| Bengali literature বাংলা সাহিত্য | |
|---|---|
   (clockwise from top to bottom :) The oldest bengali script 'Thecharyapada' (top),Kazi Nazrul Islam (Bottom right),Rabindranath Tagore (Bottom left). | |
| Bengali literature | |
| By category Bengali language | |
| Bengali language authors | |
| Chronological list –Alphabetic List | |
| Bengali writers | |
| Writers –Novelists –Poets | |
| Forms | |
| Novel –Poetry –Science Fiction | |
| Institutions and awards | |
| Literary Institutions Literary Prizes | |
| Related Portals Literature Portal Bangladesh Portal | |
Bengali poetry is a rich tradition of poetry in theBengali language and has many different forms. Originating inBengal, the history of Bengali poetry underwent three successive stages of development: poetry of the early age (likeCharyapad), theMedieval period and theage of modern poetry. All ages have seen different forms of poetry and poetical tradition. It reached the pinnacle during theBengali Renaissance period although it has a rich tradition and has grown independent of the movement. Major Bengali Poets throughout the ages areChandidas,Krittivas Ojha,Maladhar Basu,Bijay Gupta,Mukundaram Chakrabarti,Kashiram Das,Alaol,Syed Sultan,Ramprasad Sen,Michael Madhusudan Dutt,Nabinchandra Sen,Rabindranath Tagore,Dwijendralal Ray,Satyendranath Dutta,Kazi Nazrul Islam,Jibanananda Das,Jasimuddin,Sukanta Battacharya,Al Mahmud,Joy Goswami.
Poetry in the colloquial dialect of Bengal first originated fromPrakrit, and based upon local socio-cultural traditions. It was antagonistic towardsVedic rituals and laws as opposed to thesahajaya traditions of the poets themselves - who were mainlyBuddhist sages.[1][better source needed]
The medieval period marked the introduction ofputhis, which played an important role inMuslim life and brought muchPersian andArabic influence to the poetic lexicon. Shah Gharibullah was said to have initiated thisputhi trend with his epic "Amir Hamza". Manyjongonamas,puthis based on battles, were written during this time. Jongonamas were generally elegiac in tone. Works relating toKarbala were calledmarsiya (meaning 'grief' inArabic) literature. Both janganama and marsiya literature first developed inArabia and laterPersia. Muslim Sufis and soldiers introduced this form of poetry in theBengali language to the masses inBengal andArakan. Well-known poems of include Zainab's Chautisha by Sheikh Faizullah, Maqtul Husayn by Mohammad Khan and Qasim-er Lodai O Fatima-r Surotnama by Sherbaz. The works mixed Bengali folk poetry with Perso-Arabian stories and themes, and are considered an important part of the Muslim culture of Bengal.[2]
Charyapada is the oldest poetry and literary specimen ofBengali language. It is also the oldest work in the neo-Indian Aryan language. The composers of these hymns, composed between the tenth and twelfth centuries AD, were easily Buddhist Siddhacharyas. The 24 major Charyapadas were by Lui Pa, Kukkuripa, Biruapa, Gundaripa, Chatilpa, Bhusuk Pa, Kahnpa, Kambalambarpa,Dombipa, Shantipa, Mahittapa, Veenapa, Sarhapa, Shabar Pa, Azdebpa, Dhenpana, Dankapa, Darikpa Dhampa, Tantripa, Laridombipa.1200-1350 AD of Bengali literature has been marked as the "dark age of Bengali Literature." During this time Srikrishnakirtan was composed byBadu Chandidas. The other remarkable poets of Vaishnava literature of this era wereVidyapati, Jnandas,Govindadasa,Maladhar Basu, Yashoraj Khan, Chandkaji, Ramchandra Basu, Balram Das, Narhari Das, Vrindavan Das, Basudavas, Bansidas.Syed Sultan, Harahari Sarkar, Fateh Paramananda, Ghanshyam Das, Gayas Khan,Alaol, Deen Chandidas, Chandrashekhar, Haridas, Shivram, Karam Ali, Pir Muhammad, Hiramani, Bhavananda. The ancient Indian epics named Ramayana and Mahabharata were translated into Bengali language byKrittivas Ojha,Chandravati,Kashiram Das andKavindra Parameshwar. Famous poets of Mangal Kavya are Kanahari Dutta, Narayan Dev,Chandrvati,Bijay Gupta,Bipradas Pipilai, Madhav Acharya,Mukundaram Chakrabarti, Ghanaram Chakraborty, Srishyam Pandit,Bharatchandra Ray Gunakar, Khemananda, Ketaka Das Khemananda, Dwij Madhav, Adi Rupram, Manik Ram, Mayur Bhatt, Khelaram, Rupram, Sitaram Das, Shyamj.
The 18th-century two brilliantShaktabhakti court poets wereBharatchandra Ray andRamprasad Sen.
The poets who built the bridge between the Middle and Modern Ages is the poet of the Ages:Ishwar Chandra Gupta (1812–1859), he is also regarded as the Father of the Modern Bengali Language.Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824–1873) broke the medieval paradigm and Bengali poetry entered free verse - he is especially popular for his Bengali sonnets.Biharilal Chakraborty (1835–1894) who was a romantic and lyric poet of European style also contributed to the shift.
Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) was arguably the most revolutionary poets of Bengali Literature. He contributed to every branch of Bengali Literature including poetry. He broke down the old custom of writing in "Sadhu" language in poetry and introduced an aspect of poetry which had more freedom to the poet. He composed over two-thousand songs - which are known as "Rabindra Sangeet" and they are popular in West Bengal and Bangladesh even today. His songs "Jana Gana Mana" and "Amar Sonar Bangla" are the National Anthems of India and Bangladesh respectively. His impact on Bengali Literature is so immense that all Bengali Literature during his lifetime is known as the "Rabindric Era", after his name. The contemporary poets of the Rabindric era wereSatyendranath Dutta,Kamini Ray,Updendrakishore Raychowdhury,Sukumar Ray,Jatindra Mohan Bagchi among others. The death of Rabindranath Tagore is often considered to be the end of Classical Poetry and the start of Modern Poetry.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, there was a new change in Bengali style of poetry, with poets adopting an even liberal style of poetry, bringing an end to Bengali Romanticism. Poets such asMohitlal Majumder,Kazi Nazrul Islam andJatindranath Sengupta beginning contributed to this period. "Bidrohi Kavi" Kazi Nazrul Islam is considered to be the bridge between the Anti-Romantic Period and the Modern Period of Poetry. He had composed a vast oeuvre of poetry and songs – the latter of which are known as "Nazrul Geeti" which are sung even today. Nazrul is also the National Poet of Bangladesh. His poem "Bidrohi" had a big impact on theIndian Freedom Movement.
The death of Tagore led to the beginning of the Golden Age of Modern Poetry, which lasted from the 1940s to the 60s. Numerous poets left their profound impact on poetry in this era, such as:Amiya Chakraborty (1901–1966),Jibanananda Das (1899–1954),Buddhadeb Basu (1906–1964),Bishnu Dey (1909–1962),Sudhindranath Dutta (1901–1960),Sablu Shahabuddin (1957–1999). They were followed by the generation ofShakti Chattopadhyay (1933–1995),Sankha Ghosh (1932–2021), Tarapada Ray (1936–2007)Sunil Gangopadhyay (1935–2012) – known as Krittibas group of poets.
Jasimuddin's work of Pastoral mood led him to be known as Palli Kabi. He was one of the major poets.
"Hungryalist movement" also emerged in Bengal that was consisted with new bunch of poets in Bengal, inducingMalay Roy Choudhury andPurusottam Kumar Debnath.
Following thePartition of India in 1947, Bengali poets were divided along nationalistic lines ofIndia andPakistan.West Bengal still had a great literary culture around it. Many Poets likeShakti Chattopadhyay,Binoy Majumdar,Samir Roychoudhury,Malay Roy Choudhury,Subimal Basak,Pranabkumar Chattopadhyay,Subodh Sarkar emerged.
The poets ofEast Bengal took different yet similar path, many taking inspiration fromKazi Nazrul Islam and other major poets. Some of the popularBengali Muslim poets of this period includedFarrukh Ahmad,Talim Hossain,Golam Mostofa andRaushan Yazdani. TheBangladesh Liberation War and struggle for freedom became a popular theme in the years that followed.Al Mahmud is considered one of the greatestBengali poets to have emerged in the 20th century.[3]
