JAATISHWAR !!!

When India was under the British Rule, an explorer of Portuguese family started exploring different parts of Bengal, the famous land for its enriched Art and Culture. Hensman Anthony had a hobby of music. Bengalis started liking his voice and named him as Anthony Firingi. Basically, any foreigner coming to Bengal from Europe was given the title, Firingi. At that time, there was the ritual of Sati Daaho in Hindu Community of Bengal. The rule was; if a Hindu woman became a widow when her age is below 50 years, then she was burned alive in the fire with her husband’s dead body. Anthony rescued a Hindu widow, Soudamini from that bloody Sati Daaho ritual and got married to her. Why a Gujarati Student of a European University decided to start a research work on Anthony Firingi? The soul of Anthony Firingi felt impressed and became nostalgic! ‘Pratham alo e phera, aandhar periye ese ami, chena nadir shrotey, chena chena ghat dekhe naami. Chena tobu chena noy, e bhabei shrot boye jaaye, khodar kasam jaan, ami bhalobesechi tomaye.’

Welcome to the ancient town of Farashdanga under Chandannagar, a famous French Colony of the ancient Bengal. ‘Woh sab samajh gaya, lekin Anthony kaun hain?’ The Gujarati student went to the Central Library of Chandannagar. ‘Kusal ektu dekho toh.’ The Assistant Librarian of the Central Library of Chandannagar helped the young man by telling the real life story of Anthony Firingi. ‘Derhsho bachor agey o ami tomaye khuje pather dhare klaanto hoye suyechilam ebhabei thik andhakaar e, ekhon tumi khujte ele! Derhsho bachor agey o ami tomaye cheye gaan likhechi, pukur dhare joler gandhe, bangle bhasha e chokh dhuyechi, ekhon tumi khujte ele.’ Under the British rule, the rhyme song, i.e. Kabigaan was very famous in Bengal. The singers of Kabigaan were popularly known as Kabiyaal. Anthony was getting attracted towards the Kabigaan and hence he decided to learn Bengali language and Bengali music to become a Kabiyaal. In a Kabigaan competition, two Kabiyaals fight with each other. Raja Gopimohan Deb used to enjoy the Kabigaan competition at the Thakur Dalaan of Shobabazar area. Haru Thakur was the famous Kabiyaal at that time and his favourite disciple was Bhola Moyra. ‘O se Bholanath noy re, se Bholanath noy, o jeh Moyra Bhola, Haru r chyala, Bagbazar e roy.’ Let us hear some Kabigaan from Haru Thakur’s voice. ‘Agey jodi sakhi jaaniten, Shyam er o pirit o garal o mishrito karon o ke jodi suniten. Kulabati bala hoiya sarala tobe ki o beesh bhrokiten.’ In any Kabigaan competition, there used to be 5 stages. These 5 stages are:-Bhabani Bishay (Devotional songs on Maa Durga or Maa Kali), Sakhi Sanglaap (Romantic songs on Radha-Krishna Premleela), Biraho (Sad love songs of common people), Kheu (Songs on mythological epics and gods) and Laho (Songs on personal attacks on others with negative criticisms).

Who constructed the Firingi Kali Mandir at Boubazar area of Kolkata? Why Mahamaya was thinking too much about pressing that ADD FRIEND button in Facebook? Anthony Phiringee of Facebook and Mahamaya of Facebook became friends in Facebook only! Rohit composed a new song. ‘Sahosa ele ki, e bhanga jibone, sahosa dile ki khabor jibone, e bhanga sahar jora, bhanga pathe r ekaante se sahasa ele ki e bhanga jibone.’ The Farashdanga Graduate Band registered their name for participating in the Bandemonium 2014 competition regarding the Maitri Bandhan program between West Bengal and Bangladesh. Anthony had his first Kabigaan competition against Jogyeswari, a lady Kabiyaal. The competition started. Jogyeswari sang, ‘Hole Jodi hole sakha adhistaan, hyere mukh galo dukh, duti katha boli praan. Bandi kore prem e khaanto hole krome krome ami kulabati naari, pati chara ki sohite paari. Nahi jano ghar baasa, ki basanta ki barosha, sati re kori nirasha, asati r asha puran.’ Anthony started singing, ‘Pran tumi ar pathe eso na, sudhu dekha debe bole ta bojhe na pran dekha debe. Aaj tumi jaar, basona tahar , kurao kurao basona.’ All the audiences shouted, ‘Sadhu Sadhu’ as Anthony won the musical battle.

Anthony kept on winning the Kabigaan competition. Anthony composed a famous Agamani song on Maa Durga. ‘Jai Jogindra, Jai Mahamaya, mahima aseem tomar, ek baar durga bole je daake maa tomaye, tumi karo taae bhava sindhu paar. Maata ee salil e bhaver kule, durga durga bole bipad kaale, tobu santaan er mukh chaaile na maa?’ Why the Bengali Hindus warned Anthony when Anthony decided to perform Durga Puja at his own house? The Bengali girl met the Gujarati boy again! Anthony had his last Kabigaan competition against Bhola Moyra. Bhola Moyra sang, ‘Ogo chandramukhi, krishna sukhe sukhi, tomaye sadaai dekhi saadh sabakaar. Bidhi ei korun ghuchuk shyam biraha, rai tomar, rai tomar. Chinta naai chintamanir, biraha ghuchilo eto diner por, antare jurao go kishori, he re antare paaka bangshidhar.’ Anthony replied, ‘Je shakti hoyite utpatti, se shakti patni ki karon, kaho dekhi bholanath, er bisesh bibaran. Jano na ki se bham ee tomar shivani, tomare garbhe dhori ami, ekhon holem tomar ramani. Samudra manthan kaal e, beesh paan korechile takhon dekechile durga bole, rakkha karo aaponi, chole chile beesho paan e bachalam stannya paan e, sei din bhule ki bolecho janani.’ But, Bhola Moyra was not in a mood to accept defeat so easily. Bhola Moyra bounced back by singing, ‘Tui jaat firingi jabar jangi, ami  toke paarbo na toh tauraate, sonh re bhrastha boli spashto, tui re nasto maha dusto, tor ki eesto kali keshto, bojge ja tui jishu khristho srerampore er girja teh.’ After an emotional pause for a few seconds, Anthony Firingi counterattacked by singing, ‘Kristey ar Christ e kichu tofaath naai re bhai, sudhu naam er fere manush phere, keho katha soney naai. Amar Khoda jeh; Hindu r Hari se, oi dekho shyam daariye ache, amar manab janam shafal hobe jodi raanga charan paai.’ Bhola Moyra accepted the defeat and gave respect to Anthony by giving the garland of flowers to him and hugged him. Everyone shouted, ‘Sadhu Sadhu.’ Farashdanga Graduate Band performed their song in the Bandemonium 2014. ‘E tumi kamon tumi chokher taara e aayna dharo, e kamon kanna tumi aamaye jakhon aador karo. Janmer ageo janmer poreo janma tumi emon, surer o gabhir surey padabali r dharon jamon. Esechi ageo ami jakhon tumi padmabati, kobekaar punthir shlok, tomar matoi ashrumati.’ How Soudamini got killed? Why Kusal was behaving like a mental patient? After seeing whom, who appreciated the similar ending of two stories as a “JAATISHWAR”?