Voice of Protest and Resistance in the Poetry of Sankha Ghosh/ শঙ্খ ঘোষের কবিতা : প্রতিবাদ ও প্রতিরোধের সৎ উচ্চারণ

Abstract

The poetic sphere of the 1950, saw the emergence of one of the most renowned poets of the era, Shankha Ghosh. Protest and resistance from the very care of Shankha Ghosh’s poetry so much so that they have become the integrate part of his being and infused his poetry with a note of inherent freedom. His poetic world put forth his philosophical self, his consciousness against the atrocities in the society, the tone of protest in the garb of sharp, sancastic verses laying bare waked reality of the human world. These characteristic features of his poetry have made Ghosh the very voice of consciousness in the entire gamut of Bengali Literature. His prolific pen has forever focused on the political, social, moral disintegration and degeneration of the times ‘Babarer Pranthana’, ‘Dhum Lageche Hrithkamale’, ‘Linenei Chilam Baba’, ‘Mukh Dhekhe Jai Bhiggapane’ are some of his poetic collections which bear testimony to the above. Even his ‘Hashikhusi Mukhe Sarbonash’, written in the recent part, ’Bohu Swar Stabdho Poreache’, ‘Proti Proshne Kepe Othey Vite’ are all collective voice of protest against and resistance to the evils, the injustice, the exploitation and oppression of prevalent in the society. This poetry is multifaceted from being self-critical to portraying the various facts of love, to being able to accept truth as it really, there is a directness and clarity in his poetry which fails to restrict Ghosh strictly as a poet of the 50s concerned only with a note of protest, the very feature of the 50s. The manifestation of love in a broader spectrum which emphasize on the love for humanity and humanitarian values are a palpable part of his works and appeals to the soul of his readers, stirs their conscience ‘to think’. His soul stirring and heart touching poetry more humane rather than being preachy or didactic.

            The voice of protest and resistance in his poetry is meaningful to our existence and its popularity is not the result of cheap thrills but the component of our morality and ethics. even then there is an inherent restriant of emotions and significants in his poetry Ghosh never goes to the extremes neither are his poems overthy didactic nor are they too sentimental, rather with the apt usage of words and phrases his verses are infused with fraudness and candidness which brings to the forefront the cruelty, hastiness and cheap thrills of the public to gain popularity and fulfill their vested interests. His literary creation ‘teaches’ us, makes us think and act accordingly but this does not come simply adhere to Ghosh being engaged in academics but greatly because as a responsible individual he has taken up the burden of spreading awareness amongst the masses. In its own right his poetry has thrust upon him the role of a teacher, a resilient, determined individual who spares neither the state nor the individual in his voice of protest and resistence in poetry. Shankha Ghosh’s name thus has emerged synonymous with honesty, integrity and truthfulness making him the very face of conscience and protest.