Told by	Partha Pratim Choudhury
Obtained by	Suranjita Paul
Date	1st December 2016
Place	SAP-LAB Department of Instrumental music. Rabindra Bharati University
About the speaker	Partha Pratim Choudhury is a famed Pakhawaj player and Guest Faculty of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Tags	Murari Mohan Gupta, 1904, Murari Sammelan, Kolkata, Vishnupur, Mursidabad, Sankar Utsab, Radha Nath Mallick Lane, 1928, Lal Chand Utsab, Sankar Rao Utsad, Pathuriyaghata Raj Bari, All Bengal Music Conference, 1938, Bhupendra Nath Ghosh, Girija Shankar Chakraborty, Ayodhya Ram Pathak, Jogindra Nath Roy, Durlabha Bhattacharya, Lalit Mohan Mukhopadhyay, Radhika Prasad Goswami, Miya-ki-mallhar, Mridanga, Chowtal, Tihai, Darbari Kanada, Gour Chandra Ghosh, Brajendra Kishore, Gopal Chandra Bandyapadhyay
Language	Bengali

Dr. Partha Pratim Choudhury speaks:

Verbatim:

 

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????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????, ??? ??? ???? ??? – ???? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? – ????? ???? ?????????? ????, ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????? -??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????

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

?????? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????, ????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????????? ?????? ?????? -’???? ??? ??????’? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?????????, ????? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ????  ???? ??? ???? ?????????, ??? ??? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???????? ???? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ?????????? ??????? ???????? ???? ???????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ????? ??????? ???????? ???? ??? ????, ???? ???? ???? ??????????? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ??????, ?????- ???? ?????????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ???????????? ??? ??? ?????? ????????? ???????? ??????????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ???????????? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?????

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

 Translation:

Guru Murarimohan left his earthly body on 1904. Durlabha Chandra started organizing a concert named MurariSammelan on memory of his Guruji from next year. Since 34 years this annual concert used to run smoothly. Not only artists from Kolkata but also artists from Bishnupur, Murshidabad and all over India had come and participated in the concert. After Murari Sammelan annual Shankar Utsav began. That concert used to take place for all night on the occasion of Shiv Ratri at Radhanath Mallick Lane. After then Lalchand Utsav started from 1928. However After the sad demise of Durlabha Chandra, things started falling apart in Murari Sammelan. The way the life of Mridanga expert Durlabha Chandra was wondrous similarly his death was quite absurd that took place at Pathuriaghata in the house of Bhupendra nath Ghosh, a passionate music lover of and founder of All Bengal Music Conference. The date was 24^thAshwin 1938. There was a baithak at the Bhupendra nath Ghosh’s place. All famous artists of India had gathered at his place. Great pakhawaj player Shankar Rao Ustad, BrajendraKishor, Gour Chandra Ghosh, Dhrupadiya Gopal Chandra Bandhapadhyay, Girija Shankar Chakraborty, Ayodhya Ram Pathak and also the Maharaja of Nator, Jogindranath Ray and PanditDurlabh Chandra. People were really happy and excited to see Mridangacharya Dulibabu. There were also many young music lovers who had heard the name and greatness of Durlabh Chandra but never seen him performing. Many among them requested Durlabh Chandra to play. His fingers were restless but his disciples did not agree.

Young vocalist Lalit Mohan Mukhopadhyay started his alaap in the middle of the night. Dhrupadiya Lalit was an acclaimed disciple of Radhika Prasad Goswami and son of Mohim Chandra Mukhopadhyay. Lalit started with Miya-ki- Malhar – ‘He Adi Anth’, the favourite raga of Ustad Mir Mohammad Gaji MiyaTansenji. Durlabh Chandra could not hold himself back anymore. He snatched the pakhawaj from his disciple’s hand.Pakhawaj started speaking getting touch of the known hands “Dha”. A joy wave covered from one edge to another edge. Just like raga, so is the singer, so is the player. Mridang started running after the singer initiating the bol in choutal. The tihai was hugged with fast rhythm steeped in ankles.

Nobody knew and no one had noticed that the raging sensation of the Brahmin’s nerves, which started in the rush is not of the Mallhar rather of Deepak. The veins of the old are beginning to burst. Lalitbabu took the blessings of the old Durlabh and said – “Today my birth is successful.”The oldman Durlabha Chandra blessed Lalit raising both the hands. The old man held his hands and whispered in his ears – “Do you know a secret? You did it. Lalit, you did it.” His eyes were filled with tears. Then he joined his hands  and said – “ Then bless me , grant my last wish”.

Durlabha  – “ Say, say, what do you want? Today I am Karna”

Lalit – “ I will sing DarbariKaanda. And you have to accompany me.”

He pulled up the laid down pakhawaj. Again, the genius of the genre ranges to conform to the harpist. All the listeners submerged with the melody  .Then began DarbariKaanda on Sur fankTaal with the moods of Ustad – “ BajatoJhajMridang”. The blue veined hands raised bols newly in the mridang. The music is fast ranging from peak to peak. The seven swaras are chirping like seven pet birds. He was playing melodious and had become bundled. Suddenly, the ones who were sitting at the side of the front rows started noticing that Durlabha Chandra was playing only with his left hand, his right hand had become still. That was quite absurd. None of them had ever dreamt that the right side of his body was completely devastated by the cruel attack of paralysis. He was tolerating a severe pain with all his body. The wise Brahmin cannot be defeated, so that he takes on the necklace of the suralakshmi, so that the physical pain is neglected by one and the other. He kept continuing the thekain one hand. Suddenly, it was noticed by the vocalist, he said – “ What’s this?” . At the next moment, he collapsed and as if Mridangacharya was offering his last prayer to the Goddess of Music. Coronary Thrombosis affected his last breath. Such death is desirable for music preachers.  Such death makes an artist mortal. What is the greater honour any artist can ask?

Translated by: Snigdha Mishra

Picture Courtesy: Google

http://nishaantsingh.blogspot.com/p/nishaant-singh.html

http://nishaantsingh.blogspot.com/p/nishaant-singh.html

http://www.dhrupad.info/radhika_prasad_goswami.htm

Edited & Designed: Dr.Suranjita Paul

 

Metadata generated by Dr. Suranjita Paul

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