| Told by | Jon Barlow |
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay |
| Date | 14 December 2014 |
| Place | At Kolkata residence of Jon Barlow 91/1B Bondel Road, Kolkata 700019 [Ballygunge Phari] |
| About Jon Barlow | A man in pursuit of Indian Classical Music for more than fifty years. Learnt sarod, vocal music, music collector, music craftsman, photographer, artist, music theorist. |
| Tags | Vilayet Khan, Yaman, Hafiz Ali Khan Memorial Festival, Park Circus, 1978, |
| Language | English |
Jon Barlow speaks:
| Told by | Maharaj Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Dilip Mukherjee |
| Date | 05 July, 2015 |
| Place | Sati Sadan, 41, Harish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipur, Kolkata 700025 |
| About Maharaj Banerjee | Son and disciple of Pt. Montu Banerjee [Tabla, Sarod, Harmonium]. Disciple of Pt. Muneshwar Dayal [Harmonium], Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa. [Tabla]. |
| Tags | Manda Babu (Dakshina Ranjan Chattopadhyay), Hiru Ganguli, amateur |
| Language | Bengali |
Maharaj Banerjee speaks :
| Told by | Maharaj Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Dilip Mukherjee |
| Date | 05 July, 2015 |
| Place | Sati Sadan, 41, Harish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipur, Kolkata 700025 |
| About Maharaj Banerjee | Son and disciple of Pt. Montu Banerjee [Tabla, Sarod, Harmonium]. Disciple of Pt. Muneshwar Dayal [Harmonium], Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa. [Tabla]. |
| Tags | Jnan Prakash Ghosh, 1964-65, Ravi Shankar, Sati Sadan, space scarcity, venue |
| Language | Bengali |
Maharaj Banerjee speaks :
| Told by | Prattyush Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sukanya Sarkar |
| Date | 01 March, 2015 |
| Place | 18 Sadananda Road, Kalighat, Kolkata, Prattyush Banerjee’s residence |
| On Prttyush Banerjee | Prattysh Banerjee is an accomplished sarod player. He is one of the foremost disciples of Padmabhushan Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta. |
| Key-words | Concert, opportunity, strategy, efforts |
| Language | Bengali |
Prattyush Banerjee speaks:
| Told by | Prattyush Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sukanya Sarkar |
| Date | 01 March, 2015 |
| Place | 18 Sadananda Road, Kalighat, Kolkata, Prattyush Banerjee’s residence |
| On Prttyush Banerjee | Prattysh Banerjee is an accomplished sarod player. He is one of the foremost disciples of Padmabhushan Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta. |
| Key-words | Kishori Mohan Naskar, sarod, Dulal kanji, naba Kumar Kanji, drawing, measurement, used materials, design, higher notes |
| Language | Bengali |
Prattyush Banerjee speaks:
| Told by | Prattyush Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sukanya Sarkar |
| Date | 01 March, 2015 |
| Place | 18 Sadananda Road, Kalighat, Kolkata, Prattyush Banerjee’s residence |
| On Prttyush Banerjee | Prattysh Banerjee is an accomplished sarod player. He is one of the foremost disciples of Padmabhushan Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta. |
| Key-words | Green room, Vilayet Khan, Shankar Ghosh, presence, gesture, ambience, tahzib, Nikhil banerjee, riyaz, towel, 1976 |
| Language | Bengali |
Prattyush Banerjee speaks:
| Told by | Prattyush Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sukanya Sarkar |
| Date | 01 March, 2015 |
| Place | 18 Sadananda Road, Kalighat, Kolkata, Prattyush Banerjee’s residence |
| On Prttyush Banerjee | Prattysh Banerjee is an accomplished sarod player. He is one of the foremost disciples of Padmabhushan Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta. |
| Key-words | 1980, 1982, 1990, music circle, Sangeetam, Surchhandam, Bhowanipur Sangeet Sammilani, Aritra Music Circle |
| Language | Bengali |
Prattyush Banerjee speaks:
Verbatim:
????? ???????? ?? ???? ???, ??? ??? ??? ???, ?? ?????? ?? ?????????? ??, ?? ????, ??, ??, ?? ?? ?? ?????, ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ????
‘?????? ?????? ???????’ ???, ??? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ????????? ???, ???? ???, ‘??????? ?????? ???????’ ???, ?????? ??? ‘???????? ?????? ???????’, ????? ???????? ?????? ????????, ???? ???????? ??? ??????, ???? ?? ??, ?? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ??? ????????, ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ???, ????? ???????? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????, ??? ????? ?????? ???? ????, ??? ???? ???? ??????? ???, ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????????, ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???????, ?? ????, ??????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?????
Verbatim: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Translation:
Speaking of informal, family-oriented events, I must say that in my childhood, around 1980, 82, 85 or 90, just like the way we had “Aritra Music Circle, similarly, there were several other such music circles active all over Kolkata. One prominent music circle was the “Sangitam Music Circle”, and another was named as the “Surchandam Music Circle”. What used to happen was that, apart from well-known musicians, the aspiring artists would also perform in musical circles like these in order to create an identity for themselves. The least I can say that, although I have no credit in it, the artists who performed in my father’s music circle are some of the most famous ones in the industry today. Some of their earliest performances took place in our home and in other music circles such as these that I mentioned. Now, music-friendly spaces like these have reduced in number.
Seventies and early Eighties. That trend of music-friendly spaces no longer exists in our city. As a result, we have plenty of artists, but nowhere for them to perform.
Translation by: Ankana Das
Picture Courtesy: Google
Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University
| Told by | Dr. Pradip Ghosh |
| Obtained by | Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, Suranjita Paul |
| Date | 11 July, 2016 |
| Place | Sangeet Bhavan, Emerald Bower Campus, Rabindra Bharati University |
| About Dr. Pradip Ghosh | Dr. Pradip Ghosh is a highly acclaimed musicologist in West Bengal. |
| Tags | Calcutta, 17th century, Job Charnock, 1690, Seth Basak, Kirtan, Portuguese, Bramhan, Kayastha, Kaetpara, Bagbazar, Maratha Bridge, Ganges, Sutanuti, |
| Language | Bengali |
Dr. Pradip Ghosh speaks :
Verbatim:
?????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????, ???? ??????????? ?????????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ????????? ??????? ??????????? ???? ???? ??????, ??? ????? ??, ???? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????, ????????? ?????, ??????????? ?????, ??????????? ????? ???, ????, ??? ????? ???????? ??????, ????? ?? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???? ??, ????? ????????? ????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???, ???????? ???, ?????? ???, ????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ????, ??????????? ????????, ???? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ????, ???? ?????? ???? ??, ?? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ???????????, ???? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?????, ??? ?????? ??????, ??? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ???????? ????????? ?????, ???? ????, ??? ????? ??? ????? ?????, ??? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ??????, ??? ??? ??????, ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ??????????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????, ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ??? ??????? ??????, ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ????????, ?????? ???? ???, ??? ?????? ????? ??, ???? ??????? ????? ????? ????, ????? ????, ????? ???? ????? ??, ????? ???????? ?????, ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ????????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ???, ??? ????? ????????? ??, ?? ????? ??????????? ????? ?????, ????? ???????? ???, ??????? ???, ???? ??? ????, ??????? ???, ??? ??????? ?????, ??? ????? ?????? ??? ?????, ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ??????,
?????? ??? ?????, ???? ????? ???, ??????? ?????? ????, ?????? ?????? ??, ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ?????????? ??? ?????????? ??????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????
-????? ???????? ???????
– ?????, ???? ????????, ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???????, ????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ???, ????? ?????? ???, ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????, ????? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ???????, ????? ?????? ???? ?? ?????, ????? ??????? ???? ??????, ???? ??? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??? ?? ?????, ??? ?????? ????? ???, ????? ???, ????????? ???, ???? ???? ?????? ???, ?????? ????? ?????????? ??? ???????? ?? ??, ??? ?????? ??????? ??? ???? ????, ??? ?? ????????, ?????????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ?????????? ???????? ??? ???????? ??????? ??? ???????? ???, ??? ???????? ???, ???? ????? ????? ???, ????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??, ???? ????????? ??? ????, ????????? ???? ??? ???? ?????????, ??????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ???
– ???? ?????? ??? ??????
– ????, ??? ????????? ?????? ???? ???? ???, ?? ????? ???????????? ????? ???????????? ???? ???? ?? ???, ?????? ?????????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ???, ??? ????? ??? ????, ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ????? ???, ???? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ?????, ?? ???? ?????? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ???, ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ??? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????, ???????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????, ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ??? ??? ???????? ??????? ??? ???????, ??????? ?????? ???????
– ????????? ????? ???? ?????
– ????????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ???????, ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ???????, ???????? ???? ?????????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ???, ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ???, ??? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??????????????? ??, ????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??, ??? ???? ?????? ???? ???????, ?????? ??????????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????, ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ???????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ????, ????? ? ????, ?????? ??????? ???, ???? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ???, ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ???????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????
Verbatim by: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Translation:
What we know now of Kolkata, that is before Job Charnock came here in the 17th century, wasn’t very invested in music as we know today. Residents of Kolkata, mainly the business classes, they held programs for their own entertainment. Among businessmen, Seth, Basak, who were mainly Textile merchants, would held several programs to commemorate their traditions in their palaces. Baiji Dancers were also common in this respect, and also the Kirtan . The period I am talking about here is near the end of Mughal Rule, in the 17th century… these people would bring singers and performers to their houses for entertainment.
Job Charnock came to Kolkata in the year 1690. But let me tell you before that, that all the settlement in this part took place on the banks of the river Ganga, which mainly comprised of Portuguese settlers. We also have to remember that it was the Business classes, which had come here. According to historical records, Brahmins, Kayasthas or Baidhyas did not used to come to settle here. The same reason, we won’t find Kayashtha Para, Bamun Para or Baidya Para. On the contrary, you will find Benetola here. Portuguese, Dutch and other merchants used to come. If you do a survey, you might find a lot of big dwelling houses of these merchants on the banks of this side of the Ganga. Bagbazar and such areas are all the same. But the Maratha Canal that was dug was later; after the attack of Maratha. So, these types of houses of the merchants are also found in and near Hoogli, though all were situated on the banks, because in those times, the river was the only communicable source for the people. There were no road or rail transport, thus the river was very important for communication. The merchant classes, mainly the textile merchants, used to work with threads, or Sutas, thus the name Sutanuti came into being. Apart from the manufactures, who sold products to the foreigners, there also were investors. These investors, or Seth, Basaks, were of two types. One was located in the Hoogli district’s Tribeni where they had a centre. The other was located at Dhaka. Thus we find the Seth Basaks in these two regions. Education came very late to Kolkata. Long before in Kolkata, Nabadwip was the hub centre for education.
The foreigners, be it the Portuguese, Dutch or British, they used to set up Bajras (or cruise boats) where they would indulge in music and dance; and here Baijis culture was also be common. We can’t now prove whether Classical Music was prevalent there or not. The court music or art music was not common, if not the rulers took the performers there. Whether the performers came to the invitation of the foreigners is a matter of doubt. But lighter songs, which may or may not be based on Raags might have been prevalent, but pure Classical Music came to Kolkata long after this time.
Translated by: Ankana Das.
Picture Courtesy: Google
Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University
| Told by | Anindya Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sukanya Sarkar |
| Date | 19 March, 2015 |
| Place | Residence of Anindya Banerjee, 50/1A Purna ddas Road, Kolkata |
| About Anindya Banerjee | Disciple of ustd. Ali Akbar Khan, Ustd. Dhyanesh Khan and other gurus. He plays sarod and surshringar. He is a well known writer of Indian Music with several publications to his credit. |
| Tags |
Nilaksha Gupta, The Telegraph, musical nuances, knowledge, reporting vs criticism, |
| Language | English |
Anindya Banerjee speaks :
| Told by | Anindya Banerjee |
| Obtained by | Sukanya Sarkar |
| Date | 12 March, 2015 |
| Place | Residence of Anindya Banerjee, 50/1A Purna ddas Road, Kolkata |
| About Anindya Banerjee | Disciple of ustd. Ali Akbar Khan, Ustd. Dhyanesh Khan and other gurus. He plays sarod and surshringar. He is a well known writer of Indian Music with several publications to his credit. |
| Tags | Hemen Sen, Hiren Roy, Muraribabu, sitar, sarod, rabab, Japanese instrument, Nikhil Banerjee. |
| Language | English |
Anindya Banerjee speaks :