Karar Ei Louho Kopat (Bengali: কারার ঐ লৌহ-কবাট, lit. “Those Iron Gates of Prison”) is a legendary Bengali revolutionary marching song written and composed by the Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam in 1922.
The song is one of the most powerful anti-colonial musical compositions in Indian history. Written during Nazrul’s imprisonment by the British colonial administration, its lyrics served as an explosive call to arms, urging freedom fighters to smash the iron gates of British prisons, break their chains, and pull down the edifices of colonial oppression.
History and Composition
In 1922, the British government launched a severe crackdown on nationalist publications. Nazrul was arrested in Asansol for his anti-colonial poem Anandamayir Agamane and placed in Alipore Central Jail in Calcutta.
While imprisoned, Nazrul witnessed the brutal tortures inflicted upon political prisoners. Despising the passive containment, he composed Karar Ei Louho Kopat to keep the spirits of the prisoners high. The song was smuggled out of jail and immediately published in the journal Banglar Bani in 1922, spreading like wildfire across the student and revolutionary committees of undivided Bengal.
The song is set to a highly energetic, fast-paced marching military rhythm, which gave it an intense mobilizational power. It was banned repeatedly by the British Raj, but continued to be sung secretly during mass demonstrations.
Complete Lyrics
The lyrics are written in a powerful, direct, and colloquial Bengali dialect:
Bengali Script (Original)
কারার ঐ লৌহ-কবাট,
ভেঙে ফেল্, কর্রে লোপাট,
রক্ত-জমাট
শিকল-পূজোর পাষাণ-বেদী!
ওরে ও তরুণ ঈশান!
বাজা তোর প্রলয়-বিষাণ!
ধ্বংস-নিশান
উড়ুক প্রাচীর প্রাচীর ভেদি॥
গাজনের বাজনা বাজা!
কে মালিক? কে সে রাজা?
কে দেয় সাজা
মুক্ত-স্বাধীন সত্যকে রে?
হা হা হা পায় যে হাসি,
ভগবান পরবে ফাঁসি?
সর্বনাশী
শিখায় এ হীন তথ্য কে রে?
ওরে ও পাগলা ভোলা!
দে রে দে দেউলে দোলা!
রক্তে দোলা
খেলা আজ অভিনব!
মুক্তির বন্দিনী রে
বক্ষে তোর জন্ম নীরে,
রক্ত-নদীরে
কে ভাসায়, দেখ্ রে হবো॥
লাথি মার্, ভাঙরে তালা!
যত সব বন্দী-শালায়—
আগুন জ্বালা,
আগুন জ্বালা, ফেল্ উপাড়ি॥
Roman Transliteration
Karar oi louho kopat,
Bhenge phel, kor-re lopat,
Rokto-jomat
Shikol-pujor pashan-bedi!
Ore o torun Ishan!
Baja tor proloy-bishan!
Dhwonso-nishan
Uruk prachir prachir bhedi.
Gajoner bajna baja!
Ke malik? Ke se raja?
Ke dey shaja
Mukto-swadhin sottyoke re?
Ha ha ha pay je hasi,
Bhogoban porbe phashi?
Shorbonashi
Shikhay e hin totthyo ke re?
Ore o pagla bhola!
De re de deule dola!
Rokte dola
Khela aj obhinobo!
Muktir bondini re
Bokkhe tor jonmo nire,
Rokto-nodire
Ke bhasay, dekh-re hobo.
Lathi mar, bhang-re tala!
Joto sob bondi-shalay—
Agun jala,
Agun jala, phel upari!
English Translation
Break those iron gates of prison,
Tear them down, wipe away
The blood-soaked
Stone altars of chain-worship!
O Youthful Lord of Destruction!
Sound your clarion of doom!
Let the flags of ruin
Fly high, shattering every wall!Beat the drums of Shiva’s dance!
Who is the master? Who is the king?
Who dares sentence
The free, independent Truth?
Ha ha ha, it makes me laugh—
Can God be hanged on a noose?
Who has taught
This wretched lie to the world?Kick hard and smash the locks!
Set fire to every prison house—
Ignite the flames,
Ignite the flames, and uproot them completely!