Dwijendralal Ray
Encyclopedia
Dwijendralal Ray (19 July 1863-17 May 1913), also known as D. L. Ray , was a Bengali poet, playwright, and musician. He was known for his Hindu
mythological
and Nationalist
historical plays and songs known as Dwijendrageeti or the Songs of Dwijendralal, which number over 500, create a separate sub-genre of Bengali Music. Two of his most famous compositions are Dhana Dhanya Pushpa Bhara and Banga Amar Janani Amar. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in early modern Bengali literature.
, Nadia
, in modern-day India
n state of West Bengal
, on July 19, 1863. He was the seventh child of Kartikeyachandra Ray, Dewan (Chief Officer) of Krishnanagar palace. His mother was a descendant of Vaishnava ascetic Advaita Acharya
. Ray had six elder brothers and a younger sister.
As a child, Ray was temperamental, introvert, thoughtful and a lover of nature although he had a gift of gab. He passed the Entrance Examination in 1878 and First Arts Examination in 1880 from Krishnanagar Collegiate School. Later he passed B.A. from Hooghly College and passed M.A. in English in 1884 from Presidency College, Calcutta (now Presidency University, Kolkata). Being a brilliant student, he got scholarship in Entrance and First Arts and stood second in M.A.
Aryagatha Part I, a collection of Ray’s songs written between twelve to seventeen years of age, was published his 1882. It was his first publication.
in England
. “His description of the sea-voyage and his keen observation on the manners, customs, food-habits and dresses of British people” was serialised in a weekly named Pataka and later published by his brothers as Bileter Patra (Letters from England). While in England, he received the news of his beloved parents’ death. In 1886, he published The Lyrics of Ind, a collection of English lyrical poems written in England.
Ray Passed the examination from the Cirencester College
and was enrolled as a member of the Royal Agricultural College
and the Royal Agricultural Society
.After obtaining a diploma in F.R.A.S., he returned to India in 1886.
and Central Province
. In 1887, Ray married Surabala Devi, daughter of Pratap Chandra Majumdar, a renowned Brahmo
leader and Homeopath physician. He was appointed the First Inspector of the Excise Department in 1894, the Assistant Director, Land Records and Agriculture Department in 1898 and the Assistant to the Commissioner, Excise Department in 1900. Later again he was appointed Inspector of Excise Department.
Surabala Devi died in 1903. In 1905, Ray was transferred to Khulna
. Later he served at Murshidabad
, Kandi
, Gaya
and Jahanabad
also. In 1908, he took long leave to stay in Calcutta. Next year, he was appointed Deputy Magistrate of 24 Parganas. In 1912, he was transferred to Bankura
and within three months he was again transferred to Munger
where he fallen seriously ill and due to this illness he took voluntary retirement and returned to Calcutta.
Following the 1905 Partition of Bengal, Ray joined the cultural movement to reunite the two new Bengali provinces. It was during the time he wrote several patriotic songs that are still immensely popular today.
He was known also for his commitment to the upliftment of women, and his strong stance against Hindu religious orthodoxy and ritual. His collection Hanshir Gaan was a satire against upper-caste Hindu dominance of religious practices.
, Calcutta Youth Choir
performs his songs regularly in their concerts and they even have a few number of records with his songs. Many of his Bengali patriotic songs were regularly played on the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
, the clandestine radio station broadcast to revolutionaries and occupied population during the Bangladesh Liberation War
.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
mythological
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
and Nationalist
Indian nationalism
Indian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that molded the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India, as well as being the heart of many contrasting ideologies that have caused ethnic and religious conflict in Indian society...
historical plays and songs known as Dwijendrageeti or the Songs of Dwijendralal, which number over 500, create a separate sub-genre of Bengali Music. Two of his most famous compositions are Dhana Dhanya Pushpa Bhara and Banga Amar Janani Amar. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in early modern Bengali literature.
Early Life
Dwijendralal Ray was born in KrishnanagarKrishnanagar
Krishnanagar can refer to:* Krishnanagar, Agartala, a locality in Agartala, Tripura, India.* Krishna Nagar, Hyderabad, a neighbourhood of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.* Krishnanagar, Nadia, a town in Nadia district, West Bengal, India.....
, Nadia
Nadia District
Nadia district is a district of the state of West Bengal, in the north east of India. It borders with Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Bardhaman district to the west, and Murshidabad district to the north....
, in modern-day India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, on July 19, 1863. He was the seventh child of Kartikeyachandra Ray, Dewan (Chief Officer) of Krishnanagar palace. His mother was a descendant of Vaishnava ascetic Advaita Acharya
Advaita Acharya
Advaita Acharya , born Kamalaksha Bhattacharya, was a notable disciple and companion of the founder of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and guru of Haridasa Thakur...
. Ray had six elder brothers and a younger sister.
As a child, Ray was temperamental, introvert, thoughtful and a lover of nature although he had a gift of gab. He passed the Entrance Examination in 1878 and First Arts Examination in 1880 from Krishnanagar Collegiate School. Later he passed B.A. from Hooghly College and passed M.A. in English in 1884 from Presidency College, Calcutta (now Presidency University, Kolkata). Being a brilliant student, he got scholarship in Entrance and First Arts and stood second in M.A.
Aryagatha Part I, a collection of Ray’s songs written between twelve to seventeen years of age, was published his 1882. It was his first publication.
In England
In 1884, Ray got a state scholarship for study of agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. “His description of the sea-voyage and his keen observation on the manners, customs, food-habits and dresses of British people” was serialised in a weekly named Pataka and later published by his brothers as Bileter Patra (Letters from England). While in England, he received the news of his beloved parents’ death. In 1886, he published The Lyrics of Ind, a collection of English lyrical poems written in England.
Ray Passed the examination from the Cirencester College
Cirencester College
Cirencester College is a tertiary college with its main campus situated on the outskirts of Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The college also has premises at The Castle, Cecily Hill, Cirencester and in Tetbury at the Tetbury centre. A number of other venues are used for part-time courses...
and was enrolled as a member of the Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural College
The Royal Agricultural College is a higher education institution located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English speaking world...
and the Royal Agricultural Society
Royal Agricultural Society
The Royal Agricultural Society of England was established in the United Kingdom in 1838 with the motto "Practice with Science". The RASE aim is to promote the scientific development of agriculture. The society received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1840.From its early days the society...
.After obtaining a diploma in F.R.A.S., he returned to India in 1886.
Career
On his return from England, Ray was appointed as a Deputy Magistrate in 1886 and worked in the Departments of Survey and Settlement, Excise, Land Records and Agriculture, Administration and Judiciary in different parts of Bengal, BiharBihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Central Province
Central Province
Central Province may refer to:*Central Province *Central Province *Central Province *Central Province, Sri Lanka*Central Province, Zambia*Centre Province, Cameroon...
. In 1887, Ray married Surabala Devi, daughter of Pratap Chandra Majumdar, a renowned Brahmo
Brahmo
A Brahmo is either an adherent of Brahmoism to the exclusion of all other religions, or a person with at least one Brahmo parent or guardian and who has never denied his faith...
leader and Homeopath physician. He was appointed the First Inspector of the Excise Department in 1894, the Assistant Director, Land Records and Agriculture Department in 1898 and the Assistant to the Commissioner, Excise Department in 1900. Later again he was appointed Inspector of Excise Department.
Surabala Devi died in 1903. In 1905, Ray was transferred to Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
. Later he served at Murshidabad
Murshidabad
Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges River. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Nawabs of Bengal used to rule Bengal from this...
, Kandi
Kandi
Kandi is a town, arrondissement and commune in the Alibori Department of eastern Benin. Originally a market town, Kandi is now primarily a farming centre. It lies on the nation's main north-south highway, 650 km from Cotonou and 325 miles north of Porto-Novo. The town is the capital of...
, Gaya
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
and Jahanabad
Jahanabad
Jahanabad is one of the neighbourhoods of SITE Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Jahanabad including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim...
also. In 1908, he took long leave to stay in Calcutta. Next year, he was appointed Deputy Magistrate of 24 Parganas. In 1912, he was transferred to Bankura
Bankura
Bankura is a city and a municipality in Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bankura District.-Etymology:...
and within three months he was again transferred to Munger
Munger
Munger town is the headquarters of Munger district, in the Indian state of Bihar. Historically, Munger is known for its manufacturing of iron articles such as firearms and swords. One of the major institutions in Munger is Bihar School of Yoga. It is one of the foremost learning center in the...
where he fallen seriously ill and due to this illness he took voluntary retirement and returned to Calcutta.
Last days
In the same year, Ray started editing a journal named Bharatbarsha. But he did not live more than two months after his retirement. He died of a sudden attack of epilepsy on May 17, 1913.Political activism
Though from a landed Bengali aristocratic family, Ray was known for his pro-peasant sentiments. In 1890, while working for the government, he clashed with the Bengal Governor on the issue of peasant land rights and tithing obligations.Following the 1905 Partition of Bengal, Ray joined the cultural movement to reunite the two new Bengali provinces. It was during the time he wrote several patriotic songs that are still immensely popular today.
He was known also for his commitment to the upliftment of women, and his strong stance against Hindu religious orthodoxy and ritual. His collection Hanshir Gaan was a satire against upper-caste Hindu dominance of religious practices.
Corpus
| Collections of Songs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| * আর্যগাথা, প্রথম খণ্ড | Aryagatha, Part I | (Songs of The Aryans Part I) | 1882 |
| * আর্যগাথা, দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড | Aryagatha, Part II | (Songs of The Aryans Part II) | 1894 |
| * দ্বিজেন্দ্রগীতি সমগ্র | Dwijendrageeti Samagra | (Complete Songs of Dwijendralal) | 2008 |
| Collections of Poems | |||
| * The Lyrics of Ind | 1886 | ||
| * মন্দ্র | Mandra | (Loud Sound) | 1902 |
| * আলেখ্য | Alekhya | (Picture) | 1907 |
| * ত্রিবেণী | Triveni | (Three Courses) | 1912 |
| Farces Farce In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,... |
|||
| * কল্কি-অবতার | Kalki-Avatar | (Incarnation of Kalki) | |
| * বিরহ | Biraha | (Separation) | 1897 |
| * ত্রহস্পর্শ | Trhasparsha | (Juncture of Three Days) | 1900 |
| * প্রায়শ্চিত্ত | Prayaschitta | (Atonement) | 1902 |
| * পুনর্জন্ম | Punarjanma | (Re-birth) | 1911 |
| * আনন্দ-বিদায় | Ananda-Biday | (Farewell to Ananda) | 1912 |
| Mythological plays | |||
| * পাষাণী | Pashani | (The Woman in Stone) | 1900 |
| * সীতা | Sita | 1902 | |
| * ভীষ্ম | Bhishma | 1913 | |
| Historical plays | |||
| * তারাবাই | Tarabai | 1903 | |
| * রাণা প্রতাপসিংহ | Rana Pratapsingha | 1905 | |
| * দুর্গাদাস | Durgadas | 1906 | |
| * নূরজাহান | Nurjahan | 1906 | |
| * মেবার-পতন | Mevar-Patan | (The Fall of Mevar) | 1908 |
| * সাজাহান | Sajahan | 1908 | |
| * চন্দ্রগুপ্ত | Chandragupta | 1909 | |
| Social plays | |||
| * পরপারে | Parapaare | (Life Beyond) | 1911 |
| * বঙ্গনারী | Banganari | (Woman of Bengal) | 1916 |
| Miscellaneous plays | |||
| * সোহরাব-রুস্তম | Sohrab-Rustam | 1908 | |
| * সিংহল-বিজয় | Sinhal-Vijay | (Conquest of Ceylon) | 1915 |
| Miscellaneous writings | |||
| * বিলাতের পত্র | Bilater Patra | Letters from England | 1884-85 |
| * বাংলার রঙ্গভূমি | Banglar Rangabhumi | Essay on Theatre of Bengal | 1895 |
| * খুকুমণির ছড়া | Khukumanir Chhara | Review of Jogindranath Sarkar's rhymes collection Khukumanir Chhara | 1899 |
| * কালিদাস ও ভবভূতি | Kalidas o Bhababhuti | Essay on Kalidasa Kalidasa Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language... and Bhavabhuti Bhavabhuti Bhavabhuti was an 8th century scholar of India noted for his plays and poetry, written in Sanskrit. His plays are considered equivalent to the works of Kalidasa... |
|
| * চিন্তা ও কল্পনা | Chinta o Kalpana | Essay on reflection and imagination | |
| * ইংরেজি ও হিন্দু সংগীত | Ingreji o Hindu Sangeet | Essay on English and Hindu Songs | 1906 |
| * জাতিভেদ | Jatibhed | Essay on Caste discrimination in India | 1907 |
| * নবীনচন্দ্র | Nabin Chandra | Review of Nabinchandra Sen Nabinchandra Sen Nabinchandra Sen was a Bengali poet and writer. He was born in Chittagong, Bangladesh.-Life:Nabinchandra studied at Chittagong Collegiate School. In 1868, he earned his BA from General Assembly's Institution and joined the government service as a Deputy Magistrate... 's works |
1908 |
| * নানভিক্ষা | Nanbhiksha | Essay on Begging honour | |
| * উপমা | Upama | Essay on Simile | |
| * গোরা | Gora | Review of Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature... 's novel Gora Gora Gora may refer to:*Gora , a clan of Jats found in north India*Gora or gaura, a Hindi and Indo-Aryan word for a light-skinned person*Gora , by Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore... |
1910 |
Songs
- Aji Gao Maha Geet
- Amar Bharat (patriotic)
- Banga Amar Janani Amar (patriotic)
- Dhana Dhanya Pushpa Bhara (patriotic)
- Esho Pran Shakha
- Je Din Sunil Jaladhi Haite (patriotic)
- Patitadwarini Gangey (patriotic)
- Aamra Emni eshey bheshey jai
Legacy
His Bengali nationalist anthem Dhana Dhanya Pushpa Bhara is immensely popular in both Bangladesh and India, and was reportedly considered a possible choice to become the national anthem of Bangladesh in 1971. Under the direction of Ruma Guha ThakurtaRuma Guha Thakurta
-Early life:She was born in 1934 as Ruma Ghosh. She hails from a Brahmo Bengali family. Her father was Satyen Ghosh and her mother was Sati Devi, a singer. Sati Devi's younger sister Bijoya married film director Satyajit Ray. Thakurta had her formal education in many places including Santiniketan...
, Calcutta Youth Choir
Calcutta Youth Choir
Calcutta Youth Choir was set up in 1958 by Ruma Guha Thakurta with Salil Chowdhury and Satyajit Ray.Calcutta Youth Choir is known for their performance of folk and mass songs. Several years ago, the choir broke out with the song 'Aaj joto juddhabaaj'. Shibdas Bandopadhyay wrote the words and V....
performs his songs regularly in their concerts and they even have a few number of records with his songs. Many of his Bengali patriotic songs were regularly played on the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was a radio broadcasting centre in the Indian city of Kolkata during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. This station played a vital role in increasing mental state of Bangladeshis during the war. In 1971, radio was the only media reaching to the far ends of...
, the clandestine radio station broadcast to revolutionaries and occupied population during the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
.