Category Archives: Kolkata

Green Rooms and Different Moods

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:

Approaching Riyaz

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 Reyaj, riyaz, seminar, Zakir Hussain, Mombatti, preparation, mental set-up, chintan, manan, spiritual, Amjad Ali Khan, Guru, Dilshad Khan, parveen Sultana, palta, sargam, morning, evening, bandish, tan, time management, Buddhadev Dasgupta, sarod, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Vilayet Khan, gayaki
Language Bengali

Prattyush Banerjee speaks:

 

 

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

 

Remembering Baithaki Concerts around 1980’s

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:

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

A House Concert of Present Day at Kolkata

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

  • ???? ???? ????????????
  • ???? ??????????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?????, ?? ???? ?????? ????? …
  • ?????
  • ??????????? ??? ????? ?????????? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ???

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.

  • You mean his contribution?
  • His contribution and the time-period I’m talking about. That decade had
  • 1970s?

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  

   https://www.google.co.in/search?client=firefox-b-ab&dcr=0&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=S8fVWuLjC4jjvgSAnKmIBQ&q=bhawanipur+sangeet+sanmelani&oq=bhawanipur+sangeet+sanmelani&gs_l=psy-ab.3…20548.20548.0.21076.1.1.0.0.0.0.134.134.0j1.1.0….0…1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0….0.O-6z8DFSfXw#imgrc=u-_S_-Au_Xx1QM:

 

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

 

 

 

 

 

Music with Silence and one more

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 Accompaniment, Shahid Parvez, Swapan Chowdhury, Tintala, Keramatullah Khan, tabla
Language Bengali

Prattyush Banerjee speaks:

 

Lingering Memories of Music Listening

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 Buddhadev Dasgupta, late 1970’s, early 1980’s, talim, listening, Aritra Music Circle, Muneshwar dayal, harmonium, Shahid Parvez, sitar, 1982, Bishop Leffroy Road, central Kolkata, 1984
Language Bengali

Prattyush Banerjee speaks:

 

Music in Calcutta prior to Wajed Ali Shah

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:

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

 

Houses at the bank of Ganges, Kolkata

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

-????? ???????? ???????

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

– ???? ?????? ??? ??????

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

– ????????? ????? ???? ?????

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

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 Mausoleum at Kolkata

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

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=3ArjWvW8OsjavgSfqqCQBQ&q=bathing+ghatgs+of+old+houses&oq=bathing+ghatgs+of+old+houses&gs_l=psy-ab.3…7572.10062.0.10384.10.10.0.0.0.0.220.1618.0j3j5.8.0….0…1c.1.64.psy-ab..2.0.0….0.OZVxEF_arc4#imgrc=wk1R_wMCTnTfxM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=job+charnock+kolkata&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:Cf0rZTw7GVk6IjhTxoVQ9bzHOZohIWGO1WMAZO31h_1wlD2778wkuRl-HJV-iqJPKw4xcRz3U9PU_1X16SvkFdWCK-iCoSCVPGhVD1vMc5EfN3WUPUkwDCKhIJmiEhYY7VYwARVFxo5Dn_1OaEqEglk7fWH_1CUPbhFjIdg-ItQTRyoSCfvzCS5GX4clEW3ekJB6Ml1tKhIJX6Kok8rDjFwR3VEffgP8N8UqEglHPdT09T9fXhGKK-hWuINjJCoSCZK-QV1YIr6IESKmzel91o7p&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjcu–005vbAhVDkpQKHWPgDnEQ9C96BAgBEBs&biw=1366&bih=631&dpr=1#imgrc=AosFIx_jrxG2WM:

 

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching Style of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 01 July, 2016
Place Sangeet Bhavan, Emerald Bower Campus, Rabindra Bharati University
About the speaker Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay is a highly renowned sitar player and academician.
Tags Teaching, Bimalendu Mukherjee, Inayet Khan, Radhika Mohan Maitra , sthayee, manjha, antara, tan, alap, jod, jhala, riyaz, gamak jod, composing, informative, cultivation, M.R. Gautam, 1981, Khairagarh University, Thakur Jaidev Singh
Language Bengali

Note: During this period Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra used to live at Jadavpur, in the southern part of Kolkata.

Sanjoy Bandopadhyay speaks :

 

Importance of Punctuality: Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 01 July, 2016
Place Sangeet Bhavan, Emerald Bower Campus, Rabindra Bharati University
About the speaker Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay is a highly renowned sitar player and academician.
Tags sitar, punctuality, early 1960, 1970’s, 1962, 1981,
Language Bengali

Note: During 1960-1981 Pandit Radhika Mohan Maitra used to live at 1/7 Kalibari lane, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032.

Sanjoy Bandopadhyay speaks :

How I came to Indian Music: Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay

Told by Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 01 July, 2016
Place Sangeet Bhavan, Emerald Bower Campus, Rabindra Bharati University
About the speaker Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay is a highly renowned sitar player and academician.
Tags Ravi Shankar, Tarapada Chakarborty, guru, father, Peejush Prasanna Bandopadhyay, Hiren Roy, sitar, 1960, Chitta Prasanna Banerjee, Bhismadev, Vishmadev Chatterjee, Radhika Mohan Maitra
Language Bengali

Sanjoy Bandopadhyay speaks :

Baithaki Concerts

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 1980, Ali Akbar Khan, Bangladesh, 1977, Vilayet Khan, Aslam Khan, Shudh Maru, Nikhil Banerjee and Ashis Khan, Allauddin Music Circle, Mysore Hall, Hiren Roy, Vilayet Khan.
Language English

Anindya Banerjee speaks :