In how many ways do You manifest? asks Rajanikanto half incredulously. God's manifestations are everywhere around us, while we argue and debate upon even His or Her existence. Everyday the course of predestined nature unfolds, the winds blow, the clouds form, the trees grow....a mother kisses her sick child's fevered brow...
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From the pages of Banglapedia - the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, is a glimpse into the life of Kantokobi. Roughly translated, it means the Beloved Poet.
And so he was. His exquisite songs about the human condition, with all its frailties and faults; of the human in relationship with God, of the despair, the joy, the humility of reduced circumstances, the freedom of submission to God and to Destiny, were all topics that deeply touched the psyche of the Bengali people.
My grandmother Amodini Dasgupta was fond of his music. Perhaps the last name had something to so with it, as her maiden name had the same surname.
There is another connection with the Kantokobi.
In his many travels in India, he visited Lahore, a city of Punjab in the undivided India. Lahore is now in Pakistan. He stayed in the home of Prof. S. N. Dasgupta, a mathematician. Everyone in that household was charmed by his easy manner. One of them was Shobhona, the professor's fourth daughter. She told me about this encounter shortly before she died.
Shobhona Sen (nee Dasgupta) was my beloved mother in law.
In the last throes of her life, staring at death from ovarian cancer, in 1980 she quoted from Kantokobi's very own, very personal account of his battle with cancer- this masterpiece of a hymn
You have made me a beggar in every possible way
You took away my wealth, my health, my exalted offices in life
To teach me a lesson in humility
So that nothing stood between us, my Lord
I did not understand that these were distractions
That kept me from seeing You
I thought I will write to You for justice
Complaining about the unfairness of my life
You rewarded me with the grace of pain, O merciful One!
In the last throes of her life, staring at death from ovarian cancer, in 1980 she quoted from Kantokobi's very own, very personal account of his battle with cancer- this masterpiece of a hymn
You have made me a beggar in every possible way
You took away my wealth, my health, my exalted offices in life
To teach me a lesson in humility
So that nothing stood between us, my Lord
I did not understand that these were distractions
That kept me from seeing You
I thought I will write to You for justice
Complaining about the unfairness of my life
You rewarded me with the grace of pain, O merciful One!
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Sen, Rajanikanta (1865-1910) poet, lyricist and singer, was born in the village of Bhangabari in pabna. His father was Guruprasad Sen. Rajanikanta was the author of Pathachintamani, a book of kirtan songs, and Abhay Bihar, a book of lyrical poems. He was tutored by his father in music from early childhood. After obtaining his BA and BL (1891) degrees from Calcutta City College, he began to practice law at Rajshahi.
Rajanikanta Sen was for some time a temporary munsif at Natore and Naogaon. He displayed his poetic power at the early age of 15 by composing songs dedicated to the goddess Kali. He used to sing songs that he had composed himself at the house of akshay kumar maitreya. The monthly Utsaha used to publish his writings. Devotion and patriotism formed the primary themes of his poems and songs, although he also composed love songs and satirical verses. One of his songs composed during the swadeshi movement, Mayer deoya mota kapad mathay tule nere bhai (Revere the coarse cloth spun in your motherland), became very popular. |  |
Rajanikanta Sen |
He wrote several books: Vani (1902), Kalyani (1905), Amrta, Abhaya, Anandamayi and Bishram (1910), Sadbhabkusum (1913) and Shesdan (1916). Vani and Kalyani are collections of his songs. He became well known as Kantakabi.
Songs of Rajanikanta modern Bangla songs composed by Rajanikanta; also known as Kantagiti. Though Rajanikanta was influenced by rabindranath tagore, his songs have some unique characteristics. Most of them are inspired by his devotion to God. In addition, his love for his country forms another important theme of his songs. The surge of patriotism at the beginning of the twentieth century inspired Rajanikanta to compose songs like mayer deoya mota kapad, mathay tule nere bhai (Revere the coarse cloth of your motherland). This song became very popular, specially among youth inspired by the nationalistic spirit. Rajanikanta also has a sense of humour and was inspired to compose satiric songs under the influence of dwijendralal roy, another renowned lyricist of Bengal.
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