Category Archives: Central

Blessings of Ustd. Vilayat Khan

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags Keramatullah Khan, Vilayat Khan, 1964-65, Park Circus, Patna, Allahabad, Bombay, London,
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Verbatim:

??? ?????? ???? ???? ??????, ??? ??????? ????????  ?? ????, ????? ????  ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ???, ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ??????? ?????? (????), ???? ?? ?????? ????? ????? (?????) ???? ????? ?????? ???????, ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????? ????, ???? ??????? ???????? ???? ?????, ?? ?????? ????, ??????? ??????? ?? ???  ???? ??????????? ??????????, ??? ???? ???????????? ?? ??????? ?? ????

Ustad Vilayat Khan

???, “??? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ? ???? ?????? ??????”

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

“??? ??? ???? ?????? ? ????? ???? ????? ??????, ???????? ????????  ??? ?????? “

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

“??? ???? ??? ????, ??? ??????? ???? ??? ???????? ??????, ????, ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ??,  ????? ????? ??? “

??? ??????

????? ‘ ???! ?????, ???? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ??, ??? ??? ?????  ?????? ???? ??? ??????, ????? ???, ?? ???  ?????? ?????? ???, “

?? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ?????, ????? ????? ?????, ????? ????? ?? ??, ???? ????, ???? ????? ?????, ?? ? ????, ?????, ???? ????? ?????

50’s  ??? 50’ ss ???? 57, 58 ?????

???? ??? ?????, ?? ????? ????? ???? ?? 68 ?, ??? 64, 65 ????

?????????????? ?????, ???? ????????? ? ???? ????????? ????? ????????? ?????, ????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ?????-?????????

? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???, ????? ????? ????, ???? ?????????, ???????, ????? ???????, ???????? ????? ???????, ????? ????? ???????? ???? ????? ???? ??????????,[Audio Unclear] — ?? ????, ?????? ??????, ?? ??????? ??, ?????

“??, ???? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ?????”

??? ????? ?? ????? , ??? ?? ????? ????? ??? ??  ?????

“????? ???, ????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??????“

?????,— “??? ???? ??? ??, ?????? ???? ??? ??, ???? ???? ????? ????? ?????, ????? ??? ?????“

??? ??? ????, ????? ????? ‘??? ???, ??? ?? ???? ??, ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????? ????, ??? ????????  ???? ???????? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ???????  ??????? ?? ???????? ??????? ???????? ????? “ ?? ???????? ??, ??? ??? ?????,  ‘??? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??????, ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????’

???? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ??????, ?????? ???? ????, ??? ????? ???? ??, ??????? ?????? ???, ??? ??????? ????, ????? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??,  ???? ???  ???? ??? ?? ???

??????

Verbatim by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

Translation:

I have always had the blessings of Khan sahib, I still do. Vilayat Khan is the main person. We used to live next to his house. One night, it was around midnight, my elder brother and I were practicing. My brother was playing the harmonium and I was playing the tabla. Suddenly we heard someone knocking on the gate. So we called out and asked who it was and what they wanted.

A voice answered, “People call me Vilayat Khan. May I come in?”

“Oh, Khan sahib, come in, come in.”

“Who is playing? They are playing well. I want to hear. May I come in?”

I had stopped playing.

“Oh, play dear man, play. I am like your elder brother. Play. Let me hear it. You play well. Who taught you?”

I answered him.

“Hm. He is a great master. Why don’t you come over to my place? Visit me sometime. I have a younger brother. Make friends with him and practice with him as well.”

Ustad Vilayet khan and Pt. Sankha Chattopadhyay

That is how he invited me to his home. I began to frequent his place. I used to meet Imrat Khan. One day he said, “Come, play with me. This is the beginning for you.”

-Was this in late ‘50s? ’57-58?

-It would be…the first time I went with him was in ’68…so this should be around ’64-65.

– This was happening at Park Circus? The entire thing? Both of you lived their!

-We used to do riyaaz. Then once or twice he took me here and there – to Patna and Allahabad. One day he suddenly called for me (AUDIO UNCLEAR) “Shankha, Guruji is calling, what’s the matter? He asked, “What are your plans for next week?”

I said, “I have no plans. I don’t even have a job.”

“Take this money, go to Bombay. You’ll accompany me to London.”

I was…

“Oh, you just  go. You won’t have to do a thing. You’ll buy the tickets with me and go to Bombay.”

So I went to Bombay. Then one day he said, “Shankha, you really are something. You’ve at least studied in a school or college. How will you get your passport made from here? You’ll have to go to Kolkata for that.” I didn’t want it, but he said, “Oh, Khan sahib does this all the time. Now see what I do.”

da in Kolkata He filled up the form in Bombay and sent it to Sona. he was a gazetted officer. He got my passport made, and sent it back. I went off to London. That was the first time. Thus it began. There are so many stories!

Translated by:  Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

Picture Courtesy: Pt, Sankha Chattopadhyay, Google

 

https://www.google.co.in/search?biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=-hENW9n1IMmv9QPDwZOICg&q=vilayet+khan&oq=vilayet+khan&gs_l=img.3..0i10i24k1.293948.299265.0.299737.12.12.0.0.0.0.160.1770.0j12.12.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.12.1763…0j0i67k1j0i5i30k1j0i30k1j0i8i30k1.0.FoLYp3TBC-c#imgrc=wO-kbHgOArkfNM:

 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=298828493548235&set=a.298828490214902.59633.100002632616226&type=3&theater

 Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

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

Providing tabla support to Ustd. Salamat Ali

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags Keramatulla Khan, Jasraj ji, Salamat Ali, Park Circus, 1956 , 1959
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Text version:

???? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????, ??? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ????, ???????? ????????, ???? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ??, ?? ?????? ?????  ???? ??? ??????? ?? ????????? ?????????? ????, ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????????, ???  ????? ?????,  ?? ??,  ?????, ??? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??? ???, ????? ??? ?????? ?? – ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ??, ???? ??? ????? ??, ???????? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ????? ???

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

?? ????? ???????? ???? ??????? ????? ???, ??? ??? ??????? ??? ????

???????? ??????? (????) ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????, ???????? ??????, ????? ??? ????? ???????

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

?? ?? ???????? ??????? , ???? ???????  ???????? ???????, ??????

???, ??? ????? ???? ??? ??????, ????????

?? ???????????? ???? ??, ??????? ????,  ?????? ????, ???? ??? ????? ?????-  ‘???? ??? ???’, [ ????????? ] ???? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????, ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????, ??? ??? ??????????

“??? ??????? ?????, ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??, ????? ??????, ????? ?????? ???????“  ?? ?????

[?.?.] – ??? ??? ?????? ???? ?????????

??? ??? ????? 58, 59 ? 56, 59,   ?? ?????? ????

 

Verbatim by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

 

“How I started Tabla Playing”—Pt. Sankha Chatterjee remembers

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags  Kanthe Maharaj, Kolkata, Tabla, Subodh, Radio,
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Text version:

????? ?????, ????? ??? ????? ? ????, ????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????, ???? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ???????, ??? ??? ???? ???? ????????

?????  ?????? ???????

????? ???? ?????, ???? ?????? ????? ???????? ?????,  ????? ???? ???????? ??????,  ?? ???? ?????? ????? ??????, ?????? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ??????????? ???? ??? ???? ? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ???

???????? ???  ????? ??? ?????, ???? ????? ???????? ???, ???? ?????, ??? ???????? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ??????? ????? ???, ???? ??????, ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ????, ????? ?????? ????? ?? ??????, ?????????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???????, ???? ??????? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ??? ???, ????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?????, ?? ?????? ??? ????, ??? ?? ???????? ??? ????, ????? ????? ??? ????? ?????, ???? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????, ?? ????, ? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ????…

???, ???? ?? ?????

???? ??? ??:??? ???? ????? ??????  ??? ?????, ??????? ???? ???, ?? ???? ??? ?????  ??????, ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????, ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??????????? ????? ????? ????, ???? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ????????, ???? ?? ????, ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ?????, ?? ????? ??????, ????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ???, ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???????

?????????

 

Verbatim by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

Learning with Ustd. Masit Khan—A Unique Experience

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags  Keramatulla Khan, Masit Khan, Bol, style, Baya, 1953, 1963, Park Circus, Shiv shankar Karmakar, Gouri Shankar Karmakar,
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

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

First meeting with Ustd. Keramatulla Khan—His student remembers

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags  Keramatulla Khan, 1950, Kirtan, Khyal, Folk Song, Bengali song,  Tansen Sammelan, Samta Prasad,  Sankha Chatterjee
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Text version:

??? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ???? 50’s ?? ???, ???  ?????? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ???? – ??? ????

??? ??????

???? ??????

?? ?? ???? ???

??????

??? ????? ???, ??? ??, ??????, ??????, ?????, ?????, ????, ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???????? ????, ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ????????, ?????? ??? ??? ???? ????????, ????????? ???? ? ?????? ???, ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?? ????? ????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ????, ????? ?? ???? ???  ?? ??????, ?????  ????, ?????? “??? ????? ?? ?????? ?????, ????? ??? ????? ???”

“???? ???? ????? ????? ????”

“??? ????? ?????? ??????? ???”

??? ??? ???, ??????? ??? ” ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ???”

?????? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ????????????????? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ???, ??? ????? ???, ?? ??????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ???????? ????????? ????!  ?? ??? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ???, ?????? ???, ????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??, ?? ????????, ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ??????????????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? … ?? ?? ????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ?????, ??? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????, ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ???????????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?? ????,  ???? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ????, “??? ??? ?????? ???????”? ????? ??? ???????

???? ????? ?????, ?????? ????, ??????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ?????

 

Verbatim by: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

Ustd. Amjad Ali Khan’s maiden Calcutta concert

 

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags Amjad Ali Khan, Keramatulla Khan, 1958,
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Text version:

??????, ????? ?? ??????????? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ????  ??????? ??  ???? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????? ????, ???? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??????????? ??? ???? “?????? ??? ???? ???????? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?????” ???  Guess?  ?? ??? ?????

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

?????? ????? ?????????? ?? ??? ????? ??  ??? ??? ??? ?????, ??? ????? ??, ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? kind hearted ??? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??! ??? ????? ???? ???? ????????? ???? ??? ????? ????, ?????? ?????

“???? ??????? ”

??? ??????

“???? ??????? ??”

??? ??? ?????, ??? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????, ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???????????? ???????? ??????? ?? ???

??  50’s ?? late  50’s?

?? ??? 1958 ?? ???????

Verbatim by Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

“Bangali babu nahin chalega”—A not so famous lady singer refusing Bengali Tabla player

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags Chourangi, Sadarang Conference, Morning session, Kanai Dutta,
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

Text version:

????????? ???? ????????? ??? ????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ?????????, ???? ????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??, ??? ????? ???? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????, ????? ????? ???? ?????, ????? ??? ??? ???? ???, ??????? ???????? (????? ?????)?? ???????? ???? ???? ??? ?????…? ?? ??????? ????? – ???? ???????? ??…???? ???????

                             Ustad Dabir Khan

???? ??? ????? ???- ‘??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??????? ??????’?

(????? ?????)’??? ???????? ???? ?? ??? ?????’?(????? ???????)? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???

?????? ?????? ????…?

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

?? ?????????????? ????… ???????? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ??????????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ????????

Metadata & Verbatim by:  Dr. Suranjita Paul

 

Translation:

                                    Kanai Dutta

At Chowringhee, near the Lords Bakery, there was an open space, where the Sadarang Conference would be held. There would always be a huge crowd at the conference. Tickets were priced at Rs. 4 or Rs. 5. There had come to perform in the morning session, a Baiji, who was not very acclaimed at that time; referred by Kanai Da. The Baiji had said, “I do not prefer to be accompanied by a Bangali Babu…” And Kanai Da had assured, saying, “Oh, don’t you worry… I will play with you.”

Dabir Khan Saheb said, “Hey what are you doing? This is such a trouble!”

But the Baiji continued, saying “No no… I won’t allow a Bangali Babu…” (voice not clear)

Thus, Khan Saheb had to play, though the Biaji was not an infamous one.

That day at the morning session…

Do you understand, Kanai Dutta was refused!

No no, just see the way of talking-  “I won’t allow a Bangali Babu…”

These Bangalees are the one who were famous Tabla Players.

Translated by: Ankana Das

 

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.google.com/search?q=ustad+dabir+khan&client=firefox-b-ab&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiG2ZCh5MPbAhUIbn0KHZfpAk4Q_AUIDCgD&biw=1366&bih=631#imgrc=oKuJ8BiExc_1EM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=kanai+dutta+tabla+player&client=firefox-b-ab&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiW7buW5cPbAhWbTn0KHW5JCSIQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=631#imgrc=MEg60pmNUDfCIM:

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

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

“After his recital no other music could create a mark”—Pt. Shankha Chatterjee remembering Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty

Told by  Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee)
Obtained by Professor Sanjoy Bandyapadhyay
Date 16th March 2017
Place Garia, Kolkata
About the speaker Pandit Sankha Chattopadhyay is a reputed Tabla player from Kolkata. His style blends three leading Tabla  Gharanas of India, Farukhabad, Delhi and Punjab.
Tags Park circus Maidan, Keramatulla Khan, Tarapada Chakraborty, Tabla, Sudh Sarang, Bade Gulam Ali , Raga,  Gariahat Road, Melody
Language Bengali

Sankha Chattopadhyay speaks:

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

????? ??????? ?????? ????? ???? ????????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ??????????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??????, ???????? ???? ???????? ???????? ??? ????? “???????? ??????? ?? ?????”  ??? ????? ‘?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?????????” ? ??, ?? ???? ??????? ?? ???????! ???????? ????? ??, “?? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ???? – -” ???????-??? ???????? ???? ??? ?????, ?????—???-????!

????????? ????? ??? ????????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????, ???? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????

?????? ????? ?? ??????????? ???? ?????? ????????? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ????? –—???? ???? ?????, ??? – ?? ????, ???? ????? ?????? [??????? ??????]? ????? ? ???? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??, ????????!

Outstanding Malkauns Alap by Ustad Vishmadev Chattopadhyay—A Rare Treat from the Musician

Told by Dr. Amlan Dasgupta
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 20th  February, 2017
Place Jadavpur University, Department of English
About the speaker Amlan Das Gupta is a Professor of English, Jadavpur University, He has built an archive of North Indian classical music at the School of Cultural Texts and Records at Jadavpur University. He has also offered a course on the history of North Indian Classical Music. Education – University of Oxford.
Tags 1974,1975, Vishmadev Chattopadhyay, Bhismadev Chattopadhyay, Gramaphone Records, Amarnath Dey, Ballygunj Siksha Sadan, Keramatullah Khan, Krisnachandra Bandopadhyay, Kesto Bbabu, Harmonium, Tabla, Buddhadev Dasgupta, Alap, Malkaush, Malkauns, Vilambit, Drut, Bhajan, Ragpradhan, Bango Sanskriti Sammelan, Maidan, Talim
Language English

Dr.  Amlan Dasgupta Speaks :

 

Text version:

It must have been in 1974 or 75, when I first heard Vismadev Chattppadhyaya sing. I had heard him sing in gramophone records, we had some of his gramophone records at home, We heard long  kind of stories about him. My teacher Sri Amarnath Dey had organized a programme at Balygunj Sikhsha Sadan, where he came. Always I was told that he was a very unpredictable singer that mean that mean  what will he sing, or whether he would sing anything at all or just go away, no one could predict it at all. But he came and he sat quietly and he asked for lot of tea, I remember I went him caught the tea, and I think it was also ‘Paan’ that he requires so I was put in charge for looking after him for these things.  There was Keramat Sahab, and there was Kesto Babu  on the  Harmonium. So he was sitting there and then he, I think he was playing the Harmonium himself. I also remember small thing when he took Keramat Khan Sahab’s Tabla and played then with Buddhadeb Dasgupta, So there were all kind of thinks that was happening.  Then he went on to the stage and sang ‘Alap’  in ‘Malkauns’ and that is I think the   really marvelous part of that programme. After that he sang ‘Khayal’ in ‘Malkauns’ then he sang ‘Drut khayal’ ‘Malkauns’, ‘Vilambit ‘ and ‘Drut’,  and  then he sang ‘Bhajan’, and stopped.  After which I think people in the audience, whom he knew, you mean lot of people, there were lot of people there, lot of music lovers, who asked him to go on and say that you can’t leave us like this, and then he pulled the Harmonium towards himself and must have sang some eight or ten ‘Ragpradhan’ songs, That was really marvelous, really marvelous. Went on far beyond the time which we were booked the hall for, we were all standing there, pleading with the hall authorities to allow him to go on singing, saying something is happening which is so marvelous that,  it will be really a great pity to, tragedy to stop it. So the thing is that the ‘Malkauns  Alap’  I have never heard him before, after I heard him three times  perhaps afterwards in ‘ Bango Sanskriti Sanmelam’ and also the programme  that we have organized an year after. But he did’nt sing an  ‘Alap’ , I never heard any recording later when I was sort of tried  to look for the recordings of Vishmababu, I found a couple of ‘Vilambit Khayal’s  but no live or recorded ‘Alap’. But that he had training and this was something which was remarked upon by all the artists present there was something that I thought was really marvelous because evidently he was talking about a kind of ‘Talim’ about on which we knew almost nothing.

Verbatim by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

A concert at Eden Gardens to honor The Prince of Wales—A Narrative from 1921

Told by Sri Rantideb Maitra
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 4th March,2017
Place Sri Rantideb Maitra’s Residence, Madur Daho, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Collector and Music Connoisseur
Tags 1921, Prince of Wales, Eden Garden, Principal  Raaga, Musician, Majid Khan, Binkar, Indore, Fida Hussain Khan, Sarod, Hafiz Ali Khan, Sur Sringar, Radhika pRasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandopadhyay, Sur Bahar, Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay, Nyas Taranag, Dhrupad, Kheyal, Sitar, Megh,  Bishnupur, Nizam , Maharaja of Gwalior, Maharaja of Baroda
Language English

Sri Rantideb Maitra speaks :

 

Text Version:

Prince of Wales during a tour in India 1921

In 1921, when Prince of Wales visited Calcutta, a presentation was made to him in Eden Gardens where the six principal Ragas were to be presented by six principle musicians at that point of time. So musicians were chosen from all over India. I think I can give you the names of the musicians from my memory. Mostly Majid Khan, Veenkar from Indore, Fida Hussain Khan, the Sarodiya, then Hafiz Ali Khan who played the Sur Sringar. Radhika Prasad Goswami sang Dhrupad, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, strangely he played Sur Bahar and Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay again strangely he played Nyas Tarang.

You know what is Nyas Tarang?

Naak diye jeta…. Kali Prasanna Bandopadhyay…he was the last Nyas Tarang Player. (Played through Nose and Kali Prasanna Bandopadhyay was the last one to play Nyas Tarang).

Pt. Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay

Satya Kinkar was Dhrupad singer, Khyal singer, Sitariya but he played Nyas Tarang. He played the raga Megh in Nyas Tarang. So these six Principal ragas, I don’t remember who played which raga  but I know he played Megh in Nyas Tarang.

So amazing that out of these six musicians, six best musicians in India, three were from Bengal and from the same gharana that is Vishnupur. We Bengalis forgotten about this but this is on record, this book is available somewhere. This book was published in honour of Prince of Wales. Lot of Rajas I mean Nijam was there, Gwalior Maharaja was there, Baroda Maharaja was there and everybody of note was there at the point of time….1921.

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.oldindianphotos.in/2014/10/prince-of-wales-edward-viii-during-tour.html

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=bLoXW6yDJpD59QPZ4Y3oCQ&q=SatyaKinkar+Bandopadhyay&oq=SatyaKinkar+Bandopadhyay&gs_l=img.12…35722.35722.0.37498.1.1.0.0.0.0.120.120.0j1.1.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.0.0….0.2mbMHELAlAg#imgrc=ISCawHcDPSTwxM:

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

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