Poet Farrukh Ahmad in retrospect

Farrukh Ahmad, a celebrated poet, commonly known as ‘the poet of renaissance’ as many of his poems emblem the spirit of resurrection particularly in the hearts of the down-trodden people of pre-1947 Bengal. His compositions reflect humanism, patriotism, and the spirit of religion.

He supported Bangla as the state language. Immediately after establishment of Pakistan, he wrote on “Pakistan State Language and Literature’ in monthly Shaogat Ashwin 1354 edition (September-October 1947), “From democratic perspective Bangla should be the state language of Pakistan, but those who want to relegate it to the status of a provincial language have dishonest objective. I strongly protest against these dishonest elements.”

While working at the Dhaka station of Radio Pakistan, at the peak of the Language Movement, Farrukh took part in protests along with his colleagues.  

Farrukh was accorded a reception at Dhaka Hall of Dhaka University in 1961, chaired by Professor Muhammad Abdul Hye and the discussions were participated by Munier Chowdhury, Syed Ali Ahsan, Ahsan Habib, Abul Hussain and Shamsul Huda Chowdhury, among others.

Serajul Islam Chowdhury read the address of welcome. Farrukh’s poems were read by Shamsur Rahman, Mohammad Moniruzzaman and Salma Chowdhury, among others.   

Farrukh Ahmad was born at a time when this subcontinent was under British rule. The Bangali Muslims were at that time socially backward and economically poor. Farrukh Ahmad appeared in the literary arena, when the Second World War was going on (1939-45) and in the great man-made famine of 1943, millions of people died of hunger.

The wealthy, heartless greedy people amassed immense wealth creating artificial crises in the market. Farrukh Ahmad with his mighty pen, depicted the real picture of society.

Farrukh’s poem ‘Lash’ (Dead Body) was published in ‘Akal’ edited by Sukanta Bhattacharja.

Farrukh’s collection of poems was published in ‘Kobita’— a literary journal edited by Buddhadeb Basu.

Early in life Farrukh was inspired by Marxim, later by radical humanism and still later by Islam.

He was a student of Ripon College and Scottish Church College. He studied English literature and philosophy. At Ripon College his teachers were Promothnath Bishy, Bishnu Dey and Buddhdeb Basu, among other luminaries. His friends were Subhash Mukhopadhay and Fazle Lohani in student days. Painter Kamrul Hassan treated Farrukh as an elder brother.

Under the influence of Manabendra Nath Roy, Farrukh Ahmad at one stage became a radical humanist and revolutionary.

Poet Sufia Kamal was a close family friend. It was Sufia Kamal who named some of Farrukh’s children.

Farrukh inspired people to wake up reminding them their glorious past and chequered history. He used symbols, similes and metaphors to describe the nation’s past and awaken them to rise and take the highest position once again to show true humanism and glories of human pursuits in the world, which at present is confronted with so many odds, miseries, wars, hunger, injustice and inhuman sufferings.

Whatever the ideology, Farrukh never compromised. He turned to Islam as a true panacea to all odds and sufferings and advocated that Islam alone can solve the problems, confronting the world and the mankind. He symbolised Islam as ‘Herar Rajtoron’ and asked the people to accept it as a true and perfect guideline to entire mankind. He says in his famous poem ‘Sat Sagorer Majhi’ (The Sailor of the Seven Seas’):

“I do not know how long has been the dark night before the breaking of this dawn./The green leaves in the orange grove are quivering;/The seven seas’ tide is in, foaming on your doorsteps./Yet you are still in deep slumber? still you do not wake up?/O Sailor of the seven seas! have a look, the ship calls at the door,/Motionless, she is standing at the door, like a painted picture./The helm is high and dry, the sails are drooping./O Sailor! Respond to my clarion call./Do arise, arise and join the seamen./You will find your ship at blue sea again/like a full moon she will sail along/Braving clouds of waves and breaking down all barriers./Yet you are still asleep? Still you do not wake up?”

Farrukh wrote many poems about famine. He depicted the untold miseries of hungry people. Side by side, he narrated the inhuman behaviour of the wealthy greedy people who amassed huge wealth at the cost of unfortunate poor people. He condemned in unequivocal terms the inequality, injustice and unfair behaviour of a section of the society which shamelessly favours the wealthy and opportunists and looks down on the unfortunate have-nots. Farrukh stood boldly for the poor and down-trodden people for justice, equality and fair deals for all. In his famous poem entitled ‘Lash’ (The Dead body), he condemned the inhuman exploiters.

Farrukh Ahmad was a great exponent of humanism. The source and inspiration of his idealistic approach are undoubtedly Islam. His strong conviction was that Islam is not a mere religion of rituals, but a perfect code of life, chosen by the Creator Himself for not only the Muslims, but for the entire human race.    

Later in life, he tried his best to follow Islam in his personal life and expounded Islam in his literary works. Farrukh’s approach was not of a missionary, but of a poet, who aspires the salvation of mankind. He believed that the salvation is possible only when the people take to the path of Prophet Muhammad (Sm), the last and the greatest Messenger of Allah, as their guide. In his famous poetical work, entitled as ‘Sirajam Munira’, he paid tribute to the Great Prophet as the saviour of mankind.

Farrukh was a romantic poet. He depicted life of all classes of people, all kinds of human bonds and sufferings, the joy and sorrows, the despair and aspirations of life. He narrated the scenic beauty of Bangladesh as well as the vast seas and the open sky.

His poetic canvas is as wide as the world. He belonged to the entire world and for all times, as he considers himself as a member of the entire human race.

Farrukh’s contribution to Bangla literature is vast and encompasses almost all branches of literature. They include poems, songs, short stories, novel, drama and essays. But he is best known for his poetic genius. He wrote poems in various forms— lyrical, epic, sonnets, satirical, juvenile poems, lyrical drama etc. His contribution is vast and outstanding in all these forms of literature.

His language is powerful and distinguishable from others. His use of symbols, similes and metaphors are characterised by his own distinct style. He is a poet of outstanding genius and recognised as one of the greatest poets of Bangla literature. He upholds human values, pure humanism and inspires his readers with lofty aspirations to build a perfect world of peace, harmony and fellow-feeling on the ashes of a mutilated and materialistic exploitative world.

His romanticism has a particular hue and colour containing a particular message and distinct goal, which he depicts with his poetic depth and diction to inspire readers.

Farrukh was a great poet of love of the oppressed people of the world, a romantic poet of dream of the resurgence. He sang for the emancipation of humanity.

Farrukh Ahmad will be ever remembered for his great contribution to our literature and resurgence of the chained and downtrodden oppressed humanity.

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