Mukunda Das, the great village Bard

On my recent trip to Barishal I have paid a visit to a place which bears the memory of Charan Kobi Mukunda Das. Many of you may know a lot about him. Still I would like to share a few facts about this great soul. He was a poet, composer, playwright and above all a great patriotic fighter against British Colonialism. He was born in 1878 in present day Munshiganj area in a not well to do family. His father shifted to Barishal and opened a small grocery shop there.

Due to his sweet voice in devotional songs he could attract the attention of the DM of Barishal and got a job as an orderly. Jagneswar Dey (as Mukunda was known till then) started running the shop replacing his father. He was not interested in Schools. Great Ashwini Kumar Dutta of Barishal knew about the boy's ability to compose and sing. He tried to promote his school studies but could not keep him in the boundaries of a regular school.

The meritorious boy started to learn religious songs like Kirtan, became disciple of a Guruji and got the name Mukunda Das from his Guru. Later, inspired by the then most popular National level anti British leader of Barishal Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutta; young Mukunda joined anti British agitation in Barishal and adjoining districts.

He composed patriotic songs and wrote patriotic dramas and enacted them with his group in different places. This had a great effect on the people and the Imperialist police was after him. He still carried on. The most popular song produced by him was 'Bhoy Ki Moroney'; which perhaps all of us have heard.

He also played a vital role in Gandhiji's non cooperation movement. Later when all his activities were curtailed and British Police did not allow him to act at all, Mukunda Das had to shift to Kolkata. He still continued with writing and composing patriotic songs until his sudden death in 1934. Salute to this great Patriot!

The writer is a freelance contributor