The 43rd death anniversary of late eminent Bengali poet Jasimuddin will be observed today.
Jasimuddin, popularly known as Palli Kabi (The Rural Bard) for his poems depicting life in rural areas, was born on January 1, 1903 at Tambulkhana village of Faridpur district in the then British India. The poet died on March 13, 1976 in Dhaka.
Jasimuddin is considered as one of the most important poets of Bangla literature. He started writing from an early age. His acclaimed poem Kabar, depicting a conversation between a grandfather and his grandson, was included in the entrance Bengali textbook when he was still a student of the Calcutta University.
Nakshi Kanthar Maath (Field of the Embroidered Quilt), penned by Jasimuddin, is considered a masterpiece and has been translated into many different languages.
Jasimuddin made significant contribution to Bengali music scene. He composed numerous songs depicting the tradition of rural Bengal and wrote a number of patriotic and Islamic songs.
He also collected folk literature till 1937 while working as an assistant research fellow under noted folk researcher Dinesh Chandra Sen. He collected more than 10,000 folk songs, some of which has been included in his song compilations namely Jari Gaan and Murshida Gaan.
Besides, he worked with Abbas Uddin, the most popular folk singer of Bengal, and created some of the greatest gems in Bengali folk music.
Jasimuddin received numerous awards for his contributions in the literary arena of the country including President’s Award for Pride of Performance, Pakistan (1958), DLitt by Rabindra Bharati University (1969), Ekushey Padak (1976) and Independence Award (1978).
The poet had a bright academic and professional career also. He completed matriculation in 1921 from Faridpur Zila School. He completed IA from Rajendra College in 1924, and BA and MA in Bangla from the University of Calcutta in 1929 and 1931 respectively.
He joined the Dhaka University as a lecturer in 1938 and taught there till 1944. He left the job and joined the department of information and broadcasting and worked there until his retirement in 1962 as deputy director.
Source: Newage
