It's the fire lute's tune_

Ambikagiri Ray Choudhury

Ambikagiri Raichoudhury was an Assamese poet, lyricist, singer, powerful prose

writer, news worker, magazine editor, patriotic, social-worker and the leading
freedom fighter of India's freedom struggle. Raichoudhury was a poet, playwright
and patriot all rolled in one. He took part in the Independence Movement for
India and was imprisoned by the British, several times owing to his participation in
the Freedom movement or for the publication of works that called for
Independence, self reliance and the like. His experience of the punishment
suffered at the hands of the British and while in the prison for his activities and
the sheer injustice of it, are reflected in his poetry. His nationalist poems have a
sharp protest against the atrocities and there are great calls in his works to go
ahead with the battle of life. The poet wishes for a life in which human beings can
develop by putting away all the hypocrisy, lowness. Raichoudhury is thus known
as "Assam Kesari" (The lion of Assam) because of his firebrand nationalist
character.

"Its no song to soothe weariness nor a song of fun

It merges life and death, it's the fire lute's turn"

The 1st couplet draws the attention of the reader/listener and it states quite
explicitly, for the ones who witness it, to forego exercising any thought of this
song meant to entertain guests with refreshments or soothe weariness. The poet
quite forebodingly declares, that this song concerns life and death itself. Thus, by
nodding that this song is no song of peace, the poet hints that this song would
contain elements of action and defiance. This act of defiance would merge life
and death as one, since it is serious in tone and intention.
The poet thus titles his song, as the "fire-lute's tune", since the tune is no ordinary
tune of music. As a result, it incorporates within it the essence of viscerality and
vigor.

"It is infinite warmth transcending insults and hurts

It's the rage of fire welling out of the stifled heart"

The poet, Ambikagiri Ray Choudhury himself has been subject to difficult
circumstances, such as being jailed several times, being thrashed about and
beaten, being mocked at and suppressed for daring to lift his head and putting
forth his ideas/statements. Adding to these violent repercussions was the fact
that results were slow to come by and all other usual difficulties such as lack of
purpose, concentration and execution from his own people, had resulted into a
collective impairment and degradation. This is akin to looming darkness in the
society before independence.
Thus, the poet states quite frankly in the 2nd couplet, that the tune of his lute
will provide "infinite warmth" to all the people just like him that got lost in the
darkness and will provide comfort to those who seek it and require it, that has
transcended previous "insults and hurts". Also, the poet and the people like him
have suffered at the hands of their brutal masters for a long time and have not
been able to express it. And so the tune is like "the rage of fire welling out of the
stifled heart" because the tune reflects the breaking point of all these people,
including the poet.
This tune, as pure as the fire, would be directed straight at those forms/elements
that have conjured up the looming darkness, and clean the mess that has got built
up in the society and in the collective conscience of the people. It would get rid of
all types of inhibitions that reside inside the individual and outside of the
individual too, just like the fire brings about light, warmth, security and
confidence.
"It's the song of the Gods' churning the sea for nectar
It's the drinking of the great poison, death itself to conquer"

The poet in the 3rd couplet has brought forth the imagery by attributing the tune
to the famous “churning of the Ocean” event in Hindu mythology. The churning of
the ocean was a great event, that involved Gods and Demons alike, and it was an
extensive enterprise of much significance, depth and detail. Things had to go right
so that the nectar (in this case freedom for India) could be conjured up from the
depths of the ocean that was being churned. By attributing the tune to that
significant mythical event, the poet incorporates the idea of much complex
activity in the poem, that is also massive in its purpose and reach.
Also, during that great mythical event, it was destined that whatever came out of
the churning of the ocean, would have to be consumed, and it could not be
ignored since it was a part and parcel of the process, rejecting which would lead
to failure. Before the nectar of immortality could be formed, however, the great
poison Halahala was formed which started injuring both the Gods and Demons.
Brahma refused to help and thus they went to Shiva, who consumed the poison
and famously became "Nilakantha" as a result of the after-effects of the poison
and for conquering death.

Since, the tune of the fire lute is about seeking Independence through collective
participation from all corners of the Indian society, thus the poet states that the
tune would bring forth the understanding, that the collective masses would have
to accept everything before they are in a position to accept the nectar
(Independence for India), and this means that they would have to accept the
great poison also, in the form of brutal repression, gunfire, massacres, systemic
violence upon all, sinister and country-wide surveillance, erosion of homes and
hearth, loss of loved ones etc., and conquer death in the process. Thus the poet,
through his tune, states that the entire enterprise for securing freedom for India
and for the self involves both the "churning the ocean for nectar" and "drinking of
the great poison, death itself to conquer."
"It's the pouring of life's blood at the motherland's altar
It's that being that unites all brothers in a flicker"

In the 4th couplet the poet states that the fire-lute’s tune, will bring about the
realization of the necessity of devoting to one’s country’s salvation and service &
the sanctity of death. The poet is quite clear about the one thing that is at the
core of the entire enterprise for securing freedom : Death. The poet does not
mince words and he states rather frankly that securing freedom for India would
mean to lose one's blood, the very thing that gives life. The loss of life is the
price/sacrifice that one has to be willing to pay for securing both freedom and
dignity to one's motherland. That to be involved in the country's project is to live
with the understanding that one will have to die, sooner or later. Only then can
the country be able to stand on its own. The poet sees Death as a badge of honor,
as a mark of respect, since it is not easy to part with life. But the one who does it
for their country's sake, are to be honored and celebrated. For the motherland’s
altar is the highest place of purpose and sanctity and to pour their life’s blood
there is to have offered the greatest gift to it. It is the tune that would drive forth
the realization that it’s their sacrifices (also deaths) that would bring life to the
country. Since death is life, and gives life its meaning. The tune of the fire lute
woukd drive away the inhibitions regarding death and propel the individual to the
greater cause of the country.
Also, the tune like the flicker of a fire is feeble in the face of all the brutalizing
forces that dominate the physical and psychological space that is India (i.e., the
geographical landmass that constitutes India and the concept of the nation of
India). But all the tune needs is a flicker, however momentous it is, to light up and
burn as bright as it could, and sweep through each individual and arouse the need
to come together as one. The flicker and subsequent fire of the tune would
release the individuals from the clutches of the differences, doubts, and all the
elements that prevent unison amongst the people for the sake of the country.
"It's the sentiment that sheds all indigence, fear and dearth
It's the stamp of one form, one sap, one color on the earth"

In the 5th couplet the poet states that the tune of his fire-lute is like a sentiment,
as pure as the fire, and it will cleanse all the negative elements and prompt the
individuals in the society to incorporate that drive to undertake action, that will
deliver salvation to a society that is plagued with poverty (indigence), fear and
scarcity (dearth). Until and unless the individual, and the collective society as a
whole does not go through a phase of suffering and rage, then that society would
always remain complacent. Freedom simply is not about freedom from hostile
foreign forces but also the deep hostile forces that reside inside in all of us. It is
this fiery sentiment (rage) that would result into realization and action, and
eventually deliverance. Thus, the tune of the fire lute is like a "stamp" that marks
societies that were once poor but became prosperous in the end. The sentiment
aroused by the tune of the fire lute is common in all of us and it is always the
same everywhere with the same "form", "energy" and "color" on earth. It does
not change. It is immutable.

"It's a dire insult to see humanity faint and surrender

It's a mission to pound to dust the pride if the oppressor"

The poet states quite personally that complacency and cowardice are a dire insult
to the fire of the spirit, the indomitable will, of purpose, of reason, of action that
produces results. The fire lute's tune also incorporates within it, a sense of
"mission to pound to dust the pride of the oppressor" referring to the British
Empire and it's enterprises in India. The 6th couplet involves a direct call to action
by critiquing the tendencies of the larger masses and of humans in general, and a
direct foregrounding of the purpose that defines the tune of the fire lute's.
"It's the roar of thunder to wake the sleeping swallow of life
It’s the disciplined march to our rights through struggle and strife

In the 7th couplet the poet compares the tune of the fire lute’s to the “roar of
thunder,” that would “wake the sleeping swallow of life.” In other words, the
tune of his fire lute is so loud, piercing and intense that it resembles the rumbling
of the clouds and the streak of thunder and it will wrench the individual out of its
delirium. It also has the capacity to instill discipline and order and drive out the
lethargy and reluctance of the masses. The poet is against the idea of meekly
putting up with the hostile forces. He wants the masses to gather as one and
exercise discipline in their lives and conscience and march forth steely for their
rights through all the obstacles, struggle and strife. His tune will reach out to the
hearts of the masses and bring them back to their place in History by virtue of
shock and awe.

“It’s the history that witnessed Naranarayan’s indignity

It’s the feisty urge to die for life and its totality

Naranarayan was the most powerful monarch in Assam from mid to late 16th
century, and the Koch kingdom had reached its political and cultural zenith during
his reign, wherein he defeated the Ahoms, Kacharis, Manipuris, Tripuris, Jainitias
and many others and incorporated them to his political realm, a feat not achieved
before. It is also during his reign that culture received a big boost with his
acceptance of both Sankardeva and his disciple Madhavdeva. However,
eventually his army was defeated by the Sultan of Bengal, and his kingdom got
divided eventually, and all of it is recorded human history. One could only assume
the material and cultural progress in the Koch kingdom that would have followed
soon after, had the Koch kingdom not been defeated in battle and would’ve
survived a few more decades.
The entire event is a turning point in the history of Assam and of India, and the
tune of the fire lute brings forth this piece of history. The tune has incorporated
within it that indignant tone that arose from that foreboding event and it seeks to
bring about a revolution in the thought process of the people, where they are
indignant of the things that are happening in the present in the form of the British
Empire stifling the industry and resourcefulness of the people of this country. The
tune thus brings forth an event from history and it arouses the need of the hour
to be indignant at the sufferings, faced in the past and in the present at the hands
of the British, and to seek solutions to correct the course, lest the people want
India to go down the same path as the Koch kingdom.
This would then result in the “feisty urge to die for life and its totality.” A life that
is not lived worthily with all its aspects, is a life that has been wasted. To be living
is different from being alive, and to experience it in its totality would require the
complete space, both physical and psychological. This cannot come about until
the country is set free from the irons of the Colonial enterprise, and also from the
personal inhibitions that humans harbor in them.
And thus, the tune would bring about a vivid urge in the people to set the
country free, so that life could be experienced in all it’s totality and the course of
history corrected with it.

“It’s the strike of cruel pain that seeks to strife life

It’s the will to humble those who disgrace man’s strife”

In the 9th couplet, the poet compares the presence of the Colonial empire and its
brutal enterprise to “cruel pain” that makes life difficult for the natives. Also, the
“cruel pain” might be reference to the sordid and other hostile forces of life that
corrupt an individual from its purpose. The tune of the fire lute will strike down
such “cruel pain” that result into the submission of the individual to the over
arching hostile forces.
The tune of the fire lute would thus be a reply to the sinister enterprise, that
seeks to look down upon the struggle of the natives. It would do so by arousing
the need to exercise the will to humble those who seek to look down upon its
fight for freedom and self-reliance.

“It’s to wash away the thousand hurts comes the deluge

It’s the mother’s dictate that in death we seek refuge.”

In the 10th and final couplet, the poet finalizes his vision of the things that will
entail once the people witness this piece and the thoughts that he has
incorporated for them in this written piece. This song will ignite them to take to
action by coming out in droves in the street like a “deluge”, since the very
purpose of this song is to galvanize the people to realization and action. It is only
when they undergo realization & take to action, that the people of India be able
to “wash away the thousand hurts”, indicative of the innumerable injustices and
scores and acts of brutality faced at the hands of the foreign masters. However,
the call for action would involve suffering and death but it is the dictate of the
Mother (The country) that it is in death that one would have to take refuge (or
solace) if one is to dedicate their time and life to the country.