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Firingee, Anthony (?-1836) Bangla poet of Portuguese origin. Born Hensman Anthony, he was known as Anthony Firingee; or Anthony the foreigner, by deference to his Portuguese origins. He lived at Farashdanga in Chandannagar, west bengal. Anthony married a Hindu widow and became influenced by Bengali culture and the Hindu religion. He also learnt
Bangla well enough to compose songs to Durga and Kali. In one of his songs to Kali, he asks the goddess for forgiveness because, as a foreigner, he does not know all the rites: 'O Mother, I don't know much of devotion or worship, for I am a firingee. Show me mercy, O mother
Kali'. He also wrote
Agamani songs, celebrating the return of Durga to her parents' home. He built a Kali temple at Bowbazar,
Kolkata, which was known as Firingee Kali Mandir. Anthony used to sing his own songs. At the beginning, Gorakshanath set the songs to music but later he started doing so himself. He took part in a number of kaviyal contests with well-known composers such as bhola moira, Ram Basu and Thakur Singh. [Wakil Ahmed]
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