Nazrul's songs spread message of harmony Mamata

    Kolkata, May 26 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the poems and songs of rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam spread the message of harmony and humanity rising above religious differences.
    Banerjee attended the 126th Birthday celebrations of the poet at Rabindra Sadan.
    In a post on Facebook, the West Bengal CM said, "That despite belonging to a different religion, Nazrul was a worshipper of Goddess Kali and penned several devotional songs known as 'Shyama Sangeet'."
    "Nazrul was patriotic. His songs, poems taught us to rise above religious differences.....Today I garlanded his portrait and paid my tribute from the bottom of my heart," she said.
    Banerjee also joined her ministerial colleague Indranil Sen as they sang 'Nayan Bhara Jol,' at the function in the state-run Rabindra Sadan auditorium.
    "I don't find the time to practice amid my other official responsibilities. I might spell a few words wrong. Please don't mind my lapses," she said but mouthed the lyrics properly.
    "Didi knows the songs by heart," Sen, also a prominent singer, said.
    Earlier in the day, Banerjee in a post on X said the rebel poet is "stalwart in times of crisis".
     Banerjee mentioned that her government has named a greenfield airport in Andal after the poet, besides setting up a university in his memory.
    "My heartfelt tribute to the rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on his birth anniversary," she posted on X. Banerjee also said, "In memory of the poet, we have named Kazi Nazrul University in his name in Asansol near his birthplace, and in that region, we have named our greenfield airport in Andal as Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport."
    The state government has dedicated 'Nazrul Tirtha', a cultural centre in New Town on the eastern fringes of Kolkata, and the 'West Bengal Kazi Nazrul Islam Academy' to the rebel poet to honour his contribution to Bengali literature.
    "We have published various research books on the poet. The poet is our ever-remembered, stalwart in times of crisis," Banerjee posted on social media.
    Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in 1899, and is recognised as the national poet of Bangladesh.
    He was a poet and musician who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)