The Fakir

I have read "Moner Manush" few years ago in "Sharodiya Desh". Being an avid reader of bengali literature, i like the narrative-style of Sunil Gangopadhyay very much. "Moner Manush" was no exception. Before that, i have heard and read about Lalan Fakir many times but that was mostly about his mystic religion and his legendary songs which talk great deal about mysticism, surrealism,religious harmony and subtle sexuality in mankind. I have read that he was a born-hindu , who later saved and nurtured by a muslim couple, became thrown-out from his caste. Only after reading, "Moner Manush", i came to learn about his origin, his initial days as an adolescent in his village, how he left his home- his mother and wife for the sake of a pilgrimage, suffering from pox and his associates afloated his body in river padma, assumed that the boy won't survive beacause of his illness- later Lalan was saved by a muslim woman who took care of him with motherly affection and thus started the story of becoming a mystic legend of undivided bengal. In his novel, the author had admitted that there are no documented facts could be found about Lalan's origin.All of them are hearsay, so he added a good dose of fictions with the facts to pen down the time and aura of this magnificent human being out of his imagination. The movie is based on this Novel. After seeing the movie, the first thought that came into my mind is that it's like a beautiful painting - on the canvas of the nature with ever chaging colour of the sky- from clear blue to golden-red, the transparent blue river of Padma and a vast shades of green. I have seen vey few movies which are such visual treat as "Moner Manush". Apart from Nature, i loved the songs immensely. The folks who sung them have such tonal quality which is not polish , rather than quite rough- which blended fantabulously with the earthy lyrics of Lalan Fakir. It's seemed so surprising to me , that such a personality once used to exist in rural bengal- who didn't have the the conventional education or upbringing, can be so bold and humanitarian in his outlook. A fakir who, apart from searching for the meaning of existence and flowing down his thoughts in a most lyrical way - tried to build up a village which can be an ideal example of todays' co-operative society, who put emphasis on agriculture and land reform, body-building and extinction of caste system. In a time , when even the word "sex" was a taboo itself, he expressed freely his idea of sexual freedom- both among men and women- in his compositions. Once some one told me that Lalan's songs are like Psychedelic Rocks. Back then, i didn't know what a psychedelic rock means nor do i understand it now. Only one thing that comes to my mind that- here was a man - who was born-hindu, nourished by a muslim mother who gave him his second life- became sufi ultimately -who denied any kind of religious connection all throughout his life , composed music ranging from inner quest to physicality - represents a life which can be larger than itself. May it's for the songs and ideals of Lalan which still flow in the veins of bangladesh - save this country from becoming another Pakistan.