Pagla Kanai—an incarnation of mysticism and Sufism

JHENIDAH, Mar 12: A three-day fair and festival on 204th birth anniversary of mystic bard Pagla Kanai was celebrated on the premises of Pagla Kanai Complex, the musician's death place at Berbari village under Jhenidah Sadar upazila on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Md. Abdul Hye, Jhenidah-2 MP, attended the closing programme Tuesday as chief guest while Abdul Wahed Zoarder, Jhenidah Zila Parishad Administrator, A S M Moinur, Chief Nirbahi Officer, Zila Parishad, and Md. Zulkar Nayon, UNO Sadar Upazil were present as special guests with Md. Shafiqul Islam, Jhenidah DC in the chair.

A K M Nazrul Islam, chairman, number 8 Pagla Kanai union and Md. Ibrahim Zaman, Joint-Secretary, Pagla Kanai Smriti Sangrakkhan Sangsad delivered welcome speeches while Dr. A H M Akhraurl Islam, prof. Islamic University, Kushtia and Md. Akkas Ali, Pagla Kanai researcher were discussants.

Thousands of visitors including hundreds of devotees of the spiritual composer from across the country alongside local   artistes thronged the festival.

Born in a poor peasant family on 25 Falgun, 1216 at Lebutala village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila, this illiterate, self-taught scholar passed away on 28 Asharh, 1296 at Berbari village of the Upazila.

As Pagla Kanai's intense passion and spirituality were evident at his early age, he started to be known as 'Pagla' (crazy) to the local people and became renowned for his folk songs soon. Though he composed a good number of songs of different genres many of them were not property preserved.

Obsessed with philosophy of mysticism denoting 'love and equity', Pagla Kanai did not lead an apathetic life as he got married and had issues in his family revealing the fact about his faith in Islam.

Pagla Kanai, an incarnation of mysticism and Sufism, used to rush to mosque to say his prayers immediately after calls from the Moyazzin.  Kanai's songs featured Jari, Pala Gaan, Kabi Gaan, Murshidi, Marafati, songs about Prophet Muhammad (SM) as well as hymns to Krishna.

There goes a hearsay that many a maiden of Faridpur, who were quite late to be engaged in wedlock, could get married after attending Kanai's 'ashars' (performances) of Kanai in the district. But Pagla Kanai lies still in the hearts of the people for developing a Jari form titled 'Dhuajari', in which an incident is narrated in rhythmical tone.

This mystic folk poet had to suffer an acute financial crisis at later stage of his life as he devoted himself to mysticism coupled with Sufism, attaining a purified soul developing a sense of negative capability forgetting his 'self'.

Some participants in the discussion on the closing day of the programme put forward a number of demands including incorporation of Pagla Kana in the syllabus of literature in universities, celebration of his birthday nationally through Bangla Academy from 2015 and filling up the pond near Kanai's shrine for extension of fair site.

Md. Shafiqul Islam, Jhenidah DC, while contacted, told The Financial Express, "As the president of Pagla Kanai Srmiti Sangrakkhan Shangshad, I am also responsible. Very positively I will write to the authorities concerned regarding the demands."