Michael Madhusudan Dutt

 Michael Madhusudan Dutta, (Bengali: মাইকেল মধুসূদন দত্ত ( Maikel Modhushudôn Dôtto (help·info)) 25 January 1824 – 29 June 1873) was a popular 19th-century Bengali poet and dramatist.^[1] He was born in Sagordari (Bengali: সাগরদাঁড়ি), on the bank of Kopotaksho [কপোতাক্ষ] River, a village in Keshobpur Upozila, Jessore District, East Bengal (now in Bangladesh). His father was Rajnarayan Dutt, an eminent lawyer, and his mother was Jahnabi Devi. He was a pioneer of Bengali drama.^[2] His famous work Meghnad Bodh Kavya (Bengali: মেঘনাদবধ কাব্য), is a tragic epic. It consists of nine cantos and is exceptional in Bengali literature both in terms of style and content. He also wrote poems about the sorrows and afflictions of love as spoken by women.
From an early age, Dutt aspired to be an Englishman in form and manner. Born to a Hindu landed-gentry family, he converted to Christianity as a young man, to the ire of his family, and adopted the first name Michael. In later life he regretted his attraction to England and the Occident. He wrote ardently of his homeland in his poems and sonnets from this period.
Dutt is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets in Bengali literature and the father of the Bengali sonnet. He pioneered what came to be called amitrakshar chhanda (blank verse). Dutt died in Kolkata, India on 29 June 1873.^[3]

Madhu Mela begins in Jessore

Jessore, Jan 21 (bdnews24.com) – A week-long traditional cultural festival named 'Madhu Mela' marking the 188th birth anniversary of great poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt has started at his birthplace Sagardari at Jessore's Keshabpur upazila.

State minister for cultural affairs Promod Mankin inaugurated the fair on Saturday.

Jessore district administration has chalked out an elaborate programme marking the occasion.

The fair is taking place on the premises of Michael Madhusudan Academy while the programmes included discussion on the life and works of the famous poet, recitation, cultural functions including song, dance and drama.

Local MP Khan Tipu Sultan, information secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon and Keshabpur upazila chairman H M Amir Hossain were present at the inaugural function.

Meanwhile, president Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to Madhusudan Dutt, pioneer of Bengali literature, on the occasion of his 188th birth anniversary.

In separate messages, they recalled the great contribution by Dutt to Bengali literature.

Born to a Zamindar family at Sagardari village on the bank of Kapatakkhya River on Jan 25, 1824, Madhusudan Dutt was a popular Bengali poet of the 19th century and a pioneer of Bengali drama. His father Rajnarayan Dutt was an eminent lawyer, and his mother was Jahnabi Devi.