Michael Madhusudan Dutta is referred to as the father of Bengali sonnet and a pioneer of Bengali literature. Today marks the 195th birth anniversary of Dutta.
Dutta was born on January 25, 1824 in the village of Sagardari, under Jessore district (now in Bangladesh). His father, Rajnarayan Dutta, was a law practitioner in Kolkata. Madhusudan in his early years, was taught at home by his mother, Jahnabi Devi, and later he joined Sagardari Primary School.
While studying at Hindu College in Kolkata, Madhusudan began writing. He won several scholarships in college exams as well as a gold medal for an essay on women's education. Madhusudan's poems in Bengali and English were published in Bengal Spectator, Calcutta Library Gazette, Literary Blossom and Comet. Lord Byron was Madhusudan's inspiration. In 1843, Madhusudan ran away from home and converted to Christianity, to escape a marriage his father had arranged and also to satiate his fascination with everything English and Western.
Madhusudan went to England in 1862 to study Law. In 1863 he went to Versailles in France, staying there for about two years. It was in France that Madhusudan overcame the longing for England that had inspired his early works and realised the importance of his motherland and mother tongue Bengali. Madhusudan returned to England from Versailles in 1865. In 1866 he became a Barrister. He returned to Kolkata in 1867 and started practicing Law. But his practice did not pick up and in June 1870, he was obliged to give up his legal career.
However, his habit of reckless spending ran up debts. Despite all ups and downs, Madhusudan kept on writing. His last composition was "Mayakanan" (1873).
On June 29, 1873, one of the greatest poets of the Bengal renaissance died in Calcutta (now Kolkata) General Hospital in a miserable condition at the age of only 49.
