A Glimpse of Michael Madhusudan Dutta’s Journalistic Career

‘‘Newspapers are stronger than the army. The nature of the newspaper should be to oppose exploitation, oppression and tyranny deeply and vehemently and to denounce it with a loud voice with courage” - Michael Madhusudan Dutta, The Voice of the Press, Madras Hindu ‘Chronicle, May 29, 1851.

Michael Madhusudan Dutta (1824-1873) is a brilliant name in the field of Bengali language and literature. Although known mainly as a great poet, he was also proficient in many other branches of knowledge. His professional life was wide-ranging, including that of teacher, journalist, barrister etc. Although he took up many professions for managing his life and family as well as financial development and was able to gain name and fame, yet fortune was never a great help to him. However, his childhood was spent in great comfort. All that Madhusudan, who grew up with the great love of his father, mother and other elders in the family, would get anything he wanted. In the epic poem Meghnad Badha, he wrote, ‘‘Poverty is the ultimate result of wrongful spending in youth”, which was reflected in his own life, literally.

The creator of many fundamental themes in Bengali literature, Madhusudan's best literary works include the plays Sharmishtha and Padmavati (1858-59), the poem Tilottama Sambhava (1860), the farce duet Ekei Ki Boley Sabhyata and Buro Shaliker Gharey Ron (1859-60), the epic poem Meghnad Badha (1861), the poem Brajangana and the play Krishnakumari (1861), the poem Virangana (1862), the Chaturdashpadi Kavitabali  (Collection of Sonet) (1862-66), Mayakanan (1873) etc.

Now we would like to discuss a few things about Madhusudan's journalistic life. Because his works and contributions in journalism are not discussed much. Moreover, in fact, there is no information about the depth and breadth of his thoughts on news in general society.Only those who have been engaged in research on Madhusudan’s life and works have understood it properly.

Everyone knows the story of Madhusudan becoming a ‘Michael’. That is why there is a lot of discussion in the literary society about whether he is a Hindu or a Christian, a Babu or a Saheb, an Indian or a Firingi. However, while he was a student at the Hindu College in Kolkata, he was converted to Christianity at the age of 18. As a result, according to the custom of that time, he lost his college studentship. There was no opportunity to teach any non-Hindu student in the Hindu College. Later, he was admitted to Bishop's College. At a certain period, when his father's financial support stopped, he fell into extreme financial crisis for the first time in his life. Unable to find out any other way, he went to Madras in 1847 with the help of his friends from Bishop's College. There he was first appointed as an assistant teacher at the Madras Male Orphan Asylum School.

Along with teaching, he joined the newspaper with his skilled writing hands. He first joined the Madras Circulator, a well-known newspaper. The office of this newspaper was located somewhere between his residence and the school in Madras. His writing ‘The Captive Ladie’ was published serially in this newspaper. He later became the associate editor of this newspaper. At the same time, he regularly wrote poems, columns, articles and post-editorials in some other newspapers in Madras. In 1949, he was appointed editor of the Madras weekly Eurasian, which later took the name of Eastern Guardian.

 His poetic drama ‘Rezia: Empress of Inde’ was published serially from the second issue of this newspaper. These literary works achieved through journalism made him famous; his recognition and status in the learned society of Madras increased. Later, he successively worked in the editorial department of  General Chronicle, Athenian and Madras Spectator. Some of his writings were also published in the Madras Examiner.

In 1852, he became the editor of the Madras Hindu Chronicle. After some months, he took up the post of assistant teacher at the Madras University High School. As a condition of his employment at the school, he had to give up his journalistic activities. When the Madras Hindu Chronicle was closed down due to lack of proper management, Madhusudan continued to publish various articles, columns and other writings in other newspapers and magazines. In 1955, he resigned from his teaching job and rejoined the Madras Spectator as an associate editor. The following year, he returned to Kolkata and continued to write. He was directly or indirectly involved in newspapers and magazines until he went to London in 1962 to study barrister.

As a dedicated and upright activist of newspapers, he wrote an article titled ‘Mussalmans in India’ in the Madras Circulator, which angered the British ruling class. Because his writings highlighted the superiority of Muslim rule over the British. Once again, he protested the oppressive rule of the British with great tact; he translated the acclaimed play ‘Nildarpan’ by the literary great Dinabandhu Mitra (1830-1873) into English and arranged for its publication in the name of the Reverend James Long. For this crime, the Reverend was imprisoned along with a fine of thousands of taka.

Michael Madhusudan Dutta's fight with pen did not stop here. He was always outspoken in literature as well as in the press. He wrote fearlessly for humanity. Apart from writing, he could never accept injustice personally. For this, he had to endure a lot of pain. He wrote a lot against various customs prevalent in the Hindu society of that time. Not only the Hindu society, but also his writings against the Christian clergy became vocal when the poor and helpless people were forcibly converted to Christianity by various false temptations. In one of his articles, he protested against the compulsory teaching of the Bible in the University of Madras. He also wrote a column in a newspaper and expressed his disapproval of the recruitment of teachers in schools by importing people from Britain.

Madhusudan is called the creator of the concept of 'rebellion' in Bengali literature. He was indeed a fearless pen warrior. He came forward with his pen wherever he saw injustice. It was on the tone of this rebellion that the national poet of Bangladesh, Kazi Nazrul Islam, later became famous. He sang the victory of man and humanity in society, politics, religion, morality and all other perspectives of human life. Madhusudan was not a social leader, but he left a lot of material for leaders. Madhusudan further refined the works accomplished by Raja Rammohan Roy (1772-1833) and Pundit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891) as social leaders, through his pen.

While studying at Hindu College, Madhusudan used to publish a hand-written literary magazine, which played a pioneering role in the field of education. The writings of the teachers and students of the college were published in this magazine. During this time, some of his writings were published in various newspapers and magazines, and he gained considerable recognition and fame. He used to write poetry under the pseudonym Timothy Penpoem. In the period of his studying at Hindu College, he won a gold medal for writing an essay on the necessity for women's education. However, when he was in the village school in early stage, the teacher there noticed a great talent in the boy Madhusudan.

Despite facing endless hardships in life and being involved in various professions, Madhusudan never strayed from his most beloved profession, i. e. literature and social studies. And, that is why he was able to leave behind a lot of priceless wealth. It seems that today's newspapers are also busy searching for the right answer to the comments he made before 175 years about the social and political role of newspapers. The nation expects that newspapers should move forward with this valuable proverb in mind- ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’. In this way, it is possible to show due respect to Madhusudan Dutta, a unique journalist of Bengal.
 

Babul Chandra Sutradhar is a human
rights activist and a researcher.