served in this position until 1932. He died in Calcutta in 1939. Sen produced two very large books on the history of Bengali literature: Bangabhasha o shahitya (Bengali Language and Literature) in Bengali, first published in 1896, and History of Bengali Language and Literature (in English), based on a series of lectures delivered at the University of Calcutta and published in 1911. 6. He also produced many other books including an autobiography. All his life, Sen remained a devoted, tireless researcher of Bengali language and literature. 7

    Sen, today, is truly a man of the past. His almost exclusive identification of Bengali literature with the Hindu heritage, his idealization of many patriarchal and Brahmanical precepts, and his search for a pure Bengali essence bereft of all foreign influence will today arouse the legitimate ire of contemporary critics. It is not my purpose to discuss Sen as a person. But, for the sake of the record, it should be noted that, like many other intellectuals of his time, Sen was a complex and contradictory human being. This ardently and (by his own admission) provincial Bengali man loved many English poets and kept a day's fast to express his grief on hearing about the death of Tennyson. 8.

    For all his commitment to his own Hindu-Bengali identity, he remained a foremost patron of the Muslim-Bengali poet Jasimuddin. 9. The inclusion of a poem by Jasimuddin in the selection of texts for the matriculation examination in Bengali in 1929, when Hindu-Muslim relations were heading for a new low in Bengal, was directly due to Sen's intervention at the appropriate levels. 10. And his patriarchal sense of the extended family did not stop him from encouraging his daughters-in-law to pursue higher studies. 11.
    6. For a factual revision of Dinesh Sen’s research findings see the appendices added by Prabodh Chandra Bagchi and Asitkumar Bandyopadhyay to Dinesh Chandra Sen, Bangabhasha o shahitya, ed. Asitkumar Bandyopadhyay, 2 vols. (Calcutta, 1991), 2:868–89.
    7. Biographical details on Dinesh Sen are culled here from his autobiography, Gharer katha o jugashahitya (1922; Calcutta, 1969; Supriya Sen, Dineshchandra; biographical note entitled "The Author's Biography" published in Dinesh Chandra Sen, Bangabhasha o shahitya, 1:43–5; and "The Author's Life," in Dinesh Chandra Sen, Banglar puronari (Calcutta, 1939), pp. 1–32. A later reprint of this book (1983) says in a publisher’s note that this short biography given in the first edition contains some factual errors. But the facts stated here seem to stand corroborated by other sources.
    8. Supriya Sen, Dineshchandra, p. 19.
    (Dipesh Chakrabarty)

    Jasim Uddin's relation to Poet Nazrul Islam was very friendly. He supported Jasim Uddin to publish poems in calcutta journals. Jasim Uddin in his memory "Sriter Pot" describes many charming events with the poet. Nazrul visited Ambikapur, Faridpur and wrote a song at the bank of Padma river. Poet Nazrul Islam taught Jasim to write his name like Jasim Uddin (ud-din), Jasim Uddin followed Nazrul's advise.

  • Ghor bhulano surey - Nazrul geeti
  • Rongila Apne Radha -Nazrul geeti Shama Sangeet
  • Chol Chol Chol - Urdho Gogone Baje Madol...
  • Pirit Kore Kante - Kazi Nazrul Islam
  • Khola Chokhe - Kazi Nazrul Islam
  • Kul Bhanga Nodi - Kazi Nazrul Islam
  • Dur Deep-O-Bashinie - Nazrul Geeti
  • Koto din Dekhini Tomai
  • Amar Jabar Shomoey Holo- Nazrul geeti

  • nazrul at 42

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    5. Visit Jasim Uddin House (1904-33), Ambikapur, Faridpur

    jasimuddin's family graveyard, Ambikapur Faridpursaju by sukoor - 100 jasims birthday





















    Family graveyard

    Poets Graveyard Jasim- 1974- standing by pomegranate tree- where is his graveyard  since March 1976

    Graves

    Here, under the pomegranate tree, is your grandmother's grave;
    For thirty years my tears have kept it green.
    She was a little doll-faced girl when she came to my horne,
    And she wept to be done with the play ofher childhood days.

    Returned from my travelling onee,
    I suddenly knew She had been in my thoughts all the time.
    Like the dawn her golden face would blind my eyes,
    And from that day I lost myself among small joys of hers.

    Museum at ambikapurmuseum at Ambikapur

    Black is the pupil of my eye,
    Black the ink with which I write
    Black is birth, and Death is Black
    Black is the universal Night.
    Black is the Son of the Soil and yet
    Victor is he of All!
    He who with gold
    Has credit small.

    Only give me the colours, Brother,
    And I, even I,
    Can make the garland of the rainbow,
    Span the stormv sky!
    Nor gold nor brass, nor face of gold
    Brings universal joy.

    Nakshi Kathar Math

    painted by nando lal basu
    nazrul-jasimuddin 1973
    jaharlal neheru receives Jasim Uddin, Bomby 1961
    Fight for Inde. with sufia Kamal Palatan Maidan 1969 Bangla Sahyto Conf. 1974
    mujib and father regan Museum- Monimala
    jasim museum jasim museum
    Music Evening at Poets House jasim museum
    stamp on poets death letter written by jasimuddin
    sketched by qamrul islam written by jasim sketched by qamrul islam

    Come to Garden by Night

    Nishte Jaio Phul bane, O Bhomora

    Come to the garden by night
    My bee.
    I shal stay up the night
    Lighting the lamp of moon
    And talking to the dew drops
    My bee.
    Come to the garden by night
    should I fall asleep
    Tread softly my bee,
    do not break the branch
    Or crush my flowers.
    Or awaken the flower that is asleep
    come to the garden by night.
    My bee.












    Songs of Jasim Uddin

  • Nishite Jaio Phulobane.. Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: S. D. Burman
  • Dhire se Janain hindi from Nishite jaio: Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: S. D. Burman
  • Nishite Jaio Phule Bane Music & Lyrics by Jasim Uddin, Singer: Sabina Yesmin
  • Jasim Uddin's Letters :

    letter to his son bashu
    jasimuddin ,son bashu at hospital kiel, germany 1973
    padma handwriting -jasimuddin
    cultural event at jasim's house nakshi by suraya

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    6. Conclusion

    Sachin Dev BurmanOne of the most popular songs of Jasim Uddin "Come to Garden by Night" and "Bandhu Rangila" sung by famous Shachin Dev Barman (To immortalise the name of Shachin Dev Barman West Bengal govt did a lot of things and named some memorials after his name.

    Recently, a centenary was celebrated on him with great pomp and grandeur.

    Even after thirty years death of Poet Jasim Uddin nothing has been done by the Governments of BNP, Awami League or at present regime. We offered Governments to open national museum at poets residence to preserve heritage of tradition and true culture of Bangladesh but this was not accepted. Jasim Uddin's deep involvement in non-communal socio-political movements championing the cause of Bengali language and literature gives his lyric and folks poetry a keen edge of commitment and protest. His poems are popular as part of school curricula in West Bengal, India as much as in Bangladesh.

  • A country cannot exist without preserving cultural and national heritage. Independence of Bangladesh itself has been a statement- that a state cannot be run on the basis of religion alone, it should take into account other factors like language and ethnicity into consideration. It is no surprise then that the first constitution of Bangladesh rightly incorporated secularism as one of the guiding principles of the new country.

  • Jasim Uddin was the champion for the Bangladesh Freedom Movement taking the risk of publishing and distributing the Poems on War of Independence - about 17 poems all over the world, which created sympathy for liberation.
  • What we need more urgently now is the strategic vision of what the government must do, how to do and when these visions would become a reality. This would bolster the people to act as a united force of the nation on different fronts, the way the people reacted on the political front to the call for independence in 1971. On our small effort we have started a small museum at Poets residence at Ambikapur, Faridpur and a website: www.jasimuddin.org.

  • Jasim Uddin's last public speech - Bengali Language Conference, Chief Guest: Bangobandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman-

    Bangla shahitoy sammelon 1971 Bangla Lit. Conf. 1974

    Hashem khan  

  • Jasimuddin - Poet of the people of Bengal-
    A film by Khan Ata 1978
  • Amar Kantho - Voice and Songs of Jasim Uddin

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    89 video music etc.- basuuddin Channel - YouTube

    Part also published in Daily Star,On poet Jasim Uddin's 103rd birthday January 1, 2008.

    Last Modified: June 17, 2011

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