Kazi Nazrul Islam turns 125 on Saturday.
On the occasion of the birth anniversary of the fiery poet-musician, Jibansmriti, an archive in Uttarpara, will exhibit a four-page manuscript of a poem by Nazrul that celebrates his close friendship with singer and actor Dhiren Das.
The manuscript, in Nazrul’s handwriting, was in the possession of Dhiren’s family.
In 1928, Nazrul was appointed as a singer, composer, and lyricist at Gramophone Company. Dhiren, a singer and music teacher with the company, had an exceptional memory. Nazrul would teach Dhiren his compositions and Dhiren would teach them to other singers exactly as composed by Nazrul.
Music bound their souls together; they were like brothers. Dhiren was the first person to compose the tunes of Nazrul’s songs, said Arindam Saha Sardar of Jibansmriti.
Nazrul wanted this deep bond remembered and wrote a poem about it. The poem was gifted to Saha Sardar by Dhiren’s son, Arabinda Das.
The manuscript is part of a bigger exhibition on Nazrul that Jibansmriti is inaugurating on Saturday. The exhibition, which will also present rare books and journals on Nazrul, will be dedicated to Nazrul expert Brahmamohan Thakur.