Al Mahmud

Al Mahmud Poems

Al Mahmud Biography

Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud commonly known as Al Mahmud is a Bangladeshi Poet, novelist, short-story writer. He is considered as one of the greatest Bengali poets emerged in 20th century. His work in Bengali poetry is dominated by his copious use of regional dialects. In 1950s he was among those Bengali poets who were outspoken by writing about the events of Bengali Language Movement, nationalism, political and economical repression and struggle against West Pakistan Government. Early Life and Career He was born in Morail Village, Brahmanbaria District, Bangladesh. Mahmud started his career as a journalist. He came into recognition after Lok Lokantor was published in 1963. In succession, he wrote Kaler Kalosh (1966), Sonali Kabin (1966) and Mayabi Porda Dule Otho (1976). In addition to writing 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 freedom fighter in 1971. After the war, he joined The Daily Ganakantha as the assistant editor. He was jailed for a year during the era of Awami League government. Later, Al Mahmud joined Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1975 and retired in 1993 as director of the academy. Literary Works Al Mahmud is one of the most important poets in Bengali literature. In his early youth he entered Dhaka city having a broken suitcase under his armpit, from which, like a magician, he showed us all the rivers of Bangladesh. The conscious readers of poetry have watched his magic spellbound and become his fan. Al Mahmud is one of those new poets who have contributed a lot to the progress of modern Bengali poetry. He is a very popular poet in Bangladesh. He has innumerable admirers at home and abroad. But it is a matter of sorrow that very few of his poems have been translated into English, for which the non-Bengali readers are yet deprived of having the taste of his poetry. A good number of poetry books of Al Mahmud have been published. Lok Lokantor, Kaler Kolos, Sonali Kabin, Mayabi Porda Duley Otho, Adristabadider annabanna, Bokhtiarer Ghora, Arabya Rojonir Rajhas, MithyabadRakhal,Doel o Doyita etc are remarkable ones. But the book which has been accepted by the Bengali poetryreaders as a classic piece is his Sonali Kabin. The Golden Kabin is an English version of this very 8book.`Kabin' means a matrimonial contract in Bengali Muslim society. Al Mahmud has picked up this very word ever-known to all but never allowed in poetry and used so successfully that it has got a symbolic meaning and has drawn the attention of scholars, both in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Al Mahmud entered into the realm of poetry following the paths of Jasimuddin and Gibananando Das, his two preceding poets. Jasimuddin uniquely depicted the picture of rustic Bengal in his poems. People of the agro-based Bengali Muslim society first got their identity in literature. Their sorrow, sufferings, poverty, hunger and love, depicted vividly in his poems, attracted not only the Bengali educated society but also the whole world. Unlike Jasimuddin, Gibananando Das depicted the scenic and the spiritual beauty of Bangladesh. Another difference between them is that Jasimuddin followed the language of rustic people in poetry, whereas Gibananando Das was very sophosticated in using poetic dictions. Walking the paths of his two great forerunners, Al Mahmud had to struggle a lot to 9find out his own identity. At last he reached his goal; his distinction as a poet became obvious, in his third book the Sonali Kabin. Philosopher Sibnarayan Ray commented: “Al Mahmud has an extraordinary gift for telescopic discrete levels of experience; in his poems I find a marvelous fusion and wit which reminds me occasionally of Bishnu Dey. The complete secularism of his approach is also striking…he was born and brought up in a very conservative Muslim religious family; it is not a secularism forced by some ideology, but present naturally and ubiquitously in his metaphors, images 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 Meda)

The Best Poem Of Al Mahmud

In The Valley Of Dreams

Once we went on a journey
through a dense opaque fog.
Suddenly our path became illuminated
by the flash of light in horizon.
The smell of paddy floated in wind.
Forests got sonorous with the songs of birds.
Our hearts started floating
being altogether a wonderful picture of Nature.

River! River!

The clean flow of water, which our offspring showed us
raising their fingers with joy, is our soul.
It's the stream
which design our women weave their saris in.
It's the turn which inspires our sisters
to envelope their bodies with tortuous lines.
Behold the flow of holy water
whose sweet murmur immerse us in songs.
Lo and behold!

It's the picture of the valley where we will go .
It has utterly devoured our hearts.
Wind of fairy tale is blowing on our flag ;
Future frequently oscillating our hope
like a golden pendulum.
Overflowed with joy, we have set out towards our dreams.
Sorrow never fatigues us.
On a stormy night we have turned our face
towards a bright day.
Troubles have not paralysed us.
We will go out
escaping the riddle of shout, cry and despair.
May Death touch not us.

We will sow the grain seeds in the valley of dreams.
The water of silver river will flow on the left .
The sharp husky mountain will remain on the right.

[Translated by Sayeed Abubakar]

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