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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian singer, writer and folk poet}}<br />
{{for|the 1967 film|Antony Firingee (film)}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}<br />
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'''Anthony Firingee''' (1786–1836; {{langx|bn|Antōnī Phiringī}}, {{lit|Anthony the foreigner}}), born as '''Hensman Anthony''', was a [[Bengali language]] [[kavigan]] singer-writer and folk poet of [[Portuguese people|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]].<ref>{{cite book |author= Kuśa Satyendra |date=2000 |title=Dictionary of Hindu literature |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UcAwrV60cpAC&pg=PA87 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |page=87 |isbn=81-7625-159-3 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Sansad Bangali Charitavidhan (Bengali)|last=1st Part|publisher=Sahitya Sansad|year=2002|isbn=81-85626-65-0|location=kolkata|pages=73}}</ref><br />
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==Biography==<br />
Born Hensman Anthony, the sobriquet ''[[Firang|Firingee]]'' (though an Indian by birth) was used colloquially as a reference 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 [[Chandannagar]] in West Bengal.<br />
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[[File:Firingi Kalibari in Bowbazar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.jpg|thumb|Front view of Firingi Kalibari, in Bowbazar, Kolkata.]]<br />
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 Singha''. Anthony also helped construct a temple to Goddess Kali in the [[Bowbazar]] locality of Central [[Calcutta]] known as '[[Firinghi Kalibari]]'. His wife Saudamini was burnt to death, for being a widow and remarrying Anthony, who was a foreigner.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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==In popular culture==<br />
; Books<br />
The first reference to Anthony Firingee is a novel by Madan Bandyopadhyay titled ''Kabiyal Anthony Firingee''.<br />
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; Films<br />
* A [[Antony Firingee (film)|1967 Bengali film]] by director Sunil Bannerjee portrayed the life and works of Anthony, and had Bengali actor [[Uttam Kumar]] in the title role.<ref name="RajadhyakshaWillemen2014">{{cite book|author1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha|author2=Paul Willemen|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&pg=PT51|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-94318-9|pages=51–}}</ref> The film was noted for its music, composed by ''Anil Bagchi'' & lyrics by [[Gouri Prasanna Majumdar]] among others and earned [[Uttam Kumar]] an Indian [[National Film Award for Best Actor]] in 1968.<br />
* A 2014 adaptation by director [[Srijit Mukherji]] titled ''[[Jaatishwar]]'' featured the life of Anthony from a retrospective view but with a modern-day context.<ref name="Review: Prosenjit Chatterjee's 'Jaatishwar' is a nostalgic tribute to 19th century Bengal, but falls short as a biopic">{{cite news|title=Review: Prosenjit Chatterjee's 'Jaatishwar' is a nostalgic tribute to 19th century Bengal, but falls short as a biopic|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/review-prosenjit-chatterjees-jaatishwar-is-a-nostalgic-tribute-to-19th-century-bengal-but-falls-short-as-a-biopic-662330.html|work=News18|date=16 January 2014}}</ref> Bengali actor [[Prosenjit Chatterjee]] acted in the title role. Jaatishwar also received an Indian [[National Film Awards]] in 2014, in four categories, including Best singer and Best Music Director.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
* Miah S and Islam S. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Vol 4. p119. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, 2003<br />
* Kabiẏāla Eṇṭanī Phiriṅgī, Madan Bandopadhyaya, Calantikā Prakāśaka, 1964, OCLC Accession Number 20336301<br />
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[[Category:Bengali-language poets]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali male poets]]<br />
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism]]<br />
[[Category:1836 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Indian people of Portuguese descent]]<br />
[[Category:Portuguese expatriates in Portuguese India]]<br />
[[Category:1786 births]]<br />
[[Category:People from Chandannagar]]<br />
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