Friday, December 6, 2013

Al Mahmud

 

Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud  (born 11 July 1936), commonly known as Al Mahmud is a Bangladeshi Poet, novelist, short-story writer. He is careful as one of the greatest Bengali poets emerged in 20th century. His work in Bengali poetry is subjugated by his copious use of regional dialect. In 1950s he was between persons Bengali poets who were open by writing about the events of Bengali Language Movement, nationalism, political and economical authoritarianism and resist against West Pakistan Government.

Early life and career
He was born in Morail rural community, Brahmanbaria District, Bangladesh. Mahmud in progress his profession as a journalist. He came into thanks after Lok Lokantor was available in 1963. In succession, he wrote Kaler Kalosh (1966), Sonali Kabin (1966) and Mayabi Porda Dule Otho 1976. In adding to marks poetry, he has written short stories, novels and essays such as Pankourir Rakta and Upamohadesh. He took part in the Liberation War of Bangladesh as a self-sufficiency combatant in 1971.following the war, he joined The Daily Ganakantha as the assistant editor. He was after bars for a year during the era of Awami League administration. Later, Al Mahmud joined Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1975 and retire in 1993 as director of the conservatory.

Literary work
Al Mahmud, a Bangladeshi poet, composed a book of poetry noble Bakhtiyarer Ghora (Horses of Bakhtiyar) in early 1990s. He depicted Khilji as the admirable figurehead of conquest of Bengal. Most of the Indians claim Al Mahmud as a stupid and foolish man because how he praise a devil and a shameless person like Bakhtiyar who demolished numerous temples and universities in India and also responsible for mass slaughtering of Buddhist monks in India. Evidence in literature suggests that in 1193, the Nalanda University was sacked by the fanatic Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turk. Muslim take-over in India is seen by scholar as one of the reasons of the reject of Buddhism in India. The Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj, in his account the Tabaqat-I-Nasiri, reported that thousands of monks were burned alive and thousands beheaded as Khilji tried his best to displace Buddhism[13] the burning of the library frequent for several months and "smoke from the burning manuscripts hung for days like a dark pall over the short hills. 

His literary work Shonali Kabin in print in 1973, is well thought-out as a magnetism of Bengali poetry. Philosopher Sibnarayan Ray commented:

Al Mahmud has an astonishing gift for telescopic discrete levels of experience; in his poems I find a marvelous fusion and wit which reminds me intermittently of Bishnu Dey. it is not a secularism forced by some ideology, but present naturally and all over the place in his metaphors, metaphors and themes.

Awards
  • Ekushey Padak, 1987; The highest literature award of Bangladesh
  • Bangla Academy Award, 1968
  • Chattagram Sangskriti Kendro Farrukh Memorial Award (1995)
  • Kabi Jasim Uddin Award
  • Philips Literary Award
  • Alakta Literary Award
  • Sufi Motaher Hossain Literary Gold Medal
  • Lalon Award (2011)

Selected works
  • Lok Lokantor (1963)
  • Kaler Kalos (1966)
  • Shonali Kabin (1966)
  • Mayabi Porda Dule Otho (1976)
  • Arobbo Rojonir Rajhash (The Goose of Arabian Nights)
  • Bokhtiyarer Ghora (The Horse of Bakhtiyar)
  • Dinjapon (Passing Days)
  • Ditiyo Bhangon (Second Collapse)
  • Ekti Pakhi Lej Jhola
  • Golpshomogro
  • Jebhabe Gore Uthi
  • Kishor Shomogro
  • Kobir Atmobisshash (The Confidence of Poet)
  • Kobita Somogro- 1, 2
  • Pankourir Rakta (1975) (Blood of Little cormorant)
  • Na Kono Shunnota Mani Na
  • Nodir Bhitorer Nodi (River Inside River)
  • Pakhir Kache, Phooler Kache (To Birds, To Flowers)
  • Prem O Bhalobashar Kobita (Poems of Love and Romance)
  • Prem Prokritir Droho Ar Prarthonar Kobita (Poems of Love and Prayer)
  • Premer Kobita Somogro
  • Upomohadesh (The Continent)
  • Upanyas Somogro- 1, 2, 3
  • Trishera
  • The Golden Kabin (Translation of Sonali Kabin in English by Sayeed Abubakar, published by I-Proclaim Press, USA, in 2010)


অবুঝের সমীকরণ

কবিতা বোঝে না এই বাংলার কেউ আর
দেশের অগণ্য চাষী, চাপরাশী
ডাক্তার উকিল মোক্তার
পুলিস দারোগা ছাত্র অধ্যাপক সব
কাব্যের ব্যাপারে নীরব!
স্মাগলার আলোচক সম্পাদক তরুণীর দল      
কবিতা বোঝে না কোনো সঙ
অভিনেত্রী নটী নারী নাটের মহল
কার মনে কাতোটুকু রঙ?
পাড়ার সুন্দরী রোজেনা
সারা অঙ্গে ঢেউ তার, তবু মেয়ে
কবিতা বোঝে না!

কবিতা বোঝে না আর বাংলার বাঘ
কুকুর বিড়াল কালো ছাগ,
খরগোস গিরগিটি চতুর বানর
চক্রদার যত অজগর!

কবিতা বোঝে না এই বাঙলার বনের হরিণী
জঙ্গলের পশু-পাশবিনী।
শকুনী গৃধিনী কাক শালিক চড়ুই
ঘরে ঘরে ছুঁচো আর উই;
বাংলার আকাশের যতেক খেচর
কবিতা বোঝে না তারা। কবিতা বোঝে না অই
বঙ্গোপসাগরের কতেক হাঙর!

দিন শেষে
আলো আঁধারির খেলায়,
দাঁড়িয়েছি শেষ বেলায়
চোখে মুখে এসে পড়েছে তোমার কেশ
পাখিরা গাইছে বেলা শেষ; খেলা শেষ।

তবু যে কিসের গন্ধে উতলা মন
আমাকে টানছে ইশারায় অনুক্ষণ

আমিও চলেছি প্রবল হাওয়ার ঠেলায়
কোথায় চলেছি; অদৃষ্টের কোন মেলায়।


হারানো ছেলের গীত
কথা বলি আমি ঝরে যায় ঝরাপাতা
হাওয়ায় উড়ছে তোমাদের হালখাতা।

তোমাদের সাথে ব্যবধান চিরদিন
হিসেব নিকেশ মেলে না তো কোনো দিন।

সামনে কেবল খোলা আছে এক পথ
এই পথে কবে চলে গেছে সেই রথ।

রথের মেলায় এসেছিল এক ছেলে
বিস্ময়ভরা চোখের পাপড়ি মেলে।

ওই সেই ছেলে হারিয়ে গিয়েছে মাঠে
তাকে খুঁজে ফিরি হাটেবাটে ঘাটেঘাটে।

তার চোখে জ্বলে আগামী দিনের রোদ
পোশাকে তো তার ছিল সম্ভ্রম বোধ

সাহসের কথা বলতো সে আগেভাগে
এখন সে নেই বলো তো কেমন লাগে

 

 

Comes More Not

Keeping the stone of Paharpur on the left ,
crossing the canal if anyone approaches the moat,
never he comes back --- you knew it well,
nevertheless why did you allow him
to enter the heart of the hut?

They who used to dye your Shika;
They who used to bring you cock-flowers
if you once reject their hands, they won't return
ever
in the village -- you knew it well, nevertheless you
made them float
on the water of deluge.

They who used to call you witch;
They who used to address you cobra;
Seeing whom, the pitcher on your waist
got broken into pieces; seeing whom,
you used to hide your face
why did you allow them, then, to laugh
into the black clamour of the bank of your tank ?

[Translated by Sayeed Abubakar from the book Sonali Kabin]
Al Mahmud