Kusumkumari Das

Kusumkumai Das
Native name কুসুমকুমারী দাশ
Born 1875
Barishal, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died 1948
Calcutta, India
Spouse(s) Satyananda Das
Children Jibanananda Das (1899-1954)
Ashokananda Das
Sucharita Das (1915-1980)
Parents
  • Chandranath Das (father)
  • Dhanamani Das (mother)

Kusumkumari Das (1875 – 1948) was a Bengali poet, writer and social activist. She is known as a poet and mother of Jibanananda Das, the pre-eminent poet of modern Bengali literature and also served as the secretary of Barishal Women Society.

Biography

She was educated at Calcutta Bethune School. At the age of 19, she was married to Satyananda Das in 1894 and bore him two sons and a daughter: Jibanananda Das, Ashokananda Das and Sucharita Das.

She inherited the habit of writing from her father : Chandranath Das. Her father used to write light verses. She published poems in several magazines, among them were Mukul, Brahmabadi and Pravasii.[1] She used to keep journals regularly. But most of them could not found because they were either lost or damaged by herself.[2] Her famous poem is "Adarsha Chele", in English, "the Exemplary Boy" or "the Ideal Boy". The first two lines of this poem gained legendary status:

Amader Deshe Hobe Shei Chele Kobe,
Kothai Na Boro Hoye, Kaje Boro Hobe ...

 

When within our country will that boy be born
Who not by words but by deeds grow big and strong!

Apart from housekeeping and writing, Kusumkumari Das had active participation in social activities. As a female member of Brahmo society, she pioneered women’s participation in social activities in Barisal. From 1319-38 of Bengali calendar she acts as an Acharya in Women’s day prayer. Even she sometimes acts as an Acharya in general assembly of Brahsomaj too.[3]

She was the secretary of Barisal Mohila Sabha (Barishal Women Society).[4] This society worked to help poor girls, to train midwives,to found girls school, to facilitate indoor education for women etc.

Publications

References

  1. Syed, Abdul M. (1998). "Apendixes: Life". In Abdul M. Syed. Jibanananda Dases Prakashita-Oprakashita KabitaSamagra (A collection of Complete poems: Published and Unpublished by Jibanananda Das) (in Bengali). Dhaka: Abasar. p. 606.
  2. Guha, Vumendra (2012). "Introduction". Kusumkumari Daser Dainandin Lipi (Daily Entries: The Diary by K. Das) (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Dhaka: Abasar. p. 13. ISBN 978-984-8793-98-5.
  3. Guha, Vumendra (2012). "Introduction". In Vumendra Guha. Kusumkumari Daser Dainandin Lipi (Daily Entries: The Diary) (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Dhaka: Abasar. p. 11. ISBN 978-984-8793-98-5.
  4. Guha, Vumendra (2012). "Introduction". In Vumendra Guha. Kusumkumari Daser Dainandin Lipi (Daily Entries: The Diary) (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Dhaka: Abasar. p. 11. ISBN 978-984-8793-98-5.



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