129. Kaji Nazrul Islam

Nazrul was born in Churulia of Asansol subdivision in Burdwan District on Tuesday,24th May,1899 ( 11th Jaistha 1306). He was born of Kazi Fakir Ahmed and Jaheda Khatun after the death of four sons of his parents. Fakir Ahmed was married second time after the death of his first wife who kept  four sons and one daughter. Nazrul had six brothers and two sisters of which two brothers and one sister were of same parents. The elder brother of Nazrul was Kazi Sahebjan and the younger brother was Kazi Ali Hosen. His own sister was Umme Kulsum. The pet name of Nazrul was Dukhu Mina.
The ancestors of Nazrul held from Hazipur of Patna. During the reign of Shah Alam they came to Churulia of Burdwan district. During the reign of Mughal they were gifted some land property because one of them was a judge of the district court.
  Nazrul's father and grand father maintained their families by serving the local mosque and the guest house. Kazi Fakir Ahmed was a secular person and had deep regards for Bengali and Persian literature. Nazrul inherited these qualities from his father.
 Nazrul's father died in 1908 when he was 9 years old and a student of lower Madrasa. After the death of his father their economic condition deteriorated in such a way that they could not get their full meals. As a result Nazrul had to find avenues for their lively hood.  Nazrul had strong memory and sharp intelligence.
From his very childhood Nazrul had strong love for music of different forms e.g. Kirtan, Kathakata, Jatra .w    He loved to get in contact with Baul, Suffi, Darbesh, and sages. His simplicity also attracted them and they called him " Tara Khyapa" or "Najarali".
At the age of ten i.e., in 1909 Nazrul passed the lower primary (class IV) from the Junior Madrasa of his village.
He served in this Junio Madrasa for one year as a step to remove his family's economic stringency. He was also seen to take up Mohammedan priest in the adjacent villages. Sometimes he took up caretaker job in the Guest house of Hazi Pahloyan like his father.He also performed the job of a priest in the mosque.
Nazrul first learned Parsee from his teacher of Junior Madrasa named Moulabi Kazi Fajle Ahmed. He had a paternal uncle, named Kazi Bajle Karim who was a great learned man  in Persee. He tried to write verses.At the inspiration, encouragement and guidance Nazrul attempted to write poems in Bengali of Muslim connotation and mingled with Arbi, Persee, and Urdu . The best example of which is

This was the beginning of his writing poetry.His best friend Sailajananda said that the first poetry written by Nazrul was " Rajar garh" (King's Fort.).

At this time Nazrul joined in group of "Leto-Nach", an entertaintainment of song mixed with dance in a dual fight with another team. Nazrul supplied the team with his written lyrics. The best lyric writer was termed as " Goda Kabi" ( best lyricist). Nazrul was so much promising that the  "Goda Kabi" of the time termed him as "Byangachi" who in due course would take the shape of a snake. K

Anwarul Islam said about Nazrul's early life, " only for keeping his family Nazrul joined the "Leto group" for his economic depression. His age at that time was 12/13." Kazi Anoarul Islam, one of his relatives in an essay " Nazruler Balya Jiban" wrote, " Nazrul's  family income at that tiome was not good and he had to join the "Leto Group" his income. The quality of Nazrul's creation was so high that he was selected in three villages, 1. Nimsa, 2. Chrulia and 3. Rakhakhura for supplying materials for their Leto Group. This time he wrote several historic and mythological stories such as "Meghnad Badh". His first lesson of writing poems, and singing lyrics was in this "Leto Group."....." But Nazrul did not continue for long time in these  Leto Group.