হোক কলরব, ফুল গুল সব
Whatever the color, the flowers are all
লাল না হয়ে নীল হল ক্যান?
Can red become blue?
অসম্ভবে কখন কবে,
When to start,
মেঘের সাথে, মিল হল ক্যান?
With the cloud, is the can?
-Shayan Chowdhury Arnob
These are a few lines from Hok Kolorob (“Let There be Polyphony”), which were composed by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob. The song was widely used by students of Jadavpur University in Kolkata during the 2014 protest against the molestation of a female student of the University.
Hok Kolorob started with a hashtag and soon became the sound of rebellion, the battle cry calling out to people to join them. Students started sitting together, singing songs of protest, chanting slogans, calling out to the administration, in particular the Vice Chancellor who was ignorant towards the complaint of the victim and asked her to wait.
The aim was to use #HokKolorob and not violent slogans, since they wanted to make noise and let people know. Soon the movement reached its peak and they demanded the resignation of the Vice Chancellor. People from all across the country from different colleges, universities and institutions joined in solidarity and with rage. Alumni of the University from New York, Sydney and London joined the agitation. Final year students boycotted their graduation ceremony. Other students went to classes and didn’t register their attendance as a form of protest. The fast unto death began and finally the Education Minister arrived at Jadavpur University (JU) and Mamata Banerjee, the then CM also attended the meeting to resolve the issue. The CM then announced the resignation of the Vice Chancellor. The same HokKolorob is being used by the students of JU presently after the vandalism by ABVP.
Music, musicians and their songs become legendary since they have the power to mobilize the masses. They not only raise awareness regarding the issue of dissent but also become the voice of the people. Indian history during the journey of its eras has been monumental in terms of its protests, some against the establishment, some against their own institutions. What has been even more iconic are their rebellions and the brave hearts who sang through their struggle. This provided an alternate to the violence as the only form of discontent.
Salil Chowdhury
“Bichaarpoti tomaar bichaar korbey jaaraa”
These verses were composed during the Independence struggle. It questioned the unjust British rule and asked the British Judge, “who will judge you, your honor?”
Based on the Bengali Kirtan style, it serves as one of the major contributions to Bengali Music. These have been composed by someone who is dearly referred to as Salilda.
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian songwriter, music director and lyricist who composed music for Hindi, Bengali and Malayalam films. What was also very unique about Salilda was his poetry and songs of mass awakening. These songs were his political statements as he openly claimed them to be such. He called these “songs of conscience”. Having strong political and social opinions, Salilda strongly opposed his anti – colonial views, and with these songs of protest became the voice of the weak.
He later became involved with the left wing movement and joined the Indian People’s Theatre Association or just as the Bengalis called it the Bharotiya Ganonatya Sangha. He wrote plays, composed songs and poems. What was monumental was that he took his work to the villages and focused on the struggles of people there. For instance, “Dheu uthchhey karaa tutchhey” which was composed on 29 July 1946, the day Indians showed their support to the Naval Mutiny.
Another song “Aage Chalo, Aage Chalo” was composed before Independence and during an all-students strike in Calcutta. It talks about two well known martyrs –Rameshwar and Kadam Rusul who were killed by the police in Dharamtala in 1948. “Maanbo na Bandhaney” is another beautiful rendition which refuses to accept unfair social justice, abject poverty, black marketers and corrupt politicians. This song demands a better society and freedom. The song was later recorded by Manna Dey.
Salilda also composed songs during the Bangladesh Independence Movement such as “Abu Master”, “O Bhaai re Bhaai”, “Thaam Toraa Thaam.”
Azam Khan
রেল লাইনের ঐ বস্তিতে
জন্মেছিল একটি ছেলে
মা তার কাদে
ছেলেটি মরে গেছে।
হায়রে হায় বাংলাদেশ বাংলাদেশ
বাংলাদেশ………
কত আশা ছিল তার জীবনে
সব স্মৃতি রেখে গেল মরনে
মা তার পাসে চেয়ে বসে আছে।।
হায়রে হায় বাংলাদেশ বাংলাদেশ…..
কত মার অশ্রু আজ নয়নে
কে তা বোঝাবে বা কেমনে
যে চলে যায় সে কি আসে।।
হায়রে হায় বাংলাদেশ বাংলাদেশ…
(In the slum of the railway line
A boy was born
Mother is in her saddle
The boy is dead.
Alas, Bangladesh is Bangladesh
Bangladesh ………
How much hope he had in his life
All the memories were left in death
Mother is sitting beside her.
Alas, Bangladesh Bangladesh… ..
How many tears are new today?
Who will explain it or how
He who goes away comes.
Alas, Bangladesh Bangladesh)
Mahbubul Haque Khan, fondly known as Azam Khan, was a Bangladeshi songwriter, producer and lead singer for the band, Uchcharon. He was also a freedom fighter who took part in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Frustrated with the social and political scenario in the country, he openly protested against the establishment. He wrote songs that described the pitiful conditions of the country and enraged people towards it. Khan dominated the Bangladeshi rock – n – roll and taught people that rebellion was possible through means that are considered to be peaceful. He was considered to be a rebel by many as he also traded his traditional Bengali attire for jeans –a symbol for disobedience.
Through his music, Azam made people politically aware, he made them aware of whatever wrong was happening in the country and yet, gave them hope for a better place for the Bengalis. As a Bangladeshi Freedom Fighter, he fought Section 2 under Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf. After the war, he entered the musical world. He founded the band “উচ্চারণ” (Pronunciation) and debuted with rock singers like Nasir Ahmed Apu, Firoz Shai. His rock band earned instant reputation and the revolutionary character of his song inspired millions. His songs reflected the gruesome picture of reality and urged people to come forward and change it. Khan earned the title of “Rock Guru”, who led his country to freedom and later transformed it through his music.
Iqbal Bano
हम देख़ेंगे
लाज़िम है कि हम भी देख़ेंगे
वो दिन के जिस का वादा है
जो लोह–ए–अज़ल में लिखा है
जब ज़ुल्म–ओ–सितम के कोह–ए–गरां
रूई की तरह उङ जायेंगे
हम महकूमों के पाऒं तले
ये धरती धङ–धङ धङकेगी
और अह्ल–ए–हकम के सर ऊपर
जब बिजली कङ–कङ कङकेगी
We shall Witness
It is certain that we too, shall witness
the day that has been promised
of which has been written on the slate of eternity
When the enormous mountains of tyranny
blow away like cotton.
Under our feet- the feet of the oppressed-
when the earth will pulsate deafeningly
and on the heads of our rulers
when lightning will strike.
-Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Another inspirational rebel that comes from across the border is Iqbal Bano. An acclaimed semi-classical Urdu Ghazal singer, she also lent her voice to singing great works of the legendary poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Born in New Delhi, Bano was a student of Ustad Chand Khan of Delhi Gharana. She later sang for the All India Radio. At the age of 17, she was married to a Pakistani man and moved to Multan. Bano was considered a specialist in singing the ghazals of Faiz which was a rebellion in itself, given the fact that his works had been banned under the regime of Zia – ul – Haq. She also sang the ghazals of Nasir Kazmi. She even sang the Persian poetry which eventually became widely popular in Iran and Afghanistan.
One particular episode of Bano’s life made her a revolutionary, amidst the brutal rule of a dictator. In 1977, General Zia – ul – Haq took over as the President by disposing of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Zia played his Muslim card and imposed rules for the population which were necessarily brutal, bigoted and biased against women. By 1985, he wanted to control all the aspects of their lives, including what they wear. Hence, he banned the saree on religious grounds.
Bano, did not submit to this tyranny. In a stadium of Lahore, she sat wearing a beautiful black saree in a crowd of 50,000 people and sang Faiz’s Nazm, Hum Dekhengey. This form of protest was so powerful that the crowd arose from their seats and started yelling “Inquilab Zindabad”. The recording was very quickly smuggled and edited in a hurry and the attempt was to make multiple copies. The numbers multiplied soon and the copy reached Delhi. This revolutionary attempt had spread like wildfire and Hum Dekhengey became the song of protest. Bano did eventually suffer the consequences of her action. She was officially banned from singing and appearing on television. But her works continued to be sold further. Soon, she became the rebel singer.
Today, no South Asian protest is complete without the recitation of this Nazm. Bano became the symbol of protest and Hum Dekhengey became the song of rebellion. Music plays such a pivotal role in agitations that it cannot be replaced. It is the most peaceful yet, difficult form of struggle which not only questions the establishment, but mobilizes masses from within the nation and also across the border.
Author’s Name : Aaliyia Malik
