Chitta Ranjan's Contributions to Bengali Literature.
Long before Chitta Ranjan was able to take an active part in politics
his genius was revealing itself in literature. In 1895 he published a
volume of lyrics, "Malancha", which introduced a new element of
freedom and realism into the modern literature of Bengal. Some poems
of Malancha support atheism and this made Chitta Ranjan very unpopular
in the Brahmo Samaj. Many Brahmos headed by the late Pandit Shivanath
Sastri did not even attend the marriage ceremony of Chitta Ranjan
which took place in 1897 shortly after the publication of "Malancha".
After this he published four more volumes of Lyrics__Mala, Antaryami,
Kishore-Kishori and Sagar Sangit. The first three volumes contain
poems inspired by the Vaishnava cult which is the special heritage of
Bengal. Chitta Ranjan's lyrical talent is sufficiently prominent in
these four volumes, some of the poems are in matter and form gems of
perfect beauty, the charm is much enhanced by the pathos with which
the poet describes his yearning for God whom he seeks with the
enthusiasm of a lover.
But most popular of Chitta Ranjan's lyrical volumes is his Sagar
Sangit (or songs of the sea). In this work the poet has woven in
lyrics the high sentiments which stole into his heart as they came
dancing on the waves of the sea. Here he has touched a new chord of
his musical lyre which sang out emotionally:--
Straining my ear
I listen to thy chanting
O sea, in the midst of this
Light--encircled dawn!
What words, what tune!
My heart is full even to over-flowing!
Yet do I not understand
What is it that sounds
Amidst this morning
So resonant with this music.
Enchanted by the sublime beauty playing upon the waves the poet
addresses the sea and sings:--
What hast thou made me to-day?
My mind is like a harp of hundred strings!
With the touch of thy finger it trembles and quivers
It bursts out in music in pride and in glory!
The closing song of Sagar Sangit is indeed very charming, full of
pathos and wrapt in high sentiment it leaves behind a serene harmony--
Full of dumb weeping with no tears to ease
To-day my heart is mad for thee, O soul;
I have sought thee within thy million waves
And wherever the sound of thy song resounds
In the wonderous light and shades which to thee belong,
I have sought thee every night and every day!
O my friend Eternal; unknown to me my friend!
O pilot of my soul!
Take me away to-day, O take me thither
Where thou art shoreless indeed!
In order to spread the Vaishnava culture and to give a healthy tone to
modern Bengali literature, Chitta Ranjan started a new Bengali monthly
the Narayana which secured for its contributors some of the highest
litterateurs of Bengal. In recognition of his literary services the
Literary Conference of Bengal which had its annual session at
Bankipore in 1915 elected him to be the President of the Literary
section where he read a paper on the lyrics of Bengal. Next year he
was elected the chairman of the Reception committee of the Literary
Conference in its annual session at Dacca. In the Narayana he wrote
many articles on the nature of Bengali poetry which show his intimate
acquaintance with the Vaishnava literature. It is necessary to mention
here that Chitta Ranjan's whole life is influenced by the ennobling
ideal of the Vaishnava poets; even his patriotism and love of country
are to a great extent modelled on that ideal. To understand Chitta
Ranjan one must know his poetry and to understand his poetry one must
be acquainted with the Vaishnava Culture of Bengal.