205th birth anniversary of Pagla Kanai today

JHENIDAH, Mar 8:-The 205th birth anniversary of Pagla Kanai, a mystic folk poet and musician will be observed here tomorrow(Monday). He was born in a peasant family at Nebutala village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila in 1810.

Pagla Kanai Smriti Sangrakkhon Sangsad has chalked out a three-day programme (from March 9-11) in observance of the 205th birth anniversary of the legendary Baul composer and singer.

Led by UNO, Sadar, local cultural personalities will place wreathes at the tomb of Pagla Kanai at Berbari at 9 am tomorrow (Monday) and then a Milad Mahfil will be held seeking blessings for his departed soul. Later at 4 pm on the same day discussion will be held on the poet's life and his contribution to our cultural arena.

His father Kuron Sheikh and mother Mumena Sheikh sent their son Kanai Sheikh better known as Pagla Kanai, to their daughter Sarnara Begum's house at Berbari to learn at a Maktab there. However, he left the school and started leading a vagabond life after getting obsessed with spiritual thoughts.

Self-learned Pagla Kanai is popular for developing a Jari form titled 'Dhuajari', in which an incident is narrated in a rhythmic tone. He successfully used myths such as Radha-Krishna, Monosha-mongala as well as contemporary social issues of his time and traditional Baul music in his compositions of that Jarigaan.

Pagla Kanai used to lead life as per the rules and regulations of Islam. Some of his songs reflecting his belief in Islamism are: "O momin musalman, koro ei akbarer kam; gelo din shuno musalman momin, poro rabbil alamin; salam salam salam rakhi desher pai, paila salam kori ami khodar dargai."

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