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THE
POST-RABINDRANATH ERA IN BENGALI LITERATURE
The new generation of litterateurs tried earnestly to usher a new era in Bengali
literature while Rabindranath Tagore was alive. They were inspired to bring a
change for the sake of novelty and breathe a fresh lease of life in
Bengali literature. Some of them were electrified by the wonderful medley of love, romance and spiritualism which sparkle
in Rabindranath's writings. Nestling on those ideals, they intended to establish Bengali
literature on a more realistic and practical platform whereas some others desired a change
after the western literary pattern which they followed
blindly.
THE NEW STREAM OF BENGALI POEMS
Many scholars opine that modern Bengali poetry is deeply inspired
by contemporary English poetry and indebted to it. The Victorian poet Hopkins had introduced the modern phase of English poetry. He pioneered the way out of the conventional
rules of Victorian poetry and changed its content and style. The admirers of English poetry got the taste of 'modernity' and a much desired 'variety' only after the publication of the first collection of poems by Hopkins in 1918. It was entitled 'The poems of Gerard Manley
Hopkins'. The sensation created by this book was felt in Bengal as well.
Before the advent of the later modern poets in Bengali literature, Mohitlal, Jatindranath
and Nazrul Islam had successfully experimented with novity and variety in
Bengali literature under the auspices of Rabindranath. However, the
avant-garde poets who gave birth to an entirely new school of poetry,
wrote in the new papers and magazines and were collectively
known as 'Kallol' (1923), 'Kalikalam' (1926), 'Pragati' (1927)
etc.
Now, we will discuss about some illustrious poets of modern Bengali poetry.
AJIT DUTTA (1907 - 1979)
At the initial stage of modern Bengali poetry, Ajit Dutta
emerged as a poet. He had spearheaded the movement called 'modern poetry' along with Buddhadev Basu. But his poetic self was engrossed
with romanticism. His notable books of poems were 'Kusumer Maas' (1930), 'Patal Kanya' (1938), 'Nashta Chand' (1945), 'Chhayar Alpana' (1951) etc. Despite being branded as a modern poet, he has shown
lenience towards traditional style and content.
BUDDHADEV BASU (1908 - 1974)
Buddhadev Basu was the first person to have offered some
resistance, if any, to Rabindranath's style and philosophy of poetry. He indulged himself in
experimenting with a new mode of writing poetry. He was the linchpin of 'Pragati',
a newspaper which was published from Dacca. However, his first poem 'Marma Bani' (1925) did not much reveal his inner self. But his poetic genius started to
blossom from his following poems viz., 'Bandeer Bandana' (1930). Some books of poems of Buddhadev Basu
viz., 'Prithibir Prati' (1933), 'Kankabati', 'Damayanti', (1943), 'Draupadeer Shari' (1948), 'Shiter Parthana', 'Basanter Uttar' (1955) etc. are worth mentioning.
In spite of all these, Buddhadev Basu cannot be called a modern poet
who was not least influenced by Rabindranath's. No matter whether his poems reveal all the salient features of
modern poetry, he will certainly be regarded as a great poet who had nurtured and enriched modern Bengali
poetry in its infancy.
PREMENDRA MITRA (1904 - 1988)
Premendra Mitra had started writing poetry being inspired by the ideals of the eminent humanitarian American
poet Walt Whittman. Some of his remarkable books of poems
are 'Prathama' (1932), 'Ferari Fauj' (1948), 'Samrat'
(1950), 'Sagar Theke Phera' (1956), 'Hareen, Chita, Cheel' (1960) etc. His
poems have an emotional ecstasy which is akin to Nazrul's compositions. He
is also noted for his optimistic outlook and precision of
thought.
JEEBANANANDA DAS (1899 - 1954)
With Rabindranath as the only exception, Jeebanananda Das can easily be regarded as the most versatile modern Bengali
poet. He is the greatest wonder of modern Bengali poetry. His solitary and maverick life-style was
an enigma even to his near and dear ones.
Jeebanananda Das was the pioneer of establishing 'surrealism' and 'existentialism' in Bengali
poetry. Through out his poetic career, he has tried tenaciously
to find out a rapport between the individual and the world at large. Sometimes, he was lost in profound introspective
researches or soul-searching, whereas sometimes he would
explore in distant horizons crossing the man-made boundaries. He has felt and expressed the
intensity of the exuberance and splendour of life through unique symbols and metaphors. He has
always tried to trace the unknown, know the inscrutable and
feel the intangible through beautiful imagery in his poems.
His first book of poems 'Jhara Palak' did not evoke much response. However,
his success triggered off from the following book of poems and
he never looked back.
Most of his poems are regarded as masterpieces enthralling the readers irrespective of time, age, caste or
sex. 'Dhusar Pandulipi' (1936), 'Banalata Sen' (1942), 'Maha Pritivi' (1944),
'Satti Tarar Timir' (1948), 'Rupasi Bangla' (1951) deserve
special mention in this regard.
Jeebanananda is regarded as the epitome of the post-Rabindranath Bengali poetry. It will not be an exaggeration to say that he was the pioneer of
the most refined and authentic form of modern Bengali poetry.
SUDHINDRANATH DUTTA (1901 - 1960)
Sudhindranath was another stalwart of modern Bengali poetry. His
early book of poems, 'Tanni' (1930) lack originality. But following
works like 'Orchestra' (1935), 'Brandasi' (1937), 'Uttar Phalguni' (1940), 'Sangbarta' (1956), 'Dashami' (1956) etc. reveal the astonishing poetic genius of Sudhindranath.
However, a particular section of the readers think that he
is the most inaccessible poet. He has won both fame and criticism for using a strange vocabulary in his
poems. He was a suave and contemplative poet. Despite his outstanding vocabulary, he was
a solitary and pessimistic poet who swayed precariously on the borders of
scepticism.
BISHNU DEY (1909 - 1982)
Bishnu Dey was another contemporary poet. Some regard his poems as intricate and incomprehensible to a great extent. Some of his remarkable books are - 'Urvashi
O Artemis' (1932), 'Chora Bali' (1938), 'Purba Lekh' (1940), 'Sandiper Char' (1947), 'Annishta' (1950), 'Naam
Rekhechi Komal Gandhar' (1950) etc.
SAMAR SEN (1916 - 1987)
Some of his noteworthy poems are 'Kayekti Kabita' (1937),
'Grahan O Annanya Kabita' (1940), 'Teen Purush' (1944) etc. Samar Sen used to compose poems on the wanton worries and woes, the despondence and mundane,
stereotyped lives of the middle and lower middle class
people. He was a realistic poet who dealt and vibed with the average man and focused on
the general feelings, emotions, weals and woes and a sense of
insecurity which haunts the common man. He has also criticized and made fun of false idealism and
hypocrisy in his poems.
AMIYA KUMAR CHAKRABORTY (1901 - 1986)
Some of Amiya Kumar's marvellous compositions are 'Khasra' (1938), 'Ek
Mutho' (1939), 'Matir Dewal' (1942), 'Parapar' etc.
Sometimes, his poems reveal a strange void and sound quite abstract. But his poems are not devoid of finer sensibilities, love, beauty or romanticism. This was probably due to Rabindranath's graceful influence on him.
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