Kazi Nazrul Islam: Eternally Grateful to This Mighty Soul

I have the deepest love and admiration for Kazi Nazrul Islam. He united Hindus and Muslims in the very depths of his oneness-heart. For that we shall eternally remain grateful to this mighty soul.

Kazi Nazrul composed “Chal...Urdha Gagane Baje Madal,” absolutely one of the most famous songs in Bengal. Many, many schools sing that song. It is one of the national songs now. The main national song is Tagore’s “Amar Sonar Bangla,” but this one many high schools have adopted.

In my song for Kazi Nazrul Islam’s centenary²⁰ I have used the words giti plaban, “the flood of songs.” He wrote many, many songs. I translated that song, and it came out in a newspaper.

Kazi Nazrul’s dearest friend lived in the Ashram. His name was Nolini Kanta Sarkar. Dilip also was a very close friend, but the dearest was Nolini Sarkar. Nolini Sarkar was very, very kind to him.

During the last four or five years of his life, Kazi Nazrul suffered greatly. He was completely paralysed. He was a Muslim by birth, but his wife was a Hindu. He wrote so many songs on Indian Gods and Goddesses. “He Partha Sarathi” (O Charioteer of Arjuna) is about Sri Krishna. He wrote songs about Mother Kali, Durga and all the Goddesses. His son had a Hindu name, Savyasachi. Savyasachi was also a good musician, although not like his father.

Kazi Nazrul was a poet also, and in poetry he stood next to Tagore. He said, “If people criticise my poetry, I do not mind. But if they criticise my songs, it deeply hurts me because they come from the very, very depths of my heart, from a very secret and sacred source.”

18 May 2002

Public School 86

From:Sri Chinmoy,Depend on Grace, Agni Press, 2023
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/dg