'shotti bote aami jete te firingee,
ei hite lok bhinno bhinno,
antim e shob ekangi'
(yes, its true, I was born a foreigner,
in this manner, people are different
in the end, all are part of the same whole)
- Heynesman Anthony or Anthony Firingee, replying to taunts on being a foreigner, in a live poetry contest in 19th century Bengal.
Son of a Portugese businessman who settled in Chandannagore, Bengal in early19th century, Anthony learnt Bengali, Sanskrit, read all scriptures and became a noted Bengali poet of his time, winning poetry contests against major poets. He was a Kali-Durga bhakt, wrote devotional poetry and married a Hindu brahmin widow. He is very close to my heart for his life is an example of inclusivity beyond man-made social divisiveness.
When a woman poet taunted him that he is a foreigner in guise of a Bengali, he replied "Like you are disguised as a woman." I just LOVE him!
ei hite lok bhinno bhinno,
antim e shob ekangi'
(yes, its true, I was born a foreigner,
in this manner, people are different
in the end, all are part of the same whole)
- Heynesman Anthony or Anthony Firingee, replying to taunts on being a foreigner, in a live poetry contest in 19th century Bengal.
Son of a Portugese businessman who settled in Chandannagore, Bengal in early19th century, Anthony learnt Bengali, Sanskrit, read all scriptures and became a noted Bengali poet of his time, winning poetry contests against major poets. He was a Kali-Durga bhakt, wrote devotional poetry and married a Hindu brahmin widow. He is very close to my heart for his life is an example of inclusivity beyond man-made social divisiveness.
When a woman poet taunted him that he is a foreigner in guise of a Bengali, he replied "Like you are disguised as a woman." I just LOVE him!
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