নিত্যানন্দ চক্রবর্তীর ‘লক্ষ্মীর জাগরণ পালা’ কাব্যে আঠারো শতকের বাংলা ও বাঙালি : একটি আলোচনা/ A DISCUSSION OF EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BENGAL AND BENGALIS IN NITYANANDA CHAKRABORTY'S POEM ‘LAKSHMI'S JAGARAN PALA’

Abstract

Nityananda Chakraborty's poem 'Lakshmi's Jagaran Pala' is one of the historical documents for understanding the history of Eighteen century Bengal. From this poem, we can know exactly what kind of condition the people of Bengal were in before the 'Chiyattorer Manbantar'. It is very unusual for the people of Bengal to not be able to eat in a place where so many types of rice are produced. It cannot be said that this famine was caused by a natural disaster alone. The then political chaos in the country was largely responsible for this. At that time, the pain of not being able to eat for everyone, regardless of caste and creed, and of being hungry in every household has been discussed repeatedly in the poem. Be it Dhanya or Krishna Sharma. Even in this most difficult situation, the people of Bengal retained their own culture, customs and integrity, etc. are reflected in the pages of this poem. In the two parts of this poem by Nityananda, on the one hand, Dhanya-Kamala's hunger pangs, social norms, caste discrimination, religious beliefs, etc. are expressed in the poem, on the other hand, Krishna Sharma's extreme suffering, despite not eating for three days, maintaining his mental balance, maintaining his culture, and sense of humanity in both states of happiness and sorrow, etc. are revealed in the poem. This is not just the story of Dhanya or Krishna Sharma, but the same situation in almost all homes in contemporary Bengal. What the poet saw at that time has found written form in the poem. Therefore, like other Mangal kavyas, this minor Mangal kavya has also become an important social mirror of Bengal at that time. The expression of grief by Dhanya, the pain of not being able to eat, the arrival of a new guest, the relaxation of caste discrimination at the hands of Goddess Lakshmi, and the propagation of the theory that work is the real truth, on the other hand, Krishna Sharma's inability to eat despite being a Brahmin, his poverty and hardship, and his not forgetting Krishna even after suffering happiness - all these aspects can be seen in the poem, which help us understand Eighteen century Bengal and Bengalis. The present article explores the existence of Eighteen century Bengal and Bengalis through analyzing the thoughts and lifestyles of all these characters described in the poem. In addition, the events described in the description of Goddess Lakshmi, called Kaliyuga, are actually a reflection of the contemporary society seen by the poet. The present article sheds light on the fact that the events described in the description of Goddess Lakshmi are actually a reflection of the contemporary society seen by the poet.