Kazi Nazrul Islam’s ‘Bidrohi’ and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s 'Decolonising the Mind'

Kazi Nazrul Islam’s poem ‘Bidrohi’ (The Rebel), written in 1922, is not merely a literary document of the anti-British movement; it demands a profound psychological analysis in the light of post-colonial theory and the “Decolonising the Mind” thesis by the renowned Kenyan literary critic Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. In his theory, Ngũgĩ argued that the greatest harm of colonial rule is the distortion of the oppressed nation’s language, culture, and self-identity. As a result, they begin to see themselves as inferior and consider the language and culture of the coloniser as superior. In his poem ‘Bidrohi’, Nazrul strikes a powerful blow against this very psychological servitude.

According to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, language is a primary weapon of colonialism. The colonial powers project their own language and culture as superior while portraying the language and culture of the colonised nation as inferior and debased. Consequently, the colonised people gradually lose their own linguistic and cultural identity. Kazi Nazrul Islam, in his poem ‘Bidrohi’, consciously fought against this linguistic colonialism. Instead of using Western myths and language, he highlighted the identity of the Indian nation, which was shaped by its local culture and geographical boundaries.

The core idea of Ngũgĩ’s “Decolonising the Mind” thesis is that the true struggle against colonialism begins with psychological liberation. The first step towards this liberation is to reclaim one’s own language and cultural identity. The British rulers had imposed English as the medium of education and higher knowledge, which led Indians to despise their own languages. In ‘Bidrohi’, Nazrul took two significant steps against this aggression:

Post-colonial theory

Rejection of Western Myths and Symbols: Nazrul did not use any Western myths or mythological characters (such as Greek or Roman deities) in his poem. While many writers of that era were influenced by Western literature, Nazrul deliberately returned to local myths. He refers to himself as “Indrani-Sut” (son of Indrani), “Krishna-Kantha” (voice of Krishna), “Byomkesh” (Hindu myth), “Israfil-er Shingar Maha-Hunkar” (the great roar of Israfil’s trumpet), and “Bedouin” (Islamic myths). By using these myths, he demonstrated that local cultures possess ample elements of rebellion and heroism, and there is no need to borrow from foreign cultures.

Use of a Multicultural Language: The language used in Nazrul’s ‘Bidrohi’ is not just Bengali; it is a powerful blend of Arabic, Persian, Hindi, and Urdu words. For example: ‘chir-unnata mama shir’ (shir - Persian), ‘Khodar ason Arosh chedia’ (Khoda, Arsh - Persian/Arabic), ‘hardam’ (Persian), ‘kurnish’ (Persian), ‘jahannam’ (Arabic), etc. By using this mixed language, he proved that the identity of the people of this region is not limited to a single religion or language but is an integrated nationhood formed by a mixture of different cultures. This was an outstanding protest against the Western colonisers’ policy of ‘divide and rule’.

Through his use of language and culture, Nazrul constructed a new national identity in ‘Bidrohi’ that symbolises a bold psychological battle against Western hegemony. He taught that the ultimate victory against colonialism is possible only by embracing one’s own language and culture and standing tall with self-confidence.

Various anti-British movements, such as the Bamboo Fort, the Khilafat, and the Non-Cooperation movements, sought to overthrow British rule through political and armed struggle. However, the limitation of these movements was that they did not sufficiently focus on freeing the people from psychological servitude. In his book Decolonising the Mind, Ngũgĩ argues that a nation’s political freedom is only meaningful when it is liberated from its cultural and psychological bondage. The colonial powers first control the minds of the colonised people, belittle their languages, and impose their own language as the medium of education. As a result, people learn to despise their own identity and begin to imitate their rulers. Nazrul struck at the root of this psychological servitude.

The main purpose of the poem ‘Bidrohi’ is not just political freedom but to awaken the minds of the subjugated people. The very beginning of the poem, “Bolo bir, bolo unnoto momo shir!” ‘Speak, warrior, speak of my head held high!’ is not a political slogan. It is the first awakening of self-respect after thousands of years of servitude. It is a defiant declaration to stand tall rather than kneel before the colonial powers. According to Ngũgĩ, this awakening of self-respect is the first step towards decolonisation.

Ngũgĩ believed that when colonisers rule a nation, they not only inflict political and economic exploitation but also destroy the culture, history, and language of the oppressed people. In his poem, Nazrul declared a fierce rebellion against this psychological colonialism.

When Nazrul says, “Ami mani nako kono ain / Ami bhora-tori kori bhora-dubi / Ami torpedo, ami bhim bhasaman main!” (I obey no law / I sink a filled boat / I am a torpedo, I am a terrible floating mine!) He is not only rejecting the repressive laws of the British government but also all the rules, traditions, and chains imposed by the colonial education and social system. According to Ngũgĩ, these rules were tools of cultural slavery. Through his rebellious spirit, Nazrul calls for breaking these chains of servitude. He shows that to attain freedom, one must not only fight the British but also erase all signs of slavery from one’s own mind.

Just as Ngũgĩ called for abandoning the coloniser’s language and writing in one’s mother tongue, Nazrul wrote a poem in Bengali that instilled self-confidence and washed away the shame of a thousand years of subjugation. In his poem, Nazrul used mythological symbols and characters from both Hindu and Muslim cultures to forge an integrated Indian identity. The use of mixed symbols like “I am the son of Indrani”, “I am Krishna-Kantha”, “I am the great roar of Israfil’s trumpet”, and “I am a Bedouin”—created a strong cultural unity against the colonial ‘divide and rule’ policy. The reconstruction of this cultural unity is a crucial aspect of Ngũgĩ’s “Decolonising the Mind” theory.

Ngũgĩ considered the process of ‘self-discovery’ of the colonised nation to be extremely important. Nazrul metaphorically presents this process in ‘Bidrohi’. In the concluding lines of the poem, the poet says, “Ami sahasa amare chinechhi, amar khulia giyache sab bandh!” (Suddenly I have recognised myself; all my bonds have broken!). This line is not just the poet’s personal experience; it is a symbol of the entire nation’s self-discovery. It is a historic moment of recognising one’s true power and identity after emerging from the long darkness of subjugation. When a nation is liberated from its cultural and psychological bonds, it finds its true identity and becomes capable of thinking and acting independently.

In the final stanza of the poem, Nazrul declares the ultimate goal of his rebellion: “Maha-bidrohi ran klanta / Ami sei-din haba shanta / Jabe utpiriter krandan-rol akashe batase dhanibena / Atyacharir kharga kripan bhim ran-bhume ribena” (The great rebel, weary of battle, / I will be at peace that day / When the cry of the oppressed will not echo in the sky and air – / The sword and sabre of the oppressor will not flash in the terrible battlefield –). These lines do not just speak of political liberation from British rule but of the overall liberation of humanity from all forms of exploitation, tyranny, and oppression. This is consistent with Ngũgĩ’s theory, which states that true liberation is not limited to political freedom but has the main objective of establishing a society free from exploitation and injustice.

In conclusion, Kazi Nazrul Islam’s ‘Bidrohi’ is a symbol of a psychological revolution against colonial rule. An analysis of the poem in the light of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s “Decolonising the Mind” theory reveals that this poem did not just call for political freedom; it initiated a powerful process to free the minds of the colonised people from servitude and restore their self-identity and cultural uniqueness. It proves that true freedom comes from the mind, and to achieve that freedom, one needs to have a strong sense of love for one’s own language and culture and a solid sense of self-respect.

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The writer is an Associate Professor of English at Northern University Bangladesh. He can be reached at [email protected]