Told by	Dr. Pradip Ghosh
Obtained by	Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Suranjita Paul
Date	11 July, 2016
Place	SAP-DRS Lab, Sangeet Bhavan, Rabindra Bharati University
On Dr. Pradip Ghosh	Dr. Pradip Ghosh is an erudite music scholar and renowned musicologist.
Key-words	Robi Thakur, late 17thcentury, early 18th century, Carnatic, Karnatic, Bhasha Ragam, Raganga Ragam, Wajed Ali Shah, gharana, National Library, Dwijendra Nath Thakur, Pathuriaghata, Thakurbari, Gauripur, Burdwan Rajbari, 1856, Vasat Khan, Veen, sarod, sitar, Chhatubabu, Atul Chand Mitra, Banga Aikyatan, Sourindra Mohun Tagore, Shobhabazar, Deb bari, Enayet Khan, Chhotebibi, instrument, vocal
Language	Bengali

Dr. Pradip Ghosh speaks:

Verbatim:

???? ????????? ???????? ????????

???????? ???????? ???? 18^th Century ???????? ????? ???? later part of 18^th Century and 1^st part of 19^th Century…????????? ????? ???? ???? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ????????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????, ????? ? ???? ???????? ?????????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????, ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ? ???? ??? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???, ??????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ?? ????????? ????? ???, ???? ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ????????? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ????, ???????? ????? ????, ???? ??? ??? ???…???? ????? ?? ??????? ????… ?????? ??? ?? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??? ????????? ???, ?? ????????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?????????? ????? ??? ?????????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ???????? ????????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ?????????? ??????, ???? ??? ?????? ????? ??????…?? ???????????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ????, ???? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ????????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? Wajid Ali himself was a great composer ??? good Dancer ??? exponent of Classical Music, ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ????, ???? ???? ??? ???, ???? ?????? ????? ?????????? ??????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???…??? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????, ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ???  ??? ?????? ???? ??, ?????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?? ????????? ????????? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ????????? ?? ? ??????????? ?? ?????? ????, ??????? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ??????????? ???? ????? ?? ?? ??????????? ???? ????? ?? ?? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???, ???? ????? ???? ???? ??????????? ??? ???? ?????? as if he was observing his children? ??? ?????????…???? ??? ??? Wajid Ali Shah was a scholar, musician.

??????, ??????? ????? ??????? ???? ?? , ???? ??????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ????? ????? ?????  ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ???…??? ?????? ???, ?? ????????????? ???? ?????????????? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ??????????? ???? ???? ?????, ???????? ?????? ?????    ???? ????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ??? ???????? ????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ???? Nationality Sprit ??? ?? ??? IndianSovereign ?? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ???? convert ???????? ????????? ?? being a Sia Muslim, ???? ??? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????????? ?? ????????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ???? He was too much emotional? ????????? ??? ?? ??…??? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ????????????? ???????????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????????? ??????? ?????…????????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ??????, ?????? ???????? ???????…?? ??’? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????…1856? ???? ??? ?????? ?? 1857 ???? permanently he was vanished in Calcutta. ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ??…????? ??? ?????? ????? ??, ????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ???-?? ??????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? so called Historians ?? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???…??? ???, ???? ???, ????? ???, ??? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ????????? ??? ?????? ??????????? ????? ????????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ?????????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ????????? …???? ????????? ????? ??????????? ????? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? perform ??? ??????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ??????? exactly ?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ????????? ????????, ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?? ????????? ??? ??????? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ???

 

??? ???? ????? ????????? ???????? ????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ????????? ???? ???????????? ????? ???? ????????????? ?????, ??????????? ???????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ???????? ????? ??? ?????????????,????? ?????????…of course classical  ?????? ????? ?? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ???? some of them were connected with Wajid Ali Shah court. ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ???????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ??? but he was not so. ??? ???????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????

?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????????? ?? ????????? ???????? ????? ??????…??? ???? ???? ??? ??? …????? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ???????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? that was Bengal Academy.

??????????? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ???? idle ?????? ??, ???? ???? ??? ? ???? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ??????????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ??? ????????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????????????? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???  ???? ???? ????? ??????, ?????? ??????, ?????? ??? ??????? ???????? ??????? ????????, ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ????????- ‘??? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ?????????? ???? ????? ???????????? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??, ??? ????? ????? ?????????

– ????? ?? ??????

– ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????????? ???? ??? ?? ?????, ???????? ???…

– ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ???? ???????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ????? ?????????

??????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ????? his condition was not good enough to pay them full. ???? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ????????? ???????, ?????, ????, ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ????????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ???? ????, ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ???????-?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ??…???? ????, ??? ???????? ??????? ?????? ????? ????? ??, ??? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ???? pivot point ????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????…???????? ??? ?????, ?? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??????????????? ???????? ??????? ???? ??????…??????? ?????????????, ???? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ?????

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Translation:

You were talking about Nidhu babu?

Nidhu babu came in the mid-18th century. His area was from the later part of the 18th century to the first part of the 19th century. The Bengalis got to know of kheyal and dhrupad when Nidhu babu sang songs based on these raagas. Bengalis used to travel to Kashi, Mathura, and Vrindavan for religious and other purposes. They would hear it there. There are many songs in Bengali also, from that time, which are based on raagas. Raagas are of two types. One is the raaga of a composed song – it was rigid, but it didn’t have rigid rules like your darbari songs. Rules used to be followed more or less. It wouldn’t matter if someone missed a couple of notes. Same is the case for Rabindranath’s songs. In South India, such songs are called ‘Bhasha Raagam’. One could exclude a couple of traditional notes, or insert a new note – it was allowed. Then there are pure raagas. These are called ‘Raganga Raagam’. These are extremely rigid. Darbari songs are in this category. Each community categorised them in their own way. The Bengalis were not aware of this.

The Bengalis first got to know of a rule-bound system of learning raagas with the arrival of Wajid Ali Shah. The British had kept him captive in Kolkata with a pension. He used to stay at Metiabruz. According to the records, he had brought almost hundred singers with him from Lucknow. Most importantly, they belonged to different gharanas. Because Wajid Ali himself was agreat composer and good dancer and an exponent of Classical Music, he had several great qualities. It would be wrong to refer to him only as a king or a nawab, he was an artiste as well. He was essentially an artiste. His thumris were great! But when he came to Kolkata, his finances were in dire straits. He would use up his pension to pay for the singers. And the funny thing is, the books at the National Library and the animals at the Alipore Zoo actually belonged to Wajid Ali Shah – the British took it away from him. The birds and animals had names. Sometimes, in the evenings, he would touch them through the net, as if he was observing his own children. There were so many manuscripts…increadible! Wajid Ali Shah was a scholar, musician.

Anyway, the British didn’t admit to any of this. Just like they stole the Kohinoor. But his aim was music. Many Bengali stalwarts used to visit Wajid Ali Shah’s court. One of them was…there were many others…Rabindranath’s elder brother Dwijendranath Tagore was a close friend of Wajid Ali Shah. Rabindranath himself has written about this. The British didn’t approve of any friendships with Wajid Ali Shah because after the Sepoy Mutiny, the British were of the opinion that he had helped the rebels. And he also had a Nationality Spirit which no other Indian Sovereign possessed. The English marching commands were translated to Hindi by him. He translared military terms into Hindi. And being a Sia Muslim, he was very generous and Krishna philosophy was a favourite of his. For him, all thumris dealt with Radha–Krishna – a lot like Kirtans. He was very emotional about this matter. Then…the talent from his couty began to scatter. Some of them went to Jatindramohan’s place at Pathuriaghata. A couple of them went to the Tagore house. Many went to East Bengal…to the zamindar house in Gauripur, to Maimansingha, to Burdwan. They were scattered. So from then it can be seen…he was brought here in 1856, and by 1857, he was permanently vanished in Kolkata. And from there began…especially Basat Khan, Rababi etc…they all belonged to Wajid Ali Shah’s court. The so-called historians have all written lies. How would the Bengalis get songs of that region? Instrumental, singing…everything…Bin, sarod, sitar – everything came from there. Chhatubabu’s family, the Debs of Beadon Street – they dabbled in sitar. Chhatubabu’s nephew was Atul Chand Mitra. He had learn to play the sitae. He learn it in two ways. One was from Bishnupur. I think the Bishnupur sitar came from…those who perform…Manilal Nag etc…it is exactly as our Rampur gharana…there is an influence. But even they don’t know that it is similar to the Rampur gharana. They learnt from their guru. I think that Wajid Ali Shah is a turning point in classical music. Then one can see how the musicians got scattered across Bengal, especially to places like Kolkata, and the many zamindar households. One can see that a schooling was born.

It has to be remembered that the first school of classical music was established at Sourindramohan’s house at Pathuriaghata. Sourindramohan Tagore, Khetramohan Goswamy etc. It was called Banga Oikyatan. All kinds of instruments, vocals were taught at this school, of course in a classical way. Some of the teachers were connected with Wajid Ali Shah court. There has been no research on this. Wajid Ali Shah was completely anti-British, so the British and their followers always insulted him. But he was not so. His writings reveal that his mind was elsewhere engaged. This is one side.

So, you can see the most important school of music in Kolkata was…a school, not college…Banga Oikyatan. There were more instrumentalists than vocalists. What is now known as the Bengal Music College was called the Bengal Academy.

The Debs of Shobhabajar. These landlords were idle, they did all this when they got money. Of them, the Deb family and Chhatu babu’s family were most cultured in classical music. So they have contributed to the development of classical music, especially instrumental classical music. All names have not been recorded. Because we have seen, and there is proof, that Enayet Khan’s grandfather came and performed. We had organised a programme at the Rajya Sangeet Academy, it was Enayet Khan’s birthday, where Bilayet Khan had said, “No matter where I stay, I always think of Bengal as my motherland because Enayet Khan was here, at the Gaurupur court, and his father had also been here.”

– Imdad Khan sahib.

– Yes. In the context of Bengal, I am specifically talking ahout Bin and sitar. The surbahar came later…

– So the musicians of Wajid Ali Shah’s court had trained others.

They trained many people, but not everyone. Those who were more conservative didn’t consent to taking on every student who came by. As I have already mentioned, Wajid Ali Shah’s condition his condition was not good enough to pay them in full because he had brought many ustaads with him. There were pakhwaj players, sitar players, tabla players, rabab, dancers. Most importantly, the first female tabla player – Chhoti Bibi, had come with Wajid Ali Shah. Or else you would have missed this.  In the beginning, his court had more musicians from Lucknow. Wajid Ali Shah himself was from Lucknow. Senia gharana was also there. I haven’t found any mention of the Rampur gharana. I might find it…the same ustaad used to work at several courts, so it is a little difficult to say. There was another role. This is a pivotal point. Those who had come with Wajid Ali Shah scattered. The Nawab wasn’t financially well-off, so they went away to some other court, or to Burdwan, or Dhaka. These things were there. In Bengal, instrumental music was cultivated far more than vocal music. String instruments gained popularity from Wajid Ali Shah’s court.

Translated by Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.veethi.com/india-people/wajid_ali_shah-photos-4081-28116.htm

https://www.veethi.com/india-people/imdad_khan-profile-4228-24.htm

https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-other-oudh/237870

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University