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(1972. Bangladesh just gained independence in exchange for a lot of blood. Satyajit Ray was the main guest of Language Day at the Paltan Maidan in Dhaka in independent Bangladesh. Here is the rare speech).
I have heard about Martyrs’ Day for a long time. I have been hearing about February 21st. But if I hadn’t come here and seen it with my own eyes, I couldn’t believe it, couldn’t understand how much you love the Bengali language. I come here to understand how much they respect those who sacrificed themselves in the fight to save the Bengali language when it was in danger. We, who live in West Bengal, also love the Bengali language. It is true that the influence of five other cultures on the culture of West Bengal has given it a mixed feeling. We have not yet been able to overcome the influence of English. One of the reasons for this is that West Bengal is probably just a provincial part of India. But this does not mean that we do not love the Bengali language: Bengali literature, Bengali songs, Bengali movies, Bengali theater, everything is still alive and well in West Bengal. We still love Rabindranath, Nazrul, Bankimchandra, Saratchandra.
I can personally say that I have been making Bengali movies for twenty years. There have been many requests from many places where I leave Bengali, the Bengali language, and paint in other languages in other countries. But I have repeatedly denied that request. Because I know that the language that is in my blood is Bengali. I know that doing something in another language without that language will remove the dirt from the soles of your feet. I can’t find Kulkinara. As an artist, I lose my mind.
Paper cut of rare photos from Seba’s tour of Bangladesh. Ray with Bangabandhu. Photographer-Tulu Das.
I have heard from childhood that East Bengal is my country. Some of you may have heard my grandfather Upendrakishore Roy’s name. I was not lucky to see it. But since childhood, I have read his “Children’s Story of East Bengal”, “The Book of Tuntuni”. I fell in love In the songs he composed, I had the impression of the folk music of East Bengal.
Sriraya with prominent student leaders from Bangladesh. Photographer-Tulu Das
Although I have never been in this country, I have never been in my country or I have never been there permanently, listening to these songs, these ways, I felt that I had a connection with this country. When I was five or six years old, I once came to Dhaka city. I was only there for two or three days. My uncle’s house was in Wari, on Ranken Street. I don’t know if he’s still home. I don’t know if he still has the way. I don’t remember anything from home. I only remember the monkey infestation, I don’t know if that monkey is still there. Then I remember that I was getting to the Padma steamer, I woke up in the morning, my mother called me outside and showed me the sunrise in Padma. And showing the difference between the water of one river and the water of another river where the winter solstice has merged in the Padma. Since then, I have repeatedly thought that it would be better if I could visit my own country once. But that coming, especially after the partition, was gradually turning into greed.
Suddenly, a few days ago, the wheel of history turned. The door of my country opened for me. And today, on Martyrs’ Day, standing in front of you, arriving in the city of Dhaka, my dream came true, at least in part. This time I have a lot of urgent work left. This time it is not possible to stay longer. But I have hope, I have hope, in the near future I will return to this country, I will take a good look at this country. I will meet the people of this country face to face, not in public.
I don’t want to say anything special anymore. I have already received the news that you are familiar with my work, that you are curious about my work. When the news from the metropolis was shown a few years ago, I couldn’t believe what kind of interest and curiosity people had here, which arose as a result when the news reached my ears. But then, many acquaintances and strangers here, friends wrote me letters and cut out the news in the newspaper and sent me photos and told me about the incident, then I believed and was surprised by the belief. I didn’t think it could happen. There is nothing greater than being proud as an artist, nothing greater than honoring.
In the past twenty years, I have been fortunate to be honored in many ways in many places, in many countries. But I can stay here today and say, on the occasion of this Martyrs’ Day, that the honor granted today has all the previous honors. I have never received an honor greater than this. And I don’t think I will have it again. জয় বাংলা।
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First published:
May 2, 2020, 11:10 a.m. IST
