Anthony Firingee
Encyclopedia
Anthony Firingee (?-1836) Hensman Anthony, was a Bengali language
folk poet of Portuguese
origin known for his works in Bengali devotional song
s in the early part of the 19th century. He was also noted for his performance in literary face-offs known as Kavigan
.
.
He married a Hindu Brahmin
widow named Saudamini and was deeply influenced by Bengali culture and language, as well as the Hindu religion. Eventually, Anthony came to learn the language and composed a number of noted religious songs in devotion to the Goddesses Kali
and Durga
. He is noted for his Agamani Songs, celebrating the return of Goddess Durga to her parents home that marks the Bengali Autumn festival of Durga Puja
. Anthony is also noted for his literary face-offs in Kavigan
s, or Bard's duels, with a number of noted Bengali composers including Bhola Moira, Ram Basu and Thakur Singh. Anthony also helped construct a temple to Goddess Kali in the Bowbazar
locality of North Calcutta that today is famous as The Firingee Kalibari (The Foreigner's Kali Temple).
in the title role. The film was noted for its music, composed by famous Bengali musicians Manna Dey
, Gouri Prasanna Majumdar
among others and earned Uttam Kumar
an Indian National Film Award for Best Actor
in 1968.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
folk poet of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
origin known for his works in Bengali devotional song
Devotional song
A devotional song is a hymn which accompanies religious observances and rituals.Each major religion has its own tradition with devotional hymns. In the West, the devotional has been a part of the liturgy in Roman Catholicism, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and others, since...
s in the early part of the 19th century. He was also noted for his performance in literary face-offs known as Kavigan
Kavigan
Kavigan is a form of Bengali folk performance wherein folk poets sing and perform.-Form:Kavigan is normally sung by two groups. Each group is led by a kaviyal or sarkar. The accompanying singers called dohars often repeat what the leader said...
.
Biography
Born Hensman Anthony, the sobriquet Firingee (The foreigner) was used colloquially in deference to his Portuguese origins. Although not much is known of his early life, Anthony arrived in Bengal sometime in early 19th century and subsequently came to settle in Farashdanga, in the town of Chandernagore in West BengalWest Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
He married a Hindu Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
widow named Saudamini and was deeply influenced by Bengali culture and language, as well as the Hindu religion. Eventually, Anthony came to learn the language and composed a number of noted religious songs in devotion to the Goddesses Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
and Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
. He is noted for his Agamani Songs, celebrating the return of Goddess Durga to her parents home that marks the Bengali Autumn festival of Durga Puja
Durga Puja
Durga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
. Anthony is also noted for his literary face-offs in Kavigan
Kavigan
Kavigan is a form of Bengali folk performance wherein folk poets sing and perform.-Form:Kavigan is normally sung by two groups. Each group is led by a kaviyal or sarkar. The accompanying singers called dohars often repeat what the leader said...
s, or Bard's duels, with a number of noted Bengali composers including Bhola Moira, Ram Basu and Thakur Singh. Anthony also helped construct a temple to Goddess Kali in the Bowbazar
Bowbazar
Bowbazar is a neighbourhood and police stationin central Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal...
locality of North Calcutta that today is famous as The Firingee Kalibari (The Foreigner's Kali Temple).
In popular culture
A 1967 Bengali film by Director Sunil Bannerjee celebrated the life and works of Anthony, and had noted Bengali actor Uttam KumarUttam Kumar
Uttam Kumar is one of the most famous names of Indian Bengali Cinema.Born Arun Kumar Chatterjee in 1926 at Ahiritola, North Calcutta he is widely known as Uttam Kumar and Mahanayak . He remains as much of a cultural icon as he had been in his lifetime...
in the title role. The film was noted for its music, composed by famous Bengali musicians Manna Dey
Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, Gouri Prasanna Majumdar
Gouri Prasanna Majumdar
Gouri Prasanna Majumdar was an eminent Bengali lyricist. He is most commonly associated with the golden age of Bengali cinema, namely the black and white era, when he penned several enduring classics for the evergreen movies like Anyay Abichar, Maqsad, Tinmurti, Aparupa, Anusandhan, and Aaj Ka...
among others and earned Uttam Kumar
Uttam Kumar
Uttam Kumar is one of the most famous names of Indian Bengali Cinema.Born Arun Kumar Chatterjee in 1926 at Ahiritola, North Calcutta he is widely known as Uttam Kumar and Mahanayak . He remains as much of a cultural icon as he had been in his lifetime...
an Indian National Film Award for Best Actor
National Film Award for Best Actor
The National Film Award for Best Actor is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actor who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry.-Background:The Directorate of Film Festivals makes awards annually in several categories...
in 1968.