Harinath Majumdar (20 July 1833 – 18 April 1896), better known as Kangal Harinath, was a Bengali journalist, poet, writer, and Baul singer.[2][3][4] He is the writer of Bijoy Basanta (1859), which is in the list of the first published Bengali novels.[5]

Kangal Harinath
কাঙ্গাল হরিনাথ
Born
Harinath Majumdar

(1833-07-20)20 July 1833[1]
Died18 April 1896(1896-04-18) (aged 62)
Other namesKangal Fikir Chand, Fikir Chand Baul

Early life and career edit

Harinath was born in Kumarkhali village, Kushtia District, now in Bangladesh.[6] He took up journalism to promote the cause of the poor and oppressed.[7] He started writing in the Sangbad Prabhakar and in 1863 started publishing a journal, Gram Barta Prokashika. The journal was funded by Swarnakumari Devi.[2] In 1873 Harinath set up a printing press for printing this journal.

He was a disciple of Lalon Shah. He established a Baul group named Kangal Fakir Chander Dal (Group of the Penniless Fakir Chand) in 1880. His songs had a profound influence on many thinkers of the day, including Rabindranath Tagore and Akshay Kumar Maitreya.[citation needed]

On his death, the Indian Mirror commented "The district of Nuddea has lost one of its great men".[8]

Notable works edit

Harinath wrote 18 books. Some of his works are:

  • Bijoy Basanta (1859)
  • Charu-Charitro (1863)
  • Kavita Kaomudi (1866)
  • Okkrur Sangbad (1873)
  • Chittachapala (1876)
  • Kangal-Fakir Chand Fakirer Gitabali (1293-1300 Bengali Year)

References edit

  1. ^ Aman, Amanur (22 July 2010). "Kangal Harinath birth anniversary commemorated in Kushtia". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b Shipra Dastider (2012). "Harinath, Kangal". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  3. ^ "The legacy of Kangal Harinath". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  4. ^ "কাঙাল হরিনাথ মজুমদার". www.sahos24.com. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  5. ^ সববাংলায় (2022-01-24). "কাঙাল হরিনাথ". সববাংলায় (in Bengali). Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  6. ^ Amanur Aman (21 April 2015). "Death anniversary of Kangal Harinath". The Daily Star. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  7. ^ Raha, B. (26 November 2013). "Harinath Majumdar and the Bengal Peasantry". Indian Historical Review. 40 (2): 331–353. doi:10.1177/0376983613499683. S2CID 144324477.
  8. ^ Rajib Kanti Roy. "A Selfless Reformer, Kangal Harinath Majumdar". The Daily Sun. Retrieved 28 May 2016.

Obaidullah, Exploration officer, Shangbadik kangal horinath smrity jadughar, kumarkhali, kushtia.