Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
For Devi’s blessings
MEENA BANERJEE
|
Be it radio discourses of shlokas or dance recitals on television screens, Mahaalaya is an integral part of Bengal’s culture.
|
Photo: P.V. Sivakumar
Annual fare ‘Mahishasur-mardini’, an early morning recital on All India Radio, Kolkata, on Mahaalaya goes back to 1932. With the onset of Mahaalaya starts the Durga Puja celebration.
With the last offering of til-tarpan meant for ‘tripti’ (satisfaction) of all those who had left this world at one point of time, Mahaalaya announces the end of the ‘Pitri-paksha’ and ushers in the ‘Devi-paksha.’ P
eople, even remotely connected with Bengal’s culture, wake up in the wee hours of the day to welcome the brightest, happiest fortnight of the year with innumerable radio and television musicals based on theme ‘Mahaalaya’.
Very few of the present generation remember the pivotal role played by the All India Radio, Calcutta, in casting Mahaalaya in its overwhelming melodic avatar. Initially broadcast on the Maha-sashthi or the sixth day of the fortnight in 1932, this oratorio-like feature was titled ‘Mahishasur-mardini.’ Tape-recorder was unheard of in those days. The artistes would bathe, wear red-bordered Garad-sari or patta-vastra specially meant for Pujas, assemble in the studio around 2 a.m., offer flowers to the deities, burn incense and perform live.
Scripted by Banikumar and composed by Pankaj Mullick, this musical feature in its perfect ambience inspired Virendra Krishna Bhadra, the narrator, to such an extent that he began chanting the text along with the hymns in tune with the accompanying instruments during its maiden live broadcast.
The effect was electric! So much so that its recorded later version continues to reign supreme even today. A star-cast event in 1976 was completely rejected by the listeners of the radio. The television encouraged experiments later. Now each channel telecasts different version with different star-cast.
Music video
On the auspicious day this year (October 10) Zee Bangla aired a music video composed by well-known sarod player Debojyoti Bose (Tony). He is a successful music composer, trainer and TV anchor as well. Fresh talents Deboleena Bose, Joy Bhattacharya and Disha Paul did full justice to Bose’s new compositions that retained the traditional raga-based aroma to a great extent and gelled beautifully with time-tested compositions like ‘Trinayani Durga’. Veterans Haimanti Shukla and Indrani Sen sang one song each but Rashid Khan’s emotion-charged ‘Bhavani Dayani’ was divinity incarnate!
Khan gave a heart-wrenching dimension to this Bhairavi saadra made famous by Begum Parveen Sultana. Film star Koel Mullick, who claims to have learnt Odissi, could not impress with her shaky poses as Uma or Durga – the central character of the feature. The repeated chanting of ‘Namastayai’ as ‘Namastawai’ by Arindam Ganguli, the ‘sutradhaar,’ was irritating.
Singing sensation Manomay Bhattacharya was there next evening while invoking the blessings of the goddess before presenting devotional songs. The Ramakrishna Institute of Culture organised this event to celebrate Mahaalaya at Vivekananda Hall.
Trained in almost every genre of music by renowned gurus, Bhattacharya arranged a bouquet of select songs ranging from traditional to modern. Sensitively aided by his team of accompanists Bhattacharya’s versatility was impressive in compositions of the legendary Bengali poet-musicians like Tagore, Rajanikanta, Dwijendralal, Nazrul and Jnan Prakash Ghosh. In his clear diction bhajans of Tulsi and Kabir sparkled like gems.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
