Category Archives: 1961-1974

Learning Sitar and Rudraveena with Kumar Birendra Kishore Roychaudhury and Panchanan Roychaudhury : Bishoke Kumar Sil speaks

Told by Bishoke Kumar Sil
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 29th September 2016
Place 84A, Ahiritola. Kolkata- 700005
About the speaker Bishoke Kumar Sil is an eminent Sitar and Rudraveena player of Seni gharana
Tags Mira Sil, Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, Sitar, Rudraveena, Seni gharana, Dhrupad Anga, Melody, Dagarbani, Gauharbani, Meend, Khandar bani, Raga, Panchhanan Roy Chowdhury, 1968, 1974, 2005- 2010.
Language Bengali

Bishoke Kumar Sil speaks:

Verbatim:

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Pt. Birendra Kishore Roy Choudhury

-???, ??? ????? ??????…??? ??????? ??????????? ??? ???, ?????? ???? ???, ??????? ??? ????????? ??????? ???? ??????????????? ??? …? ???? ????? ????? ????????? ??????? ????? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??, ????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ????????? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ? ??? ??????? ?? ????????? ??????? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???????? ???????, ??????? ??-?? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ????

– ???? ???? ?? ????????, ??? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ????????? ????? ?????????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???? teaching process ?? ??? ???? ?????

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

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

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

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

– ??? ?????? ???? – ??? ??????

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

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Translation:

My first guru was my elder sister Mira Sil. Our home had a heritage of music. My elder sisters were all very talented. My eldest sister was a good singer while middle sister was a disciple of Chhabi Bandyaopadhyay.  She sang many devotional songs and Kirtans. My elder brother Dr.Arun Sil was the mastermind behind these learning processes. He once decided to send my sister to learn from Birendra Kishore Roy Chaudhury.  I remember the incident clearly. My sister asked my brother whether he knew the legendary musician and my brother took out the telephone directory and called the maestro and fixed the time for her to learn from him.

It was in 1968 that my sister was married and went to live in London. Then I started to learn from Birendra Kishore and continued till his death. He passed away in 1974 or 75, I think. Then I got transferred to North Bengal and discontinued learning.  I used to learn sitar from him also, as learning Sitar would help mastering the skill of playing Veena with ease. Birendra Kishore used to follow Dhrupad style of Seni Gharana. He taught me Sitar and Veena both.

                           Rudraveena

I was quite young then, must be 20 years of age, so I didn’t understand a lot of his teaching, I think. He used to sing the things. Gauharbani, Dagarbani and Khandarbani were the fundamentals of my learning. Gauharbani had long Meends and then comes Dagarbani, he used to teach me between Dagarbani and Khandarbani which was typical of Seni Gharana. At first, he taught me small ragas and I passed Prabhakar from there. He used to sing the ragas and had to copy it down then I had to render it through the instrument. I cannot express the teaching learning process more explicitly than that.

I had to go away due to my job, as I told you earlier. When I returned I started learning from Panchanan Roychaudhry. He was a disciple of Birendrababu for sixteen years. The year was 2005, I think. I learnt from him for a period of five years until his death. Before that I used to practise the learnt ragas and my own compositions.

 Translated by: Arundhati Banerjee

Picture Courtesy: Google

http://oriental-traditional-music.blogspot.com/2016/11/more-sursringar-birendra-kishore-roy.html

http://www.rudraveena.org/NaeemBamboo.html

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

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

Listening To Pt. Ramujee Mishra

Told by Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 28th September, 2016
Place Residence of Sri  Debabrata Mukhapadhyay at Tarashankar Sarani, Tala, Kolkata
About the speaker Associated to All India radio, Kolkata. He presented several eye-opening discussions on Indian classical music. A poet, writer, and music connoisseur.
Tags Subhas Roychowdhury,  Naseem Hussain Khan,  Nadeer Hussain Khan,  Puria Dhanashree,  Agra Gharana, Benaras Gharana, Mustaq Ali Khan, Nanku Maharaj, Tabla, Chhut-taan, Maru-Behag, Kheyal, Taankartav, Riyaz, Ramujee Mishra, Chhut-taan, Nissar Hussain Khan, Rampur Sahaswan Gharana, Bhairavi , Tarana,  Megh , Amir Khan, Amir Khusro, Rabindra Nath Tagore, 1965,   1966, 1967,   Kesarbai Kerkar, Thumri , Tappa,  Performance, Khambaj Tappa, Malini Rajurkar, Hafiz Ahmed Khan, Ramprasad Mishra, Ramuji Mishra, Mohan Kanan, Paikpara
Language Bengali

Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay Speaks :

 

 

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

The Majestic Ustd. Latafat Hussain Khan and Agra Gharana

Told by Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay
Obtained by Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay, Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 28th September, 2016
Place Tarashankar Sarani,Tala,Kolkata
About the speaker Associated to All India Radio, Kolkata. He presented several eye-opening discussions on Indian classical music. A poet, writer, and music connoisseur.
Tags Akashvani, Radio, Taan, Raag, Jog, Bandish, Baroaa, 1968, 1967, Latafat Hussain Khan, Agra Gharana, Faiyaz Khan, Bialayat Hussain Khan, Sarafat Hussain Khan, 1960, 1962, Behug, Mulatani, Kheyal, Kirana Gharana, Roshanara Begum, Gwalior Gharana, Bade Ghulam Ali, Narendranath Mitha, Shovona Debi, Nitai Bose,  Mustaque Ali khan, Nirmal Guha Thakurata, Ahmed Jan Thirakwa, Puriya, Tarapada Chakraborty, Halak Taan, Gamak, Meer, Meend,  Boltaan, Dinkar Kaikini
Language Bengali

Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay Speaks :

Text Version:

I first started to listen to classical music from All India Radio from 7:40 to 7:50 p.m. One day suddenly an ethereal voice hit me and his tana was like a tidal wave. he was singing raga Jog “sajana mora ghar aye”.

Ustad Latafat Hussain Khan

He was the best yogi in that raga, he was none other than Latafat Hussain Khan. Another raga was his fort as far as I can remember, raga Baroya, “prem baje mori payeliya” was the lyrics of the kheyal. It was in the year 1968 or 69. He was in the peak of his career then. The records though were earlier ones. His voice taught me the strength in rendering a raga. Some people criticise him for his rough and husky voice, but I think beauty lies not only in softness and sweetness but also in strong masculinity. I think the beauty of Himalaya is not ultimate but the Grand Canyon is also beautiful in its own way. The voice of Latafat Hussain Khan reminds me of the tough granites of Grand Canyon. It was a very typical trait of Agra gharana, it was in the singing of Faiyaz khan too. I know the staunch fans of Faiaz Khan would beg to differ but I think the roughness and strength were the beauty of these singers. Bilayat Hussain Khan was another name in this line which I want to mention. Sharafat Hussain Khan changed himself a little from the common Agra gharana traits, still the beauty of the learning remained the same. Sharafat Hussain Khan had a record which I first heard in 1960 or 62. It had raga Behag in one side and raga Multani in the other. Behug had the lyrics “hajarat ali tum ho mahabali”, a typical kheyal of Agra gharana and Multani had the lyrics like “hari eri ariri, elo durjan me kaha Kasur”. These two songs, sung at the age of twelve, had a sweet young voice yet it had the fire and speed that was amazing. Then Kirana gharana recorded the same ragas by a twelve-year-old, she was none other than majestic Roshnara Begum. Those days are over now, the battle between ghranas and gurus are past. It is unfortunate that we lost the traits of different gharanas. The strength of Agra gharana, the beauty of Himalaya in Gwaliyar Gharana, the beauty of rose garden in the voice of Ghulam Ali Khan are all mixed up now. Even the time of the ragas are not considered now-a-days.

I was first introduced with Latafat Hussain khan in the house of famous writer Narendranath Mitra. His wife Shovana aunty was a very good singer. Nitai Basu was there, he was a disciple of Mustaque Hussain Khan and he liked me a lot. Nirmal Guhathakurta was also there. Latafat Hussain khan was chatting with them in a friendly manner. It was in Mohan Kanan, the year was 1967-68. I was introduced casually with him, I was awestruck. I first perceived him as a very big man wearing a white coat and white churidar, his dark face was reddened by betel leaf. He laughed and chatted merrily with a weird grin. His chat was mixed with Urdu Shayri which I couldn’t followed well but everyone was effusive. This went on for a while, I asked him some questions, the mood was set and then he took the stage. He started with raga Puriya. I remembered the small record of Ustad Tarapada Chakraborty with raga Puriya. But it had the very different flavour, it was full of sweet and mellow tragic note, we know this sadness which Puriya brings with it.  But the rendering of Latafat Hussain was unique, we are in an unknown territory, the tragedy, the misfortune brought out by him was like a princess prisoned in a casement and her heart-wrenching catastrophe singing her heart out. But it was not a she and the singer was not a paragon of beauty. But he created his magic in such a way, we were all mesmerised. When he finished his performance, I suddenly discovered he was not at all a big man, he had quite a simple stature but the greatness of his genius made him a giant for me. He then sang some more songs including raga Jog. His introductory tana was so strong that it seemed to pull the very soul of ones existence. It was called Halak taan, it was a signature of Agra gharana, so also gamak. Gamak was originally a meer but they mixed boltaan with it to extend its merit. It was quite a lost heritage now. Sharafat Hussain Khan and Dinkar kaikini were the last of them.

TRANSLATION BY ARUNDHATI BANERJEE

Picture Courtesy:Google 

https://www.google.co.in/search?q=ustad+latafat+hussain+khan&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjn4NWi8fHbAhXMrI8KHaTzB74Q_AUIDCgD&biw=1366&bih=586#imgrc=AX4h1QgwpvKPaM:

 Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

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

A Listener’s Journey : Debabrata Mukhapadhyay speaks

Told by Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 28th September, 2016
Place Tarashankar Sarani, Tala, Kolkata
About the speaker Associated to All India radio, Kolkata. He presented several eye-opening discussions on Indian classical music. A poet, writer, and music connoisseur.
Tags Indian Classical Music,  Gramaphone Record, Gyanendra Prasad Goswami, Kheyal, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan,  Raag,  Jayjayanti, Kedar,  78-rpm Record,  Faiyaz Khan,  Vinayak Rao Patwardhan,  Hirabai Barodekar,  Kesarbai Kerkar, 1959,1960,  Tarapada Chakraborty, Puriya,   Gurjari Todi,  Bhismadev, Vishmadev, Chattopadhyay, Chatterjee, Radio Ceylone,  Gauhar Jaan, Amiya Nath Sanyal, Narayan Rao Vyas, D.V. Paluskar, Naseem Hussain Khan, Naseer Hussain Khan, Subhas Roychowdhury, Ata Hussain Khan, Darbari Kanada, Tanaiyat, Agra Gharana, 1965, Sohini, Madhyalaya Teentaal, Bandish, Sam, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Boltaan,   Rageshree, Taan, Staccato ,   Malhua Kedar, All India Radio,  Pinaki Mukhopadhayay,  Maru Behug, Ata Hussain Khan
Language Bengali

Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay Speaks :

 

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

Other side of music—Pt. Manilal Nag

Told by Pt. Manilal Nag
Obtained by Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 12 February, 2015
Place Residence of Pt. Manilal Nag, 13G Gobinda Mondal Lane, Kolkata 700002
About the speaker Manilal Nag is a renowned sitar player and an exponent of the Bishnupur Gharana of Bengal. His sitar recitals have been featured in many National Programmes of Music & Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan since 1954. He is a recipient of several prestigious awards including Sangeet Natak Akademy Award in 2001 and

Government of West Bengal’s Highest Civilian Award, Banga Bibhushan in 2015.

Tags Laya, accusations, frog, north Calcutta, fighting, abusing, Vilayet Khan, Rais Khan, knife, Tarun Sangeet Sammelan, Sanatan Mukherjee, Alla Rakha, Jog, Tarapada Chakraborty, Sunanda Patnaik, 1964, 1974
Language Bengali

Pt. Manilal Nag speaks:

 

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

 

Arjun Shejwal and his “Paak” Awaj

Told by Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 28th September, 2016
Place Residence of Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay at Tarashankar Sarani, Tala, Kolkata
About the speaker Associated to All India Radio, Kolkata. He presented several eye-opening discussions on Indian classical music. A poet, writer, and music connoisseur.
Tags Nitai Bose,  Mustaq Ali Khan, 1965, Arjun Shejwal, Pakhawaj, Akashbani, Rabindra Sadan, Ajodhya Prasad , Pratap Narayan Mitra, Fahimuddin Khan Dagar, Enayat Khan, Stretched Membrane Instrument, Frequency, Baya, Dhrupad
Language Bengali

Sri Debabrata Mukhapadhyay Speaks :

Text Version:

Nitai Basu, the disciple of Ustad Mustaque Ali Khan, was a very learned, gentleman and his house was an abode of classical music performed by masters. He liked me a lot and came to visit me often. He didn’t like my way of comparing musical notes with mathematics yet we got along fine. It was in 1965 that I heard Arjun Sejwal’s solo Pakhwaj performance.

Pt. Ayodhya Prasad

I had heard Pandit Ayodhyaprasad and Pratap Narayan Mitra’s pakhawaj but it was quite another experience to hear Arjun Sejwal. Later I came in contact with Ustad Fahimuddin Khan Dagar, but it was another story. Anyway, I was a bit sceptical about solo performance of pakhawaj but it was an opportunity to watch this quite closely, so I went. Arjun Sejwal was not looked like an artist rather he had the physic of a wrestler. His wrist was mascular and strong. It was a tradition in classical music in our country that pakhwaj players must learn wrestling well because they had to carry almost 60 kg weight of their instrument. But his smile was beguiling; he was quite young then, 35 years maybe. The performance was was quite homely and simple. It all happened in a small room of Nitai Basu’s house. Here I first watched the astonishing job of putting whole wheat in a pakhwaj. Pakhwaj is an Indian instrument with stretched membrane loaded at the centre (if I may use the physics jargon). Pakhwaj had a very low tonal quality basically and a thick layer of whole wheat (atta) had to be used. When the left side of pakhwaj was being played it gives a very bass sound and it prepared the serious atmosphere for Dhrupad.

Pandit Arjun Shejwal

Arjun Sejwal played this difficult instrument so easily as if he was doing nothing. A smiling face and his hands flew with practised ease it was a feast to the eyes. The beauty of music is not only in listening but also in viewing. In our ancient script it was written about knowing the soul. Soul is omniscient, so how one can understand one’s soul. So, you should think about it, listen to it, view it and meditate it, the perfect mix of all the external experiences will lead you to know your soul. I think, Indian classical music is just like that.

Translation by:  Arundhati Banerjee

 Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=MPYHW7GxN8Ob9QOmy6OYAQ&q=ayoddhaprasad+&oq=ayoddhaprasad+&gs_l=img.3…87087.91625.0.95184.14.14.0.0.0.0.180.2025.0j14.14.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.7.1073…0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i10i67k1j0i10k1j0i10i24k1.0.6zOvhNG8RIM#imgrc=t_AUne7hiq3GIM:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=XPcHW4W-INX49QOTi7OIDw&q=arjun+shejwal+&oq=arjun+shejwal+&gs_l=img.3..0i24k1.13283.14446.0.15223.8.8.0.0.0.0.168.1199.0j8.8.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.8.1193….0.FpBOJQUMGvs#imgrc=cMFsf_A9WTu0uM:

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

 

 

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

Memorable concerts of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan—Irfan Khan remembers

Told by Irfan Muhammad Khan
Obtained by Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 27 September, 2016
Place Residence of Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
On Irfan Muhammad Khan Irfan Md. Khan is an established Sarod Player. The scion of Lucknow Shahjanpur Gharana Sarod player. He represents the Lucknow-Shahjahanpur Gharana which has produced eminent Sarod players like Ustad Enayet Khan (1790-1883), Ustad Asadullah Khan Kaukab (1852-1919), Ustad Karamatuilah Khan (1848-1933), Prof. Sakhawat Hussain Khan (1875-1955), also his illustrious father Ustad Umar Khan (1916-1982) and his uncle Ustad Ilyas Khan (1924-1989) the famous Sitar player of Lucknow.
Key-words Ali Akbar Khan, Umar Khan, Jodhpur, Dagar, daraspiya, inspiration, shagird, R.D. Burman, Joydev, Roshan of Bombay, Begum Jabbar, Palm Avenue, morning concert, 1960, Bilaskhani todi, Dover lane, 1970, Puriya
Language Hindi

Irfan Muhammad Khan speaks:

 

 

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

Ustd Umar Khan finally came to Calcutta—The Ustd. Waliullah Khan Connection

Told by Irfan Muhammad Khan
Obtained by Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 27 September, 2016
Place Residence of Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
On Irfan Muhammad Khan Irfan Md. Khan is an established Sarod Player. The scion of Lucknow Shahjanpur Gharana Sarod player. He represents the Lucknow-Shahjahanpur Gharana which has produced eminent Sarod players like Ustad Enayet Khan (1790-1883), Ustad Asadullah Khan Kaukab (1852-1919), Ustad Karamatuilah Khan (1848-1933), Prof. Sakhawat Hussain Khan (1875-1955), also his illustrious father Ustad Umar Khan (1916-1982) and his uncle Ustad Ilyas Khan (1924-1989) the famous Sitar player of Lucknow.
Key-words Waliullah Khan, waliulla, Manjh Khamaj, Majh, Metiaburuj, Nawab of Jalpaiguri,  1840, Begum Jabbar, Umar Khan, Roxy Cinema, Basushree, Sree Cinema Hall, Basusree, 1953, Marris College, Illiyas Khan.
Language Hindi

Irfan Muhammad Khan speaks:

 

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

An unforgettable day with my Guru and other artists which I still cherish—Vidushi Purnima Sen

Told by Vidushi Purnima Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 19th April 2015
Place 149/1C Rash Bihari Avenue. Kolkata -29
About the speaker Vidushi Purnima Sen is an exponent of Agra –Atruli gharana. She was the disciple of Vilayat Hussain Khan of Agra-Atrauli gharana. She has also learnt from Ata Hussain Khan and Sharafat Hussain Khan of the same gharana. She is considered as the heir of Agra-Atrauli gharana.
Tags Ata Hussain Khan, Mustaq Hussain Khan, Mahishadal Rajbari, Wellesley Street, Agra-Atrauli, Mehboob Khan, Istiyak Hussain, Golam Taki Khan, Rageswari, Malkaunsh, Tanpura, Behag, Desh, 1964
Language Bengali

Vidushi Purnima Sen speaks:


 

 

Metadata is generated by Suranjita Paul

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

Ustd Sharafat Hussein Khan and Pt. Kishen Maharaj in informal setting

Told by Vidushi Purnima Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 19th April 2015
Place 149/1C Rash Bihari Avenue. Kolkata -29
About the speaker Vidushi Purnima Sen is an exponent of Agra –Atruli gharana. She was the disciple of Vilayat Hussain Khan of Agra-Atrauli gharana. She has also learnt from Ata Hussain Khan and Sharafat Hussain Khan of the same gharana. She is considered as the heir of Agra-Atrauli gharana.
Tags Ali Akbar Khan, Hafiz Ali conference, Amjad Ali Khan, Sharafat Ali Khan, Kishan Maharaj, 1974, Dhyanesh Khan, Bangal Bhairav, Accompaniment, Layakari, Rupak, Dhamar, Chanda, Agra Gharana
Language Bengali

Vidushi Purnima Sen speaks:


Metadata is generated by Suranjita Paul

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