Michael Madhusudan Dutt (25 January 1824 – 29 June 1873) was one of the greatest Bengali poets and playwrights and farce writers of the nineteenth century. He is considered one of the leading figures of Bengali Renaissance literature . He is also called as the first rebel poet of modern Bengali literature due to the introduction of innovations by disregarding the traditions.

Although born into a noble Kayastha family in the Jessore district of British India, Madhusudan converted to Christianity in his youth, took the name Michael Madhusudan and, attracted by the decadence of Western literature , concentrated on writing literature in the English language . In the second phase of his life, Madhusudan paid attention to his mother tongue. During this period, he wrote plays, farces and poetry in Bengali. Michael Madhusudan is the originator of sonnet and non-literary rhyme in Bengali language . His greatest achievement is the epic poem called Meghnadvadh Kavya based on the epic of Ramayana in Amitrakshara rhyme .

Madhusudan's personal life was dramatic and painful. This epic poet died in Calcutta at the age of 49 in a sad condition.

Michael Madhusudan Dutta

On January 25, 1824, Madhusudan Dutta was born in a noble Hindu Kayastha family of Sagardandi village in Jessore District of Bengal Presidency ( in Keshabpur Upazila of Jessore District of present-day Bangladesh ) . He was the only child of Rajnarayan Dutt and his first wife Janhvi Devi. Rajnarayan Dutt was a renowned advocate of the Sadar Civil Court of Calcutta. From the time Madhusudan was thirteen, he had to live in Calcutta. He built a huge mansion in Khidirpur Circular Garden Rich Road (now Karl Marx Sarani) area.

Birthplace of Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Sagardani, Jessore, Bangladesh

Madhusudan's early education began with his mother Janhvi Devi. Janhvi Devi made him familiar with Ramayana , Mahabharata , Puranas etc. His early education began with Mufti Lutful Haque, Imam of Sheikhpura Mosque, a village near Sagardandi. He studied Bengali, Persian and Arabic under the learned Imam. Madhusudan spent his childhood in Sagardani. Madhusudan came to Calcutta at the age of thirteen. After studying in a local school for a while, he later joined Hindu College (now Presidency University ). Madhusudan was a brilliant student. So soon the principal of the college Captain D. L. Became Richardson's favorite student. Richardson instilled the love of poetry in Madhusudan. Derozio, former professor of Hindu CollegeHe was also particularly inspired by patriotic memories. Besides, his classmates in the college were Bhudev Mukhopadhyay , Rajnarayan Bose , Gaurdas Basak , Paricharan Sarkar etc. prominent people of the nineteenth century. At the age of eighteen, the ambition of becoming an epic poet and going to Bilat took root in his mind.

In 1843, Madhusudan expressed his desire to convert to Christianity to Rev. Krishnamohan Bandyopadhyay . Later that year, on February 9, he went to an Anglican church called Old Mission Church located in Mission Row and accepted Christianity. He was initiated by Pastor Dealtry. He named him "Michael". Madhusudan became known as "Michael Madhusudan Dutta".His conversion caused a stir in the society. Rajnarayan Datta declared his illegitimate son Tyajyaputra. After converting to Christianity, Madhusudan continued his studies at Bishop's College, Shivpur . Here he Greek , Latin , Sanskritetc. teach languages. Although Rajnarayan Dutt abandoned him, he was paying for his studies at Bishop's College. After four years he stopped sending money. Madhusudan befriended some Madrasi students at Bishop's College. After completing his studies at Bishop's College, Madhusudan tried unsuccessfully to find a job in Calcutta. Then Madhusudan went to Madras (now Chennai ) in search of fortune with his Madrasi friends . It is said that he sold his textbooks without the knowledge of his relatives and went to Madras with that money.

Madhusudan could not get special advantage in Madras either. With the help of local Christians and Englishmen, he got a job as an English teacher in a school. However, the salary he received did not cover his expenses. At this time he started writing in English newspapers. His poetry began to appear in the Madras Chronicle under a pseudonym. He also edited a magazine called Hindu Chronicle . But within a short period of time, the magazine had to be closed. At the age of twenty-five, he wrote his first poem, The Captive Lady, in abject poverty. His reputation as a poet and an accomplished English writer spread.

Shortly after his arrival in Madras, Madhusudan married an English girl named Rebecca McTeevis . Their marriage lasted for eight years. Two sons and two daughters were born to Madhusudan in Rebecca's womb. Madhusudan married a young French woman named Emilia Henrietta Sophia shortly after his divorce from Rebecca in the final phase of his life in Madras.